District of New Jersey
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Former Owner and CEO of Pharmaceutical Company Indicted for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury today indicted the former chief executive officer and owner of a pharmaceutical company with wire fraud for his role in an embezzlement scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
John Klein, 76, of Tampa, Florida, was indicted on one count of wire fraud. He was previously charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From May 2016 to January 2017, Klein misappropriated millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical company for his own personal use. In May 2016 a customer of the company paid $3.9 million into a company bank account that Klein controlled. After these transfers, Klein made numerous personal expenditures out of the account. Although he had diverted the customer payment for his own personal use, between December 2016 and January 2017, Klein caused the pharmaceutical company to write off the $3.9 million as uncollectable debt.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s indictment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Torntore and Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Camden County Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Role in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for defrauding a victim of almost $2 million in connection with a fraudulent investment scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Frank N. Tobolsky, 60, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman to one count of wire fraud. Judge Hillman imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Beginning in 2013, Tobolsky raised money from a victim, purportedly as an investment that would loan money to season ticket holders who owned seat licenses for the Philadelphia Eagles. The seat licenses would be used as collateral to secure the loans. The victim sent Tobolsky approximately $2.4 million to invest in the purported business venture. The money was not used for loans to season ticket holders. Instead, Tobolsky used a substantial portion on personal expenses.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hillman sentenced Tobolsky to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $1.98 million in restitution to the victims.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware for assisting in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crockett of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Camden County Man Admits Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man today admitted distributing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Ryan Osinski, 33, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In December 2020, law enforcement officers interviewed Osinski after receiving information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that images of child sexual abuse were shared from an IP address assigned to Osinski’s residence. During and after the interview, law enforcement officers lawfully reviewed the contents of Osinski’s cell phone, which contained numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse. They found links and folders on a cloud storage website controlled by Osinski that Osinski transmitted to others using a social media application on his cell phone. These links and folders contained numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse, including materials that depicted prepubescent children and sadomasochistic conduct.
Osinski faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for March 27, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Cherry Hill Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark, and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crimes Unit, under the direction of Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Department of the Air Force, Office of Special Investigations, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Burlington County Man Charged with Possession of Machinegun and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man has been charged with firearms and narcotics offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Cody Starr, 35, of Mount Holly, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession of a machinegun, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Starr made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal in Camden federal court and was detained without bail.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 8, 2022, undercover agents met with Starr at his residence. While armed with a machinegun, which was a privately made firearm (PMF), Starr sold methamphetamine and three PMFs to the undercover agents. A PMF is a firearm, including a frame or receiver, completed, assembled, or otherwise produced by a person other than a licensed manufacturer, and without a serial number placed by a licensed manufacturer at the time the firearm was produced.
“The charges described in this complaint include possessing a privately-made automatic weapon, U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “We are committed to protecting the community by prosecuting those who commit firearms offenses.”
“ATF remains steadfast in identifying, investigating, arresting, and prosecuting those offenders responsible for violent crime and preventing them from wreaking havoc in our neighborhoods,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said. “We will continue to target not only those who illegally possess or utilize firearms to commit violent crimes, but also those who facilitate illegal manufacturing and trafficking of firearms. ATF will never waver in our commitment to protecting the community and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold all violators accountable.”
The charge of drug distribution carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a potential maximum term of life in prison, and up to a $10 million fine. The felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machine gun each carry a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime charge carries a mandatory minimum term of incarceration of five years in prison, a potential maximum penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, Camden Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border Protection, New Jersey State Police, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, Mount Holly Police Department, Evesham Police Department, and Pine Hill Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Waegener of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Passaic County Man Admits Distributing Fentanyl that Led to Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man today admitted distributing fentanyl that caused the death of another person, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Wyzier Peterson, 25, of Paterson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an information charging him with one count of distribution of fentanyl relating to the overdose death of an individual.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On June 30, 2019, Peterson sold heroin and fentanyl, which was later ingested by the victim, resulting in the victim’s death.
The count of distribution of fentanyl carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 29, 2023.
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.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark; officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; officers of the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Director Jerry Speziale and Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora; detectives of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Passaic County Sheriff Richard H. Berdnick; and detectives of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia Valdes, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. She also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bergen County Sheriff's Office and the Belleville and Livingston police departments for their assistance with the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit.
Gloucester County Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Trafficking and Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man with five prior felony convictions was sentenced today to 151 months in prison for unlawfully possessing and conspiring to sell multiple firearms, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Dylan Ianncelli, 29, of Pitman, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to make false statements in obtaining firearms and to illegally engage in the business of dealing in firearms, as well as one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Ianncelli and his conspirator, Jessy Hill, agreed to purchase firearms in Georgia and transport them for resale in New Jersey. On Aug. 12, 2021, Hill purchased 11 firearms from a licensed dealer in Georgia. Hill falsely indicated during the purchase that she was the actual buyer/transferee of the firearms even though she was purchasing the firearms for others. Ianncelli and Hill drove a car containing the firearms from Georgia to Mantua, New Jersey, where the car was stopped by law enforcement officers the following morning. Officers recovered from the car the 11 firearms purchased by Hill the prior day, as well as ammunition and a 12th firearm with a defaced serial number that Hill purchased a week earlier.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Ianncelli to three years of supervised release.
Hill previously pleaded guilty to her role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the leadership of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan R. Miller, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the New Jersey State Police, the Mantua Township Police Department, and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance on this investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Former Carpenters’ Benefit Plan Administrator Sentenced to Six Months’ Home Confinement, Three Years’ Probation for Embezzling $140,000Read the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The former administrative manager of a carpenters’ union pension fund was sentenced today to six months of home confinement and three years of probation for embezzling approximately $140,000 and making false statements on a required report to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
George R. Laufenberg, 72, of Wall Township, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin R. McNulty to two counts of an indictment charging him with embezzling approximately $140,000 in pension benefits and making false statements to the DOL. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Laufenberg was the administrative manager of the Northeast Carpenters Pension Fund, which was subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Laufenberg was a fiduciary and participant in the pension fund. He admitted stealing $140,000 that was paid to him under a deferred compensation agreement to which he was not entitled. Laufenberg also admitted that he made false statements in a form required under ERISA that he filed to the Department of Labor on behalf of the pension fund.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty fined Laufenberg $20,000 and debarred him from any future association with a union or benefit plan.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the DOL Employee Benefit Security Administration, under the supervision of Thomas Licetti, Regional Director; special agents of the DOL Office of the Inspector General, under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; and agents of the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, under the supervision of Inspector General John Gay, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel V. Grady O’Malley of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall R. Randolph of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.
International Fugitive Arrested on 2012 Indictment for Scheme to Import Cocaine to United StatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Guyanese citizen was arraigned today on drug conspiracy charges, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Dennis Edwards, aka “Death,” 38, is charged in an indictment returned in 2012 with conspiring to import five kilograms or more of cocaine from St. Maarten into the United States. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel in Newark federal court and was detained without bail
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Edwards was part of a criminal conspiracy that arranged to import cocaine into the United States. Edwards was arrested on Nov. 14, 2022, when he arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport after having been deported from the Dominican Republic.
The conspiracy charge against Edwards carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison and a maximum fine of $10 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, and deputies of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., with the investigation leading to the charges. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing Edwards’ arrest. U.S. Attorney Sellinger thanked officials in the Dominican Republic for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Atlantic County Felon Admits Distributing Drugs and Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in drug distribution and possession of a firearm as a felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Clay Brown, 29, of Pleasantville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Brown distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl on multiple occasions to a confidential informant. The day that agents arrested Brown for drug distribution, Brown possessed a backpack containing a firearm and controlled substances that Brown intended to distribute to others. Brown has multiple prior felony convictions that make it unlawful for him to possess a firearm.
Brown faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine on the drug distribution charge. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and $250,000 fine on the firearms charge. Sentencing is scheduled for March 21, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Atlantic City office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, and the New Jersey State Police, Crime Suppression South Unit, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Russian and Canadian National Charged for Participation in Lockbit Global Ransomware CampaignRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Russian and Canadian national has been charged with participating in the LockBit global ransomware campaign, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, and FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy announced today.
Mikhail Vasiliev, 33, of Bradford, Ontario, Canada, is charged by complaint unsealed today in Newark federal court with conspiring with others to intentionally damage protected computers and to transmit ransom demands in connection with doing so. He was arrested Nov. 9, 2022, is awaiting extradition proceedings to bring him to the District of New Jersey.
“International ransomware threats like LockBit are the most pressing cybercrime challenge facing law enforcement today,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “These attacks cause disruption and damage to their victims that far exceed the dollar figures of ransom demands or payments, which are themselves significant. However, the United States is up for this challenge and will use all legal means to find the perpetrators of these attacks and bring them to justice.”
“This arrest is the result of over two-and-a-half-years of investigation into the LockBit ransomware group, which has harmed victims in the United States and around the world,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said. “It is also a result of more than a decade of experience that FBI agents, Justice Department prosecutors, and our international partners have built dismantling cyber threats. Let this be yet another warning to ransomware actors: working with partners around the world, the Department of Justice will continue to disrupt cyber threats and hold perpetrators to account. With our partners, we will use every available tool to disrupt, deter, and punish cyber criminals.”
“Cyber criminals who damage protected systems, exploit privileged information, or hold for ransom important files and data are a threat to our way of life,” FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “The FBI will not stand idly by while companies and government entities are bled dry or while their systems are corrupted by these criminal opportunists. We will utilize every tool in our arsenal – including our global partnerships – to shut down these types of schemes.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
LockBit is a ransomware variant that first appeared as early as January 2020 and has been deployed against over 1,000 victims in the United States and around the world. LockBit members have made at least $100 million in ransom demands to those victims and have extracted tens of millions of dollars in actual ransom payments from those victims. The FBI has been investigating the LockBit conspiracy since in or around March 2020. Vasiliev participated in the LockBit campaign by conspiring with others to intentionally damage protected computers and to transmit ransom demands.
The charge of conspiring to intentionally damage protected computers and to transmit ransom demands is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Newark Cyber Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Dennehy, with the investigation leading to the charges. U.S. Attorney Sellinger also thanked FBI Atlanta, FBI Pittsburgh, FBI Miami, the FBI’s Legal Attaché-Ottawa, the Jersey City Police Department, New Jersey State Police, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, and members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania for their assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing Vasiliev’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly and David E. Malagold of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark and by Trial Attorney Jessica C. Peck of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section in Washington, D.C.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Middlesex County Man Charged with Communicating Threat to Attack SynagogueRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for transmitting via the internet a manifesto containing threats to attack a synagogue and Jewish people, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Omar Alkattoul, 18, of Sayreville, New Jersey, was arrested this morning and is charged by complaint with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce on or about Nov. 1, 2022. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court.
“No one should be targeted for violence or with acts of hate because of how they worship,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “According to the complaint, this defendant used social media to send a manifesto containing a threat to attack a synagogue based on his hatred of Jews. Along with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we acted swiftly to respond to the alleged threat. There is nothing the U.S. Attorney’s Office takes more seriously than threats to our communities of faith and places of worship. Protection of these communities is core to this office’s mission, and this office will devote whatever resources are necessary to keep our Jewish community and all New Jersey residents safe.”
“When we learn of credible threats to our community – whether based in hate toward religion, race, sexual orientation, or gender – we call on law enforcement and community partners to assist in identifying and mitigating that threat,” Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Thanks to the collaborative efforts among our Joint Terrorism Task Force Members, a potentially harmful situation was averted. I would like to commend and show our appreciation for the resources from the District of New Jersey’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office, the Sayreville Police Department, and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. Let it be known that when a threat of violence comes to our attention, the FBI and our partners will respond to keep the public safe.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 1, 2022, Alkattoul used a social media application to send an individual a link to a document entitled “When Swords Collide” and admitted to this individual that he wrote the document, stating: “It’s in the context of an attack on Jews.” According to a second individual, Alkattoul also sent the document to at least five other people using another social media application. In the document, Alkattoul wrote the following:
I am the attacker and I would like to introduce myself. . . I am a Muslim with so many regrets but I can assure you this attack is not one of them and Insha’Allah many more attacks like these against the enemy of Allah and the pigs and monkeys will come.
I will discuss my motives in a bit but I did target a synagogue for a really good reason according to myself and a lot of Muslims who have a brain. Let’s be aware of the fact that the Jews promote the biggest hatred against Muslimeen even in the west. The Jews are in fact a very powerful group in the west which is why western countries today shill for them on top of the murtadeen in Saudi Arabia and every Arab country.
This attack was just to remind the Jews that as long as 1 Muslim remains in this world they will never live a pleasant life until the Muslims in Palestine, Syria, West Africa, and South Asia are living a pleasant life. The Jews support terror against the muslimeen and they always have . . . . So the motive of this attack is hatred towards Jews and their heinous acts and I don’t want anyone to tell me for a second that “not all Jews support terror against Muslims” yes they do! They have since day one. Their Torah justifies their acts and let’s keep in mind it was a Jew that tried to kill the nebi SAW.
The charge of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. He also thanked agents of the FBI Field Office in Tampa, Florida, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge David Walker; the FBI Field Office in New York, under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll; and the FBI Washington Field Office, under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono; as well as the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, under the direction of Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin; the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone; and officers of the Sayreville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Daniel Plumacker.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Peck, Christopher Amore, and Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Trying to Bring Loaded Gun on Plane at Newark Liberty International AirportRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newburgh, New York, man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for possessing a stolen and loaded firearm that he tried to get through security at Newark Liberty International Airport, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Desmond Herring, 48, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of carrying a weapon on an aircraft. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 29, 2021, Herring submitted a carry-on bag for inspection at Newark Liberty International Airport. During the screening of Herring’s luggage, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent identified ammunition and a suspected firearm and contacted the Port Authority Police Department. Upon seeing that his bag had attracted additional attention, Herring left the security checkpoint area without his bag and walked to a departure gate for his flight to Atlanta, Georgia.
Further investigation of Herring’s bag revealed that it contained a 9 millimeter pistol, 10 rounds of 9 millimeter ammunition loaded into a magazine, and 150 additional rounds of 9 millimeter ammunition. Herring was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a 2010 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Herring to two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; officers of the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Edward Cetnar; and officers of the TSA with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark.
Indian National Charged in $8 Million COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Newark, New Jersey, returned an indictment today charging an Indian national for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents, Abhishek Krishnan, 40, previously resided in Wake County, North Carolina, before returning to his home country of India. After returning to India, Krishnan allegedly submitted numerous fraudulent PPP loan applications to federally insured banks, including on behalf of purported companies that were not registered business entities. The fraudulent PPP loan applications allegedly included false statements about the companies’ employees and payroll expenses, as well as falsified tax filings. As part of the fraud scheme, Krishnan allegedly used the name of another person without that person’s authority. Krishnan allegedly submitted at least 17 PPP loan applications seeking over $8.2 million and received more than $3.3 million in loan proceeds. Following receipt of the funds, Krishnan allegedly laundered the proceeds of the fraud.
