District of New Jersey
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Texas Man and his Romantic Partner Plead Guilty to their Roles in Harming Elderly Victims Through a Romance Fraud ScamRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Texas man admitted his role in a romance fraud scam in which he received money from elderly victims, including from New Jersey, and then transferred the money abroad, primarily to Ghana. His romantic partner admitted that she had served as an unlicensed money transmitter in accepting and transmitting some of the funds for profit, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Felix Clark, a/k/a “Joseph Moore,” a/k/a “Stanley Smith,” 36, of Keller, Texas, pleaded guilty on May 6, 2025, before the Hon. Renée Marie Bumb, Chief, U.S. District Judge, Camden, to a two-count information, charging conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in connection with the romance fraud scam. Clark’s sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2025.
Clark’s romantic partner, Esther Amppiaw, 33, of Keller, Texas, pleaded guilty on May 23, 2025, before the Hon. Renée Marie Bumb, Chief, U.S. District Judge, Camden, to a one-count information charging her with operating an unlicensed money transmitter business. Amppiaw’s sentencing is scheduled for September 23, 2025.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From June 2022 through September 2022, while a resident of Delray Beach, Florida, Clark conspired and agreed to receive the proceeds of fraud perpetrated by a co-conspirator in Ghana and then to transfer those proceeds overseas. Over the course of the conspiracy, one or more of Clark’s co-conspirators went onto online dating sites and, using fake names, pretended to be romantically interested in mostly elderly victims, including stating that they wanted to marry the victims. Many of the victims, including Victim-1 (an elderly New Jersey-based victim) had recently lost their spouses.
The co-conspirators used electronic means to tell the victims a variety of lies to induce the victims to send money—for instance, claiming that there was a large amount of gold in Ghana, but in order to gain access, the victim needed to pay taxes, fees, or other sums. The co-conspirators directed the victims to send funds to Clark and others acting at his direction, including Amppiaw. Clark used fake names, including “Joseph Moore” and “Stanley Smith”—as well as financial accounts in those fake names—to commit and transfer the proceeds of fraud.
During his guilty plea hearing, Clark admitted that he was responsible for $501,071 in victim losses. He also admitted that he had attempted to obstruct justice by causing a falsified death certificate and funeral notice purporting to show the death and funeral of a family member to be submitted to the United States, for the purpose of obtaining his passport, which had been lawfully seized and to which he was not legally entitled.
Amppiaw admitted that she operated an unlicensed money transmitting business from January 2022 through June 2023, while a resident of Delray Beach, Florida. Amppiaw also admitted that she knowingly received checks, money orders, and electronic payments totaling $317,290 from individuals she did not know, and that she knowingly transmitted most of the funds to other individuals, including at least one recipient in New Jersey and also to recipients overseas, including Ghana. Amppiaw admitted that she now knows that the funds she transferred included the proceeds of unlawful activity—that is, fraud.
The counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud to which Clark pled guilty are each punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. The sentences on each count may run consecutively. The count of operating an unlicensed money transmitter business to which Amppiaw pled guilty is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison. Each offense also carries a potential fine of the greater of $250,000,or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, and the defendants may be sentenced to a term of supervised release after any term of imprisonment imposed.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited agents of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa T. Wiygul of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense Counsel:
Felix Clark: Jeremy McLymont, Esq., Miami, Florida
Esther Amppiaw: James Maguire, Esq., AFPD, Camden, New Jersey
clark.information.pdf amppiaw.information.pdfBergen County Man Sentenced to Twenty Months in Prison for COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – A New Jersey man was sentenced to 20 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining approximately $149,900 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) loans, U.S. Alina Habba announced.
George Leguen, 51, of Paramus, New Jersey, previously plead guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with wire fraud and money laundering. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2020 through January 2021, Leguen participated in a scheme to defraud and receive COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses under the EIDL program. Leguen applied to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) on behalf of a business he owned and controlled. He falsified information that he submitted in support of that application, including the number of employees, annual gross revenue figures, and fraudulent federal tax returns. Based on this false information, Leguen was approved for and received an EIDL loan in the amount of $149,900. After receiving the EIDL funds, he diverted the proceeds for his personal gain.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Leguen to 3 years of supervised release, forfeiture was ordered in the amount of $149,900, and restitution in the amount of $174,426.37.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz of the New Jersey Field Division; special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron Hatley, Newark Field Office; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, Northeast Region, with the investigation.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense counsel: Jeffrey Lichtman, Esq. and Matthew Cohan, Esq.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Nearly $9 Million in Fraud and Money Laundering Proceeds from Fraudulently Obtained Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – On May 14, 2025, U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz entered a final judgment forfeiting to the United States approximately $7 million in fraud and money laundering proceeds, as well as a real property purchased with laundered fraud proceeds that has an estimated market value of nearly $2 million, United States Attorney Alina Habba announced.
On May 6, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture complaint against approximately $7 million in seized and frozen U.S. currency, as well as a real property in Cresskill, New Jersey, that was purchased with nearly $1 million in laundered fraud proceeds, alleging that the assets were the proceeds of fraud and money laundering offenses. As alleged in the complaint, between April 2020 and August 2020, Jae H. Choi (“Choi”) fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans totaling approximately $8,971,457, and then laundered those fraud proceeds through various financial accounts held in the names of Choi’s nominees, including Choi’s relative and various corporate entities that Choi controlled. According to the civil forfeiture complaint, Choi then spent the laundered fraud proceeds on personal expenses and purchased the Cresskill real property.
United States Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Internal Revenue Service –Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General’s Boston New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, and special agents of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Laserna of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit of the Criminal Division in Newark.
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choi.complaint.pdfSussex County Woman and Texas Man Admit to Exploiting a Child and Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Sussex County, New Jersey woman and a Texas man admitted to exploiting a child and producing child pornography, as well as to other child pornography offenses, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Dominique Saczawa, 34, of Sparta, New Jersey, and Russell Lynn Davis, Jr., 47, of Heller, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court. Saczawa pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, advertisement of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Davis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in Court:
Saczawa admitted to sexually exploiting a then-four-year-old by engaging in sexual contact and then producing images and videos of that sexual contact. Saczawa also admitted to sharing these videos and/or images with others, including Davis. Davis admitted to conspiring with Saczawa to sexually exploit the victim, including instructing Saczawa in a video message to perform oral sex on the victim.
Saczawa also admitted to running a group chat within an online messaging application in which participants discussed and shared content and/or images of child pornography. As an administrator of this group, Saczawa solicited participants to share such content. The images Saczawa shared included images of toddlers potentially as young as one year old being sexually assaulted.
Davis had previously been convicted in Texas of indecent contact with a child.
“Protecting small children, the most vulnerable of our community, is among the most important work that we can do. Every child deserves to be in a home free of sexual exploitation, and we will prosecute those that threaten this right. When predators target children, we are committed to unmasking and holding them accountable.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
"There are truly no words to describe how grotesque the behavior in this case is. A woman admitting to using a prepubescent child to create child sexual assault material is beyond the bounds of any acceptable human behavior – and it always will be. Our FBI Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, alongside our partner agencies, do the work of superheroes each and every day, saving children from monsters and preventing evil from harming more victims," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation.
The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, or in the case of a defendant who has previously been convicted of a sex offense, a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years and a maximum potential penalty of 50 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, or in the case of a defendant who has previously been convicted of a sex offense, a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of advertisement of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Saczawa and Davis are both scheduled for sentencing on September 22, 2025.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel for Saczawa: Stephen Natoli, Esq.
Defense counsel for Davis: Anthony Iacullo, Esq.
saczawa.information.pdf davis.indictment.pdfFive New Jersey Pharmacies Agree to Pay $1.935 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Billing for Drugs Not DispensedRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Five pharmacies located in Jersey City, Bayonne, and Elizabeth have agreed to pay $1,935,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing federal health care programs for medications that they never dispensed, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today.
According to the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreements, inventory records showed that the below listed pharmacies did not purchase enough medications from wholesalers to fill the prescriptions billed to the federal health care programs.
- 2818 JFK Pharmacy LLC agreed to pay $1,000,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2020, through January 24, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program and the New Jersey Medicaid Program for drugs that were never dispensed to beneficiaries.
- 518 Summit Care Pharmacy LLC agreed to pay $600,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2020, through March 28, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program and the New Jersey Medicaid Program for drugs that were never dispensed to beneficiaries.
- 1850 Greenville Pharmacy LLC agreed to pay $133,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2020, through April 11, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program and the New Jersey Medicaid Program for drugs that were never dispensed to beneficiaries.
- 327 Alexandria Pharmacy LLC agreed to pay $101,000 to resolve allegations that from March 26, 2020, through April 2, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program and the New Jersey Medicaid Program for drugs that were never dispensed to beneficiaries.
- 516 Broadway Care Pharmacy LLC agreed to pay $101,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2020, through April 4, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program and the New Jersey Medicaid Program for drugs that were never dispensed to beneficiaries.
“All pharmacies that bill federal programs must ensure accurate billing and may not bill for medications they never dispensed. The Office will continue to pursue entities that fail in their essential responsibilities and engage in fraud, waste, or abuse.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kruti Dharia and Robert Toll of the Health Care Fraud & Opioids Abuse Unit and Senior Trial Counsel Jennifer Cihon in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section).
The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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alexandria.agreement_0.pdf broadwaycare.agreement.pdf greenville.agreement.pdf jfk.agreement.pdf summitpharmacy.agreement.pdfAmtrak Employees Admit Participating in $11 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Five Amtrak employees recently admitted participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Kevin Frink, 53, of Willingboro, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Michael Toal, 35, of Hazlet, New Jersey, David McBrien, 37, of Levittown, Pennsylvania, Damany Walker, 41, of Irvington, New Jersey, and David Lonergan, 65, of Rockaway Park, New York, in recent weeks also pleaded guilty before Judge Arleo in Newark federal court to the Indictment charging conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
The Indictment also charges four other co-conspirators in connection with the scheme: Quinton Johnson, 53, of Irvington, New Jersey; Gregory Richardson, 35, of Roosevelt, New York; Timothy Bogen, 59, of Hamden, Connecticut; and Dion Jacob, 50, of Brooklyn, New York. Defendant Rodolfo Rivera, 41, of Clayton, Delaware, previously pleaded guilty to the Indictment, and co-conspirator Anthony Saloka, 44, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty to an Information.
“The defendants admitted to colluding with corrupt health care providers in a scheme to defraud Amtrak’s health care plan for personal financial gain. My office is committed to holding accountable those who profit from health care scams, like this one, that harm the public and the health care system.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2019 through June 2022, Frink, Toal, McBrien, Walker, Lonergan, and their co-conspirators—who were also Amtrak employees—engaged in a scheme to obtain cash kickbacks from health care providers in return for their agreement to allow their health insurance plan to be billed for services that were never provided and were not medically necessary. In total, as a result of the conspiracy, the Amtrak health care plan paid over $11 million in fraudulent claims associated with providers connected to the scheme.
