title: Nine Charged With Conspiracy To Steal Major Artworks And Sports Memorabilia

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Dombek, age 53, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, Damien Boland, age 47, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, Alfred Atsus, age 47, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania, and Joseph Atsus, age 48, of Roaring Brook, Pennsylvania were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment or disposal of objects of cultural heritage, and interstate transportation of stolen property. All four men were also charged with substantive counts of theft of major artwork and the concealment or disposal of objects of cultural heritage. Dombek was further charged with a substantive count of interstate transportation of stolen property. Five other individuals were charged by felony informations for the same conspiracy. They are Thomas Trotta, age 48, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, Frank Tassiello, age 50, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Daryl Rinker, age 50, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, Dawn Trotta, age 51, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania, and Ralph Parry, age 45, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment and informations charge the nine with conspiring over a period of 20 years to break into multiple museums and other institutions to steal priceless works of art, sports memorabilia, and other objects. Those objects include the following: A Christy Mathewson jersey and two contracts signed by Mathewson stolen in 1999 from Keystone College in Factoryville, Pennsylvania; “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum, Scranton, Pennsylvania; Nine (9) World Series rings, seven (7) other championship rings, and two (2) MVP plaques awarded to Yogi Berra, worth over $1,000,000 stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center, Little Falls, New Jersey; Six (6) championship belts, including four awarded to Carmen Basilio and two awarded to Tony Zale stolen in 2015 from the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Canastota, New York; The Hickok Belt and MVP Trophy awarded to Roger Maris, stolen in 2016 from the Roger Maris Museum, Fargo, North Dakota; The U.S. Amateur Trophy and a Hickok Belt awarded to Ben Hogan, stolen in 2012 from the USGA Golf Museum & Library, Liberty Corner, New Jersey; Fourteen (14) trophies and other awards worth over $300,000 stolen in 2012 from the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, Goshen, New York; Five (5) trophies worth over $400,000, including the 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy, stolen in 2013 from the National Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, Saratoga Springs, New York; Eleven (11) trophies, including 4 awarded to Art Wall, Jr. stolen in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania; Three antique firearms worth a combined $1,000,000 stolen in 2006 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum, Wantage, New Jersey; An 1903/1904 Tiffany Lamp stolen in 2010 from the Lackawanna Historical Society, Scranton, Pennsylvania, “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, worth approximately $500,000, and two antique firearms worth over $300,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor, Ringwood, New Jersey; $400,000 worth of gold nuggets stolen in 2011 from the Sterling Hill Mining Museum, Ogdensburg, New Jersey; Various gems, minerals, and other items stolen in 2017 from the Franklin Mineral Museum, Franklin, New Jersey; An antique shotgun worth over $30,000 stolen in 2018 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum, Wantage, New Jersey; Various jewelry, and other items from multiple antique and jewelry stores in New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. The indictment and informations further allege that after stealing the above-described items, the conspirators transported the stolen goods back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, often to the residence of Dombek, and melted the memorabilia down into easily transportable metal discs or bars. The conspirators sold the raw metal to other individuals in the New York City area for hundreds or thousands of dollars, but significantly less than the stolen items would be worth at fair market value. The indictment and informations further allege that Dombek burnt the painting “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, valued at approximately $500,000, to avoid the recovery of the painting by investigators for use as evidence against the members of the conspiracy. The whereabouts of many of the other paintings and stolen objects are currently unknown. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the New York State Police, the New Jersey State Park Police, the Newport Police Department (Rhode Island), the Fargo Police Department (North Dakota), the Chester Police Department (New York), the Wyoming Regional Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Scranton Police Department, the Franklin Police Department (New Jersey), the Village of Goshen Police Department (New York), the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, D.C.), the West Milford Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Montclair Police Department (New Jersey), the Saratoga Springs Police Department (New York), the Canastota Police Department (New York), the South Abington Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Bernards Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Salisbury Township Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Montclair State University Police Department (New Jersey), the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania), the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (New York), and the Madison County District Attorney’s Office (New York). Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for the conspiracy count is five years imprisonment, and for each of the other offenses is ten years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Russian National Charged with Conspiring to Commit Lockbit Ransomware Attacks Against U.S. and Foreign Businesses

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The Justice Department today announced charges against a Russian national for his involvement in deploying numerous LockBit ransomware and other cyberattacks against victim computer systems in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Africa. Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov, 20, (АСТАМИРОВ, Руслан Магомедовичь), of Chechen Republic, Russia, is charged by complaint unsealed today in Newark federal court with conspiring to commit wire fraud and conspiring to intentionally damage protected computers and to transmit ransom demands. Astamirov was arrested on the complaint in Arizona and is scheduled to make his initial appearance in the District of Arizona. “Astamirov is the third defendant charged by this office in the LockBit global ransomware campaign, and the second defendant to be apprehended,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “The LockBit conspirators and any other ransomware perpetrators cannot hide behind imagined online anonymity. We will continue to work tirelessly with all our law enforcement partners to identify ransomware perpetrators and bring them to justice.” “This Lockbit-related arrest, the second in six months, underscores the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to hold ransomware actors accountable,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said. “In securing the arrest of a second Russian national affiliated with the LockBit ransomware, the department has once again demonstrated the long arm of the law. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt cybercrime, and while cybercriminals may continue to run, they ultimately cannot hide.” “These cyber criminals hide in a virtual world but cause very real harm when they seize control of computer systems, putting companies and customers in an unimaginable bind,” FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Either pay the ransoms or lose control of your entire information technology infrastructure. It is too high a price for anyone to be forced to pay. Astamirov's arrest, along with the others charged in this case, is a simple but devastating illustration of how we are following through on our promise - we are bringing these hackers to justice." According to documents filed in this case: The LockBit ransomware variant first appeared around January 2020. LockBit actors have executed over 1,400 attacks against victims in the United States and around the world, issuing over $100 million in ransom demands and receiving at least as much as tens of millions of dollars in actual ransom payments made in the form of bitcoin. In furtherance of his LockBit-related activities, Astamirov owned, controlled, and used a variety of email addresses, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and other online provider accounts that allowed him and his co-conspirators to deploy LockBit ransomware and to communicate with their victims. Additionally, in at least one circumstance, law enforcement was able to trace a portion of a victim’s ransom payment to a virtual currency address in Astamirov’s control. This announcement follows LockBit-related charges in two other cases from the District of New Jersey. In November 2022, the department announced criminal charges against Mikhail Vasiliev, and Canadian national, who is currently in custody in Canada awaiting extradition to the United States. In May 2023, the department announced the indictment of Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, aka Wazawaka, aka m1x, aka Boriselcin, aka Uhodiransomwar, for his alleged participation in separate conspiracies to deploy LockBit, Babuk, and Hive ransomware variants against victims in the United States and abroad. The charge of conspiring to intentionally damage protected computers and to transmit ransom demands is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison. The charge of conspiring to commit wire fraud is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. Both charges are also punishable by a maximum fine of either $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The FBI Newark Field Office’s Cyber Crimes Task Force is investigating the case. The FBI Phoenix Division, the Jersey City Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Newark IRS Criminal Investigation, and the international partners from Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre, Eurojust, National Police Agency of Japan, France’s Gendarmerie Nationale Cyberspace Command (Cyber Crime Investigation Unit / C3N), National Crime Agency and South West Regional Organized Crime Unit of the United Kingdom, Kantonspolizei Zürich of Switzerland, Landeskriminalamt Schleswig-Holstein and the Bundeskriminalamt of Germany, and Swedish Police Authority of Sweden also provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly, Vinay S. Limbachia, and David E. Malagold of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark and DOJ Trial Attorneys Jessica C. Peck and Jorge Gonzalez of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. astamirov.complaint.pdf


title: Indiana Man Charged in Federal Court with Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracies

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that a man from Lebanon, Indiana, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments. Evan Frederick Light, age 20, was indicted on May 2, 2023. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on June 12, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction for each charge is up to 20 years in custody, and/or a $500,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution and forfeiture may also be ordered. According to the Indictment, in 2021 and continuing until May of 2023, Light conspired and agreed with others to defraud and to obtain money and property from others by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. After obtaining funds through fraud, Light and others engaged in transactions with virtual currencies and electronic payments. These transactions were designed to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the fraud proceeds. The charges are merely accusations and Light is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case. Light was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings and trial. A trial date has been set for August 15, 2023.


title: Black Hawk Man Indicted for Child Pornography Charges


title: Dupree Man Sentenced for Sexual Contact with a Person Incapable of Consenting

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Dupree, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Contact with a Person Incapable Of Consenting. The sentencing took place on June 12, 2023. Floyd Traversie, age 21, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Traversie was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2021. He pleaded guilty on March 27, 2023. The conviction stems from conduct that occurred between June 15, 2020, and June 30, 2020, at a residence in rural Ziebach County within the Cheyenne River Reservation. Traversie engaged in sexual contact with a 17-year-old female, who at the time was incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct and was physically incapable of declining participation in and communicating an unwillingness to engage in the sexual contact, knowing that the victim was incapacitated. This case was investigated by the and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case. Traversie was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rapid City Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Rapid City, South Dakota, man for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. Christian Lorenzo Witt, age 30, was indicted in May of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on June 9, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. The charge relates to Witt, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly being in possession of a Glock GmbH pistol in Rapid City in March of 2023. The charge is merely an accusation and Witt is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 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 investigation is being conducted by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case. Witt was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Observes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In observance of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), U.S. Attorney Dena J. King joined the Justice Department and communities around the world today to condemn elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, and vowed to continue to investigate and prosecute bad actors who seek to exploit and harm older adults. First recognized on June 15, 2006, by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations, WEAAD aims to promote a better understanding of the abuse and neglect experienced by millions of older adults – crimes that are too often overlooked or unreported. Through this observance, WEAAD brings focus to the cultural, social, economic, and demographic circumstances affecting elder abuse and neglect. “Today, we reaffirm our commitment to end elder abuse and to continue to work tirelessly to advocate for older adults and advance the cause of elder justice. On this day and every day, it is important to shine a light on elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and bring to justice individuals who victimize older adults and rob them of the safety, dignity, and respect they deserve.” Dena J. King, United States Attorney The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina seeks to actively prevent elder abuse and financial exploitation from occurring in the first place. As part of its efforts to prevent elder financial fraud, the Office continues to engage in outreach with the community to educate older adults, their families, and caretakers about scams targeting the elderly, and provide educational material and resources on how to recognize and report elder abuse and financial exploitation and prevent victimization from happening. Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office organized a “Walk for Awareness” at Freedom Park in Charlotte, to promote WEAAD and raise public awareness of the fight against elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel, law enforcement partners, AARP volunteers, and members of the community participated in the walk in support of efforts to advance elder justice. “As prosecutors our job is to bring to justice those who inflict harm on our older population. Equally important is our work in the community and our efforts to actively organize and promote public awareness events centered on the prevention of elder abuse and exploitation, so we can stop older adults from being victimized in the first place,” said U.S. Attorney King. To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov. To learn more about the Office’s elder justice efforts please visit our website .


title: Bookkeeper Is Sentenced To Prison For Embezzling More Than $1.35 Million From Employer

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A bookkeeper was sentenced to prison today for embezzling more than $1.35 from his employer, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger ordered Danny Dale Tremble, 49, of Conover, N.C., to serve 41 months in prison followed by three of supervised release, and to pay restitution in the amount of $1,639,659.99. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and court proceedings, from October 2013 to December 2021, Tremble executed a scheme to embezzle and defraud his Asheville-based employer, Azalea Management and Leasing, Inc. (Azalea). Tremble worked at Azalea as an accountant, and in that capacity had access to the company’s bank accounts and accounting records. Over the course of the scheme, Tremble routinely misused his access to Azalea’s bank accounts to embezzle company funds, which he used to pay off personal credit cards and to cover personal expenditures including lavish hotel stays, dining, and shopping. Tremble also used stolen company funds to purchase a camper, a boat, a trailer, a pickup truck, and to buy multiple firearms. Court documents show that Tremble failed to report any of the embezzled income on his Joint Individual Income Tax Returns, Forms 1040, amounting to a federal tax loss of $288,716. On February 13, 2023, Tremble pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return. He is currently released on bond and will be ordered to surrender to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and IRS-CI for their investigation of the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled the prosecution.