Krishnan is charged with two counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering, and two counts of aggravated identify theft. If convicted, Krishnan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the top counts and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison on each count of aggravated identify theft. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey; Special Agent in Charge Mark Morini of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Southeast Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Kyle A. Myles of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Atlanta Region; U.S. Marshal Michael East for the Eastern District of North Carolina; and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Eastern Region made the announcement.
The TIGTA, FDIC-OIG, U.S. Marshals Service, and SBA-OIG are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Justin Woodard and Trial Attorney Thomas D. Campbell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan B. Menzer for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
In a separate case, Krishnan was recently charged in the Eastern District of North Carolina with theft of government property and aggravated identity theft regarding his alleged receipt of unemployment insurance benefits funded by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pennsylvania Man Admits Bank Fraud Conspiracy that Operated in South Jersey and Southeastern PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Pennsylvania man today admitted his role in a bank fraud conspiracy that targeted 12 different financial institutions in southern New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Muritala Adeowo, 57, of Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before U.S. district Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Adeowo was part of a multi-defendant, Nigerian-based, multi-layered criminal organization that engaged in a bank fraud conspiracy in several states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Rhode Island, between June 2016 and March 2020. Members of the group acquired numerous business checks that were stolen from the United States mail, altered the payee on the checks to a fraudulent name and deposited the checks into bank accounts that had been opened with forged foreign passport documents and fraudulent U.S. visas that matched the names on the stolen checks. Once the banks credited all or a portion of the funds to the accounts, but before the checks had cleared, the defendants withdrew the funds from ATMs or purchased money orders, using debit cards associated with the fraudulent accounts. Members of the organization have used over 400 fraudulent accounts opened with fake identity documents to defraud the victim banks. To date, the total loss to the victim banks is approximately $7 million.
Adeowo admitted that he obtained fraudulent foreign passports for some of the conspirators that were used to open fraudulent accounts at the victim banks. Adeowo also admitted that he obtained stolen business checks from other conspirators that were then altered to change the payee on the check to match the fraudulent identity documents of the conspirator who would be depositing the check. On Aug. 25, 2020, Adeowo was arrested at his residence. Federal agents executed a federal search warrant and seized several stolen business checks that were found in Adeowo’s bedroom.
The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for March 16, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bellmawr office and Philadelphia Division Office, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero; U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington, D.C., Division Office, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood; Homeland Security Investigations, Cherry Hill Office and Newark Division Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; Homeland Security Investigations, Philadelphia Division Office, under the Direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; Homeland Security Investigations, Maryland Division Office, under the direction of James R. Mancuso, Special Agent in Charge, Baltimore, Maryland; Homeland Security Investigations Rhode Island Office, under the direction of Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge, Boston Division Office; and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), under the direction of R. Mike Escott, Resident Agent in Charge, Philadelphia Resident Office, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
Six other conspirators have previously pleaded guilty, and one conspirator was convicted in a trial before Judge Hillman in June 2022. Five of these defendants have pending sentencing hearings before Judge Hillman. Charges against four other defendants remain pending – the charges against them are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Askin and Daniel Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Gloucester County Man Admits Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $400,000 in Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man today admitted that he illegally obtained more than $400,000 in unemployment insurance benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Willie Carter, 23, of Paulsboro, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Reneé Marie Bumb to an information charging him with wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From July 2020 to October 2020, Carter submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance benefit applications to various states. These states provided, and Carter falsely obtained, more than $400,000 in unemployment insurance benefits.
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 to Carter or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 14, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia, and special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
Ocean County Man Sentenced to Year in Prison for Illegally Possessing Short-Barreled Rifle, Silencer, and Fake Federal Identification BadgesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for unlawfully possessing a privately manufactured short barrel rifle, a silencer, and five imitation badges of various federal agencies, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jeffrey Backlund, 57, of Waretown, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging him with unlawfully possessing firearms that were not registered in the National Firearms Register and Transfer Record, and unlawful possession of an official badge or identification card. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Sept. 6, 2020, after investigating a domestic disturbance, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Backlund’s residence and located a number of firearms and imitation federal identification badges. They found one short-barreled, AR-style, .223 caliber rifle bearing no serial number and no branding. Attached to the rifle, they found a tan metal cylindrical device that law enforcement determined to be a silencer. Given the physical characteristics of the rifle and silencer, Backlund was required to, but did not, register these items in the National Firearms Register and Transfer Record pursuant to the National Firearms Act.
Law enforcement officers also located two bi-fold wallets containing FBI Special Agent identification credentials bearing Backlund’s picture and personal information, a United States Marshals Service badge, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent badge, and a Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent badge. All badges and identifications were imitation and Backlund did not have the authority to possess any of them.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Backlund to three years of supervised release and fined him $5,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of the ATF Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan R. Miller; special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark; members of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.; detectives with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, and officers of the Ocean Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michal J. Rogalski, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha K. Nye of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
Monmouth County Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Leading Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 188 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl analogue, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Richard Dobin, 30, of Manasquan, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute pills containing cyclopropyl fentanyl, an analogue of fentanyl intended for human consumption, and one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence on Nov. 3, 2022, in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2017 through August 2017, Dobin led a drug trafficking organization based in Monmouth County, which sold cocaine and fentanyl analogue pills locally and via the Dark Web, the Internet’s black market. The fentanyl analogue pills contained a powerful synthetic opioid with significant abuse potential. Dobin ordered both cocaine and fentanyl analogue on the Dark Web before reselling the drugs in smaller quantities. At the time of his arrest, Dobin was attempting to expand his operation by manufacturing his own pills using pill press machines and raw powders at his stash house located in Middletown, New Jersey. During searches of the stash house and a vehicle used by Dobin’s organization, law enforcement seized more than nine kilograms of fentanyl pills and nearly five kilograms of cocaine.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Dobin to four years of supervised release. The court previously ordered the forfeiture of certain cryptocurrency holdings belonging to Dobin, which Dobin had surrendered to law enforcement.
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.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), Newark Division, under the direction of under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero, Philadelphia Division; and special agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the Middletown Police Department for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tazneen Shahabuddin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.
Former Financial Advisor and Tax Preparer Admits Multiple Counts of Preparing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man admitted 12 counts of preparing a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Terrence LeGall, 69, of Linden, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Nov. 2, 2022, before U.S. District Court Judge John M. Vazquez in Newark federal court to a superseding indictment charging him with 12 counts of aiding and abetting the preparation of a false tax return.
According to the documents filed on the record and statements made in court:
Between 2013 and 2017, LeGall, the sole operator of a financial adviser and tax preparer service in Union County, New Jersey, called LeGall Group Inc. (LGI), prepared numerous false tax returns for his clients in which he included fake charitable contributions, unreimbursed business expenses and business losses that he knew his clients had not actually incurred. This resulted in a reduction in the clients’ tax liability and a fraudulent refund from the IRS. LeGall acted as a “ghost preparer” – although he prepared income tax returns for his clients, he did not identify himself anywhere on the returns as a preparer and filed the returns in a manner that made it look like the returns had been filed by the taxpayers. LeGall’s actions caused losses in excess of $300,000 to the U.S. Treasury.
Each count of false preparation of an income tax return carries a maximum prison sentence of three years and a $250,000 fine. As part of his plea agreement, LeGall has agreed to pay the government restitution in the amount of $314,225, and to file amended returns and pay any outstanding taxes LGI owes from 2012 through the present. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 29, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark McCarren of the Special Prosecution Division in Newark.
Florida Man Sentenced to 45 Months in Prison for Laundering Funds Related to $50 Million Wire and Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man was sentenced to 45 months in prison for laundering funds obtained from a $50 million internet-enabled fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Denis Sotnikov, 39, of Hallandale Beach, Florida, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Vazquez imposed the sentence on Nov. 3, 2022, in Newark federal court.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2012 to October 2020, Allen Giltman, 56, of Irvine, California, 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 seemingly legitimate 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.
Sotnikov received funds from at least 18 victims of the fraud scheme, totaling approximately $6 million, in accounts at various domestic banks that were controlled by him or by a close relative. Of this amount, approximately $3.7 million was either frozen by the banks or returned to victims, and $707,380 was wired by Sotnikov overseas. The remaining stolen funds – approximately $1.5 million – were transferred to numerous other accounts controlled by Sotnikov, where they were used to fund personal expenditures.
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.
Giltman pleaded guilty for his role in the fraud scheme Jan. 5, 2022, and is awaiting sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Vazquez sentenced Sotnikov to three years of supervised release.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) previously filed a civil complaint against Sotnikov and several companies associated with him based on the same conduct.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, including the FBI’s Cyber/Financial Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. 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 of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
Delaware Man Charged with Interstate Transportation of Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Delaware man was arrested for transporting stolen goods obtained through a string of jewelry store thefts in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Michael Larbi, 24, of Dover, Delaware, is charged by complaint with five counts of interstate transportation of stolen goods from October 2020 through February 2021. He made his initial appearance on Nov. 3, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From October 2020 through February 2021, Larbi engaged in a string of jewelry store thefts in multiple states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen jewelry. On Oct. 28, 2020, Larbi entered a jewelry store in Marlton, New Jersey, and asked to look at two engagement rings. Larbi then took two rings that were left on a counter and took a ring from the store employee’s hand and ran out of the store. The value of the three stolen rings was $77,420. Larbi then traveled with the rings across state lines to Philadelphia.
On Nov. 2, 2020, Larbi entered a jewelry store in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. After asking to see jewelry, he forcibly took a box containing diamonds valued at $97,829 from the store employee’s hands and fled to Philadelphia. On Jan. 11, 2021, Larbi entered a jewelry store in Blackwood, New Jersey, and stole two rings valued at approximately $8,500 before fleeing to Delaware. On Feb. 6, 2021, Larbi entered a jewelry store in Clifton, New Jersey, stole two rings valued at approximately $15,600, and fled to Bronx, New York.
Each count of interstate transportation of stolen goods is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire; officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the FBI in Newark, Delaware, and Wilmington, Delaware, officers of the Evesham, New Jersey, Police Department, Hainesport, New Jersey, Police Department, Haddon Heights, New Jersey, Police Department, Gloucester Township, New Jersey, Police Department, and the Clifton, New Jersey, Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Suggs of the U.S. Attorney’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.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Election Day Program to Protect Election Workers and Voting RightsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today that the public can call the Office’s Election Day Hotline at 888-636-6596 to report voting rights concerns, threats against election officials, or any other activity that would interfere with the right to vote in the District of New Jersey. This number will be active Oct. 29, 2022, through Nov. 11, 2022, and will be staffed live on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022.
The Department of Justice plays an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
“Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “Citizens must be free to vote without interference or discrimination, and election officials must be free to serve without threats of violence. In coordination with the Department’s Election Day Program, our office will do everything in its power to protect the rights of voters and election workers throughout New Jersey.”
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
In addition to the Election Day Hotline, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The FBI can be reached by the public at 973-792-3000. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws, or any civil rights violation, can be made at any time to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Hotline, 855-281-3339, or by submitting an online complaint here, or to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan Millenky, Sara Aliabadi, and Mark McCarren will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming general election.
Burlington County Man Admits Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a conspiracy to steal bank customer identities and then use that information to steal more than $520,000, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jamere Hill-Birdsong, 33, of Mount Holly, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2016 through August 2017, Hill-Birdsong conspired with Lamar Melhado, of the Bronx, New York, and others to defraud a Mount Laurel, New Jersey, bank. Hill-Birdsong worked inside the call center and recruited other call center employees to participate in the scheme by stealing the identities and account information of customers who called into the bank’s call center. The conspirator bank employees would then take photographs or screenshots of the bank customer’s account information and signatures and would send that information to Hill-Birdsong and Melhado. The conspirators then had phony identification documents made in the names of the bank customers, and used various runners to go into bank branches and make unauthorized cash withdrawals. The conspirators also used the stolen identity information to conduct unauthorized online transfers of moneys from the customer’s accounts.
The conspiracy to commit bank fraud charge to which Hill-Birdsong pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. In his plea agreement, Hill-Birdsong agreed to make restitution for the full amount of the loss, which is estimated at $523,000. Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2023.
Melhado previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced in March 2022 to four years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Vondra Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Monmouth County Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Multimillion-Dollar Accounts Receivable Factoring SchemeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for defrauding lenders of $50 million dollars in connection with an invoice factoring scheme perpetrated over nearly a decade, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Vincent Galano, 60, of Oceanport, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud. Judge Quraishi imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Accounts receivable factoring, also known as invoice financing (factoring), is a financial transaction through which a company obtains cash by selling its unpaid invoices, ordinarily at a discount, to a factor. Factoring clients send their debtors notices of assignment naming the factor as the assignee of the debt owed on the invoices. The factor collects invoiced amounts owed by the clients’ debtors and, upon collection of the entire invoiced amount, pays its clients the balance of the invoice, deducting the factor’s fees.
Galano formed PF Funding LLC (PF Funding) in 1996 for the purpose of factoring accounts receivables for various corporate clients. In 2007, PF Funding entered into a secured lending relationship with a single purpose entity created to finance PF Funding’s factoring business. Shortly thereafter, the factoring lender established a line of credit as a means to provide PF Funding capital to grow its receivables portfolio. Over the next several years, PF Funding grew its factoring business by drawing from the line of credit while maintaining as current its loan obligations to the factoring lender. However, beginning in 2011, Galano, through PF Funding, purchased increasingly greater numbers of invoices for which he was unable to collect the debt owed on the receivables. To justify PF Funding’s continued draws from the line of credit, Galano concealed this bad debt from the factoring lender by misrepresenting the bad invoices as collectible on reports he routinely provided to the factoring lender. In other instances, Galano mischaracterized invoices that had already been paid and collected as outstanding and capable of being factored, in essence double-counting to drive up the outstanding receivables. In the reports provided to the factoring lender, Galano manipulated the overall value of PF Funding’s portfolio of outstanding invoices in an amount proportional to the funds he needed to draw from the unsecured line of credit to maintain as current the principal and interest payments on his outstanding loans.