Each defendant received thousands of dollars in cash kickbacks from health care providers in return for their participation in the scheme, including from Punson Figueroa, an acupuncturist. Defendants Frink, McBrien, Walker, and Lonergan also received cash kickbacks from Michael DeNicola, a podiatrist. Figueroa previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced on September 24, 2024 to 34 months in prison. DeNicola previously pleaded guilty on June 29, 2022 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, among other offenses. His sentencing remains pending.
The health care fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Walker’s and McBrien’s sentencings are scheduled for July 24, 2025. Lonergan’s sentencing is scheduled for August 20, 2025. Toal’s sentencing is scheduled for October 23, 2025. Frink’s sentencing is scheduled for October 9, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters, the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Sam Dotson, and special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud and Opioid Abuse Prevention Unit, and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Bank Integrity, Recovery, and Money Laundering Unit, in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the Indictment against Johnson, Richardson, Bogen, and Jacob are merely accusations, and they are each presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Sarah Sulkowski, Esq. (for Kevin Frink)
Michael Chazen, Esq. (for Michael Toal)
Michael V. Calabro, Esq. (for David McBrien)
Michael Rosas, Esq. (for Damany Walker)
Bruce S. Rosen, Esq. and Sarah Fehm Stewart, Esq. (for David Lonergan)
Albanian National and American Wife Charged with Making False Statements and Marriage FraudRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Albanian national was charged with marriage fraud, and he and his wife, an American citizen, were both charged with making false statements on forms submitted to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Elvis Harizaj, 25, of Cherry Hill, and Natasha Flores, 27, of Newark, were both charged with making false statements to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”).
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in Court:
Harizaj is a citizen of Albania and entered into a sham marriage with Flores for the purpose of obtaining permanent residence in the United States. On forms submitted to USCIS, Harizaj falsely stated that he lived with Flores and Flores falsely stated that she had never been married before. Flores, in fact, had previously been married to a Brazilian national who obtained U.S. citizenship based on his marriage to Flores. In addition, Harizaj was charged with marriage fraud.
The counts of false statements and marriage fraud both have a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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harizaj.complaint.pdf flores.complaint.pdfPassaic County Correctional Officer Admits Civil Rights Violation and Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice in Connection with an Assault of a Pretrial DetaineeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County Correctional Officer admitted his role in assaulting a pretrial detainee and conspiring to obstruct justice, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Sergeant Donald Vinales, 39, pleaded guilty on May 21, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court to a two-count indictment charging him with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On January 22, 2021, a pretrial detainee at the Passaic County Jail (“PCJ”) squirted a mixture containing urine onto a correctional officer. The following day, on January 23, 2021, Sergeant Vinales admitted that he, along with Sergeant Jose Gonzalez, and Correctional Officer Lorenzo Bowden, who were also charged in this case, transported the detainee through an area of the PCJ that does not have a video surveillance camera, which Correctional Officers and inmates at the PCJ have referred to as a “blind spot.” While in that “blind spot,” Sergeant Vinales admitted that he and Sgt. Gonzalez assaulted the detainee, while he was handcuffed, when they knocked him to the ground and struck him multiple times. One day after the assault, the detainee was taken to a local hospital, which documented injuries from the assault.
The defendants were required to submit documentation regarding their use of force. None of them submitted any such reports.
In April 2022, after receiving federal grand jury subpoenas in connection with this investigation, Sergeant Gonzalez, Sergeant Vinales, Officer Bowden, among others, met to discuss the federal investigation. During that meeting, the group agreed not to cooperate with the federal investigation and also agreed to say that nothing had happened to the detainee (referring to the assault). Thereafter, during an interview with federal investigators in October 2022, Bowden falsely stated that the detainee had not been assaulted and that there had not been any meeting or communication among those who participated in or witnessed the assault.
Officer Bowden pleaded guilty on April 18, 2024, before Judge Farbiarz to an information charging him with conspiracy to obstruct justice and is awaiting sentencing.
The charge of deprivation of rights under color of law carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and the charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Both charges carry a fine of up to $250,000. Vinales’s sentencing is scheduled for September 30, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark; and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Division of Internal Affairs, under the direction of Sheriff Thomas Adamo.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark, and R. Joseph Gribko, Senior Trial Counsel in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment against Sergeant Gonzalez are still pending, are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense Counsel:
Eric V. Kleiner, Esq., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
vinales.indictment.pdfNewark Man Admits Role in Armed Robbery of a U.S. Postal Service Employee and Firearms and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark, New Jersey man admitted his role in an armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Service employee as well as firearms and drug trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Troy D. Corbett, Jr., 29, of Newark, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to one count of conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery, one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Sentencing is scheduled for October 8, 2025.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In November 2023, four individuals – including Corbett – conspired to rob a U.S. Postal Service employee at gunpoint in Newark, New Jersey. The assailants stole the victim’s cell phone, keys, and wallet – including a credit card and debit card. The robbery impeded the victim from delivering mail, which interfered with interstate commerce. Following the robbery, Corbett attempted to use the employee’s stolen property to make purchases.
On January 18, 2024, in Newark, New Jersey, Corbett – who was convicted of a felony offense in 2018 – possessed a Polymer80, Inc. Model PF940V2 9mm caliber privately made pistol, bearing no identifiable serial number, loaded with 16 rounds of 9mm Luger ammunition that was manufactured outside of New Jersey. Corbett possessed at the same time approximately 162 pills of methamphetamine, which he intended to distribute.
The count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, which term must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment that Corbett is ordered to serve, and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Christopher A. Nielsen, with the investigation. She also thanked special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, deputies of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of United States Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., police officers and detectives of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, officers of the New Jersey State Parole Board, under the direction of Chairman Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr., and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli Jacobs of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: John J. McMahon, West Orange, New Jersey
Husband and Wife Each Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Covid FraudRead the Press Release
TRENTON N.J. – A New Jersey and Florida husband and wife were sentenced to 12 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining approximately $790,000 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) loans, U.S. Alina Habba announced.
Diana Valteri, 42, and Edmond Haxhillari, 43, of Sparta, New Jersey, and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, previously plead guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to informations charging the couple with wire fraud and money laundering. Judge Kirsch imposed the sentences in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From in or around June 2020 through August 2020, Valteri and Haxhillari participated in a fraudulent scheme to receive $790,000 in COVID-19 emergency relief loans and cash advances meant for distressed small businesses under the EIDL program. Valteri and Haxhillari submitted fraudulent loan applications on behalf of several businesses that purported to have employees and revenue but were actually shell companies with no business operations. After receiving the EIDL funds based on their fraud, Valteri and Haxhillari diverted the proceeds for their own personal gain.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Field Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Terrence G. Reilly; special agents of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, and special agents from the Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Eastern Regional Office, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fatime Meka Cano and Aja Espinosa of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense counsel: William Tunkey, Esq. and Joseph Nascimento, Esq.
Five Individuals Indicted in Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
Five individuals were charged in a 19-count indictment for their participation in a scheme to trade securities on the basis of material nonpublic information about the merger between two companies that resulted in profits of over $600,000, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
According to court documents, between May and June 2023, Rouzbeh “Ross” Haghighat, 61, of West Newbury, Massachusetts, Behrouz “Bruce” Haghighat, 60, of Laguna Niguel, California, Kirstyn Pearl, 35, of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Seyedfarbod “Fabio” Sabzevari, 31, of North Hollywood, California, and James Roberge, 70, of Westford, Massachusetts, allegedly profited more than $600,000 by unlawfully purchasing the securities of a biopharmaceutical company in Seattle, Washington (Company-1), where Ross Haghighat served as a director. As alleged, the defendants traded securities based on material nonpublic information about another pharmaceutical company’s (Company-2) proposed acquisition of Company-1. The indictment alleges that, in May 2023, Company-2 madea confidential proposal to acquire Company-1 at a price per share above the then current market value. The two companies then negotiated an agreement for the acquisition, which was announced in June 2023, causing the share price to spike.
“Our office is committed to protecting the integrity of the market and holding accountable those who attempt to gain unfair advantages through trading on insider information.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“The defendants were charged for allegedly trading on inside information and reaping hundreds of thousands in illicit profits,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Securities fraud and insider trading distort our financial markets and disadvantage Americans who play by the rules. These charges demonstrate that the Criminal Division is committed to maintaining the integrity of markets by holding accountable all those who defraud investors.”
“This case makes one thing clear: if you think you can game the system using insider information, think again,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group. “Ross Haghighat and his associates thought they were above the law and colored outside the lines for financial gain, but the indictment proves no one is above the law. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will not hesitate to pursue and bring to justice anyone who tries to corrupt the integrity of our financial markets.”
In his position as a director on the board of Company-1, Ross Haghighat allegedly obtained material nonpublic inside information about its acquisition, including sensitive deal terms. He then purchased securities, and tipped others — including Bruce Haghighat, Pearl, Sabzevari, and Roberge — for personal benefit with the expectation that they would purchase securities, which the defendants allegedly did.
Ross Haghighat was charged with one count of securities fraud, 16 counts of insider trading, and two counts of conspiracy. He was previously charged with one count of conspiracy to commit insider trading.
Bruce Haghighat was charged with one count of securities fraud, one count of insider trading, and one count of conspiracy.
Pearl was charged with one count of securities fraud, one count of insider trading, and one count of conspiracy.
Sabzevari and Roberge were both charged with one count of securities fraud and seven counts of insider trading.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison on the securities fraud charge and 20 years in prison on each of the insider-trading charges. If convicted of conspiracy, Ross Haghighat, Bruce Haghighat, and Pearl face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney John J. Liolos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mezzanotte for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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haghighat.indictment.pdfEl Salvador National Charged with Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An El Salvador national was arrested and charged with possessing firearms as an illegal alien, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Jose Manuel Menjivar Viera, a/k/a Jose Manuel Mejiva, 35, a citizen and national of El Salvador and most recently of Long Branch, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with one count of being an illegal alien in possession of firearms. Viera made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Brendan Day in Trenton federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On December 11, 2024, at approximately 3:00 a.m., law enforcement officers in Long Branch responded to multiple calls for service regarding gunshots fired in a suburban neighborhood. Shortly after officers arrived, they observed an individual, later identified as Jose Manuel Menjivar Viera, riding a bicycle and carrying a large black bag. Officers followed Viera before he dismounted from the bike and fled into the exterior property of a nearby residence. Officers searched the area where Viera fled and eventually recovered his bicycle and the bag he was carrying. The bag contained two firearms, a semiautomatic rifle and a loaded handgun, firearm magazines, ammunition, and a machete. A short time later, officers discovered Viera hiding in the truck-bed of a pickup truck parked in the driveway next to the residence. Viera was subsequently identified by agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as being an El Salvador national and citizen and without any legal status to be in the United States.
The alien in possession of a firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited deportation officers of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, the Long Branch Police Department, under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Jorge Silverio, and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Benjamin West, Federal Public Defenders
viera.complaint.pdfBloomfield Resident Admits Role in Opioid Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bloomfield resident admitted participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute opioids, as well as unlawful distribution of opioids, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Danielle Molinari, 51, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging her with one count of drug conspiracy and one count of distribution of, and possession with intent to distribute, oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between February 2019 and March 2023, Molinari participated in a conspiracy to obtain medically unnecessary prescriptions for oxycodone, an opioid pain medication. Once Molinari obtained the oxycodone through a prescription, she then sold the oxycodone to another individual in exchange for money. Over the course of the conspiracy, Molinari unlawfully distributed approximately 4,665 oxycodone pills.
