title: Timothy VerHey Appointed United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: He was appointed by Attorney General Pam Bondi and sworn in on July 21, 2025 GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN − The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan announced today that Timothy VerHey has been appointed to serve as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. On July 21, 2025, United States Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed VerHey to serve as Interim United States Attorney. He was formally sworn in by Chief United States District Court Judge Hala Y. Jarbou. As U.S. Attorney, VerHey will serve as the chief federal law enforcement officer representing the United States in all federal criminal and civil litigation in the Western District of Michigan. The district encompasses 1.6 million people and covers the western half of the lower peninsula and all the upper peninsula of the State. He leads a staff of approximately 70 prosecutors, civil litigators and support staff. VerHey has been a federal prosecutor in Grand Rapids for nearly 35 years, where he has prosecuted all manner of crimes ranging from international fraud, domestic terrorism, capital murder, drug offenses, child sex offenses and violent crime. After graduating with honors from the University of Notre Dame Law School, he clerked for the Honorable Harry W. Wellford, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. After two years as an attorney at the Grand Rapids law firm Warner, Norcross & Judd, VerHey joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1990. The Justice Department has recognized him more than once for superior performance as a prosecutor, and he is frequently asked to train the nation’s federal prosecutors in trial skills. VerHey said , “I am honored that Attorney General Bondi has asked me to serve as the U.S. Attorney for this district. The people of West Michigan expect that I and the members of this office will apply federal law in a fair and effective manner, and that is exactly what we will do.”


title: Illinois Tax Preparer Sentenced for Role in $3.6M Covid-19 Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An Illinois man was sentenced yesterday to 42 months in prison for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $3.6 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and COVID19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program implemented by the Small Business Administration (SBA). According to court documents, Farooq Khan, 31, of Chicago, owned and operated Hannan Tax Services (Hannan Tax), a tax preparation company located in Chicago. From approximately May 2020 through October 2021, through Hannan Tax, Khan prepared and facilitated the submission of at least 30 fraudulent applications for loans through the PPP and EIDL program. At the time Kahn prepared and submitted the applications, he knew that the companies for which he sought the loans were non-operational and did not qualify. He also knowingly falsified the information contained in the applications, including the number of employees and tax records attributed to the defunct companies. Khan caused approximately $3.6 million to be fraudulently distributed by the SBA and PPP lenders. He also attempted to obtain at least an additional $588,900 in loans through other EIDL applications that were never funded for nonexistent companies. He personally obtained approximately $1.2 million of the fraudulent loan proceeds. Khan pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on Feb. 19. At sentencing, he was also ordered to pay $3,645,104 in restitution. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office, and Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew J. Scarpino of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Chicago made the announcement. The FBI Chicago Field Office and ICE-HSI are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 8667205721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Federal Court Upholds Bureau of Reclamation’s Conversion of Water Service Contracts in Central Valley of California

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Last week, a judgment entered by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California confirmed the ability of the Bureau of Reclamation to convert water service contracts to long term repayment contracts pursuant to the Water Infrastructure and Improvements for the Nation Act. The converted contracts eliminate the need for future renewals and associated costs and allow contractors to lower their overall costs by prepaying their share of project construction costs. The converted contracts also benefit the government by facilitating faster repayment of construction costs which can provide funding for future water storage projects. The Court agreed with Reclamation’s interpretation of the WIIN Act, that the WIIN Act requires contract conversion upon request, and WIIN Act § 4011(a)(4)(c) strips Reclamation of discretion to modify any “water service … contractual rights” other than those related to the financial terms specifically addressed by the WIIN Act. Because those provisions removed Reclamation’s discretion, Reclamation was not required to conduct an analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act, or consult under the Endangered Species Act, as part of the contract conversions. Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) made the announcement. Trial Attorneys David Gehlert and Jeff Candrian of ENRD’s Natural Resources Section handled the case.


