title: National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in 324 Defendants Charged in Connection with Over $14.6 Billion in Alleged Fraud

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: The Justice Department today announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers. Demonstrating the significant return on investment that results from health care fraud enforcement efforts, the government seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets as part of the coordinated enforcement efforts. As part of the whole-of-government approach to combating health care fraud announced today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also announced that it successfully prevented over $4 billion from being paid in response to false and fraudulent claims and that it suspended or revoked the billing privileges of 205 providers in the months leading up to the Takedown. Civil charges against 20 defendants for $14.2 million in alleged fraud, as well as civil settlements with 106 defendants totaling $34.3 million, were also announced as part of the Takedown. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut contributed significantly to an investigation dubbed “Operation Gold Rush” (see additional information below). As alleged in the forfeiture complaint, a transnational criminal organization based in Russia and elsewhere used straw purchasers to buy small durable medical equipment (DME) companies located in the U.S. After acquiring the companies and their billing information, they used stolen Medicare patient information to bill Medicare for billions of dollars of DME that was not provided. The forfeiture action stemmed from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals Service into health care fraud from a company named Medical Home Care, based in Bethel, Connecticut. After it was purchased for $400,000 by a company operated by a Czech national in March 2023, Medical Home Care submitted more than $152,000 in fraudulent claims to Medicare and other organizations. Money from Medical Home Care was sent to Malaysia and Hong Kong. As the investigation expanded, 28 bank accounts associated with a variety of companies and containing more than $17 million were seized by law enforcement. The civil forfeiture proceeding is being prosecuted by Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen and Chelsea Rooney, and by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson of the District of Connecticut. “Operation Gold Rush revealed a breathtaking exploitation of important federal and private health care programs, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut is gratified to be working to recover millions of dollars in stolen funds,” said David X. Sullivan, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut. “Civil asset forfeiture is a critical tool that permits the government to recover money from bad actors all over the world, especially when criminal prosecution proves more difficult. While the Justice Department continues to pursue those responsible for these health care fraud schemes, we and our law enforcement partners will use our skill and resources to identify and seize bank accounts in order to make their crimes significantly less profitable.” Also in the District of Connecticut, on June 23, 2025, Michele Rene Luzzi Muzyka, 60, of Cheshire, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging her with unlawful distribution of controlled substances and making false statements in connection with health care matters. The complaint alleges that Muzyka, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), unlawfully distributed amphetamines and benzodiazepines to individuals who did not have a legitimate medical need. Muzyka charged patients $200 in cash for visits in which she prescribed Schedule II and IV controlled substances, including to an undercover agent who posed as a Medicaid beneficiary. Muzyka declined to accept the undercover agent’s Medicaid plan and instead charged her $200 cash fee. Medicaid paid $257.58 for the unlawful prescriptions written for the undercover agent. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Boyles. Today’s Takedown was led and coordinated by the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and its core partners from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The cases were investigated by agents from HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies. The cases are being prosecuted by Health Care Fraud Strike Force teams from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, 50 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide, and 12 State Attorneys General Offices. “This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.” "As part of making healthcare accessible and affordable to all Americans, HHS will aggressively work with our law enforcement partners to eliminate the pervasive health care fraud that bedeviled this agency under the former administration and drove up costs,” said Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services. “The Criminal Division is intensely committed to rooting out health care fraud schemes and prosecuting the criminals who perpetrate them because these schemes: (1) often result in physical patient harm through medically unnecessary treatments or failure to provide the correct treatments; (2) contribute to our nationwide opioid epidemic and exacerbate controlled substance addiction; and (3) do all of that while stealing money hardworking Americans contribute to pay for the care of their elders and other vulnerable citizens,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Division’s Health Care Fraud Unit and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices stand united with our law enforcement partners in this fight, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the integrity of our health care programs for the American people.” “Health care fraud drains critical resources from programs intended to help people who truly need medical care,” said Director Kash Patel of the FBI. “Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to pursuing those who exploit the system for personal gain. With more than $13 billion in fraud uncovered, this is the largest takedown for this initiative to date. Together, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold those accountable who steal from the American people and undermine our health care systems.” Transnational Criminal Organizations 29 defendants were charged for their roles in transnational criminal organizations alleged to have submitted over $12 billion in fraudulent claims to America’s health insurance programs. For instance, a nationwide investigation known as Operation Gold Rush resulted in the largest loss amount ever charged in a health care fraud case brought by the Department. These charges were announced in the Eastern District of New York, the Northern District of Illinois, the Central District of California, the Middle District of Florida, and the District of New Jersey against 19 defendants. Twelve of these defendants have been arrested, including four defendants who were apprehended in Estonia as a result of international cooperation with Estonian law enforcement and seven defendants who were arrested at U.S. airports and the U.S. border with Mexico, cutting off their intended escape routes as they attempted to avoid capture. The organization allegedly used a network of foreign straw owners, including individuals sent into the United States from abroad, who, acting at the direction of others using encrypted messaging and assumed identities from overseas, strategically bought dozens of medical supply companies located across the United States. They then rapidly submitted $10.6 billion in fraudulent health care claims to Medicare for urinary catheters and other durable medical equipment by exploiting the stolen identities of over one million Americans spanning all 50 states and using their confidential medical information to submit the fraudulent claims. As alleged, the organization exploited the U.S. financial system by laundering the fraudulent proceeds and deploying a range of tactics to circumvent anti-money laundering controls to transfer funds into cryptocurrency and shell companies located abroad. The arrests announced today also include a banker who facilitated the money laundering of fraud proceeds on behalf of the organization through a U.S.-based bank. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team and its partners detected the anomalous billing through proactive data analytics, and HHS-OIG and CMS successfully prevented the organization from receiving all but approximately $41 million of the approximately $4.45 billion that was scheduled to be paid by Medicare. HHS and CMS intend to seek to return the $4.41 billion in escrow to the Medicare trust fund for needed medical care. The scheme nonetheless resulted in payments of approximately $900 million from Medicare supplemental insurers. To date, law enforcement has seized approximately $27.7 million in fraud proceeds as part of Operation Gold Rush. In another action involving foreign influence, charges were filed in the Northern District of Illinois against five defendants, including two owners and executives of Pakistani marketing organizations, in connection with a $703 million scheme in which Medicare beneficiaries’ identification numbers and other confidential health information were allegedly obtained through theft and deceptive marketing. The defendants allegedly used artificial intelligence to create fake recordings of Medicare beneficiaries purportedly consenting to receive certain products. According to court documents, the beneficiaries’ confidential information was then illegally sold to laboratories and durable medical equipment companies, which used this unlawfully obtained and fraudulently generated data to submit false claims to Medicare. Certain defendants controlled dozens of nominee-owned durable medical equipment companies and laboratories that allegedly submitted fraudulent claims for products and services the beneficiaries did not request, need, or receive. Certain defendants also allegedly conspired to conceal and launder the fraud proceeds from bank accounts they controlled in the United