District Not Recorded
The source did not name an office we could identify. These records remain unassigned rather than guessed.
Statement on Revocation of Biden-Harris Executive Order on CompetitionRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division salutes the President’s decision to revoke Executive Order 14036. The Division will use this opportunity to continue its work to recalibrate and modernize the Federal approach to competition policy to suit the needs of our dynamic and innovative economy.
“America First Antitrust focuses on empowering the American people in the free markets, not enabling regulators and bureaucrats to prescribe outcomes,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We are unleashing the new American Golden Age through antitrust enforcement that removes barriers to innovation and opportunity and limits regulatory burdens on free competition.”
Instead of an overly prescriptive and burdensome approach, the Division commends the Administration for promoting competition via tailored executive orders that call for lowering drug prices and opening regulatory barriers to competition. Beyond implementing these Executive Orders, the Antitrust Division has made steady progress in freeing up deal flow by appropriately streamlining the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (HSR) review process. In particular, the Division has reinstated the practice of granting early termination in uncontroversial HSR reviews as well as reinstating a willingness to settle merger reviews with targeted and well-crafted consent decrees. Both practices were eschewed during the Biden administration. Moving forward, the Division will continue adapting towards focused law enforcement that matches the complexity and pace of the modern economy.
Guy A. Van Baalen Appointed as Acting U.S. Trustee for Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin IslandsRead the Press Release
Guy A. Van Baalen has been appointed by Attorney General Pamela Bondi as the Acting U.S. Trustee for Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (Region 21). Van Baalen replaces Mary Ida Townson, who is resigning August 16 after four years of distinguished service to the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP).
Van Baalen joined the USTP in 1989 as an attorney in the field office in Buffalo, New York, and has held several leadership roles. Since 2019, he has served as the Assistant U.S. Trustee in charge of the office in Tampa, Florida, and he will remain in that position while overseeing Region 21. For the previous 23 years, he was the Assistant U.S. Trustee in charge of the office in Utica, New York, and he has held the same position in an acting capacity in other USTP offices in Florida and New York. In addition to his other duties, Van Baalen serves on a working group supporting the USTP’s oversight and supervision of small business reorganizations filed under subchapter V of chapter 11.
Van Baalen received a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Albany and a law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
The Executive Office for U.S. Trustees made the announcement.
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 88 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust.
Federal Court Grants Justice Department’s Motion to Terminate 47-Year-Old Consent Decree Governing Employment by City of Norfolk’s Police and Fire DepartmentsRead the Press Release
This week, the Justice Department announced that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia granted its motion to terminate a 1978 consent decree governing police and firefighter employment in Norfolk, Virginia.
The consent decree settled the Department’s lawsuit, filed the same year, that alleged the City’s Police and Fire Departments unlawfully discriminated against blacks and females in its employment practices, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The City did not oppose the Justice Department’s motion.
“Local communities must be able to choose firefighters and police officers based on skill and dedication to public safety – not to meet DEI quotas imposed by federal courts and the federal government,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Thanks to this Department of Justice, the City of Norfolk’s first responder hiring will finally be free from federal micromanagement for the first time in almost 50 years.”
“Nearly half a century after it was entered, the Decree is no longer necessary or legally justifiable as a temporary measure to remedy employment discrimination that may have occurred long ago,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The City fully complied with the decree in its hiring, recruitment, and other employment matters, and the federal government should release supervision and return control to local authorities.”
The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/.
Wisconsin Sex Offender Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Violating International Travel Notification RequirementsRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that Kyle James Derus, age 39, of Wisconsin, was sentenced on August 11, 2025 to 37 months imprisonment in the U.S. District Court of Guam for failing to notify the Sex Offender Registry of his intent to travel internationally and traveling in foreign commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250(b). The Court also ordered three years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory assessment fee. Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), Derus is required to register as a sex offender in every jurisdiction where he resides, works, and attends school, including after his release from custody.
Derus was convicted of Third-Degree Sexual Assault in Wisconsin on March 20, 2017. As part of his sentence, he was required to register as a sex offender with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and comply with strict travel notification requirements. Specifically, he was mandated to notify the Registry at least 21 days prior to any international travel. However, Derus failed to meet this requirement when he traveled abroad in early 2025.
On February 17, 2025, Derus arrived in Guam and subsequently traveled to Palau. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) became aware of his travel and his planned flight to the Philippines. Philippine authorities were notified of his intended travel in advance and denied his entry into the country.
Upon returning from the Philippines on March 1, 2025, Derus was interviewed by the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency. During the interview, he stated that he had previously visited Guam, traveled to Palau for a fishing trip, and went to the Philippines to meet his Filipina girlfriend.
Further investigation confirmed that Derus never notified the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry about his international travel, as required. On March 4, 2025, the U.S. Department of State revoked Derus's passport after it was discovered that he had failed to disclose his status as a convicted sex offender when applying for his passport. This failure violated International Megan’s Law, which mandates convicted sex offenders to self-identify as such when applying for passports. Derus’s passport therefore lacked an identifier for individuals convicted of sex offenses, as required by 22 U.S.C. § 212b.
On March 18, 2025, U.S. Marshals arrested Derus at A.B. Won Pat International Airport in Guam while he was attempting to board a flight to Honolulu. During the arrest, his passport was seized. Further examination revealed that the passport contained stamps documenting his travel to Palau, including entry on February 21, 2025, and departure on February 25, 2025. However, there were no stamps indicating his entry into the Philippines, confirming that he had been denied entry to the country.
“Guam is not a safe haven for sex offenders seeking to evade SORNA enforcement,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Derus's failure to comply with SORNA’s travel notification requirements and his attempt to conceal his status as a convicted sex offender led to his arrest and conviction, and the revocation of his passport. This case underscores the importance of laws that monitor the location and travel of convicted sex offenders.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is steadfast in its commitment to leading the nationwide initiative to combat child exploitation and abuse," said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “We will stop at nothing to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities and pursue justice against those who commit these heinous crimes."
Investigation was conducted by the United States Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Protection, and Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency.
This case was prosecuted by Devarup Rastogi, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
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.
Justice Department Settles Lawsuits Challenging Race-Based Admissions at West Point and Air Force AcademyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the settlement of litigation challenging former race-based admissions practices at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Air Force Academy. The settlement results in dismissal of two lawsuits brought by plaintiff Students for Fair Admissions Inc. The lawsuits challenged race-based admissions at the two military academies as unconstitutional under the Fifth Amendment.
“This Department is committed to eliminating DEI practices throughout the federal government,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are proud to partner with the Department of Defense to permanently end race-based admissions at West Point and the Air Force Academy — admission to these prestigious military institutions should be based exclusively on merit.”
“America is the land of equal opportunity, in spirit and in law,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “Today’s agreement ensures that our future military leaders will carry on the greatness that is born of opportunity, effort, and a level playing field.”
The Department’s agreement with Students for Fair Admissions avoids the need for continued litigation in these two cases. It includes agreed-upon terms that help ensure that admission to these prestigious institutions is based exclusively on merit, not race or ethnicity. Earlier this year, the Department resolved similar litigation in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit regarding the U.S. Naval Academy’s former race-based admissions practices.
Combatting unlawful discrimination is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. Additional information about the Civil Division is available at www.justice.gov/civil.
Justice Department Finds George Washington University Deliberately Indifferent to Antisemitic DiscriminationRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice finds George Washington University (GWU) in violation of federal civil rights law by acting deliberately indifferent to the hostile educational environment for Jewish, American-Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty.
The Civil Rights Division’s investigation was conducted pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination, harassment, and abuse based on race or national origin, by recipients of federal financial assistance. The Division finds that GWU took no meaningful action and was instead deliberately indifferent to the complaints it received, the misconduct that occurred, and the harms that were suffered by its Jewish and Israeli students and faculty. The Justice Department will seek immediate remediation with GWU for its civil rights violations.
“Every student has the right to equal educational opportunities without fear of harassment or abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one is above the law, and universities that promulgate antisemitic discrimination will face legal consequences.”
You may view the Notice of Findings here.
United States Department of Justice Transfers 14 Mexican Nationals with Drug Convictions to Mexico Pursuant to the U.S.-Mexico International Prisoner Transfer TreatyRead the Press Release
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, with the assistance of the Department’s Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), transferred 14 Mexican nationals serving prison sentences for drug distribution-related convictions in the United States to their home country on Friday. The transfer was made pursuant to the United States’ prisoner transfer treaty with the Government of Mexico.
“Friday’s transfer of 14 federal inmates to correctional authorities in Mexico has saved the United States over $4 million by eliminating the need to pay incarceration costs for the 96 years remaining on their combined sentences,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Justice Department will continue such transfers – pursuant to our treaty with Mexico – to reduce incarceration costs and relieve overcrowding in our federal prisons.”
All 14 inmates transferred Friday were serving sentences relating to the distribution of controlled substances. The inmates will complete the remainder of their sentences in Mexico pursuant to the treaty. The inmates requested to be transferred to their home country, and the governments of both the United States and Mexico approved these transfers.
The transfer was part of the United States’ congressionally enacted International Prisoner Transfer Program. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs’s International Prisoner Transfer Unit (IPTU) administers the program and coordinates all treaty-based international prisoner transfers.
Under the program, approved foreign national inmates in federal and state prisons are transferred, under certain circumstances, to complete their prison sentences in their native countries’ prisons. The United States has entered into 10 additional bilateral transfer agreements and two multilateral transfer conventions. These international agreements give the United States transfer treaty relationships with more than 85 countries.
To learn more about the International Prisoner Transfer Program, visit: www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-oia/iptu
United Nuclear Corporation and General Electric to Perform $63M Cleanup of Uranium Mine Waste at Northeast Church Rock Mine and UNC Mill Sites in New Mexico and Navajo NationRead the Press Release
The United Nuclear Corporation (UNC) and General Electric Company (GE) have agreed to a consent decree with the United States, Navajo Nation, and the State of New Mexico under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, also known as the Superfund law.
This agreement requires UNC and GE to excavate and remove approximately one million cubic yards of uranium mine waste from the Northeast Church Rock Superfund Site, located on the Navajo Nation, and transfer it to the UNC Mill Site, a federally licensed uranium mill and tailings disposal facility located adjacent to Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico. The Navajo Nation and the State of New Mexico are also parties to the agreement as co-plaintiffs with the United States. The cleanup is expected to cost nearly $63 million and take more than a decade to complete.
“Today’s settlement will achieve tangible remediation of the Mine and Mill Sites and protect human health from radioactive wastes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Consistent with this administration’s enforcement principles and priorities, the settlement follows CERCLA’s text, focuses on the affected locations, and assigns the cost of cleanup to the settling defendants, not taxpayers.”
“This agreement ensures that the companies responsible for the contamination will bear the cost of cleanup, not the community,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “It is a decisive measure reflecting years of inaction, and while nothing erases the damage done, this cleanup is necessary to protect public health and right a persistent wrong.”
“This extraordinary cleanup agreement will improve the lives of the Navajo people, benefiting their children, grandchildren, and future generations,” said Regional Administrator Josh F.W. Cook of EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. “The consent decree will ensure the removal of contaminated mine waste from their community and make their land suitable for future residential use.”
“This agreement represents extensive cooperation between EPA, the Navajo Nation, and the state of New Mexico. Each partner plays a critical role in working toward a safer environment for communities of Western New Mexico,” said Regional Administrator Scott Mason of EPA’s South Central. “With this historic settlement, we are ensuring cleanup progress will continue at the NECR mine site while improving existing protections at the UNC mill site.”
“This settlement sends a message that federal, sovereign, and state governments can come together to improve the lives of both New Mexican and Navajo Nation residents,” said Secretary for the New Mexico Environment Department James Kenney. “It’s the result of our regulatory partners' unwavering commitment to addressing the longstanding risks faced by communities impacted by uranium mining waste.”
The Northeast Church Rock Mine operated from 1967 to 1982 and served as the principal source of uranium ore for the UNC Mill. These mining operations left behind uranium mine waste piles, several former ponds and former mill tailings storage areas. Although EPA has required several shorter-term cleanup actions to be completed at the NECR Mine site, conditions at the site continue to present a risk of releases of hazardous substances to the air, surrounding soils, sediments, surface water and groundwater.
The UNC Mill site is a former uranium mill which operated from 1977 to 1982, generating mill tailings containing radionuclides and other hazardous substances. Disposal of about 3.5 million tons of tailings took place in on-site impoundments. Studies performed under EPA oversight have demonstrated that the transfer of Northeast Church Rock mine waste to the UNC Mill site, and placement of the waste over the tailings disposal area, would improve the cover and enhance erosion controls at the Mill site.
The agreement is the culmination of two decades of coordination between EPA’s Pacific Southwest and South Central Regional offices, the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of the Interior, state and Tribal stakeholders, and UNC and GE. EPA continues to work closely with federal partner agencies, Navajo Nation, and adjacent states to address impacts from uranium contamination at 523 abandoned uranium mines on or near Navajo land. This EPA work includes the assessment and cleanup of abandoned uranium mines, consultation with Navajo elected officials, and gathering input from affected communities throughout the cleanup process.
EPA investigated the case.
ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section is handling the case.
The proposed consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. The settlement is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing on the Justice Department’s website at: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Two Mexican Nationals Charged for Bribing State-Owned Energy OfficialsRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in the Southern District of Texas charging two Mexican businessmen for their roles in an alleged bribery scheme to retain and obtain business related to Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the state-owned oil company of Mexico, and PEMEX Exploración y Producción (PEP), PEMEX’s wholly owned exploration and production subsidiary.
“The defendants — foreign nationals residing in the U.S. — are alleged to have bribed Mexican officials in order to rig the bidding process to secure millions of dollars of lucrative contracts and other advantages,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This indictment should send a clear message that the Criminal Division will not tolerate those who enrich corrupt officials for personal gain and to the detriment of the fair market.”
“Bribery harms fair competition, erodes public trust, and will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigation Division. “Today’s indictment underscores the commitment of the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, to fairness for communities in Texas and beyond.”
According to court documents, Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez, 46, of The Woodlands, Texas, a Mexican citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, and Mario Alberto Avila Lizarraga, 61, of Spring, Texas, a Mexican citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, together with others, allegedly conspired to pay and offered to pay at least $150,000 in bribes to officials at PEMEX and PEP in order to obtain and retain business from PEMEX and PEP for companies associated with Rovirosa.
Between at least 2019 and continuing into at least 2021, Rovirosa, Avila, and their co-conspirators allegedly offered to pay and paid bribes in the form of luxury goods, including from Louis Vuitton and Hublot, cash payments, and other valuable items, to at least three PEMEX and PEP officials in exchange for those officials taking certain actions to help companies associated with Rovirosa obtain and retain business with PEMEX and PEP. Those improper advantages helped companies associated with Rovirosa obtain contracts with PEMEX and PEP worth at least $2.5 million.
Rovirosa and Avila are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and three substantive violations of the FCPA. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Following his arrest, Rovirosa was arraigned today. Avila is a fugitive and remains at large.
The FBI and HSI are investigating the case, with assistance from the Office of the Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in this case.
Trial Attorneys Lindsey D. Carson, Abdus Samad Pardesi, and Paul G. Ream of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA and FEPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Texas Tax Return Preparation Business for Claiming Fabricated Credits and ExpensesRead the Press Release
Note: view complaint here.
The Justice Department filed a complaint today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to permanently bar Maxumus Tax LLC and its owner and tax return preparer James Carroll III from preparing tax returns for others. Maxumus Tax allegedly operates a tax return preparation store located in Fort Worth, Texas, and serves customers online.
According to the complaint, Maxumus Tax prepared customers’ tax returns that inflated by more than $5 million claims for tax credits enacted to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Further, Maxumus Tax allegedly fabricated business losses on tax returns, including by concocting entirely non-existent businesses, to fraudulently reduce reported taxable income. Between 2021 and 2024, Maxumus and Carroll prepared more than 7,000 income tax returns, according to the complaint.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams, and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found here. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Founder of Lender Service Provider Pleads Guilty for Role in PPP Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A founder of the lender service provider Blueacorn pleaded guilty today in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
“During a national emergency, this defendant exploited a taxpayer-funded program that individuals and small businesses desperately needed to survive,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This conviction demonstrates the Department’s ongoing commitment to bring to justice those who would steal from the public fisc to enrich themselves.”
“This defendant had the opportunity to help small businesses overcome tremendous financial hardships during a time of national crisis but instead exploited the system to line his own pockets with taxpayer money,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. “We will continue to pursue convictions against those fraudsters who preyed upon the generosity of the American people as we struggled through the pandemic.”
“The FBI takes our responsibility to investigate and pursue those who commit fraud for personal gain very seriously,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Reis and others exploited a program meant to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly to prevent these programs from becoming targets and fight fraud wherever we find it.”
According to court documents, Nathan Reis, 47, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications, including by fabricating documents that falsified income and payroll figures in order to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible.
Reis co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to help small businesses and individuals obtain PPP loans. Through Blueacorn, Reis and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications they knew contained materially false information to make more money. Reis and others fabricated documents, including tax documents and bank statements. As part of the conspiracy, Reis and his co-conspirators charged borrower’s fees based on a percentage of the funds received.
Reis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, IRS-CI, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, and SBA OIG investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www. justice. gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/cares-act-fraud
MLARS’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www. justice. gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
PRC National Sentenced to 55 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Saipan, MP – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that YANG Liang, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was sentenced on August 8, 2025 by Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona in the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands to 55 months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Possess Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1). Yang was also ordered to report to immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon release from prison.
In September 2023, Yang facilitated the shipment of methamphetamine concealed inside lava lamps, which were sent by mail from California to Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The suspicious packages were intercepted by the CNMI Customs Service. In collaboration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, authorities executed a controlled delivery operation that led to the arrest and conviction of Yang and co-conspirator Ye Fang, also known as "Batu," a PRC national who was unlawfully present in the United States. The operation resulted in the seizure of approximately eight pounds of liquid methamphetamine.
“Methamphetamine is a poison in our communities,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Although commonly trafficked in solid or powder form, liquid methamphetamine presents a unique danger to aviation workers during cargo handling operations. The quantity of drugs seized during this investigation magnifies that concern. Regardless of the form, our federal and local law enforcement partners are skilled in detecting this contraband in our mail system. Our office will continue to aggressively prosecute drug traffickers and their sources of supply.”
“As demonstrated by this case, drug criminals will go to extreme lengths to cash out on their product. Be it using lava lamps or other packaging to conceal methamphetamine, drug syndicates are relentless, resourceful, and boldly inventive. But our skilled DEA investigators and law enforcement partners are just as unswerving in their determination to intercept drug traffickers and seize dangerous drugs, before they reach our communities,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Saipan. “We will continue to work with vehemence to ensure that those who contribute to this country’s drug crisis are held accountable.”
“Liang Yang's sentencing demonstrates HSI's dedication to protecting our communities, “said HSI Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “HSI remains focused on preventing drug smuggling and ensuring everyone follows our immigration laws.”
“The FBI, along with our partner agencies, works relentlessly every day to protect our communities from the dangers of drug trafficking organizations,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “This sentencing sends a strong message – the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to use every available resource to confront and disrupt these dangerous criminal organizations, wherever they operate.”
“USPIS is proud of our work bringing drug traffickers to justice in CNMI and keeping methamphetamine out of the mail,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen Sherwood. “I want to extend my gratitude to CNMI Customs, the CNMI Department of Public Safety, and the members of the Guam Interdiction Anti-Narcotics Trafficking Task Force (GIANT TF), including the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Guam Police Department, and the Guam Army National Guard Counterdrug Program. I would also like to acknowledge our federal law enforcement partners for their invaluable collaboration in this case.”
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshal Service, CNMI Customs, CNMI Department of Public Safety, and in collaboration with the CNMI Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Albert S. Flores, Jr., and former Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Kost prosecuted this case in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
PRC Citizen Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Preventing Immigration RemovalRead the Press Release
Saipan – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that ZHANG Aimin, age 55, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was sentenced on August 7, 2025, in the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands to eight months imprisonment for Preventing or Hampering Removal, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1253(a). The Court also ordered one year of supervised release, 50 hours of community service, and a $100 special assessment fee. Zhang must report to immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon release from prison. Zhang’s conviction was also a violation of his supervised release for a prior conviction for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. Zhang was therefore sentenced to an additional 6 months, to run consecutive to his term of imprisonment for Preventing or Hampering Removal.
On April 30, 2025, during the immigration removal process at Saipan International Airport, Zhang refused to exit a vehicle operated by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Zhang’s departing flight was awaiting his boarding. He eventually agreed to exit the car but then became physically uncooperative with the immigration officer. Zhang grabbed onto a nearby light pole and attempted to insert his hand into an uncapped electrical port, posing a serious safety hazard. Once officers succeeded in removing Zhang from the light pole, he immediately grabbed onto a nearby signpost and refused multiple lawful commands to release his grip. Furthermore, as officers attempted to remove him, one officer’s arm was briefly pinned between the post and Zhang’s body. The officer was able to free his arm without serious injury. Zhang was then placed in handcuffs and transported back to the CNMI Department of Corrections.
“The enforcement of immigration laws is our highest priority,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Zhang showed no respect for the law or the officers working to uphold it. This case demonstrates the federal government’s ongoing commitment to removing illegal aliens from our country.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Assistant United States Attorney Garth Backe prosecuted the case in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Justice Department Reaches Proposed Settlement with Greystar, the Largest U.S. Landlord, to End Its Participation in Algorithmic Pricing SchemeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed settlement today to resolve the United States’ claims against Greystar Management Services LLC as part of its ongoing enforcement against algorithmic coordination and other anticompetitive practices in rental markets across the country.
Greystar, the largest landlord in the United States, manages almost 950,000 rental units across the country. As alleged in Plaintiffs’ complaint, Greystar and other landlords, including five co-defendants, shared competitively sensitive data to generate pricing recommendations using RealPage’s algorithms, which also included anticompetitive rules that aligned competitors’ pricing. In addition, Greystar and other landlords discussed competitively sensitive topics — including pricing strategies, rents, and selected parameters for RealPage’s software — directly with each other.
“American greatness has always depended on free-market competition, and nowhere is competition more important than in making housing affordable again,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will continue to vigorously pursue President Trump’s pro-consumer agenda.”
“The Trump-Vance Administration is committed to promoting competition to help working class Americans pay for life’s necessities — including rent,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Whether in a smoke-filled room or through an algorithm, competitors cannot share competitively sensitive information or align prices to the detriment of American consumers.”
If approved by the court, the proposed consent decree would require Greystar to:
- Refrain from using any anticompetitive algorithm that generates pricing recommendations using its competitors’ competitively sensitive data or that incorporates certain anticompetitive features;
- Refrain from sharing competitively sensitive information with competitors;
- Accept a court-appointed monitor if it uses a third-party pricing algorithm that is not certified pursuant to the terms of the consent decree;
- Refrain from attending or participating in RealPage-hosted meetings of competing landlords; and
- Cooperate with the United States’ monopolization claims against RealPage.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Danielle Hauck, Acting Chief, Technology and Digital Platforms Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 7050, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
Greystar is a residential property manager headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina.
Justice Department Ends Half-Century-Old Desegregation Cases in Florida and MississippiRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today the dismissal of two desegregation cases in Hendry County, Florida, and Copiah County, Mississippi, concluding matters that have remained on the docket for more than half a century.
The cases of Hendry County, Florida and Copiah County, Mississippi were first filed in 1970, each in connection with unlawful operations of dual school systems based on race. After thorough review, the Civil Rights Division determined that both Counties are unitary in their schools, eliminating the vestiges of prior de jure segregation to the extent practicable. On Aug. 5, the Court formally dismissed the case of Hendry County with prejudice. On Aug. 6, the Court formally dismissed the case of Copiah County with prejudice.
“In this administration, we are ending prolonged court oversight that does not reflect the reality in classrooms today,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “After fifty-five years of federal control, these local school districts can use taxpayer dollars that were spent on monitoring for past vestiges of racism, and can redirect those funds instead for the direct benefit of students.”
Note: Click to read the court filings for Hendry County, Florida and Copiah County, Mississippi.
Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Years-Long Scheme to Defraud the IRS and for Operating a Multi-Million Dollar Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Colorado man pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to defraud the United States and tax evasion related to his promotion and use of an illegal tax shelter. He also pleaded guilty to wire fraud related to his operation of a fraudulent investment scheme.
The following is according to court documents and other statements made in court: from 2018 through 2023, Timothy McPhee, of Estes Park, promoted a fraudulent tax shelter to taxpayers across the country. The tax shelter was made up of a private family foundation and three trusts called a business trust, family trust, and charitable trust. McPhee taught clients who purchased the tax shelter how to use the trusts and foundation to evade paying federal income taxes on nearly all their income.
Among other directions, McPhee instructed clients to assign nearly all their business income to the trusts and to file false tax returns that made it seem as if that income belonged to the trusts, not the client. He also told clients to spend the money in the trust bank accounts on their own personal expenses and to fraudulently claim those expenses as deductions on the trust tax returns. As a result, clients who used the tax shelter paid taxes on only about 2% of their income. But because the clients funded the trusts, controlled the money in the trusts, and benefitted from the trust funds, the income funneled to the trusts was taxable to the clients themselves. In pleading guilty, McPhee acknowledged that he gave directions to clients that he knew directly contradicted IRS guidance and that he deliberately ignored warnings from accountants and attorneys that the tax shelter was fraudulent and illegal.
In total, use of the tax shelter caused a loss to the United States of about $45 million in unpaid federal income taxes.
McPhee also personally used the tax shelter to conceal from the IRS more than $5 million in income earned from 2016 through 2021. In so doing, McPhee did not pay approximately $1.8 million in federal income taxes he owed those years.
From January 2023 through May 2024, McPhee also operated and promoted a fraudulent investment scheme called the “ROI Cash Flow Fund.” McPhee promoted the ROI Cash Flow Fund as an opportunity for investors to earn a 3% monthly payout on a principal investment. He falsely told investors that the ROI Cash Flow Fund would generate monthly returns by sending the investors’ funds to a third-party borrower who would engage in foreign exchange currency trading. In total, based on McPhee’s false representations, investors sent more than $8 million to bank accounts he controlled.
In reality, however, McPhee did not send the investors’ funds to a borrower as promised. Instead, he used investor funds to make monthly 3% payouts to investors. He also spent investor funds on his own personal expenses and investments, including by sending more than $2 million in investor funds to a bank account he held in the name of one of his trusts.
McPhee is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States, a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Lauren K. Pope and Amanda R. Scott of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department Files Complaint Challenging Oklahoma Law Providing In-State Tuition for Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
The United States is challenging an Oklahoma law providing in-state tuition for illegal aliens. This law unconstitutionally discriminates against U.S. citizens, who are not afforded the same privileges, in direct conflict with federal law. On Tuesday, Aug. 5, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Oklahoma against the State of Oklahoma seeking to enjoin the State from enforcing the Oklahoma law and bring them into compliance with federal requirements.
In the complaint, the United States seeks to enjoin enforcement of an Oklahoma law that requires colleges and universities to provide in-state tuition rates for all aliens who maintain Oklahoma residency, regardless of whether those aliens are lawfully present in the United States. Federal law prohibits institutions of higher education from providing benefits to aliens that are not offered to U.S. citizens. The Oklahoma law blatantly conflicts with federal law and is thus in conflict with the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
This lawsuit follows two executive orders signed by President Trump that seek to ensure illegal aliens are not obtaining taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment. The first, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders” orders all agencies to “ensure, to the maximum extent permitted by law, that no taxpayer-funded benefits go to unqualified aliens.” The second, “Protecting American Communities From Criminal Aliens,” directs relevant officials to “take appropriate action to stop the enforcement of State and local laws, regulations, policies, and practices favoring aliens over any groups of American citizens that are unlawful, preempted by Federal law, or otherwise unenforceable, including State laws that provide in-State higher education tuition to aliens but not to out-of-State American citizens.”
Justice Department Requires Broad Divestitures to Resolve Challenge to UnitedHealth’s Acquisition of AmedisysRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, together with its state co-Plaintiffs, filed a proposed settlement today requiring broad divestitures to resolve Plaintiffs’ challenge to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s (UnitedHealth) $3.3 billion acquisition of Amedisys Inc. In addition, Amedisys would pay a $1.1 million civil penalty to the United States for falsely certifying that it had provided “true, correct, and complete” responses under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.
“In no sector of our economy is competition more important to Americans’ well-being than healthcare. This settlement protects quality and price competition for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable patients and wage competition for thousands of nurses,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “I commend the Antitrust Division’s Staff for doggedly investigating and prosecuting this case on behalf of seniors, hospice patients, nurses, and their families.”
The proposed settlement would require UnitedHealth and Amedisys to divest 164 home health and hospice locations (including one affiliated palliative care facility) across 19 states, accounting for approximately $528 million in annual revenue. By number of facilities, the settlement would secure the largest divestiture of outpatient healthcare services to resolve a merger challenge. In addition, the proposed settlement would:
- Obligate UnitedHealth to divest eight additional locations if it fails to obtain regulatory approval for the divestiture of associated facilities without the additional locations;
- Impose a monitor to supervise UnitedHealth’s divestiture of the assets and compliance with the consent decree;
- Provide the divestiture buyers with the assets, personnel, and relationships to compete against UnitedHealth in the overlap areas;
- Incorporate robust protections to strengthen adherence to the decree and deter interference with the divestiture buyers’ ability to compete; and
- Require Amedisys to pay a $1.1 million civil penalty and train its corporate and field leadership on antitrust compliance for falsely certifying that the company had truthfully, correctly, and completely responded to the United States’ requests for documents.
The map below shows the locations of the divested home health and hospice locations under the decree:
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Jill Maguire, Acting Chief, Healthcare and Consumer Products Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 4100, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
UnitedHealth is a vertically integrated insurer, healthcare provider, pharmacy benefit manager, and healthcare software and services vendor headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. UnitedHealth acquired Amedisys’s home health and hospice rival LHC Group Inc. (LHC) in 2023. Amedisys is a home health and hospice services provider headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
California CEO Sentenced for Role in Covid-19 Relief Fraud Resulting in Millions of Stolen FundsRead the Press Release
A California man was sentenced today to 46 months in prison and ordered to pay $6,993,700 in restitution and $535,041 in forfeiture for his role in defrauding the Small Business Administration (SBA) out of millions of dollars in loans through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program.
According to court documents, from March 2020 through October 2022, Abraham Park, 67, of La Mirada, California, submitted over 120 fraudulent applications to the SBA for EIDL loans on behalf of himself and others which resulted in a total funded and unfunded loss of over $12 million. Park was the owner and CEO of a California financial services company that assisted clients with obtaining financing, including loans, and repairing credit scores. After the Covid-19 pandemic started, Park advised his clients to create fictitious corporate entities so that he could submit fraudulent EIDL loan applications to the SBA on their behalf. In return, his clients paid Park a portion of the funded loans as a kickback. In addition to submitting applications for his clients, Park also submitted several applications for himself and his family members for fictitious entities. In total, 73 fraudulent loans were funded, which resulted in a nearly $7 million dollar loss to the SBA.
On March 20, Park pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the IRS-CI Los Angeles Field Office; Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office; and Western Region Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Huang of the SBA Office of Inspector General, made the announcement.
The IRS-CI, FBI, and SBA-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Brandon Burkart and Andrew Jaco of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
Corrupt Guatemalan Mayor Extradited to United States on Drug Trafficking Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Yesterday, Romeo Ramos Cruz, of Guatemala, made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia following his extradition from Guatemala on Aug. 4.
Ramos Cruz, 57, is charged with one count of conspiracy to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Guatemala.
According to court documents, from 2022 through 2024, Ramos Cruz served as a key member of a Guatemala-based drug trafficking organization responsible for transporting cocaine intended for U.S. markets. During this time, Ramos Cruz held public office as the mayor of Santa Lucia municipality in Guatemala’s Escuintla Department and is alleged to have exploited his official position to facilitate the organization’s operations. As part of the conspiracy, Ramos Cruz allegedly used his authority and access to coordinate logistics and transportation of cocaine shipments destined for the United States. In one instance, he agreed to help disguise a shipment of cocaine from Venezuela to Guatemala as a delivery of cement. He also prepared a letter on official municipal letterhead intended to help the shipment evade inspection by Guatemalan authorities.
If convicted, Ramos Cruz faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the FBI Washington Field Office (WFO) made the announcement.
The FBI WFO led U.S. investigative efforts with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Division and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans Field Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs working with Guatemalan law enforcement authorities, INTERPOL, and the FBI provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Ramos Cruz to the United States.
Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Roger Polack of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Publishes List of Sanctuary JurisdictionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Justice Department published a list of states, cities, and counties identified as having policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws.
“Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country.”
On April 28, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14287: Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens. The Executive Order recognized that “some State and local officials . . . continue to use their authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration laws” and “[i]t is imperative that the Federal Government restore the enforcement of United States law.” The Executive Order directed the Justice Department, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, to publish a list of such jurisdictions. Accordingly, the following states, cities, and counties have been identified as sanctuary jurisdictions:
STATES:
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
COUNTIES:
- Baltimore County, MD
- Cook County, IL
- San Diego County, CA
- San Francisco County, CA
CITIES:
- Albuquerque, NM
- Berkeley, CA
- Boston, MA
- Chicago, IL
- Denver, CO
- East Lansing, MI
- Hoboken, NJ
- Jersey City, NJ
- Los Angeles, CA
- New Orleans, LA
- New York City, NY
- Newark, NJ
- Paterson, NJ
- Philadelphia, PA
- Portland, OR
- Rochester, NY
- Seattle, WA
- San Francisco City, CA
In recent months, the Justice Department has filed several lawsuits against sanctuary jurisdictions seeking to compel compliance with federal law, including one against New York City on July 24th. Recently, the Mayor of Louisville agreed to revoke their sanctuary policies following a letter from the Justice Department threatening legal action.
Read more about the sanctuary jurisdiction list and the criteria for inclusion here. This list is not exhaustive and will be updated as federal authorities gather further information. The federal government will assist any jurisdiction that desires to be taken off this list to identify and eliminate their sanctuary policies, so they no longer stand in opposition to federal immigration enforcement.
Justice Department Opens Investigation into Flix North America, FlixBus, and Greyhound for Disability DiscriminationRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today that it has launched an investigation into the bus companies FlixBus and Greyhound (operated by Flix North America Inc., FlixBus Inc., and Greyhound Lines Inc.) to determine whether FlixBus and Greyhound violate Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against passengers with disabilities and denying them reasonable accommodations.
The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability by private entities that provide transportation services, and there are specific requirements that FlixBus and Greyhound must meet to make sure their services are accessible to people with disabilities.
The Department opened this investigation after receiving complaints that FlixBus and Greyhound violated the ADA rights of people with disabilities. Complaints alleged that FlixBus and Greyhound failed to properly maintain lifts on buses, refused to assist passengers with disabilities with using lifts, refused to allow service animals to accompany passengers with disabilities or improperly asked for documentation, abandoned customers with disabilities between legs of their journey, and failed to allow and assist passengers with disabilities to leave and return to the bus at rest stops, among other allegations.
“Less than two weeks ago, we celebrated the 35th anniversary of President Bush signing the ADA into law, which protects millions of Americans with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The announcement of this investigation reaffirms our unflinching commitment to enforcing the requirements of the ADA. People with disabilities must be treated equally in accordance with the law, and no one should be denied the opportunity to travel because of their disability.”
If you believe you have been a victim of disability discrimination by FlixBus or Greyhound, please file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division online at www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/, or by calling the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (1-833-610-1264 (TTY)). For more information on the ADA and the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.ada.gov or www.justice.gov/crt.
Note: Read the Notice Letter here.
Former Guam Corrections Officer Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Hagåtña – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announces that, Raymond T. Tammed, age 30, from Piti, Guam, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment in the U.S. District Court of Guam for Attempted Enticement of a Minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). The Court also ordered five years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory assessment fee. Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Tammed must register in every jurisdiction he resides, works, and goes to school.
In May of 2024, federal investigators conducted an internet-based operation to identify and arrest individuals seeking to engage in sexual activity with minors on Guam. During that operation, Tammed contacted an undercover agent posing as a 13-year-old girl. Despite believing that he was conversing with an underage girl, Tammed sent sexually explicit messages, sought to arrange a sexual encounter, and sent the undercover agent a selfie and a picture of his genitals. Tammed later arranged to meet the undercover agent at the Andersen Air Force Base Visitors Center, where Tammed was arrested upon arrival.
“This case demonstrates the dangers faced by our children during online activity,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “We will continue these undercover operations to protect our communities from sexual predators. I applaud the efforts of law enforcement in bringing Tammed to justice.”
“Keeping our children safe from exploitation and abuse is the highest priority. By taking predators like Tammed off the street, we are ensuring the safety of the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “HSI will continue to seek justice to keep our children safe with zero tolerance for this heinous crime.”
Investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and Air Force Office of Special Investigations Service, Detachment 602.
This case was prosecuted by Benjamin K. Petersburg, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
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.
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Department of Justice, CIA Transmit Declassified Durham Documents to Senator Chuck GrassleyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice transmitted the declassified Appendix of the Durham Report to the Senate Judiciary Committee following collaboration with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). This transmission advances President Donald J. Trump’s directive for maximum transparency and underscores the Attorney General’s commitment to that objective. It also fulfills a request for disclosure by Senate Judiciary Chairman Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), whose leadership on this issue has been instrumental.
This latest transmission to Senate Republicans follows the Department’s recent disclosure of information related to the FBI’s handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server and mishandling of classified information.
Following the transmission of new Durham documents, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and FBI Director Kash Patel released the following statements:
“Today, the Department of Justice provided Chairman Grassley with previously classified information relating to Special Counsel Durham’s investigation into possible coordination between the Clinton campaign and the Obama administration to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. This Department of Justice, alongside the CIA, is committed to truth and transparency and will continue to support good-faith efforts by Congress to hold our government accountable.” – Attorney General Pamela Bondi
“Today, CIA and the Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi are taking a bold step forward in declassifying the underlying intelligence in the Durham appendix showing the false Trump-Russia collusion narrative for what it was – a coordinated plan to prevent and destroy Donald Trump’s presidency. CIA stands with the Department and is committed to transparency and rebuilding trust in the IC. The American people deserve the opportunity to see the evidence for themselves.” – CIA Director John Ratcliffe
“The American people deserve the full, unfiltered truth about the Russia collusion hoax and the political abuse of our justice system it exposed. Today’s declassification and release of documents tied to the Durham report is another step toward that accountability. The FBI will continue working tirelessly with our federal partners at DOJ, CIA, and more to uncover the facts that should have been brought to light years ago. I’m grateful to Chairman Grassley for his steadfast leadership on this issue, and I look forward to our continued partnership in exposing one of the most shameful frauds ever perpetrated on the American public.” – FBI Director Kash Patel
Justice Department Releases Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful DiscriminationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure that recipients of federal funding do not engage in unlawful discrimination. In particular, it clarifies that federal antidiscrimination laws apply to programs or initiatives that involve discriminatory practices, including those labeled as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) programs. Entities that receive federal funds, like all other entities subject to federal antidiscrimination laws, must ensure that their programs and activities comply with federal law and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or other protected characteristics—no matter the program’s labels, objectives, or intentions.
“This Department of Justice will not stand by while recipients of federal funds engage in illegal discrimination,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This guidance will ensure we are serving the American people and not ideological agendas.”
“The federal government must ensure that taxpayer money is used lawfully and for the public good,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The very foundation of our anti-discrimination laws rests on the principle that every American deserves equal opportunity, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or other protected characteristics.”
This new Guidance emphasizes the significant legal risks of initiatives that involve discrimination based on protected characteristics and offers non-binding best practices to help entities that receive federal funds avoid the risk of violations and the revocation of federal grant funding.
Read the Guidance HERE.
Justice Department Finds the University of California-Los Angeles in Violation of Federal Civil Rights LawRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced that the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by acting with deliberate indifference in creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students.
The Civil Rights Division’s Notice of Violation finds that UCLA failed to adequately respond to complaints of severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive harassment and abuse that Jewish and Israeli students faced on its campus from October 7, 2023, to the present.
“Our investigation into the University of California system has found concerning evidence of systemic anti-Semitism at UCLA that demands severe accountability from the institution,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This disgusting breach of civil rights against students will not stand: DOJ will force UCLA to pay a heavy price for putting Jewish Americans at risk and continue our ongoing investigations into other campuses in the UC system.”
“UCLA failed to take timely and appropriate action in response to credible claims of harm and hostility on its campus,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Its inaction constitutes a clear violation of our federal civil rights laws, and the Justice Department will hold UCLA accountable to their legal obligations so that all students can have equal protection under the law.”
The Civil Rights Division enforces federal civil rights laws that protect students from discrimination based on religion, national origin, and other protected characteristics. This includes Title VI, which prohibits such discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance.
Justice Department Announces Successful Completion of Agreement on Custodial Informant Reforms with the Orange County Sheriff’s DepartmentRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced the successful completion of the Justice Department’s Jan. 17, Agreement for the Sustainability of Custodial Informant Reforms with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) in California to sustain reforms addressing OCSD’s prior pattern or practice of using custodial informants in a manner that violated the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution.
Under the Agreement, OCSD implemented enhancement and sustainability measures with respect to its policies, training, information systems, and auditing procedures and the information it makes publicly available related to its use of custodial informants. These measures adequately ensure that OCSD’s reforms to prevent the use of custodial informants in an unconstitutional manner are durable and robust.
“The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has demonstrated an enduring commitment to protecting the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendment rights of those in its jurisdiction,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We commend the Sheriff and his staff for their efforts in doing their part to ensure the integrity of criminal prosecutions.”
To read the original press release announcing the findings of the investigation, click here. To read the report of the investigation, click here. To read the original OCSD Settlement Agreement, click here. To read the Validation Assessment Report, click here. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department Announces Winners of the Access to Justice Prize CompetitionRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the winners of the Access to Justice Prize Competition. The Department is proud to uplift the incredible work being done across the country through innovative solutions to improve access to justice for all Americans. The Access to Justice Prize focuses on closing the rural justice gap, recognizing that rural communities face unique and significant barriers to resources and support in the legal system. This competition highlights the creativity and dedication of organizations working to expand justice for all. The winning projects represent actionable approaches that will help provide legal support for communities across America.
The Access to Justice Prize was launched on Challenge.gov, and after reviewing an inspiring and thoughtful round of submissions, the Department of Justice is pleased to recognize the five winners whose innovative ideas stood out from a competitive field of applicants. Each of these organizations brought a unique perspective and a shared commitment to expanding resources for communities in rural America.
- The 12th Judicial District of Colorado Access to Justice Committee: creating “Lawmobile,” a vehicle designed to bring legal and administrative assistance directly to remote residents, as well as residents with disabilities, who lack childcare or technological access.
- Florida Department of Corrections: bridging the justice gap in rural areas by deploying Mobile Probation Units and Mobile Reentry Units to bring probation and reentry services directly to underserved rural communities.
- People Living in Recovery Inc.: expanding access to justice through an innovative forensic peer mentoring program in rural county jails in Georgia to reduce recidivism and support reentry.
- South Dakota Bar Foundation: creating the Project Rural Practice Hub, an online resource center that provides on-demand training, technical assistance, and mentorship to rural attorneys.
- Veterans Advocacy Law Clinic at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law: expanding the clinic’s Rural and Tribal Veterans Outreach Project to effectively connect veterans living in rural communities with legal services.
“The Department of Justice applauds the Prize winners’ dedication, bold ideas and steadfast belief in a better future,” said Acting Director Christina Smith of the Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice. “The winners are addressing access to justice barriers with innovative solutions that are informed by the needs and strengths of rural communities.”
Each winning organization will receive prize funding of $15,000 to advance their project. The Department of Justice congratulates all prize participants for their passion to remain committed to introducing fresh perspectives and novel approaches to advance access to justice for all.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Texas man pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns with the IRS before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower for the Western District of Texas. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Jason Smith, of Kerrville, was an independent distributor for a multi-level marketing (MLM) business that sold, among other things, essential oils and aromatherapy products. Smith created an entity, Live Young Now International Ministries (Live Young Now), and directed the MLM business to pay his compensation to that entity. Smith maintained control over Live Young Now’s bank accounts and used those funds to pay for personal expenses including his mortgage, automobiles, a motorcycle, a tractor, and an airplane. Although he received tax forms from the MLM business reporting his compensation as over $1,400,000 each year for both 2018 and 2019, Smith did not provide those forms to his return preparer and falsely told his return preparer that he did not have any such forms. This caused Smith’s return preparer to prepare false tax returns that omitted more than $2.9 million in income that Smith had earned from the MLM and instead reported that Smith earned only $43 from it. Instead, Smith reported earning only $43 from the MLM. In total, Smith caused a tax loss to the IRS over $1,500,000.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Parker Tobin and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Justice Department Sues New York City over Sanctuary PoliciesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, and several other city officials to challenge New York’s sanctuary city laws.
As detailed in the complaint, New York’s sanctuary policies have allowed dangerous criminals to roam the streets and commit heinous crimes within the community. These policies reflect an intentional effort to obstruct federal law enforcement and thus are preempted under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
“New York City has released thousands of criminals on the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “If New York City won’t stand up for the safety of its citizens, we will.”
“For too long, New York City has been at the vanguard of interfering with enforcing our immigration laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate. “Its efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement end now.”
The case, filed in the Eastern District of New York, is the latest action from the Justice Department fighting back against unlawful obstruction of enforcement of federal immigration laws. In the past three months, the Department has filed lawsuits against Los Angeles, New York State, Colorado, Illinois, the city of Rochester, New York, and several New Jersey cities to invalidate unconstitutional sanctuary policies. Recently, the Mayor of Louisville revoked the city’s sanctuary policy after the Justice Department threatened legal action.
Read the full complaint here.
Former Supervisor of Camden County Jail Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation in the Assault of Pretrial DetaineeRead the Press Release
A former deputy sheriff and Jail Corporal with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office was sentenced today to 16 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for assaulting a pretrial detainee, identified by the initials J.H.
Ryan Robert Biegel, 27, of Kingsland, Georgia, pleaded guilty before the Honorable Lisa G. Wood on January 28 to one count of using unreasonable force against the detainee. According to the plea agreement, on September 3, 2022, Biegel and two other correctional officers entered a holding cell in which J.H. was being detained. Upon entering the cell, two other correctional officers restrained J.H.’s arms and pushed him against a wall. Biegel admitted that he punched J.H. five times in the back of the head, which he knew was not reasonable or necessary to accomplish a legitimate law enforcement purpose, and then struck J.H. in the head and body an additional twenty-two times with his fists and knees.
The FBI Brunswick RA Field Office investigated the matter along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. Kirkland for the Southern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Former Kokomo Police Department Officer Charged with Sexually Assaulting 14-Year-old GirlRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Indianapolis, Indiana, returned a two-count indictment, unsealed today, charging former Kokomo Police Department officer Sinmi Asomuyide with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and with lying to state investigators to try to cover up the assault.
The first count of the indictment charges Asomuyide, who was 31 years old, with willfully depriving Minor #1, who was 14 years old, of her constitutional rights by sexually assaulting her. The first count also charges that the defendant’s conduct included kidnapping.
The second count of the indictment charges Asomuyide with lying to the Indiana State Police to try to cover up the assault by, among other things, denying having sexual contact with Minor #1 and denying that there would be any reason for the presence of his semen in his squad car when, in fact, he ejaculated inside his squad car after causing Minor #1’s hand to touch his exposed penis.
If convicted, Asomuyide faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Interim U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Wheeler for the Southern District of Indiana, and Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Indianapolis Field Office is investigating the case, with the cooperation of the Kokomo Police Department; Bloomington Police Department; and Indiana State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Blackett for the Southern District of Indiana and Senior Sex Crimes Counsel Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Announces Formation of Strike Force to Assess Evidence Publicized by ODNIRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice announced the formation of a Strike Force to assess the evidence publicized by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and investigate potential next legal steps which might stem from DNI Gabbard’s disclosures.
This Department takes alleged weaponization of the intelligence community with the utmost seriousness.
Upon the formation of the Strike Force, Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated:
“The Department of Justice is proud to work with my friend Director Gabbard and we are grateful for her partnership in delivering accountability for the American people. We will investigate these troubling disclosures fully and leave no stone unturned to deliver justice.”
Washington Hunting Guide and Outfitting Company Enter Guilty Pleas to Lacey Act CrimeRead the Press Release
Branden Trager of Brush Prairie, Washington, and his guiding company Mayhem Services LLC pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Tacoma to violating the Lacey Act.
In pleading guilty, Trager admitted he and Mayhem Services violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) during a January 2023 hunting trip in western Washington and then transported the taken birds in violation of the Lacey Act. Enacted 125 years ago, the Lacey Act protects the nations wildlife resources by prohibiting wildlife violations that cross state or international borders. Trager also acknowledged that in 2022 he brought hunters into British Columbia, Canada, where he guided waterfowl hunting trips targeting the harlequin duck. He could not operate as a hunting guide under Canadian law.
The harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) is a small sea duck with a habitat ranging from Alaska to California. Hunters prize the harlequin as a trophy and as part of a challenge to hunt 41 North American waterfowl species. Washington closed harlequin hunting for the 2022-2023 season, but limited hunting remained open in British Columbia.
According to plea agreements filed in court, the recommended fines are $100,000 for Trager and $75,000 for Mayhem Services. The parties also agreed to recommend that the court order the defendants to make a public statement expressing contrition and emphasizing the importance of hunting, guiding, and wildlife regulations. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 16.
According to a Joint Factual Statement filed in court, the MBTA prohibits, among other things, taking migratory birds using a motor vehicle; taking migratory birds by using a vehicle to concentrate, drive, or rally them; taking migratory birds in excess of daily bag limits; taking or crippling a migratory bird and not make reasonable efforts to retrieve it; and transporting taken migratory birds belonging to another individual without tagging them. Taking includes pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting.
The Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking law. It prohibits, among other things, transporting wildlife that had been illegally taken under federal, state, tribal or foreign law. The MBTA is a U.S. law that implemented treaties with Canada and other nations to ensure sustainable populations of migratory birds.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement led the investigation along with Homeland Security Investigations, British Columbia Conservation Officer Service, and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.
Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Sarah Brown of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Harlequin duck in Oregon. Photo credit Peter Pearsall, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Reference photo only.Illinois Tax Preparer Sentenced for Role in $3.6M Covid-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An Illinois man was sentenced yesterday to 42 months in prison for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $3.6 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and COVID19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program implemented by the Small Business Administration (SBA).
According to court documents, Farooq Khan, 31, of Chicago, owned and operated Hannan Tax Services (Hannan Tax), a tax preparation company located in Chicago. From approximately May 2020 through October 2021, through Hannan Tax, Khan prepared and facilitated the submission of at least 30 fraudulent applications for loans through the PPP and EIDL program. At the time Kahn prepared and submitted the applications, he knew that the companies for which he sought the loans were non-operational and did not qualify. He also knowingly falsified the information contained in the applications, including the number of employees and tax records attributed to the defunct companies. Khan caused approximately $3.6 million to be fraudulently distributed by the SBA and PPP lenders. He also attempted to obtain at least an additional $588,900 in loans through other EIDL applications that were never funded for nonexistent companies. He personally obtained approximately $1.2 million of the fraudulent loan proceeds.
Khan pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on Feb. 19. At sentencing, he was also ordered to pay $3,645,104 in restitution.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office, and Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew J. Scarpino of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Chicago made the announcement.
The FBI Chicago Field Office and ICE-HSI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 8667205721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Federal Court Upholds Bureau of Reclamation’s Conversion of Water Service Contracts in Central Valley of CaliforniaRead the Press Release
Last week, a judgment entered by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California confirmed the ability of the Bureau of Reclamation to convert water service contracts to long term repayment contracts pursuant to the Water Infrastructure and Improvements for the Nation Act. The converted contracts eliminate the need for future renewals and associated costs and allow contractors to lower their overall costs by prepaying their share of project construction costs. The converted contracts also benefit the government by facilitating faster repayment of construction costs which can provide funding for future water storage projects.
The Court agreed with Reclamation’s interpretation of the WIIN Act, that
- the WIIN Act requires contract conversion upon request, and
- WIIN Act § 4011(a)(4)(c) strips Reclamation of discretion to modify any “water service … contractual rights” other than those related to the financial terms specifically addressed by the WIIN Act.
Because those provisions removed Reclamation’s discretion, Reclamation was not required to conduct an analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act, or consult under the Endangered Species Act, as part of the contract conversions.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) made the announcement.
Trial Attorneys David Gehlert and Jeff Candrian of ENRD’s Natural Resources Section handled the case.
The Justice Department Dismisses Failed Biden-Era Lawsuit Challenging Tennessee’s Law Protecting Minors from Experimental Sex-Change Medical ProceduresRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division dismissed with prejudice the ill-fated Biden-era challenge to Tennessee’s law protecting minors from horrific and experimental sex-change medical procedures. The Department dismissed its complaint in intervention because it does not believe challenging Tennessee’s law serves the public interest.
Last month, the Biden Administration’s challenge was soundly rejected by the Supreme Court of the United States when the 6-3 majority held that Tennessee’s law does not violate the Equal Protection Clause.[1] The court held that Tennessee had a rational basis for enforcing the law as it “responds directly” to the “uncertainty” and “ongoing debate” about the “risks and benefits” associated with these medical practices. The Biden administration filed its complaint in intervention after individual plaintiffs and the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the law passed in 2023. After the Supreme Court’s decision, the individual plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their complaint.
Tennessee is one of 25 states with laws protecting minors from sex-change medical procedures.
“Last month, the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee state law protecting vulnerable children from genital mutilation and other so-called ‘gender-affirming care,’” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “That was the right decision, and this Department of Justice will no longer be in the business of attacking laws like Tennessee’s that protect children.”
“The United States today undid one of the injustices the Biden administration inflicted upon the country by dismissing a lawsuit against a Tennessee law that protects minors from invasive and mutilating procedures,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to fight to protect the health and welfare of our children and defend states that seek to ban these barbaric practices.”
[1] United States v. Skrmetti, 145 S.Ct. 1816, 1826 (2025).
Justice Department Launches Second Investigation into George Mason UniversityRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today that it has launched an investigation into George Mason University to determine whether the University has denied equal treatment of individuals based on race or national origin, in violation of Title VI.
The compliance review investigation will examine whether George Mason University, a recipient of federal financial assistance, has engaged in discriminatory practices based on race, color, or national origin against its students. It will be conducted pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits a recipient of federal funds from discrimination based on such protected characteristics. Institutions of higher education that are governed by Title VI are to protect students’ unfettered access to the school’s educational environment and opportunities, free from discrimination. The investigation will focus on discrimination against students based on race or national origin in George Mason’s admissions practices and the awarding of student benefits and scholarships. It will also investigate the University’s response to antisemitism on campus.
“Public educational institutions are contractually obligated to follow our nation’s federal civil rights laws when receiving federal funds,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one should be denied access to opportunity or resources because of their race, color, or national origin, and the United States is committed to keeping our universities free of such invidious bias.”
Note: Review the notice letter here.
INTERPOL Washington Advances Panama’s Ability to Disrupt Transnational Criminal Gangs and TerroristsRead the Press Release
Under Project TERMINUS, an INTERPOL Washington team recently deployed to Panama City, Panama, to deliver and install critical equipment and technology designed to assist Panamanian authorities in detecting and interdicting transnational criminals and terrorists before they reach our borders. This latest deployment builds on a previous mission in June 2024 where a TERMINUS team integrated INTERPOL data into Panama’s newly established Border Information and Analysis Targeting Unit (BIATU).
“Project TERMINUS reflects our commitment to forward-deploy U.S. capabilities and build out trusted partnerships in key locations that enhance global security,” said INTERPOL Washington’s Acting Deputy Chief of Staff Keith Hood, who oversees the program. “This project with our Panamanian partners serves as a model of success for TERMINUS. By equipping one of our closest allies against cartels with the tools and training they need to disrupt transnational crime at its source, we helped protect our own communities, the homeland, and the region at large.”
The visit was conducted in close coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism. The team participated in operational briefings with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Panamanian National Police (PNP), Panama Immigration, and the Panamanian Passport Authority. During the visit, the team formally donated essential equipment to the PNP and to Panama’s immigration fusion center (UPAPF), reinforcing operational capacity and advancing joint security objectives.
The team also saw firsthand how SENAFRONT—the Panamanian border security agency—has connected to and is actively utilizing INTERPOL’s I-24/7 system, marking a major milestone in the country's border integration efforts.
Project TERMINUS continues to serve as a vital tool for strengthening international police cooperation, disrupting transnational threats, and promoting shared regional security.
Department of Justice Honors Senate Judiciary Committee Request for Information Related to Clinton Email InvestigationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement regarding Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley's request for information related to the FBI's handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server and mishandling of classified information during her time as Secretary of State:
“Today, the Department of Justice honored Chairman Grassley’s request to release information relating to former-FBI Director James Comey’s failed investigation into Hillary Clinton’s mishandling of highly classified information during her tenure as Secretary of State. I commend Chairman Grassley for his unwavering, years-long commitment to exposing the truth and holding those who seek to conceal it accountable. This Department of Justice is fully committed to transparency and will continue to support good-faith efforts in Congress to ensure accountability across the federal government.”
Department of Justice Coordinates Release of Files Related to Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi hosted Dr. Alveda King at the Department of Justice to commemorate the release of files regarding the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The release contains 230,000 pages of documents and comes in accordance with Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14176.
This disclosure is the product of months of collaboration between the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). DOJ Attorneys spent hundreds of hours preparing and digitizing these documents for release.
"The American people deserve answers decades after the horrific assassination of one of our nation’s great leaders," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "The Department of Justice is proud to partner with Director Gabbard and the ODNI at President Trump’s direction for this latest disclosure."
"I am grateful to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for delivering on their pledge of transparency in the release of these documents on the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.," said Dr. Alveda King. "My uncle lived boldly in pursuit of truth and justice, and his enduring legacy of faith continues to inspire Americans to this day. While we continue to mourn his death, the declassification and release of these documents are a historic step towards the truth that the American people deserve."
Attorney General Bondi and Dr. King discussed the remarkable life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the need for transparency pertaining to his assassination on April 4th, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Please see a link to the documents here.
Justice Department Publishes Proposed Rule to Grant Relief to Certain Individuals Precluded from Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — President Trump directed the Department of Justice to address the ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights of our citizens—all of them. Federal law disables the firearms rights of many citizens who have been convicted of crimes without regard to whether they actually pose a threat of violence. But federal law also empowers the Attorney General to restore Second Amendment rights to individuals who are not “likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety.” Today, the Department of Justice submitted to the Office of the Federal Register a proposed rule regarding the exercise of the Attorney General’s authority under 18 U.S.C. 925(c) to grant relief to individuals who are otherwise precluded from possessing firearms.
"For too long, countless Americans with criminal histories have been permanently disenfranchised from exercising the right to keep and bear arms—a right every bit as constitutionally enshrined as the right to vote, the right to free speech, and the right to free exercise of religion—irrespective of whether they actually pose a threat," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "No longer."
The proposed rule will provide citizens whose firearm rights are currently under legal disability with an avenue to restore those rights, while keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminals and illegal aliens. Ultimate discretion to grant relief will remain with the Attorney General, and she will exercise that discretion on a case-by-case basis in light of all available facts and evidence that bear on an individual’s application. But absent extraordinary circumstances, violent felons, registered sex offenders, and illegal aliens, in particular, will remain presumptively ineligible for relief.
"General Bondi’s support of the rebooted 925(c) program is consistent with President Donald J. Trump’s promise to the American people to support the beautiful Second Amendment," said U.S. Pardon Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. "My team and I are developing a 925(c) program landing page with a sophisticated, user-friendly platform for Americans petitioning for the return of their gun rights, which will make the process easier for them."
The Justice Department welcomes comments from communities that could be affected by a final rule including law enforcement, victims’ advocates, elected officials, and individuals who would like to apply to have their gun rights restored. Because this proposed rule is intended to create a fair and thoughtful system to evaluate applications for the restoration of firearms right, the Justice Department recommends that individuals seeking the restoration of their firearm rights review and comment on the proposed process rather than submit applications at this time.
View the proposed rule as it was submitted to the Office of the Federal Register HERE. An official copy will be published next week.
Ashley Man Sentenced to 300 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Yesterday, Kyle T. Brady, 39 years old, of Ashley, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Brady was sentenced to 300 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, on two occasions in July of 2022, Brady distributed methamphetamine. On July 19, 2022, a search warrant was served at Brady’s residence where approximately 250 grams of methamphetamine, a mixture of fentanyl and cocaine, and marijuana were found. Officers also located two handguns, a shotgun, an AR-15 rifle, two ballistic vests, and over a thousand rounds of ammunition. Brady has prior felony convictions for drug distribution and firearms offenses. This is Brady’s seventh conviction related to drug distribution, and as such, he was determined to be a career offender.
“Drugs, firearms, and large quantities of ammunition are never a good combination, especially when they are illegally possessed by a convicted felon,” said Proctor. “The public is safer thanks to the combined efforts of the excellent team that investigated and prosecuted this case.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with the assistance of the Auburn Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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.
U.S. Department of Justice Requests Data on Criminal Illegal Aliens in California JailsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice issued requests to sheriffs in multiple major California counties—including Los Angeles and San Francisco Counties—for lists of all inmates in their jails who are not citizens of the United States, their crimes of arrest or conviction, and their scheduled release dates.
In recent years, the United States suffered an invasion of illegal aliens at an unprecedented scale. Far too many of those illegal aliens have gone on to commit crimes on American soil, including rapes, murders, and other violent crimes. Today’s data requests are designed to assist federal immigration authorities in prioritizing the removal of illegal aliens who committed crimes after illegally entering the United States. Although every illegal alien by definition violates federal law, those who go on to commit crimes after doing so show that they pose a heightened risk to our Nation’s safety and security.
“Removing criminal illegal aliens is this Administration’s highest priority,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I look forward to cooperating with California’s county sheriffs to accomplish our shared duty of keeping Californians and all Americans safe and secure.”
The Department of Justice hopes that California sheriffs will voluntarily produce the requested information. But if necessary, the Department will pursue all available means of obtaining the data, including through subpoenas or other compulsory process.
Justice Department Launches Investigation into Employment Practices at George Mason UniversityRead the Press Release
Note: Read the letter here
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division opened an investigation into George Mason University to determine whether it is engaged in discriminatory employment practices based on race and sex.
The investigation stems from statements and policies made by the University’s president, which indicate that race and sex are motivating factors in faculty hiring and other employment decisions to achieve “diversity” goals. Multiple emails and internal documents suggest preferential treatment of certain races and sexes in hiring and other employment practices, including promotion and tenure of faculty members.
“It is unlawful and un-American to deny equal access to employment opportunities on the basis of race and sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “When employers screen out qualified candidates from the hiring process, they not only erode trust in our public institutions—they violate the law, and the Justice Department will investigate accordingly.”
The Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section will investigate whether George Mason University is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, sex, and other protected characteristics, pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.
Former U.S. Department of Energy Official Agrees to Pay $59,000 to Resolve Conflict-of-Interest AllegationsRead the Press Release
Andrew L. Horn, a former Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy at the Department of Energy (DOE), has agreed to pay $59,000 to resolve allegations that he violated conflict-of-interest rules prior to his departure from the agency in 2021.
Among other things, the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 prohibits executive branch employees from participating personally and substantially in particular matters that will affect their own financial interests or the financial interests of certain parties with whom they have ties outside the government, including any organization with whom they are negotiating prospective employment. The United States alleges that in January 2021, Horn worked personally and substantially on a particular matter affecting the financial interests of a private company with which he was simultaneously negotiating contract terms to serve as a paid senior advisor following his upcoming separation from federal service. As part of the settlement, Horn has agreed to pay a civil penalty to resolve allegations that his conduct violated conflict-of-interest prohibitions for federal employees.
“The Office of Inspector General prioritizes the ethical conduct of executive branch officials and thoroughly investigates all allegations regarding potential misconduct with the thorough help of our colleagues at the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Lewe F. Sessions of the Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; DOE, Office of Inspector General; and Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. This matter was handled by Trial Attorney Robbin O. Lee of the Civil Division.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Guam Meth Trafficker Sentenced to 135-Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Gavin Domingo Alimurong, age 27, from Dededo, Guam was sentenced to 135-months imprisonment. He was charged in the U.S. District Court of Guam with Conspiracy to Distribute Fifty or More Grams of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii) and 846. Alimurong also forfeited four vehicles, jewelry, luxury bags, and $350,164 in cash. The Court also ordered five years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
Between July 2019 and July 2022, Alimurong conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Guam. He obtained methamphetamine, cocaine, and ecstasy through the dark web, converting U.S. currency into Bitcoin to pay for drugs shipped to Guam via the U.S. Postal Service. In December 2021, Guam Police Department investigated a domestic violence incident involving Alimurong. During searches of his residence and vehicle, law enforcement seized 594 grams of methamphetamine and 401 grams of cocaine, in addition to pharmaceuticals including oxycodone, alprazolam, and amphetamine pills. Police also seized glass pipes, a pill crusher, a digital scale, plastic zip-top bags, a money counter, a postal stamp printer, and various luxury items. Officers also recovered a firearm, ammunition, and $93,124 in cash.
A search of a storage locker revealed an additional $257,040 in U.S. currency from illegal drug sales. Western Union records indicated that Alimurong wired $103,165 to multiple individuals in China, Vietnam, Bolivia, Colombia, Laos, and the United States.
“Law enforcement removed a prolific drug dealer from the streets of Guam,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Drug defendants, such as Alimurong, face more than a substantial term of imprisonment. We will also take any property earned from or facilitating drug trafficking. I applaud our multi-agency partners that continue to protect our communities from this dangerous activity.”
“Drug trafficking will not be tolerated in our communities,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Guam. “We will vigorously pursue all criminals who flood our streets with their poison and ensure they face the full force of the law.”
"The defendant in this case callously chased profits with no concern for the impact and harm he brought to public safety," said Homeland Security Investigations Hawaii Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “HSI and its partners in law enforcement will aggressively investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the transnational flow of illegal drugs and ensure those that choose to traffic them are held accountable for the harm they bring to the communities of Guam.”
“You will lose your freedom and the unlawful proceeds or your crime if you try to exploit the U.S. mail to traffic dangerous controlled substances,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen Sherwood. “I would like to thank our federal partners, and our task force partners with Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, the Guam Police Department, and the Guam Army National Guard Counter Drug Program for helping keep methamphetamine out of the mail and out of our communities.”
“Drugs and guns are a losing combination,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Mr. Alimurong’s actions put the community in great harm and was only exacerbated by his possession of firearms. Because of his actions, this sentence is well deserved.”
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strategic Initiative. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Guam Police Department, with support from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Guam Police Department Special Investigations Section, and the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Rosetta L. San Nicolas prosecuted the case in the District of Guam.
Former Maryland Police Officer Sentenced for Excessive Force ConvictionRead the Press Release
Former Fairmont Heights, Maryland, Police Officer Philip Dupree was sentenced today following his conviction at trial on June 17, 2024. Dupree was sentenced to six years and two months in prison.
During the weeklong jury trial, the evidence established that Dupree was on duty as a Fairmont Heights Police Officer on Aug. 4, 2019, when he conducted a traffic stop in the District of Columbia. After detaining a man, Officer Dupree pepper sprayed the man while he was handcuffed and seated in Dupree’s police car. The jury found that Dupree’s use of force constituted excessive force by a law enforcement officer.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Howland for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Reaches New Settlement to Protect U.S. WorkersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with H2A Complete II Inc., a Mississippi company, to address evidence that the company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it unfairly tipped the scales to hire H-2A visa holders over U.S. workers for agricultural employment opportunities.
This settlement is the second since the Department re-launched its Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative. Originally launched during the first Trump Administration, the Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative targets, investigates, and brings enforcement actions against employers that intentionally discriminate against U.S. workers due to a preference for temporary visa workers.
Under the settlement, the company will pay $25,000 in civil penalties to the United States, undergo training, revise its employment policies, and not include excessive experience requirements in job postings that are unlawfully aimed at excluding U.S. workers from employment opportunities.
“American workers seeking jobs in their own country deserve priority,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will continue to protect our country’s workers from unlawful discrimination in favor of foreign nationals.”
“DOJ’s Civil Rights Division is protecting American workers from unlawful discrimination by employers that prefer to hire foreign visa workers instead of U.S. workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Protecting job opportunities for the American workforce is one of our top priorities.”
The public can call the Immigrant and Employee Rights free hotline at 1-800-255-7688 for workers or at 1-800-255-8155 for employers (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired) for informal assistance; sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email [email protected]; or visit www.justice.gov/ier.
Justice Department Highlights DEA Drug Seizures for First Half of 2025, Successful Operations over the Last Several WeeksRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi highlighted the great work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to get illegal drugs off our streets and protect innocent Americans from addiction, overdose, and drug-related crime and violence. Since January 20, 2025, DEA has seized approximately 44 million fentanyl pills, 4,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, nearly 65,000 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 201,500 pounds of cocaine, and made over 2,105 fentanyl-related arrests.
“Our DEA agents are doing historic work to keep our communities safe from deadly drugs like fentanyl and dismantle the cartels selling them,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I want to remind all Americans to exercise extreme caution: a pill can kill.”
“DEA is hitting the cartels where it hurts—with arrests, with seizures, and with relentless pressure. From meth labs in California to fentanyl pills disguised as pharmaceuticals seized at our border, these operations are saving American lives every single day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “We are not slowing down. We are dismantling these networks piece by piece—and we won't stop until the last brick of their empire falls.”
Over the last several weeks, DEA has conducted a number of successful operations across the United States including:
- In Lexington County, South Carolina, DEA, in coordination with its state and local partners, seized over 156 pounds of fentanyl and 44 pounds of methamphetamine, a firearm and arrested one trafficker.
- In Gainesville, Georgia, DEA, and its state and local partners intercepted over 705 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a truckload of cucumbers and arrested two traffickers.
- In Minneapolis, Minnesota, DEA and its federal and local partners seized 889 pounds of methamphetamine, one handgun and arrested three traffickers.
- In Kern County, California, DEA and its local partners shut down a major methamphetamine conversion lab, seizing over 240 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 151 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, and arrested five traffickers.
- In Fresno, California, DEA and its federal, state and local partners seized 24 pounds of carfentanil disguised as real prescription pills— the largest single seizure to date of carfentanil in Northern California.
- In Galveston, Texas, DEA, in close coordination with its federal partners at CBP, helped uncover over 1,700 pounds of methamphetamine—worth more than $15 million dollars—hidden inside a vehicle.
- In Austin, Texas, DEA, in coordination with its FBI, state and local partners, seized 783 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside a refrigerated truck carrying blueberries.
- In a single coordinated takedown spanning Indiana, Kentucky, and Arizona, DEA, working alongside its federal, state and local partners, DEA seized 59 illegal firearms, possessed by serious violent felons—along with 74 pounds of methamphetamine, 11 pounds of fentanyl, 11 pounds of cocaine, cash, and conducted 23 arrests.
- In Miami, Florida, DEA in coordination with its FBI partners, seized over $10 million dollars in cryptocurrency, directly linked to the Sinaloa cartel.
- In El Paso, Texas, DEA, with the assistance of its federal partners at HSI and U.S. Border Patrol, seized 115 pounds of methamphetamine from a drug-laden vehicle outfitted with a GPS tracker.
- In Omaha, Nebraska, DEA and its local partners seized machinegun conversion devices, AR-style pistols and fentanyl pills in a raid that dismantled a multi-state poly-drug operation.