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13 October 2026
Tallahassee Man Sentenced for Federal Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Chandler Brittain Smith, 27, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker to four years in federal prison for one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to minors. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case is a terrifying reminder of the countless ways that sexual predators can reach our kids online, and underscores the necessity for parents to closely monitor the online activity of their children to keep them safe from being sexually exploited and victimized. Our excellent law enforcement partners are relentlessly pursuing those predators to stop them before they can hurt any more kids, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law to send them to federal prison.”
Court documents reflect that in November 2025, Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Tallahassee Police Department conducted an undercover operation in Leon County focused on identifying individuals using the Internet to sexually exploit children. During the operation, law enforcement acted in an undercover capacity on an online social media platform posing as a minor child. Over a two-day period, the defendant sent the undercover investigator multiple sexually explicit messages and an obscene photo in an effort to entice and persuade the fictitious child to meet him for sexual activity. On November 10, 2025, the defendant traveled to a pre-determined meeting location for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with the child, at which time he was arrested.
After serving his term of imprisonment, Smith must register as a sexual offender.
“Predators who target children online are not anonymous, untouchable, or beyond the reach of law enforcement,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa Acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “They are criminals, and we will find them. The threats facing children in digital spaces are growing, but so is the resolve of HSI and our state and federal partners to stop those who use the internet to sexually exploit and victimize minors. There is no safe place to hide behind a screen. If you pursue children, we will pursue you, and we will hold you accountable.”
The case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The 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 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Tallahassee Man Sentenced for Attempting to Entice a Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Raymond Lewis Shiver, 36, of Crawfordville, Florida, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, after being found guilty by a federal jury of attempting to entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our excellent state and federal law enforcement partners are relentless in their efforts to keep our kids safe by catching predators, like this defendant, before they can succeed in sexually exploiting and victimizing children online. My office remains fully committed to aggressively prosecuting those sick individuals and ensuring they are kept locked away behind federal bars for as long as possible.”
Trial testimony demonstrated that in April 2025, federal, state, and local law enforcement conducted an undercover online chat operation to identify individuals using the internet to sexually exploit children. During the operation, several fictitious ads were posted by law enforcement on websites commonly used for prostitution, and the defendant responded to one of the ads. In his text messaging with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as a 15-year-old child, the defendant expressed interest in engaging in sexual activity with the child in exchange for money. The defendant then traveled to meet the child and was arrested by law enforcement. A search of the defendant’s phone confirmed that he was the person communicating with the undercover officer through text messaging and phone calls.
“Cases like this show why proactive investigations and strong partnerships are essential,” said Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell. “Behind this operation were investigators who worked carefully and deliberately to identify dangerous behavior before a child could become a victim. We are proud to work alongside our local and federal partners to protect children and hold offenders accountable.”
“Predators who use the internet to target and sexually exploit children will face the full force of the law,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa Acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Those who believe anonymity online, a screen, or a cellphone will shield them from accountability are sorely mistaken. This result was not achieved by one agency acting alone. HSI stands shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners, united in our mission to protect our communities. When criminals threaten public safety, our partnerships close the gaps predators seek to exploit and expose every place they attempt to hide.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The 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 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Stamford Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RICK MARRO, 45, of Stamford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement began investigating Marro in August 2023 after a 16-year-old male victim reported that he had been sexually exploited by Marro. The victim reported that he met Marro on a dating application, and they then began communicating on Snapchat in April 2023. The victim indicated that they met in person at Marro’s house on multiple occasions and two of the encounters were sexual in nature. The victim reported that Marro gave him “poppers,” that Marro was “into” asphyxiation, and, on one occasion, Marro strangled him and he passed out “for a minute or two.” A law enforcement review of the victim’s Snapchat account showed that Marro sent him videos that Marro had recorded of them engaged in sexual activity. He also sent the victim a video depicting Marro choking him.
Law enforcement subsequently seized and searched Marro’s cell phone. During the examination of Marro’s phone, investigators located the same videos that he recorded and sent the victim showing them engaged in sexual activity. They also located text messages that Marro had sent to another individual in which Marro stated that he “choked [the victim] all the way to unconscious today by accident.”
Marro, who was arrested on a criminal complaint on January 18, 2024, pleaded guilty to receipt and distribution of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for January 6.
Marro has been detained since his arrest.
This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Stamford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
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.
Somerset Woman Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Somerset, Ky., woman, Tiffany Helton, 43, was sentenced on Wednesday to 90 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Between December 12, 2025, and January 12, 2026, in Pulaski County— which is in the Eastern Judicial District of Kentucky—law enforcement utilized a confidential informant (CI) for controlled purchases of methamphetamine mixture (meth) at the Defendant’s residence on three occasions. As part of the January 12, 2026, transaction, the Defendant accepted pre-payment for two ounces of meth from the CI, traveled to Lexington and met co-Defendant Robert Conley to obtain the meth for the transaction, returned back to her Pulaski County residence, and then weighed out, bagged, and provided the CI approximately 56 grams of meth.
Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Sheriff Bobby Jones, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Sixth North Carolina Return Preparer Sentenced in $23.9 Pandemic-Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The owner of a North Carolina tax return preparation business was sentenced on October 1, 2026, to 60 months in prison for conspiring to prepare false returns claiming fraudulent refunds based on COVID-19 tax credits.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Nejlai Mitchell owned and operated a tax return preparation business out of Lumberton, North Carolina, and Hope Mills, North Carolina. From approximately April 2022 through May 2023, Mitchell and seven employees filed false tax returns seeking fraudulent refunds based on the paid sick and family leave credit, a credit passed by Congress to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The conspiracy resulted in a total of approximately $23.9 million in fraudulent tax refund claims. The IRS paid out approximately $13,890,697 of that amount.
Five other return preparers have also been sentenced for their roles in the scheme. The co-conspirators prepared federal tax returns for clients that included materially false items. On September 3, 2026, Tiffany Moody was sentenced to 26 months in prison. On July 8, 2026, Shaneen Ray was sentenced to 18 months in prison, Eyoubo McBurney was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and Sylvia Swindell was sentenced to 16 months in prison. On July 9, 2026, Katrena Stanback was sentenced to six months in prison.
Mitchell pleaded guilty to conspiracy and preparing and filing false tax returns. The tax return preparation business’s office manager, Whitnee Leach, pleaded guilty in May 2026 to participating in the same conspiracy and filing false tax returns. The remaining five defendants pleaded guilty to preparing and filing false tax returns for clients. Jeannie Negron pleaded guilty in August 2025 to the same charges.
Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle of the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Caroline Pearson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Ontjes of the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
Sioux Falls - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, SD, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on October 5, 2026.
Jorge Ramos, 37, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Ramos was indicted for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person by a federal grand jury in April 2026. He pleaded guilty on June 22, 2026.
In January of this year, Ramos, wearing a black facemask, was driving a car with dealer plates and had attempted to evade law enforcement numerous times, speeding away when detectives activated their lights and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Ramos ultimately fled from the vehicle and threw a semi-automatic pistol to the ground where it was discovered by law enforcement. The gun had previously been stolen from a parked car in Sioux Falls. Ramos, who was found in possession of fentanyl, pills, and drug paraphernalia, admitted not only to possessing the stolen semi-automatic pistol but to having traded methamphetamine to acquire the gun earlier that day. Ramos was prohibited from possessing the gun because of a felony conviction for Identity Theft in 2024, in Minnehaha County. He has been convicted of several other offenses.
“This habitual offender was up to no good,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “A stolen gun, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and fleeing from police. The good news is that he will be off the streets of Sioux Falls for a while.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan McFall prosecuted the case.
Ramos was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Shiprock Man Pleads to Armed Assault on a Minor and His FamilyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to multiple federal felonies after aiming an assault-style rifle at a minor and other witnesses during a fight that left the minor-victim hospitalized.
According to court documents, on September 21, 2025, Azariah Arnold Cleveland, 19, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, drove himself and two accomplices to the minor’s home on the Navajo Nation to confront the minor. After spotting the minor walking near his home, Cleveland got out of his car with a rifle and pointed it at the minor, the minor’s parents, and other witnesses while his two accomplices assaulted the minor.
During the assault, the minor suffered a serious knee injury. Cleveland then fired seven to eight shots into the air before driving away with the other two minors. The minor was later treated at a local hospital for his injuries.
Cleveland pleaded guilty to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count each of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. At sentencing, Cleveland faces a minimum of seven years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
Saudi National Arrested for Installing Surreptitious Audio Recording Device at OpenAIRead the Press Release
An employee of OpenAI has been arrested for and charged with using or endeavoring to use an electronic, mechanical, or other device to intercept oral communications. Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, a national of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was arrested on Oct. 9, and made his initial appearance in federal court today.
“This serious situation underscores why winning the global super intelligence race is a national security prerogative — and why President Trump’s leadership in creating the Super Intelligence Force is so important,” said Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton. “I thank Director Patel and our FBI partners for their diligence and swift action. The intelligence community remains committed to safeguarding America’s cutting-edge intellectual property from foreign threats.”
“According to the complaint unsealed today, Abdulrahman Alfozan allegedly concealed a covert recording device inside his employer’s executive conference room to secretly capture sensitive communications about the company’s super intelligence technology,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Protecting American SI innovation is essential to safeguarding our nation’s economic strength and national security, and the FBI views that mission as one of our highest counterintelligence priorities. Thank you to Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton and our law enforcement partners for their support — and we will continue working closely with our partners across the U.S. government and private sector to keep American businesses and citizens safe and to ensure our country maintains its competitive edge.”
“The Bay Area and Silicon Valley lead the world in developing tomorrow’s technology, and our Office will continue to stand at the forefront of protecting that American innovation,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California. “For us it is a matter of national security. This arrest highlights our relentless efforts in partnership with the FBI to identify and prosecute those who seek to steal our technology, as alleged in the complaint.”
According to the complaint, Alfozan had been employed as an engineer by OpenAI since July 2025. On or about Sept. 30, OpenAI personnel discovered a surreptitious audio recording device (Recording Device 1) inserted into a USB port on the back of a television in an executive conference room inside one of their buildings in San Francisco. OpenAI determined that the device, which had been concealed in toilet paper, was installed on or about Sept. 28, and that its contents were encrypted.
Recording Device 1Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage inside OpenAI’s office showed that Alfozan appeared near the executive conference room on multiple dates prior to the device’s discovery, although he had no authority to access or to participate in meetings occurring in the executive conference room. According to the complaint, meetings in the executive conference room where Recording Device 1 was discovered frequently involved discussions of highly confidential technical, commercial, and strategic information, including proprietary research, product plans, and business-development opportunities, as well as nonpublic information about Open AI’s technical progress and strategic decisions, capabilities, priorities, government engagements, and commercial relationships.
According to the complaint, prior to Sept. 28, Alfozan used a productivity tool to make multiple inquiries about Open AI’s building addresses, meeting rooms, meeting-room capacities and calendars, “leadership and exec” locations, and external partner meetings. Moreover, a chatbot account associated with Alfozan’s spouse (which shared multiple identifiers and attributes with Alfozan’s own chatbot account) submitted prompts between Sept. 24 and Sept. 30 related to building, customizing, installing, audio recording, testing, obfuscating, and remote accessing a device, including inquiries about “build[ing] a continuous audio recorder,” “customiz[ing] Wi-Fi . . . connectivity,” “improv[ing] audio and live listening,” and “encrypt[ing] the SD card,” among other things. The same chatbot account also submitted prompts specifically related to Recording Device 1, including its custom header and unique MAC address, between Sept. 27 and Sept. 28.
The complaint further alleges that on Oct. 5, Alfozan entered the executive conference room and appeared to look behind the television into which Recording Device 1 had been inserted, as captured below:
Image of AlfozanFinally, the complaint alleges that, also on or about Oct. 5, Alfozan left a bag unattended in a different room in an OpenAI building. OpenAI security personnel found and opened Alfozan’s bag, inside which they discovered — among other things, including Alfozan’s wallet and ID — another recording device (Recording Device 2) similar to Recording Device 1.
If convicted, Alfozan faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Parker for the Northern District of California is prosecuting the case with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney Kate Tagert of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
This prosecution is in support of National Security Presidential Memorandum 11 (NSPM-11) designed to support American superiority in super intelligence technology.