States to bank accounts overseas. In total, the defendants caused approximately $703 million in alleged fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, which paid approximately $418 million on those claims. The government seized approximately $44.7 million from various bank accounts related to this case. Finally, a defendant based in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates who owned a billing company allegedly orchestrated a scheme to prey upon vulnerable individuals in need of addiction treatment by conspiring with treatment center owners to fraudulently bill Arizona Medicaid approximately $650 million for substance abuse treatment services. According to court documents, some of the services billed were never provided, while other services were provided at a level that was so substandard that it failed to serve any treatment purpose. As part of the conspiracy, treatment center owners allegedly paid illegal kickbacks in exchange for the referral of patients recruited from the homeless population and Native American reservations. The defendant received at least $25 million of ill-gotten Arizona Medicaid funds as a result of the conspiracy and is charged with a money laundering offense for his alleged use of those funds to purchase a $2.9 million home located on a golf estate in Dubai. Fraudulent Wound Care Charges were filed in the District of Arizona and the District of Nevada against seven defendants, including five medical professionals, in connection with approximately $1.1 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare and other health care benefit programs for amniotic wound allografts. As alleged, certain defendants targeted vulnerable elderly patients, many of whom were receiving hospice care, and applied medically unnecessary amniotic allografts to these patients’ wounds. Many of the allografts allegedly were applied without coordination with the patients’ treating physicians, without proper treatment for infection, to superficial wounds that did not need this treatment, and to areas that far exceeded the size of the wound. Certain defendants allegedly received millions in illegal kickbacks from the fraudulent billing scheme. “Today's unprecedented enforcement action demonstrates that CMS and our federal partners are united in our mission to protect the integrity of Medicare and Medicaid by crushing waste, fraud, and abuse," said Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz of CMS. "Every dollar we prevent from going to fraudsters is a dollar that stays in the system to serve legitimate beneficiaries. Through advanced data analytics, real-time monitoring, and swift administrative action, CMS is leading the fight to protect Medicare, Medicaid, and the trust Americans place in these vital programs. We're not waiting for fraud to happen—we're stopping it before it starts." Prescription Opioid Trafficking 74 defendants, including 44 licensed medical professionals, were charged across 58 cases in connection with the alleged illegal diversion of over 15 million pills of prescription opioids and other controlled substances. For example, five defendants associated with one Texas pharmacy were charged with the unlawful distribution of over 3 million opioid pills. As alleged, the defendants conspired to distribute massive quantities of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and carisoprodol, which were subsequently trafficked by street-level drug dealers, generating large profits for the defendants. This coordinated action is a continuation of the Health Care Fraud Unit’s systematic approach to stopping drug trafficking organizations and their pharmaceutical wholesale suppliers, which together have fueled an epidemic of prescription opioid abuse for nearly a decade. DEA also announced today that in the last six months, DEA charged 93 administrative cases seeking the revocation of pharmacies, medical practitioners, and companies authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances. “Health care fraud isn’t just theft — it’s trafficking in trust. Today’s announcement shows that when doctors become drug dealers and treatment centers become profit-driven fraud rings, DEA will act,” said Acting Administrator Robert Murphy of the DEA. “We’re targeting the entire ecosystem of fraud — from pill mills in Texas to kickback clinics exploiting Native communities. If you abuse your medical license to push poison or pad your pockets, we will hold you accountable.” Telemedicine and Genetic Testing Fraud In today’s Takedown, 49 defendants were charged in connection with the submission of over $1.17 billion in allegedly fraudulent claims to Medicare resulting from telemedicine and genetic testing fraud schemes. For example, in the Southern District of Florida, prosecutors charged an owner of telemedicine and durable medical equipment companies with a $46 million scheme in which Medicare beneficiaries were allegedly targeted through deceptive telemarketing campaigns and then fraudulent claims were submitted to Medicare for durable medical equipment and genetic tests for these beneficiaries. The Department continues to focus on eliminating health care fraud schemes that depend on telemedicine, including schemes involving fraudulent claims for genetic testing, durable medical equipment, and COVID-19 tests. Other Health Care Fraud Schemes The other cases announced today charge an additional 170 defendants with various other health care fraud schemes involving over $1.84 billion in allegedly false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies for diagnostic testing, medical visits, and treatments that were medically unnecessary, provided in connection with kickbacks and bribes, or never provided at all. For example, in the Western District of Tennessee, prosecutors charged three defendants, including business owners and a pharmacist, with a $28.7 million scheme to defraud the Federal Employees’ Compensation Fund by allegedly billing for medications for injured United States Postal Service employees that were never prescribed by a licensed practitioner and largely were not dispensed as claimed. And in the Western District of Washington and the Northern District of California, prosecutors charged medical providers with allegedly stealing fentanyl and hydrocodone, respectively, that was meant for the providers’ patients, including child patients in need of anesthesia. “VA’s Integrated Veteran Care Programs provide critical community-based health care to our nation’s disabled veterans and their dependents,” said Acting Inspector General David Case of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG). “Robust oversight of VA’s health care system is one of VA-OIG’s highest priorities. VA-OIG is committed to holding accountable those who defraud government benefits programs intended to care for our nation’s heroes.” Breaking Down Silos in the Fight Against Health Care Fraud In connection with the coordinated nationwide law enforcement operation, the Department is announcing that it is working closely with HHS-OIG, FBI, and other agencies to create a Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center to bring together experts from the Department’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, Health Care Fraud Unit Data Analytics Team; HHS-OIG; FBI; and other agencies to leverage cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to identify emerging health care fraud schemes. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team was established in 2018 to enhance the Unit’s ability to detect, investigate, and prosecute complex health care fraud schemes. Joining forces with data analysts from HHS-OIG, FBI, and other partners will increase efficiency, detection, and rapid prosecution of emerging health care fraud schemes. It will also implement the President’s Executive Order Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos (Exec. Order No. 14243, 3 C.F.R. 294 (2025)) by reducing duplicative data teams, increasing operational efficiency through a whole-of-government approach, and leveraging cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other agency resources. Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Jacob Foster, Assistant Deputy Chief Rebecca Yuan, Trial Attorney Miriam L. Glaser Dauermann, and Data Analyst Elizabeth Nolte, all of the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, led and coordinated this year’s Takedown. The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Columbia, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Georgia, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Maine, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nevada, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Western District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, District of North Dakota, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, District of South Carolina, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Washington, and Northern District of West Virginia; and State Attorneys General’s Offices for California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team used cutting-edge data analytics to identify and support the investigations that led to these charges. In addition to FBI, HHS-OIG, DEA, and CMS, HSI, VA-OIG, IRS Criminal Investigation, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Labor, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies participated in the operation. The Medicaid Fraud Control Units of California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin also participated in the investigation of many of the federal and state cases announced today. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Forces. Prior to the charges announced as part of today’s nationwide Takedown and since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which operates in 27 districts, charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively billed Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers more than $27 billion. An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ***** The following materials related to today’s announcement are available on the Health Care Fraud Unit’s website through these links: • Graphics and Resources • Case Descriptions • Court Documents