title: Columbus Armed Robber Sentenced to Prison for 2021 Crime Spree

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus man who committed a series of armed robberies with his stepbrother in 2021, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison by a federal judge this week. Quentin Anderson, 29, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on June 14; Anderson previously pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit an offense on Feb. 24. Co-defendant, Janerio Jones, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on Dec. 20, 2022, and faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of robbery and a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for the firearm charge. Jones’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11. There is no parole in the federal system. “The Columbus business community was terrorized in early 2021 when Anderson and Jones robbed employees of several local businesses at gunpoint; I am thankful no lives were lost during this violent crime spree,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office prioritizes prosecutions against violent offenders and in collaboration with law enforcement, we will continue to do everything in our power to reduce violence and hold dangerous criminals accountable.” “No one should ever be terrorized physically or emotionally, like the victims in these violent armed robberies were,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to the assistance from our local law enforcement partners, Anderson will spend a long time behind bars where he won’t be able to wreak havoc on any more innocent civilians." “In the span of a few days, the defendants charted a path of violent armed robberies at multiple businesses across Columbus. Thanks to the collaborative effort with our state and federal partners, these individuals were arrested before they could terrorize another business and its employees. The recent sentencing and plea send a clear message that acts of armed robbery will not be tolerated in our community,” said Columbus Police Department Deputy Chief Lance Deaton. According to court documents, Jones and Anderson together robbed seven businesses in Columbus between Jan. 18, 2021, and Feb. 22, 2021. On the afternoon of Jan. 18, the defendants robbed both the Little Caesars on Buena Vista Road and the Dollar General on Crystal Drive within an hour and a half of each other. At Little Caesars, the entire cash register was removed from the store and the store employees took cover at the back of the store once they realized the robbers had a gun. At Dollar General, the robbers attempted to take the cash register, failed and fled on foot. Four days later, on Jan. 22, the defendants held up the Forrest Road Package on Forrest Road. One of the robbers pointed a gun in the face of a store employee while the other attempted to rob an employee at the back of the store. The cash register tray was taken. The following day, on Jan. 23, the owner of Jerry’s Food Mart on St. Mary’s Road was robbed at gunpoint by Jones and Anderson. The robbers took the owner’s wallet, store merchandise and cash. On Jan. 27, the owner of the Super C Food Mart on Decatur Street was robbed at gunpoint. The owner refused to give the robbers cash, and Jones fired a round at the cashier, which struck the protective glass barrier. As they exited the building, Jones fired another round at the owner which penetrated the glass barrier, narrowly missing him. The store owner fired his own gun at the assailants. On the evening of Feb. 4, the defendants and another individual robbed the Quality Inn on Macon Road. Jones pointed his handgun at the property owner’s head and stole money out of the hotel safe; the men fled on foot. On Feb. 22 at approximately 8:53 p.m., the defendants robbed the Marco’s Pizza on University Avenue. Jones fired his gun into the air when they entered the restaurant and demanded money. The robbers fled with stolen cash. Several Marco’s Pizza employees quit their jobs after the violent incident. Anderson was taken into custody on April 14, 2021, at a residence in Stockbridge, Georgia. Jones was taken into custody on Aug. 11, 2021, at a motel in Forest Park, Georgia. The case was investigated by FBI and the Columbus Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – United States Attorney Kate E. Brubacher encourages the citizens of Kansas to recognize World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, 2023, and to remain vigilant on behalf of our older family, friends, and loved ones who are at increased risk of abuse and fraud. Older persons are at higher risk of exploitation, emotional and physical abuse, neglect, financial frauds, and scams, which can be perpetrated against them by strangers, trusted friends, and family alike. In addition to exploiting close relationships, abusers can contact older adults by phone, email, mail, social media, and the internet. Staying connected with older adults, encouraging trust and transparency regarding their relationships and contacts, and reducing social isolation are some of the most powerful tools in our community arsenal for combatting abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. These intentional and negligent acts affect millions of older adults every year, with wide-reaching implications on victims’ physical and emotional health, their finances, and their dignity and sense of trust. Unfortunately, the unprecedented challenges of the opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic have only exacerbated vulnerabilities that tend to disproportionally impact older adults. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas remains steadfastly committed to supporting and coordinating with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to combat abuse of our elder citizens. Schemes to defraud these citizens with tactics such as social security and tax imposter scams, tech support scams, lottery scams, and romance scams are priorities the Office continues to investigate and prosecute on an ongoing basis. Last year, in the District of Kansas, Oyindamola Akinrinola was sentenced on November 15, 2022, to six months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to her plea agreement, Arkinrinola participated in a scheme involving Facebook messages from an individual who purported to be with FedEx. Victims were led to believe they won a $130,000 grant and that FedEx would deliver the cash if the victims paid a “case file fee”. When victims said they did not have money to pay the “fee”, they allowed the purported Facebook account holder to purchase iPhones through their Verizon account and mail them to Arkinrinola. Victims also received an image from the Facebook account claiming to be from the IRS and requesting $15,000 before the grant funds were released. The victims never received any of the grant money they supposedly won from FedEx. Akinrinola also admitted receiving more than $160,000 in deposits related to scams and remitting the majority of money to Nigeria after keeping a portion of the scammed proceeds for herself. Also, last year a federal grand jury in Topeka indicted a U.S. Army service member for allegedly participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $149,476 from at least 25 individuals. On March 3, 2023, Innocent Ugwu, a U.S Army service member plead guilty to wire fraud to fraudulently obtain approximately $149,476 from victims. According to the plea agreement, Ugwu engaged in a scheme to defraud and to obtain money from victims across the United States. Specifically, Ugwu engaged in a romance and/or advanced fee scheme by falsely claiming there was money internationally that could not be accessed until the victim paid a small amount of taxes; claiming ailments or hardships to entice the victim to transfer money for life saving medical procedures; and also contacted victims pretending to be an attorney and requesting money as a retainer to pursue the fraudsters to recoup the victim's original loss. He then transferred the money to and through multiple bank accounts opened and controlled by him. Ugwu is scheduled to be sentenced June 20, 2023. The Department of Justice maintains a robust set of resources to educate yourself and your loved ones about these issues at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice . If you or someone you know is a victim of elder fraud, please call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 (833–372–8311). The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time. Services are available for speakers of English, Spanish, and other languages. You may also report suspected elder fraud by calling the Denver FBI field office at (303) 629-7171. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was launched by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations in order to raise the public consciousness to these too often underrecognized and underreported violations of human rights. ###


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violation of the Federal Gun Control Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DEVON CLAIBORNE , age 24, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2023 before United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to a one count indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. CLAIBORNE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Waynesville, N.C. Man Is Sentenced For Possession Of Illegal Machineguns

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jacob Ryan McClure, 25, of Waynesville, N.C. was sentenced to 33 months in prison today followed by three years of supervised released for possession of machineguns, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff William Wilke of the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to documents filed with the court and today’s sentencing proceedings, on July 6, 2022, deputies with the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office stopped McClure’s vehicle for a traffic violation. Over the course of the traffic stop, law enforcement found in McClure’s vehicle 97 illegal conversion devices, commonly known as “Glock switches,” which are used to convert firearms into machineguns. Law enforcement also seized four P80 pistols, which are privately manufactured firearms referred to as “Ghost guns,” that had been converted into machineguns with illegal Glock switches. Law enforcement also recovered a conventional Glock firearm that also had a Glock switch installed, an unregistered short-barreled 9mm rifle, 10 unregistered firearm silencers, and $3,000 in cash. According to court records, prior to the incident in Haywood County, in August 2021, McClure was arrested in Tennessee after law enforcement seized from McClure’s vehicle and rental cabin several firearms, including converted machineguns, an unregistered silencer, narcotics, and over $10,000 in cash. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Tennessee brought federal charges against McClure in connection with this offense. Those charges were later transferred to the U.S. District Court in the Western District of North Carolina. On March 3, 2023, McClure pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of machineguns in connection with both federal cases. McClure remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dover, Tennessee, Police Department for conducting investigations which led to today’s sentence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled the prosecution. U.S. Attorney King also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee for their coordination and assistance.


title: Three Lexington County Defendants Sentenced in Federal Court for Labor Trafficking and Fraud in Foreign Labor Contracting

