District of New Jersey

TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for evading federal income taxes and filing false tax returns, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Gordian A. Ndubizu, of Princeton Junction, New Jersey, was convicted on Aug. 15, 2024, of all eight counts of an indictment charging him with four counts of tax evasion and four counts of filing false tax returns in tax years 2014 through 2017, following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, who imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and evidence introduced at trial:

During tax years 2014 through 2017, Ndubizu was a professor of accounting at a university in Pennsylvania as well as the co-owner of Healthcare Pharmacy in Trenton, New Jersey. Healthcare Pharmacy was organized as an S corporation, the income of which flowed through to Ndubizu and his wife and was to be reported on their personal income tax returns. Ndubizu prepared fraudulent books and records for Healthcare Pharmacy inflating the pharmacy’s costs of goods sold to reduce and underreport the pharmacy’s actual profits flowing through to Ndubizu and his wife. In the fraudulent books and records, among other things, Ndubizu identified certain wire transfers as payments to purchase goods sold by the pharmacy when those wire transfers were in fact made to personal bank accounts under Ndubizu’s control and to bank accounts in Nigeria associated with an automotive company under Ndubizu’s control. Each of Ndubizu’s tax returns for tax years 2014 through 2017 falsely underreported his income and falsely reported that he had no financial interest in or signature authority over any foreign bank accounts. Ndubizu failed to report approximately $3.28 million in income from the pharmacy, resulting in the evasion of approximately $1.25 million in tax due and owing.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation , under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and officers of the Trenton Police Department and Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office for their work on this case.  

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Ramey and Ashley Super Pitts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
 

NEWARK, N.J. – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil complaint today to forfeit more than 9,000 boys’ suits that were intercepted at the Port of New York/Newark after being imported from China, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

As alleged in the civil forfeiture complaint, the boys’ suits were seized by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in March 2020, after the buttons on the boys’ suits were tested by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and found to contain prohibited levels of lead. Further, and as alleged in the civil forfeiture complaint, this was at least the third instance in which the importer, Angels New York US, Inc., attempted to import children’s clothing that contained unsafe levels of lead.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited members of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of New York/Newark, under the direction of Port Director Jeffrey Greene, and members of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Laserna of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering and Recovery Unit.

The accusations in the complaint, and the description of the complaint, constitute only allegations.
 

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man was charged today with (i) being a felon in possession of a firearm, (ii) possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, and (iii) possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Michael Weaver, 38, of Irvington, New Jersey was charged today by superseding indictment with the above-referenced charges, and his arraignment will be scheduled before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court.

As a result of Weaver’s significant and violent criminal history, which includes numerous convictions in Essex County for robbery, aggravated assault, unlawful weapons possession, and drug trafficking, he was charged under the Armed Career Criminal Act.  That charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison.  In total, as a result of all the charges in the Superseding Indictment, Weaver faces a total mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of imprisonment of life in prison.  Each offense carries a maximum fine of $250,000.  

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and Chief Mitchell G. McGuire, and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director Emanuel Miranda, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.

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

NEWARK, N.J. – A citizen of El Salvador who was previously convicted for double homicide and sentenced to 50 years in prison in El Salvador, was charged with illegally reentering the United States, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

César Eliseo Sorto-Amaya, 28, was charged today by complaint with illegally reentering the United States and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal Court.

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

Since 2015, Sorto-Amaya was deported from and illegally returned to the United States three separate times, including one time where he was deported after being convicted of weapons possession charges in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In April 2024, Sorto-Amaya was convicted in abstentia in El Salvador of double aggravated homicide and sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris, and law enforcement authorities in El Salvador, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.

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

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Defense counsel: Carol Dominguez, Esq.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Philadelphia resident was sentenced to 60 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and transport bulk quantities of fentanyl into northern New Jersey communities from a drug mill located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Emmanuel F. Almonte Mejia, 40, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

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

In February 2022, Mejia and his co-conspirators operated a private residence, commonly referred to as a drug mill, in which he and his co-conspirators produced large quantities of bulk fentanyl for redistribution. In total, law enforcement recovered nearly six kilograms of fentanyl which was produced in the mill.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Mejia to three years of supervised release.

Mejia’s co-conspirators, Hector Luiz De La Cruz Nunez, 32, and Loanny F. Duran Hiciano, 37, have both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Nunez was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and Hiciano awaits sentencing.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, HSI Philadelphia, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Edward Owens, and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation that led to the sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the Criminal Division in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Robert M. Gamburg 

NEWARK, N.J. – Thirteen members of an international network that stole thousands of shipments of iPhones and other electronic devices around the United States were charged today, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna, District of New Jersey, announced.

Demetrio Reyes Martinez, a/k/a “CookieNerd,” 37, of the Dominican Republic, Andrickson Jerez, 28, of Bronx, NY, Edickson Lora Castillo, 24, of New York, NY, Raimond Cabrera De Leon, 31, of New York, NY, Luis Marte Tavares, 33, of Brooklyn, NY, Frederick Duverge Guzman, 26, of New York, NY, rgJulio Vasquez Sanchez, a/k/a “BotTrack,” 30, of Brooklyn, NY, Alejandro Then Castillo, 45, of Paterson, NJ, Wilson Peralta Tavarez, 28, of Belleville, NJ, Ecker Montero Hernandez, 25, of Paterson, NJ, Jean Luis Diaz Dominguez, a/k/a “Botija,” 24, of Paterson, NJ, Luis Nunez, 23, of Paterson, NJ, and Joel Suriel, a/k/a “La Melma,” 31, of Brooklyn, NY, were each charged in Count One of the Criminal Complaint unsealed today with conspiracy to transport and receive stolen property.

In addition, Then Castillo and Peralta Tavares were charged in Count Two of the Criminal Complaint with wire fraud conspiracy. Finally, Jerez and Then Castillo (Count Three) and Lora Castillo (Count Four) were each charged with one count transportation of stolen property.

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

The defendants were part of an international and nationwide ring involved in the widespread theft of electronic device shipments from FedEx and other carriers.  The ring identified valuable packages to steal through two primary means:  (1) the creation and use of automated computer scripts, developed by Reyes Martinez and others, to scrape data from the public and customer-facing tracking systems of FedEx and Victim-1, a major U.S. cellular provider; and (2) bribing corrupt Victim-1 employees such as Then Castillo and Peralta Tavares to provide confidential information about Victim-1 customers, including orders, names, tracking numbers, and delivery addresses.

This criminal network operated in layers with some members, referred to as “dispatchers,” obtaining and selling the delivery information and others, referred to as “runners,” purchasing this delivery information and stealing the packages.

Jerez, Cabrera De Leon, and Marte Tavares operated a major “fence” location out of a residential building in the Bronx, where an almost constant stream of people brought stolen devices for sale.  Suriel ran a fence location in Brooklyn where he received bulk deliveries of devices stolen across the country, including by Ecker Montero, Nunez, and Diaz Dominguez, who traveled around the country stealing iPhones, iPads, Samsung phones and other electronic devices.  On one occasion where FedEx security seized stolen iPhones from a shipment sent by Nunez and Diaz Dominguez, Nunez complained to FedEx customer service that his iPhones had been stolen.

Then Castillo and Peralta Tavarez were Victim-1 retail store employees who accepted bribe payments in exchange for providing confidential customer information from Victim-1’s order tracking system.

Lora Castillo, Duverge Guzman, and Vasquez Sanchez were dispatchers who sold and provided runners with delivery addresses, tracking numbers and customer names.  They also directed runners to fence locations to sell the stolen devices.

Count One carries a maximum prison sentence of 5 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss resulting from the offense.  Count Two carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss resulting from the offense.  Counts Three and Four each carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss resulting from the offense.

“These defendants are alleged to have worked together as part of an international ring to steal thousands of expensive electronic devices, which caused millions of dollars of losses to the victims.  They are alleged to have done so by harnessing technology through the use of computer scripts which gave them access to shipping information, including individuals’ names and their home addresses.  My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue these types of criminals no matter where in the world they are and seek justice for their victims.”

Acting United States Attorney Vikas Khanna

“As alleged, the defendants, both here and abroad, victimized American customers and businesses alike by targeting, tracking, and stealing their valuable electronic shipments. The new-age ‘porch pirates,’ these accused criminals tailored their alleged scheme to the modern times, but were stopped short of doing so successfully. HSI New York and our law enforcement partners continue to adapt as brazen bad actors relentlessly try — and fail — to find new illicit money-making methods. I thank HSI Newark, the NYPD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the FBI, and our many counterparts for their unified and unwavering support,” stated Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), New York Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso.

“These alleged members of this international crime ring traveled the country stealing goods, for monetary profit; compromising customers’ privacy and hijacking the cellular providers’ business flow.”  FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly warns that “No matter how elaborate or invasive a criminal ring may be, we will break the chain of criminality and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, New York Field Office, under the direction Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the New York City Police Department under the direction of Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Prosecutor William Daniel and Chief Harvey Barnwell with the investigation leading to these charges.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna also thanked the Dominican Republic’s Procuraduría Especializada Contra los Crímenes y Delitos de Alta Tecnología (PEDATEC), (Specialized Prosecutor's Office for High Technology Crimes and Offenses) and HSI’s Newark Field Office for their collaboration in this matter.

In 2024 New Jersey experienced a surge of over 400 identified package thefts targeting cellular devices.  To combat this threat, Union County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ) partnered with New Jersey State Police Real Time Crime Center North and FBI Newark to spearhead a task force of investigators from impacted jurisdictions along with federal, state, and county agencies to collaborate on emerging intelligence. Through private sector partnerships, collusive employees were identified. Prospective delivery information was also shared amongst the task force to proactively identify, surveil, and arrest individuals involved in package theft within New Jersey. The following agencies are credited with contributing:

Cranford Police Department, Sparta Police Department, Moorestown Police Department, Barnegat Police Department,  Paterson Police Department, Belleville Police Department, Department of Homeland Security-U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations, Port Authority Police Department, Edison Police Department, Woodbridge Police Department, Rahway Police Department, Elizabeth Police Department, Kenilworth Police Department, Plainfield Police Department, Westfield Police Department, Summit Police Department, Linden Police Department, Scotch Plains Police Department, Berkeley Heights Police Department, Union County Police Department, Mountainside Police Department, Hillside Police Department, Fanwood Police Department, Clark Police Department, New Providence Police Department, Roselle Police Department, Roselle Park Police Department, Springfield Police Department, Union Police Department, Wayne Police Department, South Amboy Police Department, Brick Police Department, Wyckoff Police Department, Rutherford Police Department, Carlstadt Police Department, Oakland Police Department, Glen Rock Police Department, Fort Lee Police Department, Montvale Police Department, Little Falls Police Department, Wallington Police Department, Englewood Police Department, Leonia Police Department, Bloomfield Police Department, Fair Lawn Police Department, Closter Police Department, Verona Police Department, Elmwood Park Police Department, Clifton Police Department,  Woodcliff Lakes Police Department, Cresskill Police Department, Palisades Park Police Department, Hillsdale Police Department, Franklin Lakes Police Department, Warren Township Police Department, Caldwell Police Department, Fairview Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Bergenfield Police Department, Branchburg Police Department, Wayne Police Department, Paramus Police Department, Jersey City Police Department, Secaucus Police Department, Randolph Police Department, Teaneck Police Department, Middlesex Police Department, Montvale Police Department, Manalapan Police Department, Toms River Police Department, Riverdale Police Department, Morristown Police Department, Dover Police Department, Roxbury Police Department, Montville Police Department, Parsippany Police Department, Denville Police Department, Chatham Township Police Department, Morris County Sheriff’s Office, Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, North Brunswick Police Department, New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.