title: Metairie Man Sentenced to 262 Months for Federal Drug and Gun Offenses

component: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ROOSEVELT COCKHERAN (“COCKHERAN”) , age 41, formerly a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, was sentenced on June 26, 2025 by United States District Judge Susie Morgan to 262 months pursuant to his pleas of guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and, to Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846; Unlawful Use of a Communications Facility, to Further a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b); Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C); and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). Specifically, COCKHERAN was sentenced to 262 months for the Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute Cocaine charge, 48 months (statutory maximum) for the Unlawful Use of a Communications Facility charge, 262 months (statutory maximum) for the Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine charge, and 180 months (statutory maximum) for the Felon in Possession of a Firearm charge. The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently. Judge Morgan also imposed an 8-year term of supervised release to follow COCKHERAN’s incarceration. Court documents reflect that COCKHERAN was arrested by Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) deputies after they recovered several plastic bags containing cocaine and crack cocaine, a black digital scale, a Black Taurus Model PT 24/7 PRO handgun with a magazine containing 11 live rounds of .45 ammo and his cell phone, from his pick-up truck. Examination of the cell phone by JPSO experts and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, revealed text messages, photographs and other information documenting his drug trafficking activities. The Court found that COCKHERAN was the source of supply for local Jefferson Parish drug traffickers, and that he supervised their activities. Court documents also revealed that COCKHERAN is a prior drug offender under federal law. Three other persons have pled guilty in this investigation. 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. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit is assigned the prosecution. * * *


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that SHAWN ROUSELL ( “ROUSELL” ), age 30, was indicted on June 26, 2025, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). According to the indictment, ROUSELL , possessed a Glock Model 27, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, loaded with ammunition. ROUSELL is a convicted felon and, as such, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. If convicted, ROUSELL faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and New Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiwana Wright of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). * * *


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office announces charges filed as part of national health care fraud takedown

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kelly A. Norris announced criminal charges against a defendant in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid. The charges filed in the Southern District of Ohio are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. “This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.” Terry Hill, Jr., 59, of Dayton, was charged by indictment with health care fraud, false statements relating to health care matters and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Hill allegedly illegally owned and operated a Dayton substance abuse treatment recovery facility, Recovery Street Central, after being excluded from participating in government health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. As alleged, Hill was excluded in 2021 from participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs after being convicted of Medicaid fraud. Notwithstanding his exclusion, Hill allegedly continued to own and operate Recovery Street Central, which submitted more than $4 million in claims to Medicaid for counseling services that were not provided or were provided in violation of Medicaid rules and regulations. All the cases announced today are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of more than $14.6 billion in intended loss and more than 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. The United States has seized more than $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles and other assets in connection with the takedown. The Hill case is being prosecuted in the Southern District of Ohio by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth F. Affeldt and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Walter, who is the Principal Assistant Ohio Attorney General for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Cincinnati Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) also investigated the case. The national takedown includes cases being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Rapid Response Texas, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England and Northeast Strike Forces as well as U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Districts of Columbia, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont; Northern and Western Districts of Texas; Central, Northern and Southern Districts of California; Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida; Middle District of Georgia; Northern District of Illinois; Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky; Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana; Eastern District of Michigan; Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi; Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio; Northern and Western Districts of Oklahoma; Eastern District of Pennsylvania; Middle and Western Districts of Tennessee; Eastern District of Virginia; Western District of Washington; Northern District of West Virginia. State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania are also contributing to the prosecutions with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: Checotah Resident Pleads Guilty To Distributing Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Andrew Frank Lerblance, a/k/a Andrew Frank Lerblance Jr., age 66, of Checotah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one-count Information of Distribution of Methamphetamine. The charge carries a term of 5 to 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000.00 fine. The Information alleged that on October 3, 2023, Lerblance knowingly and intentionally distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Lerblance will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.


title: Coal County Resident Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kevin Carter Kieckhefer, age 35, of Tupelo, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The Indictment charged Kieckhefer with knowingly possessing 25 rounds of .223 ammunition on July 19, 2023, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The charge arose from an investigation by the Coal County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Kieckhefer will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dak T. Cohen and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Nurse Practitioner Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud, Unlawful Drug Distribution