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Enrique Balcazar, 37, and Elizabeth Balcazar, 21,– both of Batesburg – and Balcazar Nature Harvesting, LLC (BNH) have been sentenced in federal court for labor trafficking, confiscating passports in connection with labor trafficking, and fraud in foreign labor contracting. Evidence presented in Court indicated that Enrique Balcazar and his daughter Elizabeth Balcazar operated BNH, which provided seasonal agricultural labor to farms in the Lexington County area. In early 2021, the defendants incorporated the business and obtained permission from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to recruit foreign national agricultural workers by promising it would provide particular work conditions for its workers. Elizabeth then travelled to Mexico and recruited 55 Mexican nationals to work for BNH in Lexington County in exchange for those same promises. Each worker obtained an H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa that authorized them to lawfully work in the United States. Elizabeth travelled by bus with the workers back to Lexington County, where she and her father brought the workers to a camp facility in Batesburg where they would live and work for BNH. Enrique and Elizabeth confiscated the workers’ passports and visas the same day they arrived. From April 2021 to December 2021, BNH subjected the workers to forced and exploitative labor. Rather than the 40 hours of work per week promised, victims were made to work nearly twice that, and some weeks as many as 90 hours. Because BNH only paid victim workers for 40 hours, the workers received no pay at all for a portion of their work. BNH further failed to pay promised wages for the hours they did pay, and they engaged in illegal cost-shifting by requiring workers’ pay for transportation, visas, food, and work equipment. Workers were also made to work outside of the location BNH promised, and some mornings workers were woken at 3:00 A.M. or 4:00 A.M. to travel to a work site. Workers were returned at 10:00 P.M. or 11:00 P.M., which is when they were provided dinner. The defendants promised to provide three meals a day, but instead they provided two meals a day, for which BNH improperly deducted from worker paychecks. Enrique used force and coercion to keep workers with BNH, including by threatening deportation, confiscating passports and visas, brandishing and discharging firearms, failing to provide medical care, placing locks on the outside of the facility where workers slept, and by posting armed guards at the camp facility. Workers eventually began to escape and speak with victim service providers, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (HSI). In December 2021, a federal search warrant was executed at BNH, where agents seized 23 firearms, ammunition, body armor, at least 9 victim passports from BNH. Following that search, service providers provided victim assistance and DOL investigated workplace conditions. Federal charges were brought, and Enrique Balcazar pled guilty to Labor Trafficking in violation 18 U.S.C. § 1589 and Passport Confiscation in Furtherance of Labor Trafficking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1592. Elizabeth Balcazar and BNH pled guilty to Fraud in Foreign Labor Contracting in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1351. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced the defendants, and at sentencing the Court heard from nineteen victims through written victim impact statements. Enrique Balcazar was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison, $11,332.90 in restitution, 3 years of Court-ordered supervision to follow his term of imprisonment, he will be placed in immigration removal proceedings following imprisonment, and 23 firearms, ammunition, body armor, and more than $32,000 in funds were ordered to be forfeited. There is no parole in the federal system. Elizabeth Balcazar was sentenced to time served (two months), she was ordered to pay a total of $508,125.89 in restitution to 55 victim workers largely related to unpaid wages, plus 3 years of Court-ordered supervision, 1 year of a curfew, and 100 hours of community service at an organization that serves the immigrant community. BNH was ordered to pay $508,125.89 in restitution to 55 victim workers, more than $32,000 in business funds were forfeited, and the business was sentenced to 3 years of probation. “Our office will not tolerate forced labor or the exploitation of foreign national workers in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “Human trafficking violates people’s most basic human rights, and the Department will continue to bring every resource we have to combat it. We thank our law enforcement and service provider partners for their critical work in this case.” “Identifying and stopping those who are involved in labor exploitation not only protects workers from unjust and inhumane treatment, but also prevents unfair competitive advantages that harm the labor market,” said Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Charlotte, which covers North and South Carolina. “Hopefully, the results of this case will encourage others being exploited to come forward and seek help.” “Victims of labor trafficking deserve justice. Our communities are safe when we show that labor trafficking will not be tolerated in South Carolina,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “SLED will continue to work together with local, state and federal law enforcement, as well as prosecutors and other community partners, so the people and businesses that look to harm and exploit these individuals will face consequences.” “Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes against workers, especially when employers prey on our society’s most vulnerable members,” said U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division District Director Jamie Benefiel. “These victim workers traveled far from home to provide for their families and found themselves stripped of their dignity, freedom, and basic human rights. The U.S. Department of Labor and its Wage and Hour Division are engaged in a battle to identify human trafficking, to end the misery it brings, and to hold those who callously engage in it accountable.” The case was investigated by HSI, SLED, and DOL. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Carrie Fisher Sherard prosecuted the case. ###


title: Jury Convicts Alabama Man of Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Conspiracy

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

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – On June 14, 2023, a federal jury convicted Curtis Navelle Harrison, 45, of Monroeville, Alabama, of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and less than 40 grams of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”). According to Court documents and evidence presented at trial, on July 23, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Louis Booker, Jr. from a residence in Moss Point, Mississippi. Three days later, on July 26, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the residence. During the execution of the search warrant, Booker, Harrison, another adult male, and a minor child fled from the residence. When the individuals were apprehended, officers located a $10.00 bill from the prior buy on Harrison’s person. Approximately 200 grams of methamphetamine, firearms, and fentanyl were also recovered from the residence. Subsequent investigation resulted in the discovery of text messages and social media messages between Harrison and Booker, which demonstrated that they were involved in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Harrison is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2023. He faces a maximum potential sentence of life imprisonment. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Booker previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and is awaiting sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Lauren Dick prosecuted the case with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Gaines Cleveland.


title: Drug trafficker returns to prison for committing PPP and other pandemic relief fraud while on supervised release

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Ashford Richardson has been sentenced to two and a half additional years in prison for fraudulently obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) shortly after being released from prison on federal drug trafficking charges. He was on supervised release and subject to monitoring by the U.S. Probation Office when he committed these new crimes. “Richardson had been released from prison for only 10 months when he orchestrated a scheme to steal more than $50,000 of pandemic relief funds that were badly needed by small businesses to continue functioning and support their employees,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We will continue to utilize all the tools at our disposal to identify and hold accountable individuals who commit fraud.” “Richardson has not learned the lesson that crime doesn’t pay, and his latest crime is evidence of that. Fortunately, his scheme to steal money intended to help people struggling during the COVID pandemic was caught and he is facing justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “This isn’t a victimless crime, every time a fraudster like this stole money, legitimate applicants were unable to get those funds to help themselves and their families.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: In July 2013, Richardson was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiring to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine. After pleading guilty, he was sentenced to five years and three months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. In October 2019, he was released from Bureau of Prisons custody and began his term of supervised release. In June 2020, Richardson applied for $43,400 from the EIDL program and, the following month, applied for a PPP loan of $14,635. In the applications, he claimed he owned a painting and carpentry business that had over $85,000 in revenue in 2019 but had lost more than $60,000 due to the COVID-19 disaster. Richardson also submitted a 2019 corporate tax return document to support the claimed revenue. However, those figures were false, and the tax return document was fake. The applications were ultimately approved due to his fraud, and Richardson immediately withdrew the funds in cash from his bank account. When he learned that the government was investigating him for these new crimes, he submitted more falsified documents in an effort to further conceal his crimes. Ashford Leon Richardson, 44, of East Point, Georgia, admitted violating his terms of supervised release and committing wire fraud on June 13, 2023, and was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story to two years and six months in prison to be followed by one additional year of supervised release. He was also ordered to repay $58,489.99 to the U.S. Small Business Administration. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford and Sarah E. Klapman are prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Essex County Woman Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Health Care Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County woman was sentenced to 21 months in prison for her role in defrauding insurers by submitting fraudulent claims for chiropractic services that were never rendered, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Tiffany Marsh, 45, of Orange, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging her with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence on June 14, 2023, in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Marsh was a medical billing professional who submitted false claims to two employer-provided health insurance plans for chiropractic services that were never provided. Marsh, who worked for the chiropractors at issue, falsely claimed that various individuals with employer-provided health insurance had incurred out-of-network medical costs, causing the insurance plans to issue reimbursement checks to the individual employees. The employees received the checks, and then paid Marsh a portion of the reimbursements in cash. As a result of the scheme, the victim health insurance plans incurred losses of approximately $334,000. In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Marsh to three years of supervised release and ordered her to pay $334,837 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, and the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.