Defendants Andrickson Jerez, Edickson Lora Castillo, Luis Marte Tavares, Raimond Cabrera De Leon, Alejandro Then Castillo, Wilson Peralta Tavares, Ecker Montero Hernandez, and Joel Suriel, a/k/a “La Melma,” are scheduled to appear before Hon. José R. Almonte, U.S.M.J. this afternoon at the U.S. District Court in Newark.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David E. Malagold of the Cybercrime Unit and Trevor A. Chenoweth of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark

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

NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man admitted to filing a false tax return and causing more than $200,000 in tax losses for tax year 2018, Acting United States Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Francis Esposito, 66, of Red Bank, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court today to an Information charging him with one count of filing a false tax return.

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

Esposito was the sole or majority owner of numerous entities. For tax years 2015 through 2018, Esposito derived certain income through these entities that he failed to report on his Form 1040.

For tax year 2018, Esposito had approximately $719,272 of unreported income, which resulted in a tax loss of approximately $216,635. For tax year 2017, Esposito had approximately $940,978 of unreported income, which resulted in a tax loss of approximately $383,806. For tax year 2016, Esposito had approximately $746,886 of unreported income, which resulted in a tax loss of approximately $304,640. For tax year 2015, Esposito had approximately $589,929 of unreported income, which resulted in a tax loss of approximately $244,291. In total, Esposito’s unreported income resulted in a tax loss of approximately $1,149,372.

The filing a false tax return charge has a maximum term of three years, and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss resulting from the offense.

Acting United States Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark.  

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vinay Limbachia and Andrew Kogan of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
 

TRENTON, N.J. – Three men have pleaded guilty in connection with a bribery and fraud investigation pertaining to business at Newark Liberty International Airport (“Newark Airport”), Caroline Sadlowski, Attorney for the United States, announced.

Edward Dolphin, 65, of Tomball, Texas, pleaded guilty on February 19, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Quraishi in Trenton federal court, to an Information charging him with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. James Wajda, 59, of Cement City, Michigan, pleaded guilty on February 19, 2025, before District Judge Quraishi, to an Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Ronald Delucia, 70, of Wayne, New Jersey pleaded guilty today before District Judge Quraishi to a two-count Information charging conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud (Count One) and conspiracy to commit wire fraud (Count Two).

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

Dolphin was an employee of an airline that operated at Newark Airport. From at least as early as 2014 through in or about April 2017, he was an Airport Operations Hub Vendor Manager, and from in or about April 2017 through in or about November 2022, he was a Manger of Hub Business Partners. In his positions at the airline, Dolphin was able to influence which companies would be awarded certain contracts. Dolphin traded this influence for bribes and kickbacks. For example, Dolphin received bribes from Delucia, who was Chief Operating Officer and later Chief Executive Officer of a company that provided a range of services to airlines at Newark Airport, including the airline for which Dolphin worked. Delucia’s company paid Dolphin up to $31,500 per month, totaling $1 million, in exchange for Dolphin’s assistance in securing work for Delucia’s company. In addition, Dolphin received approximately $70,000 from another vendor in exchange for Dolphin’s influence in the process of awarding a busing contract. Dolphin received approximately $278,000 from another vendor in exchange for his influence in the process of awarding a snow removal contract. Finally, Dolphin received approximately $262,000 in exchange for his influence in the process of awarding an aircraft cleaning contract. In total, Dolphin received over $1.6 million in bribes and kickbacks.

Wajda was the Chief Operating Officer for a Des Plaines, Illinois based company that provided various services to an airline at Newark Airport, including cabin cleaning services. In or about December 2021, the company had a contract with the airline to load provisions onto the airline’s planes. In or about March 2022, Wajda conspired with Delucia, agreeing that Delucia’s company would invoice Wajda’s company for a “dispatcher” to assist in the transportation of the provisions, as if Wajda’s company had subcontracted Delucia’s company to assist in dispatching the trucks transporting provisions to the aircraft. Delucia’s company then fraudulently invoiced Wajda’s company for work that Delucia’s company did not in fact provide, and Wajda’s company paid the invoices. Delucia then kicked back a portion of the fraudulently obtained funds to Wajda through Wajda’s personal limited liability company. Pursuant to this agreement, Delucia’s company invoiced Wajda’s company $150,000 for services that were never rendered. Wajda, in turn, received approximately $38,600 from this scheme.

In addition to pleading guilty to the conduct involving Dolphin and Wajda, Delucia also admitted his role in conduct involving Alok Saksena, Anthony Rosalli, and Lovella Rogan, who each previously pleaded guilty in this investigation. Rosalli, Saksena, and Rogan all held positions with the airline that enabled them to influence which companies the airline would award certain contracts to at Newark Airport. The defendants conspired to receive bribes and kickbacks from Delucia’s company in exchange for helping Delucia’s company obtain lucrative airline contracts at Newark Airport.

For example, in or about September 2021, Delucia’s company bid on a contract to renovate restrooms at Newark Airport. Saksena, Rosalli, and Rogan sat on the selection committee and each of them voted to award the contract to the company. In exchange for their  help in obtaining the $19.7 million restroom renovation contract, and with the expectation that they would use their positions to help the company obtain future contracts, Delucia’s company agreed to pay for significant renovations at their personal residences, including renovating and building bathrooms, renovating a deck, installing floors and sheetrock, and renovating a kitchen. Delucia’s company also gave them valuable items, including electronics and jewelry. The total value of the bribes paid was approximately $539,000 to Saksena; approximately $276,000 to Rosalli; and approximately $409,000 to Rogan.

“The defendants exploited their positions within their respective companies to enrich themselves while defrauding others. Defendants’ commercial bribery and fraud corrupts the fairness of our economic system. We will hold to account those who break the law to line their own pockets.”

Attorney for the United States Caroline Sadlowski

“The schemes conceived and executed by these individuals to defraud the airline operating out of Newark Airport are reprehensible. The individuals who benefited with monetary and other high-value gain are being held responsible for the bribery and corruption they had hoped would fly under the radar,” Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said.

“Blatant corruption like this erodes public trust and robs honest businesses of fair opportunities,” said Port Authority Inspector General John Gay. “This case is a stark example of individuals exploiting their positions for personal gain, putting greed ahead of the public good. We’re grateful for the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI as we root out fraud, hold bad actors accountable, and protect the integrity of the systems that keep our region moving.”

Dolphin, Wajda, and Delucia each face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. Sentencing for Dolphin is scheduled for June 24, 2025. Sentencing for Wajda is scheduled for June 24, 2025. Sentencing for Delucia is scheduled for July 1, 2025.

Attorney for the United States Caroline Sadlowski credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, investigators from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General John Gay, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine J. Calle and Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

All other co-conspirators identified in the Informations are presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

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Defense counsel: David Wikstrom, Esq., Counsel to Edward Dolphin

                            Paul Flannery, Esq., Counsel to James Wajda

                            Paul Faugno, Esq., Counsel to Ronald Delucia

NEWARK, N.J. – A New York woman has been charged with fraudulently obtaining more than $1,000,000, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Raena Fuller, 28, of Yaphank, New York, had her initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark.

According to the Complaint:

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in or around March 2020 that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act enabled the Small Business Association (“SBA”) to offer funding through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In or around September 2021, an application was made to the SBA for an EIDL on behalf of a business. In total, the SBA provided approximately $1,200,000 in response to the application. According to a representative of the business, the business did not make the application. Fuller eventually received a portion of SBA funds. In addition, Fuller was involved in additional criminal activity concerning fraudulent checks and received additional proceeds from her criminal acts.

The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits or twice the gross loss suffered to the victims of his offense.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Franklin Township Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.

The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

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Defense counsel: A. Charles Peruto, Jr., Philadelphia, PA

NEWARK, N.J. – Yesterday, a complaint was unsealed charging an Arizona man for his role in a conspiracy to misappropriate government funds used to support low-income individuals with HIV, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Brent Lee, 51, of Phoenix, Arizona, was charged by complaint with one count of bank fraud conspiracy and one count of theft of government funds. Lee appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Fine in the District of Arizona.

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

In January 2023, a municipality in Hudson County, New Jersey, issued five checks totaling approximately $1M to a nonprofit charitable organization.  The funds for four of the checks originated from a federal grant program that funds a comprehensive system of primary medical care, medications, and essential support for low-income people with HIV.  Yet, as alleged in today’s complaint, the nonprofit organization never received the checks.

Instead, as alleged, in February and March 2023, Lee conspired with others to use a fraudulent business entity to misappropriate nearly all of the funds derived from the checks.  In February 2023, Lee filed articles of incorporation in Wyoming for a business entity with a name nearly identical to the nonprofit’s, and opened a bank account for that entity.  From February to March 2023, the checks were deposited into that account, and Lee paid himself, a family member, and various other individuals nearly all the proceeds via cash withdrawals, cashier’s checks, and wire transfers.  As a result, the bank recorded a loss of approximately $1M.

The charge of bank fraud conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.  The charge of theft of government funds carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and members of the FBI’s Public Corruption and Civil Rights Unit in Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and the New Jersey Field Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrest.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Hardin of the U.S. Attorney’s Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.

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

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Defense Counsel: Jazmin Alagha, Esq.

NEWARK, N.J. – A California man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for conspiring to launder money obtained from internet-related fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Charles Singleton, 65, of Los Angeles, California, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo, to Count One of an Indictment, which charged him with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

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

From September 2018 to August 2020, Singleton worked with conspirators to launder money obtained through business email compromises, which is a method of wire fraud often targeting businesses or individuals working on business transactions involving high-dollar wire transactions.  The fraud is carried out by compromising, hacking, and/or “spoofing” legitimate email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques to cause employees of a target company, or other individuals involved in legitimate business transactions, to conduct unauthorized transfers of funds, most often to accounts controlled by the fraud perpetrators.  

Singleton opened several business bank accounts in the names of companies he controlled and received proceeds of wire fraud in those accounts.  Singleton and his conspirators then withdrew and transferred money from various bank accounts and shared the bank account information.  Singleton also executed at least one fraudulent contract with a conspirator for a wire of $70,000.  