Engaging in this pattern of misrepresentation over nearly a decade, by 2020 PF Funding had ultimately defaulted under its loan obligations, owing approximately $50 million to its lenders by virtue of the scheme. During a May 2020 telephone call with his lenders, Galano admitted that he had concealed significant losses suffered by PF Funding over many years. He admitted that he had routinely distributed to lenders over that prolonged period fabricated reports that overstated the number and value of outstanding invoices which the reports represented as payable.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Galano to two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $50 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Two Men Admit Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man today admitted trafficking in large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in southern New Jersey and Philadelphia, and a New Jersey man admitted to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Kevin Salmon, 25, of Philadelphia, and John Munson, 47, of Deptford, New Jersey, each pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court. Salmon pleaded guilty to two counts of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and distributing methamphetamine. Munson pleaded guilty to one count of the superseding indictment charging him with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Salmon acted as a “runner” or “courier” for a drug-trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. He would distribute these drugs to others. Salmon also admitted possessing two operable firearms at his residence while storing in the same location more than 2,500 grams of methamphetamine for the conspiracy. Munson admitted obtaining methamphetamine from the conspiracy in order to distribute the methamphetamine to others.
Two defendants – Glenn Long and Savon Skipwith – remain charged in the same superseding indictment and are scheduled for trial in February 2023. The charges against them are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Ten other defendants have previously pleaded guilty as a result of the investigation.
Salmon faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Munson faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for March 9, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, with the investigation leading to today’s pleas. He also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; Drug Enforcement Administration, Philadelphia Division; U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Marshals Service; FBI; Bensalem Police Department; Berlin Borough Police Department; Berlin Township Police Department; Bucks County District Attorney’s Office; Camden County Prosecutor’s Office; Clayton Police Department; Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Narcotics Task Force; Deptford Township Police Department; Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office; Gloucester Township Police Department; New Jersey State Police; New Jersey National Guard Counter Drug Task Force; Pennsylvania State Police; Pennsville Police Department; and Winslow Township Police Department for their assistance.
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 government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Bender and Diana Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Ocean County Felon Convicted of Drug Trafficking, Firearm Possession, and Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was convicted on drug and weapon charges, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Dyshawn Moss, 43, of Manchester, New Jersey, was convicted on Oct. 27, 2022, following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp on five charges: possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to documents in this case and evidence at trial:
On May 24, 2019, law enforcement agents went to arrest Moss outside of his apartment building in Manchester, New Jersey. Inside his apartment, Moss possessed over 1,000 grams of fentanyl, over 1,300 grams of heroin, and over 2,600 grams of cocaine; drug-packaging materials; over $150,000 in cash; and a 9mm Taurus handgun loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition.
The drug trafficking charges carry a minimum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $10 million. The firearm possession 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 five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for March 29, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, with the investigation leading to the conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vera Varshavsky and Olta Bejleri of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Morris County Man Admits Tax Evasion over Several YearsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in evading taxes for the tax years 2015 through 2018, United States Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Robert Lambert, 57, of Budd Lake, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals by videoconference to an information charging him with four counts of tax evasion.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 through 2018 Lambert failed to file tax returns with the IRS. To conceal his income, Lambert, among other things, cashed checks at various check cashing facilities. Lambert’s conduct caused a total tax loss to the IRS of $140,541. Lambert also had an outstanding balance in taxes due and owning to the IRS for the years 2008 through 2011 of $42,597.
The charge to which Lambert pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 fine, or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 9, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Canadian Man Charged with Travel to Engage in Sexual Contact with MinorRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Canadian man will make his initial appearance today on charges that he traveled to New Jersey for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Patrick John Anthony Coderre, aka “T Ocean,” 53, of Ontario, Canada, is charged with one count of travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Coderre made his initial appearance by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III and was detained without bail.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Law enforcement authorities have been investigating Coderre since March 2019 for child exploitation offenses. Two undercover officers using three identities communicated with Coderre via text message, email, and the messaging platform Telegram concerning Coderre’s desire for sexual encounters with young children. On Oct. 27, 2022, Coderre traveled from Canada to New Jersey to meet the undercover officers for what he believed would be a sexual encounter with one or more children at a hotel.
The charge of travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked officers of the New Jersey State Police, under the leadership of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah A. Sulkowski of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Hudson County Felon Convicted of Possessing Heroin, Cocaine, and Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man was convicted of possessing a loaded firearm, and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances on three different occasions, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Clarence Gaffney, 36, of Jersey City, was convicted on Oct. 26, 2022, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court on three counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession of firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
On Oct. 5, 2019, during a motor vehicle stop, Gaffney possessed heroin and cocaine in his underwear and shoe. On Dec. 26, 2019, after law enforcement officers observed Gaffney selling drugs on MLK Drive and arrested him, heroin and cocaine were recovered from his jacket sleeve. On Feb. 21, 2020, during a motor vehicle stop, a search of Gaffney’s vehicle revealed heroin hidden in a fuse compartment on the driver’s side and a Glock 22 .40 caliber firearm loaded with 11 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition found inside a fuse compartment on the passenger side.
The firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The drug charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the Direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction Director James Shea;, and Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, with the investigation leading to the conviction.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of 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 U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassye Cole and Megan Linares of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
U.S. Attorney Announces Coordinated Law Enforcement Actions to Combat Violent Organized Crime and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced criminal charges today against 42 defendants related to racketeering, violence, narcotics distribution, and federal firearms offenses. The charges stem from five separate investigations conducted by federal, state and local enforcement partners.
“Keeping New Jersey safe and reducing violent crime are core to this Office’s mission, and I have no higher priority as U.S. Attorney. The scourge of senseless gun violence plagues too many of our communities, particularly in our urban centers. We are committed to protecting the public from violent criminal organizations, and we will relentlessly hold those who harm and threaten the public accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Sellinger. “The arrests and charges announced today were achieved through my Office’s collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners through our Violent Crime Initiative. Our VCI model targets the dangerous offenders and criminal organizations throughout New Jersey who threaten the public and perpetrate violence within our most vulnerable communities.”
The Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) is a collaborative, multi-agency program designed to combine the resources of New Jersey’s federal, state, and local law enforcement to identify, target, and prosecute violent offenders and criminal organizations throughout New Jersey. “Selflessly working and coordinating with our law enforcement partners has strengthened our ability to better protect the public from violent actors and organized criminal conduct. The charges announced today resulted from that team effort,” said U.S. Attorney Sellinger.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger also noted that shooting incidents statewide and in cities where the VCIs operate are appreciably lower than the year-to-date total from last year, including a 23% reduction statewide, a 30% reduction in Newark, 27% reduction in Jersey City, and 12% reduction in Paterson. The following graphic reflects those reductions:
NJ State Police Total Shooting Incidents“These decreases are not a reason for anyone to rest easy or let up, but it is a positive note for our communities that have seen all too much violence,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said.
“My primary responsibility and focus as Attorney General is keeping the residents of our state safe – whether by tackling a rise in auto thefts or taking actions to prevent gun violence, including by holding violent offenders accountable,” New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said. “Today, as a result of the efforts of various law enforcement agencies, we are once again demonstrating that effectively investigating and prosecuting violent crimes requires collaboration across local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. We are, quite simply, stronger and more effective when we collaborate, communicate, and share resources — which is precisely the type of partnerships we are fortunate to have here in New Jersey.”
“The Violent Crime Initiative plays an integral role in identifying and removing the most violent offenders in our communities,” Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s New Jersey Division Susan A. Gibson said. “Three of DEA’s investigations have resulted in the removal of 73 guns, more than 100 arrests, and the seizure of multiple kilograms of narcotics. It is the teamwork of law enforcement at every level working together toward the same goal that makes these investigations successful.”
“ATF remains vigilant in its pursuit of the most violent offenders in our communities by utilizing crime gun intelligence to disrupt the shooting cycle, and to prosecute shooters and their sources of crime guns,” ATF Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews said. “We will continue to exploit investigative and data-driven leads derived from ATF’s National Tracing Center and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which is vital for both fair and impartial policing. These arrests send a clear and direct message of ATF’s continued commitment to combat violent crime and we will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to safeguard the public from violence.”
“Violent crime in every form negatively impacts quality of life for every person left in its wake,” FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “The citizens of New Jersey – and across this country – have the absolute right to feel safe in their homes, their communities, and their country, which is why the FBI places great emphasis on eradicating violence. It is a lofty goal and one that may seem unreachable in these divisive times. But we will continue to fight this fight alongside our federal, state, and local partners for as long as it takes. We ask the community to take an active role – if you see something, report it. We cannot let violence rule our way of life.”
The charges and arrests announced today are summarized below, followed by tables setting forth the names, ages, and residences of those charged, as well as the charges against them.
Oscar Miles Housing Complex Drug Trafficking Organization
Today, 14 individuals were charged by criminal complaints with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics, including fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. According to the allegations in the complaints, the charged defendants participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) made up members and associates of the Grape Street Crips street gang. The organization controlled the drug trade in and around the Oscar Miles Village housing complex in Newark.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, investigators of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, investigators from the U.S. Marshal Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., investigators of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura, and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Fritz Fragé, for the investigations leading to the charges in the Oscar Miles investigation.
The Government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Fassanello of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit and Olta Bejleri of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit.
Rollin’ 60’s Neighborhood Crips Criminal Organization
Ten members and associates of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips street gang were recently charged by superseding indictment with participating in a racketeering conspiracy involving drug trafficking, carjackings, robberies, non-fatal shootings, and murder. According to the allegations in the superseding indictment, from in or around 2015 through 2022, the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips criminal organization operated in Essex and Union Counties, the New Jersey prison system, and elsewhere in New Jersey and nationally. During this alleged conspiracy, several of the charged defendants committed multiple non-fatal shootings and a murder, in furtherance of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips criminal organization.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the DEA, under Special Agent in Charge Gibson’s direction, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews, 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 Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fragé, the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura’s 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 investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori, Chief of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit.
Bounty Hunter Bloods Criminal Organization
Seven members and associates of the Bounty Hunter Bloods street gang were indicted for participating in a racketeering conspiracy that involved the commission of multiple murders, multiple non-fatal shootings, fraud, and narcotics distribution. According to the allegations in the indictment, from in or around 2019 to 2022, the Bounty Hunter Bloods criminal organization operated in Somerset, Middlesex, Passaic, and Mercer Counties, as well as within the New Jersey prison system. During that period, several of the charged defendants are alleged to have committed violent acts, including murder, a mass shooting, and assaults with deadly weapons, all in furtherance of the affairs of Bounty Hunter Bloods criminal organization. In one instance, members of the Bounty Hunter Bloods are alleged to have shot nine people in New Brunswick, killing two. Over the course of this conspiracy, members and associates of the Bounty Hunter Bloods criminal organization are alleged to have shot 16 people in New Jersey, killing three.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy in Newark, as well as investigators of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor John McDonald, the New Brunswick Police Department, under the direction of Director Anthony Caputo, and the Franklin Township Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Quovella Mayweather, for the investigations leading to the charges in the Bounty Hunter Bloods investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kendall Randolph of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit and Tracey Agnew of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
Lincoln Park Drug Trafficking Organization
Six defendants were charged by criminal complaints with conspiring to participate in a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl and crack-cocaine in and around Lincoln Park in Newark. This investigation also resulted in the seizure of 13 firearms and quantities of cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the ATF, under Special Agent in Charge Matthews’s direction, special agents of the DEA, under Special Agent in Charge Gibson’s direction, investigators of the Newark Police Department, under Public Safety Director Fragé’s direction, and investigators of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under Sheriff Fontoura’s direction, for the investigations leading to the charges in the Lincoln Park investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the National Security Unit.
Trinitarios
Five members and associates of several branches of the Trinitarios street gang were arrested and charged by criminal complaints with conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin, as well as firearms offenses. According to the allegations in the complaints, the defendants conducted their narcotics and firearms activities in and around the Fifth Ward of Paterson.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under Special Agent in Charge Dennehy’s direction, investigators of the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Jerry Speziale, and investigators of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, for the investigations leading to the charges in the Trinitarios investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Sulkowski of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit and Edeli Rivera of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit.
The investigations leading to the charges in the Oscar Miles, Rollin 60s, and Trinitarios investigations were part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operations. 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 charges and allegations contained in the complaints and indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Oscar Miles Housing Complex Drug Trafficking Organization
Defendant
Age
Residence
Charge
Thomas Barney
47
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
Najuwan Blake-Williams
23
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
Altray Brown
29
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
Ali Carney
44
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
Najee Carney
21
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
Mookadean Cheeseboro
35
Essex County
Possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Tyrone Cradle
26
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
Michael Griffin
32
Essex County
Possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Jaquan McAllister
21
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
Ikaim McSwain
32
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
Latif Terry
39
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
Shaquan Ward
37
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
Taji Williams
37
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
Zaid Williams
35
Essex County
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips Criminal Organization
Defendant
Age
Residence
Charge
Jason Franklin,
aka “Freak,”
aka “OG Freak”38
Essex County
RICO Conspiracy, felon in possession of a firearm
Elijah Williams,
aka “Lil Smith”22
Essex County
RICO Conspiracy
Tre Byrd,
aka “Bands,”
aka “G Bandz”21
Essex County
RICO Conspiracy
Kareem Green,
aka “Try Me”31
Essex County
RICO Conspiracy
Tyheim Terry,
aka “Ty,”
aka “Rollin’ Ty”24
Essex County
RICO Conspiracy, Carjacking, possession of firearm in furtherance of crime of violence
Amir Warden,
aka “Stampz,”
aka “Killa”30
Essex County
RICO Conspiracy
Rahjon Cox, aka “Tsu Surf”
32
Essex County
RICO Conspiracy, felon in possession of firearms and ammunition
Amir Edmonds, aka “G Baby”
21
Essex County
RICO Conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, possession of firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime
Abdul Yarrell,
aka “Runit Up,”
aka “BB”23
Union County
RICO Conspiracy
Nygee Johnson,
aka “Gito”24
Essex County
RICO Conspiracy
Bounty Hunter Bloods Criminal Organization
Defendant
Age
Residence
Charge
Walter Boyd,
aka “Walt,”
aka “Walt Daddy”34
Middlesex County
RICO Conspiracy
Isiah Daniels,
aka “Ice”34
Middlesex County
RICO Conspiracy
Joel Lyons,
aka “Jayski”21
Middlesex County
RICO Conspiracy
Gede Maccelus,
aka “G Baby”21
Mercer County
RICO Conspiracy
Armando Ortiz,
aka “Mando”24
Somerset County
RICO Conspiracy
Malik Stringer,
aka “Rambo”24
Somerset County
RICO Conspiracy
Kimani Wanyoike,
aka “Ki”21
Somerset County
RICO Conspiracy
Lincoln Park Drug Trafficking Investigation
Defendant
Age
Residence
Charge
Ramon Mangan
39
Newark
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, Possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon
Jamar Farrell
44
Newark
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Khalid Holland
43
Newark
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Tyree Norris
33
Newark
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, Possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon,
Possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Ted Sanon
22
Hillside, New Jersey
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base
*Dashawn Hines
* not charged in drug trafficking conspiracy
23
Newark
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances
Trinitarios
Defendant
Age
Residence
Charge
Andy Dilone
23
Paterson, New Jersey
Conspiracy to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine
Malvin Pena,
aka “Rabia”28
Paterson
Unlawful possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, distribution of heroin
Andy Santiago Sanchez-Polanco,
aka “Tigre”25
Paterson
Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
Jefry Tupete,
aka “Jeff”33
Paterson
Distribution of heroin
Cesar Valerio,
aka “Chico Trini”30
Paterson
Conspiracy to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine
Newark Man Sentenced to 115 Months in Prison for Role in Knifepoint RobberyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark man was sentenced today to 115 months in prison for his role in the knifepoint robbery of a Harrison, New Jersey, taxi company, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Alfuquan Turner, 46, was convicted at trial in June 2022 before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini of one count of Hobbs Act robbery. Turner has two previous convictions for robbery, as well as other prior felony convictions.