title: Essex County Man Admits Armed Robberies of Three Pharmacies

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man admitted committing three armed robberies of pharmacies in Elizabeth, New Jersey, for oxycodone and other prescription medication, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Charles Johnson, 28, of Irvington, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on June 14, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court to an information charging him with three counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Throughout June and July 2022, Johnson robbed three different pharmacies in Elizabeth using a similar approach for each of the robberies, including brandishing a firearm, committing the robberies in the morning, demanding that employees of the pharmacies provide Johnson with oxycodone, promethazine, and other prescription medication, and threatening to shoot individuals in the pharmacies with a firearm. Law enforcement officials collected extensive video surveillance footage that linked Johnson to the robberies. The Hobbs Act Robbery counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence count carries a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offenses, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 18, 2023. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; and the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Giacomo Sacca, for the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Ecker of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. johnson.information.pdf


title: NORTHPORT, NEW YORK MAN INDICTED FOR WIRE FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that on June 12, 2023, a federal indictment was unsealed charging Charles T. Lawrence (49), a Northpoint, New York resident with wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956 and 1957. According to filed court documents, between January 2022 and March 2023, Lawrence engaged in a scheme to defraud individuals with false and fraudulent promises and representations regarding their investment of funds. Instead of using these individuals’ funds as represented, Lawrence is alleged to have used the money to pay personal expenses and repay prior victims. If convicted of these offenses, Lawrence faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison, fines up to $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds, and up to three years of supervised release. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Julie F. Stewart will prosecute this case. Separately, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced, on May 11, 2023, that it filed a civil lawsuit against Lawrence, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The SEC alleges that Lawrence violated securities laws by defrauding investors. The case is United States Securities and Exchange Commission v. Lawrence, et al., Case No. 23-CV-550. The public is cautioned that an indictment or criminal complaint is merely a charge and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Previously Convicted Felon Arrested for Distributing Fentanyl Pills and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Methuen man was arrested today for allegedly trafficking counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and unlawfully possessing ammunition. Shawn Hart, 45, was charged with one count distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. He will appear in federal court in Worcester this afternoon. According to the charging documents, in August 2022, Hart was identified as a manufacturer and distributor of counterfeit pills containing controlled substances on the North Shore. On Sept. 15, 2022, Hart allegedly distributed approximately 500 counterfeit Adderall pills, containing 68 grams of fentanyl, during a controlled purchase in North Billerica. Additionally, on June 1, 2023, Hart allegedly distributed approximately 100 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing suspected fentanyl and well as a 9mm privately manufactured firearm (commonly known as a “ghost gun”) containing 19 rounds of ammunition during a controlled purchase at his home in Methuen. It is further alleged that three additional firearms, a pill press used for manufacturing counterfeit pills and suspected narcotics in various forms and quantities were seized from Hart’s residence this morning following his arrest. Hart is prohibited from possession firearms and ammunition due to multiple previous state felony convictions, including: possession with intent to distribute a class a controlled substance in December 2003; armed robbery in June 2004, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison; masked armed robbery, breaking and entering a vehicle at night and larceny in August 2004, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison; and assault and battery on a correctional institution guard in September 2004, for which he was sentenced to six months in prison. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of unlawful possession of ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office; and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Methuen Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of Levy’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Madison Felon Sentenced to 27 Months for Illegal Gun Possession

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Anthony Bailey, 33, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 27 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Bailey pleaded guilty to this charge on March 20, 2023. On February 6, 2022, an officer with the Fitchburg Police Department responded to a noise complaint in a residential neighborhood. When the officer arrived, he saw Bailey involved in a physical fight with his girlfriend in the street. After the two stopped fighting, Bailey admitted to having a loaded Glock gun in his pants. He is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as a result of two felony convictions from 2008 and 2010. In sentencing Bailey, Judge Conley stated the sentence was justified by Bailey’s lack of compliance under pretrial supervision, which included committing a new crime after failing to appear for a hearing in this case. Judge Conley also stated that he could not ignore that to date, Bailey had failed to choose a life path free from crime. The charge against Bailey was the result of an investigation conducted by Fitchburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus handled the prosecution of this case. 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.


title: Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Providing Material Support To A Terrorist Organization

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A Dearborn resident was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison after having been convicted at trial earlier this year on charges of providing and conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and attending an ISIS training camp. The sentence was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison of the Eastern District of Michigan, and James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit, Michigan, office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Ibraheem Izzy Musaibli, 32, of Dearborn, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Judge David M. Lawson. Musaibli was convicted after a 9-day trial conducted in Detroit in January 2023. Musaibli, a natural-born U.S. citizen, was convicted on charges of providing and attempting to provide material support to ISIS, conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, and attending an ISIS training camp. Evidence presented during the trial established that Musaibli, born in Detroit, began looking into ISIS while in Michigan in 2015. He then traveled to Yemen in April 2015 and continued to research ISIS—including downloading ISIS propaganda and an ISIS book on how to get into Syria. From Yemen, he traveled to Syria in the fall of 2015, where he attended an ISIS-run religious training camp before undergoing ISIS military training where he learned to shoot, carry, and otherwise handle an AK-47 assault rifle. Upon graduation from the ISIS military training camp, Musaibli swore allegiance to ISIS and its leader. Musaibli remained with ISIS for over two and a half years. During that time, Musaibli fought for ISIS against the United States and its allies, where he was wounded in battle. Musaibli was eventually apprehended by Syrian Democratic Forces in 2018, turned over to the FBI, and flown back to the United States to face terrorism charges. “This defendant chose to join a brutal, foreign terrorist organization and then to fight against the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “For his betrayal of our nation and his fellow citizens, he is deserving of a long sentence.” “This case is a reminder of the danger posed by those who travel overseas to join forces with terrorist groups,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The sentence imposed on Mr. Musaibli is a clear reminder to others of the consequences of providing material support to ISIS or any foreign terrorist organization.” This case was investigated by FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of State - Diplomatic Security, US Customs and Border Protection, Michigan State Police, and the Hamtramck Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hank Moon and Michael Martin of the Eastern District of Michigan with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.