The two charges of drug conspiracy and distribution of oxycodone each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for November 4, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea D. Coleman and Jenny Chung of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Abuse Prevention Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Joel Silberman, Esq., Jersey City, New Jersey
molinari.information.pdfFive Individuals Indicted in Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
Five individuals were charged in a 19-count indictment yesterday for their participation in a scheme to trade securities on the basis of material nonpublic information about the merger between two companies that resulted in profits of over $600,000.
According to court documents, between May and June 2023, Rouzbeh “Ross” Haghighat, 61, of West Newbury, Massachusetts, Behrouz “Bruce” Haghighat, 60, of Laguna Niguel, California, Kirstyn Pearl, 35, of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Seyedfarbod “Fabio” Sabzevari, 31, of North Hollywood, California, and James Roberge, 70, of Westford, Massachusetts, allegedly profited more than $600,000 by unlawfully purchasing the securities of a biopharmaceutical company in Seattle, Washington (Company-1), where Ross Haghighat served as a director. As alleged, the defendants traded securities based on material nonpublic information about another pharmaceutical company’s (Company-2) proposed acquisition of Company-1. The indictment alleges that, in May 2023, Company-2 made a confidential proposal to acquire Company-1 at a price per share above the then current market value. The two companies then negotiated an agreement for the acquisition, which was announced in June 2023, causing the share price to spike.
“The defendants were charged yesterday for allegedly trading on inside information and reaping hundreds of thousands in illicit profits,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Securities fraud and insider trading distort our financial markets and disadvantage Americans who play by the rules. These charges demonstrate that the Criminal Division is committed to maintaining the integrity of markets by holding accountable all those who defraud investors.”
“Our office is committed to protecting the integrity of the market and holding accountable those who attempt to gain unfair advantages through trading on insider information,” said U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey.
“This case makes one thing clear: if you think you can game the system using insider information, think again,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group. “Ross Haghighat and his associates thought they were above the law and colored outside the lines for financial gain, but yesterday’s indictment proves no one is above the law. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will not hesitate to pursue and bring to justice anyone who tries to corrupt the integrity of our financial markets.”
In his position as a director on the board of Company-1, Ross Haghighat allegedly obtained material nonpublic inside information about its acquisition, including sensitive deal terms. He then purchased securities, and tipped others — including Bruce Haghighat, Pearl, Sabzevari, and Roberge — for personal benefit with the expectation that they would purchase securities, which the defendants allegedly did.
Ross Haghighat was charged with one count of securities fraud, 16 counts of insider trading, and two counts of conspiracy. He was previously charged with one count of conspiracy to commit insider trading.
Bruce Haghighat was charged with one count of securities fraud, one count of insider trading, and one count of conspiracy.
Pearl was charged with one count of securities fraud, one count of insider trading, and one count of conspiracy.
Sabzevari and Roberge were both charged with one count of securities fraud and seven counts of insider trading.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison on the securities fraud charge and 20 years in prison on each of the insider-trading charges. If convicted of conspiracy, Ross Haghighat, Bruce Haghighat, and Pearl face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney John J. Liolos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mezzanotte for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mercer County Man Sentenced to 15 Months for Communicating Threats to Attack Members of the White CommunityRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for transmitting, via the internet, a post containing threats to injure members of the white community by shooting them with a firearm, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Joshua Cobb, 24, of Trenton, New Jersey, had previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On December 17, 2022, Cobb used a social media application to post a message, stating:
“I want to cause mayhem on the white community. The reason i specifically want to target white people is because as a black male, they will NEVER understand my struggles. Same way I will never understand their struggles, but I don't care to. I want to erase them. All of them really, but in this case as many as I possibly can.
As of today I have officially began planning my attack. It is going to take place in 2023 in the state of New Jersey, I have not chosen a exact date but I am going to be sure it is close to an important holiday to their race. I have a location in mind already which I have frequented for the past year and I am certain nobody there is armed to be able to stop me from spraying them to the ground. I have already acquired 2 of the 4 firearms I plan to use for my attack, and I also know my entry and exit points already after the mayhem…
White people are going to feel my pain in 2023. I will be certain I send as many as I possible can to the deepest pits of hell. I am going to wipe those ugly smiles completely off their faces. I dream of a day of pure evil on them. I plan to allow every evil spirit to work entirely through me and kill as many as i can. Some will get extra rounds through their head.
And you guys can think I'm a troll all you want. Just pay close attention the news, you will see my aftermath. And I will be sure I kill myself after I finish my terrorism.
White men and women in New Jersey, get ready. You are going to feel my pain very fucking soon. I put that on my life. From here on out I don't want to talk, my rounds are going to, after they exit the back of all your heads. Get ready New Jersey. The devil is coming.”
Cobb subsequently joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2023 and began basic training in June 2023. Cobb was stationed in California until his discharge in May 2024 when the U.S. Marine Corps learned about this case from law enforcement. Cobb admitted to writing the above-described post and that he understood that the message would be threatening towards certain individuals. Cobb provided detailed information to law enforcement on locations he had considered as possible targets for his attack, including a gym and an Aldi grocery store in Robbinsville, New Jersey. Cobb also discussed his access to guns and idolization of other mass shooters.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Cobb to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, under the direction of U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli, agents of the FBI Field Office in Los Angeles, California, under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis; the Hamilton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Kenneth R. DeBoskey; the Robbinsville Police Department, under the direction of Chief William G. Swanhart, III; and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vera Varshavsky 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.
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Defense counsel: Saverio Viggiano, Office of the Public Defender
Gloucester County Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud Scheme and Theft of Elderly Victim’s Bank Account FundsRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – A New Jersey man pleaded guilty to fraudulently seeking more than $1.4 million from the IRS by filing false tax returns claiming COVID-19-related employment tax credits, for laundering the proceeds from that scheme, and for stealing more than $180,000 from an elderly customer at the car dealership where he worked, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
James J. Mastrogiovanni, 44, of Washington Township, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of mail fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of access device fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for November 6, 2025.
During the pandemic, Mastrogiovanni engaged in a scheme with Leon Haynes, a tax preparer, to exploit COVID-19 relief programs to line his own pockets. From in or around March 2021 through in or around December 2022, Mastrogiovanni and Haynes prepared and filed with the IRS false and fraudulent Forms 941 on behalf of Mastrogiovanni, his family members, and others, claiming tax refunds intended to help struggling small businesses by reducing employment taxes owed. All of the Forms 941 prepared in furtherance of the scheme were false and fraudulent because they listed employees and wages that, in fact, did not actually exist. Neither Mastrogiovanni nor any of his family members owned or operated a business, let alone had paid employees. Mastrogiovanni claimed at least $1,443,409 in tax credits, and as a result of the scheme, the U.S. Treasury disbursed at least $545,692 to Mastrogiovanni and his family members.
Haynes has been charged separately in a 63-count indictment for allegedly preparing and submitting more than 1,600 false employment tax returns on behalf of himself and clients totaling more than $150 million. He also allegedly defrauded some of his own clients by using their identities to submit these applications without their permission or knowledge. Trial is scheduled to begin on September 25, 2025 in that matter. The charges and allegations against Haynes are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
From on or about June 19, 2023 through on or about December 7, 2023, Mastrogiovanni engaged in a separate scheme to steal more than $180,000 from an 85-year old victim. The victim presented a check to Mastrogiovanni to purchase a vehicle at the car dealership where Mastrogiovanni worked. Mastrogiovanni later used the routing and checking account numbers on the check to make unauthorized personal transactions from the account until the account was empty.
The count of conspiracy to defraud the United States carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the mail fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; and the money laundering and access device fraud counts each carry a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction Acting Special Agent in Charge Corwin Rattler; postal inspectors from the U.S. Postal Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; and officers of the Mahwah Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy O’Hara, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Stark and Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense Counsel for Mastrogiovanni: Frank Agostino, Esq.
mastrogiovanni.information.pdfFormer New Jersey Department of Children and Family Services Caseworker Sentenced to 109 Months in Prison for Possession and Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former caseworker for the New Jersey Department of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Protection and Permanency, was sentenced to 109 months in prison for possessing and transporting child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Trent Collier, 58, of Kearny, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an indictment charging him with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On or about September 28, 2021, Collier arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport aboard a flight from the Dominican Republic. Upon his arrival, law enforcement searched Collier’s cellular phone and identified at least two images of child pornography. In a statement to law enforcement, Collier admitted that he had previously sent child pornography to at least one other individual using his cellular phone and that that individual also sent child pornography to Collier’s cellular phone. A further search of Collier’s cellular phone uncovered multiple additional videos of child pornography, including videos depicting the sexual exploitation of toddlers.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Collier to 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark, and the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, under the direction of Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, with the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren D. Kober of the Criminal Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Carol Dominguez, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark, NJ
Somerset Man Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON N.J. – A Somerset man was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Elliott Souder, 51, was charged by complaint and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court on May 6, 2025.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From at least September 20, 2021 through November 16, 2021, Souder, via his home computer, connected to an Internet-based peer-to-peer network and requested three videos depicting child sexual abuse. When members of law enforcement executed a search warrant at Souder’s Somerset residence in March 2022, they found over 1,000 images and videos of child pornography on Souder’s computer’s hard drive, including two of the aforementioned videos previously requested over the peer-to-peer network. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent children, toddlers and infants, and sadomasochism on children.
The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, specifically the Violent Crimes Against Children Unit, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation. This investigation was conducted under FBI’s Operation Restore Justice.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Steven D. Altman, Esq., New Brunswick, NJ
souder.complaint.pdfLong-Time Fugitive Extradited to the United States to Face Charges for Orchestrating Mail Fraud Scheme Defrauding Elderly and Vulnerable Victims of over $10 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A German man was extradited from Italy and arrested for orchestrating a massive mail fraud scheme targeting elderly and otherwise vulnerable victims with false and fraudulent psychic solicitations, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Georg Ingenbleek, 58, a citizen of Germany, was indicted in 2020 and has been a fugitive. He was apprehended in Bolzano, Italy in 2024 and returned yesterday via Newark International Airport to face an indictment charging him with two counts of mail fraud. Ingenbleek made his initial appearance and arraignment on May 9, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded without bail.
According to the Indictment and statements made in court:
From at least 2011 through 2016, Ingenbleek created numerous direct mail solicitations supposedly from world-renowned psychics, falsely and fraudulently claiming that the recipients were being contacted because they had been the subject of specific visions by the psychics, including visions that the recipients were going to receive large sums of money and good fortune. Many of the letters falsely promised that the psychic services being offered were free of charge. In fact, the letters were mass-produced using software and information provided by Ingenbleek to a direct mail marketing services company, Company-1, located in Piscataway, New Jersey, which Ingenbleek retained to print and mail the solicitations.
Ingenbleek directed a second company, Company-2, to send fraudulent billing notices to the same victims that stated that the victims owed money for psychic services, which in many cases had been offered free of charge. The fraudulent billing notices were labeled “collection notices” and “invoices,” falsely representing that the victims owed late payment fees, and falsely stating that a psychic or astrology organization would refer the victim to a “collection agency” and take legal action if the victim did not send a check, usually for $20 to $50. Through his fraudulent psychic mailing campaign, Ingenbleek obtained more than $10 million dollars from victims.