Saudi National Arrested for Installing Surreptitious Audio Recording Device at OpenAI in San FranciscoRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – An employee of OpenAI, a super intelligence (SI), also known as artificial intelligence, company headquartered in San Francisco, has been arrested for and charged with using or endeavoring to use an electronic, mechanical, or other device to intercept oral communications. Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, a national of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was arrested on Friday, October 9, 2026, and made his initial appearance in federal court today. Alfozan is currently in federal custody. He is next scheduled to appear in federal court on October 19, 2026, for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse.
According to the complaint unsealed today, Alfozan had been employed as an engineer by OpenAI, identified as “Company 1” in the complaint, since July 2025. On or about September 30, 2026, OpenAI personnel discovered a surreptitious audio recording device (“Recording Device 1”) inserted into a USB port on the back of a television in an executive conference room inside one of OpenAI’s buildings in San Francisco. OpenAI determined that the device, which had been concealed in toilet paper, was installed on or about September 28, 2026, and that its contents were encrypted.
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage inside OpenAI’s office showed that Alfozan appeared near the executive conference room on multiple dates prior to the device’s discovery, although he had no authority to access, or to participate in meetings occurring in, the executive conference room. According to the complaint, meetings in the executive conference room where Recording Device 1 was discovered frequently involved discussions of highly confidential technical, commercial, and strategic information, including proprietary research, product plans, and business-development opportunities, as well as nonpublic information about OpenAI’s technical progress and strategic decisions, capabilities, priorities, government engagements, and commercial relationships.
According to the complaint, prior to September 28, 2026, Alfozan used a productivity tool to make multiple inquiries about OpenAI’s building addresses, meeting rooms, meeting-room capacities and calendars, and locations of “leadership and exec” and external partner meetings. Moreover, a chatbot account associated with Alfozan’s spouse (which shared multiple identifiers and attributes with Alfozan’s own chatbot account) submitted prompts between September 24, 2026, and September 30, 2026, related to building, customizing, installing, audio recording, testing, obfuscating, and remote accessing a device, including inquiries about “build[ing] a continuous audio recorder,” “customiz[ing] Wi-Fi . . . connectivity,” “improv[ing] audio and live listening,” and “encrypt[ing] the SD card,” among other things. The same chatbot account also submitted prompts specifically related to Recording Device 1, including its custom header and unique MAC address, between September 27, 2026, and September 28, 2026.
The complaint further alleges that on October 5, 2026, Alfozan entered the executive conference room and appeared to look behind the television into which Recording Device 1 had been inserted, as captured below:
Finally, the complaint alleges that, also on or about October 5, 2026, Alfozan left a bag unattended in a different room in an OpenAI building. OpenAI security personnel found and opened Alfozan’s bag, inside which they discovered—among other things, including Alfozan’s wallet and ID—another recording device similar to Recording Device 1.
“The Bay Area and Silicon Valley lead the world in developing tomorrow’s technology, and our Office will continue to stand at the forefront of protecting that American innovation,” said U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian. “For us it is a matter of national security. This arrest highlights our relentless efforts in partnership with the FBI to identify and prosecute those who seek to steal our technology, as alleged in the complaint.”
“According to the complaint unsealed today, Abdulrahman Alfozan allegedly concealed a covert recording device inside his employer’s executive conference room to secretly capture sensitive communications about the company’s super intelligence technology,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Protecting American SI innovation is essential to safeguarding our nation’s economic strength and national security, and the FBI views that mission as one of our highest counterintelligence priorities. Thank you to Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton and our law enforcement partners for their support – and we will continue working closely with our partners across the U.S. government and private sector to keep American businesses and citizens safe and to ensure our country maintains its competitive edge.”
“Any attempt to illicitly obtain protected information from U.S. super intelligence and technology companies threatens both American innovation and the national security interests those advancements support,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble of the FBI San Francisco Field Office. “The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting sensitive research and proprietary technology. We will continue working closely with our government and private sector partners to identify threats, safeguard critical advancements, and ensure the Bay Area’s innovation ecosystem remains secure.”
A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Alfozan faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2511(1)(b). Any sentence following conviction would 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.
This case is being prosecuted by the National Security, Cyber & Special Prosecutions Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
San Antonio Felon Sentenced to over 9 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in federal court today to 115 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, Jovan Antwone Flemings, 37, was arrested in May 2024 due to multiple outstanding state warrants. At the time of his arrest, Flemings possessed a 9mm handgun with an extended 20-round magazine and a round in the chamber. The firearm was located inside a bag along with a black ski mask, a black long-sleeved shirt, and a pair of black sweatpants.
Being a convicted felon, Flemings was charged with one count of felon in possession of a firearm. His criminal record at the time of arrest included four convictions for aggravated assault, along with convictions for making terroristic threats, robbery, drug possession, and a prior state conviction for the being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Flemings pleaded guilty on May 6, 2025.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the San Antonio Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Fedock and Sarah Wannarka prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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Salt Lake County Man Charged After Allegedly Defrauding Investors Out of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An indictment was unsealed today charging Parker James Wilde, 29, of Draper, Utah with securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering for multiple investment fraud schemes that resulted in millions of dollars of loss to approximately 200 victims.
According to court documents, starting in August 2021, Wilde allegedly solicited investors in a “done-for-you” e-commerce investment scheme promoted primarily through a curated social media display of investor success, personal affluence, and specialized knowledge. Wilde also allegedly solicited investors in a day trading scheme, promising significant returns based upon his expertise within the cryptocurrency investment industry.A jury trial is scheduled for December 18, 2026, at the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the Utah Department of Commerce Division of Securities.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brent Andrus and Mark Woolf are 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.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Federal Prison for New Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Andrew Scott Whitaker, Jr., 30, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 19.5 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material. Whitaker was also ordered to pay restitution to each of 15 identified victims, totaling $47,500.
According to court documents, on December 27, 2024, Whitaker sent multiple images and videos containing child sexual abuse material to several individuals using the social media messaging application Kik. On March 27, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Whitaker’s residence and recovered a cellphone containing approximately 2,279 images and 1,109 video files of child sexual abuse material. Investigators also discovered a second Kik account Whitaker used to facilitate the same criminal conduct.
At the time of his 2024 arrest, Whitaker was on federal supervised release stemming from a 2021 conviction in the Southern District of Indiana for possession of and access with intent to view child sexual abuse material.
“This dangerous offender exploited a social media platform to circulate the horrific abuse of the most vulnerable among us, all while already on federal supervised release for the same reprehensible conduct,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Those who gather online to revel in the exploitation of children should know that we will identify you, we will find you, and we will hold you accountable.”
“Distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material is a serious crime that causes significant pain and trauma to victims, families and the community, and it carries significant penalties, as this case demonstrates,” said Special Agent in Charge Ike Barnes, of the U.S. Secret Service’s Indianapolis Field Office. “The U.S. Secret Service is committed to using its resources to pursue those who choose to engage in such nefarious online behavior. Thank you to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Indiana for their work in helping to bring this repeat offender to justice.
The United States Secret Service and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney, II.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys MaryAnn Mindrum, who prosecuted this case.
This case was 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.internetcrimesagainstkids.com to learn more about their efforts.
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Recidivist Wenatchee Offender Sentenced to 144 Months in Federal Prison for September 2025 Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on October 13, 2026, United States District Court Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Cameron Len Gaunt, age 43, to 144 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for robbing the Cashmere Valley Bank on September 12, 2025.
According to court records, Guant has a long history of violent federal and state offenses. He had recently been released from Bureau of Prisons custody on July 2, 2025, following prior federal bank robbery convictions, and, at the time of the September 12 robbery, he was already in violation of the conditions of his supervised release.
On the day of the robbery, Gaunt entered the Cashmere Valley Bank branch in Wenatchee and presented a note demanding money: “$30K cash. No dye packs. No exploding bags.” The teller initially provided approximately $100 in bait bills, but after Gaunt demanded more and commented to the effect that he was “not going back to prison for such a small amount,” the teller surrendered the remaining cash in the drawer, totaling $2,462. Wenatchee Police Department officers responding to the robbery quickly reviewed surveillance footage and identified Gaunt by his distinctive face and neck tattoos. Four days later, on September 16, 2025, he was inside another local bank and a teller recognized him from the prior robbery and activated the alarm. Officers arrived and arrested Gaunt without incident.
Gaunt’s extensive criminal history spans more than two decades and includes multiple convictions for forgery, burglary, drug offenses, firearm possession, conspiracy to pass counterfeit notes, and six prior bank robberies in the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington. The September 2025 robbery was his seventh federal bank robbery. He committed the offense while on supervised release and after failing to report to a required residential reentry center, following his last bank robbery conviction.
In imposing sentence, the Court emphasized Gaunt’s repeated refusal to comply with court orders, the danger posed by his pattern of bank robberies, and the need for significant deterrence. The Court also ordered three years of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment.
“Bank robbery is a crime that terrorizes employees, disrupts communities, and endangers the public,” stated Serrano. “Gaunt has repeatedly demonstrated that he will not abide by the law or the conditions of supervision placed upon him. Today’s sentence reflects both the seriousness of his conduct and his long history of violent recidivism. This sentence also reflects the importance of our state partnerships, where, together, we work to remove dangerous offenders from our communities.”
“Even after convictions for seven bank robberies, among a long list of other crimes spanning over two decades, Mr. Gaunt still has not learned his lesson,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “We hope this sentence sends a strong message to him, and to other career criminals: the FBI and our partners remain dedicated to combating violent crime in its many forms and to keeping our Washington communities safe.”
“We’re grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for taking the lead in this case and for their strong partnership with our office,” stated Chelan County Prosecutor Robert Sealby. “Their work secured a significant federal sentence that holds the defendant accountable and protects the people of Chelan County.”
This case was investigated by the Wenatchee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alison L. Gregoire of the Eastern District of Washington. For additional information, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington.
2:25-CR-00147-MKD
2:25-CR-00168-MKDPastor of Kirkland, Washington, church indicted on ten counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering in $13 million fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – The pastor of a Kirkland, Washington Christian congregation called ‘Passion for Christ,’ was arraigned today in U.S. District Court in Seattle on an indictment for wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a $13 million fraud scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Cristian Popescu, 46, of Bothell, Washington, is a citizen of Romania, residing in the United States. Popescu pleaded not guilty and trial is set for December 21, 2026.
“As alleged in the indictment, this defendant created the mirage of a successful, valuable online marketplace and social media site in one,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Popescu lured investors from his church with fake marketing materials, websites, and expensive offices, and then took their money for his own luxuries and day trading, betraying them financially and faithfully.”
“These charges allege that a religious leader abused the trust of his fellow believers to steal millions of dollars for his own personal benefit,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Cristian Popescu defrauded dozens of his own church members through a series of elaborate lies, including promises of a future stock exchange listing and claims that the profits would benefit the community. The FBI and our partners will continue to follow the money to unravel these schemes and hold fraudsters accountable.”
“Financial crime is not victimless and often destroys the lives of its victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “Fraudsters use whatever means they can, including abusing their positions of trust, to swindle those who look to them for guidance and protection. IRS-CI refuses to stand idly by while these crimes devastate our communities, and we are proud to work with our partners to investigate and put an end to these schemes.”
According to the indictment, as early as 2015, Popescu claimed to own and operate a Bellevue company called Followone, Inc. Popescu claimed the company had an internet platform that was both an online global marketplace and social network. He claimed users of the platform could buy and sell goods and services, including cars, real estate, health care, food, and travel. In fact, the platform was a web of non-functional screens and Popescu used lies and deception to attract more than 30 investors. Popescu’s lies included: that the company earned millions in revenue; that it was about to be listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange; and that the company had grown the value of shareholder investments.
Popescu used his role as a pastor to recruit investors from his church, telling them that God had chosen them to invest in the company and that doing so would further the church’s mission. Popescu told investors their investments would remain within Followone and that they could withdraw their money at any time.
Popescu was secretive in his communications with the investors, requiring them to sign non-disclosure agreements and use encrypted messaging services. When meeting in person with investors, he required them to turn off their phones and disable ‘smart’ devices such as Amazon’s Alexa service.