On Sept. 23, 2019, Turner walked into a taxicab company armed with a knife and covering his face with a plastic bag. He demanded money from the cab company’s dispatcher. Turner stole the dispatcher’s jewelry, cell phone, and other items.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martin sentenced Turner to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; investigators of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey under the direction of Superintendent Edward Cetnar; officers of the Harrison Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Strumolo; and investigators of the N.J. Transit Police Department, under the direction of Chief Christopher Trucillo, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shontae D. Gray and Sophie E. Reiter.
New Jersey Company to Pay $400,000 to Settle False Claims AllegationsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A construction contracting company and the company’s president have agreed to collectively pay $400,000 to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by circumventing small business set aside requirements in a federally funded contract U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that C. Abbonizio Contractors Inc. and the company’s president, Peter Abbonizio, violated small business set aside requirements that they use certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) to perform work on the contract.
The allegations were that the defendants violated the FCA by falsely representing that DBE companies Sanzo Ltd. (Sanzo) and Multifacet LLC (Multifacet) were performing work on the Direct Connection Project, a federally funded New Jersey Department of Transportation project to provide infrastructure improvements to the intersection of Routes I-295, I-76, and Route 42 in Camden County, New Jersey. According to the allegations, Sanzo and Multifacet were not actually performing work, but instead were simply billing C. Abbonizio Contractors for work performed by other vendors on the project, along with a mark-up for their participation. The settlement resolves the complaint filed on May 29, 2020, against C. Abbonizio Contractors Inc. and Peter Abbonizio. Under the terms of the settlement, C. Abbonizio Contractors will pay $375,000, and Peter Abbonizio will pay $25,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, Northeastern Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher Scharf, and special agents of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of John Gay, with the investigation leading to the settlement.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark C. Orlowski of the U.S. Attorney’s Healthcare Fraud Unit in Newark.
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Georgia Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Making Interstate Threats Against Executive Officer of New Jersey CompanyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Georgia man was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for making interstate threats to an executive officer of a New Jersey based company, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Alan Wallace, 59, of Cumming, Georgia, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of transmitting interstate threats.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2021 to March 2021, Wallace, a former employee of the victim company, sent threatening email communications to the victim, an executive officer of that company, which was a publicly traded company with headquarters in New Jersey. The victim’s company email account received the emails every few days beginning on Jan. 11, 2021, and continuing through early March 2021, with more sporadic emails arriving thereafter. The emails were sent from an anonymous email service.
The emails threatened violence to victim and the victim’s family if the company’s stock did not exceed a certain share value within 30 days. An email received on Feb. 5, 2021, with the subject line “Blood Bath,” read: “… it seems you don't care about your family. This will be an absolute blood bath if stock isn't over $200 in 2 weeks. Your hurt [sic] so many, and now it is your turn to experience it.”
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Wallace to two years of supervised release and fined him $10,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, including the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Torntore of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
Connecticut Man Convicted of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Connecticut man was convicted by a federal jury of heroin trafficking, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Following an eight-day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court, Luis Payano-Perez, 38, of Connecticut, was convicted on Oct. 20, 2022 of one count of possessing with intent to distribute 100 or more grams of heroin.
According to documents in this case and evidence at trial:
In November 2018, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) confidential informant provided information to HSI that Payano-Perez was prepared to sell the source a large volume of heroin on Nov. 8, 2018, in the parking lot of a Wawa convenience store in Tuckerton, New Jersey. Payano-Perez and the confidential informant arranged for the quantity of the heroin to be sold, as well as the date, time and location of the planned transaction.
On Nov. 8, 2018, Payano-Perez met with two confidential government informants at the Wawa parking lot to sell them approximately one kilogram of heroin. Shortly after the parties interacted by Payano-Perez’s vehicle, law enforcement officers converged on the Wawa parking lot and arrested Payano-Perez. A subsequent search of Payano-Perez’s vehicle uncovered a bag containing nearly one kilogram of heroin.
The narcotics trafficking charge carries a mandatory penalty of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and up to a $5 million fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of HSI, Atlantic City office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; the Little Egg Harbor Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Hawkins, and the New Jersey State Police, Atlantic City Metro Task Force, under the direction of Col. Patrick Callahan, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric A. Boden and Eric Suggs of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
在三起獨立案件中，兩人因涉嫌代表中華人民共和國政府在美國參與惡意陰謀而被捕，13 人受到指控Read the Press Release
在紐約東區和新澤西州聯邦檢察官辦公室的三起獨立案件中，司法部對 13 名個人提出指控，其中包括中華人民共和國（中國）安全和情報機構的成員及其特工，罪名是涉嫌為中國政府的利益，在美國非法施加影響力。
紐約東區於10月20日公佈一份包含 8 項罪名的起訴書，指控 7 名中國公民（其中兩人於10月20日在紐約被捕）參與一項迫使一名居住在美國的中國公民被遣返的陰謀。被告被指控對一名美國居民進行監視，並參與騷擾和強迫其返回中國的活動，這是被稱為“獵狐行動”的國際法外遣返行動的一部分。
今天，布魯克林聯邦法院公佈了一份刑事起訴書，指控兩名中華人民共和國情報官員阻礙紐約東區的刑事起訴未遂。被告仍然逍遙法外。
新澤西州地區今天公佈了一份起訴書，指控四名中國公民，其中包括三名國家安全部（MSS）情報官員，充當中華人民共和國特工，針對美國境內人士，長期從事情報活動。
“正如這些案例所表明，中國政府試圖干涉美國人士的權利和自由，並破壞我們保護此類權利的司法制度。他們沒有成功，”美國司法部長梅裏克·加蘭(Merrick B. Garland)說。 “司法部不會容忍任何外國勢力破壞作為我們民主基石的法治的企圖。我們將繼續大力保護我國每個人享有的權利。我們將捍衛我們機構的廉正。”
“今天宣佈的行動是在中華人民共和國政府開展惡意活動的背景下進行的，此類活動包括間諜活動、試圖擾亂我們的司法系統、騷擾個人以及持續竊取美國敏感技術，”副司法部長麗莎·摩納哥(Lisa O. Monaco)表示。 “司法部的全體同仁將繼續保衛美國、我們的機構和我們的人民免受違反法律的外國威脅—無論其採取何種形式。”
聯邦調查局局長克里斯多夫·雷(Christopher Wray)表示：“對中國情報官員和政府官員的這些指控—試圖阻礙美國對一家中國公司的審判、冒充大學教授竊取敏感資訊以及試圖強迫受害者返回中國—再次暴露了中國在我們境內的令人髮指的行為。” “聯邦調查局將與我們的合作夥伴和盟友合作，繼續充分利用我們的反情報和執法部門的力量，制止中國政府對我們的企業、大學和華裔社區實施的犯罪行為。”
“此類案件突顯了中華人民共和國政府對我們的機構和美國人民的權利構成的威脅，”司法部國家安全司助理司法部長馬修·奧爾森(Matthew G. Olsen)說。 “我們不會容忍這些厚顏無恥的行動：對居住在美國的人士進行騷擾和試圖強制遣返他們；試圖敗壞我們的司法系統；並試圖在幌子学术组织的掩護下，為中國招募特工。應對此類威脅是國家安全司使命的基石。”
美國訴全忠安等人，紐約東區
一份包含 8 項罪名的起訴書在布魯克林公佈，共指控 7 名中國公民：安全忠 (Quanzhong An)，55 歲，紐約州羅斯林人；安光陽 (Guangyang An)，34 歲，紐約州羅斯林人；田鵬(Tian Peng)，38歲，中國人；陳成華(Chenghua Chen)，中國人；明春德(Chunde Ming)，中國人；侯學欣(Xuexin Hou)，52 歲，中國人；袁偉東(Weidong Yuan)，55 歲，中國人—參與一項迫使居住在美國的中國國民遣返的陰謀。主要被告安全忠據稱在中國政府省紀委（省委）多名官員（包括彭、陳、明和侯）的指示和控制下行事，對一名美國居民進行監視並參與騷擾和強迫其返回中國的活動，這是一項被稱為“獵狐行動”的國際法外遣返行動的一部分。
安全忠和安光陽於週四被捕，並於當天下午在美國治安法官小拉蒙·雷耶斯 (Ramon E. Reyes Jr.) 面前提審。其餘被告仍然在逃。
紐約東區美國檢察官布倫·皮斯表示：“正如所指控，被告代表中華人民共和國政府在美國領土上採取了單方面且未經協調的執法行動，試圖將一名美國居民強制遣返中國。” “美國將堅決反擊這種粗暴侵犯國家主權的行為，並起訴充當外國非法代理人的個人。”
正如起訴書所稱，被告參與了一項威脅和恐嚇美國居民無名氏1號及其家人的國際活動，以迫使無名氏1號 返回中國。這些努力是“獵狐行動”的一部分，該行動由中國公安部發起，旨在尋找並遣返逃往包括美國在內的外國的涉嫌逃犯。中國政府已將這些被指控的逃犯及其家人作為目標，迫使他們與中國政府合作並自行遣返中國。中國政府未經美國政府批准或協調的情況下，在美國領土上單方面採取此類執法行動。
安全忠是一名在紐約皇后區經營的商人，也是法拉盛一家酒店的大股東，他是省委會在美國和中國針對無名氏1號 及其家人（包括他的兒子無名氏2號）的主要駐美聯絡人。作為該陰謀的一部分，多位中華人民共和國的同謀者強迫其在中國的親屬（無名氏3號）於 2018 年 9 月從中國赴美，與無名氏2號 會面，並傳達威脅，旨在迫使無名氏1號 返回
中國。袁是無名氏3號在中國國家稅務總局的上級，其以旅遊團的名義，護送無名氏3號從中國赴美。
中國的被告和同謀也針對無名氏1號 的家人進行了騷擾行為模式。 2017年11月，侯寫信給無名氏2號，警告他“回來自首是唯一的出路”。侯進一步威脅說，“逃避和一廂情願只會招致嚴厲的法律懲罰”。中國政府還通過向紐約州法院提起訴訟，騷擾無名氏1號 和無名氏2號，指控無名氏1號 從其前中國雇主竊取資金，且無名氏2號 瞭解其父親的陰謀並從中受益。
在 2020 年、2021 年和 2022 年的一系列經錄音的會議中，全忠安多次會見無名氏2號，並試圖說服無名氏2號 促使無名氏1號 返回中華人民共和國。在這些會議上，安全忠承認自己是中國人民政治協商會議常委，該委員會負責在海外執行中國共產黨的規章制度。他多次說明，自己的指示來自于陳、明和彭，並承認獵狐行動的動機是中國政府需要“保住他們的面子”並遣返盡可能多的逃犯。
全忠安承認他是作為省委會的代理人，以提高他在中國的地位。在與無名氏2號會面時，全忠安多次代表中國政府發出威脅。如果無名氏1號不回國，中國政府除了“針對和監視”無名氏1號在中國的親屬之外，還會“繼續糾纏你，讓你的日常生活變得不舒服。”在另一個場合，他表示“他們肯定會找到新的方式來打擾你，”“你所有的親戚肯定都會參與其中。”
根據拘留備忘錄所述，全忠安於2022年9月29 日再次會見無名氏2號。在這次會面中，全忠安敦促無名氏1號在 2022年10月16日開始的中共二十大之前簽署返回中國的協議。作為該協議的一部分，全忠安要求無名氏1號 提供書面供述，該供述將直接提交給中華人民共和國政府。
起訴書中的指控均為控罪，除非被證明有罪，否則被告被推定無罪。如果被定罪為中國代理人，全忠安將面臨最高 10 年監禁。安全忠和安光陽涉嫌串謀洗錢罪，最高可判處20年
監禁。對其餘指控，包括密謀充當中華人民共和國特工以及串謀實施州際和國際跟蹤行為，最高可判處五年監禁。
政府代理律師包括美國助理檢察官亞歷山大·所羅門 (Alexander A. Solomon)、薩拉·威尼克 (Sara K. Winik)、安托瓦內特·蘭格爾 (Antoinette N. Rangel)及國家安全司反情報和出口管制科的審判律師斯科特·克拉菲 (Scott A. Claffee)。該辦公室資產追索科的助理美國檢察官布萊恩·莫里斯（Brian Morris）正在處理沒收事宜。
美國訴何東等人，紐約東區
一份刑事起訴書今日在布魯克林聯邦法院公佈，指控兩名中華人民共和國情報官員試圖阻礙紐約東區的刑事起訴。被告仍然逍遙法外。
根據法庭檔，何東（又名何國春、又名何傑基）和王曾（又名王澤）涉嫌策劃一項陰謀，從紐約東區美國檢察官辦公室竊取與正在進行的聯邦刑事調查和起訴一家位於中國的全球電信公司（公司1）相關的檔和其他資訊，其中包括向一名美國政府員工支付 41,000 美元的比特幣賄賂，被告認為該員工是被招募來為中國工作，但實際上該員工是一名為聯邦調查局工作的雙重間諜。
“今天的投訴突顯了中華人民共和國政府對破壞法治的不懈努力，”紐約東區美國檢察官布倫·皮斯(Breon Peace)說。 “正如所指控，該案涉及中國情報官員通過行賄，從本辦公室獲取檔，並與正在進行的起訴中被指控的被告的一家全球電信公司分享這些檔，以阻礙正在進行的起訴。我們將始終採取果斷行動，打擊針對我們司法系統的犯罪行為。”