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK –United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III announced today that Anja Salamack, age 50, of Delray Beach, Florida, pled guilty last week to health care fraud and to distributing controlled substances outside the course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. “Today’s record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown sends a crystal-clear message to criminal actors, both foreign and domestic, intent on preying upon our most vulnerable citizens and stealing from hardworking American taxpayers: we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.” The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Sarcone are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in alleged false billings and over 15.6 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. In connection with the Takedown, the Government seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets. Salamack, formerly an Albany resident, was a psychiatric nurse practitioner who resided in Florida but claimed to be practicing in Albany. Salamack pled guilty to health care fraud for submitting false and fraudulent claims to health care benefit programs in New York State for health care services that she never provided, e.g. psychotherapy services, and evaluation and management services; she caused $163,639.58 in losses. Salamack also pled guilty to unlawful drug distribution (also known as drug diversion), for issuing prescriptions for the controlled substance amphetamine (e.g. Adderall) for non-medical purposes and outside the usual course of professional practice. For instance, from November 2018 to May 2023, Salamack regularly prescribed amphetamine in the name of a person who had not been her patient since 2016. Salamack issued these prescriptions (108 in total) at the request of a relative of the former patient. In a separate civil settlement agreement, Salamack admitted that she submitted claims to Medicare for psychotherapy services that were not rendered. She also admitted that she used $48,670 in Provider Relief Funds (PRF) for impermissible purposes. The PRF was money that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act had allocated to healthcare providers to pay for costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Salamack agreed to pay $188,850 to resolve her False Claims Act liability. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “It’s sad and shameful for a licensed medical professional to abuse the privilege they have to provide care for people and instead inflict harm on others. This case shows that no matter where you are conducting illegal activities, if what you do impacts the Northern District of New York, you will be prosecuted and punished here. Thanks to a thorough investigation by the DEA and other law enforcement partners, Anja Salamack is out of business and faces the prospect of spending years in federal prison.” “Health care professionals are not above the law and must be held to the highest standards, especially when dealing with controlled substances” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “Anja Salamack knowingly chose to put profits above the health and well-being of those lives she took an oath to help when she unlawfully prescribed the controlled substance amphetamine for non-medical purposes. Salamack’s actions were no different from those of any drug trafficker fueling an already deadly and highly addictive opioid crisis.” “Individuals and entities that participate in government programs are required to obey the laws meant to preserve the integrity of program funds and ensure the provision of appropriate, quality services to patients,” stated Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “The defendant in this case put patients’ wellbeing in jeopardy and exploited vital programs meant to benefit her community.” At sentencing, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci on October 22, 2025, Salamack faces up to 10 years in prison for health care fraud and up to 20 years in prison for drug diversion. She also faces a fine of up to $1 million, as well as at least 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Salamack has agreed to pay $163,659.68 in restitution for the health care fraud. Salamack has already surrendered her DEA registration (which had allowed her to prescribe controlled substances). The DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad (TDS) investigated this case. TDS is comprised of DEA Special Agents and Diversion Investigators, as well as Investigators from the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and the Colonie Police Department assisted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett is prosecuting the criminal case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Moran represented the United States in the civil matter.


title: Aggravated Felon Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the Country

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Adrian Barron-Valdez, 47, originally of Mexico, was sentenced on June 27, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for reentry of a removed alien after an aggravated felony conviction. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Barron-Valdez to 21 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Barron-Valdez release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Barron-Valdez came to the attention of Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) in the District of Nebraska on December 7, 2024, following his arrest on state charges in Omaha. Barron-Valdez posted bond and was released to ICE on December 26, 2024, pursuant to its detainer. Barron-Valdez was arrested by ICE and was transported to the immigration office in Omaha for processing. Fingerprint results confirmed Barron-Valdez’s identity, alienage, immigration, and criminal history. Barron-Valdez is a citizen and national of Mexico with no claim to United States Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident status. He did not have documents to enter, pass through, or remain in the United States. It was confirmed Barron-Valdez had previously been issued a removal order on December 18, 2004, and he was physically removed from the United States to Mexico six times, first on January 12, 2005, and most recently on November 3, 2021. Barron-Valdez was convicted on June 10, 2013, in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. There is no record that Barron-Valdez obtained consent from either the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission into the United States. This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.


title: Justice Department Requires Divestitures and Licensing Commitments in HPE’s Acquisition of Juniper Networks

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: WASHINGTON — Achieving a result otherwise unavailable through litigation, earlier today the Justice Department advised the court it had reached a settlement with HPE and Juniper that allows their merger to continue. This novel approach by the Justice Department reflects a commitment to solving unique challenges in mergers. Under the leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi the laws of this country will be zealously enforced. “Thank you to the hardworking men and women of the Antitrust Division for their work on this case.” — Gail Slater, Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Divison “This marks another key legal victory from the Department of Justice’s Antitrust division. Our attorneys will continue fighting and winning to defend the American people and consumers.” — Department of Justice Chief of Staff Chad Mizelle The settlement requires HPE to divest its Instant On business and mandates that the merged firm license critical Juniper software to independent competitors. HPE must divest its global “Instant On” campus and branch WLAN business, including all assets, intellectual property, R&D personnel, and customer relationships, to a DOJ-approved buyer within 180 days. The agreement also ensures that key software assets will be available to rivals looking to compete with the merged company. The parties must hold an auction to license Juniper’s AI Ops for Mist source code—an important component in modern WLAN systems. The license will be perpetual, non-exclusive, and include optional transitional support and personnel transfers to facilitate competition.


title: Career Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – An Albany resident with a lengthy criminal history, including robbery by force, distribution of controlled substances and making terroristic threats, was sentenced as a federal career offender to serve ten years in prison for trafficking drugs in Southwest Georgia. Roderick Terrell Ferrell, 37, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by six years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on June 25 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine on Oct. 30, 2024. Due to his criminal history, Ferrell was sentenced as a career offender. There is no parole in the federal system. “Defendants with long criminal records who consistently ignore the law will find their cases in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Law enforcement in every community and at every level are collaborating with us to hold repeat offenders accountable for their crimes, with the goal of making our communities safer.” “Our communities remain under attack by career criminals with no regard for the destruction they cause,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This investigation demonstrates the DEA’s commitment to protecting our community.” “The FBI is proud to work with our local law enforcement partners in helping to convict these repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face stiffer penalties and no opportunity for parole,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “Eliminating drug trafficking in our communities requires a united front,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The successful convictions of these repeat offenders are a demonstration of the effectiveness of our collaboration across federal, state and local agencies to hold individuals accountable and ensure safer neighborhoods.” “Career offenders who continue to commit serious crimes in our community, especially those with a history of violence, will face federal prison sentences without parole,” said Lee County Sheriff Reggie Rachals. “I am thankful for our partnerships with federal and state agencies as we work together to hold dangerous individuals accountable.” According to court documents and statements made public in court, federal, state and local law enforcement received information from various confidential sources that Ferrell was distributing cocaine and was supplied by a metro-Atlanta unnamed co-conspirator. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at another dealer’s residence, seized cocaine, and discovered that Ferrell had sold at least 18 ounces of powder cocaine. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office then conducted a controlled buy from Ferrell on Nov. 8, 2021, where Ferrell sold two ounces of powder cocaine for $2,150. In addition, Ferrell reported that he had been pulled over by local law enforcement on Oct. 13, 2022, and was in possession at the time of $30,000 from a recent drug transaction. On Nov. 30, 2023, a patrol officer pulled Ferrell over and found ten pounds of marijuana in ten plastic vacuum-sealed bags in the rear cargo area. Ferrell said he was transporting the drugs to Camilla, Georgia. The DEA conducted a concealment money laundering investigation and discovered he had laundered approximately $383,057 in drug proceeds between his bank account, CashApp, a local business and a co-conspirator’s accounts from 2021 to 2023, despite having no employment or declaring any income on his taxes. The investigation revealed that Ferrell and his girlfriend used drug proceeds to purchase a 2021 Mercedes Benz GLE; luxury goods from Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Saks, Gucci and Balenciaga; took luxury vacations; rented a home near Atlanta; and invested in a local business that was never operational. At sentencing, Ferrell was held accountable for distributing approximately 6.5 kilograms of cocaine and 47 kilograms of marijuana. Ferrell also has several prior felony convictions including robbery by force, terroristic threats and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in Dougherty County, Georgia, Superior Court. The Ferrell case was investigated by the DEA, the FBI, the GBI and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: ELEVENTH CIRCUIT AFFIRMS CONVICTION OF REPEAT CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENDER

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – On June 23, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld the child pornography conviction of Andrew John Ewing, 40, of Tallahassee Florida. In January 2024, a jury convicted Ewing of possessing child pornography. This was Ewing’s second child-pornography-related conviction. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle sentenced Ewing to 120 months in prison, and Ewing appealed. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The Eleventh Circuit’s ruling this week not only affirmed the conviction of a serious child pornography offender, it also upheld the legality of important investigatory tools needed to identify and catch these predators. My office will continue to work with our excellent local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to deploy those investigatory tools and aggressively pursue these sick offenders who prey upon and seek to victimize our children.” In the fall of 2022, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force conducted a proactive investigation to identify users, including Ewing, who were sharing child pornography material online through peer-to-peer networks. In January of 2023, a search warrant was obtained and executed for Ewing’s residence and electronic devices. A forensic examination of Ewing’s devices revealed child pornography involving children as young as six years old. Ewing challenged his 2024 conviction on appeal, arguing that law enforcement violated his Fourth Amendment rights by using special BitTorrent software to download child pornography from his computer in 2022 without a warrant. Ewing also challenged the government’s presentation of the child pornography evidence during trial. The Eleventh Circuit held oral argument on May 7, 2025, and ultimately rejected both arguments in a published opinion. The Court concluded that law enforcement’s warrantless downloads of child pornography files Ewing made publicly available on the BitTorrent network were not a “search” within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment because the downloads violated neither Ewing’s privacy nor property rights. The Court also found no error in the government’s “relatively limited” presentation of the child pornography evidence at trial. As a published opinion, the Court’s ruling is binding on all future cases brought in the Eleventh Circuit, which includes all federal district courts in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. The conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Jordane New represented the government in briefing and at oral argument before the Eleventh Circuit. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case before the district court. 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: ILLEGAL ALIEN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSING A FIREARM WHILE ENGAGED IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Oscar Cruz-Baldo, 40, of Mexico, pled guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm and ammunition by an alien unlawfully in the United States. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The aggressive prosecution and removal of violent illegal aliens is central to the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America. My office is committed to working with our dedicated law enforcement partners to fulfill that promise, and as a result, we are making our communities safer.” Court documents reflect that Cruz-Baldo, a Mexican national, unlawfully entered the United States without inspection or authorization by an immigration officer. On February 12, 2025, he was involved in a domestic violence incident in Williston, Florida. According to the victim, Cruz-Baldo threatened to shoot her and her dog with a loaded shotgun. Levy County Deputies arrested Cruz-Baldo without further incident and located the loaded shotgun on the property. Cruz-Baldo faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and deportation from the United States. The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner. Sentencing is scheduled for September 30, 2025, at 1:00 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen Winsor. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 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, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Fort Thompson Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison  for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Central South Dakota

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on June 23, 2025. Weston Big Eagle, age 47, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, as well as a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Big Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He pleaded guilty on March 19, 2025. The conviction stemmed from a drug conspiracy beginning in January 2023 and continuing until December 2023. Big Eagle was involved in a conspiracy with several other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in and around the central South Dakota area, including within the Crow Creek and Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservations. As part of the conspiracy, Big Eagle was involved in distributing over 500 grams of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case. Big Eagle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Box Elder Man, Previously Sentenced in State Court, Given an Additional 7 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Pornography

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Box Elder, South Dakota, man convicted of Distribution of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on June 23, 2025. Branden Tyler Bernard, 34, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $12,500 in restitution, as well as a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Bernard will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. “This is yet another case in which a bad actor utilized Snapchat to target and sexually exploit a vulnerable young victim here in South Dakota,” said Alison J. Ramsdell. “When the initial state investigation uncovered hundreds of images and videos depicting additional child sex abuse material, local, state, and federal law enforcement partners collaborated to bring additional federal charges against this defendant. Branden Bernard will now be serving a combined 17-year sentence for his despicable acts.” Bernard was indicted for Distribution of Child Pornography, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in November 2023. He pleaded guilty on March 21, 2025. The federal case originated during the investigation of Bernard’s sexual victimization of a 13-year-old child in Meade County, South Dakota. Bernard had been soliciting the child for sex using Snapchat. When the child’s mother reported the child missing in 2023, law enforcement located the child on Bernard’s bed, in his home. Bernard was arrested for sexual offenses against that child. During the investigation, a forensic examiner with the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce examined multiple electronic devices belonging to Bernard. On Bernard’s devices, investigators located hundreds of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse and more than 2,000 messages Bernard sent to other persons discussing the trade and distribution of child sexual abuse depictions. The victims of Bernard’s criminal conduct ranged in age from infants to preteen minors. At least 25 victims were affirmatively identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Bernard pleaded guilty to Fourth Degree Rape of the 13-year-old child in Meade County Circuit Court. He was sentenced on November 17, 2023, to 14 years in state prison, with four years suspended. Bernard’s federal sentence was ordered to run consecutively to his sentence in state court. 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case. Bernard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Court Orders Over $1.5 Million in Restitution for Survivors of Convicted Sex Trafficker