In September 2016, Ingenbleek directed representatives of Company-1 and Company-2 to destroy all materials related to his fraudulent psychic mailings in response to federal criminal investigations into his conduct and the conduct of other participants in the scheme. In one email, dated September 23, 2016, Ingenbleek told a representative of Company-2, “You cannot wait! I advise you urgently to get rid of the material! Use your own car, rent a truck, start today, work all weekend.”
The mail fraud charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; and special agents of HSI New York, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonzo, with the investigation leading to the charges, and HSI Rome and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for providing significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Italy.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Fayer and Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Daniel Rashbaum, Esq., Miami, Florida.
ingenbleek.indictment.pdfFormer CEO of Healthcare Services Company Admits Role in Elaborate Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The former chief executive officer of a publicly traded healthcare services company admitted his role in a conspiracy to defraud investors in connection with the purchase or sale of the company’s securities, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Parmjit Parmar, a/k/a “Paul Parmar,” 55, of Colts Neck, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From May 2015 through September 2017, Parmar and his conspirators, including Sotirios Zaharis, a/k/a “Sam Zaharis,” and Ravi Chivukula orchestrated an elaborate scheme to defraud a private investment firm and others out of hundreds of millions of dollars in connection with the funding of a transaction to take private a healthcare services company (Company A) traded publicly on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market. To fund the transaction, the private investment firm put up approximately $82.5 million and a consortium of financial institutions put up another $130 million, for a total of approximately $212.5 million. The scheme utilized fraudulent methods to grossly inflate the value of Company A and trick others into believing that Company A was worth substantially more than its actual value.
Parmar and the conspirators sought to raise tens of millions of dollars in the public markets, purportedly to fund Company A’s acquisitions of various operating subsidiaries. In actuality, a number of those entities either did not exist or had only a fraction of the operating income attributed to them. The conspirators funneled the proceeds of these secondary offerings through bank accounts they controlled and used the money for a variety of purposes that had nothing to do with acquiring the purported targets. The conspirators went to great lengths to make it appear that these funds were revenue, concocting phony customers and altering bank statements to make it appear as if the funds were coming from customers.
To perpetuate the scheme, Parmar and his conspirators also falsified and fabricated bank records of subsidiary entities in order to generate a phony picture of Company A’s revenue streams and made material misrepresentations and omissions to the private investment firm and others.
Parmar and his conspirators’ actions caused victims to value Company A at more than $300 million for purposes of financing the transaction to take Company A private. The scheme was uncovered in September 2017, when Parmar and his conspirators resigned from their positions with Company A or were terminated. On March 16, 2018, Company A and numerous of its affiliated entities filed for bankruptcy, attributing the company’s financial demise, in large part, to the fraud scheme.
The conspiracy to commit securities fraud charge to which Parmar has plead guilty, carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Pursuant to the terms of his plea agreement, Parmar has also agreed to forfeiture of certain properties and the contents of several bank accounts, and the Court must order that Parmar pays restitution to any victims of his offense.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Driscoll, with assistance from FBI Headquarters Forensic Accountant Support Team.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vinay S. Limbachia, George M. Barchini, and Kelly M. Lyons of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment with respect to Parmar’s co-defendants, Zaharis and Chivukula, are merely accusations, and Zaharis and Chivukula are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel for Parmar: John H. Hemann, Esq., San Francisco, CA; Andrew D. Goldstein, Victoria R. Pasculli, Alessandra V. Rafalson, Esqs., New York, NY; Anuva V. Ganapathi, Esq., Palo Alto, CA
parmar.indictment.pdfFather and Son Sentenced for Role in International Market Manipulation Scheme Related to New Jersey DeliRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A father and son were sentenced on May 13, 2025, for their roles in orchestrating a large-scale market manipulation scheme related to two publicly traded companies, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Peter Coker, Sr., 82, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Peter Coker, Jr., 56, formerly of Hong Kong, China, had pleaded guilty, on December 19, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Coker, Sr. was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, including six months’ home detention, and fines totaling $500,000. Coker, Jr. was sentenced to 40 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and fines totaling $250,000.
James Patten, 65, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina also previously pleaded guilty to the same charges and is awaiting sentencing.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2014 through September 2022, Peter Coker Sr., Peter Coker Jr., and Patten conspired to enrich themselves through a scheme to manipulate securities prices via a pattern of coordinated trading, which injected inaccurate information into the marketplace, creating false impressions of supply and demand for these securities.
As part of the securities fraud scheme, the defendants targeted two publicly traded companies—Hometown International Inc. and E-Waste Corp.—which both traded on the OTC Link Alternative Trading System, also known as the OTC Marketplace. The OTC Marketplace is an alternative trading system that contains three tiers of markets, which are largely based on the quality and quantity of the listed companies’ information and disclosures.
Coker Sr., Coker Jr., and Patten took steps to gain control of both entities’ management and stock with the ultimate intention of entering reverse mergers, a transaction through which an existing public company merges with a private operating company. A successful reverse merger would allow the defendants to sell shares of each entity at a significant profit.
In or around 2014, two New Jersey residents began the process of opening a local deli in Paulsboro, New Jersey. One of the individuals discussed his interest in opening the deli with Patten, a long-time friend, who suggested the creation of Hometown International, an umbrella corporation, under which the deli would operate as a wholly owned subsidiary. Unbeknownst to the deli owners, after Hometown International was formed, Patten and his associates began positioning Hometown International as a vehicle for a reverse merger that would yield substantial profit to them.
Around October 2019, Hometown International began selling shares on the OTC Marketplace. Patten, Coker Sr., and Coker Jr. furthered their scheme by gaining control of Hometown International’s management and its shares from the deli owners. Coker Sr., Coker Jr., and Patten took similar actions to gain control of E-Waste Corporation’s stock and management. The defendants also arranged for the transfer of millions of shares of stock to a number of nominee entities, including entities controlled by Coker Jr., in an effort to mask their control of the shares.
In addition, the defendants transferred shares to family members, friends, and associates and gained control over their trading accounts by obtaining their log-in information to conceal the defendants’ involvement. The defendants then used those accounts to commit a number of coordinated trading events, often referred to as match and wash trades, to trade in Hometown International and E-Waste Corp.’s stock on both sides of the transaction.
These tactics artificially inflated the price of Hometown International and E-Waste’s stock by giving the false impression that there was a genuine market interest in the stock. Their scheme had the ultimate impact of artificially inflating Hometown International’s stock by approximately 939 percent and E-Waste’s stock by approximately 19,900 percent.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked special agents from FBI Charlotte, FBI Los Angeles, FBI San Francisco, FBI Denver, and FBI Knoxville, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Lauren E. Repole, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit.
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Defense counsel:
Peter Coker, Sr.: John Azzarello, Esq. (Morristown, New Jersey), William McGovern, Esq. (New York, New York)
Peter Coker, Jr.: Zach Intrater and Marc Agnifilo (New York, New York)
Passaic County Man Charged with Sex Trafficking of a Minor, and Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey man has been charged for child sex trafficking and child pornography offenses, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Keshawn Harley, 38, of Paterson, New Jersey is charged by complaint with one count of sex trafficking of a minor, one count of production of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. Harley appeared on May 6, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Beginning in or around May 2022, minor victims began attending “after-hours” parties hosted by Harley at residences in Paterson, New Jersey, at which the victims engaged in commercial sex acts. Harley’s cell phone contained a picture of a news article regarding these victims being missing minors and numerous communications indicating that Harley was arranging for one of the minor victims to engage in commercial sex work. Harley’s cell phone also contained videos of that minor victim engaging in sex acts with Harley.
The charge of sex trafficking of a minor carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan, and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.
This investigation was conducted as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey’s Human Trafficking Task Force, which was formed in 2025. The Task Force brings together federal and state agencies to collaborate and dedicate resources to combat human trafficking and prosecute human trafficking offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The Human Trafficking Task Force is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service, and the New Jersey Office of Attorney General.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Kober of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Adalgiza Nunez, Esq.
harley.complaint.pdfLeader of Telemarketing Scheme Targeting Timeshare Owners over the Age of 55, Wife, Plead Guilty to Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Admit Fraudulent Conduct from 2016 through 2023Read the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – The leader of a fraudulent telemarketing scheme and his wife, who served as controller/bookkeeper of the fraudulent companies, recently each pled guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their participation in a telemarketing scheme to defraud timeshare owners over the age of 55, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
William O’Hanlon, a/k/a “Patrick Burns,” a/k/a “William Burns,” 60, of Loxahatchee, Florida, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2025, before the Hon. Karen M. Williams, U.S. District Judge, Camden, to Counts One and Two of a 13-count Indictment, charging conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing that targeted or victimized timeshare owners over the age of 55 (Count One) and wire fraud in connection with telemarketing that targeted or victimized timeshare owners over the age of 55 (Count Two). O’Hanlon’s sentencing is scheduled for September 22, 2025.
O’Hanlon’s wife, Karen Stefanowski, 62, of Loxahatchee, Florida, pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025, before the Hon. Karen M. Williams, U.S. District Judge, Camden, to Counts One and Three of a 13-count Indictment, charging conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing that targeted or victimized timeshare owners over the age of 55 (Count One) and wire fraud in connection with telemarketing that targeted or victimized timeshare owners over the age of 55 (Count Three). Stefanowski’s sentencing is scheduled for September 4, 2025.
O’Hanlon and Stefanowski were previously charged in the indictment along with James Toner, 43, of Lake Mary, Florida, and William Chiusano, Jr., then-48, of Laguna Niguel, California. Chiusano is now deceased, and charges against him have been dismissed. In addition, Alex Klemash, 32, of Williamstown, New Jersey, Michael Lambe, 45, of Mullica Hill, New Jersey, and La’Tresa Jackson, 59, of Lindenwold, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before Judge Williams on March 8, 9, and 13, 2023, respectively, to related informations charging them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the WAB telemarketing scheme. Their sentencings are pending.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Williams Andrews & Burns (“WAB”) (October 2016-October 2020)
The wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud charge to which O’Hanlon and Stefanowski pleaded guilty arise out of their participation in a timeshare fraud scheme operated through businesses WILLIAMS ANDREWS BURNS LLC, RESORT BNB, INC., and WILLIAMS & BURNS, INC. (collectively referred to as “WAB”).
From in or about October 2016 through in or about October 2020, the defendants and additional co-conspirators (collectively referred to as “Conspirators”), engaged in a scheme to financially enrich themselves by selling fraudulent services to timeshare owners offered through WAB, including offering to rent and/or buy the owners’ timeshares under false and fraudulent pretenses or representations, and offering to recover monies timeshare owners had previously paid in connection with other scams. The Conspirators obtained lists of timeshare owners and their contact information, and cold-called them to pitch their various services in return for upfront fees.