何東和王正被指控試圖阻礙紐約東區聯邦地方法院對公司1 進行刑事起訴。被告何還被指控洗錢，因其為推進該陰謀，而支付 41,000 美元的比特幣賄賂。
根據訴狀，被告是中國情報官員，代表中國政府並為了公司1 的利益，開展針對美國的外國情報行動。從 2019 年開始，他們指使美國政府執法機構 (GE-1) 的一名員工，竊取有關
對公司1 刑事起訴的機密資訊，以干擾起訴，並認為該員工是他們作為資產招募的。事實上，GE-1 是代表聯邦調查局的雙重間諜。
2021 年 9 月，被告責成 GE-1 報告據稱 GE-1 在紐約東區美國檢察官辦公室與布魯克林檢察官舉行的會議。在書面通訊中，被告表示，他們特別想知道哪些公司1 員工接受過政府約談，並獲得對檢察官證據、證人名單和審判策略的描述。
2021 年 10 月，GE-1 使用加密消息傳遞程式，向被告發送一份據稱是紐約東區美國檢察官辦公室關於公司1 案件的內部戰略備忘錄的一頁。該文件似乎被列為“秘密”文件，並討論了一項指控和逮捕兩名居住在中國的公司1 現有員工的計畫。何東回應稱，這份文件“正是我正在等待的，”他正在“等待一些人的回饋，”確定對這份文件是否有任何問題。何東隨後向 GE-1 支付了大約 41,000 美元的比特幣，作為其竊取該檔的酬勞。
GE-1 還要求被告提供有關“秘密”文件的任何回饋。 2021年11月，何東表示，“[公司1]現在還沒有給我具體回饋，但他們顯然對此感興趣，我的老闆和他們需要進一步的資訊。”何東進一步告訴 GE-1，“[公司1]顯然會對 GE-1 竊取戰略備忘錄的另一部分感興趣，”並且“可能會提供更多” 以換取資訊。 2021 年 12 月，在回應 GE-1 進一步要求公司1 就“他們希望我得到什麼”提供回饋或指導時，何東解釋說，“他們還沒有給我任何積極的回饋，並要求直接與你溝通。”何東表示，他拒絕了公司1直接與 GE-1 通話的要求，因為“這太危險了”。
起訴書中的指控均為控罪，除非被證明有罪，否則被告被推定無罪。如果罪名成立，何東將面臨最高40年的監禁，王將面臨最高20年的監禁。
政府由美國助理檢察官亞歷山大·所羅門 (Alexander A. Solomon) 和馬里帝茲·阿爾法 (Meredith A. Arfa) 以及國家安全部反情報和出口管制科的審判律師斯科特·克拉菲 (Scott A. Claffee)代理。
美國訴王林等人，新澤西州地區
一份聯邦起訴書公佈對四名中國公民的指控，其中包括三名國家安全部（MSS）情報官員，他們充當中華人民共和國特工，針對美國境內人士，長期從事情報活動。
起訴書稱，至少從 2008 年到 2018 年，王林，59 歲；畢宏偉，年齡不詳；董婷，又名切爾西¬董，40 歲； 55 歲的王強和其他人進行了廣泛而系統的努力，旨在在招募美國代表中國行事的個人，要求其向中國政府提供資訊、材料、設備和援助，以推進中國的情報目標。此類招募活動包括針對大學教授、一名前聯邦執法和國土安全官員，及其它代表中國政府行事的人。
作為該陰謀的一部分，國家安全局情報人員王林、董婷等人利用中國海洋大學—即國際問題研究所（IIS）—的一個所謂的學術機構作為其秘密情報活動的掩護。王林以所謂的 IIS 主任身份為掩護，與其他以 IIS 學者為幌子的國家安全局特工合作，針對美國大學的教授和美國其他有權訪問敏感資訊和設備的人。
根據今天啟封的起訴書，國家安全部情報官員王林、畢、董等人代表國家安全部和中國政府，有系統地針對美國人，包括但不限於一名作為新澤西州居民的同謀，以及另一名前任聯邦執法官員和州國土安全官員，及一名美國大學教授。
除此之外，該陰謀還針對第二個人，邀請此人在 2008 年和 2018 年參加由 IIS 全額贊助的中國旅行。在此類行程中，王林、董和其他人試圖招募此人作為人脈，要求此人提供敏感的指紋技術、資訊並協助阻止計畫中的 2008 年奧運會火炬傳遞路線在美國舉行的抗議活動，共謀者表示這會讓中國“難堪。”此人還被要求與一家以中國“國家利益和國家安全”為“核心價值”的中國公司簽署所謂的諮詢服務合同，目的是“保護國家利益和中國企業的海外利益”並“建立收集安全資訊的來源和管道。”此人認識到，王林、董等人是中國情報人
員，因此拒絕了這些請求，並向執法部門舉報。
該陰謀還針對新澤西州的同謀者，要求該同謀者在美國採取具體行動，以推進國家安全局的情報目標。 2016年，王強協調同謀者王林和畢宏偉在巴哈馬舉行會面，當時國安部情報官員王林和畢宏偉指示同謀者獲取美元，並將其提供給新澤西州的指定人士。同謀者返回新澤西州，按照王林和畢的指示行事。王強隨後在新澤西州拜訪了同謀者，王強與同謀者詳細討論了他們和其他人在美國代表中國政府進行的活動。
林、畢、董、王強均為中華人民共和國公民和居民。起訴書指控，他們每個人都被指控串謀在美國作為外國政府即中華人民共和國代理人行事，而未按照法律規定，事先通知美國司法部長，並指揮其他人在美國從事此類非法行動。共謀罪的法定最高刑期為 5 年監禁，最高罰款為 250,000 美元。
美國檢察官塞林格（Sellinger）將此次指控歸功於聯邦調查局特工在紐華克特工詹姆斯·丹內利 (James E. Dennehy) 的指導下進行的調查。
政府代表包括特倫頓分處負責人美國助理檢察官布蘭登¬戴( J. Brendan Day)、及該處國家安全部門負責人 喬伊絲¬瑪麗埃特(Joyce M. Malliet)。
起訴書中的指控均為控罪，除非被證明有罪，否則被告被推定無罪。
在三起独立案件中，两人因涉嫌代表中华人民共和国政府在美国参与恶意阴谋而被捕，13 人受到指控Read the Press Release
在纽约东区和新泽西州联邦检察官办公室的三起独立案件中，司法部对 13 名个人提出指控，其中包括中华人民共和国（中国）安全和情报机构的成员及其特工，罪名是涉嫌为中国政府的利益，在美国非法施加影响力。
纽约东区于10月20日公布一份包含 8 项罪名的起诉书，指控 7 名中国公民（其中两人于10月20日在纽约被捕）参与一项迫使一名居住在美国的中国公民被遣返的阴谋。被告被指控对一名美国居民进行监视，并参与骚扰和强迫其返回中国的活动，这是被称为“猎狐行动”的国际法外遣返行动的一部分。
今天，布鲁克林联邦法院公布了一份刑事起诉书，指控两名中华人民共和国情报官员阻碍纽约东区的刑事起诉未遂。被告仍然逍遥法外。
新泽西州地区今天公布了一份起诉书，指控四名中国公民，其中包括三名国家安全部（MSS）情报官员，充当中华人民共和国特工，针对美国境内人士，长期从事情报活动。
“正如这些案例所表明，中国政府试图干涉美国人士的权利和自由，并破坏我们保护此类权利的司法制度。他们没有成功，”美国司法部长梅里克·加兰(Merrick B. Garland)说。 “司法部不会容忍任何外国势力破坏作为我们民主基石的法治的企图。我们将继续大力保护我国每个人享有的权利。我们将捍卫我们机构的廉正。”
“今天宣布的行动是在中华人民共和国政府开展恶意活动的背景下进行的，此类活动包括间谍活动、试图扰乱我们的司法系统、骚扰个人以及持续窃取美国敏感技术，”副司法部长丽莎·摩纳哥(Lisa O. Monaco)表示。 “司法部的全体同仁将继续保卫美国、我们的机构和我们的人民免受违反法律的外国威胁—无论其采取何种形式。”
联邦调查局局长克里斯托弗·雷(Christopher Wray)表示：“对中国情报官员和政府官员的这些指控—试图阻碍美国对一家中国公司的审判、冒充大学教授窃取敏感信息以及试图强迫受害者返回中国—再次暴露了中国在我们境内的令人发指的行为。” “联邦调查局将与我们的合作伙伴和盟友合作，继续充分利用我们的反情报和执法部门的力量，制止中国政府对我们的企业、大学和华裔社区实施的犯罪行为。”
“此类案件突显了中华人民共和国政府对我们的机构和美国人民的权利构成的威胁，”司法部国家安全司助理司法部长马修·奥尔森(Matthew G. Olsen)说。 “我们不会容忍这些厚颜无耻的行动：对居住在美国的人士进行骚扰和试图强制遣返他们；试图败坏我们的司法系统；并试图在幌子学术组织的掩护下，为中国招募特工。应对此类威胁是国家安全司使命的基石。”
美国诉全忠安等人，纽约东区
一份包含 8 项罪名的起诉书在布鲁克林公布，共指控 7 名中国公民：安全忠 (Quanzhong An)，55 岁，纽约州罗斯林人；安光阳 (Guangyang An)，34 岁，纽约州罗斯林人；田鹏(Tian Peng)，38岁，中国人；陈成华(Chenghua Chen)，中国人；明春德(Chunde Ming)，中国人；侯学欣(Xuexin Hou)，52 岁，中国人；袁伟东(Weidong Yuan)，55 岁，中国人—参与一项迫使居住在美国的中国国民遣返的阴谋。主要被告安全忠据称在中国政府省纪委（省委）多名官员（包括彭、陈、明和侯）的指示和控制下行事，对一名美国居民进行监视并参与骚扰和强迫其返回中国的活动，这是一项被称为“猎狐行动”的国际法外遣返行动的一部分。
安全忠和安光阳于周四被捕，并于当天下午在美国治安法官小拉蒙·雷耶斯 (Ramon E. Reyes Jr.) 面前提审。其余被告仍然在逃。
纽约东区美国检察官布伦·皮斯表示：“正如所指控，被告代表中华人民共和国政府在美国领土上采取了单方面且未经协调的执法行动，试图将一名美国居民强制遣返中国。” “美国将坚决反击这种粗暴侵犯国家主权的行为，并起诉充当外国非法代理人的个人。”
正如起诉书所称，被告参与了一项威胁和恐吓美国居民无名氏1号及其家人的国际活动，以迫使无名氏1号 返回中国。这些努力是“猎狐行动”的一部分，该行动由中国公安部发起，旨在寻找并遣返逃往包括美国在内的外国的涉嫌逃犯。中国政府已将这些被指控的逃犯及其家人作为目标，迫使他们与中国政府合作并自行遣返中国。中国政府未经美国政府批准或协调的情况下，在美国领土上单方面采取此类执法行动。
安全忠是一名在纽约皇后区经营的商人，也是法拉盛一家酒店的大股东，他是省委会在美国和中国针对无名氏1号 及其家人（包括他的儿子无名氏2号）的主要驻美联络人。作为该阴谋的一部分，多位中华人民共和国的同谋者强迫其在中国的亲属（无名氏3号）于 2018 年 9 月从中国赴美，与无名氏2号 会面，并传达威胁，旨在迫使无名氏1号 返回
中国。袁是无名氏3号在中国国家税务总局的上级，其以旅游团的名义，护送无名氏3号从中国赴美。
中国的被告和同谋也针对无名氏1号 的家人进行了骚扰行为模式。 2017年11月，侯写信给无名氏2号，警告他“回来自首是唯一的出路”。侯进一步威胁说，“逃避和一厢情愿只会招致严厉的法律惩罚”。中国政府还通过向纽约州法院提起诉讼，骚扰无名氏1号 和无名氏2号，指控无名氏1号 从其前中国雇主窃取资金，且无名氏2号 了解其父亲的阴谋并从中受益。
在 2020 年、2021 年和 2022 年的一系列经录音的会议中，全忠安多次会见无名氏2号，并试图说服无名氏2号 促使无名氏1号 返回中华人民共和国。在这些会议上，安全忠承认自己是中国人民政治协商会议常委，该委员会负责在海外执行中国共产党的规章制度。他多次说明，自己的指示来自于陈、明和彭，并承认猎狐行动的动机是中国政府需要“保住他们的面子”并遣返尽可能多的逃犯。
全忠安承认他是作为省委会的代理人，以提高他在中国的地位。在与无名氏2号会面时，全忠安多次代表中国政府发出威胁。如果无名氏1号不回国，中国政府除了“针对和监视”无名氏1号在中国的亲属之外，还会“继续纠缠你，让你的日常生活变得不舒服。”在另一个场合，他表示“他们肯定会找到新的方式来打扰你，”“你所有的亲戚肯定都会参与其中。”
根据拘留备忘录所述，全忠安于2022年9月29 日再次会见无名氏2号。在这次会面中，全忠安敦促无名氏1号在 2022年10月16日开始的中共二十大之前签署返回中国的协议。作为该协议的一部分，全忠安要求无名氏1号 提供书面供述，该供述将直接提交给中华人民共和国政府。
起诉书中的指控均为控罪，除非被证明有罪，否则被告被推定无罪。如果被定罪为中国代理人，全忠安将面临最高 10 年监禁。安全忠和安光阳涉嫌串谋洗钱罪，最高可判处20年
监禁。对其余指控，包括密谋充当中华人民共和国特工以及串谋实施州际和国际跟踪行为，最高可判处五年监禁。
政府代理律师包括美国助理检察官亚历山大·所罗门 (Alexander A. Solomon)、萨拉·威尼克 (Sara K. Winik)、安托瓦内特·兰格尔 (Antoinette N. Rangel)及国家安全司反情报和出口管制科的审判律师斯科特·克拉菲 (Scott A. Claffee)。该办公室资产追索科的助理美国检察官布莱恩·莫里斯（Brian Morris）正在处理没收事宜。
美国诉何东等人，纽约东区
一份刑事起诉书今日在布鲁克林联邦法院公布，指控两名中华人民共和国情报官员试图阻碍纽约东区的刑事起诉。被告仍然逍遥法外。
根据法庭文件，何东（又名何国春、又名何杰基）和王曾（又名王泽）涉嫌策划一项阴谋，从纽约东区美国检察官办公室窃取与正在进行的联邦刑事调查和起诉一家位于中国的全球电信公司（公司1）相关的文件和其他信息，其中包括向一名美国政府员工支付 41,000 美元的比特币贿赂，被告认为该员工是被招募来为中国工作，但实际上该员工是一名为联邦调查局工作的双重间谍。
“今天的投诉突显了中华人民共和国政府对破坏法治的不懈努力，”纽约东区美国检察官布伦·皮斯(Breon Peace)说。 “正如所指控，该案涉及中国情报官员通过行贿，从本办公室获取文件，并与正在进行的起诉中被指控的被告的一家全球电信公司分享这些文件，以阻碍正在进行的起诉。我们将始终采取果断行动，打击针对我们司法系统的犯罪行为。”
何东和王正被指控试图阻碍纽约东区联邦地方法院对公司1 进行刑事起诉。被告何还被指控洗钱，因其为推进该阴谋，而支付 41,000 美元的比特币贿赂。
根据诉状，被告是中国情报官员，代表中国政府并为了公司1 的利益，开展针对美国的外国情报行动。从 2019 年开始，他们指使美国政府执法机构 (GE-1) 的一名员工，窃取有关
对公司1 刑事起诉的机密信息，以干扰起诉，并认为该员工是他们作为资产招募的。事实上，GE-1 是代表联邦调查局的双重间谍。
2021 年 9 月，被告责成 GE-1 报告据称 GE-1 在纽约东区美国检察官办公室与布鲁克林检察官举行的会议。在书面通讯中，被告表示，他们特别想知道哪些公司1 员工接受过政府约谈，并获得对检察官证据、证人名单和审判策略的描述。
2021 年 10 月，GE-1 使用加密消息传递程序，向被告发送一份据称是纽约东区美国检察官办公室关于公司1 案件的内部战略备忘录的一页。该文件似乎被列为“秘密”文件，并讨论了一项指控和逮捕两名居住在中国的公司1 现有员工的计划。何东回应称，这份文件“正是我正在等待的，”他正在“等待一些人的反馈，”确定对这份文件是否有任何问题。何东随后向 GE-1 支付了大约 41,000 美元的比特币，作为其窃取该文件的酬劳。
GE-1 还要求被告提供有关“秘密”文件的任何反馈。 2021年11月，何东表示，“[公司1]现在还没有给我具体反馈，但他们显然对此感兴趣，我的老板和他们需要进一步的信息。”何东进一步告诉 GE-1，“[公司1]显然会对 GE-1 窃取战略备忘录的另一部分感兴趣，”并且“可能会提供更多” 以换取信息。 2021 年 12 月，在回应 GE-1 进一步要求公司1 就“他们希望我得到什么”提供反馈或指导时，何东解释说，“他们还没有给我任何积极的反馈，并要求直接与你沟通。”何东表示，他拒绝了公司1直接与 GE-1 通话的要求，因为“这太危险了”。
起诉书中的指控均为控罪，除非被证明有罪，否则被告被推定无罪。如果罪名成立，何东将面临最高40年的监禁，王将面临最高20年的监禁。
政府由美国助理检察官亚历山大·所罗门 (Alexander A. Solomon) 和梅雷迪思·阿尔法 (Meredith A. Arfa) 以及国家安全部反情报和出口管制科的审判律师斯科特·克拉菲 (Scott A. Claffee)代理。
美国诉王林等人，新泽西州地区
一份联邦起诉书公布对四名中国公民的指控，其中包括三名国家安全部（MSS）情报官员，他们充当中华人民共和国特工，针对美国境内人士，长期从事情报活动。
起诉书称，至少从 2008 年到 2018 年，王林，59 岁；毕宏伟，年龄不详；董婷，又名切尔西¬董，40 岁； 55 岁的王强和其他人进行了广泛而系统的努力，旨在在招募美国代表中国行事的个人，要求其向中国政府提供信息、材料、设备和援助，以推进中国的情报目标。此类招募活动包括针对大学教授、一名前联邦执法和国土安全官员，及其他代表中国政府行事的人。
作为该阴谋的一部分，国家安全局情报人员王林、董婷等人利用中国海洋大学—即国际问题研究所（IIS）—的一个所谓的学术机构作为其秘密情报活动的掩护。王林以所谓的 IIS 主任身份为掩护，与其他以 IIS 学者为幌子的国家安全局特工合作，针对美国大学的教授和美国其他有权访问敏感信息和设备的人。
根据今天启封的起诉书，国家安全部情报官员王林、毕、董等人代表国家安全部和中国政府，有系统地针对美国人，包括但不限于一名作为新泽西州居民的同谋，以及另一名前任联邦执法官员和州国土安全官员，及一名美国大学教授。
除此之外，该阴谋还针对第二个人，邀请此人在 2008 年和 2018 年参加由 IIS 全额赞助的中国旅行。在此类行程中，王林、董和其他人试图招募此人作为人脉，要求此人提供敏感的指纹技术、信息并协助阻止计划中的 2008 年奥运会火炬传递路线在美国举行的抗议活动，共谋者表示这会让中国“难堪。”此人还被要求与一家以中国“国家利益和国家安全”为“核心价值”的中国公司签署所谓的咨询服务合同，目的是“保护国家利益和中国企业的海外利益”并“建立收集安全信息的来源和渠道。”此人认识到，王林、董等人是中国情报人
员，因此拒绝了这些请求，并向执法部门举报。
该阴谋还针对新泽西州的同谋者，要求该同谋者在美国采取具体行动，以推进国家安全局的情报目标。 2016年，王强协调同谋者王林和毕宏伟在巴哈马举行会面，当时国安部情报官员王林和毕宏伟指示同谋者获取美元，并将其提供给新泽西州的指定人士。同谋者返回新泽西州，按照王林和毕的指示行事。王强随后在新泽西州拜访了同谋者，王强与同谋者详细讨论了他们和其他人在美国代表中国政府进行的活动。
林、毕、董、王强均为中华人民共和国公民和居民。起诉书指控，他们每个人都被指控串谋在美国作为外国政府即中华人民共和国代理人行事，而未按照法律规定，事先通知美国司法部长，并指挥其他人在美国从事此类非法行动。共谋罪的法定最高刑期为 5 年监禁，最高罚款为 250,000 美元。
美国检察官塞林格（Sellinger）将此次指控归功于联邦调查局特工在纽瓦克特工詹姆斯·丹内利 (James E. Dennehy) 的指导下进行的调查。
政府代表包括特伦顿分处负责人美国助理检察官布兰登¬戴( J. Brendan Day)、及该处国家安全部门负责人 乔伊斯¬玛丽埃特(Joyce M. Malliet)。
起诉书中的指控均为控罪，除非被证明有罪，否则被告被推定无罪。
Two Arrested and 13 Charged in Three Separate Cases for Alleged Participation in Malign Schemes in the United States on Behalf of the Government of the People’s Republic of ChinaRead the Press Release
In three separate cases in the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of New York and the District of New Jersey, the Justice Department has charged 13 individuals, including members of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) security and intelligence apparatus and their agents, for alleged efforts to unlawfully exert influence in the United States for the benefit of the government of the PRC.
In the Eastern District of New York, an eight-count indictment was unsealed on Oct. 20 charging seven PRC nationals – two of whom were arrested on Oct. 20 in New York – with participating in a scheme to cause the forced repatriation of a PRC national residing in the United States. The defendants are accused of conducting surveillance of and engaging in a campaign to harass and coerce a U.S. resident to return to the PRC as part of an international extralegal repatriation effort known as “Operation Fox Hunt.”
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging two People’s PRC intelligence officers with attempting to obstruct a criminal prosecution in the Eastern District of New York. The defendants remain at large.
In the District of New Jersey, an indictment was unsealed today charging four Chinese nationals, including three Ministry of State Security (MSS) intelligence officers, in connection with a long-running intelligence campaign targeting individuals in the United States to act as agents of the PRC.