Popescu maintained the image of a successful company by issuing his own press releases with false and misleading representations about the success of the company. He falsely claimed to have hired leading software engineers from major companies. He rented expensive office space in Bellevue and claimed to have twenty employees, when there were only three people working there.
Popescu told his victims they could be on the board of Followone Inc. if they reached $1 million invested. He urged victims to raid their retirement accounts, take out personal or home equity loans, and raid their children’s college savings accounts.
Popescu used shell companies to make it appear Followone had business dealings with other companies. In fact, he was just using investor money to pay fake invoices and then used those payments to shell companies he controlled for his own benefit. Popescu lulled his investors by creating a website that claimed their investment had grown substantially in value. At one-point Popescu claimed Followone Inc had a value of $1.4 billion, when he knew it had little or no value.
Ultimately, the company was evicted from the expensive offices with an unpaid rent bill of more than $350,000. When investors wanted their money back Popescu stalled, claiming repayment would interfere with the stock listing. When investors pressed Popescu for more information about Followone or expressed doubts about Popescu’s representations, Popescu invoked his position in the church, became irate, and told the investors they were demonically possessed.
Popescu transferred invested funds directly to his bank account. Then he used those funds for personal use or to fund Popescu’s personal investment account. Popescu transferred over $4.5 million of Followone funds to accounts belonging to himself, his wife, and other family members. Popescu also paid himself over $1 million in Followone wages between 2017 and 2024. He paid his wife some $300,000 though she was not a Followone employee,
Popescu is charged with ten counts of wire fraud in connection with the solicitation and payment of investments. One victim invested nearly $1 million in one wire transfer, others were nearly $600,000 and $500,00. The five money laundering counts detail how Popescu transferred invested funds from the Followone account to his personal bank account for his use.
Over the objections of prosecutors, Popescu was ordered released on electronic monitoring while awaiting trial.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Money laundering is punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson.
popescu_indictment.pdfOperation Lonestar Roundup dismantles North Korean IT worker network used to penetrate U.S. companies in TexasRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould and FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock today announced today that federal agents have disrupted a major illicit laptop‑hosting network that enabled Democratic People's Republic of Korea IT workers to unlawfully access U.S. corporate systems using stolen or falsified American identities.
As part of Operation Lonestar Roundup, the FBI executed searches of over 40 residences in the State of Texas seizing 187 laptops and KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) devices, all of which had operated as laptop farms for DPRK IT workers. In North Texas, agents seized approximately 100 devices that the DPRK workers and their U.S.-based facilitators used carry out the fraudulent scheme to obtain remote employment and generate revenue for the North Korean regime’s sanctioned weapons programs.
“This investigation is about far more than fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “It is about a hostile foreign regime infiltrating American companies through stolen identities and covert access points inside our own borders. Every laptop farm we dismantle shuts down a revenue stream that the North Korean government relies on to fund weapons programs that threaten global stability. Operation Lonestar Roundup sends a clear message: we will not allow enemies of the United States to exploit our businesses or compromise our national security.”
“Operation Lonestar Roundup was aimed at disrupting malicious cyber activity perpetrated by the North Korean government with the purpose of supporting its WMD and ballistic missile programs, intelligence program, and nuclear program. Each laptop seized potentially represents one company that has hired a DPRK IT worker,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement and private sector partners to combat this threat. We encourage any company, or individual, who has information on this scheme to come forward and file a report at ic3.gov.”
According to investigative findings, DPRK IT workers applied for and obtained remote positions by using stolen or fabricated identity documents, virtual private networks and proxy infrastructure to appear as though they were working from within the United States. They also relied on U.S.-based facilitators who received laptops from victim companies, housed and configured those devices, installed remote-access software and transferred earnings to DPRK‑controlled accounts.
U.S. cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has identified this group of DPRK IT workers and their helpers as “Famous Chollima,” a name that many victims now use to describe the broader threat network.
Investigators discovered that the DPRK operatives allegedly used a network of fraudulent Google accounts to facilitate their criminal activity. The following accounts were among those identified as being used in this plot:
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
The Department of Justice remains committed to disrupting DPRK illicit financial networks and protecting U.S. companies from covert intrusion schemes.
The investigation remains ongoing. Additional details will be released as appropriate.
Ocean County Man Sentenced to Six and a Half Years’ Imprisonment for Trafficking Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County man was sentenced for the transportation of a stolen firearm, United States Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Luiz Vargas, a/k/a, “El Biggie,” 26, of Jackson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on May 26, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner to a one-count Information charging him with transportation of a stolen firearm. Judge Castner imposed the 78-month sentence on October 7, 2026 in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Beginning in January 2025, law enforcement investigated Vargas for trafficking firearms into New Jersey from, among other places, Texas and Maryland. Using a confidential source acting at the direction and supervision of law enforcement, officers conducted four controlled purchases of firearms, which yielded a total of eight firearms: two semiautomatic rifles and six handguns. Two of the handguns were reported stolen out of Texas and Colorado, respectively, and the two semiautomatic rifles had no serial numbers or other identifiable markings on them. On at least one occasion, Vargas provided cocaine to the confidential source after being unable to follow through with a promised sale of firearms. Vargas has never held a federal license to deal or manufacture firearms.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Castner sentenced Vargas to three years of supervised release following Vargas’ term of imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the United States ICE ERO Newark Field Office, under the direction of Field Office Director Arthur J. Wilson, Jr., the Howell Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police John Storrow, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy, the Asbury Park Police Department, under the direction of Police Director John B. Hayes, the Freehold Borough Police Department, under the Direction of Chief of Police Chris Colaner, the Lakewood Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Gregory H. Meyer, the Little Silver Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Paul Halpin, the Marlboro Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Peter Pezzullo, the Middletown Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police R. Craig Weber, the Monroe Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Griffin N. Banos, and the Wall Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Sean O’Halloran, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Andrea G. Aldana, Esq., Federal Public Defenders.
Monroe Man Convicted on Multiple Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
MONROE – On September 30, 2026, a federal jury found Sirkeameo Vandrell Johnson, 32, of Monroe, guilty of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense, following a two day trial, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. Johnson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least fifteen years in federal prison and up to life imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for January 6, 2027, before United States Chief District Judge Terry A. Doughty.
According to evidence presented at trial, a confidential informant conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine and firearms from Johnson and a co conspirator. Wearing audio and video monitoring devices, the informant made several visits to Johnson to conduct the controlled buys, which were corroborated through law enforcement surveillance. In addition to the drug charges, Johnson is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Metro Narcotics of Ouachita Parish, Monroe Police Department, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, and West Monroe Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Gaskins and Alexandra Porubsky, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Stewart.This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. Learn more at www.justice.gov/psn.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is 3:25-cr-00341-TAD-KDM.
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CONTACT: Public Affairs
(337) 262-6704
[email protected] www.justice.gov/usao-wdlaMEDIA ADVISORY – News ConferenceRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, Broome County Drug Task Force to Announce Major Methamphetamine Arrest
WHAT: State and Federal law enforcement partners will hold a press conference announcing the arrest of three individuals for drug distribution in the Southern Tier
WHEN: Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 11:00 AM (10:30 AM Media Arrival)
WHERE: Broome County District Attorney’s Office, 45 Hawley Street, Fourth Floor Grand Jury Room, Binghamton, New York 13902WHO:
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig T. Tremaroli
Broome County District Attorney F. Paul Battisti
Broome County Sheriff Frederick J. Akshar II
Binghamton Police Chief John C. Ryan
New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Lieutenant Nate McCarthy
Johnson City Police Chief Brent Dodge
Endicott Police Chief Patrick Garey
Vestal Police Chief Vince Stavola
DETAILS:
RSVP to USAO Public Affairs: [email protected]
Lawrence County Man Sentenced for Water PollutionRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Martha, Ky., man, Josh Ferguson, 42, was sentenced on Tuesday to 5 years’ probation, with 12 months of home detention and electronic monitoring, and a $20,000 fine by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for knowingly discharging waste product into waters of the United States.
According to his plea agreement, in the fall of 2025, the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection (“Kentucky DEP”) received a tip about the discharge of “brine water,” a waste product of oil production, into the Left Fork Blaine Creek in Lawrence County. On September 3, 2025, a Kentucky DEP inspector investigated the site where Ferguson owned two oil production wells. A hose connected to a metal brine tank ran through a field to the Left Fork Blaine Creek, where it was actively discharging waste product into the waterway. Downstream of the discharge, the water was orange with no signs of life, and water samples indicated extremely elevated chloride levels. When interviewed by the Kentucky DEP inspector, Ferguson admitted that he had been discharging brine water into the creek in order to save money, that he did not have a permit to do so, and that the conduct had been ongoing for two years. The Left Fork Blaine Creek is a water of the United States.
Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Anthony R. Hatton, Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by SA Ryan Baker with the EPA-CID and Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Greenfield prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation Offenses and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 420 months in prison, followed by 35 years of supervised release for sexual exploitation of children, coercion and enticement, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The government recommended a sentence of 420 months in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release.
“Predators who target our most vulnerable will find no safe haven and no mercy in our justice system,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “This sentence sends an unmistakable warning to anyone engaging in these abhorrent crimes: we will hunt you down, dismantle your network, and ensure you spend your years behind bars.”
“Protecting children and holding those who harm them fully accountable remains one of the FBI’s highest priorities,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will pursue anyone who preys on a child with unwavering determination. And when these offenders are convicted in federal court, they face consequences that include justice without the possibility of parole.”
According to court documents, between April 27, 2025, and April 28, 2025, Daniel Hennigh used social media applications to communicate with another individual about sexually abusing children. During that time, he distributed a CSAM video he produced of a child in his care.
Hennigh pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children; one count of coercion and enticement; one count of distribution of child pornography; and one count of possession of child pornography.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Hennigh will be required to register as a sex offender and keep the registration current.
This case is 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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
The public is urged 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.
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Justice Department Announces Coordinated Actions to Combat North Korean Remote IT Worker Schemes Affecting More than 70 U.S. CompaniesRead the Press Release
Today the Department of Justice announced coordinated actions against the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea (DPRK) government’s schemes to fund its regime through remote information technology (IT) work for U.S. companies. These actions include an indictment, two arrests, searches of multiple known or suspected “laptop farms” in Texas pursuant to “Operation Lonestar Roundup,” and the seizure of approximately 187 computer devices used by DPRK IT workers.
“North Korea’s rogue regime uses its pervasive IT worker schemes to raise revenue for various illicit purposes, including the development of weapons that could ultimately target the United States or its allies,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “These schemes threaten the security of the IT systems and data of the deceived U.S. employers and leave countless victims of identity theft. NSD, along with our law enforcement partners, will use every available tool to track down anyone assisting the DPRK and to protect our national security.”
“Threats posed by nation-states like North Korea are a stark reminder that our adversaries will go to great measures to exploit our nation’s economic strength to further and fuel their own nefarious agendas,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We are thankful to FBI Cleveland for their incredible work and persistence to put a stop to these bad actors. These charges serve as an urgent alert to all U.S. companies to remain vigilant in their hiring practices.”
“This investigation is about far more than fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “It is about a hostile foreign regime infiltrating American companies through stolen identities and covert access points inside our own borders. Every laptop farm we dismantle shuts down a revenue stream that the North Korean government relies on to fund weapons programs that threaten global stability. Operation Lonestar Roundup sends a clear message: we will not allow enemies of the United States to exploit our businesses or compromise our national security.”
“North Korea continues to deploy remote IT workers using stolen identities to infiltrate American companies and generate revenue for the regime and its weapons programs,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Today, the FBI and DOJ announced a series of coordinated actions against this threat, securing charges against 14 individuals, conducting two arrests, seizing nearly 190 devices, and executing operations at more than 40 suspected ‘laptop farms’ across Texas. Close coordination between the private sector and federal law enforcement was central to this operation. To further combat the threat, the FBI has issued a Public Service Announcement with detailed mitigation guidance for U.S. companies.”