The Conspirators made numerous false and misleading statements to the timeshare owners, including falsely stating that the timeshare owners had “bonus” timeshare weeks which WAB would rent for them in return for an upfront fee, and falsely guaranteeing thousands of dollars in rental income for the timeshare owners. Once the timeshare owners had signed up and paid their fees for the phony rentals services, the Conspirators also generally pitched collections/recovery services, offering to obtain refunds of monies previously paid by the timeshare owners in other fraudulent scams, in return for fees. Again, the Conspirators made numerous false and misleading statements in many instances to both timeshare owners and the banks that issues their credit cards. One of the fraudulent pitches used by the Conspirators was to falsely claim that the timeshare owner had been identified as a victim of timeshare fraud and was entitled to monies that were held by a government entity, often referred to as the attorney general’s office or the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), and that WAB would obtain those monies for the timeshare owner in return for the payment of an upfront fee. The Conspirators also offered additional fraudulent services to timeshare owners, including occasionally offering timeshare buyouts/take-overs.
Ryan James & Daniels Corporation (“RJD”) (November 2020-August 2023)
As part of their guilty pleas, O’Hanlon and Stefanowski also admitted that they committed fraud against timeshare owners from in or around November 2020 through in or around August 2023, through a different but overlapping set of entities, including Ryan James & Daniels Corporation, Williams & Burns, Inc., and Resort BNB, Inc. (collectively referred to as “RJD”). This was a violation of their bail conditions because they continued to commit fraud after they were arrested on the WAB Indictment in April 2023, contrary to the conditions of their pretrial release not to commit another crime and not to have access to the personal identifying information (PII) of others.
O’Hanlon and Stefanowski both agreed to make restitution for any proven losses to victims of WAB and victims of RJD.
Each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud is punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison, including an enhancement of 10 years in prison for committing such fraud via telemarketing that targeted persons over the age of 55 or victimized 10 or more persons over the age of 55. The sentences on each count may run consecutively. Each offense also carries a potential fine of the greater of $250,000,or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, and the defendants may be sentenced to a term of supervised release after any term of imprisonment imposed.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited agents of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs; special agents of the IRS Criminal Investigations, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; and special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge, Cooperative Disability Investigations – Eastern Region, Conor Washington, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diana Vondra Carrig and Elisa T. Wiygul of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense Counsel:
Lee Vartan, Esq. and Melissa Wernick, Esq. for William O’Hanlon
Zach Intrater, Esq. for Karen Stefanowski
Megan Davies, Esq. for James Toner
Michael Baldassare, Esq. for La’Tresa Jackson
Perry DeMarco, Sr., Esq. for Alex Klemash
Ira M. Slovin, Esq. for Michael Lambe
ohanlon.indictment.pdfJustice Department Announces Results of Operation Restore Justice: 205 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in FBI-led Nationwide Crackdown, including 5 in the District of New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, NJ – On May 7, 2025, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
“The success of Operation Restore Justice shows the Department of Justice’s unwavering dedication to finding and prosecuting child predators. I will apply the full power of my office to bring these criminals to justice and ensure the safety of every child. Through coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, we deploy all resources to pursue justice and take decisive action against anyone who exploits the most vulnerable members of our community.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”
“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
“This week was a snapshot of the never-ending work our agents and TFOs do day in and day out to apprehend and hold accountable the vilest of criminals,” says Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly. “Though this marks the conclusion of Child Abuse Awareness Month, our mission is omnipresent: to protect vulnerable children from these predators by bringing them to justice. Let this be a continued reminder to guardians of children everywhere, to stay present and vigilant in your young one’s lives. FBI Newark would like to thank the tireless work of our partner agencies; together we will continue to weed these monsters out of society.”
This initiative was a joint effort with federal, state and local partners to coincide with the end of Child Abuse Prevention Month between and highlight the FBI’s ongoing efforts to confront these crimes. Investigating child sex abuse is an ongoing, high-priority mission of the FBI. Agents and task force officers made the following five arrests in New Jersey from April 28 and May 2, 2025:
- David Tuytjens, age 69, was arrested for possession of child pornography.
- Natasha Rivas, age 23, was arrested for distribution of child pornography.
- Dwayne Smalls Jr., age 24, was arrested for distribution of child pornography.
- Elliott Souder, age 52, was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography.
- Keshawn Harley, age 38, was charged with possession and production of child pornography, and sex trafficking of a minor.
Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.
The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
Other online resources:
Electronic Press Kit
Violent Crimes Against Children
How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Guatemalan Man Who was Unlawfully Residing in the United States Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Custody of Unaccompanied Alien ChildrenRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Guatemalan national was charged with allegedly submitting sponsorship applications with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of two unaccompanied alien children (UACs) after they entered the United States, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Attorney General Pam Bondi announced today.
The complaint, which was filed today, charges Luciano Tinuar Quino, also known as “Luciano Tinuar Guino,” 57, a citizen and resident of Guatemala, with two counts of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count and a $250,000 fine.
“This prosecution is an example of my office’s dedication to keeping children safe. We will relentlessly pursue and bring to justice those who take advantage of our country’s Unaccompanied Alien Children program and threaten the safety of our community. There will be zero tolerance for those who prey on the vulnerable.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“The prior administration’s border policies created chaos and allowed bad actors to prey upon the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will always seek strong legal penalties to protect children from those who would do them harm.”
According to the complaint:
Tinuar Quino, who unlawfully entered the United States in 2016 and resided in the Orange, New Jersey area, submitted applications to ORR to sponsor and obtain custody of two male Guatemalan UACs in 2022. Tinuar Quino allegedly used aliases, presenting identity cards of other individuals, and falsely stated he was each UAC’s father in sponsorship application materials submitted to ORR. ORR relied on Tinuar Quino’s alleged false statements when, on or about May 19, 2022, ORR released one of the UACs to Tinuar Quino’s care. ORR did not transfer the other UAC to Tinuar Quino’s care because, in part, Tinuar Quino’s application raised concerns about his identity and relationship with the UAC.
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Attorney General Pam Bondi credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and HSI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation leading to this charge. U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Attorney General Pam Bondi also thanked the FBI’s Legat team in Guatemala, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C., and ORR for their valuable assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Sussman of the U.S Attorney’s Office Narcotics/OCDETF Unit, Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Joint Task Force Alpha/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, with assistance from the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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quino.complaint.pdfSelf-Described Pastor Indicted for Sex Trafficking and Forced Labor, and Charged with His Wife for Conspiracy to Commit Forced LaborRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man who claimed to be a pastor of a church in Orange, New Jersey was indicted on April 25, 2025, for sex trafficking, forced labor, and, along with his wife, conspiring to commit forced labor, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today.
The indictment, which was unsealed on May 7, 2025, charges Treva Edwards, 60, and Christine Edwards, 63, with conspiracy to commit forced labor. It also charges Treva Edwards with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and forced labor. Both defendants were arrested on May 7, 2025 and made their initial appearances on May 8, 2025 and were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa and were detained.
“These charges are an example of my office’s tireless commitment to combatting human trafficking in our community. If you engage in human trafficking, we will find you, and we will prosecute you. We are committed to working alongside our partners to ensure that those who target the most vulnerable are brought to justice.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals under the guise of faith or community,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Civil Rights Division is committed to holding accountable those who abuse positions of trust to manipulate and control others for personal gain. These charges reflect our unwavering focus on protecting victims and prosecuting those who commit forced labor and sex trafficking.”
“Treva and Christine Edwards turned a source of hope into a tool of fear by allegedly exploiting religious faith to manipulate victims and expose them to sexual violence and forced labor conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel of HSI Newark Division. “Seeking justice for human trafficking victims in cases like this is of utmost importance to HSI Newark. Anyone who may believe they are a victim of trafficking can be assured our investigations are victim-centered and that we will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for anyone’s freedom that has been held ransom.”
“An important part of the mission of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of labor trafficking involving the use of coercion or force,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations.”
According to the indictment and statements made in court:
Defendants Treva Edwards and Christine Edwards were the founders and pastors of a church they named “Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost,” which they operated out of a multi-unit apartment building in Orange, New Jersey, and where they conspired to coax and coerce vulnerable victims to work with no pay.
Between 2011 and 2020, the defendants identified and recruited victims who were facing struggles in their personal lives, including financial and familial struggles, to join the church and live and worship at the church building. Treva Edwards told the victims that he was a prophet who could communicate directly with God and that disobeying him would result in spiritual retribution from God, as well as physical, emotional, and financial harm.
The defendants preached to the victims that it was God’s will for them to work, and that members had to perform labor to serve God. The defendants secured labor contracts to provide manual labor in and around Orange, New Jersey, and the defendants dispatched the victims to perform the contracted labor. The defendants did not pay wages to the victims for their work and kept the money earned from their labor.
The defendants convinced the victims that they would lose favor with God if they did not perform labor. Treva Edwards spread fear among the victims through verbal and emotional abuse and threats of reputational harm, homelessness, hunger, spiritual retribution, punishments, and more hard labor to gain their obedience and compel them to perform unpaid labor. The defendants instituted and enforced strict rules about when and whether the victims could eat or sleep, when and for how long they were to pray and work, and whether they could speak to non-members or leave the church building. The defendants isolated the victims, monitored their communications and whereabouts, and by convincing them that non-members were evil or possessed by the devil. The defendants deprived the victims of sleep, typically fed them only once a day after they completed their work.
According to the allegations in the indictment, Treva Edwards controlled and subjected one victim to repeated physical and sexual assaults, impregnated her, and instructed her to get an abortion.
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion against Treva Edwards carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The forced labor charge against Treva Edwards carries a maximum sentence of twenty years or life imprisonment if the government proves at trial that the violation included aggravated sexual abuse. The conspiracy to commit forced labor charge against both defendants carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to this indictment.
This investigation was conducted as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey’s Human Trafficking Task Force, which was formed in 2025. The Task Force brings together federal and state agencies to collaborate and dedicate resources to combat human trafficking and prosecute human trafficking offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The Human Trafficking Task Force is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trevor Chenoweth and Susan Millenky, and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
HSI is asking anyone with information about the defendants to contact the HSI Human Trafficking Hotline at (866) 347-2423 (option 2), and reference Edwards or Jesus is Lord Church, or to email [email protected]. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Treva Edwards: Michael Thomas, Esq., AFPD
Christine Edwards: F.R. “Chip” Dunne, III, Esq., Hoboken, NJ
edwards.indictment.pdfNew Jersey Woman Sentenced to Prison for Forced Labor and Other Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
A New Jersey woman was sentenced on Wednesday to 45 months in prison for forced labor and other crimes related to her coercive scheme to compel two victims to perform domestic labor and childcare in her home.
Bolaji Bolarinwa, 51, of Moorestown, previously was found guilty of two counts of forced labor, one count of alien harboring for financial gain and two counts of document servitude following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court. Judge Williams imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial, from December 2015 to October 2016, Bolarinwa — originally from Nigeria, but living in New Jersey as a U.S. citizen — recruited two victims to come to the United States and then coerced them to perform domestic labor and childcare services for her children through physical harm, threats of physical harm, isolation, constant surveillance and psychological abuse. The defendant engaged in this conduct knowing that one of the victims was out of lawful immigration status while working in her home.