In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Singleton to three years of supervised release, ordered forfeiture of over $1.1 million constituting proceeds derived from the conspiracy, and ordered $1,469,003 in restitution to the victims.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, Woodland Park Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
 

NEWARK, N.J. – a Newark, New Jersey man was sentenced today for his role as the leader of an expansive drug trafficking organization that distributed significant quantities of drugs and used firearms to protect their drug operation in Newark, New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Shaheed Blake, a/k/a “Sha Gotti,” a/k/a “Sha,” a/k/a “Bruh,” 41, was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment followed by 5 years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark, New Jersey.  He was the last among his 25 co-defendants to be sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark. 

Blake’s 25 conspirators were previously sentenced as follows:

• Anderson Hutchinson was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment;
• Jabaar Blake was sentenced to 163 months’ imprisonment;
• Jason Colon was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment;
• Keyenn Rodgers was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment;
• William Teal was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment;
• Brian White was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment;
• Todd Garrett was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment;
• Anthony Bowens was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment;
• Dorrell Blake was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment;
• Daquan Lockhart was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment;
• Aldoray McClain was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment;
• Sharif Davis was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment;
• Roger Thomas was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment;
• Lamont Pugh was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
• David Rogers was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
• Hanif Yarrell was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
• Aaron Watson was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
• Marquise O’Neal was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
• Jaleel Metz was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment;
• Bernard Brown was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
• Jesse Scott was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
• Rasheem Langley was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
• Shadesasha Ford was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
• Linwood Lyles was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment; and
• Andrew Knox was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment.

This case was the result of a long-running wiretap investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Newark Police Department.

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

Defendants were members and associates of a Bloods-affiliated gang that called itself the “CKarter Boys,” a play on “the Carter”—the name of the drug distribution building in the 1991 film New Jack City.  As Bloods members, the CKarter Boys used the letters “CK” to signify “Crip Killer,” a sign of disrespect to their rival street gang, the Crips.

The investigation revealed that the organization’s leaders—Blake and Anderson Hutchinson, a/k/a “Murda Rah”—operated a massive drug market that flooded the streets of Newark with heroin and crack cocaine 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

Blake, Hutchinson, and members of their organization sold heroin and crack cocaine to customers out of two neighboring houses near the Newark-Irvington border.  These drug dens were located in the heart of a residential community, just two blocks from the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, a public school serving children from Pre-K to Fifth Grade.  On average, just one of these locations, which Blake controlled, generated approximately $10,000 per day in revenue from narcotics sales, and, on at least one occasion, revenue exceeded $13,000 in a single shift.

One of the abandoned residences was virtually impenetrable due to the organization’s efforts to fortify the structure by boarding up all doors and windows. The defendants gained access to the residence through a second-floor window by way of a ladder that conspirators then brought inside the residence.  Once inside the abandoned residence, the defendants would sell heroin and crack cocaine through a small hole that was cut out on a first-floor outer wall, allowing customers to purchase narcotics in exchange for cash, similar to a restaurant’s drive-through window.  In a backyard shed, the defendants stored narcotics, a communal cell phone that was used to operate the business, multiple firearms, and several boxes of ammunition.

The investigation resulted in charges against 26 defendants, including Blake, two other leaders, middlemen who assisted with transporting drugs and drug proceeds, distributors, and suppliers.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of ATF, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. in Newark, and members of the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Director Emanuel Miranda, with the investigation. He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the Irvington Police Department, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, the Belleville Police Department, the West Orange Police Department, the Livingston Police Department, the Nutley Police Department, the Orange Police Department, and the Verona Police Department.

The CKarter Boys were prosecuted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (“VCI”).  The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark.  As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community.  The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Essex County Correctional Facility, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri and Jake A. Nasar of the Criminal Division in Newark.

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CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man today admitted to the procurement, casting, and tabulation of fraudulent mail-in ballots submitted in connection with the general election held on November 8, 2022, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Craig Callaway, 64, a former member and President of the City Council of Atlantic City and a political organizer who assisted campaigns for elected offices in New Jersey, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to an Information charging him with depriving, defrauding, and attempting to deprive and defraud the residents of the State of New Jersey of a fair and impartially conducted election process by the fraudulent procurement, casting, and tabulation of ballots.

“The defendant admitted to depriving New Jersey residents of a fair election by participating in a scheme to cast ballots for voters who did not vote in the election.  Along with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to prosecuting those who criminally seek to undermine impartially conducted elections.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna

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

Beginning in or about October 2022, approximately one month before the general election held on November 8, 2022 (the “2022 General Election”), Callaway and others who were working at Callaway’s direction approached numerous individuals in Atlantic City, promising to pay them between approximately $30 and $50 to act as purported authorized messengers for voters who supposedly wished to vote by mail.

After receiving Vote-By-Mail Applications from Callaway or his subordinates, these purported messengers entered the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office carrying anywhere from one to four completed Vote-By-Mail Applications.  Inside the County Clerk’s Office, as instructed by Callaway or his subordinates, these individuals provided County Clerk’s Office personnel proof of identification and signed the Vote-By-Mail Applications in the authorized messenger portion of the application before handing those signed applications to office personnel.  Further, as instructed by Callaway or his subordinates, these purported messengers waited while Clerk’s Office personnel processed the applications and, if the applications were approved, provided to the purported messengers mail-in ballots for the voters listed on the applications.

Under New Jersey law, a messenger was required to deliver any mail-in ballots they received directly to the voter who requested the ballots, and certify that they would do so. However, after receiving mail-in ballots, these purported messengers left the County Clerk’s Office and handed the ballots to Callaway or his subordinates, instead of delivering the ballots to the voters.

Many of the mail-in ballots collected by Callaway or his subordinates were ultimately cast in the names of voters who have confirmed that they did not vote in the 2022 General Election—either in-person or by submitting a mail-in ballot—and that they did not authorize Callaway, his subordinates, or anyone else, to cast ballots for them in the 2022 General Election.  Many of these mail-in ballots were counted towards the 2022 General Election.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly; the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency's Public Corruption Task Force, including the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William Reynolds; the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Chief James A. Sarkos; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan; as well as special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; the Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins; and the postal inspectors of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, with the investigation leading to today’s complaint. 

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney James H. Graham of the Special Prosecutions Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 17, 2025.

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Defense counsel: Megan J. Davies, Haddonfield, New Jersey

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced today on conspiracy charges related to his role in a conspiracy to burglarize approximately 55 United Parcel Service (“UPS”) warehouses across the United States, resulting in the theft of over $1.6 million worth of merchandise, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Aboudramane Karamoko, 21, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 39 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Bumb in Camden, New Jersey.

Three other defendants, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were each sentenced previously before Chief Judge Bumb.  Specifically, Sekou Fofanah, 20, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release; Shamaire Brown, 19, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release; and Quamaire Brown, 19, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release.

As part of their sentences, all four defendants were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,600,157.

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

Beginning at least as early as January 2021 through at least as recently as April 2023, Sekou Fofanah, Shamaire Brown, Quamaire Brown, Aboudramane Karamoko, and others conspired to commit burglaries of UPS facilities throughout the United States, including warehouses in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Rhode Island, among other States.  The defendants gained access to the UPS facilities by breaking the windows of the loading bay doors or by prying open the loading bay doors. Once inside, they sought parcels marked with “lithium-ion battery” warnings, which indicated that the packages contained high-value electronic devices such as a cell phones. Sekou Fofanah, Shamaire Brown, Quamaire Brown, and Aboudramane Karamoko each admitted that they participated in the burglary of at least 55 UPS facilities and stole items valued at approximately $1,600,157.00.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation.  Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna also acknowledged South Brunswick Police Department, Warwick Rhode Island Police Department, Clarkstown New York Police Department, Livonia, Michigan Police Department, HSI State College, State College Police Department, New York State Police, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia, Homeland Security Investigations Rhode Island, New Jersey State Police, Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Taylor Police Department, Brookfield Police Department, Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, and Centre County District Attorney’s Office, for their assistance in the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsels:

Anthony Iacullo, Esq. (for Sekou Fofanah)

Gary Mizzone, Esq. (for Quamaire Brown)

Stephen Natoli, Esq. (for Shamaire Brown)

Joel Silberman, Esq. (for Aboudramane Karamoko)

NEWARK, N.J. – A Monmouth County man was charged with aiming the beam of a laser at an aircraft, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

James M. Pedone, 27, of Colts Neck, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with knowingly aiming the beam of a laser at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.  Pedone had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court on February 13, 2025.

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

On or about December 12, 2024, Pedone pointed the beam of a laser on three separate occasions, striking an aircraft operated by federal law enforcement personnel in or near the vicinity of Colts Neck, New Jersey, erroneously believing the aircraft to be a drone.

Knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in the special jurisdiction of the United States carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and Joint Terrorism Task Force Officers of the FBI Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, as well as the Colts Neck Police Department, under the direction of Chief Daniel DeVito, with the investigation leading to the charge.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit in Newark.

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

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Defense counsel: Michael Thomas, Esq. 

NEWARK, NJ. – A citizen of Mexico previously extradited to the United States today admitted to conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Norma Flores-Fernandez, a/k/a “Norma Camarillo,” 56, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to a Superseding Information charging conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine.

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

Flores-Fernandez was part of a Guadalajara, Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that distributed kilogram quantities of narcotics, including heroin and cocaine, throughout the United States from in or around March 2018 through in or around December 2019.  Flores-Fernandez acknowledged holding a leadership role in this conspiracy.

The charge to which Flores-Fernandez pleaded guilty carries a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million.  Sentencing is scheduled for July 23, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and task force officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sheila G. Lyons in Chicago, Illinois and Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark; and special agents of the Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Lafonda Sutton-Burke in Chicago, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.  He also thanked special agents and task force officers with the DEA operating in Lima, Peru and Guadalajara, Mexico; Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago; and officials in Mexico for their assistance.  The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest of Flores-Fernandez and her extradition to the United States.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Michael Rubas, Esq., Jersey City, NJ

NEWARK, N.J. – Two individuals have been charged in connection with possessing distribution quantities of fentanyl, and one of the individuals has additionally been charged with possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Pablo Suruy Hernandez, 41, of Guatemala, and Giovanni Guzman, 41, of El Salvador, were charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Hernandez is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.  Hernandez and Guzman appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams in Newark federal court on February 10, 2025, and were detained.

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

In January 2025, law enforcement officials received information that Hernandez was engaged in narcotics trafficking in New Jersey.  On January 16, 2025, Hernandez met with a confidential source to discuss the potential purchase of firearms, fentanyl, and cocaine.  On January 21, 2025, Hernandez sold a defaced firearm to the confidential source.  On February 7, 2025, Hernandez and Guzman met with the confidential source to sell 100,000 fentanyl pills.  Along with the seizure of approximately eleven kilograms of fentanyl, law enforcement also recovered approximately $65,000 during a lawfully executed search of Hernandez’s residence.