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – This week, a federal judge in Boston ordered restitution in the amount of $1,510,300 to be paid to the survivors victimized by Jermall Anderson who sex trafficked seven women over the span of four years. On March 12, 2025, Anderson, 45, of Tewksbury, Mass. was sentenced to 15 years in prison for sex trafficking women throughout New England, New York and New Jersey. In November 2024 , Anderson pleaded guilty to seven counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; one count of coercion and enticement; and one count of interstate transportation for the purpose of prostitution. He was indicted in August 2023 along with two co-conspirators. The Court awarded the following restitution amounts directly payable to each of the seven separate survivors, based upon their testimony and other information regarding Anderson’s sex trafficking operation: Survivor 1: $508,000 Survivor 2: $40,000 Survivor 3: $91,300 Survivor 4: $252,000 Survivor 5: $264,000 Survivor 6: $10,000 Survivor 7: $345,000 From 2012 through 2016, Anderson, along with his co-conspirators, used physical violence, threats and the giving and withholding of heroin and cocaine to force seven different women to prostitute on their behalf. Anderson and his co-conspirators targeted vulnerable victims, specifically those struggling from drug addiction, homelessness and lack of economic resources. Anderson recruited women struggling with drug addiction directly from detox and drug rehabilitation facilities and forced and coerced them into providing commercial sex for his financial benefit. Under federal criminal code, 18 USC § 1593, victims of sex trafficking offenses are entitled to restitution for losses associated with the criminal offense. The United States Attorney’s Office is charged with the enforcement of court-imposed restitution orders or judgments. Collection will continue for 20 years after a defendant has completed any period of incarceration or until restitution is paid in full. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the HSI Office in New Haven, Conn., the Lynn and Tewksbury Police Departments (Mass.) and the Hampden (Conn.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Two Illegal Aliens Charged with Assaulting and Resisting Federal Law Enforcement Officers

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA & GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Ricardo Trejo-Martinez and Hector Beltran-Ledesma, both illegal aliens from Mexico, were charged this week with assaulting or resisting federal deportation officers. The charges arise from two separate incidents. Additionally, Beltran-Ledesma was charged with illegally re-entering the United States after prior deportation. “Interference with law enforcement and attacks on officers are unjustifiable,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Abiding by a policy of zero tolerance, our Office will vigorously and expeditiously hold accountable anyone who endangers or violently obstructs federal law enforcement officers.” “Violence and physical resistance against our men and women of law enforcement who place themselves at risk to enhance public safety will never be tolerated,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Our agents are committed to holding those who choose violence accountable, and thanks to their diligent efforts, Ricardo Trejo-Martinez and Hector Beltran-Ledesma, both illegal aliens, are now facing serious charges for their actions.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On May 20, 2025, a deportation officer conducted a vehicle stop on a four-lane highway in Commerce, Georgia to execute an administrative arrest warrant for an illegal alien. The driver, subsequently identified as Ricardo Trejo-Martinez, was the sole occupant of the vehicle. Trejo-Martinez allegedly refused to comply with the officer’s requests to provide identification and, once outside the vehicle, shoved the deportation officer into the highway as vehicles passed. On June 21, 2025, two deportation officers were tasked with locating and arresting Hector Beltran-Ledesma, a previously removed alien. Beltran-Ledesma was located upon leaving his home in Roswell, Georgia. He allegedly attempted to flee upon seeing the officers and, after receiving commands to stop, forcibly resisted arrest. Members of the public are reminded that the complaints only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Both cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Six Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Unlawfully Reentering the United States

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – The U.S. District Judge Eric F. Melgren separately sentenced six foreign nationals for unlawfully reentering the United States after previously being removed. Raul Luna-Gonzalez , 30, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty in March to Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Luna-Gonzalez was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Court records show that Luna-Gonzalez was arrested for Driving Under the Influence and Transporting an Open Container. While being booked into jail, Luna-Gonzalez’s fingerprint record showed that he was an alien unlawfully residing in the United States and had been previously deported in April 2019. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris prosecuted the case. Yair de Jesus Trejo-Mendoza , 37, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty in March to Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Trejo-Mendoza was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Court records show that Trejo-Mendoza was arrested for his second offense of Driving Under the Influence, Eluding, and Obstruction, among other charges. While being booked into jail, Trejo-Mendoza’s fingerprint record showed that he was an alien unlawfully residing in the United States and had been previously deported in 2008, 2015, and 2023. Court records further show that Trejo-Mendoza has three convictions related to drinking and driving, plus resisting arrest, and assault and battery upon an officer. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Greenough and Michele Hulgaard prosecuted the case. Benigno Villezcas Alcantar , 42, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty in February to Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Villezcas Alcantar was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release. Court records show that Villezcas Alcantar was arrested for Conjoint Robbery. While being booked into jail, Villezcas Alcantar’s fingerprint record showed that he was an alien unlawfully residing in the United States and had been previously deported in August 2015. Villezcas Alcantar told law enforcement that he reentered the United States in 2023. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris prosecuted the case. Julio Martinez-Perez , 36, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty in March to Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Martinez-Perez was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Court records show that Martinez-Perez was previously deported in 2016 after receiving a 24-month sentence for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin. In 2022, he was arrested again in Tulsa County and pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated trafficking of fentanyl and heroin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster prosecuted the case. Santiago Lopez Gonzalez , 43, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty in March to Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lopez Gonzalez was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Court records show that Lopez Gonzalez was arrested for an outstanding warrant for various crimes, including possession of a controlled drug. While being booked into jail, Lopez Gonzalez's fingerprint record showed that he was an alien unlawfully residing in the United States and had been deported three times. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie prosecuted the case. Alexander Enemias Ortiz-Gonzalez , 23, a Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty in March to Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ortiz-Gonzalez was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release. Court records show that Ortiz-Gonzalez was arrested for driving under the influence. While being booked into jail, Ortiz-Gonzalez's fingerprint record showed that he had an active warrant in Minnesota for fleeing from a police officer and that he had been previously deported in 2023. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster prosecuted the case. Record checks show that the defendants did not seek permission to re-enter the United States and that they never received consent from the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. The defendants are expected to face removal proceedings following their sentence. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the cases.


title: Multi-Kilo Distributor with Ties to Sinaloa Cartel Sentenced to 24 Years

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Nigel Gray, 45, of Raleigh, was sentenced to 24 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and five kilograms or more of cocaine. He pled guilty to the charges on June 28, 2024. Gray was also on federal supervised release at the time. “This case reflects our commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks—particularly those connected to cartels—and holding accountable those who fuel addiction and violence in the Eastern District,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “We will continue to work hand in hand with our state and federal partners to stop the flow of deadly narcotics and pursue justice for the people of this district.” “This sentencing marks significant progress in our relentless efforts to shield our communities from the harmful effects of drug trafficking," stated Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte, responsible for North and South Carolina. "Through the dismantling of this criminal network and the confiscation of dangerous substances such as fentanyl and cocaine, as well as firearms, HSI and its partners are enhancing the safety of our neighborhoods and firmly asserting that such illegal activities will not be tolerated.” Law enforcement received information linking Nigel Gray to the Sinaloa Cartel. On February 23, 2023, Homeland Security Investigations learned that a package containing nearly five kilograms of cocaine was enroute from Corona, California, to an address in Greenville, North Carolina. A controlled delivery was made on February 27, and a child retrieved the package. Surveillance and the investigation revealed Gray arranged for its pickup. On August 23, 2023, agents observed Gray in North Hills in Raleigh, meeting with individuals in a car later stopped in Winterville. Officers recovered 82 grams of fentanyl and 40 grams of cocaine. Further surveillance led to a Dollar General parking lot in Elizabeth City, where agents seized over two and a half kilograms of narcotics, including fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl. On March 13, 2024, Gray was arrested. Prior to his arrest, agents observed him leaving a Raleigh residence that held a kilogram press, drug packaging materials, firearms, and over two kilograms of fentanyl. A search of Gray’s car uncovered evidence of wire transfers to Mexico. Gray has prior convictions for Accessory after the fact (2005), Possession of a Firearm by a felon (2009), Assault with a Deadly Weapon (2009) and Conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin and 500 grams or more of cocaine (2012). Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Raleigh Police Department, Nashville Police Department, Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, and the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Katherine Englander prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-76-D.