Once the first victim arrived in the United States in December 2015, Bolarinwa confiscated her passport and coerced her through threats of physical harm to her and her daughter, verbal abuse, isolation and constant surveillance to compel her to work every day, around-the-clock for nearly a year. Bolarinwa then recruited a second victim to come to the United States on a student visa. When the second victim arrived in the United States in April 2016, Bolarinwa similarly confiscated her passport and coerced her to perform household work and childcare but relied more heavily on physical abuse. The two victims lived and worked in Bolarinwa’s home until October 2016, when the second victim notified a professor at her college, who reported the information to the FBI.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Bolarinwa to three years of supervised release, imposed a $35,000 fine, and ordered Bolarinwa to pay $87,518.72 in restitution to the victims of her offenses.
“The defendant exploited her relationship with the victims to lure them to the United States with false promises,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant confiscated the victims’ immigration documents and subjected them to threats, physical force, and mental abuse to coerce them to work long hours for minimal pay. This prosecution should send a strong message that such forced labor will not be tolerated in our communities. The Justice Department is committed to fully enforcing our federal human trafficking statutes to vindicate the rights of survivors and hold human traffickers accountable for such shameful exploitation of vulnerable victims.”
“Today’s sentence vindicates the rights of two vulnerable women who the defendant subjected to grueling hours and coercive abuse in her home,” said U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for District of New Jersey. “Forced labor and human trafficking are atrocious crimes that have no place in our society. My office and the entire Department of Justice is committed to standing up for vulnerable human trafficking victims and holding their traffickers accountable.”
“Human nature is generally good. There are situations though that prove some people display more cruel and inhumane behavior,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Newark Field Office. “Bolarinwa lured women with false promises, held them captive, and forced them clean her home and care for her children. Then took it a sickening step further by physically abusing them. Luckily, one of the victims had the courage to tell someone. We ask anyone who notices an odd situation, something that doesn't look or feel right, to please call us so we can help victims that may be hiding in plain sight.”
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey’s Human Trafficking Task Force, which was formed in 2025. The Task Force brings together federal and state agencies to collaborate and dedicate resources to combat human trafficking and prosecute human trafficking offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The Human Trafficking Task Force is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service, and the New Jersey Office of Attorney General.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
New Jersey Woman Sentenced to Prison for Forced Labor and Other Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Burlington County woman was sentenced to 45 months in prison for forced labor and other crimes related to her coercive scheme to compel two victims to perform domestic labor and childcare in her home, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced.
Bolaji Bolarinwa, 51, of Moorestown, previously was found guilty of two counts of forced labor, one count of alien harboring for financial gain and two counts of document servitude following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court. Judge Williams imposed the sentence in Camden federal court.
“This sentence vindicates the rights of two vulnerable women who the defendant subjected to grueling hours and coercive abuse in her home. Forced labor and human trafficking are atrocious crimes that have no place in our society. My office and the entire Department of Justice is committed to standing up for vulnerable human trafficking victims and holding their traffickers accountable.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“The defendant exploited her relationship with the victims to lure them to the United States with false promises,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant confiscated the victims’ immigration documents and subjected them to threats, physical force, and mental abuse to coerce them to work long hours for minimal pay. This prosecution should send a strong message that such forced labor will not be tolerated in our communities. The Justice Department is committed to fully enforcing our federal human trafficking statutes to vindicate the rights of survivors and hold human traffickers accountable for such shameful exploitation of vulnerable victims.”
“Human nature is generally good. There are situations though that prove some people display more cruel and inhumane behavior,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Newark Field Office. “Bolarinwa lured women with false promises, held them captive, and forced them clean her home and care for her children. Then took it a sickening step further by physically abusing them. Luckily, one of the victims had the courage to tell someone. We ask anyone who notices an odd situation, something that doesn't look or feel right, to please call us so we can help victims that may be hiding in plain sight.”
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
From December 2015 to October 2016, Bolarinwa – originally from Nigeria, but living in New Jersey as a U.S. citizen – recruited two victims to come to the United States and then coerced them to perform domestic labor and childcare services for her children through physical harm, threats of physical harm, isolation, constant surveillance and psychological abuse. The defendant engaged in this conduct knowing that one of the victims was out of lawful status while working in her home.
Once the first victim arrived in the United States in December 2015, Bolarinwa confiscated her passport and coerced her through threats of physical harm to her and her daughter, verbal abuse, isolation and constant surveillance to compel her to work every day, around-the-clock for nearly a year. Bolarinwa then recruited a second victim to come to the United States on a student visa. When the second victim arrived in the United States in April 2016, Bolarinwa similarly confiscated her passport and coerced her to perform household work and childcare but relied more heavily on physical abuse. The two victims lived and worked in Bolarinwa’s home until October 2016, when the second victim notified a professor at her college, who reported the information to the FBI.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Bolarinwa to 3 years of supervised release, imposed a $35,000 fine, and ordered Bolarinwa to pay $87,518.72 in restitution to the victims of her offenses.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to this sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey’s Human Trafficking Task Force, which was formed in 2025. The Task Force brings together federal and state agencies to collaborate and dedicate resources to combat human trafficking and prosecute human trafficking offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The Human Trafficking Task Force is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service, and the New Jersey Office of Attorney General.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
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Defense counsel: Jeffrey Zucker, Esq.
bolarinwa.indictment.pdfPassaic County Man Sentenced to 48 Months’ Imprisonment for Failure to Pay Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 48 months in prison for his role in a $3.5 million payroll tax evasion scheme, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Walter Hass, 63, of Hewitt, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin to an Information charging him with failure to collect, account for, and pay over payroll taxes. Judge Padin imposed the sentence in Newark federal court. Hass was also ordered to pay $3,527,645 in restitution.
“Walter Hass spent a decade failing to pay payroll taxes. Instead paying taxes rightfully due to our Country, he chose to keep the money for himself to fund his extravagant lifestyle. We will not tolerate such blatant disrespect for the law. We also have no tolerance for lying to the Court, lying to the Government, or the lying to the U.S. Probation Office.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“Employment taxes are crucial for funding federal programs millions of Americans depend on every day. For nearly a decade, Walter Hass chose to fuel his lavish lifestyle over paying these taxes to the IRS, turning his employees into victims along the way,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “This sentence showcases IRS-CI’s commitment to accountability and enforcing our laws.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Hass was the owner and operator a shipping/logistics company located in Oakland, New Jersey. Since 2014, he has operated the company under three different names. He failed to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over payroll taxes to the IRS on behalf of each of these companies from 2014 to 2022. In total, he failed to pay over to the IRS at least $3.5 million in payroll taxes. Instead of paying over payroll taxes to the IRS, Hass used company money to fund his personal lifestyle, including the purchase of luxury vehicles, including Aston Martins and McClarens, high-end watches and jewelry, designer clothing items and accessories, tickets to sporting events, home renovations, vacations, water sports vehicles, and extravagant meals.
Hass signed his guilty plea in October 2023. He then embarked on a years-long campaign of deceit to avoid accepting responsibility for his conduct. He lied to the Court, to the U.S. Probation Office, and the Government about a purported cancer diagnosis to delay the entry of his guilty plea and the date of his sentencing. In doing so, Hass fabricated three letters from physicians asserting that he had medical conditions—including kidney cancer—that prevented him from attending court proceedings. Hass did not have cancer and attempted to travel throughout the United States and around the world during this time. Only when law enforcement discovered his deception did he ultimately admit to his conduct.
In addition to the prison term and restitution, Judge Padin sentenced Hass to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Calle, Acting Chief of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit, and Edeli Rivera of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Guillermo Arango, Esq. and Mark Anderl, Esq.
Union County Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for $900,000 COVID-19 Relief Program FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Joseph McKeon a/k/a “Jay McKeon,” 54, of Westfield, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty on November 19, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Judge Neals imposed the sentence in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2021 through February 2022, McKeon submitted fraudulent PPP loan and forgiveness applications for $900,000 on behalf of a New Jersey company he owned. In support of those applications, McKeon lied about the number of employees the business employed and the income the employees earned. McKeon also submitted forged documents, including fake payroll information, bank statements, tax return documents. After the victim lender funded the loan, McKeon withdrew a significant amount of the loan proceeds as cash and made several large transfers between bank accounts, including one transfer for $315,503.75, that was sent to an Indiana title company.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Neals sentenced McKeon to 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $900,000 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connely; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation that led to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense Counsel: Joshua Nahum, Esq., of New Jersey
Trenton Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Possessing Ammunition in Connection with a ShootingRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County man was sentenced to 84 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition in connection with a Trenton shooting, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Rashon Lawery, 27, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court to an Indictment charging him with unlawful possession of twenty-six rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On May 23, 2022, members of the Trenton Police Department responded to a report of a shooting. Three individuals were shot, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries, and law enforcement recovered six 9-millimeter shell casings at the scene. During a foot pursuit through a Trenton park, which eventually lead to his arrest, Lawery discarded a 9-millimeter unserialized semiautomatic pistol (a ghost gun) with a high-capacity 32-round magazine, which was loaded with twenty rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition. The six recovered shell casings from the shooting scene were later confirmed by a ballistics laboratory to have been discharged from Lawery’s gun.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Castner sentenced Lawery to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, Trenton Satellite Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr., officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Steve E. Wilson, and detectives and prosecutors of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey, for their work on this case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Andrea G. Aldana, Esq., Trenton
Paterson Man Charged with Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Paterson man was charged with distribution and possession of child pornography that he shared on multiple messaging platforms, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Dwayne Smalls, 25, was charged by complaint and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Smalls posted messages on certain messaging platforms advertising images and videos of child pornography, including those involving prepubescent minors. Specifically, he represented that he could provide images and videos depicting child sexual-abuse material (“CSAM”) for a fee. Law enforcement conducted a search of his cell phone and residence and determined that between August 2023 and October 2023, Smalls distributed CSAM on multiple occasions. In addition, law enforcement found approximately eleven unique video files containing CSAM on Smalls’ cell phone.
The charge of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly for their assistance.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Tatiana Nnaji, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender
smalls.complaint.pdfMorris County Man Admits to Transmitting Death Threats Against Political CommentatorRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County man admitted to making interstate death threats against a political commentator, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Haim Braverman, 47, of Morris Plains, New Jersey, entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Court Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an Information charging him with transmitting threats in interstate commerce. Sentencing is scheduled for September 15, 2025.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On or about September 10, 2024, Braverman posted a video of himself on a social media platform in which he made various threats to a political commentator. Braverman admitted to having been angered by the commentator’s public statements about a prominent, now-deceased rabbi whom Braverman respected. In the video, Braverman threatened to use a bat he was holding against the commentator, stating: “[y]ou’ll get what’s coming to you . . . , I’ve never met someone . . . if I could f**king kill you right now, I would not even . . . , f**k it I’ll give you the steel bat. I wouldn’t even stop. I’d kill you. Dead. . . . I’m threatening a death sentence against [the commentator].” Braverman also included a written comment on his post in which he stated: “[The commentator] needs to be killed.” Braverman also transmitted an audio message to a group chat on a messaging application, referencing the commentator and stating, “[a]fter I heard what . . . [the commentator] said, I will go to prison, gladly find her and kill her . . . I will find a f**king weapon and f**king kill her. I am outraged.”