The fentanyl conspiracy and distribution counts carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine.  The possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of not more than $250,000.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Division’s Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino, and the work of New York Drug Enforcement Task Force Group T-42, which is comprised of Special Agents from the DEA and Task Force Officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the New York State Police (NYSP).

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ingrid Eicher of the Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.

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

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TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, woman was arrested and charged with bank robbery, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced today.

Ciara Brascom, 39, of Skillman, is charged by complaint with one count of bank robbery. She had her initial appearance on February 11, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in Trenton federal court.

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

On July 28, 2024, Brascom entered a bank in Princeton and demanded cash from a bank teller, while holding what appeared to be a black handgun. During the robbery, Brascom threatened that she would use the gun if the bank’s alarm was activated. Brascom fled from the bank after taking approximately $60,500.

The charge of bank robbery carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Princeton Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Christopher Tash, and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey, for their assistance in the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard G. Shephard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.

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

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CAMDEN, N.J. – A Sicklerville, New Jersey, man today admitted to conspiring to defraud the IRS by working with others to conceal cash wages paid to employees, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Chung “Alex” Lam, 46, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to defraud the United States.

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

In 2018, Lam pleaded guilty in federal court to failing to pay over to the IRS payroll taxes.  He received an 18-month prison sentence, which he served during parts of 2019 and 2020.  Prior to serving that sentence and upon his release from custody, Lam conspired with the owners of various temporary staffing companies to defraud the IRS.  The temporary staffing companies provided temporary workers businesses. As part of their agreements with their customer businesses, the temporary staffing companies were responsible for collecting and paying over to the IRS the payroll taxes due and owing on the wages paid to the temporary workers.

Lam received checks that were payments to the staffing companies for labor provided by their employees.  Between the first quarter of 2018 and the second quarter of 2023, Lam used a commercial check casher to negotiate more than $4,000,000 of such checks.  Lam kept a portion of the cash for personal use and caused the rest of the cash to be provided to co-conspirators to pay the temporary workers in cash.  As a result, payroll taxes were not collected or paid to the IRS.  Lam also filed false individual income tax returns that omitted the income he earned from his role in the conspiracy.  Lam admitted that the conspiracy caused a tax loss of approximately $628,351.

The count of conspiracy to defraud the United States carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.  Sentencing is scheduled for June 16, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.

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Defense counsel: John B. Brennan, Esq., of Marlton, NJ 

NEWARK, N.J. –  An Indianapolis man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison today for his role in a scheme to defraud real estate investors, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Herbert Whalen, a/k/a “Bert Whalen,” 50, of Indianapolis, Indiana, previously pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in a multi-million dollar real estate investment scheme that took place in Indiana and New Jersey.  Judge Madeline Cox Arleo imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

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

From August 2016 to July 2018, Whalen, who operated Oceanpointe Property Management in Indianapolis, engaged in a scheme to obtain money from real estate investors by misrepresenting and concealing the poor condition of properties managed by Oceanpointe and by creating fake leases for unoccupied Oceanpointe properties. Investors were promised that, after repairs and rehabilitations were completed, and tenants rented the properties, investors would receive copies of the leases and begin to receive rent payments as their return on investment. In reality, many Oceanpointe properties were not repaired and rehabilitated, and were not ready for occupancy. To conceal these facts from victim investors, Whalen and a conspirator directed Oceanpointe employees to draft fake leases, making it appear to investors that Oceanpointe properties were rented, when, in fact, the properties remained vacant. Whalen instructed Oceanpointe employees to place fake tenant names on leases to send to Oceanpointe investors.

Whalen and others commingled tenant rent payments and selected which investors would be paid from the pool of funds in order to silence investors who voiced concerns and evade detection of the fraud. In order to prevent investors from leaving Oceanpointe and exposing his fraudulent conduct, Whalen directed an Oceanpointe employee to create a false identity and falsely claim, on an online real estate message forum, that the Oceanpointe employee was an investor with Oceanpointe and another company, and that Oceanpointe had addressed all of the concerns regarding the investment property. These misrepresentations and others led to millions of dollars in losses to investors, which Whalen used to, among other things, fund his lifestyle.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Whalen to three years of supervised release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charge.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Silane of the Economic Crimes Unit and Ari B. Fontecchio, Chief of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit.

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Defense counsel: John L. Tompkins, Tompkins Law, Indianapolis, IN

NEWARK, N.J. – An Amtrak employee today admitted participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Anthony Saloka, 44, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

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

From January 2019 through June 2022, Saloka and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to obtain cash kickbacks from health care providers in return for allowing the providers to use their personal and health insurance information to submit fraudulent claims for services that were either never provided or which were medically unnecessary. Saloka received thousands of dollars in cash kickbacks from health care providers in return for his participation in the scheme, including from Punson Figueroa, an acupuncturist, and Michael DeNicola, a podiatrist. Figueroa previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced on September 24, 2024 to 34 months in prison. DeNicola previously pleaded guilty on June 29, 2022 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, among other offenses. His sentencing remains pending.

In total, the Amtrak health care plan paid over $11 million as a result of fraudulent claims associated with providers connected to the health care fraud scheme.

The health care fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for June 4, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters, the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Samuel Dotson, and special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Vincent LaPaglia, Esq.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey man was arrested for threatening flight attendants and crew members during an incident in which he refused to comply with flight attendant instructions, banged on the cockpit door, and called out and threatened the captain before being escorted off the flight by law enforcement to Newark Liberty International Airport, Acting United States Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Luis A. Vaquero, 27, of Passaic County, New Jersey, was charged by complaint in Newark federal court with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants by assault or intimidation. He appeared before Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams in Newark, New Jersey federal court, and was released.

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

On February 9, 2025, shortly after taking off on a flight from Miami, Florida, Vaquero began threatening and harassing various passengers, including making threats of physical violence toward a disabled minor and mocking a group of Jewish passengers. Vaquero also threatened a flight crew member who declined to serve Vaquero alcohol after the beverage service window closed, telling her, “You better watch out, shit’s gonna happen to you.”  Upon landing at Newark Liberty International Airport, flight attendants alerted law enforcement.  After hearing the announcement that the airplane was awaiting the arrival of law enforcement, Vaquero forced his way to the front of the plane and began banging on the flight deck door, demanding, “I need the pilot to come outside!”  When a flight attendant attempted to intervene, Vaquero yelled, “I will really break your fuckin’ jaw n***a!”  Vaquero also yelled, “I wanna see that fuckin’ captain!  Come outside you bitch ass n***a!”  When the captain emerged, Vaquero continued to make threats to the captain while six inches from his face until law enforcement intervened. 

“The defendant is charged with threatening flight crew members and passengers while traveling to Newark. We are committed to keeping the skies safe for flying and will prosecute those who criminally interfere with the professionals responsible for ensuring passenger safety.”

Acting United States Attorney Vikas Khanna

“Over the course of a 3-hour flight, we allege Vaquero lost his temper and physically harassed not only the crew and captain, but passengers, making threats of physical violence toward a disabled minor and mocking a group of Jewish passenger.”  Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said. “It all culminated in a terrifying attack and attempted breach of the flight deck when witnesses say he banged on the cockpit door and confronted the pilot.  The harrowing flight and other similar incidents onboard airplanes recently are creating tension and fear for fliers and crew members. FBI Newark has a warning for those who think it may not be a big deal—they're breaking federal law, and they will be brought to justice.”

The charge of interfering with flight crew members and attendants carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

Acting United States Attorney Vikas Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent of Police Edward T. Cetnar, for its assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering & Recovery Unit in Newark.

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

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Defense counsel: Adalgiza A. Nunez, Esq., Newark, New Jersey

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man today admitted to conspiring to defraud the IRS by concealing cash wages paid to his business’s employees, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Tri Anh Tieu, 53, of Camden, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an indictment charging him and co-defendant Andy Tran with one count of conspiring to defraud the United States.

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

Tieu owned Tri States Staffing LLC, a business based in Pennsauken, New Jersey.  Tri States Staffing provided temporary workers to New Jersey businesses located in Gloucester and Burlington Counties. As part of its agreement with its customer businesses, Tri States Staffing was responsible for collecting and paying over to the IRS the payroll taxes due and owing on the wages paid to the temporary workers provided by Tri States Staffing.

Between the third quarter of 2018 and the second quarter of 2022, Tri States received more than $2.5 million in payments from its customer businesses. Tieu paid Tri States’s employees in cash and failed to pay over the payroll taxes due and owing on those wages.  Tieu spent at least some of the unpaid taxes on personal expenditures, including gambling.  Tieu admitted that the conspiracy caused a tax loss of approximately $305,332.

The count of conspiracy to defraud the United States carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.  Sentencing is scheduled for June 26, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty in Philadelphia and Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
 

NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possessing images of child sexual abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Jonathan Lattif, 46, of Jersey City, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an Information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

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

On March 18, 2022, Lattif possessed videos depicting sexual abuse of minors, including prepubescent children, on his mobile device. He possessed over 500 videos files and 1 photograph of child sexual abuse material.  

Lattif also has a prior state conviction for possession of child pornography.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Lattif to 10 years of supervised release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark; and Customs and Border Protection Officers from the Port of New York/Newark, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations New York Field Office, under the direction of Acting Port Director Jeffrey Greene, with the investigation leading to the charge.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
 

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Mexican national admitted on Tuesday to trafficking cocaine and illegally re-entering the United States after previously sustaining an aggravated felony conviction, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Anastacio Santiago Chaparro, aka Arnoldo Urquidez, 41 of Mexico pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and illegal reentry by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court.

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

On November 6, 2023, Santiago Chaparro was caught by law enforcement transporting a backpack that contained over 10 kilograms of cocaine. Santiago Chaparro admitted that the cocaine was intended for distribution. Additionally, Santiago Chaparro had been deported from the United States to Mexico three times and previously sustained a conviction for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, an aggravated felony.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The charge of illegal reentry by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, and from the Drug Enforcement Administration New York, under the direction of Frank A. Tarentino, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chana Y. Zuckier of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering and Recovery Unit in Newark. Sentencing is scheduled for June 9, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.

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Defense counsel: Victor A. Afanador

NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips gang was sentenced on Wednesday to 144 months in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy and the sale of cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Kareem Green, a/k/a “Try Me”(“Green”), 32, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to a superseding indictment that charged him with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (“RICO”) conspiracy and a separate indictment charging him with distribution of cocaine. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence on February 5, 2025 in Newark federal court. 

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

From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Green was a member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in the District of New Jersey and elsewhere. On April 5, 2021, Green worked with other members of the gang to shoot a victim. On April 11, 2021, Green worked with other members of the gang to shoot another victim. On March 5, 2021, Green worked with another member of the gang to distribute cocaine.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Green to three years of supervised release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr., as well as investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under Marshal Juan Mattos’ direction; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, Sr., the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under Sheriff Amir D. Jones’ direction, the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi, the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves, the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan, the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel, the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, for the investigations leading to the charges in the Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips investigation.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Health Care Fraud Unit.