title: Washington Hunting Guide and Outfitting Company Enter Guilty Pleas to Lacey Act Crime

body_text: Branden Trager of Brush Prairie, Washington, and his guiding company Mayhem Services LLC pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Tacoma to violating the Lacey Act. In pleading guilty, Trager admitted he and Mayhem Services violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) during a January 2023 hunting trip in western Washington and then transported the taken birds in violation of the Lacey Act. Enacted 125 years ago, the Lacey Act protects the nations wildlife resources by prohibiting wildlife violations that cross state or international borders. Trager also acknowledged that in 2022 he brought hunters into British Columbia, Canada, where he guided waterfowl hunting trips targeting the harlequin duck. He could not operate as a hunting guide under Canadian law. The harlequin duck ( Histrionicus histrionicus ) is a small sea duck with a habitat ranging from Alaska to California. Hunters prize the harlequin as a trophy and as part of a challenge to hunt 41 North American waterfowl species. Washington closed harlequin hunting for the 2022-2023 season, but limited hunting remained open in British Columbia. According to plea agreements filed in court, the recommended fines are $100,000 for Trager and $75,000 for Mayhem Services. The parties also agreed to recommend that the court order the defendants to make a public statement expressing contrition and emphasizing the importance of hunting, guiding, and wildlife regulations. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 16. According to a Joint Factual Statement filed in court, the MBTA prohibits, among other things, taking migratory birds using a motor vehicle; taking migratory birds by using a vehicle to concentrate, drive, or rally them; taking migratory birds in excess of daily bag limits; taking or crippling a migratory bird and not make reasonable efforts to retrieve it; and transporting taken migratory birds belonging to another individual without tagging them. Taking includes pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting. The Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking law. It prohibits, among other things, transporting wildlife that had been illegally taken under federal, state, tribal or foreign law. The MBTA is a U.S. law that implemented treaties with Canada and other nations to ensure sustainable populations of migratory birds. Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division made the announcement. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement led the investigation along with Homeland Security Investigations, British Columbia Conservation Officer Service, and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Sarah Brown of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. Harlequin duck in Oregon. Photo credit Peter Pearsall, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Reference photo only.


title: Silver City Felon Charged with Armed Robbery and Carjacking

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Silver City man is facing federal charges after a series of increasingly violent incidents involving firearms, robbery, and carjacking, all while prohibited from possessing a gun due to a prior felony conviction. According to court documents, on June 25, 2024, Silver City police officers responded to a residence following reports that Dominic Carbajal , 25, was possibly armed. Carbajal was detained and during a subsequent search, officers found a loaded magazine in Carbajal ’s pocket and recovered a stolen pistol loaded with a 32-round magazine. Carbajal reportedly admitted he was aware he could not lawfully possess a firearm due to his status as a convicted felon. Roughly a year later, on January 22, 2025, officers responded to an armed robbery at a local nutrition store. Surveillance video showed Carbajal walking through the store with various items before fleeing without paying. When the store owner followed him outside, Carbajal allegedly turned and pointed a black handgun at the owner before escaping in a car. On March 23, 2025, Carbajal allegedly committed a carjacking in a parking lot. The victim reported that Carbajal approached him while he was parked, demanded his keys, and began striking him with his fists and a metal pipe. Carbajal allegedly threatened to shoot the victim if he didn’t comply, then stole the man’s wallet, phone, and jewelry before fleeing in the victim’s SUV. Officers later tracked the stolen vehicle to a residence where Carbajal was reportedly seen. As officers attempted to arrest him, Carbajal allegedly released two pit bulls to attack law enforcement and fled on foot, discarding his clothing as he ran. He was ultimately subdued with a Taser and taken into custody. Officers reported signs of opioid intoxication, and Carbajal allegedly admitted that he had used “powder” when asked if he had taken fentanyl. Carbajal is charged with interference with commerce by robbery, carjacking, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Carbajal faces up to 27 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Silver City Police Department and Grant County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Dickens is prosecuting the case. View the Complaint (Carbajal).pdf A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Serial Scammer Sentenced to Federal Prison after Defrauding Department of Education out of More Than $930,000 in Financial Aid