title: Pierre Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Pierre, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on June 12, 2023. Sylvan Larrabee, age 31, was sentenced to 17 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Larrabee was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on March 16, 2023. The conviction stems from conduct that occurred between December 9, 2022, and January 3, 2023, wherein Larrabee, who is required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of a federal conviction for Sexual Contact with a Minor, did knowingly fail to register and update his registration. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case. Larrabee was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Former Missouri Construction Company Owner Sentenced to 18 Months, Fined $100,000 for Minority Business Enterprise Fraud Scheme

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a former construction company owner to 18 months in prison and a $100,000 fine for committing fraud to qualify for tax abatements designed to encourage minority-owned businesses in St. Louis. Brian Kowert Sr. “engaged in an elaborate ‘pass through’ fraud scheme where he used an elderly Black contractor solely to pass company checks through to the non-minority subcontractors who Kowert hired to do the actual work and supply the actual materials on the project,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith wrote in a sentencing memorandum. Kowert also knew what he was doing was wrong, as he committed a similar Minority Business Enterprise fraud 17 years ago, Goldsmith wrote. Kowert was co-owner and chief operating officer of Clayton, Missouri-based HBD Construction Inc. at the time, and was acting as the project manager for the renovation and redevelopment of a building for Greater Goods LLC on Chouteau Avenue in St. Louis. Kowert and Charles Kirkwood, the owner of Midwestern Construction, a company that was a Minority Business Enterprise, agreed to falsely list Kirkwood’s company as providing materials and performing work on the project. Kirkwood’s participation allowed the project to satisfy St. Louis requirements for 25% participation by MBEs to qualify for a 10-year tax abatement. The MBE participation requirements seek to address historical social and economic disadvantages experienced by minority group members and to reduce minority-based barriers to and foster participation by minority-owned businesses in city contract opportunities. Kowert issued duplicate subcontracts to Kirkwood’s company for work that was performed and materials that were supplied by two other non-MBE companies. Kowert also issued a duplicate HBD purchase order to Kirkwood’s company for materials provided by a third non-MBE company. Kowert submitted a false chart of projected costs for the redevelopment project to the St. Louis Development Corporation, the city agency charged with reviewing, approving and recommending tax abatements. The chart falsely listed Kirkwood’s MBE company as providing labor and materials valued at approximately $198,000 on the Greater Goods redevelopment project and concealed the involvement of the three non-MBE companies. Beginning on August 4, 2020, Kowert caused 14 HBD checks worth a total of about $220,000 to be issued to Kirkwood’s company for the work performed and materials provided by the three non-MBE companies. Kirkwood deposited those checks into his company bank account and then issued checks to the three non-MBE companies, at Kowert’s direction. Kirkwood was paid approximately $2,000 by Kowert for his role in the criminal scheme. Kowert and HBD then caused a false application for tax abatement on behalf of the Greater Goods redevelopment project to be submitted to the St. Louis Development Corporation. The application falsely represented that Kirkwood’s MBE company had performed about $224,361 in project costs, comprising about 6 ½ % of the required 25% MBE participation in the project. Greater Goods and its employees had no knowledge of Kowert’s scheme. His actions cost the company, which donates a significant share of its sales revenues to charities, a tax abatement of approximately $400,000 over ten years. As a result, the company was not able to carry out various projects and meet certain charitable goals, Goldsmith wrote in the memo. The scheme also had consequences for the MBE program. “Mr. Kowert’s actions have harmed SLDC, undermined the City of St. Louis’ MBE Program, and caused substantial injury to the duly certified and struggling minority-owned firms in the St. Louis region,” Neal Richardson, president and CEO of SLDC, wrote in a letter to Judge Autrey. Kowert pleaded guilty in January to two counts of wire fraud. The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.


title: Utica Man Indicted for Federal Drug and Gun Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Carlos Pena Uceta, age 33, of Utica, New York, was indicted today for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. Pena Uceta was previously charged by a federal complaint on June 5, 2023. He has been detained without bail since he made his initial appearance on June 5 before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric. The indictment and complaint allege that, on June 4, 2023, Pena Uceta possessed over 9 kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute. The indictment also alleges that Pena Uceta possessed a 9mm handgun with no serial number (a “ghost gun”) with ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges filed against Pena Uceta carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case with assistance from the New York State Police, the City of Utica Police Department, and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone is prosecuting the case.


title: Federal Jury Finds Indianapolis Man Guilty of Trafficking Methamphetamine and Fentanyl and Illegally Possessing Firearms

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- A federal jury has found Steven Lamar Brown, 42, of Indianapolis, Indiana, guilty of seven felony charges: five counts of trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, between September 2020, and February of 2021, Brown was observed and recorded on video and audio selling more than fifty grams of methamphetamine on three separate occasions. On the recordings Brown can be clearly seen and heard weighing drugs and counting the money he received in exchange. On February 23, 2021, IMPD officers attempted to stop Brown in his car to arrest him, but Brown refused to comply. Officers eventually stopped Brown, searched his vehicle, and found a loaded .380 caliber pistol in the glove box. Later that day, law enforcement, including Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration and IMPD officers, conducted a court-authorized search of Brown’s residence. Inside, throughout the house, they found a trove of illegal drugs, tools of the drug trade, Brown’s personal documents, and eight firearms, including three assault rifles, four handguns, and a shotgun: Master Bedroom & Closet 52.1 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin. 26.3 grams of fentanyl 100.96 grams of heroin 165.5 grams of methamphetamine 117 Xanax pills 10.7 grams of cocaine base (“crack cocaine”) 3 loaded semi-automatic assault-style rifles A loaded shotgun A loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun Brown’s birth certificate and social security card On and Under the Bed 1.2 kilograms of synthetic marijuana in gallon-size bags 28.0 grams of synthetic marijuana A loaded .38 Special caliber revolver 2 loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistols Bedroom #2 A metal kilo press Loaded magazines A box of ammunition behind a standalone mirror Kitchen A black digital scale with drug residue 407.1 grams of synthetic marijuana Brown has multiple prior convictions for felony offenses, including robbery, for which he was on parole when he committed these federal crimes. As a result of those convictions, Brown is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, and Chief of IMPD, Randal Taylor, made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration and IMPD investigated this case. U.S. District Court Judge, James R. Sweeney II, presided over the trial and will sentence Brown at a later date. Brown faces up to life in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release following his release from prison. U.S Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Pamela S. Domash and Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case. 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. ###


title: Lake County Man Arrested For Possessing A Firearm As A Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Brian David Casey (35, Clermont) on a one-count indictment charging him with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, Casey faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A federal grand jury had returned the indictment on June 6, 2023. According to evidence presented in court, on March 20, 2023, Casey, a convicted felon, fired a shotgun during an argument with his neighbor. When federal agents subsequently arrested him for that offense, Casey was found to be in possession of another firearm—a loaded revolver. Casey had previously been convicted of three felonies, including burglary (2008) and two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer (2011). As a convicted felon, Casey is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. 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. This case is being investigated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.