“As these cases demonstrate, the government of China sought to interfere with the rights and freedoms of individuals in the United States and to undermine our judicial system that protects those rights. They did not succeed,” said U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by any foreign power to undermine the Rule of Law upon which our democracy is based. We will continue to fiercely protect the rights guaranteed to everyone in our country. And we will defend the integrity of our institutions.”
“The actions announced today take place against a backdrop of malign activity from the government of the People’s Republic of China that includes espionage, attempts to disrupt our justice system, harassment of individuals, and ongoing efforts to steal sensitive U.S. technology,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The men and women of the Department of Justice will continue to defend the United States, our institutions, and our people from foreign threats that violate the law — no matter what form they take.”
“These indictments of PRC intelligence officers and government officials – for trying to obstruct a U.S. trial of a Chinese company, masquerading as university professors to steal sensitive information, and trying to strong-arm a victim into returning to China – again expose the PRC’s outrageous behavior within our own borders,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI, working with our partners and allies, will continue to throw the full weight of our counterintelligence and law enforcement authorities into stopping the Chinese government’s crimes against our businesses, universities, and Chinese-American communities.”
“These cases highlight the threat the PRC government poses to our institutions and the rights of people in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “We will not tolerate these brazen operations: the harassment and attempted repatriation by force of individuals living in the U.S.; the effort to corrupt our judicial system; and the attempt to recruit agents for the PRC under the cover of a front academic organization. Countering such threats is a cornerstone of the mission of the National Security Division.”
United States v. Quanzhong An, et al., Eastern District of New York
An eight-count indictment was unsealed on Oct. 20 in Brooklyn charging a total of seven nationals of the PRC – Quanzhong An, 55, of Roslyn, New York; Guangyang An, 34, of Roslyn, New York; Tian Peng, 38, of the PRC; Chenghua Chen of the PRC; Chunde Ming of the PRC; Xuexin Hou, 52, of the PRC; and Weidong Yuan, 55, of the PRC – with participating in a scheme to cause the forced repatriation of a PRC national residing in the United States. The lead defendant, Quanzhong An, allegedly acted at the direction and under the control of various officials with the PRC’s government’s Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection (Provincial Commission) – including Peng, Chen, Ming, and Hou – to conduct surveillance of and engage in a campaign to harass and coerce a U.S. resident to return to the PRC as part of an international extralegal repatriation effort known as “Operation Fox Hunt.”
Quanzhong An and Guangyang An were arrested on Thursday and were arraigned that afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes Jr. The remaining defendants remain at large.
“As alleged, the defendants engaged in a unilateral and uncoordinated law enforcement action on U.S. soil on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China, in an effort to cause the forced repatriation of a U.S. resident to China,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “The United States will firmly counter such outrageous violations of national sovereignty and prosecute individuals who act as illegal agents of foreign states.”
As alleged in the indictment, the defendants participated in an international campaign to threaten and intimidate John Doe-1, a resident of United States, and his family to force John Doe-1 to return to the PRC. These efforts were part of “Operation Fox Hunt,” an initiative by the PRC’s Ministry of Public Security to locate and repatriate alleged fugitives who flee to foreign countries, including the United States. The PRC government has targeted these alleged fugitives and their families to compel cooperation with the PRC government and self-repatriation to the PRC. The PRC government has taken such law enforcement actions on U.S. soil in a unilateral manner without approval, of or coordination with the U.S. government.
Quanzhong An, who is a businessman operating in Queens, New York, and the majority shareholder of a hotel in Flushing, acted as the primary U.S.-based liaison for the Provincial Commission’s targeting of John Doe-1 and his family members, including his son, John Doe-2, both in the United States and in the PRC. As part of the scheme, various PRC-based conspirators forced a relative in the PRC (John Doe-3) to travel from the PRC to the United States in September 2018 to meet with John Doe-2 and convey threats that were intended to coerce John Doe-1’s return to the PRC. Yuan – John Doe-3’s superior at the PRC’s State Administration of Taxation – escorted John Doe-3 from the PRC to the United States, under the guise of a visit with a tour group.
PRC-based defendants and coconspirators also engaged in a pattern of harassment targeting John Doe-1’s family members. In November 2017, Hou wrote John Doe-2 warning him that “coming back and turning yourself in is the only way out.” Hou further threatened that “avoidance and wishful thinking will only result in severe legal punishments.” The PRC government also harassed John Doe-1 and John Doe-2 through the filing of a lawsuit in New York State court, alleging that John Doe-1 had stolen funds from his former PRC based employer and that John Doe-2 had knowledge of and benefitted from his father’s scheme.
In a series of recorded meetings in 2020, 2021, and 2022, Quanzhong An repeatedly met with John Doe-2 and attempted to persuade John Doe-2 to cause the return of John Doe-1 to the PRC. In these meetings, Quanzhong An acknowledged that he is a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which enforces the rules and regulations of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) abroad. At various times, he attributed his instructions to Chen, Ming, and Peng and acknowledged that the Fox Hunt operation was motivated by the PRC government’s need to “save their faces” and repatriate as many fugitives as possible.
Quanzhong An admitted that he was acting as an agent of the Provincial Commission to increase his standing in the PRC. During his meetings with John Doe-2, Quanzhong An repeatedly transmitted threats on behalf of the PRC government. If John Doe-1 did not return, the PRC government would “keep pestering you, [and] make your daily life uncomfortable,” in addition to actions to “target and monitor” John Doe-1’s relatives in the PRC. On another occasion, he stated that “they will definitely find new ways to bother you” and “it is definitely true that all of your relatives will be involved.”
As set forth in the detention memorandum, Quanzhong An met with John Doe-2 again on Sept. 29, 2022. During this meeting, Quanzhong An pressed for John Doe-1 to execute an agreement to return to the PRC in advance of the CCP’s 20th National Congress, which began on Oct. 16, 2022. As part of such agreement, Quanzhong An sought a written confession from John Doe-1, which would be submitted directly to the PRC government.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of acting as agents of the PRC, Quanzhong An faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The money laundering conspiracy charge against Quanzhong An and Guangyang An carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The remaining charges, including conspiring to act as agents of the PRC and conspiring to commit interstate and international stalking, carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon, Sara K. Winik, and Antoinette N. Rangel and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Morris of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
United States v. Dong He, et al., Eastern District of New York
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging two People’s Republic of China (PRC) intelligence officers with attempting to obstruct a criminal prosecution in the Eastern District of New York. The defendants remain at large.
According to court documents, Dong He, aka Guochun He and aka Jacky He, and Zheng Wang, aka Zen Wang, allegedly orchestrated a scheme to steal files and other information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York related to the ongoing federal criminal investigation and prosecution of a global telecommunications company (Company-1) based in the PRC, including by paying a $41,000 Bitcoin bribe to a U.S. government employee who the defendants believed had been recruited to work for the PRC, but who in fact was a double agent working on behalf of the FBI.
“Today’s complaint underscores the unrelenting efforts of the PRC government to undermine the rule of law,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “As alleged, the case involves an effort by PRC intelligence officers to obstruct an ongoing criminal prosecution by making bribes to obtain files from this Office and sharing them with a global telecommunications company that is a charged defendant in an ongoing prosecution. We will always act decisively to counteract criminal acts that target our system of justice.”
Dong He and Zheng Wang are charged with attempting to obstruct a criminal prosecution of Company-1 in federal district court in the Eastern District of New York. Defendant He also is charged with money laundering based upon a bribe payment of $41,000 in Bitcoin made in furtherance of the scheme.