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Reina Isom, 47, of Gainesville, Florida, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud and two counts of Federal financial aid fraud. Isom has also been ordered to pay $348,148 in restitution. According to court documents, for nearly a decade, Isom devised and carried out an elaborate scheme to defraud the Department of Education out of nearly one million dollars in federal financial aid. At the time of these offenses, Isom was living in Muncie, Indiana. To carry out her scheme, Isom first enrolled accomplices in low-cost, online colleges using their dates of birth, social security numbers, and other personal information. Isom then submitted Free Application for Federal Student Aid (“FAFSA”) forms online to apply for loans and grants for the “student.” In completing and submitting these forms, Isom lied by leaving blank portions requesting information about the student’s income, their spouse’s income, and their parents’ income. Her purpose in providing false financial information was to increase the amount of financial aid awarded by the Office of Federal Student Aid (“FSA). To profit from these efforts, she directed that the excess financial aid be refunded to bank accounts or reloadable debit cards controlled by her or others with whom she conspired. To ensure the financial aid kept flowing, Isom did far more than submit fraudulent forms. She also ensured that these “students” stayed enrolled by completing coursework, including writing papers and recording video speeches. To pull this off, Isom submitted assignments that had been copied and pasted from other purported students who had taken the courses in previous terms. Most of the time, this meant merely submitting the same assignment repeatedly, only changing the name of the student. In total, Isom submitted more than 50 fraudulent FAFSA applications for more than a dozen different individuals, causing over $930,000 in federal financial aid to be fraudulently dispersed. Of these funds, more than $340,000 were deposited into her personal bank accounts or loaded onto debit cards she controlled. Isom has been convicted of fraud on two prior occasions. In 2004, Isom paid an individual $3,000 to start a fire in an apartment she had recently insured against fire damage. She was convicted of arson with intent to defraud. In 2011, Isom was found guilty of fraud for enrolling fake students in the University of Phoenix online school and completing fraudulent FAFSA forms, as well as applying for credit cards using stolen identities. “Federal financial aid programs play a critical role in opening the doors to higher education for individuals who might not otherwise have the opportunity,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “When someone abuses these programs, they don’t just break the law—they potentially steal a life-changing opportunity from a first-generation student or someone from an underserved community. We will not hesitate to pursue and prosecute those who shamelessly exploit public resources for personal profit.” “I’m proud of the work of OIG special agents and our law enforcement colleagues for shutting down yet another student aid fraud ring and holding Ms. Isom accountable for her criminal actions,” said Scott Wingle, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Central Regional Office. “The Office of Inspector General is committed to stopping student aid fraud rings, and we will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who participates in them.” The Department of Education-Office of Inspector General investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Eakman and Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 47 Months in Federal Prison Following Two Jury Convictions in Six Months

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 47 months in prison following two separate jury convictions in less than six months. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, on October 26, 2021, Albuquerque Police Department officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert and multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire and a man brandishing a weapon outside an apartment complex in southeast Albuquerque. Upon arrival, officers located Anthony Hernandez , 32, a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, attempting to hide behind a wall. A search of the area led to the recovery of a stolen 9mm pistol. Witnesses identified Hernandez as the individual seen with the firearm and spent shell casings were recovered at the scene. Hernandez was federally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and, following a jury trial in October 2024, was convicted on that charge. While in pretrial detention, Hernandez committed multiple violent assaults. On November 15, 2022, he attacked a CoreCivic security contractor, causing serious injuries including a concussion and a nasal fracture. Hernandez was subsequently indicted for assaulting a federal officer resulting in bodily injury. Further investigation revealed Hernandez’s involvement in additional assaults on fellow inmates and correctional officers, including an incident involving a homemade weapon. Contraband, including a sharpened weapon and methamphetamine, was also found in his possession during his time in custody. In January 2025, following a three-day trial, a federal jury found Hernandez guilty of assaulting a federal officer causing bodily injury—his second jury conviction in six months. Upon his release from prison, Hernandez will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and United States Marshal David Barnett made the announcement today. The Albuquerque Police Department investigated the felon in possession case and the United States Marshals Service investigated the assault on the officer. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Kimberly Bell are prosecuting the case.


title: PENSACOLA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO ARMED POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE LARGE AMOUNTS OF NARCOTICS

component: Diversion Control Program (DEA)