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Defense Counsel:

William Strazza, Esq., Chester, NJ 

NEWARK, N.J. – Eleven members of the Paterson based neighborhood street gang known as “100k” were indicted for their roles in a violent racketeering conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced today.

The Indictment charges Jasun Allah, a/k/a “Rackz,” 21, of Paterson (“J.Allah”); Christopher Thomas, a/k/a “CJ,” 27, of Hackensack; Michael Davis, a/k/a “Baby 3,” 27, of Paterson; Jazmeir Reyes, a/k/a “Baby Joe,” a/k/a “Joe,” 19, of Paterson; Kyzeik Robinson, a/k/a “Doo Doo,” a/k/a “King Sparks,” a/k/a “Sparks,” 19, of Paterson; Jacim Pitts, a/k/a “Jefe,” 24, of Paterson; Born Allah, a/k/a “Freedom,” 23, of Paterson (“B.Allah”); Elijah Rubio, a/k/a “Lottery,” 20, of Paterson; Trasean Short, a/k/a “Hound,” 19, of Elmwood Park; Elijah Byrd, a/k/a “CEO,” 19, of Paterson; and Quincy Franklin, a/k/a “Double O,” 27, of Paterson with one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations statute (“RICO”), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1962(d) (“RICO conspiracy”). The Indictment also incorporates charges connected to a drug conspiracy involving Reyes, Davis, Robinson, and Pitts and the attempted armed robbery of a postal inspector by Reyes, which were previously charged on complaint.

These charges are the result of a long-running investigation coordinated between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New Jersey State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, among other law enforcement agencies.

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

J.Allah, Thomas, Davis, Reyes, Robinson, Pitts, B.Allah, Rubio, Short, Byrd, and Franklin are all members and associates of the neighborhood based street gang known as “100k,” which operates in the area of North Main Street and Jefferson Street in Paterson, New Jersey (the “100k Enterprise”).  Since in or around January 2022, these members and associates of the 100k Enterprise have engaged in numerous criminal acts in furtherance of their gang, including murder, shootings, robberies, drug trafficking, and bank and wire fraud.

Since the gangs founding in 2016, members and associates of the 100k Enterprise have engaged in acts of violence against members of rival gangs, such as their primary rival, “the Blockboyz,” which operates out of the Presidential Tower Housing Complex in Paterson, among other rival gangs, such as “4k,” which operates in the area of Rosa Parks Boulevard near Lyon Street, Keen Street, and Mercer Street, also in Paterson.

Several of these acts of violence are charged in the Superseding Indictment. Specifically, on or about October 1, 2023, in retaliation for the death of a high ranking member of the 100k Enterprise, J.Allah, Thomas, Davis, and other members and associates of the 100k Enterprise shot and killed Victim-2, in territory controlled by the Blockboyz.

On or about May 27, 2024, Pitts and other members and associates of the 100k Enterprise shot and injured Victim-3, a member of the rival gang “4k.”

On or about October 3, 2024, Short exchanged fire with Victim-4 in territory controlled by the 100k Enterprise. Weeks later, on or about November 17, 2024, Short shot and injured Victim-5, a member of the Blockboyz, in territory controlled by the Blockboyz, and Byrd acted as the driver in that November shooting.

The defendants raised money for themselves and the 100k Enterprise by engaging in robberies, drug trafficking, and bank fraud and other financial schemes. Two such robberies are charged in the Indictment, including the armed robbery of a commercial marijuana store on or about January 13, 2022 by Reyes, B.Allah, Short, Rubio, and others; and the attempted armed robbery of Victim-1, a United States Postal Service employee, on or about July 28, 2023 by Reyes, who tried to obtain an arrow key from the victim. This arrow key would have allowed members of the 100k Enterprise to gain access to United States Postal Service mailboxes within a certain geographic area or postal route.

The gang’s drug trafficking activities were extensive, with investigators conducting 16 controlled buys with Reyes, Robinson, Davis, and Pitts by utilizing undercover officers and observing countless more drug deals committed by the defendants within and around the territory of Paterson controlled by the 100k Enterprise through physical surveillance and review of cell phone records and social media accounts controlled by the defendants.  

The charge of RICO conspiracy in the Indictment carries a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison as to J.Allah, Thomas, and Davis, and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison as to Reyes, Robinson, Pitts, B.Allah, Rubio, Short, Byrd, and Franklin.

The count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances charged in the Indictment against Reyes, Robinson, Davis, and Pitts carries a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a fine of at least $5 million. On each of the counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, Reyes, Robinson, Davis, and Pitts face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million.

On each of the counts of attempted Hobbs Act robbery and assaulting or impeding certain United States officers or employees, Reyes faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. On the count of brandishing a firearm in connection with a crime of violence, Reyes faces a mandatory minimum term of 7 years and a maximum term of life imprisonment, which must run consecutively to any other prison sentence imposed, and a fine of up to $250,000.  

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited law enforcement members with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.; the New Jersey State Police, Gangs and Organized Crime North Unit, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen; the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Thomas Adamo; the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Officer In Charge Patrick Murray; the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Sheriff Anthony Cureton; the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia Valdes; and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Prosecutor Mark Musella with the investigation leading to today’s charges.

This case is part of the Paterson Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in 2020 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Paterson’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Paterson. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Paterson Department of Public Safety, the Paterson Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Bergen County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, and N.J. Department of Corrections.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Criminal Division in Newark.
 

NEWARK, N.J. – A Dominican national was sentenced to 60 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and transport bulk quantities of fentanyl into northern New Jersey communities from a drug mill located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Hector Luiz De La Cruz Nunez, 32, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to a two-count information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

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

In February 2022, Nunez and his co-conspirators operated a private residence, commonly referred to as a drug mill, in which he and his co-conspirators produced large quantities of bulk fentanyl for redistribution. In early March 2022 following a car stop, law enforcement recovered nearly six kilograms of fentanyl packaged in approximately 400 individual bricks concealed within a hidden compartment inside of the vehicle that Nunez was driving.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Nunez to three years of supervised release.

Nunez’s co-conspirators, Emmanuel F. Almonte Mejia, 40, and Loanny F. Duran Hiciano, 37, have both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Mejia and Hiciano await sentencing.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, HSI Philadelphia, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Edward Owens, and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation that led to the sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the Criminal Division in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Justin Capek 

NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. 

Terrell Fuller, 34, of Baldwin, New York, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an information charging him with conspiring to commit wire fraud.

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

Fuller and his co-conspirators submitted a fraudulent application to the Small Business Administration, which caused the SBA to provide them with approximately $1,200,000. In addition, Fuller and his co-conspirators opened bank accounts in the names of various entities and individuals, deposited illegally obtained or fraudulent checks into those accounts, and then withdrew and attempted to withdraw money from the accounts. Further, Fuller, using stolen personal identifying information, fraudulently rented locations to live in New York and failed to pay more than $400,000 in rent and fees for those locations. Through the conspiracy, Fuller and his co-conspirators obtained more than $2,000,000 in money and property through their fraudulent actions.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Fuller to 3 years of supervised release and $2,289,816.06 in restitution.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Franklin Township Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Scott Leemon, New York City, New York

NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County man was charged with participating in a conspiracy to defraud Williams-Sonoma, Inc. and another national transportation and logistics company through overbilling for trucking services, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Jose Pena, 46, of Monroe Township, New Jersey was charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court.

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

Pena owned and operated a trucking firm that subcontracted with a national transportation and logistics company (referred to in the Complaint as “Company-1”) to provide delivery services in the New Jersey/New York metropolitan area for Williams-Sonoma, Inc., a publicly-traded home goods company, out of Williams-Sonoma’s distribution center in Cranbury, New Jersey. From approximately June 2018 through September 2020, Pena conspired with others who worked at Williams-Sonoma and Company-1, among others, to overbill the victim companies for over $3.6 million in fabricated deliveries and services that Pena and his firm did not complete.  In exchange for his co-conspirators’ participation in the scheme, Pena paid to them lavish kickbacks, including cash, checks, a sport utility vehicle, and a Rolex watch.

After an internal audit revealed the fraud and the victim companies no longer wished to contract with Pena, Pena hid his interest in another trucking firm that contracted directly with Williams-Sonoma in September 2021. Pena continued to work with a subset of his co-conspirators to overbill Williams-Sonoma for fabricated deliveries through June 2024, resulting in nearly $1 million in additional losses to Williams-Sonoma.  

Two of Pena’s co-conspirators, Raymond DeLeon and Cintia Elaxcar, pleaded guilty last month for participating in this conspiracy in their capacities as former employees of Company-1.   

Raymond DeLeon, 38, of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on January 3, 2025 before Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  DeLeon worked as an operations general manager for Company-1 and received over $200,000 in kickback payments in exchange for his role in causing the fraudulent billing requests to be submitted to the victim companies.

Cintia Elaxcar, 40, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on January 15, 2025 before Judge Quraishi in Trenton federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  Elaxcar worked as a billing and dispatch manager for Company-1 and received over $435,000 in kickback payments in exchange for her role in causing the fraudulent billing requests to be submitted to the victim companies.

The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud – which Pena is charged with and which DeLeon and Elaxcar have each pleaded guilty to – carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison.  It also carries a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the United States Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron Hatley, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.

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

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Defense counsel:

Michael Critchley, Esq. for Pena

Nicholas Moschella, Esq. for DeLeon

Maria Noto, Esq. for Elaxcar

NEWARK, N.J. – A Plus Pharmacy LLC, the former owner of A Plus Pharmacy, a pharmacy located in Manalapan, New Jersey, has agreed to pay $350,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing a federal health care program for certain medications that it never dispensed, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced today.

According to the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreement:

The United States alleged that, from January 1, 2015, through February 27, 2023, A Plus Pharmacy LLC caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program for certain drugs that were never dispensed to beneficiaries. The government contends that inventory records showed that A Plus Pharmacy LLC did not purchase enough of these medications from wholesalers to fill the prescriptions billed to the federal health care program.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Toll and Kruti Dharia of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit and Senior Trial Counsel Jennifer Cihon in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section).

The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The claims settled by the agreement are allegations only, and there has been no admission of liability.

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NEWARK, N.J. – An East Orange, New Jersey man today admitted possessing quantities of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine he intended to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Ibraheem Muhammad, 41, of East Orange, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an Indictment charging him with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

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

Law enforcement investigated Muhammad for his drug distribution from an apartment in East Orange (the “Residence”).  On May 9, 2022, Muhammad was arrested on a warrant after law enforcement saw him exit the Residence and engage in a suspected drug transaction.  He was caught in possession of numerous envelopes of suspected heroin and keys to the Residence.  A subsequent search of the Residence revealed Muhammad to be in possession of controlled substances that subsequently lab tested positive for heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl, and various glassine envelopes and other paraphernalia used for packaging drugs.  Law enforcement also recovered approximately $14,000 in cash; a Girsan 9mm semi-automatic handgun, loaded with fourteen (14) rounds of 9mm ammunition; and an additional fifteen (15) rounds of 9mm ammunition.  