According to the complaint, the defendants are PRC intelligence officers conducting foreign intelligence operations targeting the United States, on behalf of the PRC government and for the benefit of Company-1. Starting in 2019, they directed an employee at a U.S. government law enforcement agency (GE-1), whom they believed they had recruited as an asset, to steal confidential information about the criminal prosecution of Company-1 in order to interfere with that prosecution. In actuality, GE-1 was working as a double agent on behalf of the FBI.
In September 2021, the defendants tasked GE-1 with reporting about meetings that GE-1 was purportedly having with prosecutors in Brooklyn at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. In written communications, the defendants said they were particularly interested in knowing which Company-1 employees had been interviewed by the government and in obtaining a description of the prosecutors’ evidence, witness list and trial strategy.
In October 2021, GE-1 used an encrypted messaging program to send the defendants a single page from a purported internal strategy memorandum from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York regarding the Company-1 case. The document appeared to be classified as “SECRET” and to discuss a plan to charge and arrest two current Company-1 employees living in the PRC. Dong He responded that the document was “exactly what I am waiting for” and that he was “waiting for the feedback from some guys” about whether there were any questions about the document. Dong He then paid GE-1 approximately $41,000 in Bitcoin for stealing that document.
GE-1 also asked the defendants for any feedback about the “SECRET” document. In November 2021, Dong He stated that “[Company-1] didn’t give me specifically feedback now yet, but they are obviously interested in it, and my boss and they need further information.” Dong He further told GE-1 that “[Company-1] obviously will be interested” in GE-1 stealing another part of the strategy memorandum, and “maybe will offer more” for that information. In December 2021, in response to a further request by GE-1 for feedback or guidance from Company-1 about “what they want me to get,” Dong He explained that “they didn’t give me any positive feedback yet and demanded to communicate with you directly.” Dong He said that he refused Company-1’s request to speak directly to GE-1 because “it’s too dangerous.”
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Dong He faces up to 40 years of imprisonment and Wang faces up to 20 years of imprisonment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon and Meredith A. Arfa and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
United States v. Wang Lin et al., District of New Jersey
A federal indictment was unsealed today charging four Chinese nationals, including three Ministry of State Security (MSS) intelligence officers, in connection with a long-running intelligence campaign targeting individuals in the United States to act as agents of the PRC.
As alleged in the indictment, from at least 2008 to 2018, Wang Lin, 59; Bi Hongwei, age unknown; Dong Ting, aka Chelsea Dong, 40; Wang Qiang, 55, and others engaged in a wide-ranging and systematic effort to target and recruit individuals to act on behalf of the PRC in the United States with requests to provide information, materials, equipment, and assistance to the Chinese government in ways that would further China’s intelligence objectives. These recruitment efforts included targeting professors at universities, a former federal law enforcement and state homeland security official, and others to act on behalf of, and as agents of, the Chinese government.
As part of the conspiracy, MSS intelligence officers Wang Lin, Dong Ting, and others used a purported academic institute at Ocean University of China – referred to as the Institute for International Studies (IIS) – as cover for their clandestine intelligence activities. Acting under cover as the purported director of the IIS, Wang Lin, in coordination with other MSS operatives operating under the guise of academics at the IIS, targeted professors at American universities and others in the United States with access to sensitive information and equipment.
According to the indictment unsealed today, MSS intelligence officers Wang Lin, Bi, Dong, and others, acting for and on behalf of the MSS and the Chinese government, systematically targeted United States persons, including but not limited to a coconspirator who was a resident of the state of New Jersey and a second individual who was a former federal law enforcement officer and state homeland security official and a professor at an American university.
Among other things, the conspiracy targeted the second individual by inviting the individual in 2008 and 2018 on all-expenses-paid trips to China sponsored by the IIS. During those trips, Wang Lin, Dong, and others sought to recruit this individual as a human source, requesting that the individual provide sensitive fingerprint technology, information, and assistance with stopping planned protests along the 2008 Olympic Games torch route in the United States, which the conspirators expressed would be “embarrassing” to China. The individual also was requested to sign a contract for purported consulting services with a Chinese company whose “core value” was the “national interest and national security” of China, with an objective to “protect the national interest and Chinese enterprises’ overseas interest[s]” and to “build sources and channels to collect security information.” Recognizing Wang Lin, Dong, and others as Chinese intelligence officers, the individual refused these requests and reported them to law enforcement.
The conspiracy also targeted the coconspirator in New Jersey by tasking the coconspirator to take specific action in the United States in furtherance of the MSS’ intelligence objective. Wang Qiang coordinated a meeting in 2016 between the coconspirator, Wang Lin, and Bi Hongwei in the Bahamas, at which time MSS intelligence officers Wang Lin and Bi directed the coconspirator to obtain U.S. currency and provide it to a designated individual in New Jersey. The coconspirator returned to New Jersey and did as Wang Lin and BI instructed. Wang Qiang then visited the coconspirator in New Jersey, at which time Wang Qiang and the coconspirator discussed in detail their and others’ activities taken on behalf of the Chinese government in the United States.
Lin, Bi, Dong and Qiang, all are nationals and residents of the People’s Republic of China. They each are charged in the indictment with conspiracy to act in the United States as agents of a foreign government, namely, the People’s Republic of China, without prior notification to the Attorney General of the United States, as required by law, and to direct such unlawful action by others in the United States. The conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Brendan Day, Attorney in Charge of the Trenton Branch Office, and Joyce M. Malliet, Chief of the Office’s National Security Unit.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Three Men Convicted of $1 Million ‘Upfront-Fee’ SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two men from New Jersey and another from Nevada were convicted by a federal jury for their roles in defrauding multiple victims out of money through a $1 million “upfront-fee” scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Following a five-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez in Newark federal court, Jerrid Douglas, 49, of Freehold, New Jersey, Harold Mignott, 60, of Voorhees, New Jersey, and Roy Johannes Gillar, 50, of Las Vegas, were each convicted on Oct. 21, 2022, of wire fraud conspiracy and four counts of wire fraud. Gillar and Douglas were also each convicted of one count of transacting in criminal proceeds.
According to documents in this case and evidence at trial:
From March 2016 through June 2016, Douglas, Gillar, and Mignott, along with a fourth conspirator, agreed to defraud the owners of the victim company of approximately $1 million. The defendants fraudulently induced the two victim company owners to enter a joint venture agreement with the defendants’ New Jersey-based shell company. The defendants falsely represented that their company could acquire and provide a “standby letter of credit” (SBLC) backed by either €1 billion in cash or highly lucrative Mexican gold bonds. An SBLC is a guarantee of payment issued by a bank on behalf of a client that is used should the client fail to fulfill a contractual commitment with a third party.
The victim company wanted access to the standby letter of credit so it could purchase raw gold overseas and sell it to gold refineries. As part of the joint venture agreement, the company agreed to pay the defendants $1 million for the bank fee associated with the standby letter of credit.
In order to cover up the scheme and convince the victims to approve the transfer of the funds, the defendants made numerous verbal and written misrepresentations, including providing the victims with a phony letter from a major international bank saying that it was ready, willing, and able to provide a €1 billion SBLC to the defendants’ shell company.
However, after the victim company owners transmitted $800,000 of the $1 million to the defendants, the defendants failed to provide an SBLC or anything of value. Instead, the defendants misappropriated the money for their personal use.
The wire fraud conspiracy charge and the wire fraud charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The transacting in criminal proceeds charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason S. Gould and Joshua L. Haber of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Chinese Intelligence Officers Charged with Using Academic Cover to Target Individuals in United StatesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A federal indictment was unsealed today charging four Chinese nationals, including three Ministry of State Security (MSS) intelligence officers, in connection with a long-running intelligence campaign targeting individuals in the United States to act as agents of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and National Security Division Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen announced.
As alleged in the indictment, from at least 2008 to 2018, Wang Lin, Bi Hongwei, Dong Ting, aka Chelsea Dong, Wang Qiang, and others engaged in a wide-ranging and systematic effort to target and recruit individuals to act on behalf of the PRC in the United States with requests to provide information, materials, equipment, and assistance to the Chinese government in ways that would further China’s intelligence objectives. These recruitment efforts included targeting professors at universities, a former federal law enforcement and state homeland security official, and others to act on behalf of, and as agents of, the Chinese government.
As part of the conspiracy, MSS intelligence officers Wang Lin, Dong Ting, and others used a purported academic institute at Ocean University of China – referred to as the Institute for International Studies (IIS) – as cover for their clandestine intelligence activities. Acting under cover as the purported director of the IIS, Wang Lin, in coordination with other MSS operatives operating under the guise of academics at the IIS, targeted professors at American universities and others in the United States with access to sensitive information and equipment.
“This indictment drives home the fact that the intelligence risk posed by MSS continues to be real, ever-present, and significant,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “Everyone in the United States – and especially those in academic, business, military, or government positions that have access to sensitive information or equipment – should take heed of the risk that the MSS poses to our democracy and way of life.”
“These defendants cloaked themselves and their motives in order to get access to our higher learning institutions and recruit others to betray this nation. All intended to give China a leg up,” Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy said. “The FBI would never let that happen. The safety of the citizens of the United States and the security of our nation are our top priorities. When foreign adversaries threaten either of those two things – whether on our soil or from another country; whether in-person or through cyber channels – we will use every resource at our disposal to uncover their espionage, thwart their malign influence, and bring them to justice.”
According to the indictment unsealed today:
The threat posed by the PRC’s ongoing, wide-ranging, and systematic effort to collect intelligence information from United States sources is significant and ongoing. China’s civilian intelligence agency, the MSS, is responsible for conducting counterintelligence and foreign intelligence activities, as well as political security for the PRC. The MSS and its regional bureaus focus on identifying and influencing the foreign policy of other countries, including the United States, by seeking to obtain information on political, economic, and security policies that might affect the PRC, along with military, scientific, and technical information of value to the PRC. The MSS and its regional bureaus are tasked with conducting clandestine and covert human source operations, of which the United States was and remains a principal target. Chinese intelligence services, including the MSS, utilize a variety of state ministries, societies, academic institutions, and the Chinese military-industrial complex to support intelligence activities, including by providing cover jobs to operatives. The investigation revealed that the defendants used one such purported academic institution – the IIS – as cover for their intelligence activities for the MSS.
MSS intelligence officers Wang Lin, Bi, Dong, and others, acting for and on behalf of the MSS and the Chinese government, systematically targeted United States persons, including but not limited to a coconspirator who was a resident of the state of New Jersey and a second individual who was a former federal law enforcement officer and state homeland security official and a professor at an American university.
Among other things, the conspiracy targeted the second individual by inviting the individual in 2008 and 2018 on all-expenses-paid trips to China sponsored by the IIS. During those trips, Wang Lin, Dong, and others sought to recruit this individual as a human source, requesting that the individual provide sensitive fingerprint technology, information, and assistance with stopping planned protests along the 2008 Olympic Games torch route in the United States, which the conspirators expressed would be “embarrassing” to China. The individual also was requested to sign a contract for purported consulting services with a Chinese company whose “core value” was the “national interest and national security” of China, with an objective to “protect the national interest and Chinese enterprises’ overseas interest[s]” and to “build sources and channels to collect security information.” Recognizing Wang Lin, Dong, and others as Chinese intelligence officers, the individual refused these requests and reported them to law enforcement.
The conspiracy also targeted the coconspirator in New Jersey by tasking the coconspirator to take specific action in the United States in furtherance of the MSS’ intelligence objective. Wang Qiang coordinated a meeting in 2016 between the coconspirator, Wang Lin, and Bi Hongwei in the Bahamas, at which time MSS intelligence officers Wang Lin and Bi directed the coconspirator to obtain United States currency and provide it to a designated individual in New Jersey. The coconspirator returned to New Jersey and did as Wang Lin and Bi instructed. Wang Qiang then visited the coconspirator in New Jersey, at which time Wang Qiang and the coconspirator discussed in detail their and others’ activities taken on behalf of the Chinese government in the United States.
Wang Lin, 59, Bi, age unknown, Dong 40, and Wang Qiang, 55, all are nationals and residents of the People’s Republic of China. They each are charged in the indictment with conspiracy to act in the United States as agents of a foreign government, namely, the People’s Republic of China, without prior notification to the Attorney General of the United States, as required by law, and to direct such unlawful action by others in the United States. The conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Brendan Day, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office, Joyce M. Malliet, Chief of the Office’s National Security Unit, and Trial Attorney David C. Recker of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Essex County Man Charged with Three Armed Robberies of Pharmacies in Elizabeth, New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man has been charged with three armed robberies of pharmacies for oxycodone and other prescription medication in Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Charles Johnson, 28, of Irvington, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with three counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and three counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Johnson is scheduled to make his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In June and July 2022, Johnson robbed three different pharmacies in Elizabeth, New Jersey, using a similar approach for each of the robberies, including using a firearm, committing the robberies in the morning, demanding that employees of the pharmacies provide Johnson with oxycodone, promethazine, and other prescription medication, and threatening to shoot individuals in the pharmacies with a firearm. Law enforcement collected extensive video surveillance footage that linked Johnson to the robberies.
The Hobbs Act Robbery counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offenses, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the leadership of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; and the Elizabeth Police Department, under the leadership of Police Chief Giacomo Sacca, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Ecker of the General 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.
Eight Defendants Charged for Their Roles in Heroin, Fentanyl, and Crack Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Eight people were charged for their respective roles in a heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine distribution organization that sold large quantities of controlled substances in the area of Columbia Avenue and South Orange Avenue in Newark, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Zacqual Lancaster, Maurice Lee, Felix Lesperance, Rodger Busby, Marcellus Allen, Jack Jean-Baptiste, Trevon Smith, and Natequah Polk, all of Newark, are each were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. Seven of the defendants are in custody and are scheduled to have their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court. Lancaster remains at large.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Since January 2022, law enforcement conducted extensive surveillance of an open-air narcotics market in the area of Columbia Avenue and South Orange Avenue, conducted numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, and analyzed telephone records, all of which demonstrated the extensive interactions between and among the conspirators.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; members of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz G. Fragé; and members of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, with the investigation leading to the 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 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 Robert L. Frazer of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Narcotics/Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Camden Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Desmund M. Walker, 37, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman to an information charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Judge Hillman imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On May 16, 2020, patrol officers from the Camden County Police Department encountered Walker in the vicinity of South 8th and Thurman streets in Camden. Walker fled from the officers through Robert B. Johnson Park, was apprehended, and found to be in possession of 17.67 grams of fentanyl wrapped in 93 white wax folds.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hillman sentenced Walker to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Vondra Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Admits Role in Health Care Fraud and Criminal HIPAA SchemesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A former pharmaceutical sales representative admitted his role in two criminal conspiracies involving health care fraud and wrongful obtaining and disclosure of patients’ protected personal health information, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced today.