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Timothy Lamar McGee, 42, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court for possession of more than 500 grams of cocaine, tetrahydrocannabinol, and marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent work of the Pensacola Police Department and our federal DEA agents to make our community safer by getting this dangerous individual off the streets. My office remains fully committed to fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by targeting violent criminals with the full force of the law.” Court documents reflect that in September of 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at McGee’s residence in Pensacola, Florida. During a search of the residence, investigators located more than 600 grams of cocaine, more than 300 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol, more than 1,000 grams of marijuana, approximately $32,000 in United States currency, and four firearms. McGee faces a minimum mandatory term of five years of imprisonment on each charge, consecutive, and up to life in prison if convicted as charged. The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pensacola Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. Sentencing is scheduled for October 1, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Forfeited And Returned More Than $37 Million To Crime Victims

body_text: LAS VEGAS – United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada announced today that, from October 1, 2024, to July 16, 2025, more than $37 million was forfeited through asset forfeiture actions and returned to victims of crime. Funds forfeited and deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund may be used to compensate victims and restore losses caused by criminal conduct. A total of $37,236,606.37 was forfeited and of this amount: In December 2024, a victim received $3,443,286.03. In April 2025, the Small Business Administration received $531,308.46 of the fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. In May 2025, the Small Business Administration received $1,068,123.94 of the fraudulently obtained PPP loans. In July 2025, a victim received $32,193,787.94. “The Asset Forfeiture and Financial Litigation Units of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, worked diligently to forfeit these funds and return them to victims,” said U.S. Attorney Chattah. “Our office remains committed to holding offenders financially accountable and to restoring victims. I commend the exceptional efforts of our Asset Forfeiture Unit and professional staff in pursuing justice and upholding the rule of law.” “The successful return of these funds is due to the coordinated efforts of the FBI, local law enforcement, and the US Attorney's office,” said Special Agent in Charge Amir Ehsaei for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “This serves as an important reminder of our unwavering commitment to pursuing justice for victims and their families. Forfeiting ill-gotten gains removes financial resources from criminals and serves as a powerful tool to restore victims. It is highly recommended to report scams and frauds promptly.” “IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office is proud to see our special agents’ hard work result in the recovery of millions in stolen COVID relief funds and real, tangible justice for victims of other financial crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix Field Office. “Financial crime can be devastating to victims. That’s why it’s crucial for our agency to continue uncovering such crimes through the leveraging of our financial expertise and investigative techniques. IRS-CI exists to protect American taxpayers and ensure the integrity of our tax system, and these figures today are just a portion of the amazing results we are seeing throughout the nation.” The PPP is one of two programs that was developed through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. PPP provides funding to businesses through loans for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. PPP allows the interest and principal on loans to be forgiven if the business spends proceeds on certain expense items within a designated time and uses a certain percentage of the loan on payroll expenses. 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 via the NCDF Web Complaint Form . ###


title: Bank contractor sentenced for participation in $8 million debit card scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 23-year-old Houston woman has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit wire fraud after debit cards were loaded with fraudulent funds, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jaysha Victorian pleaded guilty April 3. U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered Victorian to serve 18 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard how she participated in a scheme to steal unemployment funds that were being supplemented during the pandemic, and how she was able to commit millions of dollars of fraud in just a few weeks. Victorian worked for a bank contractor from late 2020 to early 2021 and used her access to load prepaid debit cards with fraudulent funds, including unemployment benefits for California. She credited at least 187 cards with nearly $8.6 million. Recipients withdrew or spent over $7.6 million before the bank could freeze the cards. She admitted to using some funds herself, including a $1,000 ATM withdrawal in Houston, and received about $300,000 in cash proceeds from her role in the scheme. She was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI, Houston Police Department, Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General’s Covid Fraud Unit and Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray and Karen Lansden prosecuted the case.


title: PENSACOLA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TRAFFICKING FENTANYL, METHAMPHETAMINE, COCAINE, AND HEROIN

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jermaine Z. Lewis, 32, of Pensacola, Florida, pled guilty in federal court for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Federal law enforcement and our state and local partners are not going to idly sit by and let drug traffickers flood our streets with deadly drugs. Through the great work of a multi-agency operation, this armed drug dealing felon will now be incapacitated, and the Pensacola community will be safer for it.” Court documents reveal that in January and February 2025 Lewis was distributing fentanyl on the streets of Pensacola. Law enforcement intercepted a mailed parcel bound for Lewis that contained approximately four pounds of fentanyl pills. With this information, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Lewis’ residence in March 2025. Law enforcement seized two loaded firearms, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. Wire receipts detailing money transfers to Mexico were also recovered. Lewis is a previously convicted felon. Lewis faces up to life imprisonment upon sentencing, which is scheduled for October 16, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: U.S. Files Forfeiture Action Against $2 Million in Digital Currency Involved in Hamas Fundraising