Sun Sheng Ming, et al. Indictment and Arrests – Northern District of Ohio
Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced the arrests of U.S. nationals Michael James Bostelle of Pennsylvania and Juan Cecilio Pena Carrillo of Texas pursuant to a four-count wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft indictment. The indictment describes a multi-year fraud scheme by Bostelle, Pena, and their co-conspirators to obtain remote IT work with U.S. companies that generated more than $3 million in revenue. The indictment also charges China-based Sun Sheng Ming, Pei Li Guang, Weng Shou Cheng, Han Guo Bin, Wang Jian Jun, Sheng Zhang Kun, Zhang Wei Ping, Zhang Li Ping, Yu Yang, Jin Long for their roles in the scheme. The identities of two additional defendants remain under seal.
According to the indictment, from 2019 to in or around July 2025, DPRK IT workers applied for and obtained remote positions by using stolen or fabricated identity documents, virtual private networks and proxy infrastructure to appear as though they were U.S. persons working from within the United States. They also relied on U.S.-based facilitators who received and hosted multiple laptop computers — issued by victim U.S. companies — at their residences in the United States (“laptop farms”), housed and configured those devices, installed remote-access software and transferred earnings to DPRK‑controlled accounts.
In total, the scheme impacted more than 70 U.S. company employers and generated approximately $3 million in revenue for IT workers. The revenue is believed to have been sent to sanctioned entities controlled by the DPRK. Victim employers included companies in the health care, communications, cyber support, retail, and manufacturing sectors across Ohio, sixteen additional states, and the District of Columbia.
The FBI Cleveland Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Duncan T. Brown for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Neeraj Gupta of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case.
Operation Lonestar Roundup Disrupts Multiple Known or Suspected Laptop Farms in Texas
Between Sept. 21 and Sept. 25, the FBI conducted searches and other law enforcement action at over 40 residences in Texas known to be, or suspected of operating as, laptop farms for DPRK IT workers. Over the course of the entire operation (Operation Lonestar Roundup), the FBI seized approximately 187 laptops and KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) devices that DPRK IT workers and their U.S.-based facilitators used to commit fraud, obtain remote employment, and generate revenue for the North Korean regime’s sanctioned weapons programs. U.S. cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has identified this group of DPRK IT workers and their helpers as “Famous Chollima.”
Investigators discovered that the DPRK operatives allegedly used a network of fraudulent email accounts to facilitate their criminal activity. The following accounts were among those identified as being used in these schemes:
- [email protected],
- [email protected],
- [email protected],
- [email protected],
- [email protected],
- [email protected],
- [email protected],
- [email protected],
- [email protected],
- [email protected], and
- [email protected].
Employers are encouraged to add these accounts to the list of indicators they use to identify and disrupt DPRK IT worker employment.
Today, the FBI published a public service announcement describing the evolving DPRK IT worker threat, including tips on how to detect the threat. Increasingly, North Korean IT workers are turning to recruiting American facilitators to counter improved private sector detections and law enforcement actions. These workers are hiring facilitators to complete a wider variety of tasks, and in some cases subcontracting entire jobs to third-party foreign nationals. Additionally, CrowdStrike today published a blog post describing its efforts at monitoring customer networks for DPRK IT worker activity and its successful collaboration with the FBI to disrupt this threat.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, the FBI’s Dallas Field Office, and the FBI’s Cyber Division coordinated Operation Lonestar Roundup. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
Today’s announcements represent the Department’s latest actions to combat North Korean IT worker schemes as part of a joint NSD and FBI Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions effort, the DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative. This effort prioritizes targeting and disrupting the DPRK’s illicit revenue generation schemes and its U.S.-based enablers. The Department previously announced other actions pursuant to the initiative, including in June 2025, November 2025, April 2026, and May 2026.
As described in Public Service Announcements published in May 2024, January 2025, July 2025, and today, North Korean remote IT workers posing as legitimate remote IT workers have committed data extortion and exfiltrated the proprietary and sensitive data from U.S. companies. DPRK IT worker schemes typically involve the use of stolen identities, alias emails, social media, online cross-border payment platforms, and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and witting and unwitting third parties located in the U.S. and elsewhere. North Korean IT workers leverage these third parties, which include U.S.-based individuals, to gain fraudulent employment and access to U.S. company networks to generate this revenue.
Other public advisories about the threats, red flag indicators, and potential mitigation measures for these schemes include a May 2022 advisory released by the FBI, Department of the Treasury, and Department of State; a July 2023 advisory from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and guidance issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). As described the May 2022 advisory, North Korean IT workers have been known individually to earn up to $300,000 annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars collectively each year, on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others directly involved in the DPRK’s weapons programs.
The U.S. Department of State has offered potential rewards for up to $5 million in support of international efforts to disrupt the DPRK’s illicit financial activities, including for cybercrimes, money laundering, and sanctions evasion.
The details in the above-described court documents are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jalen Smith, a Leader of Bribery and Point-Shaving Scheme to Fix NCAA Men’s Basketball Games, Sentenced to Six Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jalen Smith, 30, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 72 months in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution of approximately $1.1 million, and forfeiture of $75,000 by United States District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro, for his role in a bribery and point-shaving scheme to fix National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) Division I men’s basketball games, as well as a firearms offense.
The defendant was charged by indictment in January of this year in connection with the bribery and point-shaving scheme. He was subsequently charged by information with possession of a firearm by a felon, arising from a 2025 search of Smith’s Charlotte residence, in which a loaded semi-automatic pistol was recovered.
In March, Smith pleaded guilty to one count each of bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
“Jalen Smith played a central role in this point-shaving scheme, which corrupted the integrity of NCAA games and the sport of basketball itself,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “As his prosecution and sentence show, we will not permit the criminal corruption of athletic competition to go unanswered. Those engaged in such behavior may profit in the short term, but they’ll lose much more when our team takes them to court.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: Those who exploit professional and collegiate athletes for personal gain will be held accountable,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “This conduct does more than harm individual athletes. It undermines the integrity of sports and the trust placed in fair competition. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who seek to manipulate that trust for their own financial benefit and ensure they are held responsible for their actions.”
As detailed in court filings, the overall scheme to influence or fix CBA and NCAA men’s basketball games lasted from approximately September 2022 to February 2025. After co-schemers profited on fixed CBA games, they turned their attention to influencing NCAA men’s basketball games.
Jalen Smith was a “fixer” in the scheme, working together with others to recruit and bribe NCAA men’s basketball players to underperform and help ensure their team failed to cover the spread in games during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 NCAA men’s basketball seasons.
Then, through various sportsbooks, Smith helped to arrange for large wagers to be placed on those games, betting against the team whose player or players they had bribed to engage in this point-shaving scheme. Smith had a leadership role in the scheme, particularly in recruiting, managing, and paying players for their roles in the scheme.
Smith and other fixers approached and communicated with the players, in person and through social media, text message communications, and cellular telephone calls, offering the players bribe payments, usually ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game.
Smith and other fixers specifically targeted college players for whom the bribe payments would meaningfully supplement, or exceed, the student-athletes’ legitimate opportunities for “Name-Image-Likeness” compensation. The fixers also generally targeted in their scheme players on teams that were underdogs in games and sought to have them fail to cover the spreads in those games. Many of these players accepted the offers and agreed to help fix specific games so that the fixers would win their wagers.
In total, the bribery and point-shaving scheme involved more than 39 players on over 17 different NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams, who fixed and attempted to fix more than 29 NCAA games. The scheme also resulted in more than $3 million in fraudulent wagers placed on these games, and more than $1.1 million in financial losses to sportsbooks throughout the country.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia, with valuable assistance from FBI New York and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Louis D. Lappen and Jerome M. Maiatico.
Illegal Alien Charged with Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Salem, Mass. has been charged with illegally reentering the United States after deportation. The defendant was previously removed on two occasions.
Newton Persido Ortiz Santana, 41, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Ortiz Santana will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on Oct. 20, 2026.
According to the charging documents, Ortiz Santana, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was first deported from San Antonio, Texas to the Dominican Republic in January 2010. In September 2021, Ortiz Santana was encountered by Border Patrol agents near Penitas, Texas. He subsequently pleaded guilty to unlawfully re-entering the United States and was again removed from the United States in December 2021.
It is alleged that, at an unknown place and time thereafter, Ortiz Santana re-entered the United States. On Nov. 8, 2024, Ortiz Santana was arrested and charged in Salem, Mass., with negligent operation of a vehicle and operating after suspension. Immigration authorities learned of Ortiz Santana’s unlawful presence in the United States later that day as the result of a biometric fingerprint match.
On March 20, 2025, federal immigration agents attempted to arrest Ortiz Santana. It is alleged that Ortiz Santana evaded capture by accelerating directly towards a law enforcement vehicle, driving through multiple stop signs and fleeing at a high rate of speed using the sidewalk. He was taken into custody on May 29, 2026.
The charge of illegal reentry provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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 David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Estes of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Illegal Alien Charged with Healthcare Benefit Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Worcester, Mass. has been charged by a federal grand jury with healthcare benefit fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Santo Escolastico Cuello, 56, was indicted on three counts of making false statements relating to health care matters and one count of aggravated identity theft. Cuello will be arraigned at a later date. In June 2026, Cuello was charged by criminal complaint.
According to court filings, Cuello used the stolen identity of a U.S. citizen, including the citizen’s social security number, to obtain government benefits. Specifically, it is alleged that Cuello represented that he was a U.S. citizen when applying for healthcare benefits in Massachusetts and submitted a sworn affidavit falsely alleging the same. According to the criminal complaint, Cuello allegedly obtained approximately $162,180 in MassHealth benefits using the stolen identity. Cuello is alleged to have identified himself to law enforcement as the individual whose identity he had stolen during prior arrests.
The charge of making false statements relating to a health care program provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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; Jeff Grimming, Acting, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin T. Missett of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joseph Moore, 47, of Huntington, was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 11, 2025, Moore sold a mixture containing approximately 2.9 grams of heroin with the presence of fentanyl at his residence to a confidential informant in exchange for $150. As part of his guilty plea, Moore admitted that he conducted the transaction.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-21.
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Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After Being Previously DeportedRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Honduran national pleaded guilty before Federal Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to the sole count of the indictment charging him with illegally reentering the United States after being previously deported.
Fredy Rolando Rivera-Gonzalez, 31, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported alien, who had been previously convicted of another felony offense. On July 3, 2026, Rivera-Gonzalez was arrested after he was contacted by Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputies during a traffic stop. During the contact, Rivera-Gonzalez admitted that he had illegally reentered the United States in August of 2024, near Brownsville or McAllen, Texas, after he had been previously deported. On July 3, 2026, Rivera-Gonzalez was found voluntarily in the United States after being previously deported on Nov. 6, 2019, from Huntsville, Texas.
Under federal statute, illegally reentering into the United States after being previously deported is in direct violation of existing federal immigration law and is subject to a sentence of up to two years imprisonment. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations and the Pulaski County, Missouri Sheriff’s Department.
Operation Take Back America
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.
Gila River Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Robert Sean Enos, 19, of Chandler, Arizona, was sentenced on Oct. 8, by United States District Judge Susan R. Brnovich to 30 years in prison. Enos previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Second Degree Murder and one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury on May 19, 2026.
On June 1, 2024, when Enos was sixteen years old, he shot three people, killing two, and seriously injuring another on the Gila River Indian Community. Enos is an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Gila River Police Department and the FBI Central Arizona Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raynette Logan and Vinnie Lichvar, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-26-510-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-173_Enos# # #
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.Fraud Enforcement Assistant Attorney General McDonald and U.S. Attorney Boyle Host Summit on Fighting Fraud in the EDNCRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. - On Monday, October 5, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of NC held its 5th annual Economic Crimes Summit in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This year’s summit had the privilege of Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (NFED) headlining as the keynote speaker. AAG McDonald and Boyle focused on national and local efforts to concentrate attention on the previously ignored massive fraud schemes across the country. As international governments and gangs, local and national criminal groups, and individual offenders continue to exploit government programs, financial systems, and vulnerable people, Americans face rising financial losses. As fraud grows in size and complexity, it causes headaches, ruins families, and can significantly disrupt small businesses.
“Our fraud mission is national in scope but local in execution,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The strength of our enforcement efforts depends on the collaborative efforts of the partners found at this summit. I commend the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina for organizing this event and for fostering a community of dedicated individuals united in service to our country.”