title: Convicted robber sentenced for third unlawful entry

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 54-year-old Mexican man has been ordered to prison for illegally re-entering the country…again, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Eleuterio Covarrubias-Martinez pleaded guilty Jan. 20. Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Covarrubias-Martinez to serve 151 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Covarrubias-Martinez was facing a large sentence for an unlawful entry, but it was warranted given his significant criminal history in order to promote respect for the law and deter future criminal conduct. Covarrubias-Martinez is a citizen of Mexico who was found illegally present within the United States. He was previously convicted twice of the same crime with a criminal history including prior convictions for drug trafficking, aggravated assault and aggravated robbery. On Nov. 14, 2022, law enforcement encountered Covarrubias-Martinez near Hidalgo. At that time, he admitted he was a citizen from Mexico and entered the country by rafting across the river. Covarrubias-Martinez was deported for the first time on July 25, 2001. He has since been convicted twice for re-entry by deported alien. Documents showed that Covarrubias-Martinez returned just four days after his last removal. Covarrubias-Martinez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Phelps prosecuted the case.


title: Ellwood City Resident Pleads Guilty to Attempted Production and Production of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Ellwood City, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of attempted production and production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. David Bates, age 63, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on June 12, 2023. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in or between July 2020 and October 2020, Bates and another individual attempted to and did use, persuade, induce entice and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the minor engaged in such conduct. Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for October 3, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Pending sentencing, Bates remains detained. Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Bates. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Case Results in Sentence of More than 8 Years for North Louisiana Man

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) case dubbed “Operation Pick Your Battles” has resulted in a conviction and sentence for Clifton Williams , 48, of Many, Louisiana. Williams was sentenced today by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to a total of 100 months (8 years, 4 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Williams pleaded guilty November 2, 2022, to possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to evidence presented to the court, on or about February 10, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Williams’ home in Many, Louisiana. Williams was present at the residence at the time of the search when officers found methamphetamine, a scale, a box of sandwich bags, and a loaded Glock Model 23 .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine. Williams was subsequently arrested. At the time of his arrest, Williams was serving time on federal supervised release for his conviction from 2011 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in United States District Court in the Western District of Louisiana. As a convicted felon, Williams knew that he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. The narcotics seized were sent to the crime lab for testing and confirmed to be methamphetamine. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) examined the firearm and determined it to be operable. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ATF, and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy. This effort is part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . # # #


title: Second Man Sentenced in Series of Armed Robberies and Conspiracy to Commit Additional Robberies of Mid-South Retail Stores

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – On Tuesday, June 13, 2023, a federal judge sentenced the second of two men involved in a series of robberies of mid-South Walmart and Kroger stores beginning Christmas Eve 2021. Randy Readus , 36, of Memphis was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for his role in multiple business robberies and conspiracy to commit robberies in the Memphis and surrounding areas, said Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr. also ordered Readus to serve two years of supervised release and pay restitution of more than $34,000 upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Readus’s co-defendant, Memphis resident Julius Black , 32, was sentenced on May 18, 2023, to 240 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to these and other robbery charges. Judge Fowlkes also ordered that Black serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. According to United States Attorney Ritz and the information presented in court, between December 2020 and January 2021, Readus and Black committed multiple business robberies in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. On the morning of December 24, 2020, Readus drove Black from Memphis to Marion, Arkansas. Black entered Walmart, robbed the Money Center at gunpoint, then fled with a large amount of cash in a vehicle driven by Readus, who was waiting outside. Readus and Black went on to conduct similar robberies of the following businesses: December 26, 2020: Walmart, 512 Industrial Park Drive, Trumann, Arkansas. December 31, 2020: Kroger, at 6660 Poplar Avenue. Readus drove Black to the Kroger, and Black jumped the customer service desk, forced his way into the finance room, and forcibly stole money. January 6, 2021: Walmart, 950 Mackie Drive, Holly Springs, Mississippi. January 8, 2021: Kroger, 9025 Highway 64, Memphis, Tennessee. January 8, 2021: Kroger, Highway 70, Arlington, Tennessee. The pair attempted to rob the store but got away without any money. January 12, 2021: Walmart, New Albany, Mississippi. The FBI Safe Streets Task Force apprehended Readus and Black after the robbery, disabling the vehicle before the two could flee the scene. After a six-day jury trial in February 2023, Readus was convicted of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, two counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Greg Wagner, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.


title: Tax preparers sentenced in tax fraud scheme

body_text: HOUSTON – Three women have received their sentences following their convictions of conspiracy to aid and assist in the preparation of false tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Tamara Turner aka Tamara Owens, Brittany Richardson and Terra White pleaded guilty March 22, Feb. 1 and Feb. 25, respectively. All admitted to their roles in the tax fraud scheme. Today, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake imposed a 41-month term of imprisonment for Turner to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Owens and White must serve two years on probation. All three were also ordered to pay $308,537 in restitution for the losses they colectiovely caused to the tax-paying public. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that scheme ran for roughly four years. In handing down the sentences, Judge Lake commented on the magnitude of the charges, the difficulty in detecting such schemes and importance of protecting the public from these schemes. “Fraudsters like Turner learn that the real cost of stealing from taxpayers is paid by losing freedom. Return preparers that promise higher returns by committing fraud also shirk their responsibilities by placing the burden on all the other taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of IRS Criminal Investigation’s (CI) Houston Field Office. “Our special agents and investigators are experts at following the money back to the criminals that took it.” From 2014 to 2018, Turner admitted she owned and operated AJW Taxes and More Tax Preparation Service, located on Westpark Drive in Houston. White and Richardson were employed as tax preparers at various times during the tax season. Turner admitted to submitting fraudulent Schedule C forms and W-2 tax records to the IRS. She inflated her clients personal and business losses to generate larger tax refunds. Additionally, Turner admitted she routinely submitted altered or fake W-2 forms certifying employment for her clients and qualifying them for Earned Income Tax Credit. She also charged tax preparer fees well in excess of other tax offices that provide the same services. White and Richardson claimed Turner trained them to submit fraudulent forms to create larger tax refunds for clients. They also admitted to utilizing a unique IRS filing number assigned to other individuals. Turner was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. IRS-CI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.


title: “Lottery Lawyer” Sentenced To 13 Years In Prison For His Role In Schemes To Defraud Lottery Winner Clients Of More Than $100 Million

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JASON KURLAND, a New York lawyer, and CHRISTOPHER CHIERCHIO were sentenced today and yesterday for their participation in schemes to defraud KURLAND’s prominent lottery-winning clients of more than $100 million. KURLAND, who was convicted at trial in July 2022 of wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, was sentenced to 13 years in prison. CHIERCHIO, who pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, was sentenced to five years in prison. U.S. District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis imposed both sentences. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The trial of Jason Kurland proved that Kurland violated his solemn duties as a lawyer and as an officer of the Court by stealing and misappropriating more than $100 million from his clients, who were some of the largest lottery winners in U.S. history. Just before trial, Christopher Chierchio pled guilty to assisting Kurland in this fraud, while personally pocketing more than $25 million of the lottery winners’ money. Now, the sentences imposed by Judge Garaufis show that for these defendants who made the lottery winners their victims, their luck has run out, and this Office will prosecute anyone who chooses to engage in fraud – no matter their title or degree.” According to the Indictment, the evidence presented in court during trial, and other statements made during court proceedings: Between mid-2018 and mid-2020, KURLAND was a successful partner at a Long Island law firm, earning approximately $500,000 in annual compensation. Through public advertisements and self-promotion, KURLAND built a niche practice representing lottery jackpot winners across the country. KURLAND marketed himself widely in the national media as the “Lottery Lawyer,” touting expertise in counseling individuals and families who had won lotteries and consequently achieved sudden wealth. KURLAND purported to represent dozens of lottery winners throughout the country with total winnings of approximately $3 billion. Beginning in mid-2018, KURLAND retained three major lottery winners — one won the $1.5 billion Mega Millions lottery, another won the $245 million Powerball jackpot, and the third won the $150 million jackpot (together, the “Lottery Victims”). The Lottery Victims each paid KURLAND and his law firm hundreds of thousands of dollars so that he could advise them on how to safely invest their money. Instead, after gaining their trust, KURLAND steered his clients to invest in various risky businesses that he secretly co-owned and controlled with co-defendants Francis Smookler and Frangesco Russo, among others. In addition to ownership profits from these businesses, KURLAND received undisclosed kickbacks based on a percentage of the Lottery Victims’ investments. The defendants then used the money from the Lottery Victims’ investments to keep their scheme going and to support their lavish lifestyles, purchasing, among other things, expensive vacations and luxury vehicles, including two yachts and a Porsche. In text messages and intercepted phone calls, KURLAND and his co-defendants brazenly gloated about defrauding the Lottery Victims. For example, when KURLAND learned that he had retained the first Lottery Victim, he texted Russo, “Have to figure out how to have this get to us,” referring to KURLAND’s desire to direct the Lottery Victim’s money to their businesses. KURLAND used the unique attorney-client relationship, which is founded on principles of honesty and loyalty, to his advantage, ensuring that he and his co-defendants secured multimillion-dollar investments. Following a pre-investment client meeting with one Lottery Victim, KURLAND texted Smookler and Russo, “haven’t talked about the investment yet, but I could not have teed it up better[.]” Shortly thereafter, that Lottery Victim invested $5 million in one of the defendants’ businesses without knowledge of KURLAND’s ownership in the business. On a separate occasion, after KURLAND convinced one of the Lottery Victims to unknowingly purchase his and his co-defendants’ entire business for $2 million — a transaction that resulted in a large payout to KURLAND and his co-defendants — KURLAND bragged to Smookler in a text: “Like looking at my bank statement today. Not gonna lie.” Motivated by greed, KURLAND and the co-defendants haphazardly invested the Lottery Victims’ money in high-risk deals, which turned out to be a Ponzi scheme. As it became apparent that their high-risk investments were in peril, KURLAND texted Smookler, “let me know if I’m keeping the Panamera [a Porsche model], or have to go back to my Lexus.” Within a little more than a year, a large portion of the Lottery Victims’ investment capital, totaling more than $40 million, was lost. In April 2020, in an effort to try to recoup their losses and conceal their fraud from the Lottery Victims, KURLAND, Russo, and Smookler resorted to investing in Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) deals. CHIERCHIO was the middleman for the PPE deals. CHIERCHIO quickly capitalized on KURLAND’s precarious situation and need for quick returns, egging him on to “go deep with me here” and promising that KURLAND could “make all [his] losses back.” In turn, KURLAND stole $19.5 million from one of the Lottery Victims’ accounts. Only a portion of this money was ever used for the purported PPE deals while millions of dollars were skimmed off the top by CHIERCHIO and the other co-defendants. In total, KURLAND’s misrepresentations, along with the actions of his co-defendants, caused the Lottery Victims losses in excess of $80 million, as well as an additional $19.5 million that was stolen by KURLAND directly from one of the Lottery Victims. * * * In addition to their prison terms, KURLAND, 49, of Dix Hills, New York, and CHIERCHIO, 54, of Queens, New York, were sentenced to three years of supervised release. KURLAND was ordered to pay $64,600,000 in forfeiture, and his restitution will be determined by the Court within 90 days of today’s sentencing. CHIERCHIO was further ordered to pay $26,550,000 in forfeiture and $30,550,000 in restitution. Mr. Williams praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on this case. This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Kudla, Louis A. Pellegrino, and Olga Zverovich from the Southern District of New York, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Morris from the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Seattle Man Admits Buying 630,000 Counterfeit Pills on the Dark Web

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Seattle, Washington on Thursday admitted buying 630,000 counterfeit Xanax and other pills on the dark web. Maximillian Gregory Verbowski, 28, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark to one count each of conspiracy to sell counterfeit drugs, selling counterfeit drugs and using a fictitious name on mail to commit a crime. Verbowski admitted using cryptocurrency and cash from October 2019 to August 30, 2021 to buy bulk quantities of counterfeit generic alprazolam, an anti-anxiety drug, and other prescription pills and resell them. Verbowski’s source bought drug ingredients from China and used a pill press and stamps to mimic the pill markings used by manufacturers licensed and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The supplier then shipped the pills to post office boxes Verbowski opened using aliases. The transactions were conducted using the dark web. The conspiracy charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, the counterfeit drugs charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and the mail charge carries a maximum 20-year term. All are also subject to a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine. The case was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.


title: Leader of Money Transmitting Business that Laundered Over $1 Million in Fraud Proceeds Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

body_text: BOSTON – A Texas man was sentenced on June 13, 2023 in federal court in Boston for operating an illegal money transmitting business that laundered the proceeds of international investment and romance fraud schemes Charles Ochi, 28, of Grand Prairie, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to five years in prison and three years of supervised release. Ochi was also ordered to pay forfeiture of $141,021 and restitution, which will be determined at a later date. On April 12, 2023, Ochi pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of conspiring to conduct an unlicensed money transmitting business and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. In or about 2016, Ochi organized and led a group of money transmitters that laundered over $1 million in proceeds from fraud schemes. Some of these fraud schemes purported to offer trading and Bitcoin investing services when, in fact, investor funds were stolen and later victims’ investments were used to pay purported returns to earlier investors. Ochi recruited at least five individuals in Texas and Maryland to join his operation, and directed them to use bank accounts to receive fraud proceeds and then to withdraw and transfer the money to numerous other persons, often by cashier’s check or through electronic transfers. Ochi also engaged in illicit currency exchange business activity, in which he, a co-conspirator, and others exchanged fraud proceeds for Nigerian Naira on the black market. In total, the scheme laundered over $1,168,000 from at least 123 victims of investment and romance fraud schemes in Massachusetts, California, Florida, and Canada. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Division of Enforcement at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Levy’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.