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Gannon, with the investigation leading to this plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek of the National Security Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Candace Hom, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
braverman.information.pdfHackensack Tax Preparer Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Tax Evasion and Aiding and Assisting in Preparing 177 False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey woman was sentenced today for tax evasion and for helping her clients file falsified tax returns that generated larger refunds, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Joshlyn Raye, 49, of Elmwood Park, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an Information charging her with one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false and fraudulent tax return; one count of tax evasion; and one count of filing a false declaration under penalty of perjury concerning a quarterly tax return on behalf of her tax return business.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between March 2010 and September 2023, Raye was the owner of JB Tax Services, a tax return preparation business located in Hackensack. She knowingly and willfully evaded her personal income taxes over three of those years; filed 177 false tax returns on behalf of her clients; and filed three false quarterly employment tax returns on behalf of her tax return preparation business. Raye used fabricated and inflated figures, including expenses and itemized deductions.
In addition to the 36-month prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Raye to 3 years of supervised release and ordered her to pay $1,109,214.10 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited members of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; and members of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Office of Internal Affairs, under the direction of Director Brian Hickey, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Richard J. Sapinski, Esq.
Queens Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Kilograms of Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and HeroinRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A resident of Queens Village, New York admitted to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute a significant amount methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Donovan Elliot, 61, pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In connection with an investigation into Elliot’s drug trafficking activities, law enforcement agents with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) observed Elliot conduct narcotics sales involving significant amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and fentanyl-laced heroin. Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant at Elliot’s home and recovered a considerable quantity of methamphetamine, as well as a firearm and ammunition. In total, Elliot’s offense involved over three kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly 500 grams of fentanyl-laced heroin, and over 260 grams of fentanyl.
The charge in the Information to which Elliot pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentencing is scheduled for September 16, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: David Holman, Esq.
elliot.information.pdfPassaic County Man Admits Embezzling More Than $3 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey man admitted his role in embezzling approximately $3.2 million from a New Jersey couple, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Charles Gallo, 34, of Hawthorne, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals in Newark federal court to an Information charging him with wire fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2018, Gallo began working as the part-time personal assistant for the victims. Gallo’s duties included managing the victims’ monthly bills and assisting them with banking, email, and other computer/technology-related issues. From March 2022 through March 2023, Gallo, abused this position of trust by engaging in a fraudulent scheme to misappropriate approximately $3,200,000 from the victims’ accounts. Gallo accomplished this fraud by routinely using the victims’ ATM card to withdraw large amounts of money, opening a line of credit, and cashing checks made payable to himself drawn on the victims’ bank accounts. He also used the victims’ credit cards to purchase for his personal use computer equipment, gaming systems, collectible items from online retailers, and other unauthorized transactions.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. She also thanked the Ridgewood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Forest R. Lyons, and the Hawthorne Police Department under the direction of Chief James Knepper, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Dennis S. Clearly, Esq., West Orange, New Jersey.
gallo.information.pdfNorth Bergen Woman Charged with Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A North Bergen woman was charged with distribution of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor child, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Natasha Rivas, 23, was charged by complaint and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
After an individual (the “Individual”) was arrested in January 2025 for possession of child pornography, law enforcement discovered that the Individual exchanged messages with Rivas wherein Rivas distributed images containing child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”) to the Individual and discussed sexually assaulting children for Rivas’s and the Individual’s mutual sexual gratification. The images Rivas distributed involved a prepubescent minor child whom she was with at a hotel in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey in July 2024.
The charge in the complaint carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment and a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment as well as a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly for their assistance.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Timothy Donahue, Esq.
rivas.complaint.pdfUnion County Teacher Charged with Possession of Child Pornography and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey man was charged with possessing images of child sexual abuse and for enticing a minor to engage in sexual acts and produce child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today.
Jack Wilder, 26, of Somerville, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with one count of possession of child pornography and two counts of enticement of a minor. He made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In or around February 2024, Wilder, a history teacher at a school in Plainfield, New Jersey, communicated with a minor victim using a mobile payment application through which Wilder advised he would pay the minor victim to engage in sexual activity. The minor victim also sent Wilder sexually explicit pictures. Thereafter, on or about July 23, 2024, Wilder returned from an international trip aboard a flight that landed in New York. Law enforcement subsequently lawfully searched Wilder’s cell phone and found a video depicting child sexual abuse material and sexually explicit conversations between Wilder and other individuals who identified themselves as minors.
“These charges are the most recent example of this office’s dedication to protecting children in our community. We are tirelessly committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who victimize and prey on the vulnerable are brought to justice.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“Our children are the most innocent members of society and they should never be victimized by anyone, particularly by those in positions of trust such as teachers,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “In partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, every child has our unwavering commitment to bring to justice those that would heinously abuse them for their own profit and perverse self-gratification. No child should have to face a lifetime of trauma caused by a predator. We will continue to make combatting child sexual exploitation a priority, and will always strive to put an end to these disturbing acts from happening around the world.”
The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charges of enticement of a minor each carry a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited the work of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation leading to the charges.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Candace Hom, Esq.
wilder.complaint.pdfTwo Owners of Roofing Companies Indicted for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two roofing company owners were indicted for their failure to file tax returns and pay tax on income, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
The Indictment charges Steve Mitchell, also known as “Sonny Mitchell,” of Edison, New Jersey, and Samuel Mitchell of Bohemia, New York with four counts each of tax evasion.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Steve Mitchell, Samuel Mitchell, and others operated roofing businesses under several different names. Despite earning approximately $881,730.26 and $1,397,960.21, respectively, in income from roofing customers from 2018 through 2021, Steve Mitchell and Samuel Mitchell failed to file tax returns with the IRS and pay tax on their income. Instead, Steve Mitchell and Samuel Mitchell took affirmative steps to conceal their income from the IRS, including by providing false social security numbers to check cashing businesses that they used to convert customers’ checks to cash, which prevented the check cashing businesses from reporting the cashed checks to the IRS as required by law.
In addition to the income from the roofing customers, Steve Mitchell also received income from an elderly individual for what the elderly individual thought was an investment in a COVID mask-making business. In 2020 and 2021, Steve Mitchell converted over $4.2 million in checks from the elderly individual into cash.
The tax evasion counts each carry a maximum potentially penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U. S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Steve Mitchell: Michael A. Baldassare, Esq.
Samuel Mitchell: Robert Scrivo, Esq.
Passaic County Man Admits to Using an Explosive to Damage a Chase Bank ATMRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County man admitted to using an explosive to damage a Chase Bank Automated Teller Machine (“ATM”) in Prospect Park, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Nicolas Torres, 42, of Passaic, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Julien X. Neals in Newark federal court to a one-count information charging him with using an explosive to damage real property used in interstate commerce.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In the early morning hours of July 5, 2022, Torres was captured on surveillance video approaching the Chase Bank ATM in Prospect Park, New Jersey and igniting an item in front of the ATM. Several seconds later, an explosion was seen at the ATM. Torres was seen fleeing the location with two individuals.
In addition to the surveillance video, cellular phone location data placed Torres in the area of the Chase Bank at the time of the explosion. The investigation also revealed that Torres had traveled to Pennsylvania the day before and purchased approximately $1,000 worth of fireworks.
The use of an explosive to damage real property used in interstate commerce charge carries a statutory minimum of 5 years in prison, a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and the Prospect Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Rausch, with the investigation leading to today’s plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vera Varshavsky of the U.S. Attorney’s National Security Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Adalgiza A. Núñez, Office of the Public Defender
torres.information.pdfElizabeth Man Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment for Spree of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Elizabeth, New Jersey man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for committing a series of three armed robberies, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Dayshawn Brimfield, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi to a five-count Information, charging him with one count of bank robbery, two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle. Judge Quraishi imposed sentence in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On April 2, 2021, Brimfield robbed a bank in Hazlet, New Jersey. Brimfield entered the bank and handed a teller a note, which stated, among other things “This is a Robbery I have a Gun I will Kill Someone if you do not follow these instructions.” On April 17, 2021, Brimfield stole a motor vehicle in Elizabeth, New Jersey, which he used as the getaway car in his later robberies. On April 20, 2021, Brimfield robbed a convenience store in Aberdeen, New Jersey. Brimfield entered the store and displayed the handgun that he was carrying to the cashier before taking money from the store’s register and fleeing the scene. On April 20, 2021, Brimfield robbed another convenience store in South Plainfield, New Jersey. Brimfield entered the store and pointed a handgun at the cashier. Brimfield took the cashier’s wallet and cellular phone before emptying the store’s registers and fleeing the scene. Brimfield fled New Jersey in the stolen vehicle, but was ultimately apprehended by law enforcement in Lancaster County, Nebraska. Brimfield led officers on a brief, high-speed chase before crashing into a fence on the side of the highway.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Brimfield to 5 years of supervised release and ordered restitution to the victims of Brimfield’s offenses.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Red Bank Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly; detectives of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago; as well as officers of the Hazlet Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Mulligan; the South Plainfield Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter J. Papa; and the Nebraska State Patrol with the investigations leading to this sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense Counsel: Teri S. Lodge, Esq.
Paterson Man with Multiple Felony Convictions Admits to Illegally Possessing Firearms, Ammunition, Fentanyl, and CocaineRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Paterson, New Jersey man admitted to illegally possessing two firearms and ammunition, possessing fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute, and distributing cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.
Lamont Baker, 33, of Paterson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court to four counts of a Superseding Indictment charging him with one count of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possession of fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute, and two counts of distribution of cocaine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On September 14, 2022 and September 20, 2022, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of cocaine from Baker. On those dates, Baker traveled from his residence to a predetermined location to sell cocaine.
On September 29, 2022, law enforcement searched Baker’s residence and car, and recovered two firearms (including one with a defaced serial number), ammunition (including hollow point rounds), fentanyl, and cocaine, along with several hundred dollars in U.S. currency and materials used to package, store, and transport drugs for distribution. In 2008, Baker was convicted for his participation in a robbery and in 2021, he was convicted of aggravated assault with a firearm.
The count of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each count of possession of fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute, and distribution of cocaine, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for September 17, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr. for the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division.
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Defense counsel: Christopher Adams, Newark, N.J.
baker.indictment.pdfOcean County Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey man was sentenced to 180 months in prison for receiving and distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Christopher Budelman, 37, Brick, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi to an information charging him with two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. Judge Quraishi imposed the sentence in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In or around June 2022, while communicating via an online video chat site, Budelman enticed two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct while he sexually pleasured himself. Budelman recorded and saved those video chats on his computer. Additionally, from in or around September 2021 to in or around June 2022, Budelman used two Kik Messenger accounts to send images and videos containing child pornography, including images and videos depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, to others.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Budelman to 10 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Atlantic City, New Jersey, under the direction of Special-Agent-in-Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer; New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and Brick Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Forrester, with the investigation leading to this sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Super Pitts of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Defense counsel: John Bruno, Jr., Esq.