“Fraud harms everyone. I’m a taxpayer. You’re a taxpayer. They are stealing our money, and the citizens we could help are feeling the pinch,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “They steal taxpayer dollars, undermine trust in public programs, and target some of our most vulnerable citizens in Eastern North Carolina. Our office is committed to holding these vultures and hyenas accountable and working with partners nationwide to protect the public. Know this: if you steal taxpayer dollars in the EDNC, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and a cold concrete federal prison box awaits you. Cheaters. Never. Win.”
To combat the ever-growing fraud epidemic, the Economic Crimes Summit brought together over 175 primary agency partners such as the FBI, IRS-CI, HSI, HHS, VA-OIG, SBI, SHP, USDA, Department of Insurance, along with many other state and local partners to network, learn from specific training, receive guidance on priorities, and support the ongoing implementation of the NFED. A wide range of state and federal agencies collaborate and cooperate to investigate economic crimes, and fraudsters against federal programs in the EDNC.
The Summit highlighted the contributions to the work of the NFED. DOJ created NFED in early 2026 as a centralized unit to investigate and prosecute fraud against taxpayer dollars, federal programs, and other government-funded initiatives. President Donald J. Trump announced the creation of the NFED in January 2026, commissioning it with a broad mandate to enforce federal criminal and civil laws against fraud targeting federal programs, federally funded benefits, businesses, nonprofits, and private citizens. The NFED’s mission includes investigating and prosecuting fraud against taxpayer funds and programs, coordinating with agencies administering benefit programs, partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement, developing systems and processes for efficient fraud detection, and providing prosecutors and law enforcement with advanced tools and resources.
For too long, fraudster piggies fed at the trough of federal programs without any oversight. No more. Federal agencies across the country have renewed their robust authority to strengthen oversight, pursue investigations, improve coordination, and provide training to law enforcement and prosecutors so they can detect and stop fraudulent activity more quickly. However, law enforcement alone cannot solve this problem. American citizens play a crucial role in preventing fraud by staying alert and reporting suspicious activity. Simple steps—guard personal information, verify the identity of anyone requesting sensitive details, and regularly checking financial and medical statements—can stop scams before they explode. Communities also strengthen fraud prevention when they talk openly about common schemes, especially those targeting older adults. When people recognize red flags early and quickly report concerns to the proper authorities, they help protect public programs, safeguard taxpayer dollars, and prevent others from falling victim.
The EDNC U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue prioritizing cases that safeguard taxpayers, support victims, and reinforce integrity across federal programs. The EDNC thanks AAG McDonald for his attention to this matter and will pull out all stops to achieve the NFED mission. One diverted penny is too much. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
Fort Myers Felon Headed to Prison for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida –Desmond Belmer (25, Fort Myers) has been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to three years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Belmer previously pleaded guilty on June 25, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records and documents, on June 17, 2025, Belmer—a previously convicted felon—unlawfully possessed a loaded Glock firearm. Then, on December 11, 2025, when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Belmer’s residence, they located and seized a loaded AR-style pistol and assorted ammunition and firearms-related accessories belonging to Belmer.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. PSN is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Former New Hampshire Doctor Sentenced to Year in Prison for Role in $1.9 Million Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Former New Hampshire physician Steven Powell, 56, was sentenced to 12 months and a day in federal prison on one count of health care fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicare by prescribing medical equipment without ever seeing, speaking to, or otherwise examining patients.
Powell, who now lives in Georgia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro. According to court documents and statements made in court, Powell, a licensed psychiatrist, signed hundreds of medically unnecessary orders for durable medical equipment (DME), including knee, wrist, back, and shoulder braces. He did not examine, speak with, or meaningfully evaluate the Medicare beneficiaries for whom he purported to prescribe these devices. Instead, he approved large volumes of pre‑populated brace orders within minutes, making meaningful medical review impossible. These orders enabled DME suppliers to submit approximately 1,400 fraudulent claims to Medicare totaling more than $1.9 million in claims, of which Medicare paid $761,202.75.
Between December 2018 and March 2019, Powell signed brace orders for more than 500 Medicare beneficiaries, often approving multiple braces per patient. In one instance, he completed more than 100 pages requiring 75 signatures in just over a minute, further demonstrating the absence of any legitimate medical assessment.
In addition to the prison sentence, Powell was ordered to pay $761,202.75 in restitution to the Medicare program.
“This defendant abused his position and his medical license in order to defraud taxpayers with nearly $2 million in bogus medical bills, and will now spend time behind bars,” said Erin Creegan, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire. “The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue to pursue accountability for those who commit fraud and steal from the taxpayers, and strict penalties for those siphon precious healthcare resources meant to help elderly and low-income patients.”
“Dr. Steven Powell abandoned all pretense of professional ethics when he caused nearly $2 million in false Medicare bills from bogus prescriptions for medical equipment,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “By looting these funds, this physician not only strained the system, but cheated the taxpayers who fund it. Know that your FBI is committed to fighting health care fraud, one case at a time, because every dollar lost to bogus billing is a dollar less to use for legitimate treatments and services.”
“Powell used his medical license as a tool to facilitate fraud, signing orders for medically unnecessary equipment without examining patients and helping to fuel a scheme that sought to defraud Medicare of millions of dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of that conduct and reinforces our commitment to protecting the integrity of federal health care programs and the taxpayers who fund them.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Kennedy prosecuted the case.
Florida company agrees to pay over $2.3 Million to resolve false claims act allegations involving improper Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KANSAS – Systemair MFG, Inc., a Florida Corporation with its principal place of business in Lenexa, Kansas, has agreed to pay $2,357,709.00 to resolve allegations that it submitted a false claim to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program loan.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act established the PPP to provide forgivable loans to eligible small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Small Business Administration administered the loan program.
To qualify for a First Draw PPP loan, businesses were generally required to meet size limits, including having fewer than 500 employees of affiliated entities. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the requested loans and that the information they provided was true and accurate.
The settlement resolves allegations that Systemair MFG exceeded the size limits when it obtained a First Draw PPP loan in June 2020 and later sought loan forgiveness. At the time, Systemair MFG was a wholly owned subsidiary of Systemair AB, a company based in Sweden that owns other businesses throughout the world. According to the allegations, Systemair MFG, with these affiliated companies exceeded the program size limits, making the company ineligible for the loan.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to grant relief to small businesses. The Department of Justice and our agency partners continue to review these loans for fraud and those who took advantage of these programs,” said United States Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Make no mistake, those who use the compassion of the American taxpayer to unjustly enrich themselves will be held to account.”
The settlement stems from a qui tam or whistleblower complaint filed under the False Claims Act which permits a private party to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The case is United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. Systemair MFG. Inc., Case No. 2:25-cv-02244.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation in coordination with the Small Business Administration. The investigation was led by Assistant United States Attorney Jon Fleenor.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Five-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Ten Years for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Aljunda Jashae Tompkins (33, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on June 26, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents and information presented at sentencing, in September 2024, while driving in Orlando, Tompkins was stopped by officers from the Orlando Police Department. Instead of complying with the stop, Tompkins jumped out of his vehicle, attempted to leave the scene, ignored officer commands, and resisted arrest. Officers recovered a loaded firearm from Tompkins’s vehicle. After making bail in his state case, Tompkins became a fugitive. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined the investigation, and Tompkins was charged federally. Tompkins was located and arrested shortly thereafter.
Tompkins is a five-time convicted felon, including previous convictions for trafficking controlled substances and firearms offenses. He also has multiple violations of domestic violence injunctions. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
First Defendant in Conspiracy Sentenced to Five Years’ Imprisonment for Trafficking Fentanyl to BemidjiRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Marquise Javon Walker, 30, of Lakeville, Minnesota, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Walker was sentenced before U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim on October 13, 2026. He is one of three defendants in a drug trafficking conspiracy, and he previously pleaded guilty on April 3, 2026. Walker’s co-defendants, La’Veal O. Allen, 40, of Minneapolis, and Michaela K. McKinney, 38, of New Hope, Minnesota, are currently awaiting sentencing.
According to court documents, starting no later than March 31, 2024, and continuing through at least September 10, 2024, Walker entered into an agreement or understanding with others to distribute fentanyl and other controlled substances. On March 31, 2024, the defendant drove from the Twin Cities metro area to Bemidji, Minnesota, to assist a co-conspirator’s drug distribution activities.
On April 13, 2024, the defendant’s co-conspirator sold approximately 48 grams of fentanyl to a buyer. Following the sale, law enforcement stopped the defendant while he was driving in his vehicle with his co-conspirator in the passenger seat. Officers searched the vehicle and found inside the passenger-side glove compartment the defendant’s Glock .45 caliber handgun.
In the following months, law enforcement seized an additional approximately 267 grams of fentanyl as well as 29.5 grams of methamphetamine from the defendant’s co-conspirator through a series of controlled purchases.
“For years, this defendant took advantage of addiction to make money. My office is committed to disrupting the flow of drugs into northern Minnesota and the Red Lake Indian Reservation,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“For too long, individuals from outside northern Minnesota have exploited our communities, taking advantage of addiction, economic hardship, and the increased profitability of distributing narcotics in rural areas. Those times are gone. If you bring fentanyl into our region to distribute and profit from the suffering of others, we will use every investigative resource available to identify you, gather evidence against you, and hold you accountable. This conviction is a direct result of that commitment and the hard work, dedication, and professionalism of our agents and the local, state, tribal, and federal partners involved in this investigation,” said Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force Commander and Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant David Hart.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, FBI Headwaters Task Force, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, Bemidji Police Department, Hubbard County Sheriff’s Office, Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, Morrison County Attorney’s Office, Lakes Area Drug Investigative Division, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
Assistant United States Attorney Garrett S. Fields prosecuted the case.
Note: Previous press release on the indictment here.
Federal Investigation into Kickback Scheme at Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Results in Two More Guilty PleasRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two former vendors of Evanston/Skokie School District 65 pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges today and admitted their roles in a kickback scheme orchestrated by the District’s former Superintendent.
ANTONIO ROSS and ALFONZO LEWIS admitted in plea agreements that they paid kickbacks to District 65’s then-Superintendent, DEVON HORTON, in exchange for Horton’s efforts to steer District 65 contracts to consulting companies that Antonio Ross and Lewis owned. Antonio Ross obtained approximately $119,500 from District 65 and paid Horton at least $41,900 in cash from the proceeds of the contracts with his company. Lewis obtained approximately $24,000 from District 65 and paid Horton at least $6,000 in cash kickbacks from the proceeds of a contract with his company. Antonio Ross and Lewis admitted that their companies did not perform some of the services for which they invoiced the District.
Antonio Ross, 49, of Chicago, and Lewis, 49, of Chicago, each pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin scheduled sentencing for Lewis on Jan. 25, 2027, and for Antonio Ross on March 10, 2027.
The guilty pleas were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Scott Wingle, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Central Regional Office; Ryan Whalen, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Marta Grijalva, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. Substantial assistance was provided by Chicago Public Schools Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily C.R. Vermylen, Elie Zenner, and Morris Pasqual.
Horton, 49, of Stone Mountain, Ga., pleaded guilty earlier this month to wire fraud, embezzlement, and tax charges. Horton admitted receiving the kickbacks from Antonio Ross and Lewis, as well as an additional $30,000 in kickbacks from a third school vendor, SAMUEL ROSS, whose company obtained $124,500 from District 65 purportedly to provide loss prevention services. Judge Durkin scheduled Horton’s sentencing for Jan. 5, 2027.
Samuel Ross, 47, of Berwyn, Ill., pleaded guilty last month to a wire fraud charge. Judge Durkin has not yet scheduled Samuel Ross’s sentencing.