The drug charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million.  The felon in possession of a firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime charge carries a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000.  Sentencing is scheduled for June 24, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., Newark Field Division; and the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Maurice Boyd.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
 

NEWARK, N.J. – A Chilean man, believed to be part of a South American theft group, is charged for his involvement in a conspiracy to break into a jewelry store in New Jersey and possess the stolen property in other states, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Gustavo Ignacio Salas Ortega, 33, of Chile, is charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to receive stolen property that had crossed state lines and one count of receiving stolen property that had crossed state lines.  ICE ERO Newark arrested Salas Ortega on October 14, 2024, in Rochelle Park, New Jersey.

“Sophisticated and highly organized burglars that allegedly target businesses do great damage and put the public at risk. The defendant is charged with conspiring to break into a jewelry store in New Jersey to steal expensive wristwatches and jewelry and then taking the valuables to other states.  This office is committed to finding the perpetrators of these crimes and preventing them from continuing to harm our businesses.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna

“The Joint Organized Crime Task Force has been working tirelessly to apprehend these alleged criminals, following a labyrinth of conspirators that span multiple states.” FBI-Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said. “These alleged criminals are part of South American theft groups who have been targeting stores throughout the United States for months. These alleged thieves have worked equally hard to evade law enforcement as they have to infiltrate the very businesses they have ripped off. This charge marks a positive step forward towards dismantling this group.”

“As alleged, the illegal alien offender threatened the public safety of our community by participating in an organized theft group,” said ICE ERO Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris.  “These charges against Salas Ortega demonstrate ICE ERO Newark’s commitment to uphold the integrity of our immigration system while promoting the security of New Jersey’s residents.”

“We are incredibly proud of the tireless efforts of our detectives and the collaborative work with federal agencies that led to the identification of these suspects. This case underscores the importance of community and inter-agency cooperation in solving complex crimes,” said Millburn Police Chief Gilfedder. “Our department remains committed to bringing those responsible to justice and ensuring the safety of our residents and businesses.”

Salas Ortega appeared on February 4, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court and was detained.

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

The defendant was part of a group that scouted a jewelry store in a New Jersey mall before committing the burglary.  The defendant and his co-conspirators then entered the jewelry store through the ceiling and a hole they cut through an adjacent wall.  Law enforcement later found the defendant wearing an expensive wristwatch that had been in the jewelry store at the time of the burglary. Further investigation showed that the defendant had possessed the stolen wristwatch in New York on multiple days after the burglary.

The charge of conspiracy to sell or receive stolen property carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison; and the charge of receipt of stolen property carries a maximum potential penalty of ten years in prison. Both charges also carry a maximum potential penalty of up to a $250,000 fine, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited the FBI Newark’s Joint Organized Crime Task Force (JOCTF), under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris; the Millburn Police Department under the direction of Chief Brian Gilfedder; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent of Police Edward T. Cetnar, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Denver Police Department, Paramus Police Department, Fair Lawn Police Department, Edison Police Department, Northbrook (IL) Police Department, Vacaville (CA) Police Department, Nassau County (NY) Police Department, Woodbury (NY) Town Police Department, Town of Greenburgh (NY) Police Department, New York Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, FBI Denver, FBI New York, and the FBI Legal Attaché Santiago, Chile.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor A. Chenoweth of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.

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

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Defense counsel:

Mary Toscano, Esq., Roseland, New Jersey

CAMDEN, N.J. – A man from Dallas County, Texas admitted to a federal hate crime and for making interstate threats against the employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced.

Bushan Athale, 49, of Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court to an Information charging him with one count of interfering with federally protected activities through the threatened use of a dangerous weapon and one count of transmitting an interstate threat to injure another person.  Sentencing is scheduled for June 3, 2025.

“Threats of violence have no place in our society,” said Vikas Khanna, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.  “Every individual in this country must be free to practice their religion without fear of violence or persecution.  We will continue to ensure the safety of our communities by prosecuting those who threaten our basic American freedoms.”

“Every citizen has the right to feel safe, secure, and free from fear of violence or hate,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “We are deeply grateful to our law enforcement and community partners who stand with us daily. Together, we remain steadfast in pursuing those who threaten the safety and well-being of the people we are sworn to protect.”

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

On or about September 17, 2022, Athale called the main number of an organization that advocates for the civil rights of Sikh individuals within the United States.  Over the course of the next hour, Athale left seven voicemails expressing hatred toward Sikh individuals working at this same organization and threatening to injure or kill these individuals with a razor.

Athale’s voicemails, which were filled with violent imagery and obscenity, contained references to places, people, and tenets that are particularly significant within the Sikh religion.  Among other things, Athale stated his intention to “catch” the Sikhs at Organization 1, forcibly shave their “top and bottom hair,” use a “razor” to “cut” their hair and “make” them bald, “make” them smoke and eat tobacco, and “show [them] the heaven.”

On March 21, 2024, Athale again called the same Sikh organization and left two more voicemails.  In these voicemails, Athale again used violent, sexual imagery to express his hatred toward Sikhs as well as Muslims, and spouted antisemitic rhetoric.

During his guilty plea, Athale also admitted to additional conduct reflecting his long history of making violent threats rooted in religious animus.  For example, Athale admitted that on November 6, 2021 and November 7, 2021, he had sent electronic messages to a former co-worker, in which he stated that he “hate[d] Pakistan” and “hate[d] Muslims.”  Athale wrote, “I hate you, I just don’t know how to kill your whole family including you?  Tell me???  I will figure it out […] Probably I will hire a Jew, they will be most happy.”

Athale also admitted that, from May 28, 2024 to May 31, 2024, he had sent threatening electronic messages to a recruiter who he believed to be a Muslim. Athale wrote statements such as “you will be dead, get out [expletive] Muslim” and “If you dont [sic] back off you are killed.”

The charge of interfering with federally protected activities carries a maximum potential penalty of ten years in prison and the charge of transmitting an interstate threat carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both charges also carry a maximum potential penalty of up to a $250,000 fine. The defendant also may be sentenced to a term of supervised release after any term of imprisonment imposed.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited the special agents of the FBI of the Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, with the investigation leading up to this guilty plea.     

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara A. Aliabadi of the Special Prosecutions Division in Camden, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Richardson of the Civil Rights Division in Camden, and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

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Defense Counsel: AFPD Maggie Moy

NEWARK, N.J. – A Wilmington, North Carolina man was charged with transporting and possessing videos and images of child sexual abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Barry Grant Bevier, 61, of Wilmington, North Carolina, is charged by complaint with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.  He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams in Newark federal court and was detained.

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

On November 26, 2024, Bevier returned from an international trip aboard a flight that landed at Newark Liberty International Airport.  After Bevier arrived in Newark, law enforcement officers searched Bevier’s cellular phone and found approximately forty-five photographs and approximately twenty-one videos depicting child sexual abuse material.  The officers found multiple photographs and videos of child sexual abuse material that Bevier took himself, along with a “selfie” image of himself and one of the victims.

The charge of transportation of child pornography carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”)—Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New Jersey for its assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor A. Chenoweth of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.

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

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Defense counsel: Paul A. Di Lella, Esq., Parsippany

NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County man has been charged with enticing a minor to engage in criminal sexual conduct, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Ryan Niksa, 34, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was charged in a one-count complaint with enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.  He had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court on January 29, 2025, and was ordered detained.

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

Since in or around August 2024, Niksa communicated with a minor victim located in another state through social media applications and text messages. Niksa and the minor victim exchanged sexually explicit photos and videos.  Niksa expressed his desire to live with the minor victim, discussed traveling to the minor victim’s home state to be with her, and discussed running away with the minor victim to another country where they could evade law enforcement.   

Enticement of a minor carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Thompson of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.

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

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Defense counsel: Shaiba Rather, Assistant Federal Public Defender

NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey man was sentenced to 57 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to receive, retitle, and “re-VIN” stolen vehicles, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Nathaniel Bell, 27, of Linden, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to a seven-count information charging him with one count of conspiracy to receive stolen vehicles, five counts of altering or removing motor vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and one count of transportation of stolen vehicles.

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

Bell was the leader of a criminal conspiracy that obtained stolen vehicles from New Jersey, New York, Florida, and other states, obtained fraudulent titles for the stolen vehicles, and altered vehicle identification numbers to conceal the fact that the vehicles were stolen. Bell and his co-conspirators then sold the stolen cars to dealerships or individual purchasers so they could make a profit. In at least two instances, the co-conspirators sold a stolen car to an individual purchaser and then stole it back so they could sell it again. Bell also knowingly altered or removed the VIN numbers on five vehicles and knowingly transported a stolen vehicle between New York and New Jersey.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Bell to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution.

Bell’s co-conspirators, Johnathan Tanksley, 31, of Orange; L’Hubermane Felix, 25, of Miami, Florida; and Dayanna Sarango-Hidalgo, 29, of Newark, have all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to receive stolen vehicles. Felix was previously sentenced to 24 months in prison. Tanksley and Sarango-Hidalgo await sentencing.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation that led to the sentencing. He also thanked the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft Task Force; the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office; the National Insurance Crime Bureau; the Jersey City Police Department; the Belleville Police Department; the Rahway Police Department; the Linden Police Department; the Roselle Police Department; the Eatontown Police Department; the Freehold Police Department; the Elizabeth Police Department; the Miami Police Department (Florida); the Florida Highway Patrol; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; the Howard County Police Department (Maryland); the New York Police Department; the Nassau County Police Department (New York); the Georgia Department of Revenue; the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice; the Deputy Attorney General’s Office; the FBI Miami Office; the FBI Cleveland Office; and the FBI Milwaukee Office

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Kober of the Organized Crimes/Gangs Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Jason F. Orlando 

NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County man was convicted by a jury in connection with his role in a drug trafficking organization responsible for the importation and distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Defendant William Panzera, 51, of North Haledon, New Jersey was convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy and international promotional money laundering conspiracy by a jury in Newark, New Jersey. Eight other defendants have previously pleaded guilty in related cases.

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

From approximately January 2014 through September 2020, William Panzera and other members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl analogues, MDMA, methylone, and ketamine. Members of the conspiracy placed orders with a source in China and agreed to distribute, and did distribute, the controlled substances and analogues in New Jersey, both in bulk and in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills that actually contained fentanyl analogues. In total, they imported over a metric ton of fentanyl and other drugs into the United States. They also sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to China using wire transfers and Bitcoin to pay for the drugs.