title: Waterville Man Pleads Guilty to Making Interstate Threats

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to making threatening interstate communications. According to court records, on February 8, 2024, Benjamin Brown , 47, posted comments on YouTube threatening to hunt down and kill illegal immigrants. In his comments, Brown said that no one could stop him from killing illegal immigrants, not even law enforcement. Federal agents had previously met with Brown on two separate occasions to discuss other comments he had posted online and warned him about the federal crime of interstate threats. “You can’t threaten to kill people, like Benjamin Brown did, and not face repercussions,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “The FBI and our partners have to take you at your word and intervene, because protecting human life is our absolute priority.” “Despite being repeatedly warned about his online comments, Benjamin Brown not only made threats to kill others, but basically dared law enforcement to stop him,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Craig M. Wolff. “Online threats are no less serious than those made in other ways, and those who make them will be investigated and prosecuted.” Brown faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case with assistance from the Waterville Police Department. ###


title: Bahamian National Indicted For Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Kenthen Lavardo Swain (39, The Bahamas) with illegal reentry by an aggravated felon. If convicted on all counts, Swain faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, on or about May 16, 2025, Swain was found to be voluntarily in the United States after having previously been removed from the United States on three occasions. Swain had not received consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. Prior to being found, Swain had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of controlled substances with intent to sell or deliver. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Pipe Bomber Found Guilty of Blowing Up ATM

body_text: ATLANTA – Abdurrahim Jalal has been convicted of blowing up a bank automated teller machine and possessing illegal explosive devices. “Criminals who use dangerous explosives to commit crimes will face federal prosecution to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We will not tolerate conduct that puts innocent lives at risk or threatens the safety and stability of our communities.” “Jalal put his own greed ahead of the safety of our community. The FBI will use every resource available to find anyone who would go to the extreme use of a bomb to illegally obtain money,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. "The use of explosives in criminal activities poses an immense threat to public safety, and we will continue to work diligently to ensure that those who engage in such acts are brought to justice," said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Abdurrahim Jalal was convicted of bank theft, use of an explosive to commit a felony, arson, and two counts of possession of an unregistered destructive device following a bench trial on June 23, 2025. The evidence at trial revealed that on March 29, 2023, Jalal used a pipe bomb to blow up an ATM in Decatur, Georgia. Jalal took approximately $88,000 from the vault of the machine after the explosion. Investigators identified Jalal and obtained a warrant to search his home, during which they recovered additional pipe bombs. Sentencing for Abdurrahim Jalal, 54, of DeKalb County, Georgia, is scheduled for September 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown. Jalal faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 60 years of imprisonment followed by up to three years of supervised release. In determining Jalal’s actual sentence, the court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, DeKalb County Police Department, and DeKalb County Fire Rescue Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dash A. Cooper is prosecuting the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Lab Owner, Marketing Company Owner, and Doctor All Sentenced in Multi-Million Dollar Medicare and Medicaid Kickback Conspiracy

body_text: NASHVILLE – Fadel Alshalabi, 57, of Waxhaw, North Carolina, Samuel Harris, 30, of American Fork, Utah, and Benjamin Toh, M.D., 71, of Chicago, Illinois, have each been sentenced after two separate trials for their roles in a multi-million, multi-state Medicare and Medicaid conspiracy to pay and receive illegal kickbacks, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Alshalabi was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, and money laundering. He was the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Crestar Labs, LLC (“Crestar Labs”), based in Spring Hill, Tennessee, which operated laboratories in Texas, Maryland, and Tennessee. Harris was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute. He was the owner of Flojo Recruiting d/b/a Secure Health, a Utah-based marketing company that contracted with Crestar Labs. Toh was sentenced to 13 months in prison for conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. He was a doctor in Chicago who purported to see patients through “telemedicine” companies and signed orders for laboratory tests that Crestar Labs used to bill Medicare and Medicaid. “Those involved in health care schemes, motivated by greed and designed entirely to bilk the American taxpayers, should face substantial sentences in prison,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “I congratulate the hard-working prosecutors and agents who devoted countless hours to hold these defendants accountable after lengthy trials. We will not be deterred from pursuing individuals like these defendants, who executed a national scheme that exploited the elderly and vulnerable and depleted taxpayer dollars.” “Paying kickbacks for referrals for medical services involving federal healthcare programs is illegal and can cause the delivery of unnecessary medical services and put patients’ wellbeing and health at risk,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “These sentencings demonstrate the commitment of HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners to hold those who exploit these programs accountable.” “Health care fraud impacts individuals, businesses, and the overall healthcare system,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “This sentencing demonstrates the tenacity of the FBI and our partners to pursue anyone who conspires to exploit Medicare and Medicaid for financial gain.” According to the evidence presented at the two trials in this matter, Alshalabi, Harris, and their co-conspirators, including six other individuals who were charged and pled guilty in the same case, entered into sham contracts and paid illegal kickbacks in exchange for laboratory genetic tests. The marketing companies targeted and recruited elderly and low-income patients who were federal health care program beneficiaries at senior health fairs, through door-to-door marketing, and in low-income neighborhoods to obtain their genetic material for conducting genetic tests. The tests were then approved by purported telemedicine doctors, like Dr. Toh, who were paid kickbacks in exchange for signing off on the laboratory orders sent to Crestar Labs. Toh signed orders for hundreds of patients who he did not know and never contacted. He received $20 per order. Alshalabi, through Crestar Labs and the other laboratories it operated, then billed Medicare and Medicaid for the tests, often claiming reimbursement of more than $10,000 per test. During the conspiracy, Alshalabi and his co-conspirators billed over $129 million for laboratory tests and were paid over $35 million. Of claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid, over $6 million were based on samples obtained by Harris and over $9 million were based on orders signed by Dr. Toh. Once paid, Alshalabi paid kickbacks to the marketing companies in exchange for the referrals. Alshalabi, through Crestar Labs, paid over $12 million in illegal kickbacks and bribes. The laboratory tests were run, but as patients testified at trial, many never received the test results at all. Those who did receive the results often did not understand them, and the doctors who ordered the tests, like Dr. Toh, never followed up with them. In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Alshalabi was sentenced to a term of supervised release of three years, and Harris and Toh each received one year of supervised release. Restitution for Alshalabi and Harris will be determined at a later hearing. Dr. Toh was ordered to pay $495,000 in restitution. Six co-defendants named in the same indictment charging Alshalabi and Harris previously pled guilty before trial. They were: Edward D. Klapp of Jupiter, Florida, the former Vice President of Sales for Crestar Labs; Melissa L. Chastain of Belton, South Carolina, the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Genetix LLC, a South Carolina marketing company that contracted with Crestar Labs; Roger Allison of Greenville, South Carolina, the President of Genetix; Dakota White of Easley, South Carolina, the former Director of Client Services and Vice President of Operations for Crestar Labs; Robert Alan Richardson of Silver Spring, Maryland, a principal of Maryland based Freedom Medical Labs, LLC, a marketing company that contracted with Crestar Labs; and Edward Burch of Rockville, Maryland, also a principal of Freedom Medical Labs, LLC. Each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. They all face up to 10 years in federal prison on the conspiracy to commit health care fraud and up to 5 years on the conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. They will be sentenced at a later date. Elizabeth H. Turner, of Glenview, Kentucky, the owner of Advanced Tele-Genetic Counseling, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. She will be sentenced at a later date. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office, with the assistance of state partners including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. United States v. Alshalabi and Harris is docketed at Case No. 3:21-cr-00171. United States v. Benjamin Toh is docketed at Case No. 3:22-cr-00392. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah K. Bogni and Robert S. Levine prosecuted the cases. # # # # #