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia today announced the unsealing of a civil forfeiture action against approximately $2 million in digital currency connected to Buy Cash Money and Money Transfer Company, a Gaza-based money transfer business that was involved in financially supporting Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO), as well as its agents and collaborators. The forfeiture action was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office. “The forfeiture actions executed today is an example of how diligently our office works to prevent any actions from taking place that support foreign terrorist organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Our partnership with other law enforcement agencies strengthens us to uphold the safety of the American people from entities that threaten the security of our citizens.” “Terrorist organizations like Hamas and their affiliates rely on shadowy financial networks to fund their deadly operations,” said Attorney General Bondi. “By seizing millions in cryptocurrency, the Justice Department is aggressively dismantling the financial infrastructure of terrorism and refusing to allow our digital currency platforms to become safe havens for terrorist financing.” “It is essential to disrupt the flow of money to terrorist organizations like Hamas which enables their lethal activities,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Our message is that terrorists cannot hide behind digital currency to bankroll their operations. The FBI and our partners will continue our efforts to cut off the flow of money and - most importantly - stop the violence committed by Hamas and their affiliates.” “This forfeiture action demonstrates that no matter what lengths terrorism financers take to obscure their illegal transactions, the FBI will aggressively disrupt the transmission of illicit proceeds intended to support designated terrorist organizations like Hamas," said the FBI’s Jensen. BuyCash, and one of its owners, Ahmed M. M. Alaqad, have been suspected of supporting various terrorist organizations including Hamas, ISIS, Al-Qaida affiliates and others. After the October 7, 2023, attacks, BuyCash and Alaqad were designated as having materially supported Hamas, by the Office of Foreign Asset Control under Executive Order 13224. Since 2017, BuyCash and Alaqad have supported various foreign terrorist organizations. In 2017, BuyCash was used for the procurement of large quantities of online infrastructure on behalf of ISIS. In September 2019, BuyCash was used to receive funds from a known Al-Qaida affiliate. In 2019, law enforcement identified various instances where BuyCash, with the direct support of Alaqad, directly aided in the transfer of fiat currency to known individuals and entities in support of Hamas. In June 2021, Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terrorist Financing seized various digital currency accounts connected to Hamas and the Izz-al-Din Qassam Brigades including one involving BuyCash. The complaint describes a scheme in which various users across the world used BuyCash to fund accounts at Binance and to fund unhosted wallet addresses containing USDT (or Tether) to obfuscate their financial support of various international terrorist organizations including Hamas. Before and after the October 2023 attacks, one account was reported to have received at least $4 million to support Hamas. The government’s forfeiture action targets funds previously seized via Tether and Binance connected to BuyCash and removed approximately $2 million dollars from streams of funds supporting international terrorism. The civil forfeiture complaint is merely a set of allegations. It is the government’s burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding. The FBI Washington D.C. Field Office is investigating the case. The Department of Justice would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in effectuating the transfer of these assets. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rajbir S. Datta and Thomas N. Saunders with assistance from Trial Attorney Allison Ickovic of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Deputy Chief Alicia Cook of the National Security Division. Critical assistance was provided by Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers, Gina Torres, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs. 24cv1251


title: United States Unseals Civil Action Filed Against Approximately $2M in Digital Currency Involved in Hamas Fundraising