The charge of drug trafficking conspiracy of which Panzera was found guilty carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of international promotional money laundering conspiracy of which Panzera was found guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. Sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) – Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New Jersey, New York, and Kentucky, HSI in Philadelphia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Stephen Sola, Chief of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. Financial Investigator Kathryn Montemorra of the MLARS Special Financial Investigations Unit supported the investigation. The case is being prosecuted jointly by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) of the United States Department of Justice.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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Defense counsel: Jeffrey G. Garrigan, Esq.; Christopher L. Patella, Esq.

A federal jury in Newark convicted a New Jersey man on Jan. 27 for conspiring to traffic fentanyl-related substances and launder money.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from approximately January 2014 through September 2020, William Panzera, 51, of North Haledon, and other members of a drug trafficking organization, agreed to import and distribute controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl analogues, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methylone, and ketamine. Co-conspirators ordered controlled substances and analogues from a source in China and paid those sources hundreds of thousands of dollars via wire transfer and cryptocurrency. The conspirators distributed the substances throughout New Jersey in bulk and in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills that actually contained fentanyl analogues. Eight other defendants have pleaded guilty in the case.

The jury convicted Panzera of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of furanyl fentanyl and 100 grams or more of 4 fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl and conspiracy to commit international promotional money laundering. Panzera faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million for the drug trafficking conspiracy charge, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 for the money laundering conspiracy charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey, and Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark made the announcement.

HSI Newark is investigating the case. HSI Philadelphia, the FBI Newark Field Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Newark Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office provided valuable assistance.

Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit Chief Stephen Sola of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case. Financial Investigator Kathryn Montemorra of the MLARS Special Financial Investigations Unit supported the investigation.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

NEWARK, N.J. –  Yesterday afternoon a Newark jury convicted two New Jersey men for their roles in a violent drug trafficking organization, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Michael Mayse, 38, of Newark, a leader of the Stephen Crane Drug Trafficking Organization, was convicted of murder, drug trafficking conspiracy, and related drug and firearms offenses.

Gary Shahid, 66, of Newark, a drug supplier of the Stephen Crane Drug Trafficking Organization, was convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy, distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and firearms offenses.

“This Office’s commitment to prosecuting violent crime and serious drug trafficking offenses is unwavering.  This case demonstrates the strength of our partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement and ensures that serious consequences will follow for these defendants.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna

“ATF remains steadfast in identifying and apprehending those who are terrorizing our neighborhoods with violence and senseless disorder,” ATF Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr., Newark Field Division stated.  “These guilty verdicts bring accountability to violent criminals whose actions disregard criminal law, human life, and public safety. We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners and secure the safety of our communities.”

“Drug trafficking can be a dangerous and violent game, often entangled with the deadly consequences. Today’s conviction against these two members of the Stephen Crane Village Drug Trafficking Organization, who repeatedly used violence when operating their criminal enterprise, shows the commitment the DEA and our law enforcement partners have in keeping our communities safe and making sure those responsible for these types of violent crimes face the consequences for their actions,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz, New Jersey Field Division.

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

Stephen Crane Village is a public housing complex near Branch Brook Park, on the border of Newark, New Jersey and Belleville, New Jersey. Stephen Crane Village was the site of an open-air drug market controlled by a violent drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) from at least February 2019 through February 2020.

Through numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, consensually recorded telephone calls and text messages, physical surveillance, electronic surveillance, and the analysis of telephone call detail records, law enforcement determined that the members of the DTO conspired to distribute narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base, in and around Stephen Crane Village.

The DTO used a drug stash apartment in Stephen Crane Village to package and store their drugs for distribution. The DTO sold significant quantities of drugs to confidential sources and an undercover agent. On December 15, 2019, Mayse entered the DTO’s stash apartment in Stephen Crane Village and murdered a member of the DTO over a monetary debt relating to the drug trafficking conspiracy.

The count of conspiracy to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison, maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5 million. The counts of distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine each carry a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. The count for of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 500 grams or more of cocaine carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. The count of murder during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine.  The counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.; special agents and task force officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and Chief Mitchell G. McGuire; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director Emanuel Miranda; and the Belleville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Minichini.  He also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their assistance with this case.

The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the DHS/HSI, the USMS, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.

This case is also conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the Criminal Division in Trenton and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Goldberg of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel:

Thomas Ambrosio, Esq., for Gary Shahid

Joel Silberman, Esq., and Keith Oliver, Esq., for Michael Mayse

NEWARK, N.J. – A Bronx man formerly employed by the United States Postal Service as a sorting clerk admitted to theft of mail, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Shelby Dozier, 34, of the Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas to an Information charging him with theft of mail by a postal service employee.

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

In August 2022, Dozier was hired by the United States Postal Service as a sorting clerk and assigned to the Clifton Main Post Office. Shortly after Dozier started his employment, numerous parcels destined for a consignment auction house located in Clifton (“Company-1”) went missing. Company-1 specializes in the sale of trading cards and sports memorabilia that it receives from customers around the world.

Between September 2022 and December 2022, Dozier stole the contents of at least 10 parcels that were mailed to Company-1. The stolen parcels contained valuable trading cards and sports memorabilia that Dozier sold to either individual customers or sports collectible stores. As part of his plea agreement, Dozier agreed to pay restitution to the victims in the amount of $108,692.49.

The theft of mail by a postal employee charge carries a maximum potential sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine equal to the greatest of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for April 22, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modaferri in the North East Area Field Office; and postal inspectors from the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen with the investigation leading to today’s plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

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Defense counsel:  Areeb Salim, Esq.  

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for his conviction of online enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Louis Goldenberg, 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an information charging him with one count of attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution.

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

In August 2023, Goldenberg began interacting on a messaging application with an undercover agent, who was posing as a middle-aged woman with a 12-year-old niece.  From August through September 2023, Goldenberg messaged the undercover, continuously expressing interest in having sexual contact with the minor.  During one of the conversations, Goldenberg indicated a specific hotel in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey where he wanted to have sex with the minor.  On September 18, 2023, Goldenberg traveled from Pennsylvania to the Mt. Laurel hotel, where he had a reservation for that evening.  When Goldenberg arrived, he was arrested by law enforcement.

In addition to the prison term, Judge O’Hearn sentenced Goldenberg to five years of supervised release and ordered him to register as a sex offender.

Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna credited special agents and task force officers with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the leadership of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and Mount Laurel Police Department.

The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Waegener of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.

Defense counsel: Rocco C. Cipparone, Jr., Esq. 

NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark man has been charged with firearm and narcotics offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Khalif Irving, 25, of Newark, New Jersey, was charged in a three-count complaint with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  He had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court on January 24, 2025, and was ordered detained.

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

Irving, a/k/a “Kah Kah,” has been advertising narcotics for sale on social media and posting photos depicting firearms.  On January 23, 2025, Irving stowed a loaded firearm in a utility box affixed to the side of a building at the Janice Kromer Village apartments.  Minutes later, law enforcement recovered the firearm, arrested Irving, and recovered suspected narcotics from Irving’s person.

The offense of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon charged in Count One of the Complaint carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.  The offense of possession with intent to distribute narcotics charged in Count Two of the Complaint carries a maximum penalty of 20 year’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1 million.  The offense of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime charged in Count Thee of the Complaint carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment, which must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.   

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, and the North Bergen Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Farley with the investigation leading to today’s charges.

The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the DHS/HSI, the USMS, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Thompson of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.

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

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Defense counsel: Michael Thomas, Assistant Federal Public Defender

NEWARK, N.J. – A Maryland man was convicted yesterday for money laundering offenses related to funds that were obtained through unlawful computer intrusions that targeted a victim’s 401(k) retirement plan, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Oladapo Sunday Ogunbiyi, 43, of Bowie, Maryland, was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of money laundering, and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.  The jury returned the verdict following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court.

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

Ogunbiyi conspired with others to launder funds obtained through an unlawful computer fraud scheme in which they obtained unauthorized access to a 401k account belonging to the victim. The co-conspirators then added a bank account belonging to another individual to the victim’s 401k account without the victim’s knowledge or authorization. This account was designated as the account to receive withdrawals from the victim’s 401k account. Thereafter, $246,390 was transferred to the bank account belonging to the account that had been added without the victim’s knowledge or consent.

Ogunbiyi’s co-conspirator directed that the fraud proceeds be converted into cashier’s checks, which were provided to Ogunbiyi. Ogunbiyi then deposited the cashier’s checks into business bank accounts under his control and withdrew the funds in a series of ATM and counter withdrawals designed to conceal the source of the money, which he used for personal expenditures.

The counts of money laundering and money laundering conspiracy carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. The counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for July 7, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, including the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Kober of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit and Peter A. Laserna of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Jason A. Seidman, Esq., Freehold, New Jersey

NEWARK, NJ. – A New Jersey man was arrested today and charged with engaging in a scheme to defraud an elderly victim investor out of out of more than $880,000, after entrusting  him to invest her money on her behalf, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced today.

Antonio Petrosino, a/k/a Anthony Petrosino, 59, of Union City, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. He is scheduled to have his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court.

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

Between March 2018 and March 2024, Petrosino fraudulently induced the victim investor to transfer approximately $916,000 to Petrosino based on his misrepresentations that he would invest those funds in brokerage accounts and other investment products for the benefit of the victim investor.  To perpetuate his fraud, Petrosino provided the victim investor with falsified investment statements that purported to show that she had hundreds of thousands of dollars deposited in various investment accounts in her name.  Petrosino also provided the victim investor with payments in the approximate range of $4000-$8000 that he claimed was the interest that the victim investor had earned on her investments.

In reality, Petrosino failed to invest the victim investor’s funds for her benefit as promised.  Instead, he misappropriated the money to pay for his personal expenses, including gambling, credit card payments, and rent on his luxury apartment unit.  Petrosino also caused the transfer of the victim investor’s funds without her knowledge or consent, including transfers directly from the victim investor’s bank account to Petrosino’s landlord. Additionally, Petrosino told the victim investor he would assist her with preparing her tax returns and told her to send him approximately $40,000 that he claimed she owed in taxes, which he misappropriated for his personal benefit.  In total, Petrosino stole more than approximately $888,000 from the victim investor.

The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.  The money laundering charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.  Both counts carry a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.

Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark; special agents of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker; and the Wyckoff Police Department, under the direction of Chief David V. Murphy, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest, and thanked the Union City Police Department, under the direction of Chief Anthony Facchini, for its assistance with the arrest.  

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kozar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

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

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NEWARK, N.J. – A California man was sentenced on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, to 87 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas for his role in a $50 million internet-enabled fraud scheme, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Allen Giltman, 59, of Irvine, California, previously pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to a two-count Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.