title: Orlando Man Indicted For Making Online Threats Against The United States Attorney For The District Of New Jersey

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Salvatore Russotto (58, Orlando) with threatening to injure and kill the victim, the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba, and with retaliating against a federal law enforcement officer by threat. If convicted on both counts, Russotto faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, on May 19, 2025, Russotto made a threat to injure and kill the victim in a series of postings from an online account belonging to him. Specifically, Russotto stated, among other things, “A slow painful death for HABBA,” “Eliminate HABBA. 86 Traitor. Death penalty for all traitors,” “I HOPE YOU DIE A PAINFUL DEATH,” a true threat of violence. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark, Jersey and Tampa, Florida Field Offices – and the United States Marshals Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara Wick.


title: Owners of Construction Company Charged with Defrauding the City of New York in Connection with Over $13.5 Million of Public School Repairs

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, a complaint was filed charging Dalip Singh and Gurnirmal Singh, the owners of TEMCO Construction NY, Inc., with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a scheme to submit falsified payroll records to the New York City Department of Education (DOE) about the wages and benefits paid by TEMCO to employees performing repairs on New York City public schools. Dalip Singh and Gurnirmal Singh were arrested this morning and will make their initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI); Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York); and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division (SSAOIG), announced the arrests and charges. “As alleged, the defendants lied to the DOE about using undocumented workers, and deprived those workers—who toiled long days, school holidays, and weekends—of proper compensation they had earned, so that they could line their pockets and bank accounts on New York City’s tab,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “My Office and our law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue employers who try to gain an unfair advantage over honest companies that follow the law and treat their workers fairly.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the DOE and the New York City Office of the Comptroller for their assistance. “The Singhs allegedly laundered more than thirteen million dollars from the City of New York, underpaying their workers in cash and pocketing the difference. These two men took advantage of both the taxpayers and undocumented workers, then tried to destroy the evidence. It is clear that there was no regard for the rule of law, but after today, they will learn what justice is all about,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis. “Today’s charges reflect our relentless pursuit of criminal businesses that undermine the viability of immigration systems, circumvent labor laws, and ultimately gain an unfair financial advantage in the national economy via the employment of illegal aliens,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “The message is clear: if you exploit the unauthorized workforce for personal gain and undercut American jobs, HSI—along with our law enforcement partners—will hold you accountable.” “These defendants broke the law by hiring illegal undocumented workers, exploited them by underpaying them and manipulating wage records to falsely inflate their own and their family members’ Social Security earnings,” stated Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge, SSA OIG, New York Field Division. “Their scheme defrauded federal programs that rely on accurate wage reporting. We thank our partners at the IRS and HSI New York for their collaboration in uncovering this fraud and holding the owners of TEMCO Construction NY accountable.” From approximately December 2017 to April 2025, TEMCO maintained an office in Jamaica, New York. In April 2025, TEMCO moved its office to Hicksville, New York. According to the criminal complaint, between 2017 and 2025, Dalip Singh and Gurnirmal Singh, who are not related, hired undocumented aliens without legal authorization to work in the United States to provide masonry, scaffolding, and construction services at New York City public schools and DOE buildings (“DOE Worksites”) at below the prevailing wage required by New York State labor law and contracts with the DOE. Dalip Singh then submitted false certified payrolls to the DOE for work performed by TEMCO employees at DOE Worksites. These payroll certifications falsely listed relatives who did not actually work at the DOE Worksites, falsely omitted some undocumented workers who actually worked at the DOE Worksites, and falsely overstated the wages being paid to TEMCO’s workers. Specifically, Dalip Singh falsely stated that TEMCO had paid its employees the prevailing wage when in fact, the employees had been paid far less, often in cash, or had their wages on other jobs lowered to offset the prevailing wages on the DOE work. The defendants pocketed the difference that their employees were underpaid. As further alleged in the complaint, the defendants attempted to conceal their fraud, directing their workers to lie to New York City investigators about the wages they received. When Dalip Singh suspected that law enforcement agents were investigating, he directed his employees to conceal and destroy records. The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of wire fraud, the defendants each face up to 20 years in prison. This case is part of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York’s Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) Strike Force. Capitalizing on the Office’s preeminence in this area, the Strike Force focuses on investigating, prosecuting and dismantling cartels and TCOs. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney John Vagelatos is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : DALIP SINGH Age: 67 East Meadow, Long Island GURNIRMAL SINGH Age: 64 Westbury, Long Island E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-219 dalip_and_gurnirmal_complaint.pdf