Domestic Violence Offender Sentenced for Firearms ConvictionRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – A Petersburg, West Virginia, man was sentenced for illegally having multiple firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Joseph Nathaniel Hartman, 43, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison. During a response to a domestic violence incident at a home in Grant County, Hartman was found with a rifle. A subsequent search of his home resulted in the seizure of two additional rifles, a shotgun, and a pistol. Hartman is prohibited from having firearms because of prior felony firearms and drug convictions and a prior domestic battery conviction.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
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), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Torriano Arzareus Johnson, 34, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to six years and four months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 11, 2026, Johnson was a passenger in a vehicle when it was pulled over by law enforcement officers in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Johnson admitted that once the vehicle stopped, he fled from the vehicle with a backpack that he threw over a fence as he ran from officers. Johnson further admitted that officers captured him and found in his pant leg approximately 29 grams of crack in a bag and $3,000 he obtained from selling drugs. Officers executed a search warrant for the backpack and found it contained a loaded Glock 43x 9mm pistol. Johnson admitted that he possessed the firearm to protect himself, the drugs, and the cash.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-41.
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Department of Justice Announces Results of Law Enforcement and Private Industry Joint Disruption Week Targeting Online Scam Accounts and Transnational Criminal Networks Operating in West AfricaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Transnational criminal scam networks operating from West Africa suffered major disruptions last week during a coordinated international “Joint Disruption Week,” an effort that produced arrests, seizures, and the largest-ever takedown of fraudulent social media accounts linked to scam centers in the region, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Transnational fraud demands a transnational response,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia, founder of the Scam Center Strike Force. “I have partnered with the NCA and the Crown Prosecutor for England and Wales to push forward cases on both sides of the Atlantic; criminals are not hindered by borders and neither are we. We will deploy our team wherever in the world transnational criminals target innocent victims.”
“Criminals beware: Law enforcement from around the world are working together, and with private industry, to find you, stop your schemes, and bring you to justice,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division’s Cyber-Enabled Scam Initiative (CSI) was built for this brand of collaboration. The millions of bogus social media accounts taken down and dozens of arrests that took place as part of Joint Disruption Week are just the beginning. I want to thank the United Kingdom (UK)’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and its Director General, Graeme Biggar, for hosting this effort, as well as everyone who participated. I am especially grateful to the courageous law enforcement officers in Ghana and Nigeria who put themselves in harm’s way to seize evidence and arrest the criminals who prey on innocent people.”
The “Joint Disruption Week” events mark the first coordinated effort focused specifically on West Africa, underscoring the growing global commitment to dismantling increasingly sophisticated transnational scam networks.
The operation included members of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Scam Center Strike Force under the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, FBI, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), the UK’s NCA, the Nigerian Joint Case Team on Cybercrimes, the Nigeria Police Force - National Cybercrime Center, Ghanaian Cyber Security Authority, and private sector partners.
Additional participants included law enforcement agencies from Australia, Canada, Ghana, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, along with INTERPOL and additional cybercrime units. Several tech giants also played a key role. The large-scale effort was hosted by the UK NCA in London.
“Thanks to brilliant partnership with the Department of Justice and the private sector, across multiple African countries, we arrested dozens of criminal actors, seized hundreds of devices, identified at least $11 million in potentially freezable funds, and truly saved lives,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This is what happens when law enforcement executes with precision across the interagency. We are demolishing Scam Centers across the globe and crushing a criminal industry preying on American citizens.”
“Fraud is a global problem and it takes partnership working across international boundaries to tackle it,” said Nick Sharp, Deputy Director of Fraud at the NCA. “Hosting such a rich and dedicated team of law enforcement and technology companies at NCA’s headquarters enabled us to utilize the power of partnerships and strike back at a significant set of criminals who inflict misery on thousands of victims of fraud. Fraudsters can operate from anywhere and will target victims both domestically and globally. The NCA will continue to work with international and private sector partners to tackle fraudsters working upstream, overseas and online. Collaborating in this way sends a clear signal to criminals that the combined capabilities of law enforcement and industry means that we will relentlessly pursue them and the infrastructure they rely on no matter where they operate.”
During the week beginning Oct. 6, investigators and industry partners exchanged real-time intelligence across jurisdictions, enabling rapid identification and disruption of scam centers in Nigeria, Ghana, and other African countries. Many of the targeted operations were tied to schemes victimizing individuals in the United States, UK, and other countries around the world.
Several private industry partners, including Meta, Adobe, Binance, Coinbase, Cyjax, Elliptic, Chainalysis, Flashpoint, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Silent Push, Starlink and TRM Labs collaborated with international law enforcement in the event, and voluntarily took action on their own networks to disrupt scammers using their platforms to perpetrate fraud. These companies reported to the Department that they “removed more than 3.7 million accounts, Pages and Groups targeting people in the U.S., UK and beyond, and shared leads on over 30 suspected scam centers with law enforcement, resulting in dozens of arrests, the rescue of trafficking victims, and cryptocurrency seizures. In total over $11 million dollars in potential freezable funds were identified by the private sector partners. Meta played a key role in coordinating the event and encouraging broad private sector participation to maximize scam compound disruption.
Among the key accomplishments:
A consortium of international law enforcement agencies made 28 arrests of individuals tied to the criminal scam operations, including:
In Ghana, in the Accra suburb of Sasaabi, authorities arrested 19 individuals and seized 303 electronic devices. In addition, authorities identified 117 victims of human trafficking that are now pending repatriation to Nigeria. An additional 89 victims of the scam were identified with an approximate loss of $8.3 million. During the last week of September alone, authorities made scores of arrests at six locations, identified 34 trafficking victims, and seized 129 electronic devices. The Ghana operation was led by the Ghana Cyber Security Authority, Ghana Police Service Criminal Investigation Department, National Security Service, with support from the NCA, FBI, and Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
- In Nigeria, authorities arrested nine individuals during the enforcement period, and 53 electronic devices.
- The disrupted schemes included law enforcement impersonation scams, digital “arrest” extortion schemes, cryptocurrency investment fraud (also known as “pig butchering”), and a variety of other online fraud operations targeting global victims.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), investment scams were reported 72,984 times in 2025, with cryptocurrency investment fraud comprising 72 percent of that category. Reported losses from these scams rose from $3.96 billion in 2023 to $5.8 billion in 2024. Reported losses for investment scams with a cryptocurrency nexus rose 24 percent in 2025 to over $7.2 billion, according to IC3’s released 2025 annual report. Those figures, based largely on victim reports, are believed to significantly underrepresent actual losses, as many victims do not report to law enforcement. According to one government report, a conservative estimate of the annual value of funds stolen by scam syndicates worldwide approached $64 billion as of the end of 2023.
Strengthening Accountability for Transnational Scam Operations
Criminal scam centers operating in West Africa mirror those uncovered in Southeast Asia — highly organized enterprises that recruit workers, train them in social engineering, and deploy multi‑platform fraud campaigns targeting global victims. While technology companies can significantly disrupt online infrastructure used to perpetuate these schemes, true accountability requires sustained law enforcement action against the individuals and organizations behind them.
The FBI, The Scam Center Strike Force, and its international partners remain committed to advancing this model of public‑private collaboration and expanding global efforts to dismantle criminal networks responsible for online fraud.
For more information about the Scam Center Strike Force click here.
Individuals found at Ghana scam center.Scam center in Ghana.
U.S. Federal agencies working at NCA in London.
Electronic devices seized in Ghana.
Electronic Devices Seized in Ghana
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Delaware County Man Charged with Cyberstalking in Connection with Threatening Messages Sent via Anonymous X AccountsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Guangtian Ha, 42, of Haverford, Pennsylvania, was arrested last week and charged by indictment with cyberstalking, arising from threatening online messages that would be reasonably expected to cause substantial emotional distress to the recipient (“Victim 1”) and his family.
At a hearing this afternoon, the defendant was ordered detained in federal custody pending trial.
The indictment alleges that, from on or about October 9, 2025, through on or about May 20, 2026, Ha used at least four anonymous X accounts to direct threatening messages to Victim 1, with the defendant frequently utilizing virtual private networks to obfuscate his internet protocol address and make tracing the source of the messages more difficult.
For example, as alleged in the indictment, in or about January 2026 through in or about February 2026, the defendant, using X account “America1stLM” posted a series of threatening and harassing messages directed at Victim 1, including: “Jew, get the f[***] out of my country”; “Jew pig, get the f[***] out of Lower Merion”; “If jews are so special then they should also be placed in special camps and receive special treatments”; “LM jews are going to have it big time, jew. Remember this. You scums have had it too easy. Goyim are taking America back, blood-guzzling demons.”
On or about May 10, 2026, as further alleged, the defendant, using X account “DlGoyim” posted the following message directed at Victim 1: “@[Victim 1] Eliminate the jewish cockroaches. Exterminate the jewish state. [Victim 1], you will have nowhere to go. Your family has no future in the US. Give it another 10 years, and you shall see a true holocaust.”
In addition, the indictment alleges that at least one of Ha’s messages to Victim 1 included a reference to Victim 1’s minor child — “@[Victim 1] Jew, watch your [Victim 1’s minor child’s true name]. There shall be a sign.” — as well as multiple posts containing Victim 1 and his family’s home address.
In total, Ha allegedly sent approximately 50 messages to Victim 1 using at least four different X accounts.
“This online campaign of antisemitic abuse was not only repugnant, but criminal,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We will ensure that every citizen deserves to be free from the threatening harassment that took place in this case.”
“Cyberstalking and online harassment are far from harmless. These offenses can cause real harm for victims and their families,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to holding those responsible accountable and protecting individuals from threats, intimidation, and harassment, whether online or offline.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Carissimi, Sima Kazmir, and Mark Dubnoff.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Construction Business Owner Charged with Employment Tax Scheme and Failing to File ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland returned an indictment today charging a Maryland man with failing to account for and pay over employment taxes withheld from the wages of his company’s employees and failing to file tax returns.
According to the indictment, Martin Herrera Navarrete, of Glenn Dale, was the sole owner and sole corporate officer of Navarrete Brothers Construction, Inc., a commercial construction company. Navarrete was allegedly responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from his employees’ wages and paying those withholdings over to the IRS. From the first quarter of 2008 through the last quarter of 2025, Navarrete allegedly failed to pay any of the withheld taxes to the IRS. In total, the indictment alleges that Navarrete failed to pay more than $3 million in taxes owed to the IRS during this period. Additionally, from 2020 through 2024, Navarrete allegedly failed to file his own personal tax returns and corporate tax returns.
Navarrete is charged with failing to pay over and account for employment taxes, failing to file corporate tax returns, and failing to file personal tax returns. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of failing to account for and pay over employment taxes and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each count of failing to file tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes of the District of Maryland made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Catriona Coppler of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rosenthal of the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Co-Leader of Violent Spree That Targeted Mid-Atlantic Pharmacies and Phone Stores Sentenced to 140 MonthsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Ashley Gause, 33, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 140 months in federal prison for her role as a co-leader of a violent multi-state robbery crew that targeted more than a dozen pharmacies and cellphone stores in the District, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Ashley Gause and her co-conspirators participated in an extended campaign of violence that caused terror without any regard for their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “They treated these pharmacies and cellphone stores as their own personal cash machines, garnering $300,000 in ill-gotten proceeds and prescription drugs, and leaving the store employees scarred for life.”
Gause, aka “Cray,” was found guilty by a federal jury on Oct. 28, 2025, after a six-week trial, of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances from the pharmacy robberies, and eight individual counts of Hobbs Act Robbery.
In addition to the 140-month prison term, Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Gause to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 235-month prison sentence.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents, from May 9, 2020, through May 26, 2021, Gause and her co-conspirators targeted pharmacies and cellular retail stores in the mid-Atlantic region, seeking to rob the businesses of prescription drugs and cellphones that they could then resell in the District.Many of these offenses involved crew members brandishing and pointing a firearm at the victims. Gause was convicted of five such offenses.
Multiple co-defendants have been sentenced, or are awaiting trial, for their roles in a number of the robberies.
D’Marrell Mitchell, 36, of the District, was sentenced to 192 months in prison after he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and nine individual counts of Hobbs Act Robbery.
Floyd Neal, 32, of the District, was sentenced to 157 months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of interstate commerce by robbery and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
Ashawntea Henderson, 33, of the District, was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting.
Glenn Dolford, 32, of the District, who pleaded guilty to one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, was sentenced to 38 months to be served concurrent with a 42-month sentence out of DC Superior Court Case for an aggregate term of 80 months. Dolford is also serving a 22-year sentence for murder.
Terrance Barnham, 36, of the District, was sentenced to 78 months in prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, and one count of carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department, Alexandria Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Baltimore County Police Department, Henrico County Police Division, Laurel Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, Neptune Township N.J. Police Department, and Prince George’s County Police Department.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy.
On May 5, 2021, Gause had this photo on her cellphone of a black handgun with a yellow “switch.” This firearm/switch is consistent with the one that a co-defendant used during three robberies Maryland.
Surveillance image captured Nov. 6, 2020, during the crew’s robbery of a T-Mobile store on D Street, Southeast Washington D.C.
Surveillance cameras captured this image on June 9, 2020, during the crew’s robbery of a T-Mobile in College Park, Maryland.
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Cincinnati previously convicted felon sentenced to nearly 36 years in prison for 3 armed robberiesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man who committed three armed robberies of Marathon gas stations in just a few weeks in February 2024 was sentenced in federal court here today to 431 months in prison.
During all three robberies, James Lockridge, 43, of Cincinnati, entered the store and fired the same 9mm gun into the ceiling.
“Lockridge endangered lives and caused panic and terror in employees and customers during three separate robberies. The evidence at trial and his own criminal history show that he is a violent offender who has no respect for the law,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “The excellent work of the investigators and prosecutors in this case stopped Lockridge before he successfully shot or seriously injured someone else. The public is safer now that he has been sentenced to a lengthy term in federal prison.”
Following a weeklong trial in June, Lockridge was found guilty of seven federal robbery and firearms charges.
According to court documents and trial testimony, on Feb. 5, Feb. 10 and Feb. 21, 2024, Lockridge robbed a Cincinnati Marathon gas station. The first and third armed robberies occurred on Gilbert Avenue and the second robbery took place on Montgomery Road.
At each of the robberies, Lockridge was masked and brandished the same silver firearm. He fired his weapon and pointed it at store clerks. Lockridge not only pointed his gun at employees, but he also pointed his gun and used force against customers who were in his way during the second and third robberies. He also wore the same boots during each robbery and fled on foot towards a nearby apartment complex after the first and third robberies.
Lockridge was arrested 11 minutes after the third robbery. Officers discovered the firearm in his waistband.
After his arrest, officers located the boots, gloves and other clothing items used during the robberies, as well as a cash register, in and around the space where Lockridge had been residing.
As a previously convicted felon, Lockridge is prohibited from possessing firearms. His criminal history includes a previous armed robbery in 2014 in which Lockridge entered a victim’s car and pointed a gun at the victim before stealing the victim’s belongings. Lockridge was on parole for that armed robbery when he committed the three armed robberies in this case.
The defendant’s history also involves breaking and entering, burglary, theft, criminal trespass, threatening others with guns and drug possession. Police had encountered Lockridge several times in the past on assault and domestic violence calls.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Cincinnati Police Interim Chief Adam Hennie announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley N. Brucato and Danielle E. Margeaux are representing the United States in this case.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gary W. Jackson, 42, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 23, 2024, Jackson sold approximately 233 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $1,400. As part of his guilty plea, Jackson admitted that he conducted the transaction and that it occurred at his residence on Charleston’s West Side.
Jackson further admitted to three additional drug transactions. Jackson sold approximately 27.97 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine and approximately 30.12 grams of a substance containing fentanyl in exchange for $1,600 at his residence on August 9, 2023, approximately 110.99 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine in exchange for $800 on a West Side corner on December 6, 2023, and approximately 53.67 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine in exchange for $400 at a West Side intersection on May 15, 2024. Each transaction was with a confidential informant.
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on January 28, 2027, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer D. Gordon is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-39.
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Carthage, Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Carthage, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today for his illegal possession of a firearm.
Skylar Wyrick, 36, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count of being a felon illegally in possession of a firearm. This defendant was charged as a part of Operation Spring Cleaning, that was coordinated by the United States Attorney’s Office and law enforcement across Southwest Missouri.
Wyrick pleaded guilty to the sole count of the indictment that charged him with illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On Oct. 3, 2025, Wyrick was contacted by law enforcement during a traffic stop for failing to display a front license plate. During that contact, Carthage Police Officers found that Wyrick had drug paraphernalia, a gun magazine and ammunition on his person. Officers then conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle. During that search, officers found additional drug paraphernalia, substances that were recognized as illegal narcotics, and a KelTec, P-32, .32 auto caliber firearm. Wyrick has prior felony convictions for robbery in the 2nd degree and tampering with a motor vehicle in the 1st degree. Both convictions carried with them sentences that exceeded one year of imprisonment, making Wyrick a person who was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Under federal statutes, Wyrick is subject to sentences of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole and a maximum fine of $250,000 for count one, felon in possession of a firearm. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Springfield Missouri Police Department, and the Carthage, Missouri Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Cape Cod Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Launder Proceeds of $6M Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Cape Cod man pleaded guilty today to a money laundering conspiracy for laundering proceeds in connection with a more than $6 million health care fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Leo Anzivino Jr., 35, of Falmouth, Massachusetts, conspired with others to launder health care fraud proceeds. Specifically, Anzivino agreed to be the straw or nominee owner of Advanced Medical Supply Corp. (Advanced), located in Rochester, New Hampshire, even though his co-conspirators were in fact the beneficial owners and managers of Advanced. Advanced submitted more than $6 million in claims to Medicare for durable medical equipment (DME) — such as knee braces and back braces — that Medicare beneficiaries did not need and that doctors did not prescribe. Instead, Advanced supported these claims using fake orders from physicians who did not actually write or submit those orders. Medicare paid more than $3 million as a result of these false and fraudulent claims.
Medicare beneficiaries returned boxes of DME to Advanced with notes stating that they had not ordered the products and alleging a fraud or scam, as depicted below.
Note from Medicare Beneficiary Accompanying DME Return Stating that the Beneficiary “Did Not Order” the Medical Products and that it was a “FRAUD!!” Note from Medicare Beneficiary Accompanying DME Return Stating that the Medical Products Were Sent “Without Prior Consent of My Physician or Myself” Note from Medicare Beneficiary Accompanying DME Return Stating that “This Must Be Some Type of Medicare Scam”Anzivino helped hide his co-conspirator’s involvement with Advanced by being listed as the owner of Advanced on the Medicare enrollment paperwork. He also submitted false and fraudulent bank account opening documents to a bank in New Hampshire, falsely certifying that he was the sole owner of 25 percent or more of the equity interests of Advanced when others, including a co-conspirator, were Advanced’s true owners.
Anzivino then laundered the fraud proceeds by, at his co-conspirator’s direction, seeking to transfer more than $1 million from the Advanced bank account in New Hampshire to companies that were affiliated with the co-conspirator. When told by a bank employee that the bank had not reached a level of confidence that the other companies were legitimate, and that Anzivino should do his own research into these companies, Anzivino instead opened a bank account at another bank with branches in Massachusetts.
In addition, Anzivino learned that Advanced’s ability to bill Medicare would be revoked for various deficiencies, including an inability to verify proof of his ownership of Advanced. Anzivino then sent messages to another individual discussing that revocation, explaining that “All the ppl who gave me money are going to come back for it now my shits revoked,” stating that his co-conspirator “still wants me to wire him money,” and claiming that “I ain’t wiring shit.” Despite this, over the next five weeks, Anzivino proceeded to wire $1,494,938.09 across three separate transactions, each in excess of $10,000.
In 2024, the government seized approximately $353,768.29 in assets tied to the alleged scheme from Advanced’s bank account.
Anzivino pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 21, 2027 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan for the District of New Hampshire; Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI Boston Field Office made the announcement.
HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case with valuable assistance from IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Department of War Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Services.
Trial Attorneys John Howard and Tiffany Wynn of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Hunter and Matthew Vicinanzo for the District of New Hampshire are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, 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.
Cape Cod Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Launder Proceeds of $6 Million Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Falmouth, Massachusetts resident Leo Anzivino, Jr., 35, pleaded guilty today to a money laundering conspiracy in connection with a more than $6 million health care fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan and Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division announce.
Anzivino pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy before U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty. The Court scheduled sentencing for January 21, 2027. The defendant faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Anzivino conspired with others to launder health care fraud proceeds. Specifically, Anzivino agreed to be the straw or nominal owner of Advanced Medical Supply Corp. (Advanced), located in Rochester, New Hampshire, even though his co-conspirators were in fact the beneficial owners and managers of Advanced. Thereafter, Advanced submitted more than $6 million in claims to Medicare for durable medical equipment (DME) – such as knee braces and back braces – that Medicare beneficiaries did not need and that doctors did not prescribe. Instead, Advanced supported these claims using fake orders from physicians who did not actually write or submit those orders. Medicare paid more than $3 million as a result of these false and fraudulent claims.
Medicare beneficiaries returned boxes of DME to Advanced with notes stating that they had not ordered the products and alleging a fraud or scam, some of which are depicted below.
US DOJNote from Medicare Beneficiary Accompanying DME Return “Did Not Order” the Medical Products and that it was a “FRAUD!!”
US DOJNote from Medicare Beneficiary Accompanying DME Return Stating that the Medical Products Were Sent “Without Prior Consent of My Physician or Myself”
US DOJNote from Medicare Beneficiary Accompanying DME Return Stating that “This Must Be Some Type of Medicare Scam”
For his part, Anzivino helped hide his co-conspirators’ involvement with Advanced by being listed as the owner of Advanced on the Medicare enrollment paperwork. He also submitted false and fraudulent bank account opening documents to a bank in New Hampshire, falsely certifying that he was the sole owner of 25 percent or more of the equity interests of Advanced when others, including a co-conspirator, were Advanced’s true owners.
Anzivino then laundered the fraud proceeds by, at his co-conspirator’s direction, seeking to transfer more than $1 million from the Advanced bank account in New Hampshire to companies that were affiliated with the co-conspirator. When told by a bank employee that the bank had not reached a level of confidence that the other companies were legitimate, and that Anzivino should do his own research into these companies, Anzivino instead opened a bank account at another bank with branches in Massachusetts.
Anzivino learned that Advanced’s ability to bill Medicare would be revoked for various deficiencies, including an inability to verify proof of his ownership of Advanced. Anzivino then sent messages to another individual discussing that revocation, explaining that “All the ppl who gave me money are going to come back for it now my shits revoked,” stating that his co-conspirator “still wants me to wire him money,” and claiming that “I ain’t wiring shit.” Despite this, over the next five weeks, Anzivino proceeded to wire $1,494,938.09 across three separate transactions.
In 2024, the government seized approximately $353,768.29 in assets tied to the alleged scheme from Advanced’s bank account.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with valuable assistance from IRS-Criminal Investigations and the Department of War Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Hunter and Matthew Vicinanzo and Trial Attorneys John Howard and Tiffany Wynn of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, 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.
Canadians Charged with Fraudulently Voting in U.S. Federal ElectionsRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – On October 7, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho filed charges in federal court alleging two Canadian citizens residing in eastern Idaho unlawfully voted in the 2022 general election, U.S. Attorney Bart Davis announced today.
According to court records, Taralynn Kathleen Bosco, 48, who was residing in Rexburg, is alleged to have voted in the 2022 general election even though she was not a United States citizen.
In a separate case, Stanley Richard Walton, 82, currently residing in Chubbuck, is alleged to have voted in the 2022 general election, even though he was not a United States citizen.
Bosco and Walton are scheduled for initial court appearances on October 26, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Debora K. Grasham of the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho.
If convicted of the charges of illegal voting by aliens, Bosco and Walton face a fine up to $100,000, and up to one year in prison.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Idaho State Police and Homeland Security Investigations which led to the charges.
Charges are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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California Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking Ex-GirlfriendRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— A Granite Bay, California, man pleaded guilty today to cyberstalking his ex‑girlfriend and posting sexually explicit photos of her online.
Jason David Campos, 44, pleaded guilty to stalking and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Campos harassed his ex‑girlfriend from 2009 to 2023 by posting intimate images and personal information about her online without her consent. He created social media and forum accounts using her name and, in some cases, encouraged others to contact or harass her.
In 2021, Campos created an email account using the victim’s maiden name and used it to impersonate her and obtain her confidential legal file. Later that year, he sent intimate images of the victim to her attorney from the same account.
In 2022, Campos sent emails to an account belonging to the victim, attempting to confirm her identity and referencing a minor family member whose name he obtained from her legal file. In 2023, he used an instant messaging app to distribute intimate images of the victim to strangers and directed them to contact an email account he controlled that had previously belonged to the victim.
On April 9, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted Campos on charges of stalking, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Under the plea agreement, Campos pleaded guilty to stalking and aggravated identity theft.
Campos has agreed to pay full restitution to the victim and to her attorney for services provided in response to the fraudulent records request.
Campos faces a maximum of five years in prison for stalking and a mandatory two‑year consecutive sentence for aggravated identity theft, along with fines and supervised release terms.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 1, 2027, before a U.S. District Court judge.
“Today’s plea sends a clear message that those who use the internet to harass, intimidate and exploit others will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford. “We remain committed to protecting victims of online abuse and ensuring offenders face the full consequences of their actions.”
The FBI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory R. Nyhus is prosecuting the case, with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Mira Chernick.
CVS Agrees to Pay $315M for Illegally Filling Unlawful Opioid Prescriptions and for Submitting False Claims to the Federal GovernmentRead the Press Release
CVS Pharmacy Inc., a Rhode Island-based pharmacy chain, and its related corporate entities (collectively, CVS) have agreed to pay $315 million to resolve allegations that, from October 17, 2013 through December 2, 2025, CVS illegally filled prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), and then sought payment for many of those invalid prescriptions from Medicare and other federal healthcare programs in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA).
“Not only does this settlement hold bad actors accountable for their fraudulent activities, but Americans are safer because of it,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “Today’s settlement is a significant milestone in the Justice Department’s efforts to combat the opioid epidemic by cracking down on pharmacies who unlawfully fulfill prescriptions for controlled substances.”
“Today’s settlement requires CVS to implement additional safeguards to ensure that prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances are dispensed only when medically appropriate,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The remedial measures in this agreement — including proactive monitoring of opioid prescribing patterns — will provide critical protections for patients and federal healthcare programs. The Department of Justice will continue to take steps to prevent the unlawful dispensing of opioids.”
“The opioid epidemic has affected families and communities across Rhode Island and throughout the nation,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda for the District of Rhode Island. “Pharmacies that dispense controlled substances must maintain effective compliance systems to identify and respond to warning signs that prescriptions may be unlawful or medically unnecessary. This settlement demonstrates the importance of those obligations and the consequences of failing to implement safeguards designed to prevent the improper dispensing of controlled substances.”
The settlement resolves allegations in the government’s complaint, which the United States filed on Dec. 13, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, that CVS knowingly filled prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were not valid, and/or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice. The United States alleged that CVS dispensed prescriptions for dangerous and excessive quantities of opioids, opioid prescriptions filled too early, and “trinity” prescriptions, a dangerous and abused combination of an opioid, a benzodiazepine, and a muscle relaxant. CVS also allegedly filled prescriptions for controlled substances from “pill mill” prescribers who issued large numbers of controlled substance prescriptions without any medical purpose. Further, the United States alleged that CVS pharmacists filled these prescriptions despite clear red flags indicating that there was a high likelihood that the prescriptions lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were not valid, or were not issued in the course of professional practice. Many of these prescriptions were ultimately billed to and reimbursed by federal healthcare programs.
The complaint further alleged that CVS’s violations stemmed from corporate-imposed performance metrics, incentive compensation, and staffing policies that prioritized corporate profits over patient safety. CVS failed to employ enough pharmacists to serve patients, comply with CVS’s legal obligations, and meet corporate performance metrics. In addition, CVS’s policies allegedly prevented pharmacists from warning one another about certain problematic prescribers.
In addition to the monetary payment announced today, CVS has entered into a memorandum of agreement with DEA to address its future obligations in dispensing controlled substances. This agreement requires CVS to establish a hotline for both employees and the public to report suspected illegal dispensing of controlled substances, proactively monitor the dispensing patterns of its pharmacies to identify and address potentially illegal dispensing, and establish a process to evaluate prescribers suspected of illegal prescribing.
“This settlement agreement highlights DEA’s commitment to protecting the health and safety of Americans while holding CVS accountable for dispensing unlawful prescriptions and endangering the public,” said DEA Assistant Administrator Cheri Oz. “DEA is unwavering in its commitment to protect public health and ensuring pharmacies adhere to the highest standards of responsible dispensing. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement, regulatory agencies, and the healthcare community to prevent the misuse of controlled substances, and we will hold those who jeopardize the safety of our citizens accountable.”
“Behind every unlawful prescription is a patient who could be put in harm’s way,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG). “The allegations in this case point to warning signs that should never be overlooked. HHS OIG will not tolerate conduct that jeopardizes lives, and we will continue to pursue those who betray the trust placed in them.”
The civil settlement resolves a civil lawsuit filed by Hillary Estright, a former CVS employee, under the whistleblower provision of the FCA, which authorizes private parties to sue on behalf of the United States and receive a share of any recovery. It also permits the United States to intervene and take over such lawsuits, as it did here. The amount to be recovered by the private whistleblower has not yet been determined. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Hillary Estright v. CVS Health Corporation, et al., No. 22-cv-00222 (D.R.I.).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch, along with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Virginia, Eastern District of Texas, and District of Hawaii. The DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, Los Angeles Field Division, Richmond District Office, and Office of Chief Counsel led this case with substantial assistance from Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Defense Health Agency (DHA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The United States is represented in this matter by attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Division Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section (Assistant Director Natalie Waites and Trial Attorneys Claire Norsetter and Megan Engel) and Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch (Deputy Director Lisa Hsiao and Trial Attorneys Kathleen Brunson and Katherine Ho), as well as from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Rhode Island (Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachna Vyas), Eastern District of Virginia (Assistant U.S. Attorney John Beerbower), Eastern District of Texas (Assistant U.S. Attorney James Gillingham), and District of Hawaii (Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy J. Weinstein).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: Find the CSA agreement here and the FCA agreement here.
Note: This press release has been updated from a previous version.
CVS Agrees to Pay $315M for Illegally Filling Unlawful Opioid Prescriptions and for Submitting False Claims to the Federal GovernmentRead the Press Release
CVS Pharmacy Inc., a Rhode Island-based pharmacy chain, and its related corporate entities (collectively, CVS) have agreed to pay $315 million to resolve allegations that, from October 17, 2013 through December 2, 2025, CVS illegally filled prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), and then sought payment for many of those invalid prescriptions from Medicare and other federal healthcare programs in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA).
“Not only does this settlement hold bad actors accountable for their fraudulent activities, but Americans are safer because of it,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “Today’s settlement is a significant milestone in the Justice Department’s efforts to combat the opioid epidemic by cracking down on pharmacies who unlawfully fulfill prescriptions for controlled substances.”
“Today’s settlement requires CVS to implement additional safeguards to ensure that prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances are dispensed only when medically appropriate,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The remedial measures in this agreement — including proactive monitoring of opioid prescribing patterns — will provide critical protections for patients and federal healthcare programs. The Department of Justice will continue to take steps to prevent the unlawful dispensing of opioids.”
“The opioid epidemic has affected families and communities across Rhode Island and throughout the nation,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda for the District of Rhode Island. “Pharmacies that dispense controlled substances must maintain effective compliance systems to identify and respond to warning signs that prescriptions may be unlawful or medically unnecessary. This settlement demonstrates the importance of those obligations and the consequences of failing to implement safeguards designed to prevent the improper dispensing of controlled substances.”
The settlement resolves allegations in the government’s complaint, which the United States filed on Dec. 13, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, that CVS knowingly filled prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were not valid, and/or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice. The United States alleged that CVS dispensed prescriptions for dangerous and excessive quantities of opioids, opioid prescriptions filled too early, and “trinity” prescriptions, a dangerous and abused combination of an opioid, a benzodiazepine, and a muscle relaxant. CVS also allegedly filled prescriptions for controlled substances from “pill mill” prescribers who issued large numbers of controlled substance prescriptions without any medical purpose. Further, the United States alleged that CVS pharmacists filled these prescriptions despite clear red flags indicating that there was a high likelihood that the prescriptions lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were not valid, or were not issued in the course of professional practice. Many of these prescriptions were ultimately billed to and reimbursed by federal healthcare programs.
The complaint further alleged that CVS’s violations stemmed from corporate-imposed performance metrics, incentive compensation, and staffing policies that prioritized corporate profits over patient safety. CVS failed to employ enough pharmacists to serve patients, comply with CVS’s legal obligations, and meet corporate performance metrics. In addition, CVS’s policies allegedly prevented pharmacists from warning one another about certain problematic prescribers.
In addition to the monetary payment announced today, CVS has entered into a memorandum of agreement with DEA to address its future obligations in dispensing controlled substances. This agreement requires CVS to establish a hotline for both employees and the public to report suspected illegal dispensing of controlled substances, proactively monitor the dispensing patterns of its pharmacies to identify and address potentially illegal dispensing, and establish a process to evaluate prescribers suspected of illegal prescribing.
“This settlement agreement highlights DEA’s commitment to protecting the health and safety of Americans while holding CVS accountable for dispensing unlawful prescriptions and endangering the public,” said DEA Assistant Administrator Cheri Oz. “DEA is unwavering in its commitment to protect public health and ensuring pharmacies adhere to the highest standards of responsible dispensing. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement, regulatory agencies, and the healthcare community to prevent the misuse of controlled substances, and we will hold those who jeopardize the safety of our citizens accountable.”
“Behind every unlawful prescription is a patient who could be put in harm’s way,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “The allegations in this case point to warning signs that should never be overlooked. HHS‑OIG will not tolerate conduct that jeopardizes lives, and we will continue to pursue those who betray the trust placed in them.”
The civil settlement resolves a civil lawsuit filed by Hillary Estright, a former CVS employee, under the whistleblower provision of the FCA, which authorizes private parties to sue on behalf of the United States and receive a share of any recovery. It also permits the United States to intervene and take over such lawsuits, as it did here. The amount to be recovered by the private whistleblower has not yet been determined. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Hillary Estright v. CVS Health Corporation, et al., No. 22-cv-00222 (D.R.I.).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch, along with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Virginia, Eastern District of Texas, and District of Hawaii. The DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, Los Angeles Field Division, Richmond District Office, and Office of Chief Counsel led this case with substantial assistance from Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Defense Health Agency (DHA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The United States is represented in this matter by attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Division Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section (Assistant Director Natalie Waites and Trial Attorneys Claire Norsetter and Megan Engel) and Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch (Deputy Director Lisa Hsiao and Trial Attorneys Kathleen Brunson and Katherine Ho), as well as from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Rhode Island (Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachna Vyas), Eastern District of Virginia (Assistant U.S. Attorney John Beerbower), Eastern District of Texas (Assistant U.S. Attorney James Gillingham), and District of Hawaii (Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy J. Weinstein).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: Find the CSA agreement here and the FCA agreement here.
Brockton Woman Sentenced for Theft of Government Funds in Connection with Stolen $931,000 Tax Refund CheckRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton woman was sentenced on Oct. 5,2026 in federal court in Boston for stealing a nearly $1 million United States Treasury tax refund check.
Lana Ruel, 71, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to two months in prison, to be followed by two months of supervised release. Ruel may also be ordered to pay restitution at a later date. In June 2026, Ruel pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds. In December 2025, Ruel was arrested and charged.
Ruel attempted to deposit a United States Treasury tax refund check issued to a healthcare company in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to the attempted deposit, Ruel incorporated a company in Massachusetts and opened a bank account in the same name of the healthcare company that was the payee on the tax refund check. After the attempted deposit, the bank froze Ruel’s account. Ruel then called the bank and said that she could “explain what the check was, where it came from, and what it’s for…”
Over a period of two years, Ruel created four additional companies in Massachusetts that did not have a legitimate business purpose. For one of those companies, Ruel opened an account at approximately 10 different banks. Ruel also received wire transfers in some of the accounts and then wired the funds to different accounts or made cash withdrawals. The banks have since closed all these accounts.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Justin Page, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Saltzman of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within Federal benefit programs.