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

Between 2012 and October 2020, Giltman and others engaged in an internet-based financial fraud scheme, which generally involved the creation of fraudulent websites to solicit funds from investors. At times, the fraudulent websites were designed to closely resemble websites being operated by actual, well-known, and publicly reputable financial institutions; at other times, the fraudulent websites were designed to resemble legitimate-seeming financial institutions that did not exist.

Victims of the fraud scheme typically discovered the fraudulent websites via internet searches.  The fraudulent websites advertised various types of investment opportunities, most prominently the purchase of certificates of deposit, or CDs.  The fraudulent websites advertised higher than average rates of return on the CDs to lure potential victims.

The fraudulent websites used a variety of means to appear legitimate and to gain and maintain the trust of prospective investors, including by (a) displaying the actual names and logos of real financial institutions;  (b) purporting that the institutions were members of and/or regulated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, or New York Stock Exchange; (c) claiming that deposits made to the institutions associated with the fraudulent websites were FDIC insured; and (d) using FINRA and/or FDIC member identification numbers issued to real financial institutions and real FINRA broker-dealers.

After discovering one of the fraudulent websites, victims would contact an individual via telephone or email as directed on the sites.  As alleged in the Information, this individual was Giltman.  During his communications with victims of the fraud scheme, Giltman impersonated real FINRA broker-dealers by using their names and FINRA CRD numbers.  Giltman would then provide the victims with applications and wiring instructions for the purchase of a CD.  The funds wired by the victims would then be moved to various domestic and international bank accounts, including accounts in Russia, the Republic of Georgia, Hong Kong, and Turkey.  None of the victims received a CD after wiring the funds.

To date, law enforcement has identified at least 150 fraudulent websites created as part of the scheme.  At least 70 victims of the fraud scheme nationwide, including in New Jersey, collectively transmitted funds that they believed to be investments in the aggregate amount of at least approximately $50 million.

* * *

In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Giltman to 3 years of supervised release and ordered forfeiture of numerous assets seized from Giltman at the time of his arrest in 2020.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) previously filed a civil complaint against Giltman based on the same conduct.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark.  He also thanked the SEC for the assistance provided by its Enforcement Division.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Torntore, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel:

Nina Marino, Esq. and Jennifer Lieser, Esq, Beverly Hills, California

NEWARK, NJ. –  An India- and New Jersey-based man who operated jewelry companies in New York City’s Diamond District was sentenced to 30 months incarceration for spearheading a scheme to illegally evade customs duties for more than $13.5 million of jewelry imports into the United States and for illegally processing more than $10.3 million through an unlicensed money transmitting business, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Monishkumar Kirankumar Doshi Shah, a/k/a “Monish Doshi Shah” (Shah), 40, of Mumbai, India and Jersey City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to a two-count Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business. Judge Salas imposed the sentence in Newark federal court and remanded Shah to begin serving his sentence.

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

From in or around December 2019 through in or around April 2022, Shah engaged in a scheme to evade duties for shipments of jewelry from Turkey and India to the United States. Shah would ship and/or instruct his co-conspirators to ship goods from Turkey or India—which would have been subject to an approximately 5.5% duty if shipped directly to the United States—to one of Shah’s companies in South Korea. Shah’s co-conspirators in South Korea would change the labels on the jewelry to state that they were from South Korea instead of Turkey or India, and then ship them to Shah or his customers in the United States, thereby unlawfully evading the duty. Shah would also make and instruct his customers to make fake invoices and packing lists to make it look like Shah’s South Korean companies were actually ordering jewelry from Turkey or India. Shah also instructed a third-party shipping company to provide false information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) concerning the origin of the jewelry. During the scheme, Shah shipped approximately $13.5 million of jewelry from South Korea to the United States without paying the appropriate duty.

In addition, from in or around July 2020 through in or around November 2021, Shah owned and/or operated numerous jewelry companies in New York City’s Diamond District, including MKore LLC, MKore USA Inc, and Vruman Corp. Shah used these entities to conduct more than $10.3 million in illegal financial transactions for customers—including converting cash to checks or wire transfers. Shah would also collect cash from customers and use other individuals’ jewelry companies to convert the cash into wires or checks. At times, Shah and other members of the money transmitting business moved hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single day. In exchange for their services, certain members of the money transmitting business charged a fee. None of Shah’s or his associates’ companies were registered as money transmitting businesses with New York, New Jersey, or the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas ordered restitution in the amount of $742,500 for the wire fraud scheme and forfeiture in the amount of $11,126,982.33 for the wire fraud and unlicensed money transmitting schemes.  In addition, the Court imposed a two-year term of supervised release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and task force officers of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark; special agents with Homeland Security Investigations New York, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; special agents with Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas; and special agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of New York/Newark, under the direction of Acting Port Director Jeffrey R. Greene, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence. He also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New York; Homeland Security Investigations in Seoul, South Korea; the Korea Customs Service in South Korea; the Seoul Customs Special Investigation Office in South Korea; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Paterson; the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department; the Morristown Police Department; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General; and the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) for their assistance in the investigation.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit and Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.

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Defense Attorney: Rahul Agarwal, Esq.

TRENTON, N.J. – A former Mercer County pharmacist was convicted yesterday for her role in a conspiracy to distribute and dispense outside the course of professional practice large quantities of Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone, from a pharmacy formerly located in Trenton, New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Florence Ndubizu, 64, of Princeton Junction, New Jersey, was convicted of two counts of an indictment charging her with conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone, between 2014 and 2017 and maintaining a premises for the illegal distribution of controlled substances. A third count of unlawful distribution of controlled substances was dismissed before trial. The jury returned the guilty verdict following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence presented at trial:

Between 2014 and 2017, Ndubizu was the co-owner and pharmacist-in-charge of Healthcare Pharmacy in Trenton. She and her employee conspirators, acting at her direction, filled fraudulent prescriptions outside the usual course of professional practice, knowing that the drugs would not be used for a legitimate medical purpose, but instead would be illegally diverted, including to street-level drug dealers. Ndubizu, operating a single-location pharmacy, purchased and distributed millions of dosage units of oxycodone, including over 800,000 pills in 2014; over 900,000 pills in 2015; over 800,000 pills in 2016; and over 200,000 pills in 2017, the year that the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) suspended the pharmacy’s registration.

Ndubizu diverted oxycodone pills and then evaded state and federal reporting requirements by manipulating the pharmacy’s records. The DEA conducted an audit of Healthcare Pharmacy’s inventory and found that between April 2015 and August 2017 alone, Ndubizu and Healthcare Pharmacy diverted more than 64,000 oxycodone containing pills.

The conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The charge of maintaining Healthcare Pharmacy as a drug-involved premises carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents, diversion investigators, and task force officers of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; special agents of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the supervision of Director Steve Wilson, members of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey, and members of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Elizabeth Parvin, with the investigation leading to yesterday’s guilty verdict.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Ramey and Ashley Super Pitts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.

Ndubizu’s husband, Gordian A. Ndubizu, the co-owner of Healthcare Pharmacy, was separately convicted of tax evasion offenses after a jury trial in August 2024. Gordian A. Ndubizu was not charged with controlled substance offenses.

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Defense counsel: William H. Newman, Esq., and Shrey Sharma, Esq., of New York, New York

NEWARK, N.J. – The former Vice President of Project Management for National Realty Investment Advisors (“NRIA”) has been indicted for his role in an investment fraud scheme and for misappropriating approximately $2.3 million from victim investors, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced today.

Ivel Turner, 51, of Newark, Delaware, was indicted by a federal grand jury with eight counts of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud.  He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon A. King in Camden federal court and was released on a $100,000 unsecured appearance bond and other conditions.  His arraignment is scheduled for February 4, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton.

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

Turner was previously employed as Vice President of Project Management for NRIA, which held itself out as a real estate investment management fund with over $1.25 billion in assets under management. NRIA promised investors guaranteed returns of at least 12 percent per year for a period of five years, a full return of their investments, and monthly distributions of between six and ten percent of their original investments.  Turner had access to NRIA’s PPM, which made many such representations pertaining to NRIA’s purported returns on investment and distributions.

In April 2020, while still employed at NRIA, Turner incorporated Oasis Realty Investment Group (“ORIG”).  Turner, through ORIG, solicited real estate investors to purchase, finance, and co-develop residential units in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.  Turner used NRIA as a model for ORIG.

To induce investors to invest and continue to invest in ORIG, Turner made material misrepresentations and omissions related to, among other things: (a) ORIG’s financial position; (b) the manner in which Turner used investor money; and (c) Turner’s role at ORIG.  Turner also falsely represented to the victim investors that substantially all of ORIG’s proceeds would be used for real estate investment purposes, but instead, Turner misused hundreds of thousands of dollars of investor money on personal expenses, including luxury retail purchases, several vehicles, international travel, and a down payment on his residence.

The wire fraud charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.  The securities fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $5,000,000.

Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation leading to the indictment.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

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

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Defense counsel: Rubin M. Sinins, Esq., Springfield, New Jersey

 

NEWARK, N.J. – An Amtrak employee admitted participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

Rodolfo Rivera, 41, of Clayton, Delaware, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The Indictment also charges nine other co-conspirators in connection with the scheme: Kevin Frink, 53, of Willingboro, New Jersey; Quinton Johnson, 53, of Irvington, New Jersey; David McBrien, 36, of Levittown, Pennsylvania; Gregory Richardson, 35, of Roosevelt, New York; Michael Toal, 35, of Hazlet, New Jersey; Damany Walker, 41, of Irvington, New Jersey; Timothy Bogen, 59, of Hamden, Connecticut; Dion Jacob, 50, of Brooklyn, New York; and David Lonergan, 64, of Rockaway Park, New York.

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

From January 2019 through June 2022, Rivera and his co-conspirators—who were also Amtrak employees—engaged in a scheme to obtain cash kickbacks from health care providers in return for their agreement to allow their health insurance plan to be billed for services that were never provided and were not medically necessary. As a result of the fraudulent claims submitted on behalf of Rivera, his dependent, and other Amtrak employees that he recruited into the scheme, the Amtrak health care plan paid over $2 million in reimbursements. In total, as a result of the conspiracy, the Amtrak health care plan paid over $11 million in fraudulent claims associated with providers connected to the scheme.

Rivera received thousands of dollars in cash kickbacks from health care providers in return for his participation in the scheme, including from Punson Figueroa, an acupuncturist, and Michael DeNicola, a podiatrist. Figueroa previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced on September 24, 2024 to 34 months in prison. DeNicola previously pleaded guilty on June 29, 2022 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, among other offenses. His sentencing remains pending.

The health care fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Rivera’s sentencing is scheduled for June 26, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters, the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Samuel Dotson, and special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit, and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Bank Integrity, Recovery, and Money Laundering Unit, in Newark.

The charge and allegations contained in the Indictment against Frink, Johnson, McBrien, Richardson, Toal, Walker, Bogen, Jacob, and Lonergan, are merely accusations, and they are each presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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Defense counsel: Dennis S. Cleary, Esq.