Keith Ritson, 42, of Bayville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Oct. 19, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiring to wrongfully disclose and obtain patients’ individually identifiable health information in violation of the criminal provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2014 to 2016, Ritson was a pharmaceutical sales representative who promoted compound prescription medications and other medications. Compound medications are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient. Although not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they are properly prescribed when a physician determines that an FDA-approved medication does not meet the health needs of a particular patient, such as if a patient is allergic to a dye or other ingredient.
Ritson and his conspirators discovered that certain insurance plans with pharmacy benefit management services – including plans for state and local government employees and eligible dependents – covered compound medications from a Louisiana pharmacy, Central Rexall Drugs, Inc. (Central Rexall). The pharmacy benefits administrator paid prescription drug claims and then billed the state of New Jersey and other insurance plans for the amounts paid. The conspirators identified that certain compound medication prescriptions would reimburse by insurance for thousands of dollars on a monthly basis. Ritson received a percentage of the amount that Central Rexall received from the pharmacy benefits administrator for the prescriptions he arranged. Ritson recruited individuals with insurance plans that covered the compound medications to receive the medications, regardless of their medical need for them. Ritson himself also received medically unnecessary compound medication prescriptions. Ritson earmarked patients who had insurance plans that covered the compound medications at the medical practices of Dr. Frank Alario.
As a pharmaceutical sales representative not associated with Alario’s medical practices, Ritson was not permitted to access and obtain patients’ individually identifiable health information and protected health information. As part of the criminal HIPAA scheme, Alario permitted Ritson to have significant access to his medical offices, medical files, and patient information. Ritson was present in the office both during and outside normal business hours and had access to areas of the office restricted to staff, including areas with patient files and office computers. Ritson looked up patients’ information in files and on office computers to determine if they had insurance that covered the compound medications. Ritson then would earmark files in advance so that Alario knew to whom to prescribe the medications. Ritson also joined Alario in patient exam rooms during appointments, which gave patients the impression that Ritson was employed by or affiliated with the medical practices. Ritson used patients’ confidential information to fill out prescription forms that Alario authorized, and then Ritson received commissions on those prescriptions. Alario pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2022, to conspiring to wrongfully disclose patients’ individually identifiable health information. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 7, 2023.
Three former executives of Central Rexall – Christopher Kyle Johnston, 43, of Mandeville, Louisiana; Trent Brockmeier, 60, of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; and Christopher Casseri, 54, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana – were charged on Sept.17, 2020, in a 24-count indictment with health care and wire fraud and other offenses. The charges against them remain pending. A fourth former pharmacy executive, Hayley Taff, 39, of Hammond, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to health care fraud conspiracy on Aug. 12, 2020, and is scheduled to be sentenced March 13, 2023. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment against Johnston, Brockmeier and Casseri are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ritson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the health care fraud conspiracy count, and a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $50,000 fine on the criminal HIPAA conspiracy count. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 21, 2023.
Attorney for the United States Khanna credited agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; IRS Office of Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina O. Hud of the Criminal Division; R. David Walk, Jr., Chief of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the Criminal Division; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Ward, Senior Trial Counsel of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.
Morris County Man Indicted on Tax and Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man was arrested today by federal agents on charges of tax and bankruptcy fraud, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division announced.
Zeki Donuk of Landing, New Jersey, is charged by indictment with three counts of aiding or assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns, two counts of tax evasion, five counts of failure to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over trust fund taxes, and two counts of making false statements in bankruptcy proceedings. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Donuk operated a construction business first under the name Titan Builders LLC and later as Titan Steel Construction LLC (collectively, “Titan”). From at least 2016 through 2019, Donuk allegedly cashed checks payable to Titan instead of depositing them into business bank accounts. Donuk allegedly concealed the cashed checks and did not report them either as gross receipts on Titan’s corporate tax returns or as income on his or his wife’s personal returns. From the third quarter of 2016 through the third quarter of 2017 Donuk also did not collect, account for, or pay over to the IRS, employment taxes on behalf of Titan’s employees, despite a legal obligation to do so. For those quarters, Donuk allegedly did not file quarterly employment tax returns on behalf of the businesses. In 2019, Donuk allegedly made false statements on documents he filed in a personal bankruptcy case. Donuk allegedly concealed from the bankruptcy court that he owned a vacation property in Pennsylvania, had signatory authority over certain bank accounts, owed tax debts to the IRS, and operated his construction business as Titan Builders and Titan Steel.
Each count of aiding or assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each count of tax evasion carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each count of failure to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over trust fund taxes carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each count of making false statements in bankruptcy proceedings carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay; and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit in Newark and Trial Attorney Melissa Siskind of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division in Washington, D.C.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Middlesex County Man Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man has been charged in connection with production of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Sunil Vaid, 50, of North Brunswick, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of production of child pornography. He appeared on Oct. 18, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Vaid used multiple fraudulent online personas on a social media platform and several email accounts to target female victims under the age of 18 and solicit them to provide Vaid with nude photos and videos of themselves. Vaid interacted with the victims on the social media platform, then used an email account to communicate with the victims. At different times, he posed as a male who was interested in a romantic relationship and could help them start their modeling careers, a female who could help their careers, and a personal trainer.
The production of child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and members of the Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrest. He also thanked the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the North Brunswick Police for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations against the defendant are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Hudson County Man Arrested for Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man was arrested this morning for unlawfully using victims’ personal identification information to steal over $1 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Marc Lazarre, 37, of Secaucus, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Lazarre is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2021 through October 2022, Lazarre executed a scheme to enrich himself by using unlawfully obtained bank account and personal identity information to open accounts in victims’ names without their knowledge. He caused the transfer of funds from the victims’ actual financial accounts to the accounts he opened and then withdrew the funds. Lazarre also unlawfully obtained checks made out to victims, used fraudulent identification documents to open accounts in names almost identical to the victims’ names, and then cashed the unlawfully obtained checks. Lazarre caused more than $1 million in actual losses.
The bank fraud count is punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison. The aggravated identity theft count carries an additional consecutive mandatory minimum term of two years in prison. Both counts have a maximum fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and special agents of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn Barnes of the Economic Crimes Unit and Matthew Belgiovine of the General Crimes Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Newark Man Charged with Carjacking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was arraigned for his alleged role in an armed carjacking in Montclair, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Andy Cook, 23, of Newark, was charged by indictment on Oct. 4, 2022, with one count of carjacking, one count of conspiracy to use a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. He was arraigned on Oct. 18, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals in Newark federal court and pleaded not guilty.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 6, 2021, Cook’s accomplice approached the victim, who was inside her car that was parked on her driveway. The accomplice pointed a firearm at the victim and ordered the victim to leave her belongings and exit the car. Cook then entered the car and drove it away. After the victim called the police, law enforcement officers spotted the vehicle. Cook abandoned the vehicle in Newark and fled on foot before being apprehended.
The count of carjacking carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of conspiracy to use a firearm during a crime of violence carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years and a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Narcotics/Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Monmouth County Man Convicted of Trafficking Crack and Powder CocaineRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was convicted of multiple narcotics trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Damion Helmes, 42, of Cliffwood, New Jersey, was convicted on Oct. 17, 2022, of four counts of an indictment, following a two-week trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in Trenton federal court. Helmes was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Helmes was found not guilty of two firearms offenses.
In August 2019, Helmes, and 19 other individuals were charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and conspiracy to distribute cocaine after an extensive investigation by the FBI’s Jersey Shore Gang and Criminal Organization Task Force. On Aug. 25, 2022, a grand jury sitting in Trenton returned a six-count third superseding indictment charging Helmes with conspiracy and substantive cocaine and crack cocaine offenses as well as firearms offenses. Helmes is the last of the 20 defendants charged in the original criminal complaint to be convicted of one or more federal crimes.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Between April 2019 and August 2019, Helmes, his codefendants, and others engaged in a narcotics conspiracy distributing cocaine and cocaine base for profit that operated primarily in municipalities throughout Monmouth County – including Cliffwood, Keansburg, Matawan, Keyport, Red Bank, Long Branch, Neptune, and Asbury Park, as well as Brick Township in Ocean County. Helmes obtained regular supplies of cocaine from his conspirators, cooked portions of that cocaine into crack cocaine, and redistributed cocaine and crack cocaine for profit to other conspirators, distributors, sub-dealers, and end users throughout Monmouth County.
Helmes faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a potential maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5 million fine on the counts of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and possessing 28 grams or more of cocaine base with the intent to distribute. He also faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison as well as a $1 million fine on the cocaine conspiracy and cocaine distribution counts of conviction.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI, Newark Division, Red Bank Resident Agency, Jersey Shore Gang and Criminal Organization Task Force (including representatives from the Bradley Beach, Brick, Howell, Toms River, Union Beach and Marlboro police departments, and the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office) under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Red Bank Police Department, under the direction of Chief Darren McConnell; the Keansburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief Andrew Gogan; the Middletown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Craig Weber; the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago; the Highlands Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Burton; the Holmdel Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Frank Allocco; and the Long Branch Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director William Broughton, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian D. Brater and Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Reaches Settlement with New Jersey Transit to Ensure Equal Access for Individuals with Disabilities at Five Intercity Rail StationsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey has reached a settlement with New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) to resolve findings that its intercity rail stations are not accessible to individuals with disabilities in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
“This Office is committed to ending unlawful barriers to inclusion and equality in our society,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “For too long, people with disabilities have been deprived of equal access to intercity rail stations operated by NJ Transit. In ways large and small, people with disabilities were denied full access to transportation services – whether it was the lack of access to restrooms, no signs, bad ramps, poor access to elevators, or that parking spaces were just too small for those who needed wheelchair access. Through this resolution, we are holding NJ Transit to its obligation to provide accessible transportation services to all. To their credit, NJ Transit has swiftly recognized these deficiencies and already begun to bring its intercity rail stations into compliance with the ADA.”
Under the agreement, New Jersey Transit has committed to make five intercity rail stations – Newark Penn, Princeton Junction, MetroPark, Trenton, and New Brunswick – accessible to individuals with disabilities. New Jersey Transit must modify multiple portions of the rail stations and their access points, including physical modifications to multiple platforms, waiting areas, parking lots, and restrooms.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Division, which U.S. Attorney Sellinger created in 2022. The Division’s sole focus is to enforce federal civil rights laws, including the ADA, with the goal of protecting and upholding the civil rights of those in our community. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division at http://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement/complaint or call the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Hotline at (855) 281-3339. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD).
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Campion, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Division.
Two Hudson County Men Indicted for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury today indicted two men in connection with the armed robbery of a bank in Union City, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Juan Jimenez, 23, of Union City, New Jersey, and Nicholas Seda-Corales, 24, of West New York, New Jersey, were previously each charged by complaint with one count of bank robbery and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Both individuals are in custody. They will be arraigned at a date to be determined.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On April 8, 2022, Jimenez and Seda-Corales entered a bank in Union City, New Jersey, dressed in dark clothing and wearing face masks. Jimenez drew a handgun, aimed it into the teller area, and jumped over the teller counter. Seda-Corales made his way toward the rear of the bank to prevent bystanders from exiting through a back door. Video footage depicts Jimenez searching several drawers in the teller area before jumping back over the counter and fleeing the bank with Seda-Corales. Law enforcement officers later executed a search warrant at Jimenez’s apartment and recovered three handguns and clothing consistent with that worn by Jimenez and Seda-Corales during the robbery.
The bank robbery charges carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The brandishing a firearm during the bank robbery charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, which must be served consecutive to the other counts.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation, leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Mezzanotte of the General Crimes Unit Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Nevada Woman Charged with $7 Million Advance Fee Ponzi Scheme and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Nevada woman was indicted today on wire fraud, money laundering, and obstruction of justice charges related to a $7 million advance fee Ponzi scheme and obstructing the government’s investigation, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Anna Kline, formerly Jordana Weber, 33, of Sparks, Nevada, is charged by indictment with two counts of wire fraud, 11 counts of money laundering, four counts of transacting in criminal proceeds, and two counts of obstructing justice. Kline is scheduled to appear before a U.S. District Judge on a date to be scheduled.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2017 to July 2019, Kline owned and operated several shell companies that falsely purported to offer lending services to customers, typically small business owners seeking high value loans, often in excess of $100 million. As part of the scheme, Kline required the victim borrowers to pay up to 5 percent of a potential total loan amount as a “fee” prior to the loan being funded.
After the victim’s “fee” was paid, Kline purported to conduct due diligence on the loans. During this period, Kline frequently gave victims bogus explanations for why the funding of their loan was delayed. It was also common for the victims to be provided with falsified or fraudulent documents, including bank statements that purported to show that the shell companies had sufficient money to fund the loan.
Kline and her significant other, Jason Torres, used the “fees” paid by the victims for their daily living expenses and other purchases. The “fees” were also used to pay back previous victims of the fraud, in the manner of a traditional Ponzi scheme. Torres is charged by complaint, and those charges remain pending.
Six victims have been identified with approximately $7 million being transferred to bank accounts controlled by Kline.
Kline was arrested on charges related to the fraudulent advance fee scheme in July 2019. While released on bail on those charges, Kline, through her then-attorney, provided the government with a PDF document that purported to be a portion of a Cellebrite report showing iMessages between Kline and Torres that appeared to show Torres making threats toward Kline and insinuating that Torres was primarily responsible for the fraudulent advance fee scheme.
A forensic review of the PDF document Kline provided to the government revealed that it had been falsified. Further investigation revealed that Kline presented the fake Cellebrite report to a family court in California as part of a custody dispute between Kline and Torres. During that hearing, Kline represented that the report had been generated by a forensic examiner named “Drew Andrews.” Investigation revealed that “Andrews” did not exist, but was actually an alter-ego of Kline’s that Kline used to deceive the California Family Court, her then-attorney, and a forensic expert into believing that the fraudulent Cellebrite Report was legitimate.
In addition to the fraudulent Cellebrite report, Kline also provided the government a computer that she claimed contained an iTunes backup that included the alleged text messages from Torres. A forensic review of the computer revealed that data on the computer, including the iTunes backup, had been manipulated. Kline changed, or caused to be changed, certain time stamps on the computer to make it appear as if the iTunes backup and other files stored on the computer were created in April 2020, when the fictional “Andrews” purportedly ran the fraudulent Cellebrite Report.
The wire fraud charges carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The money laundering charges carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved, whichever is greater. The transacting in criminal proceeds charges carry a maximum 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. The obstruction charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Torntore of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations in the indictment against Kline and the complaint against Torres are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.