Louisiana Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Traveling to New Jersey to Engage in Sexual Activity with MinorRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Louisiana man was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for traveling to New Jersey for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Spencer W. Caudle, 36, of Prairieville, Louisiana, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In or around April 2023, Caudle began interacting on online social media applications with the then-14-year-old victim. Caudle’s communications with the victim were sexual in nature despite the victim informing Caudle of the victim’s minor status. Caudle even expressed nervousness about being on the show “To Catch a Predator,” but continued informing the victim of his desire to have sex with the victim. On May 26, 2023, Caudle drove from Louisiana to meet and have sex with the victim in Toms River, New Jersey the following day. On May 27, 2023, Caudle, in fact, committed sexual acts on the victim. Later that night, Caudle left New Jersey to drive back to Louisiana.
Local law enforcement became aware of Caudle’s prohibited sexual activity with the victim and began an investigation. In June 2023, an undercover law enforcement officer assumed the victim’s online and cellular presence and communicated with Caudle. During these conversations, Caudle confirmed his prior sexual acts with the victim and expressed a desire for further sexual activity. While communicating with the undercover officer, Caudle made plans to return to New Jersey to commit additional sexual acts on the victim. On June 16, 2023, Caudle flew from Louisiana to New Jersey, and law enforcement arrested him upon his arrival at the Newark Liberty International Airport.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer; and the Toms River Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Peter Sundack, with the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard G. Shephard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Hunterdon County Man Charged with Possession of Videos and Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Hunterdon County man was charged with possessing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
David Tuytjens, 69, of Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, was charged in a one-count complaint with possession of child pornography. He had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In December 2024, officers from the New Jersey State Parole Board visited Tuytjens’ residence and discovered various electronic devices, including a 64 gigabyte MicroSD storage card inside of a laptop. Officers conducted their visit because Tuytjens is prohibited from possessing, among other things, Internet-capable devices as an individual under Community Supervision for Life due to a prior State conviction. An examination of the storage card contents revealed at least 800 images and 30 video files containing child sexual abuse materials (“CSAM”). An ongoing review of the CSAM has revealed images depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, images portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct, and sexual abuse or exploitation of an infant or toddler as further outlined in the complaint.
Due to Tuytjens’ prior convictions for aggravated sexual assault and possession of child pornography, the charge of possession of child pornography carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. The charge also carries with it a maximum $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in the Newark Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the New Jersey State Parole Board, under the direction of Chairman Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr., and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson, with the investigation leading to the charge.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Benjamin West, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender
tuytjens.complaint.pdfFormer Salem County Resident Admits Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A former resident of Salem County admitted to filing false tax returns and causing a tax loss of approximately $590,000, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Michael DiPaolo, Jr., 47, of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to an information charging him with one count of filing a false income tax return.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2018 through 2022, DiPaolo was the manager of a restaurant in Salem County, New Jersey, and received income from the restaurant. DiPaolo received and failed to report more than $1,700,000 in income from 2018 through 2022. By failing to report the income, DiPaolo avoided approximately $590,000 in federal income taxes.
The count of filing a false tax return is punishable by a maximum of 3 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gain, whichever is greatest.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 3, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to this guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division.
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Defense counsel:
Michael S. Adelman, Esq., Cherry Hill, New Jersey
dipaolo.information.pdfCumberland County Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center Agrees to Pay $19.75 Million to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Camden, N.J. – Summit BHC New Jersey, LLC, d/b/a Seabrook, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in Bridgeton, New Jersey, has agreed to pay $19.75 million to resolve allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today. As alleged, Seabrook submitted claims to the Community Care Program of Veterans Health Administration (“VHA”) and New Jersey’s Medicaid program for short-term residential treatment and partial hospitalization care for which it was not properly licensed or contracted and misled State inspectors.
The settlement resolves allegations relating to the care provided and billed by Seabrook, principally to the VHA Community Care Program. The United States alleged that, during the period from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024, Seabrook provided services for which it had no license; sought to conceal those improperly performed services from state inspectors; failed to employ a sufficient number of properly-credentialed caregivers; failed to employ a sufficient number of caregivers credentialed in treating patients with both mental health and addiction issues; provided the same care to veterans it provided to other patients, while claiming to be providing specialized care; and kept false, inconsistent, and inadequate records of the care provided to veterans and other patients.
“Today’s resolution demonstrates once again this Office’s commitment to ensure that America’s veterans receive the care they deserve and for which the government has paid. Veterans and Medicaid recipients must receive care from fully qualified, licensed providers in facilities that meet state law in all respects. We stand ready to enforce these standards and protect the Americans who need this care.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“This civil settlement reinforces the VA OIG’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of VA’s healthcare programs and preserving taxpayer funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “Providers who participate in the VA Community Care Program must be licensed and follow state and federal law when billing the VA. The VA OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate providers who fail to meet these standards in providing healthcare to our nation’s veterans.”
“Our federal health care systems serve vulnerable populations, and by not providing the level of care they deserve that purpose is undermined,” stated Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to vigorously pursue those who exploit government health programs.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by a former Seabrook employee. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. In this matter, the relator is receiving at least approximately $3,555,137.28 as her share of the recovery in this case.
Seabrook cooperated in the investigation and resolution of this matter, including by independently investigating the matter, implementing remedial measures, and disciplining responsible individuals.
The resolution was the result of efforts by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Offices of Inspectors General for the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Health and Human Services.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul W. Kaufman of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
The case is captioned United States ex rel. Coulter and the State of New Jersey v. Seabrook House, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 23-cv-00451 (D.N.J.).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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Counsel for Seabrook: Richard Westling, Epstein Becker Green, P.C. and Matthew Curley, Bass, Berry, & Sims, PLC
Counsel for Relator Jennifer Coulter: Ross Begelman and Marc Orlow, Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins, P.C.
seabrook.agreement.pdfUnited States Attorney Habba Launches the District of New Jersey’s Fentanyl Precursor Interception Strike ForceRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba announced today the creation and launch of the District of New Jersey’s Fentanyl Precursor Interception (FPI) Strike Force. Capitalizing on the Office’s preeminence in opioid enforcement, the Strike Force will focus on investigating, prosecuting, and dismantling overseas chemical manufacturers, including those in China, that support Mexican Cartels by flooding our nation’s borders with the precursors used to manufacture deadly fentanyl.
“I am establishing this Strike Force to cut off the supply of chemical precursors that drug cartels rely on to manufacture deadly fentanyl. The District of New Jersey will harness its significant experience in pursing those who contribute to the opioid crisis, to break apart every link in the fentanyl supply chain. The mission of the Strike Force is to stop this deadly poison from entering our borders, and to bring to justice the overseas chemical manufacturers that fuel the cartels.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“As we know, fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing the United States, which claimed the lives of over 106,000 Americans in 2023,” stated Special Agent in charge Cheryl Ortiz of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Field Division. “We welcome United States Attorney Habba’s creation of the District of New Jersey’s Fentanyl Precursor Interception (FPI) Strike Force and look forward to working with her and our law enforcement partners in battling this opioid epidemic. Any chance at stopping the flow of these precursor chemicals from reaching our communities, helps save lives.”
The manufacture of fentanyl begins with raw chemicals, known as precursors. Many fentanyl precursors are manufactured and distributed by China-based chemical companies. These manufacturers ship fentanyl precursors around the world, including to the United States. The precursors are then trafficked to Mexico, where drug cartels combine the chemicals and then distribute fentanyl to individual users, smuggling it across our border and throughout the United States.
The flow of fentanyl into the United States has created a public health crisis, caused devastation to American families, and brought violence to our communities. This Office, alongside the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, New Jersey, will work tirelessly to stem the tide of fentanyl that cartels send into our country and to keep our communities safe.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Task Force to Preserve and Protect the Integrity of ElectionsRead the Press Release
Newark, N.J. - U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba today announced the creation of a federal task force to preserve and protect the integrity of elections conducted in the District of New Jersey.
The task force, which has been named the Election Integrity Task Force, will consist of a team of federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who will work in conjunction with law enforcement officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other federal agencies to implement the directives set forth in the President’s March 25, 2025 Executive Order concerning elections. The Election Integrity Task Force’s objectives will include:
- Facilitating information sharing between federal, State, and local officials to enhance the ability of election officials to efficiently and effectively remove individuals who are not eligible to vote from State voter lists.
- Prioritizing the investigation and prosecution of election crimes, including but not limited to, federal statutes that prohibit voter registration fraud, casting of fraudulent ballots, voting by non-citizens, individuals voting multiple times in same election, and foreign interference caused by foreign nationals contributing or donating funds to United States elections.
- Taking appropriate steps to ensure compliance with the voter list maintenance requirements of the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act.
U.S. Attorney Habba emphasized that we and our federal partners are committed to ensuring the integrity of elections here in the District of New Jersey and making sure that the administration of all elections is in compliance with federal law. The Election Integrity Task Force will take all appropriate steps to achieve that integrity and will vigorously pursue anyone who violates or attempts to violate federal laws designed to safeguard elections.
Complaints about elections related crimes and the integrity of elections can be made to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Hotline at (888) 636-6596, or by submitting an online complaint at https://tips.fbi.gov/home.
Two California Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Conspiring to Launder the Proceeds of a Fraud from a Resident of New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two California men were sentenced to prison terms for conspiring to launder money that originated from internet-related fraud that targeted a law firm based in New Jersey and from fraudulently obtained loans from the U.S. Small Business Association, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Eric Bullard, 62, of Los Angeles, California was sentenced to 37 months in prison, and Anthony Hannah, 61, of Moreno Valley, California, was sentenced to 33 months in prison. Bullard and Hannah each previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to informations charging them with conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In June 2020, Victim-1 communicated via email with a law firm in New Jersey that was advising Victim-1, a resident of Bergen County, New Jersey, on a real estate transaction. A business email compromise is a method of wire fraud often targeting businesses or individuals working on business transactions involving high-dollar wire transactions. The fraud is carried out by compromising and/or “spoofing” legitimate email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques to cause employees of a target company, or other individuals involved in legitimate business transactions, to conduct unauthorized transfers of funds, most often to accounts controlled by the fraud perpetrators.
A co-conspirator conducted a business email compromise and sent an email to Victim-1 purporting to be on behalf of the law firm with fraudulent instructions to wire approximately $560,000 to a bank account controlled by Bullard. Relying on the fraudulent instructions, Victim-1 wired approximately $560,000 into a bank account controlled by Bullard. After receiving the funds, Bullard made several cash withdrawals and transferred money to other co-conspirators, including approximately $230,000 of the fraudulently obtained proceeds to an account controlled by Hannah.
In addition to laundering proceeds from the business email compromise, Bullard and Hannah also obtained and laundered funds from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program based on fraudulent loan applications. EIDL loans were intended to be for small businesses that were experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2020, Bullard received into a business bank account that he controlled approximately $143,100 from an SBA EDIL loan intended for a pharmacy company with a listed location in Colorado. Hannah also received approximately $145,400 from the SBA for a loan intended for a pharmacy company with a listed location in Idaho. Hannah then transferred approximately $51,395 to a bank account controlled by Bullard.
In addition to the prison terms, Judge Arleo sentenced Bullard and Hannah each to three years of supervised release and to pay $705,400 in restitution to the victims. Judge Arleo ordered forfeiture of $611,395 for Bullard and $375,400 for Hannah, constituting proceeds derived from the conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI Woodland Park Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense counsel:
Bullard: Brandon Minde, Esq., Cranford, New Jersey
Hannah: Areeb Salim, Esq. Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark