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Monday 22 December 2025
Former Nonprofit CEO Heads to Federal Prison for 33 Months for $2 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Theresa Szwast, 58, of Fishers, Indiana has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud. Szwast has also been ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and $2,172,679.87 in restitution.
According to court documents, Szwast systematically embezzled more than $2 million from her employer, a non-profit insurance statistical agent based in Indianapolis, over the course of 17 years. From 2008 to 2022, Szwast served as the organization’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), granting her access to its banking and accounting systems.
Szwast diverted company funds to pay personal expenses, such as credit card bills, golf equipment, wine, and luxury travel, including an 11-day stay at the Four Seasons in Hawaii. She carried out the scheme through 13 fraudulent wire transfers to herself, averaging more than $33,000 per transaction and reaching as high as $66,000 in a single transfer. She also wrote 219 checks to herself. This theft occurred despite her annual salary of approximately $188,000.
As part of her responsibilities, Szwast oversaw the company’s annual audits conducted by a Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm. In 2008, she began falsifying audit reports using the firm’s letterhead and forging a CPA’s signature. She then presented the fabricated financial statements to the Board of Directors to conceal her theft.
“Theresa Szwast’s conduct was not only criminal, but it was also profoundly greedy and selfish. She betrayed the trust placed in her and created an illusion of stability for investors. Her deception forced dedicated employees to reconstruct accurate records and restore funds, disrupting their work on the core mission, all while enjoying her own lavish lifestyle,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of her crimes and the lasting harm she inflicted, showing once again that those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain will be held accountable.”
“Diverting funds for personal luxuries is a serious abuse of trust. The defendant chose to take funds meant to support the organization and use it for her own benefit,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI will continue to investigate and disrupt financial fraud schemes and hold accountable those who misuse their positions.”
The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case.
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Former Newark City Council Member Sentenced to 18 Months for Bribery, Kickback, and Tax Fraud Scheme; Co-Conspirator Sentenced to 25 MonthsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Joseph A. McCallum, Jr. 70, a former member of the Newark Municipal Council who also served on the Board of Directors of the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation (“NCEDC”), was sentenced on December 2, 2025 to 18 months’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release for participating in a scheme to obtain bribes and kickbacks and subscribing to a false personal tax return for 2018. Malik Frederick, 65, a former consultant for developers seeking construction and real estate deals in Newark, was sentenced on December 4, 2025, to 25 months’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release for his role in the same scheme and for subscribing to a false personal tax return for 2017, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
“Combatting public corruption in New Jersey is a top priority for our Office. Crimes like these erode public trust and undermine confidence in the institutions meant to serve the community. We will continue to investigate and prosecute public officials and others who seek to enrich themselves at the public’s expense by engaging in bribery and kickback schemes. We thank our federal partners, including the FBI, IRS, and HUD, for their continued partnership in these cases.”
- Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello
McCallum previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to an Information charging him with one count of wire fraud for devising a scheme, using interstate wire communications, to defraud Newark and the NCEDC of the right to McCallum’s honest services and one count of subscribing to a false personal tax return for calendar year 2018. Frederick previously pleaded guilty before Judge Martini to participating in the honest services wire fraud conspiracy and one count of subscribing to a false personal tax return.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court:
From 2017 through February 2020, Frederick paid concealed bribes and kickbacks to McCallum, who was then a member of the Newark City Council, representing the West Ward of Newark, and an NCEDC Board member. These bribes and kickbacks were funded by developers, contracting companies, and other businesses seeking contracts and approvals principally related to development, construction, and real estate projects and deals in Newark. Frederick and others solicited these developers to hire Frederick’s consulting company for “access,” and were introduced to McCallum as the Councilman behind the project or deal of interest to them. McCallum then received concealed bribes and kickbacks from the fees that Frederick obtained from those who retained his company.
In exchange, McCallum used his official positions on the City Council and NCEDC to provide assistance in support of the projects and deals of interest to the developers and others who retained Frederick’s company. For those who refused to pay or were hesitant to pay the fees that Frederick charged, McCallum and Frederick intended to prevent them from obtaining contracts and work from the NCEDC and the City of Newark. McCallum and Frederick took significant steps to conceal these bribes and kickbacks and other material aspects of their arrangement and dealings with these developers and others.
The bribes and kickbacks that McCallum sought and received through Frederick included:
- On April 11, 2017, McCallum accepted a $16,000 check from Frederick’s company bank account in exchange for McCallum’s official assistance and favors for Frederick as specific opportunities related to construction projects in Newark arose that were of interest to the contracting company.
- On October 29, 2018, McCallum accepted a $25,000 check from Frederick’s company bank account in exchange for McCallum’s official assistance to Developer 1’s company in acquiring City-owned properties in the West Ward for a redevelopment project.
- From October 2019 through early 2020, McCallum also sought to obtain bribes from Frederick funded by Developer 2’s company, which was seeking to acquire and redevelop properties in Newark, including multiple City-owned lots in the West Ward and the City Council’s passage of a resolution for a redevelopment agreement related to those lots. On October 9, 2019, McCallum accepted $500 in cash from Frederick at a cigar lounge in Newark, funded by one of the monthly payments that Developer 2’s company made to Frederick’s company in relation to the redevelopment agreement that Developer 2 sought. In addition, in early 2020, McCallum, using Frederick to assist him, sought a balloon payment of $100,000 from Developer 2 once McCallum secured the City Council’s approval of the redevelopment agreement with the passage of the official resolution approving the deal.
- From October 2019 through January 2020, McCallum planned to share payments with Frederick from a business owner in Newark seeking to sell property to and from Developer 1, who was seeking to acquire and develop the property, in exchange for McCallum’s official assistance to ensure Developer 1’s acquisition and eventual development of City-owned lots adjoining the Seller’s Property.
In addition to paying the bribes and kickbacks to McCallum and attempting to obtain payments to be used for bribes and kickbacks, Frederick sought to have a modular home company that was in negotiations with the NCEDC on a development project in Newark to retain Frederick’s company and obtain a $40,000 payment. Frederick intended to share the $40,000 payment with a NCEDC official (labeled “Co-Conspirator 2” in the Information) who referred Frederick to the modular home company and expected a portion of whatever Frederick would be paid. After the modular home company refused to retain Frederick’s company, it did not receive a contract from the NCEDC.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Shawn A. Rice, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francesca Liquori and Matthew Specht of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division.
All other co-conspirators identified in the Information are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Ray Hamlin, Esq. (for Joseph A. McCallum, Jr.)
Hassen Abdellah, Esq. (for Malik Frederick)
Former Kissimmee Police Officer Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed has sentenced Dariel Javier Quiles-Davila (27, Kissimmee) to seven years in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material. Quiles-Davila was found guilty by a federal jury on August 22, 2025.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, in October 2023, Quiles-Davila was an officer with the Kissimmee Police Department. At that time, Quiles-Davila met a minor victim while on duty. After learning the minor victim’s contact information, Quiles-Davila began to communicate directly with the minor victim with his personal cell phone and over social media, sent the minor victim money, and solicited and received sexually explicit photographs and videos of the minor victim.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kissimmee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Sartoian and Chauncey A. Bratt.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Inmate to Serve Eight Additional Years in Prison for Indecent Exposure at Federal Transfer CenterRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ROBERT WILLIAMS, 32, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to serve 96 additional months in federal prison for indecent exposure at the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on March 6, 2025, Williams, an inmate at the FTC, lewdly exposed his genitals to a female correctional officer while making a suggestive comment. At the time, Williams was in federal custody for burglary and firearms offenses. On April 1, 2025, a federal grand jury charged Williams with indecent exposure. Williams pleaded guilty on July 25, 2025, and admitted he exposed himself in a public place where other persons were present and could be offended or annoyed by his conduct.
At a sentencing hearing on December 17, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Williams to serve 96 months in federal prison, to run consecutively to his existing prison term, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Palk noted the need for the sentence to reflect the seriousness of the offense and promote respect for the law. Judge Palk also noted William’s history and characteristics, which included multiple instances of indecent exposure and committing acts of violence while in custody.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Hale prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Members and Associates of Violent Chicago Street Gang for Racketeering Conspiracy Involving 13 MurdersRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted six alleged members and associates of a Chicago street gang for participating in a criminal organization that murdered rivals, committed armed robberies and carjackings, and violently protected their perceived territory on the South Side of Chicago.
The indictment alleges that members of the Faceworld street gang engaged in numerous acts of violence, including 13 murders and numerous attempted murders, assaults, armed robberies, and carjackings in Chicago. Among the violence charged in the indictment were shootings at passengers aboard a Chicago Transit Authority bus and at mourners attending the funeral of a rival gang member allegedly killed by Faceworld members. The defendants and other Faceworld members and associates used threats and intimidation to prevent victims and witnesses from cooperating with law enforcement, the charges allege. Faceworld members allegedly promoted their violent enterprise on social media, posting comments, photos, and videos to proclaim membership in the gang, taunt rivals, and boast about murders and other acts of violence. The defendants and other Faceworld members and associates also trafficked cocaine and heroin in Chicago and Iowa, the indictment states.
The indictment was unsealed Friday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. It charges all six defendants with racketeering conspiracy. Three of the defendants are also charged with murder in aid of racketeering. Arraignments were held Friday in federal court for three of the defendants, while three others will be arraigned on a later date. All six defendants are currently in law enforcement custody.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department, Romeoville, Ill. Police Department, Illinois State Police, Illinois Department of Corrections, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia Schwartz, Sushma Raju, and John “L.J.” Pavletic.
Charged with racketeering conspiracy are Chicago residents DONTAE HARPER, 28, TYRONE FOY, 31, TYJUAN TAPPLAR, 25, ROBERT LEE THOMAS, 22, DAVION HARRIS, 28, and DEAVEAN MCCLURE, 26.
Racketeering conspiracy generally carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, but a life sentence is possible for certain underlying charged activities. Harper, Foy, and Tapplar also face a maximum of the death penalty if convicted of certain murders charged in the indictment.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
harper_et_al_indictment.pdfFederal Inmate Indicted on Multiple Assault Charges and Possession of ContrabandRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jose Melendez-Rivera, 27, an inmate in a Federal Correctional Institution, was indicted by a federal grand jury for assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and possessing contraband in prison. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Melendez-Rivera appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for January 27, 2026, before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Melendez-Rivera faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment for assault with intent to commit murder; ten years’ imprisonment for assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm; ten years’ imprisonment for assault resulting in serious bodily injury; and up to five years imprisonment for possessing contraband in prison.
The case was a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Easton Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening Fairfield Police OfficersRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that on December 18, 2025, RAYMOND NEUBERGER, 41, of Easton, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to threatening Fairfield Police officers.
According to court documents and statements made in Court, on April 24, 2025, Neuberger sent text messages to an individual in which he threatened to kill Fairfield Police officers. Later, Neuberger stopped his vehicle in the middle of Post Road in Fairfield and screamed profanities and made an obscene gesture at a Fairfield Police officer. He then drove to the Fairfield Police Department, encountered the same police officer, and again yelled profanities and made an obscene gesture. After these incidents, Neuberger continued to make threats in calls to the Fairfield County Regional Dispatch Center and to the Fairfield Police.
Neuberger then sent several threatening text messages to another individual, including messages stating “I’m going to kill all the Fairfield cops,” “Tell Fairfield PD I’m close to snapping,” and “I’m armed.”
Neuberger pleaded guilty to transmitting interstate communications containing a threat to injure, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Neuberger was arrested on related state charges on April 29, 2025, and is currently detained in federal custody.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fairfield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman.
District of Arizona Charges 160 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Dec. 13 through Dec.19, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 160 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 95 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 55 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 9 cases against 10 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Marina Elizabeth Hernandez-Ardon: On Dec. 17, 2025, Hernandez-Ardon was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. According to the complaint, a Border Patrol agent requested a records check of a vehicle traveling on I-8 Eastbound, which confirmed the vehicle’s driver, Hernandez-Ardon, had an expired Employment Authorization Card. Driving alongside the vehicle, Border Patrol agents observed what appeared to be an individual in the rear passenger seat attempting to conceal themselves under a blanket. Agents initiated a traffic stop and observed Hernandez-Ardon in the driver’s seat and two individuals lying down on the floorboard of the rear passenger compartment under a blanket. The two passengers, citizens of Mexico, were found to have entered the United States without legal authorization. Hernandez-Ardon is a citizen of El Salvador. 25-02201MJ.
United States v. Jose Armando Talamantes-Magallanes: On Dec. 15, 2025, Talamantes-Magallanes was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. According to the complaint, Border Patrol agents noticed a breach in the border fence about a half of a mile west of Border Monument 177 and five sets of footprints walking northbound. The agents followed the footprints and located Talamantes-Magallanes and five other individuals concealed in the bushes and dressed in camouflage and carpeted shoes to conceal their footprints. Agents determined the defendant was transporting the five individuals into the United States, and immigration checks confirmed that Talamantes-Magallanes and the five other individuals are citizens of Mexico, all unlawfully present in the United States. 25-02183MJ.
United States v. Frances Walker and Yael Rosales. On Dec. 16, 2025, Walker and Rosales were charged by complaint with Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens. As charged in the complaint, Border Patrol agents initially tried to stop a red Honda Civic on suspicion of alien smuggling as it traveled north on Federal Route 19 on the Tohono O'odham Nation. The driver, Rosales, failed to yield then briefly stopped and two individuals, later determined to be illegal aliens, ran from the Civic. Rosales again failed to yield and was eventually stopped by local law enforcement. After departing the first vehicle, the aliens were picked up by a second vehicle, driven by Walker. That vehicle was stopped at the State Route 86 Border Patrol Checkpoint, and Walker and the aliens were taken into custody. 25-MJ-13128-MSA.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-178_December 19 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Cozad Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Sean Westgate, 48, of Cozad, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 18, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United Sates District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Westgate to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Westgate’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
From the summer of 2023 into early 2024, Westgate and three other individuals from Cozad conspired to bring pounds of methamphetamine from Colorado to the Lexington-Cozad area, where the drugs were distributed. As part of the investigation, law enforcement executed search warrants for Facebook records, which revealed individuals and residences involved in the distribution of methamphetamine. During a January 2024 search warrant at a co-conspirator’s residence in Cozad, investigators found a loaded handgun, ammunition, methamphetamine, and distribution paraphernalia. Cell phones obtained during the search warrant contained messages showing drug distribution. Recorded jail calls tipped investigators to the group’s travel plans to obtain more methamphetamine in Colorado. A search warrant for a tracking device led investigators to making a traffic stop on February 6, 2024. Westgate was a passenger in the vehicle, which contained methamphetamine, THC, and drug paraphernalia. A later search of Westgate’s Cozad residence turned up evidence of drug use and distribution paraphernalia.
This case was investigated by the CODE Drug Task Force which is comprised of members from the Lexington Police Department, the Cozad Police Department, the North Platte Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol. Investigators from the West Metro Drug Task Force in Colorado also assisted in the investigation.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Deyon Downing, 30, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced on December 17, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Downing to 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Downing is released from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On March 5, 2024, the victim was found unresponsive in an Omaha residence. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s overdose task force investigated the case and was able to track that the fentanyl pills came from co-defendant, Alexis Cuadras Graciano, in California to the co-defendant, Carlos Lopez Montoya, in Grand Island, who sold them to another co-defendant, Ventura Montoya Gonsalez. The fentanyl pills were then sold to co-defendant, Asia Blackburn, in Omaha, who sold them to Deyon Downing. Downing sold the pills to the victim before the victim died. The victim’s cause of death was acute acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl fluorofentanyl, paroxetine, and quetiapine intoxication. All the parties were in agreement to distribute fentanyl.
Asia Blackburn pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 320 months’ imprisonment. Ventura Montoya Gonsalez and Carlos Lopez Montoya have both pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Overdose Task Force.
Citizen of Ghana sentenced on extortion chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Cross Abu Cole, 21, a citizen of Ghana, who was convicted of interstate communications with intent to extort, was sentenced to time served (approximately seven months) by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo and turned over to the Department of Homeland Security.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that on October 30, 2022, Cole improperly accessed an individual’s (Victim) Snapchat account and obtained nude photographs that the Victim had stored in his Snapchat account. Cole sent a text message to the Victim, utilizing a Google Voice telephone number, demanding payment of $200. If payment was not made, Cole threatened to damage the reputation of the Victim by releasing the nude photographs to family and friends of the Victim. An initial payment of $200 via CashApp was made by the Victim as instructed but then he cancelled the payment. Subsequently, the Victim learned that some of his Snapchat contacts had received the nude photographs.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
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Cholo Abdi Abdullah Sentenced to Life in Prison for Conspiring to Commit 9/11-Style Terrorist Attack on Behalf of Al-ShabaabRead the Press Release
Cholo Abdi Abdullah was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison following his conviction for multiple crimes that included conspiring to provide — and providing — material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and conspiring to murder U.S. nationals, commit aircraft piracy, destroy aircraft, and commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Today’s sentencing followed Abdullah’s conviction after a jury trial that concluded on Nov. 4, 2024.
“Today, justice has been served,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Abdullah, an al-Shabaab terrorist, sought to replicate the most horrific terrorist attack in our history, as he prepared to hijack a commercial airliner to take down a building on U.S. soil. We thwarted this plot due to the relentless efforts of U.S. law enforcement and thereby likely saved many innocent lives. His life sentence is a powerful reminder that those who plot attacks against the United States will be prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Cholo Abdi Abdullah was a highly trained al-Shabaab operative who was dedicated to recreating the horrific September 11 terrorist attacks on behalf of a vicious terrorist organization,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Abdullah pursued his commercial pilot license at a flight school in the Philippines while conducting extensive attack planning on how to hijack a commercial plane and crash it into a building in America. As he later admitted to the FBI, he was fully prepared to die in his terrorist attack. I commend the years of outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the career prosecutors of this Office who disrupted Abdullah’s murderous plot and brought him to face justice in a U.S. court. He will now spend [decades] behind bars, where he will not be able to harm innocent Americans.”
“Al Qaeda affiliated terrorist and trained pilot Cholo Abdullah was justly punished today for his plotting to commit a 9/11-style terrorist attack,” said Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia of the FB. “This case serves as reminder individuals still wish to inflict violence upon our country in the name of the terrorism. The FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force remains steadfast in its relentless determination to protect the American people from terrorists and their heinous desires.”
According to court documents and the evidence at trial:
al-Shabaab
Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, commonly known as al-Shabaab, is a terrorist organization and al Qaeda affiliate based in Somalia and active in other locations in East Africa. Since its formation, al-Shabaab has relied on violence, including assassinations, suicide bombings, armed assaults on hotels, restaurants, beaches, and an array of civilian targets to pursue its goals. Those goals include al Qaeda’s broader objective to overthrow the U.S. government and create an Islamic caliphate. In 2012, the then-Emir of al-Shabaab swore allegiance to Ayman al Zawahiri, the then-Emir of al Qaeda who succeeded Osama bin Laden after his death in 2011, which led to al-Zawahiri announcing that al-Shabaab “will hereby merge into al Qa’ida.”. On February 26, 2008, the U.S. Secretary of State designated al-Shabaab as a foreign terrorist organization (“FTO”) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224.
Since its designation, al-Shabaab has repeatedly declared its intent to target the West and kill Americans. In April 2008, for example, in response to the U.S. designation of al-Shabaab as an FTO, al-Shabaab released a statement expressly declaring its intent to target the U.S. The next month, in May 2008, al-Shabaab publicly declared that its fighters would “hunt the U.S. government,” and threatened that governments supporting the U.S. and Ethiopia should keep their citizens out of Somalia. Consistent with its threats, al-Shabaab has repeatedly engaged in mass-casualty attacks targeting Americans.
al-Shabaab’s “Operation Jerusalem Will Never Be Judaized” Campaign
In May 2018, al-Shabaab announced that it would participate in an al Qaeda-driven campaign to retaliate against the U.S. for its decision to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, called “Operation ‘Al-Qudsu Lan Tuhawwad (Jerusalem will never be Judaized).’”. al-Shabaab subsequently claimed, in public statements, responsibility for multiple major terrorist attacks carried out under Operation “Jerusalem Will Never Be Judaized.”
One of al-Shabaab’s attacks was the Jan.15, 2019 assault on the DusitD2 hotel and office complex in Nairobi, Kenya (the “DusitD2 Attack”), which included, among other things, a suicide bomber detonating an explosive device in front of a U.S. citizen, killing him; and four other armed individuals attacking the hotel grounds with AK-47s and grenades, killing more than 20 additional people. al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, and i a propaganda video explained that the DusitD2 Attack was “successful, by the grace of Allah, and resulted in the deaths of more than 50 disbelievers, including Americans and other Western nationals.”
Abdullah Joins the al-Shabaab Aviation Plot to Re-Create the September 11 Terrorist Attacks
Abdullah joined al-Shabaab in 2015 and spent approximately a year at a series of safehouses in Somalia where he worked with high-ranking al-Shabaab members and received military-style training that included how to fire an AK-47 assault rifle and how to make different sized explosives. During his training, he was recruited by senior al-Shabaab operatives for a “greater plan,” one that was “bigger than the fighting and the explosives.”. Specifically, he agreed to join al-Shabaab’s international scheme to execute a mass-casualty terrorist attack, which would involve Abdullah training to become an airline pilot so that he could hijack a commercial plane and crash it into a building in the U.S.
Between October 2017 and July 2019, Abdullah became a student at a flight school in the Philippines and spent hundreds of hours training to become a commercial pilot. Abdullah’s flight school tuition was financed by al-Shabaab, which raises funds through an elaborate system of extortion in Somalia that it refers to as “taxation.”. Images of Abat the flight school Abdullah are displayed below, with the instructors’ faces redacted:
During his enrollment, Abdullah participated in multiple training programs for his private and commercial pilot licenses, as well as to obtain the required ratings necessary to fly commercial aircraft. These requirements included hundreds of hours of classroom instruction, work in flight simulators, hands-on flight training, and written examinations. At the time of his arrest in the Philippines in July 2019, Abdullah had completed all but one of the requirements for his commercial pilot licenses and had nearly completed the “instrument rating” required to get a job as a pilot with a major airline.
Abdullah Agreed to Murder U.S. Nationals for al-Shabaab
Following his arrest, Abdullah admitted to FBI agents that he was training to become a pilot on behalf of al-Shabaab so that he could hijack a plane. As part of his attack planning, he had researched certain transit visas that would allow him to enter the U.S., tested the feasibility of taking a knife on board an airplane, and admitted that he expected others to be killed or injured when he hijacked the plane. He himself expected to die in the attack.
While training at the flight school, Abdullah continued to research his attack plans. He searched online multiple times for information concerning airplane cockpit doors, as well as airline jobs, instructor training, and possible interview questions for airline jobs. In December 2018, he searched for information concerning security on airplanes, including whether air marshals are on every flight, and “Boeing 737 cockpit door.”. He visited websites discussing pilots carrying guns inside airplane cockpits, and viewed an article on how to open an airplane cockpit door from the outside.
In January 2019, ABDULLAH was briefed by his al-Shabaab handler about the DusitD2 Attack. His handler was a high-level al-Shabaab operative who coordinated the DusitD2 Attack and arranged for the use of a suicide bomber during the assault on the hotel and office complex. Abdullah admitted to FBI agents that his handler told him that his friend in al-Shabaab had died “for the cause” during the DusitD2 Attack, and that Abdullah and his handler used that as “encouragement” for him to become stronger. He then repeatedly searched online about the DusitD2 Attack, including for footage of the suicide blast. Just two days later, he accelerated his attack planning by researching “Delta flights,” and the “Tallest building in Atlanta,” specifically focusing on the Bank of America Plaza, a 55-story building standing 1,023 feet tall according to the website he visited as part of his research.
Throughout his flight training, Abdullah also provided his al-Shabaab handler with detailed progress reports that described his research and attack planning. In these reports, he described how he had taken flights to determine which airline seats had the best views of the flight deck door. He also compiled research on post-September 11 hijacking attempts and described how the “brothers during 9/11 did something completely unexpected in a more creative way, ‘study for piloting.’”. In that same report, he concluded that “the only successful hijack after 9/11 was the one of the Ethiopian Airlines and it is so because it was hijacked by the pilot himself.”. His progress report then described a list of “My ideas” that he created and arrived at for a successful hijacking operation. His number one idea was that “for a very successful mission, we need a pilot in the cockpit (which means I should apply for the airlines).”
Before Abdullah could complete his commercial pilot license training and carry out the final, deadly steps of the Aviation Plot, he was arrested, in July 2019, by authorities in the Philippines. He was transferred to U.S. custody in December 2020.
As a result of this conduct, on November 4, 2024, Abdullah was found guilty at trial of six counts: conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison; providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; conspiring to murder U.S. nationals abroad, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison;. conspiring to commit aircraft piracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison; conspiring to destroy aircraft, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and conspiring to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, which carries a maximum penalty f life in prison.
In addition to the prison term, Abdullah, 34, of Kenya, was sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release.
The National Security Division (NSD) praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department. NSD also thanked the FBI Counterterrorism Division; the FBI Legal Attaché Offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and Manila, the Philippines; the FBI’s Hudson Valley Resident Agency; the New York State Police; the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division; the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division; the U.S. Department of Defense; the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations, including the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and the Joint Terrorism Task Force-Kenya; the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Kenya; the Philippine National Police; the Philippine Department of Justice; the Joint Terrorism Financial Investigations Group-Philippines; and the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley and Jonathan L. Bodansky are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from paralegal specialist Sabrina Jim Munoz and trial attorney John Cella of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
Cholo Abdi Abdullah Sentenced to Life in Prison for Conspiring to Commit 9/11-Style Terrorist Attack on Behalf of al-ShabaabRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg, and Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced today that CHOLO ABDI ABDULLAH was sentenced to life in prison by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres following his conviction for multiple crimes that included conspiring to provide—and providing—material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and conspiring to murder U.S. nationals, commit aircraft piracy, destroy aircraft, and commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Today’s sentencing followed ABDULLAH’s conviction after a jury trial that concluded on November 4, 2024.
“Cholo Abdi Abdullah was a highly trained al-Shabaab operative who was dedicated to recreating the horrific September 11 terrorist attacks on behalf of a vicious terrorist organization,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Abdullah pursued his commercial pilot license at a flight school in the Philippines while conducting extensive attack planning on how to hijack a commercial plane and crash it into a building in America. As he later admitted to the FBI, he was fully prepared to die in his terrorist attack. I commend the years of outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the career prosecutors of this Office who disrupted Abdullah’s murderous plot and brought him to face justice in a U.S. court. He will now spend life behind bars, where he will not be able to harm innocent Americans.”
“Today, justice has been served,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Abdullah, an al-Shabaab terrorist, sought to replicate the most horrific terrorist attack in our history, as he prepared to hijack a commercial airliner to take down a building on U.S. soil. We thwarted this plot due to the relentless efforts of U.S. law enforcement and thereby likely saved many innocent lives. His life sentence is a powerful reminder that those who plot attacks against the United States will be prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Al Qaeda affiliated terrorist and trained pilot Cholo Abdullah was justly punished today for his plotting to commit a 9/11-style terrorist attack,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “This case serves as reminder individuals still wish to inflict violence upon our country in the name of the terrorism. The FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force remains steadfast in its relentless determination to protect the American people from terrorists and their heinous desires.”
According to court documents and the evidence at trial:
al-Shabaab
Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, commonly known as al-Shabaab, is a terrorist organization and al Qaeda affiliate based in Somalia and active in other locations in East Africa. Since its formation, al-Shabaab has relied on violence, including assassinations, suicide bombings, armed assaults on hotels, restaurants, beaches, and an array of civilian targets to pursue its goals. Those goals include al Qaeda’s broader objective to overthrow the U.S. government and create an Islamic caliphate. In 2012, the then-Emir of al-Shabaab swore allegiance to Ayman al Zawahiri, the then-Emir of al Qaeda who succeeded Osama bin Laden after his death in 2011, which led to al-Zawahiri announcing that al-Shabaab “will hereby merge into al Qa’ida.” On February 26, 2008, the U.S. Secretary of State designated al-Shabaab as a foreign terrorist organization (“FTO”) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224.
Since its designation, al-Shabaab has repeatedly declared its intent to target the West and kill Americans. In April 2008, for example, in response to the U.S. designation of al-Shabaab as an FTO, al-Shabaab released a statement expressly declaring its intent to target the U.S. The next month, in May 2008, al-Shabaab publicly declared that its fighters would “hunt the U.S. government,” and threatened that governments supporting the U.S. and Ethiopia should keep their citizens out of Somalia. Consistent with its threats, al-Shabaab has repeatedly engaged in mass-casualty attacks targeting Americans.
al-Shabaab’s “Operation Jerusalem Will Never Be Judaized” Campaign
In May 2018, al-Shabaab announced that it would participate in an al Qaeda-driven campaign to retaliate against the U.S. for its decision to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, called “Operation ‘Al-Qudsu Lan Tuhawwad (Jerusalem will never be Judaized).’” al-Shabaab subsequently claimed, in public statements, responsibility for multiple major terrorist attacks carried out under Operation “Jerusalem Will Never Be Judaized.”
One of al-Shabaab’s attacks was the January 15, 2019 assault on the DusitD2 hotel and office complex in Nairobi, Kenya (the “DusitD2 Attack”), which included, among other things, a suicide bomber detonating an explosive device in front of a U.S. citizen, killing him; and four other armed individuals attacking the hotel grounds with AK-47s and grenades, killing more than 20 additional people. al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, and in a propaganda video explained that the DusitD2 Attack was “successful, by the grace of Allah, and resulted in the deaths of more than 50 disbelievers, including Americans and other Western nationals.”
ABDULLAH Joins the al-Shabaab Aviation Plot to Re-Create the September 11 Terrorist Attacks
ABDULLAH joined al-Shabaab in 2015 and spent approximately a year at a series of safehouses in Somalia where he worked with high-ranking al-Shabaab members and received military-style training that included how to fire an AK-47 assault rifle and how to make different sized explosives. During his training, ABDULLAH was recruited by senior al-Shabaab operatives for a “greater plan,” one that was “bigger than the fighting and the explosives.” Specifically, ABDULLAH agreed to join al-Shabaab’s international scheme to execute a mass-casualty terrorist attack, which would involve ABDULLAH training to become an airline pilot so that he could hijack a commercial plane and crash it into a building in the U.S.
Between October 2017 and July 2019, ABDULLAH became a student at a flight school in the Philippines and spent hundreds of hours training to become a commercial pilot. ABDULLAH’s flight school tuition was financed by al-Shabaab, which raises funds through an elaborate system of extortion in Somalia that it refers to as “taxation.” Images of ABDULLAH at the flight school are displayed below, with the instructors’ faces redacted:
During his enrollment, ABDULLAH participated in multiple training programs for his private and commercial pilot licenses, as well as to obtain the required ratings necessary to fly commercial aircraft. These requirements included hundreds of hours of classroom instruction, work in flight simulators, hands-on flight training, and written examinations. At the time of his arrest in the Philippines in July 2019, ABDULLAH had completed all but one of the requirements for his commercial pilot licenses and had nearly completed the “instrument rating” required to get a job as a pilot with a major airline.
ABDULLAH Agreed to Murder U.S. Nationals for al-Shabaab
Following his arrest, ABDULLAH admitted to FBI agents that he was training to become a pilot on behalf of al-Shabaab so that he could hijack a plane. As part of his attack planning, ABDULLAH had researched certain transit visas that would allow him to enter the U.S., tested the feasibility of taking a knife on board an airplane, and admitted that he expected others to be killed or injured when he hijacked the plane. ABDULLAH himself expected to die in the attack.
While training at the flight school, ABDULLAH continued to research his attack plans. ABDULLAH searched online multiple times for information concerning airplane cockpit doors, as well as airline jobs, instructor training, and possible interview questions for airline jobs. In December 2018, ABDULLAH searched for information concerning security on airplanes, including whether air marshals are on every flight, and “Boeing 737 cockpit door.” ABDULLAH visited websites discussing pilots carrying guns inside airplane cockpits, and viewed an article on how to open an airplane cockpit door from the outside.
In January 2019, ABDULLAH was briefed by his al-Shabaab handler about the DusitD2 Attack. ABDULLAH’s handler was a high-level al-Shabaab operative who coordinated the DusitD2 Attack and arranged for the use of a suicide bomber during the assault on the hotel and office complex. ABDULLAH admitted to FBI agents that his handler told ABDULLAH that his friend in al-Shabaab had died “for the cause” during the DusitD2 Attack, and that ABDULLAH and his handler used that as “encouragement” for ABDULLAH to become stronger. ABDULLAH then repeatedly searched online about the DusitD2 Attack, including for footage of the suicide blast. Just two days later, ABDULLAH accelerated his attack planning by researching “Delta flights,” and the “Tallest building in Atlanta,” specifically focusing on the Bank of America Plaza, a 55-story building standing 1,023 feet tall according to the website ABDULLAH visited as part of his research.
Throughout his flight training, ABDULLAH also provided his al-Shabaab handler with detailed progress reports that described his research and attack planning. In these reports, ABDULLAH described how he had taken flights to determine which airline seats had the best views of the flight deck door. ABDULLAH also compiled research on post-September 11 hijacking attempts and described how the “brothers during 9/11 did something completely unexpected in a more creative way, ‘study for piloting.’” In that same report, ABDULLAH concluded that “the only successful hijack after 9/11 was the one of the [E]thiopian [A]irlines and it is so because it was hijacked by the pilot himself.” ABDULLAH’s progress report then described a list of “My ideas” that ABDULLAH created and arrived at for a successful hijacking operation. His number one idea was that “for a very successful mission, we need a pilot in the cockpit (which means I should apply for the airlines).”
Before ABDULLAH could complete his commercial pilot license training and carry out the final, deadly steps of the Aviation Plot, he was arrested, in July 2019, by authorities in the Philippines. He was transferred to U.S. custody in December 2020.
As a result of this conduct, on November 4, 2024, ABDULLAH was found guilty at trial of six counts: conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison; providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison; conspiring to murder U.S. nationals abroad, which carries a maximum term of life in prison; conspiring to commit aircraft piracy, which carries a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison; conspiring to destroy aircraft, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison; and conspiring to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
* * *
ABDULLAH, 35, of Kenya, was not sentenced to any supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department. Mr. Clayton also thanked the FBI Counterterrorism Division; the FBI Legal Attaché Offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and Manila, the Philippines; the FBI’s Hudson Valley Resident Agency; the New York State Police; the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division; the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division; the U.S. Department of Defense; the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations, including the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and the Joint Terrorism Task Force-Kenya; the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Kenya; the Philippine National Police; the Philippine Department of Justice; the Joint Terrorism Financial Investigations Group-Philippines; and the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley and Jonathan L. Bodansky are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from paralegal specialist Sabrina Jim Munoz and trial attorney John Cella of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
Chester Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Brentton Timmons, 30, of Chester, has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Aug. 24, 2024, deputies with the Chester County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic safety check point and saw Timmons attempt to evade the check point by turning onto a dirt road. Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Timmons’ vehicle and saw an open container of alcohol in the cupholder. Deputies searched the vehicle further and found a loaded pistol under the driver’s seat. Timmons admitted to possession of the pistol and the alcohol.
Timmons has prior convictions for discharging a firearm into a dwelling, assault and battery 1st degree, pointing and presenting a firearm, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, all of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm under federal law.
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Curriesentenced Timmons to 77 total months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Chester County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case.
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Canadian man pleads guilty to money laundering chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Houssam El-Atat, 44, of Montreal, Canada, was extradited from Spain, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that in February 2021, an individual in Buffalo, NY, (Victim 1) and a marine sales company (Vendor 1) engaged in email communication regarding the purchase of a boat. These communications included specifications, pricing, and payment. In March 2021, Victim 1 received an email from the person he believed to be Vendor 1 with wiring instructions for payment. Victim 1 arranged for the full amount ($295,373.75) to be wired to Vendor 1’s company through a Bank of America account. Victim 1 subsequently learned that Vendor 1 had not received the $295,373.75 and that the wiring instructions provided to him for payment were fraudulent. After reviewing the email correspondence between himself and Vendor 1, Victim 1 realized his email account had been compromised.
Subsequent investigation by the FBI determined that the Bank of America account where $295,373.75 was deposited was owned by an individual named A.Z., who was unaware that the funds he received from Victim 1 were the result of fraudulent activity. A.Z. stated to the FBI that he received the funds from an individual who claimed that he owed A.Z.’s recently deceased father $100,000 and was resolving the debt. Then, at the request of the individual, A.Z. sent $180,200.00 of the funds to an account at La Caisse Centrale Desjardins Bank in Canada. Bank records indicate that the funds were then rapidly disbursed to a number of apparent shell companies before being distributed to El-Atat.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the supervision of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera. Additional assistance was provided by the Sûreté du Québec Provincial Police.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 29, 2026, before Judge Vilardo.
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California Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Cyber Stalking and Threats to InjureRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virgina Covington has sentenced Robert B. McDougal (30, California) to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for one count of cyber stalking and three counts of interstate transmission of threats to injure.
McDougal pleaded guilty on March 24, 2025.
According to court documents, McDougal made numerous public social media posts threatening to kill the victim and his family members. McDougal started making these threats in July of 2020. On January 28, 2021, the defendant was served with an Injunction and ordered to stop making these posts but persisted in making several violent and graphic threats to kill the victim and his family until shortly before his arrest in April of 2024. McDougal had previously been convicted of similar offenses with different, unrelated victims.
This case was investigated by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joesph Wheeler III.
CEO of Health Care Software Company Sentenced for $1B Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An Arizona man was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $452 million in restitution for conspiring to defraud Medicare and other federal health care benefit programs of more than $1 billion by operating a platform that generated false doctors’ orders used to support fraudulent claims for various medical items.
“This just sentence is the result of one of the largest telemarketing Medicare fraud cases ever tried to verdict,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Telemedicine scammers who use junk mailers, spam calls and the internet to target senior citizens steal taxpayer money and harm vulnerable populations. The Criminal Division will continue dedicating substantial resources to the fight against telemedicine and medical equipment frauds that drain our health care benefit programs.”
“Together with our partners, the FBI will aggressively pursue those who defraud taxpayer funded health care programs,” said Acting Assistant Director Rebecca Day of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Programs like Medicare are intended to help the most vulnerable among us, and fraud schemes like the one orchestrated by the defendant can jeopardize the delivery of critical care to those who need it the most.”
“This sentence sends a clear message: those who exploit telemedicine to prey on seniors and steal from taxpayer-funded health care programs will be held accountable,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This scheme was a massive betrayal of trust, built on deception and greed. Our investigators, working with law enforcement partners, dismantled this billion-dollar fraud operation that targeted vulnerable patients and undermined the integrity of Medicare. We will not relent in our mission to protect the public and safeguard Medicare and other federal health care programs from fraud, waste, and abuse.”
“This sentencing underscores the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA OIG) commitment to vigorously investigate those who would seek to defraud VA healthcare programs,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the VA OIG Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.”
“This investigation underscores the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) commitment to protecting the integrity of the TRICARE program and ensuring that taxpayer-funded military health benefits are not exploited for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Sargenski of DCIS’s Southeast Field Office. “Fraud schemes that siphon resources from TRICARE directly undermine the care promised to service members and their families. As the criminal investigative arm of DoD’s Office of Inspector General, DCIS remains focused on disrupting these schemes and holding responsible parties accountable.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Gary Cox, 79, of Maricopa County, was the CEO of Power Mobility Doctor Rx, LLC (DMERx). Cox and his co-conspirators targeted hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries who provided their personally identifiable information and agreed to accept medically unnecessary orthotic braces, pain creams and other items through misleading mailers, television advertisements and calls from offshore call centers. Cox and his co-conspirators owned, controlled and operated DMERx, an internet-based platform that generated false and fraudulent doctors’ orders for these items. As part of the scheme, Cox connected pharmacies, durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers and marketers with telemedicine companies that would accept illegal kickbacks and bribes in exchange for signed doctors’ orders transmitted using the DMERx platform. Cox and his co-conspirators received payments for coordinating these illegal kickback transactions and referring the completed doctors’ orders to the DME suppliers, pharmacies and telemarketers that paid kickbacks and bribes for the orders.
The fraudulent doctors’ orders generated by DMERx falsely represented that a doctor had examined and treated the Medicare beneficiaries when, in fact, purported telemedicine companies paid doctors to sign the orders without regard to medical necessity, based only on a brief telephone call with the beneficiary or no interaction with the beneficiary at all. The DME suppliers and pharmacies that paid illegal kickbacks in exchange for these doctors’ orders billed Medicare and other insurers more than $1 billion, and Medicare and the insurers paid more than $360 million based on these claims. According to evidence presented at trial, Cox and his co-conspirators concealed the scheme through sham contracts and by eliminating from doctors’ orders what one co-conspirator described as “dangerous words” that might cause Medicare to audit the scheme’s DME suppliers.
In June 2025, Cox was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, three counts of health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks and conspiracy to defraud the United States and make false statements in connection with health care matters.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, VA-OIG and DCIS investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Darren C. Halverson and Jennifer E. Burns of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Fraud Section Trial Attorney Shane Butland assisted in the prosecution. Trial Attorney Evan N. Schlom with the Fraud Section’s Special Matters Unit provided valuable assistance.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Buffalo man sentenced for his role in mail theft conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Lamor Runell Bolden, 27, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail theft, was sentenced to serve two years’ probation to include six months home detention by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that on October 2, 2024, Bolden conspired with Eric Michael Robinson and Antonio Jones, Jr. to steal mail from mail receptacles in Cheektowaga, NY. In addition, the defendants also possessed a key used to open authorized mail receptacles. Bolden drove with Robinson and Jones to a mail facility in Cheektowaga at approximately 1:00 a.m. on October 2, 2024. Robinson drove and Bolden and Jones were passengers. Robinson parked the car behind a row of blue collection mailboxes outside the postal facility, Bolden and Jones got out of the car, and Jones opened the mailboxes with the stolen key and stole mail from the mailboxes while Bolden stood watch. The two then got back into the car and Robinson drove away. A short time later, their car was stopped by law enforcement. At the time the car was stopped, various opened and unopened pieces of mail were found inside. Bolden admits that he and his co-conspirators used the stolen key to open mailboxes at other locations around the Western District of New York.
Antonio Jones, Jr. and Eric Michael Robinson were previously convicted.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Nicholas J. Bucciarelli, Boston Division, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons.
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Bucks County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard Adamsky, 66, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert on one count of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
Adamsky was indicted in September of 2025, for knowingly receiving a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct on or about June 15, 2024. Additionally, Adamsky possessed two computers and two flash drives containing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These depictions included prepubescent minors and minors under 12 years of age. At the time of his arrest, Adamsky had been a 7th and 8th grade teacher at Nativity of Our Lord grade school in Warminster, Pa., where he had taught for the last 38 years.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency, the Warminster Township Police Department, Upper Merion Township Police Department, and Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maureen McCartney.
Bristol, Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia man, who conspired with others to distribute more than 600 fentanyl pills, pled guilty last week to federal gun and drug charges.
Briar Stephens, 24, pled guilty last week to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, between September 2024 and October 2024, Stephens, Bobby Arnett, and others, conspired to distribute fentanyl. Specially, over the course of the conspiracy, Stephens purchased fentanyl pills that he and Arnett further distributed in Washington County, within the Western District of Virginia, and elsewhere.
On October 16, 2024, Stephens possessed approximately 600 fentanyl pills with the intent to further distribute them. Stephens also possessed a loaded Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol in his waistband in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
At sentencing, Stephens faces up to life in prison. Arnett pled guilty in July and will be sentenced in January 2026.
Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Washington Division, made the announcement.
The Elizabethton Tennessee Police Department, Washington County Virginia Sheriff’s Office, Holston River Drug Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Stone is prosecuting the case.
Bookkeeper of Local Business Indicted on Wire and Mail Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A federal grand jury sitting in Abingdon returned an indictment last week charging the bookkeeper for a Bristol, Virginia-based business with several counts of mail fraud and wire fraud after she allegedly stole more than $200,000 from the business to pay her bills and buy more than 400 items from Amazon.
In an indictment returned last week and unsealed following her arrest, Angela Sue Conley, 60, of Bristol, Virginia, is charged with five counts of wire fraud and five counts of mail fraud.
According to the indictment, Conley worked as the bookkeeper for a Bristol, Virginia-based business (Company A) for more than 40 years. As Company A’s bookkeeper, Conley was responsible for, among other duties, Company A’s payroll. As such, Conley had access to bank accounts and was issued a company credit card.
The indictment alleges that beginning in January 2020 and continuing through February 2025, Conley devised a scheme to personally enrich herself through fraud by obtaining funds that belonged to Company A. Conley is accused of using her authority as bookkeeper to send wire transfers of funds from Company A’s bank account to Conley’s personal Capital One credit card account, her personal checking account, and to make hundreds of purchases from Amazon. These 474 items included high heel shoes, pool covers, and earrings. All of the items were delivered via the U.S. Postal Service or commercial interstate carrier.
Conley is accused of sending 38 payments totaling $139,246 from Company A’s bank account to her personal credit card account without authorization.
In addition, the indictment alleges that Conley transferred funds from Company A’s bank account to Verizon, BVU Authority, and the Virginia Department of Taxation as payment for Conley’s personal bills. These alleged payments were also made without authorization.
Conley is also alleged to have used her position as bookkeeper to transfer funds from Company A’s bank account to her own personal bank accounts and 401K accounts. Conley altered her paycheck, causing 29 fraudulent payments to be sent from Company A’s bank account to her personal bank account.
In all, between January 2020 and February 2025, Conley caused $205,889 in fraudulent transactions to be made.
Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Ian Kaufman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Stone is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bolton Resident Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, and Vernon Police Chief Marc Petruzzi today announced that RICHARD BURRIS, 22, of Bolton, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in September 2025, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) made a CyberTipline report to the Vernon Police Department involving a child exploitation video that was shared via the Kik messenger application on September 7, 2025, using an IP address subscribed to a restaurant in Vernon. The report also relayed that the same IP address was connected to a CyberTip submitted by the X social media platform involving a child exploitation video shared using the platform on March 20, 2025. An investigation determined that Burris was the only employee of the restaurant who worked on both of those dates.
It is further alleged that on December 12, 2025, investigators executed a state search warrant at Burris’s residence and seized his iPhone and other items. Preliminary analysis of the phone revealed numerous child sex abuse images and videos, including images and videos that Burris recorded of a prepubescent minor victim. Investigators also accessed Burris’s Telegram account, which he used to share child sex abuse images and videos with another Telegram user.
Burris was arrested on December 19. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and was ordered detained.
The complaint charges Burris with production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years of imprisonment; receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by HSI and the Vernon Police Department, which the assistance of the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Armed Waterbury Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAEKWON OVERSTREET, 30, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 125 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for firearm possession and drug distribution offenses, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 4, 2020, Overstreet was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 30 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was released from federal prison on June 24, 2022.
After Overstreet was released from prison, Waterbury Police began investigating Overstreet and others, including his cousin Tyreese Ferrucci, for trafficking narcotics. Overstreet was arrested on October 5, 2022. On that date, a court-authorized search of his Aetna Street residence revealed more than 2,000 baggies of fentanyl/heroin, a quantity of crack cocaine, a loaded firearm, assorted ammunition, narcotics paraphernalia, and $5,575 in cash. On that date, investigators also searched a location on Fieldwood Road in Waterbury that Overstreet, Ferrucci and others used to store narcotics. Ferrucci was arrested at that location after he was found in possession of two loaded handguns. The search of the location revealed approximately 1,200 baggies of fentanyl/heroin, a quantity of crack cocaine, narcotics paraphernalia, ammunition, and $2,120 in cash.
Overstreet has been detained since his arrest. On July 30, 2025, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Ferrucci pleaded guilty to possession of firearms by a felon and, on December 5, 2023, was sentenced to 63 months of imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Waterbury Police Department and the Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Alexis Beyerlein.
Ambush Killing Leads to 22-Year Prison Term for District ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Maurice Corbin, 47, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 22 years in prison for shooting Daquan Garner on North Capitol Street in Washington DC, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Corbin pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed in October 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Judge Michael Ryan sentenced Corbin on December 19, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, Corbin approached the unsuspecting victim on April 30, 2024 in the vicinity of 1501 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC, while the victim was seated in the driver's seat of a parked vehicle. Corbin discharged his firearm at the trapped victim multiple times through the front passenger window, causing the victim to sustain multiple gunshots wounds which ultimately caused his death.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alyssa Schroeder, and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen.
Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shauna Payyappilly who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Saturday 20 December 2025
U.S. Attorney's Office Joins Justice Department in Announcing Results of Operation Relentless JusticeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson joins the Department of Justice in announcing the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a nationwide coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. In the Western District of North Carolina, the operation resulted in federal charges against a Hickory man for possession of child sexual abuse material, along with drug and firearm offenses. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.
“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes.”
“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”
“The name of the operation says it all – we will be relentless when it comes to protecting our children,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “As we did here, we will use the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect children who live in this district and put their abusers behind bars.”
“There is no place in our community for people who prey on and sexually exploit children. The FBI will use every resource available to find these predators and work with prosecutors to put them behind bars where they can no longer harm a child. Operation Relentless Justice is a never-ending commitment to protect innocent children,” said James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
In the Western District of North Carolina, an investigation stemming from Operation Relentless Justice resulted in criminal charges filed against a Hickory man, for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in addition to drug and gun offenses. According to allegations in the criminal indictment, on or about December 11, 2024, Tony Chache See, 29, did knowingly possess and access with intent to view CSAM, that involved a prepubescent minor and a minor under 12 years of age. The indictment also alleges that, between March and December 2024, See distributed methamphetamine and cocaine in and around Catawba County, and possessed a firearm, including a short-barreled rifle, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to the Justice Department’s announcement, those arrested as part of Operation Relentless Justice are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a Police Officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.
As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM. The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself.
This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders.
The FBI's Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Court Sides with Justice Department by Stopping Michigan from Shutting Down Critical International PipelineRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan this week granted Enbridge Energy Limited Partnership (Enbridge)’s motion for summary judgment and stopped the State of Michigan from shutting down a critical international pipeline called Line 5. In September, the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Civil Division filed a statement of interest in the case.
“This ruling by the court reaffirms the federal government’s unique responsibilities in regulating interstate pipelines and enforcing international treaties,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “If a state exceeds its authority to disrupt the flow of energy, we will step in to re-assert the federal government’s prerogative. President Trump has set America on a strong, winning path toward securing energy dominance. This ruling undergirds that effort.”
In 2020, Michigan tried to shut down the pipeline by moving to stop Enbridge from using an easement, which had allowed the pipeline to run underneath the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron for decades. The court held that federal law preempts Michigan’s efforts to shut down the pipeline, for two reasons.
First, the Pipeline Safety Act provides exclusive authority to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to set nationwide safety standards for interstate pipelines and related infrastructure. The Act prevents a state from imposing its own safety standards on an interstate (and an international) pipeline. The court concluded that Michigan “unlawfully” attempted to “regulate the safety of Line 5 by attempting to shut it down” and by “‘continuing in force’ numerous state safety standards found” in the easement.
Second, the pipeline is subject to a treaty between the United States and Canada, and the United States has an express policy preference in favor of the uninterrupted flow of oil through international pipelines. And, as the court recognized, a “compelled shutdown of an international pipeline blatantly defies” that federal foreign policy.
Chief of Staff and Senior General Counsel John Adams of ENRD filed the statement of interest.
Friday 19 December 2025
‘764’ Extremist Group Leader Pleads Guilty to RICO, Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
A San Antonio-based member of the Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) group 764 pleaded guilty today to racketeering activity and multiple acts relating to the sexual exploitation of children.
“The FBI will not rest when it comes to identifying and holding accountable those who prey on children and other vulnerable individuals,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The court documents show the defendant coerced minors to commit heinous and cruel acts of self-harm. Today’s guilty plea is a major step in seeing justice served in this case and demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to protecting the nation’s youth.”
"Chavez led a group of online predators whose ultimate purpose is to destroy our society. They tried to achieve that heinous goal by desensitizing innocent children to violence—coercing them to perform gruesome and harmful acts against themselves and animals—with the hope of encouraging further violence and spreading chaos," said Sue J. Bai, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for National Security. "The National Security Division will continue to relentlessly investigate and prosecute predators who seek to terrorize our society by targeting our most vulnerable."
“764 members, like the defendant, use the Internet to prey on vulnerable minors, coercing them to mutilate themselves, produce child exploitation images of themselves, and attempt suicide," said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. "My office will do everything legally possible to prosecute and imprison members of this group for as long as the law allows."
According to court documents, Alexis Aldair Chavez, also known as Zack and Zack8884, 19, was an administrator and online leader of the ‘8884’ network, which is a network related to 764. Both 8884 and 764 are NVEs who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and engage with other extremists abroad. These NVEs share accelerationist goals that include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the U.S. Government. Members of 8884 work in concert with one another towards a common purpose of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, including minors. NVEs engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs demand, coerce, and extort victims to engage in variety of violent conduct, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder.
In or about October 2023, Chavez and a co-conspirator attempted to have a minor female kill herself in a video chat by overdosing on pills. The two conspirators recorded the attempted suicide to obtain “content” that would allow them to maintain and increase their status in the 8884 enterprise. Approximately two months later, Chavez and the minor female victim worked together to coerce a female located overseas to get naked on camera, cut herself, and engage in sexual acts. They also extorted another female by forcing the victim to cut the name “Zack” into herself.
On or about Dec. 29, 2023, Chavez and a co-conspirator coerced another minor female to cut her tongue as well as torture and kill a cat on a live video call. That same month, Chavez and another co-conspirator worked together to groom and extort several other minor females. In one instance, the two conspirators coerced a female victim to light her arm on fire and have the fire burn through her skin and deeper into her body, while on a recorded video chat within the ‘8884’ channel. They groomed another minor female victim, forcing her to drink her own urine and attempt to overdose on unknown pills.
On or about Jan. 23, 2024, Chavez and a co-conspirator threatened and coerced a minor female victim to engage in sexually obscene activities and other egregious acts.
Chavez pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. He faces up to 20 years in prison for each count, with a minimum of five years in prison for the distribution charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI San Antonio Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from FBI Washington Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the San Antonio Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Bill Harris for the Western District of Texas, and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks, like 764, that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share CSAM and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Yazoo City Woman Pleads Guilty to SNAP Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A woman from Yazoo City pleaded guilty today in federal court to stealing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits intended for low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford nutritious food.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kizzie Hill, 47, of Yazoo City unlawfully acquired and used more than $405,900.38 in SNAP benefits from approximately January 2022 through November 2023, by virtue of her employment as a Customer Service Representative for Conduent. Conduent plays a key role in EBT processing by partnering directly with state governments to manage the distribution of benefits such as SNAP. Hill admitted to selling the benefits to others and using them for herself. SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federally funded, national benefit program to help qualifying low- and middle-income families buy food, thus reducing hunger.
Hill pleaded guilty to Food Stamp Fraud and will be sentenced on March 27, 2026. Hill’s brother, Adrian Hill, pleaded guilty to the same crime in May 2025, and will be sentenced on February 11, 2026. Both defendants face 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.
United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Wilkins of the United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General made the announcement.
The United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
West Roxbury Man Indicted for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A West Roxbury man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for drug distribution offenses involving fentanyl.
Santo Leandro Duverge Tejeda, a/k/a “La Niña,” 29, was indicted on two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The defendant will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a future date. Duverge Tejeda was previously arrested and charged by complaint on Nov. 20, 2025.
According to the charging documents, the defendant distributed fentanyl on four separate occasions in Watertown and Waltham. On the day of his arrest, he allegedly possessed over 400 grams of fentanyl intended for distribution.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew A. Caffrey, III of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
West Memphis Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
HELENA-WEST HELENA—West Memphis man involved in a drive-by shooting that left two people severely injured will spend 120 months in federal prison after being convicted by a jury of unlawful possession of a machinegun. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on December 18, 2025, by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller and is the maximum allowed by law. Judge Miller also sentenced Alexander to three years of supervised release to follow his 10 years in prison.
Martinez Alexander, Jr., 20, was originally indicted by a federal grand jury on March 7, 2024, charging him with unlawful possession of a machinegun. The jury trial began on August 18, 2025. After four days of testimony, including testimony from victims of the shooting, the jury deliberated approximately 30 minutes before returning a guilty verdict.
The evidence presented at trial revealed that on December 15, 2023, Alexander and Jaylan Atkins, 21, drove up to a group of teenagers walking in a West Memphis neighborhood and opened fire with fully automatic firearms, striking two teenage males multiple times and leading to significant injuries. Bullets also struck a nearby home where a mother and her young child were present. Thirty-nine shell casings were collected from the crime scene. A state arrest warrant for attempted capital murder was issued for Alexander and Atkins following the shooting.
On December 31, 2023, two-and-a-half weeks later, law enforcement officers from the West Memphis Police Department seeking to execute the state warrant observed Alexander riding in a stolen Dodge Charger and initiated a traffic stop. The Charger, which was driven by Atkins, fled, leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase through West Memphis. The chase continued for more than five minutes before law enforcement officers used a tactical maneuver to disable the vehicle by the railroad tracks off Missouri Street.
According to testimony at trial, Atkins and the front seat passenger immediately fled on foot. Atkins was arrested and found to be in possession of a Glock 22, .40 caliber handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), which allowed it to function as a machinegun.
While other officers pursued Atkins and the front seat passenger, an officer noticed movement in the backseat of the stolen vehicle and observed Alexander open the back driver’s side door and toss something on the ground. Once Alexander was taken into custody, a tan 9mm Glock firearm with an extended magazine and a gold MCD was discovered outside the backseat driver’s side door in the area the officer saw Alexander toss an object. The firearm was tested and functioned as a machinegun, which allowed it to fire fully automatic. Further investigation revealed that the tan 9mm Glock firearm found in the possession of Alexander on December 31, 2023, was the same firearm used in the drive-by shooting on December 15, 2023.
Atkins pleaded guilty on February 5, 2025, to possessing a machinegun and was sentenced to 103 months in federal prison on October 22, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the West Memphis Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Bowen and Bart Dickinson.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
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Wayne County man going to prison on child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Joseph Hudson, III, 26, of Williamson, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography following a previous conviction for the sexual abuse of a minor, was sentenced to serve 156 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that on March 14, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received information from Microsoft that an individual had uploaded nine files of suspected child pornography to a Microsoft platform. The tip was shared with the New York State Police, who traced the uploads to Hudson, a registered sex offender. Hudson was previously convicted of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree for engaging in sexual contact with a child less than 11 years old.
A search warrant was executed at Hudson’s residence, during which investigators seized Hudson’s computer. A forensic examination recovered approximately 111 images and 112 videos of child pornography depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of prepubescent minors, to include minors being subjected to violence.
The sentencing is the result of of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
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Vicksburg Man Sentenced for Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Jackson man was sentenced on December 18, 2025, to 26 months in prison for illegal possession of ammunition.
According to court documents, Steven Galey, 50, of was found in possession of ammunition after a call for service for a vehicle in Warren County. Upon arrival, Warren County Sherrif’s Deputies identified the driver as Steven Galey asleep behind the wheel. Thirty-four rounds of ammunition were in plain view on the vehicle’s dashboard. As a previously convicted felon, Galey is prohibited by federal law from possessing ammunition.
Galey was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 13, 2024, for illegal possession of ammunition. He pled guilty on August 19, 2025.
United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Warren County Sherriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber Jones prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justive.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Vancouver, Washington, tax preparer sentenced to 18-months in prisonRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A high-volume tax preparer in Vancouver, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 18 months in federal prison for sixteen counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns, to be followed by a 135-month concurrent sentence imposed by Clark County for his convictions on a state attempted murder charge announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Keith Altamirano, 52, operated Integrity Investments, LLC, doing business as “Servicios Latinos.” Between 2017 and 2021, Altamirano prepared at least 12,000 tax returns. A statistical sampling analysis reveals that his false entries on customer tax returns cost the U.S. Treasury more than $5 million in tax loss. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said that tax preparer fraud impacts our government’s ability to “function properly” and that adequate “deterrence [was] necessary.”
According to records filed in the case, Altamirano falsified clients’ income tax submissions by listing fake medical expenses, and charitable donations for deductions, listing fake cars for depreciation and expense deductions, and by listing fabricated and inflated business expenses. Altamirano concealed his fraud by omitting his name on his clients’ filed returns. The clients did not know Altamirano falsified their tax return to get them a larger refund. Altamirano’s fraud helped build his business as customers recommended him to others to get larger refunds.
In asking for a five-year sentence, prosecutors noted that Altamirano’s customers were victimized by his actions. “Altamirano’s clients trusted him (and paid him) to maximize their deductions honestly and in accordance with the law. His clients were not tax literate, and they chose him as their trusted professional. Altamirano greatly abused this trust and put them at risk by creating fraudulent returns on their behalf. Many of his clients have been audited and risk penalties and back taxes. His clients believed they were hiring a professional to ensure their taxes were done correctly and many of them have had to deal with the stress of being embroiled in Altamirano’s criminal affairs.”
The tax loss for the 16 counts he pleaded guilty to is $104,518. Altamirano agreed to pay that amount in restitution to the IRS. Chief Judge Estudillo ordered Altamirano to sell one of the four properties he owns to pay the restitution.
In September 2025, Altamirano also pled guilty to attempted second degree murder and drug charges in Clark County Superior Court. Altamirano was sentenced to 135 months of imprisonment in his state case, which will run concurrently with his federal sentence according to the Clark County judgment.
The tax fraud case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
The tax fraud case is being prosecuted by Amanda McDowell.
United States Thanks Jurors for their Service and Urges Peaceful Response to VerdictRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, issued the following statement in response to the conviction of Judge Hannah Dugan.
“There are several important messages that would be the same no matter the verdict: First, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the jurors for their service and dedication – our justice system is not always perfect, but it is the best the world has ever known. Much of the credit for that belongs to citizens who sacrifice to serve as jurors, and our justice system would not work without their service.
Second, we all need to keep this case in proper perspective. Some have sought to make this about a larger political battle. While this case is serious for all involved, it is ultimately about a single bad day in a public courthouse. It was a criminal case like the many that make their way through this courthouse every day, and we all must accept the verdict peacefully.
Third, although much of the work on this case took place prior to my appointment, I have witnessed the hard work and extraordinary talent of the team here that put the final pieces of this case together over the last month. I am immensely proud of them. The three seasoned trial attorneys worked tirelessly to prepare the presentation of this case, and based upon my experience, they tried it masterfully.
Many other attorneys and our very capable litigation support staff also worked long hours to put this together. Many thanks to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their astounding investigative efforts. On behalf of the people of the United States that we serve, I thank all of them for their diligent efforts.
I reiterate that ALL of us need to keep this case in proper perspective and peacefully accept the verdict. This was a serious matter for which it was necessary to seek to hold Judge Dugan accountable. We have all heard the phrase, “no one is above the law”. It is apt in this case. A judge holds a high position of public trust, and Judge Dugan’s actions violated that trust. Her own recorded words demonstrate that she knew what she was doing was wrong.
Experience and common sense, as well as the evidence presented in this case, demonstrate that the safest place to execute this arrest warrant can often be within the public area of a courthouse, such as the Milwaukee County Courthouse, where there is security screening to ensure that none who enter are armed. That is why federal law enforcement agents sought, as law enforcement does every day, to utilize that safer environment to accomplish this arrest.But the Defendant’s actions provided an opportunity for a wanted subject to flee outside the courthouse, which led to a dangerous foot chase through automobile traffic and eventually to an agent taking the subject to the ground, which is always hazardous for both the officer and the suspect. There was certainly the potential for many other dangers, as well. Thankfully, no one was injured.
Law enforcement work is fraught with dangers and our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day. Here they were carrying out their sworn responsibility to execute an arrest warrant. Whenever they perform their duties, they should reasonably be entitled to do so in the safest possible conditions. When someone, especially a sworn public official, puts them in unnecessary danger by obstructing those efforts to make an arrest as safely as possible, they must be held accountable.
The Defendant exercised her constitutional right to put the government to its proof. We met that burden, and the jury has found the defendant guilty of a felony. It will now be up to the Judge to determine the appropriate sentence.”
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For further information contact:Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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United States Files Forfeiture Action Against $1.2 Million Involved in Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a civil forfeiture complaint has been filed in federal court against approximately $1.2 million in digital currency seized by the government in connection to a fraudulent online investment scheme.
According to the complaint, the unidentified perpetrators identified potential victims using a “wrong number” scam, in which they sent unsolicited texts and social media messages to random individuals throughout the United States. Once the perpetrators developed a relationship, they introduced the victims to online investment opportunities that they promised would provide huge returns.
The victims were persuaded to purchase cryptocurrency and transfer it to fake investment platforms called TMGM and NEEX. When the victims tried to withdraw their funds, they were met with various excuses and fraudulent demands. Law enforcement used blockchain analysis and other investigative techniques to determine that the cryptocurrency sought to be forfeited was tied to the scheme.
The civil forfeiture complaint is merely a set of allegations. It is the government’s burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding.
The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Constance is representing the United States.
Members of the public who believe they are victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud and other cyber-enabled crime should contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
1_complaint_tmgm_2081-1435-6485_v.1_0.pdfUkrainian National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Use RansomwareRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Artem Stryzhak pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and related activity, including extortion, in connection with computers, for his role in a series of international ransomware attacks. Stryzhak, a Ukrainian citizen, was arrested in Spain in June 2024 and extradited to the United States on April 30, 2025. When sentenced, Stryzhak faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment. His co-conspirator, Volodymyr Tymoshchuk, remains at large and is the subject of a $11 million reward offered by the United States Department of State.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Christopher J.S. Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield, Illinois Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant used Nefilim ransomware to target high-revenue companies in the United States steal data, and extort victims,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendant’s conviction demonstrates that our Office will ensure that criminals are held accountable for the cyber havoc they wreak on society. We remain determined to capture Stryzhak’s codefendant and partner in crime, Volodymyr Tymoshchuk, and bring him to justice in a U.S. courtroom.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI’s New York Field Office for their significant contributions to the investigation. Mr. Nocella also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, as well as Spanish law enforcement authorities, for their assistance in the capture of Stryzhak.
“Cybercriminals may hide behind screens, but they leave digital footprints everywhere,” stated FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Johnson. “The FBI follows these digital trails relentlessly - across networks, borders, and time - until those responsible are held accountable. Today is a remarkable accomplishment, but we will not stop until we have captured all those responsible for the Nefilim ransomware.”
Nefilim ransomware was deployed to encrypt computer networks in countries around the world, including in the Eastern District of New York. These ransomware attacks caused millions of dollars in losses, both from ransomware payments and damage to victim computer systems. The perpetrators of Nefilim typically customized the ransomware executable file for each victim, creating a unique decryption key and customized ransom notes.
In June 2021, Nefilim administrators gave Stryzhak access to the Nefilim ransomware code in exchange for 20 percent of his ransom proceeds. He operated the ransomware through his account on an online platform operated by Nefilim administrators.
Nefilim’s preferred ransomware targets were companies located in the United States, Canada, or Australia with more than $100 million in annual revenue. Stryzhak and others researched the companies to which they gained unauthorized access, including by using online databases to gather information about the victim companies’ net worth, size, and contact information.
After gaining access to the victims’ networks, Stryzhak and his co‑conspirators stole data in furtherance of their scheme to extort ransom payments from them. Nefilim ransom notes typically threatened the victims that unless they came to an agreement with the ransomware actors, the stolen data would be published on publicly accessible “Corporate Leaks” websites, which were maintained by Nefilim administrators.
Stryzhak’s co-defendant, Volodymyr Tymoshchuk, was an administrator of the Nefilim ransomware group, and a serial cybercriminal associated with multiple ransomware strains. The State Department is offering a reward of up to $11 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction or location of Tymoshchuk or his other co-conspirators. Anyone with information on these malicious cyber actors or associated individuals or entities should contact the FBI via phone at +1-917-242-1407 or by email at [email protected]. If you are in the United States, you can also contact the local FBI field office. If outside the United States, you can visit the nearest U.S. embassy. More information about this TOC reward offer is located on the State Department website.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander F. Mindlin and Ellen H. Sise and Trial Attorney Brian Mund of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Rebecca Roth.
The Defendant:
ARTEM ALEKSANDROVYCH STRYZHAK
Age: 35
Barcelona, Spain
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-324 (PKC)Ukrainian National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Use Nefilim Ransomware to Attack Companies in the United States and Other CountriesRead the Press Release
A Ukrainian national pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud for his role in a series of international ransomware attacks.
According to court documents, Artem Aleksandrovych Stryzhak, 35, of Barcelona, Spain, conspired with others to deploy the Nefilim ransomware against victim computer networks in the United States and other countries, causing significant damage to victim computer systems. As part of the scheme, the conspirators generated a unique ransomware executable file for each victim, along with a corresponding decryption key and customized ransom note. If a victim paid the ransom demand, the perpetrators provided the decryption key, enabling the victim to decrypt files locked by the ransomware.
In June 2021, Nefilim administrators gave Stryzhak access to the Nefilim ransomware code in exchange for 20 percent of his ransom proceeds. Stryzhak operated the ransomware through his account on the online Nefilim platform, known as the “panel.” Shortly after gaining access, Stryzhak asked a co‑conspirator whether he should choose a different username than one he used in other criminal activity, in case the panel “gets hacked into by the feds.”
Nefilim administrators preferred to target companies located in the United States, Canada, or Australia with annual revenues exceeding $100 million. Stryzhak and others researched potential victims after gaining unauthorized access to their networks, including by using online databases to obtain information about the companies’ net worth, size, and contact information. In or about July 2021, a Nefilim administrator encouraged Stryzhak to target companies in those countries with more than $200 million dollars in annual revenue.
As part of the extortion scheme, the conspirators threatened that unless victims agreed to pay the ransom, the stolen data would be published on publicly accessible “Corporate Leaks” websites maintained by Nefilim administrators.
Stryzhak was arrested in Spain in June 2024 and extradited to the United States on April 30.
Stryzhak pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud related to computers in connection with his Nefilim ransomware activities. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 6, 2026. The defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) Rewards Program has offered a reward of up to $11 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction or location of Stryzhak’s charged co-conspirator, Volodymyr Tymoshchuk. Anyone with information about Tymoshchuk should contact the FBI via phone at +1-917-242-1407, by email at [email protected], by contacting your local field office, if in the United States, or by contacting the nearest U.S. Embassy, if located overseas. More information about the TOC reward offer is located on the State Department website.
The FBI Springfield Field Office in Illinois is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Brian Z. Mund of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander F. Mindlin and Ellen H. Sise for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Rebecca Roth of the Eastern District of New York. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s New York Field Office, and Spanish law enforcement authorities provided substantial assistance in this case.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
U.S. Senate confirms Kriegshauser as U.S. Attorney for the District of KansasRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The U.S. Senate confirmed Ryan A. Kriegshauser as the United States Attorney for the District of Kansas following his nomination by President Donald J. Trump. As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Kriegshauser is the chief federal law enforcement officer in Kansas.
Mr. Kriegshauser had been serving as Interim U.S. Attorney since July 28, 2025, and was re-appointed by the District Court of Kansas, effective November 25, 2025, while awaiting confirmation.
The U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Kansas employs Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support staff who work in Kansas City, Kan., Topeka, and Wichita. The office is organized into Civil, Criminal, and Administrative divisions. The jurisdiction covers all 105 counties in Kansas, with a population of approximately 2.8 million.
“I am deeply honored with the special trust and confidence placed in me by the President of the United States, the United States Attorney General, and the judges in the District of Kansas,” Ryan A. Kriegshauser said. “Additionally, the support of Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall was pivotal in my selection and confirmation. I look forward to continuing my efforts to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Office and the Kansas justice system by extending more resources and support to our federal, state, and local partners. We want our partners to see us as accessible and approachable so that in working together, we can most effectively protect and serve our Kansas community.”
Mr. Kriegshauser is from Johnson County, Kansas. Before serving as U.S. Attorney, he was a partner in private practice at the Kriegshauser Ney Law Group, focusing on constitutional claims, commercial litigation, and administrative law. Before re-entering private practice in 2018, Mr. Kriegshauser was deployed to Afghanistan with the U.S. Navy.
His previous public service roles include General Counsel at the Kansas Securities Commissioner's Office, overseeing financial prosecutions, and Deputy Assistant Kansas Secretary of State for the Office of Legal Counsel and Policy. He has prosecuted as Deputy County Attorney in Jefferson County, Kansas, as well as serving as a municipal prosecutor in Osawatomie and Edwardsville, Kansas.
Mr. Kriegshauser earned his B.A. from Georgetown University and his J.D. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In addition to practicing law, Mr. Kriegshauser continues to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a Commander.
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U.S. Postal Service Employee Indicted for Alleged Workers’ Compensation FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A United States Postal Service employee has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly collecting augmented workers’ compensation benefits to which she was not entitled.
In 2012, GRACIELA VENEGAS began receiving workers’ compensation benefits for an injury she sustained in the performance of her Postal Service duties. Venegas claimed her spouse as a dependent, which entitled her to receive augmented benefits. The couple divorced in 2013, and the ex-spouse then passed away in 2014.
An indictment returned on Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago alleges that Venegas fraudulently continued to claim the spouse as a dependent after the divorce and death. From 2013 to 2024, while employed by the Postal Service, Venegas fraudulently received monthly augmented workers’ compensation payments amounting to an additional 8 and 1/3 percent of her pre-injury monthly pay, the indictment states. In total, Venegas fraudulently pocketed $51,776 in augmented benefits to which she knew she was not entitled, the indictment states.
Venegas, also known as “Graciela Salgado,” 66, of Chicago, is charged with five counts of wire fraud and one count of knowingly making a false statement to the U.S. Department of Labor. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while the false statement charge is punishable by up to five years. Arraignment is set for Jan. 6, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura K. McNally.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Dennus Bishop, Special Agent in Charge of the Central Area Field Office of the U.S. Postal Service–Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diya Rattan.
“Workers’ compensation benefits provide a lifeline to workers who are injured on the job and unable to perform their duties,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Committing fraud upon this important program undermines the financial stability of the insurance system, increases costs for businesses and consumers, and harms truly injured workers. Our Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who seek to collect workers’ compensation benefits to which they are not entitled.”
“The U.S. Postal Service paid $1.5 billion in workers’ compensation costs in fiscal year 2024, and the majority of postal employees who collect compensation benefits have legitimate claims due to on-the-job injuries,” said SAC Bishop. “However, a certain percentage abuse the system and cost the Postal Service millions of dollars in fraudulent claims and enforcement costs. Today’s charges send a clear message that the USPS OIG and the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois, remain committed to safeguarding the integrity of this benefit program and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
venegas_indictment.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office personnel recognized for outstanding performanceRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – U.S. Attorney Gerace announced today awards for outstanding performance for employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in four categories.
The awards include:
Outstanding Performance by an Assistant U.S. Attorney – Kyle J. Healey and Adam Tieger
Mr. Healey has spent most of his career in this district working difficult criminal cases involving sex trafficking of minors, coercion and enticement of minors, and child exploitation. Recent significant case examples include:
- U.S. v. Kelly Richards, in which the defendant gave cocaine to minors, kept them in his apartment, and sex trafficked them. Richards was convicted at trial and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
- U.S. v. William Scott Elam, who pretended to be a teenage boy online while coercing girls into creating nude images and videos that involved sexual conduct. Elam used self-harm as a means of coercion, even instructing one victim to engage in self-harm via cutting live on video. Elam was sentenced to 26 years in prison.
- U.S. v. Daveion Wright, a defendant who sexually exploited a toddler in SnapChat videos. Wright was sentenced in September to 29 years in prison.
Mr. Tieger, a civil AUSA, demonstrated outstanding commitment to the district by playing a key role in civil asset forfeiture matters, litigating civil immigration matters on behalf of the United States, and achieving favorable judgments in defensive litigation on behalf of government agencies.
Outstanding Performance by Staff – Brittany Ewing and Kristine Pfarrer
Ms. Ewing is a docketing technician in Cincinnati. This past year, she has taken on additional duties including coordinating the grand jury in Cincinnati and helping with civil state foreclosure filings. Ms. Ewing has willingly taken on extra work this past year to enable the district to accomplish its mission even with staffing shortages.
Ms. Pfarrer is a criminal paralegal in Dayton. She is a dedicated member of the Department of Justice who has demonstrated selflessness and initiative in the performance of her duties.. Her work is described as detailed, timely and efficient. As a professional, she is described as competent, pleasant and a team player. Ms. Pfarrer supports many attorneys across the district and coordinates the grand jury in Dayton.
Outstanding Performance by a Litigative Team – Timothy D. Prichard, Emily Czerniejewski, Elizabeth A. Geraghty, Heather A. Hill, Kevin W. Kelley, Kim Robinson, Kelly Terry, Carolyn Delery, Deena Antoon, Alexis Williams, Brandon Harmon
These individuals were recognized for their outstanding performance in 2025 due to their participation in one or more of the following three litigative teams.
U.S. v. Washington et al
This case charged 23 total defendants and involved narcotics and human trafficking conspiracies. A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school. In October 2022, the government added 12 defendants and 28 new charges. Court documents detail that the drug trafficking organization brought large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, alprazolam and marijuana into Columbus. These drugs were sold or used to coerce individuals into sexual activity for some members of the drug ring and their profit. The case also involved the overdose death of at least one individual and the violent death of a second victim.
U.S. v. Ricco Maye
Ricco Maye was sentenced in October 2025 to life in prison for leading narcotics, sex trafficking and financial fraud conspiracies. The defendant caused an overdose death, coerced addicts into prostitution, and used threats, violence, and manipulation of drug dependencies to ensure individuals carried out his criminal schemes. Maye was found guilty on all counts following a three-week jury trial in November 2024. Court documents and trial testimony detail that Maye used individuals to buy and sell drugs, sell women for sex, and fraudulently apply online for COVID-19 relief funds. Proceeds from all the crimes went to the defendant.
U.S. v. Larry Williams et al
In July 2025, Larry Williams received multiple life sentences in prison for murdering three victims and directing others to dismember and bury two of the bodies. A total of 13 defendants were convicted and sentenced in this case. Williams was found guilty on all charges following a three-week trial in December 2024. Williams was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences plus an additional 60 consecutive months in prison for murdering three victims as part of a narcotics conspiracy to rob a local marijuana dealer of drugs and cash. The defendant, who was also sentenced to five other life sentences to run concurrently to all other counts, had others dismember and bury two of the bodies to dispose of evidence of his crimes.
Extraordinary Individual Contribution to the Mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office – Kelly Norris
Ms. Norris served as Acting U.S. Attorney from February until August 2025 and as First Assistant U.S. Attorney from August 2025 to December 2025. In each role, she has served the Southern District of Ohio selflessly. Ms. Norris’s professional performance has been instrumental in the success that the district has experienced in carrying out the priorities of the Administration and Department of Justice.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 79 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 79 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On December 12, Sujey Velazquez and Sarah Joanne Cairo, U.S. citizens, were arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance as they tried to cross the border through the pedestrian lanes at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. According to a complaint, following an alert from a narcotics detection dog, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered the women had hidden fentanyl in body cavities.
- On December 18, Jacob Romero Ocampo, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 85 packages containing 38 pounds of methamphetamine and 22 pounds of fentanyl concealed in the firewall, doors, passenger floor, seats and rear bumper of Ocampo’s vehicle as he tried to cross into the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On December 18, Guadalupe Maria Ceja, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Transportation of Illegal Aliens. According to a complaint, Ceja failed to yield when Border Patrol agents activated lights and siren. Her vehicle came to a stop near the Pine Valley Bridge on Interstate 8 after agents deployed a vehicle immobilization device. There were two undocumented immigrants in her vehicle.
- On December 18, Joel Bernardo Trejo-Cazares, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, Trejo-Cazares attempted to enter the U.S. illegally in the trunk of a car at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. The defendant had been removed from the United States the day before.
Also recently, some defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here is one:
- On December 19, Ricardo Macario Vazquez, a Mexican national with six prior DUI convictions, two domestic violence convictions, and two prior convictions for illegal reentry, was sentenced in federal court to 21 months in custody for again entering the U.S. illegally.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the two-week period ending December 19, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 96 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 6 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 112 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 54 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for rape, abduction, drug trafficking, DUI, aggravated assault, and battery.
In one significant case, eleven alleged members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua were indicted this week on RICO charges as part of a coordinated DOJ operation across five federal districts.
These cases are 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.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan Confirmed by the U.S. SenateRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan Confirmed by the U.S. Senate
CONCORD – Last night, the United States Senate voted to confirm President Donald J. Trump’s nominee of United States Attorney Erin Creegan for the District of New Hampshire.
U.S. Attorney Creegan was appointed by U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi to serve as an Interim U.S. Attorney beginning on August 13 of this year. U.S. Attorney Creegan subsequently received an appointment from the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire on December 11. She now begins her service as a Senate confirmed Presidential appointee.
“It is the honor of my lifetime to be the chief federal law enforcement officer for the best state in the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “I look forward to working closely with our state and federal partners to interdict drug trafficking, combat violent crime, and dismantle criminal networks. I also look forward to protecting the contributions of the American taxpayer through defensive and affirmative civil litigation. I thank the President, the Attorney General, the Senators, and leaders in state government and the New Hampshire bar, for their support.”
Two National MS-13 Gang Leaders and Two Other MS-13 Members Convicted of Racketeering Charges and Murders in Queens and on Long IslandRead the Press Release
Today a federal jury in Brooklyn returned guilty verdicts against national MS-13 leaders Edenilson Velasquez Larin, also known as “Agresor,” Saturno,” “Tiny,” and “Paco,”; Hugo Diaz Amaya, also known as “21”; Fulton Locos Salvatruchas (Fulton) clique leader Jose Espinoza Sanchez, also known as “Cable,” “Bleca,” and “Fantasma”; and Fulton member Jose Arevalao Iraheta, also known as “Splinter,” “Inesperado,” and “Daniel.” The four defendants were convicted on 24 counts of a third superseding indictment. The verdict followed a 10-week trial before United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall. When sentenced, each of the defendants face a mandatory term of life in prison.
Specifically, Velasquez Larin was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with the fatal machete attack of 18-year-old Kenny Reyes, continuing criminal enterprise, murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Victor Alvarenga, attempted murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with the shooting at an individual referred to in the indictment as John Doe 1, murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with fatal shooting of 25-year-old Eric Monge, money laundering conspiracy, attempted murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with the shooting of an individual referred to in the indictment as John Doe 2, and murder in-aid-of racketeering related to the fatal machete attack of 20-year-old Oswaldo Gutierrez Medrano, as well as additional murder conspiracies and firearms offenses.
Diaz Amaya was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, murder, and conspiracy to commit murder in-aid-of racketeering related to the fatal machete attack of Gutierrez Medrano.
Espinoza Sanchez was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with the fatal machete attack of Reyes, murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with the fatal shooting of Alvarenga, attempted murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with the shooting at John Doe 1, and murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with fatal shooting of Monge, money laundering conspiracy, as well as additional murder conspiracies and firearms offenses.
Arevalo Iraheta was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, attempted murder in-aid-of racketeering in connection with the shooting at John Doe 1, causing the death of Monge through use of a firearm, and murder in-aid-of racketeering related to the fatal machete attack of Gutierrez Medrano, as well as additional murder conspiracies and firearms offenses.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict.
“With today’s verdict, four extremely dangerous MS-13 members have been brought to justice for racketeering crimes including murder and now, deservedly, face mandatory life sentences,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Two of the defendants were national MS-13 leaders who were responsible for authorizing murders on behalf of the gang across the country and each of the defendants participated in heinous murders, including some in which victims were hacked to death and dismembered. The outstanding work of our prosecutors, along with members of the FBI, HSI and the NYPD, underscores this Office’s continuing efforts to make our communities safer by dismantling violent and bloodthirsty gangs, and we will not relent in our efforts until they are eradicated.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the Nassau County Police Department and the Suffolk County Police Department for their investigative work.
“Today, the bloody reign of four MS-13 members, including two national leaders, has come to an end. These defendants orchestrated and facilitated the cold-blooded murders of four perceived rivals to simply increase their own social standing,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Their propensity for extreme violence and their depravity of human life threatened the safety of anyone who crossed their path. Alongside our federal, state, and local partners, the FBI maintains its resolute determination to eradicate all violent gangs terrorizing our communities with their callous lawlessness.”
“Today’s convictions of Edenilson Velasquez Larin and Hugo Diaz Amaya—who directed MS-13’s brutal and ruthlessly savage violence —reflect the seriousness of their crimes and the terror they inflicted on our communities,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Patel. “By holding these individuals accountable, we have stripped them of the violent power and influence they once wielded. The eradication of gang violence on Long Island and throughout the state remains a top priority for HSI New York and our law enforcement partners, and these convictions mark significant progress toward dismantling these criminal organizations from the top down. No stone will be left unturned in our relentless pursuit of justice for the victims of MS-13.”
“These verdicts send a clear message: The NYPD will stop at nothing to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable any street gang that terrorizes our neighborhoods with violence,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “These leaders and members of the notorious MS-13 crew carried out acts of extreme brutality — murdering their victims in cold blood and dismembering their bodies — and they are now facing justice. I am grateful to the NYPD investigators, as well as our law enforcement partners at HSI, the FBI, and the prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their meticulous work on this case.”
The U.S. Program
As proved at trial, MS-13 is a violent street gang operating through “cliques” or chapters in Queens, Long Island and communities across the United States, as well as El Salvador, Honduras, and other countries in the Americas and Europe. The gang primarily makes money through drug trafficking and extortion, and is known for its gruesome murders of perceived gang rivals and gang members and associates who have violated the gang’s rules. MS-13 has been responsible for dozens of murders in the Eastern District of New York alone.
Since approximately 2021, virtually all MS-13 cliques in the United States have been united under a single hierarchy known as the “U.S. Program.” The U.S. Program is led by a group of senior gang leaders, most of whom are incarcerated, known as “La Mesa” or “The Table.” La Mesa, among other roles, authorizes and directs murders throughout the country, including in New York. Prior to, and at the time of, their arrests, Velasquez Larin and Diaz Amaya were two of the few members of La Mesa outside of prison — Velasquez Larin was living in Colorado and Diaz Amaya was living in Kansas — and were among the top leaders responsible for the gang’s operations on the East Coast.
Murder of Kenny Reyes in Uniondale, Long Island
In 2016, a member of the Hempstead Locos Salvatruchas (“Hempstead”) clique of MS-13 met and befriended Reyes, who had recently come to the United States from Honduras. This Hempstead member came to believe that Reyes was associated with the 18th Street gang, which is MS-13’s primary rival, and reported this to Velasquez Larin and Espinoza Sanchez. The three men then plotted to murder Reyes to increase their positions in the gang.
On May 23, 2016, Velasquez Larin, Espinoza Sanchez and two Hempstead members lured Reyes to a wooded area behind Uniondale High School to smoke marijuana. Instead, once in the woods, Espinoza Sanchez struck Reyes with a machete. Velasquez Larin and the Hempstead members also struck Reyes repeatedly with a machete before the men buried Reyes’ body. For years after the murder, Velasquez Larin and Espinoza Sanchez bragged about their roles in the killing to other MS-13 members. Reyes’s body has never been recovered.
Murder of Victor Alvarenga in Flushing, Queens
In 2018, Alvarenga met multiple Fulton members and claimed to be a high-ranking member of the Hollywood Locos Salvatruchas (Hollywood) clique of MS-13. Velasquez Larin and Espinoza Sanchez investigated Alvarenga’s claims and determined that he was not who he claimed to be. Velasquez Larin and Espinoza Sanchez then ordered their underlings, Douglas Melgar-Suriano and Jairo Martinez-Garcia, to kill Alvarenga. Espinoza Sanchez provided Melgar-Suriano and Martinez-Garcia with guns for this purpose and waited in the getaway car to oversee the murder.
In the early morning of November 4, 2018, Melgar-Suriano, Martinez-Garcia and Tito Martinez Alvarenga, a member of the Indios Locos Salvatruchas (Indios) MS-13 clique, laid in wait for Alvarenga. As Alvarenga was walking to his home, he was intercepted by Melgar-Suriano. After walking with him briefly, Melgar-Suriano shot Alvarenga multiple times in the head and body. As Alvarenga writhed on the pavement, Martinez-Garcia also shot him. Martinez Alvarenga stole Alvarenga’s cellphone to prevent law enforcement from recovering any evidence on the phone. Velasquez Larin promoted Melgar-Suriano and Martinez-Garcia within the gang for their participation in this murder.
Melgar Suriano and Martinez Garcia pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Murder of Eric Monge in College Point, Queens
In early 2020, Fulton member Oscar Hernandez Baires stole a shotgun from Monge, his former roommate. In response, Monge confronted Hernandez Baires and assaulted him. This assault was reported to Fulton leadership, including Velasquez Larin and Espinoza Sanchez, who then ordered that Monge be killed for attacking Hernandez Baires. Multiple Fulton members, including Velasquez Larin and Espinoza Sanchez conducted surveillance to locate Monge so that he could be killed.
In the early morning hours of September 6, 2020, Fulton members Jose Guevara Aguilar and Hernandez Baires shot at and killed Monge while he was seated in his parked car near his home in Queens. Monge’s wife had just returned to the car after bringing their young children inside their residence when Hernandez Baires and Guevara Aguilar began shooting. After the murder, Guevara Aguilar and Hernandez Baires ran back to a car where another Fulton member was waiting to help them escape. As they fled to the car, Guevara Aguilar dropped his hat, which was later found to have his DNA on it.
Guevara Aguilar and Hernandez Baires pleaded guilty to the murder and are awaiting sentencing.
Murder of Oswaldo Gutierrez Medrano in Jericho, Long Island
On January 31, 2022, a member of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas (“Sailors”) MS-13 clique known as “Stocky” murdered two members of the Sureños gang in FCI Beaumont, a federal prison located in Texas. Because this murder was unauthorized, La Mesa sought to punish the Sailors clique.
Gutierrez Medrano was a member of the Sailors clique in New York. The Sailors wanted to promote him to homeboy after he received a beating. Because there were no other Sailors present in New York, MS-13 members from other cliques would have to give Gutierez Medrano his beating. La Mesa, including Velasquez Larin and Diaz Amaya, used this as an opportunity to exact its revenge and ordered the murder of Gutierrez Medrano. Diaz Amaya also coordinated luring Gutierrez Medrano to meet other MS-13 members under the false pretense that he would be receiving his beating.
On February 13, 2022 in Nassau County, Gutierrez Medrano met with those other MS-13 members, including Arevalo Iraheta, who hacked him to death with machetes, slit his throat with a knife, dismembered his body and buried the parts in a wooded area.
* * * * *
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Today’s convictions are the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of MS-13. MS-13’s leadership was based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders, and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 75 murders in the district and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by our law enforcement partners including HSI and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI and NYPD.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel, Nadie E. Moore, Anna L. Karamigios and Kam Ammari are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Timothy Migliaro and Danielle Barber.
The Defendants:
EDENILSON VELASQUEZ LARIN (also known as “Agresor,” “Saturno,” “Tiny,” and “Paco”)
Age: 36
Thornton, ColoradoJOSE AREVALO IRAHETA (also known as “Splinter,” “Inesperado,” and “Daniel”)
Age: 28
Queens, New YorkHUGO DIAZ AMAYA (also known as “21”)
Age: 37
Kansas City, KansasJOSE ESPINOZA SANCHEZ (also known as “Cable,” “Bleca,” and “Fantasma”)
Age: 27
Carrboro, North CarolinaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-228 (LDH)
Two East Bay Men Plead Guilty for Their Roles in Multiple Armed Robberies over A Three-Week Span in 2024Read the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jaray Washington, 44, of Oakland, pleaded guilty in federal court today to committing eight armed robberies throughout the East Bay over a three-week span in 2024, as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm. Deante Hunt, 27, of San Lorenzo, pleaded guilty on November 14, 2025, to one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce for his participation in two of the armed robberies.
In pleading guilty, Washington admitted to robbing multiple gas stations and convenience of gas stations, convenience stores, and a fast-food restaurant between January 14, 2024, and February 2, 2024, including:
- On January 14, 2024, Washington, with a pistol in hand, robbed a gas station snack shop on Hesperian Boulevard in Hayward, during which he racked the pistol’s slide when he demanded money from the store clerk and demanded that the clerk provide money from the store’s safe.
- On January 22, 2024, Washington, carrying a pistol, robbed a gas station snack shop on Winston Avenue in Hayward and took by force money and cigarettes from the store clerk and jewelry, a wallet, and an iPhone from a store customer.
- On January 31, 2024, during a robbery of a gas station store on Castro Valley Boulevard in Castro Valley, Washington grabbed a store clerk from behind and held a pistol against the clerk’s body, while Hunt demanded money from the cash register and took money from the clerk’s pockets. The two men took approximately $1,500 in U.S. currency from the store’s two cash registers and approximately 10 cartons of cigarettes.
- On February 2, 2024, Washington and Hunt robbed a fast-food restaurant on Foothill Boulevard in Hayward, during which Washington used a pistol to force both female employees into a back office at gunpoint. Hunt took over $1,000 in cash.
In addition, during a search of Washington’s residence on February 13, 2024, law enforcement found a loaded semiautomatic Glock model 19 pistol, which Washington admitted was the same firearm he used in the eight robberies. Washington possessed the firearm despite having previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
Washington is currently in federal custody and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2026. Hunt is currently released on bail and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 20, 2026.
Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of robbery affecting interstate commerce in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a). Washington also faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonah Ross and Kelly Volkar are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Alycee Lane, Mark DiCenzo, and Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, Hayward Police Department, Fremont Police Department, Livermore Police Department, San Leandro Police Department, and Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.
Two Defendants Plead Guilty in Shooting that Injured Dunbar High School StudentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Saki Frost, 19, and Azhari Graves, 19, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to multiple counts in relation to a shooting that occurred on May 3, 2024, near Dunbar High School that injured one student. The guilty pleas were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Frost and Graves each pleaded guilty to aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a pistol without a license. Frost, who was 17 years old at the time of the shooting, was prosecuted as an adult under Title 16. As part of their sentences, both defendants will be required to register as gun offenders. Both defendants are set to be sentenced on March 20, 2026, before the Honorable J. Michael Ryan.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 3, 2024, at approximately 9:53 a.m., Graves and Frost opened fire on a sedan that was driving down Kirby Street NW, near Dunbar High School. A witness to the shooting reported hearing machine gun fire. Surveillance video captures Frost and Graves running down an alleyway holding firearms prior to the shooting. Surveillance video also captures the shooting, in which an individual appearing to be Frost, fires a gun toward the sedan. Surveillance footage also captures Graves after the shooting holding a firearm with the slide locked to the rear of the weapon, indicating that the weapon had been fired. Graves and Frost then fled the area in a vehicle. Later that day, MPD officers located the vehicle used by the defendants and arrested Graves and Frost. Investigators recovered a total of 29 shell casings from the scene of the shooting and numerous fragments from the exterior of Dunbar High School, as well as from classrooms inside the school. Investigators also observed at least six bullet strikes to the N Street side of Dunbar. During the shooting, one Dunbar student suffered a graze wound to the head from the gunfire.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kraig Ahalt and Courtney Scholz.
Twice-Removed Illegal Alien Sentenced to over 24 Years for Role in Drug Conspiracy and Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE Tenn. – On December 17, 2025, Courtney Sterling, 45, of Jamaica, was sentenced to 292 months by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following his imprisonment, Sterling will be on supervised release for 10 years.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Sterling agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(A), Possession of a Firearm as an Illegal Alien, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(5), and Aggravated Re-entry, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a), (b)(2).
According to filed court documents, in November of 2022, the Johnson City, Tennessee Police Department (JCPD) was notified about a shipment of marijuana that was scheduled to be delivered to an address in Johnson City. This led to a search warrant and investigation at Sterling’s residence and the discovery of 11 pounds of methamphetamine, 2.5 pounds of cocaine, and firearms. Sterling was arrested after this offense. Upon further investigation, officers later discovered additional firearms, cocaine, and large amounts of U.S. currency. Sterling, a Jamaican citizen, had previously been removed from the United States on two prior occasions. After making bond in Washington County, Tennessee, he failed to appear in court and became a fugitive.
In October of 2024, Homeland Security Investigators (HSI), along with the JCPD, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) intercepted the shipment of 20 pounds of methamphetamine and 2.6 pounds of cocaine to another address in Johnson City. Sterling had coordinated the delivery with co-defendants MJ Adams and Heather Ward to their residence for distribution within the Eastern District of Tennessee. After the execution of a search warrant, agents also located an additional pound of methamphetamine in the residence and large amounts of U.S. currency.
Judge Corker also sentenced another member of the conspiracy on Wednesday, December 17th; Heather Ward, 37, of Johnson City, received a sentence of 120 months with a period of supervised release of five years following her imprisonment.
The third member of the conspiracy, MJ Adams, 41, of Johnson City, is set to be sentenced before Judge Corker on February 4, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by JCPD, HSI, TBI, and DEA. This investigation was led by JCPD Sergeant William Saulsbury, HSI Special Agent John Bulla, and TBI Special Agent Jason Roark.
Special Assistant United States Attorney AnCharlene Davis and Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Gomez represented the United States.
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.
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Two Lafayette Men Plead Guilty in Federal Court in a Multi-State Vehicle Theft, Firearm Trafficking, and Identity Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that Dennis Loyd Sizemore, age 54, and Gregory Brazell, age 41, both of Lafayette, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to conspiracy to transport a stolen motor vehicle; altering, removing and obliterating a vehicle identification number; possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices; and conspiracy to sell or dispose of a firearm and the transfer of a firearm to a prior convicted felon.
According to admissions made as part of their guilty pleas, between October 2021 and March 2022, Sizemore, Brazell, and their co-conspirators, Chrisopher Don Byerley and Adrienne Marie King, carried out a coordinated and complex operation extending across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas, in which the group stole, then used or sold the stolen and altered vehicles, including tractors, excavators, forklifts, and a pickup truck, with a total value of over $250,000.
The conspiracy involved tampering with Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) to disguise the identity of stolen property. Use of a chop shop, fraudulent documentation, and false business fronts such as “Hevyquip L.L.C.” to sell stolen equipment and unauthorized possession of over 400 identities and access devices to further conceal their criminal activities
During the investigation, it was determined that Brazell and Sizemore used a third party to illegally purchase a firearm, which was later sold to Byerley, a prior convicted felon, who then installed on the pistol an unregistered silencer.
In February 2022, an investigation of a shoplifting incident in the Juban Crossing Shopping Center led Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives to uncover from a stolen pickup truck being operated by Byerley, the unregistered firearm silencer, an FN Model 509 9mm pistol and ammunition; documentation detailing parts orders for silencers all in Byerley’s handwriting; multiple text messages and photographs pointing to intent to traffic firearms and circumvent federal regulations; and numerous documents, records, emails, text messages and photos that led law enforcement to uncover the conspiracy and far-reaching criminal enterprise.
Byerley was recently sentenced to 115 months in federal prison following his convictions in this conspiracy.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Saint Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, Saint Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Iberia Sheriff’s Department, and Lafayette Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lyman E. Thornton III and M. Patricia Jones. To address the firearm trafficking charges, AUSA Thornton was appointed as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Louisiana, where he worked in conjunction with Assistant United States Attorney John Nickel.
Six Individuals Charged in $41 Million Insider Trading and Market Manipulation Scheme Involving Cancer Drug and Opioid Treatment CompaniesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Six individuals were charged for their participation in a years-long scheme to trade securities based on material non-public information (“MNPI”), Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
“As alleged, the defendants engaged in insider trading and market manipulation on a massive scale—using stolen information, falsified data, and fake press releases to mislead investors and enrich themselves. This Office will continue to pursue complex financial fraud schemes that threaten the fairness and transparency of our markets and harm individual investors.”
- Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello
“The FBI takes allegations of insider trading with the utmost seriousness,” said FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge, Stefanie Roddy. “Shoukat and his co-conspirators benefitted greatly from their years-long scheme, and cheated the system to reap their rewards. As complex as a financial fraud scheme is, the FBI will endeavor to stay one step ahead of these alleged criminals.”
Muhammad Saad Shoukat (“Saad Shoukat”), 33, his brothers Muhammad Arham Shoukat (“Arham Shoukat”), 35, and Muhammad Shahwaiz Shoukat (“Shahwaiz Shoukat”), 36—all dual-U.S. and Pakistani citizens—and his friends Daniyal Khan (“Khan”), 33, a dual-U.K and Pakistani citizen, and Izunna Okonkwo (“Okonkwo”), 33, a dual-U.S. and Nigerian citizen, were charged in a complaint that was unsealed today.
Gyunho Justin Kim (“Kim”), 32, of San Francisco, California, was charged in a separate complaint and made an initial appearance before the Honorable Michael A. Hammer, United States Magistrate Judge, on December 12, 2025.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The charges in this case arise from three overlapping securities fraud schemes that occurred at various points from June 2020 through February 2024: (i) a multi-million-dollar insider trading scheme (the “Insider Trading Scheme”); (ii) a scheme to manipulate the stock price of a biopharmaceutical company developing a treatment for breast cancer (“Olema Manipulation Scheme”); and (iii) a scheme to manipulate the stock price of a different biopharmaceutical company seeking to prevent opioid overdoses (“Opiant Manipulation Scheme,” together with the Olema Manipulation Scheme, the “Market Manipulation Schemes”).
The Insider Trading Scheme
Kim worked at an investment bank that was actively involved in multiple mergers and acquisitions of publicly traded healthcare and biopharmaceutical companies. Kim obtained MNPI about many of these pending deals, either by working on deals directly or from others who did. Kim illegally shared MNPI about at least nine of these deals with Saad Shoukat, who traded on that information by himself and through others. Saad Shoukat also tipped off others—including Arham Shoukat, Shahwaiz Shoukat, Khan, and Okonkwo—who similarly traded and profited from the MNPI. Overall, Saad Shoukat and his co-conspirators received illicit profits from the Insider Trading Scheme totaling at least $41 million.
Olema Manipulation Scheme
Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, and others actively manipulated the stock price of Olema, a publicly traded company. Olema focused on developing breast cancer treatment through a drug called OP-1250. From the spring of 2021, Saad Shoukat and Arham Shoukat began investing in Olema stock and encouraged others to invest in it. After buying substantial stock in Olema, Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, and others accessed confidential information showing that OP-1250 was less effective than Saad Shoukat and Arham Shoukat had hoped. Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, and others then falsified the OP-1250 data the co-conspirators had illegally accessed, and publicly disseminated it in a manner that made it look like the data was real and came from Olema. The release of the false data—which inflated the drug’s efficacy—temporarily caused Olema’s stock price to increase, during which Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, and others profited and avoided losses by selling large numbers of shares in Olema stock.
Opiant Manipulation Scheme
Saad Shoukat, his brothers, and others also manipulated the stock price of Opiant, another publicly traded company. Opiant was developing an opioid overdose treatment. Kim provided MNPI to Saad Shoukat about a company seeking to acquire Opiant. Based on that MNPI, Saad Shoukat and others bought Opiant stock. But that potential acquisition stalled, and Saad Shoukat and others were stuck with their stock purchases. In response, in or around April 2022, Saad Shoukat, his brothers, and others—using a fake Opiant website and fake Opiant email addresses that appeared legitimate—caused the publication of a fake press release announcing a purported merger and acquisition involving Opiant and another company. The fake press release drove up Opiant’s stock approximately 29%. Saad Shoukat, his brothers, and others profited by selling off shares during that spike, causing substantial losses to victim investors.
If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum sentences:
CountOffenseDefendantsMaximum Penalties1Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, Shahwaiz Shoukat, Khan, Okonkwo, and Kim25 years’ imprisonment2Conspiracy to Commit Insider Trading, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, Shahwaiz Shoukat, Khan, Okonkwo, and Kim5 years’ imprisonment3Securities Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1348Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, Shahwaiz Shoukat, Khan, Okonkwo, and Kim25 years’ imprisonment4Insider Trading, in violation of 15 U.S.C., §§ 78j(b) and 78ff; 17 C.F.R., § 240.10b-5Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, Shahwaiz Shoukat, Khan, Okonkwo, and Kim20 years’ imprisonment5Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, Shahwaiz Shoukat, Khan, Okonkwo, and Kim20 years’ imprisonment6Wire Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, Shahwaiz Shoukat, Khan, Okonkwo, and Kim20 years’ imprisonment7Conspiracy to Commit Market Manipulation Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349Saad Shoukat and Arham Shoukat25 years’ imprisonment8Conspiracy to Commit Market Manipulation Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, and Shahwaiz Shoukat25 years’ imprisonment9Conspiracy to Commit Market Manipulation Fraud, in violation of 15 U.S.C., §§ 78j(b) and 78ff; 17 C.F.R., § 240.10b-5Saad Shoukat and Arham Shoukat20 years’ imprisonment10Conspiracy to Commit Market Manipulation Fraud, in violation of 15 U.S.C., §§ 78j(b) and 78ff; 17 C.F.R., § 240.10b-5Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, and Shahwaiz Shoukat20 years’ imprisonment11Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349Saad Shoukat and Arham Shoukat20 years’ imprisonment12Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349Saad Shoukat, Arham Shoukat, and Shahwaiz Shoukat20 years’ imprisonmentSenior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Barchini of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit and Aaron Webman, Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Muhammad Saad Shoukat: Chris Christie, Morristown, NJ
Muhammad Arham Shoukat: Chris Christie, Morristown, NJ
Muhammad Shahwaiz Shoukat: Chris Christie, Morristown, NJ
Daniyal “Dan” Khan: Unknown
Izunna “Zunnie” Okonkwo: Scott McBride, Roseland, NJ and Alexey Tarasov, Rosenberg, Texas.
Gyunho Justin Kim: Timothy Crudo, San Francisco, CA
shoukat_et_al.complaint.pdfShooter Pleads Guilty to Killing 17-Year-Old in MayRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Carlton Simon, 20, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to the shooting death of 17-year-old Angel Dominguez in Northwest D.C. this Spring, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Simon entered a guilty plea to second degree murder while armed before Superior Court Associate Judge Todd Edelman on December 17, 2025. Simon confirmed that, in shooting the decedent, he was acting voluntarily, and that he was not acting in self-defense. Judge Edelman ordered that Simon continue to be held without bond pending sentencing.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled to occur before Judge Edelman on February 20, 2026.
According to court documents, Simon, a classmate of the victim Angel Dominguez, approached Dominguez on Florida Avenue with a loaded firearm in tow. As the victim walked away from him, Simon pointed a gun at Dominguez’s back, before restraining him and ultimately shooting him in the chest. Dominguez died as a result of his injuries shortly thereafter.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rashmika Nedungadi.