body_text: The Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia today announced the unsealing of a civil forfeiture action against approximately $2 million dollars in digital currency connected with Buy Cash Money and Money Transfer Company (BuyCash), a Gaza-based money transfer business that was involved in financially supporting Hamas – a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) – as well as its agents and collaborators. “Terrorist organizations like Hamas and their affiliates rely on shadowy financial networks to fund their deadly operations,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “By seizing millions in cryptocurrency, the Justice Department is aggressively dismantling the financial infrastructure of terrorism and refusing to allow our digital currency platforms to become safe havens for terrorist financing.” “It is essential to disrupt the flow of money to terrorist organizations like Hamas which enables their lethal activities,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Our message is that terrorists cannot hide behind digital currency to bankroll their operations. The FBI and our partners will continue our efforts to cut off the flow of money and - most importantly - stop the violence committed by Hamas and their affiliates.” “The forfeiture action executed today is an example of how diligently our office works to prevent any actions from taking place that support foreign terrorist organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Our partnership with other law enforcement agencies strengthens us to uphold the safety of the American people from entities that threaten the security of our citizens.” “The forfeiture action unsealed today demonstrates that no matter what lengths terrorism financers take to obscure their illegal transactions, the FBI will aggressively disrupt the transmission of illicit proceeds intended to support designated terrorist organizations like Hamas,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office. BuyCash, and one of its owners, Ahmed M. M. Alaqad, have been suspected of supporting various terrorist organizations including Hamas, ISIS, Al-Qaida affiliates and others. After the October 2023 attacks on Israel, BuyCash and Alaqad were designated as having materially supported Hamas under Executive Order 13224 by the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC). Since 2017, BuyCash and Alaqad have supported several foreign terrorist organizations. In 2017, BuyCash was used for the procurement of large quantities of online infrastructure on behalf of ISIS. In September 2019, BuyCash was used to receive funds from a known Al-Qaida affiliate. In 2019, law enforcement identified various instances where BuyCash, with the direct support of Alaqad, directly aided in the transfer of fiat currency to known individuals and entities in support of Hamas. In June 2021, Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terrorist Financing seized various digital currency accounts connected to Hamas and the Izz-al-Din Qassam Brigades, including one involving BuyCash. The complaint describes a detailed scheme whereby users utilized BuyCash to fund accounts at Binance and to fund unhosted wallet addresses containing USDT (or Tether) to obfuscate their financial support of international terrorist organizations, including Hamas. Before and after the October 2023 attacks, one account was reported to have received at least $4 million to support Hamas. The government’s forfeiture action targets funds previously seized via Tether and Binance connected to BuyCash and removed approximately $2 million dollars from streams of funds supporting international terrorism. A civil forfeiture complaint contains mere allegations. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government. The FBI Washington D.C. Field Office is investigating the case. The Department of Justice would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in effectuating the transfer of these assets. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rajbir S. Datta and Thomas Saunders for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Allison Ickovic of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and Deputy Chief Alicia Cook of the National Security Division. Critical assistance was provided by Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers, Gina Torres, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.


title: Bapchule Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison  for Stabbing Death

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Daryl Patrick Johns, 46, of Bapchule, Arizona, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced on July 17 by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. On February 15, 2023, Johns stabbed and killed the victim on the Gila River Indian Community. Johns pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024, to Second Degree Murder. The Gila River Police Department and the FBI Phoenix Indian Country squad conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-1639-PHX-DLR RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-122_Johns # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Pontotoc County Resident Sentenced For Assault And Threatening Interstate Communications

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dekentrek Donneil McDowell, a/k/a Deketrek D. McDowell, a/k/a X Day Day, a/k/a X Deezy, a/k/a X Lil Beefy, age 20, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and 46 months for one count of Threatening Interstate Communications. The Court ordered the terms to be served concurrently. The charges arose from an investigation by the Ada Police Department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. On January 22, 2025, McDowell pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators on June 4, 2024, McDowell pistol-whipped an individual, then pointed the gun at the individual’s head. Then, on July 27, 2024, McDowell left multiple voicemail messages through a cell phone application threatening to kill a second individual and her unborn child. The crimes occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable John L. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. McDowell will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.


title: Charleroi Staffing Agency Owner Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay More Than $3.6 Million in Restitution for Harboring Illegal Aliens and Failing to Pay Employment Taxes

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 30 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $3,630,479.13 on his convictions of failing to pay employment taxes and harboring individuals who were not legally authorized to be in the United States, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Andy Ha, 28. Ha pleaded guilty to the charges in February of 2025 (read the plea news release here ). According to information presented to the Court, Ha was the president and owner of the Charleroi staffing agency Prosperity Services, Inc., where Ha employed individuals who were not legally authorized to be in the United States, and paid for such workers to stay in a former hotel. Ha signed false employment tax returns on behalf of the agency, in which Ha reported less than 10% of Prosperity’s employees. Ha and Prosperity failed to pay taxes on the other unreported employees, resulting in a tax loss of at least $3.1 million over the course of a year. Assistant United States Attorney William Guappone prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ha.


title: Laredo man sentenced to 63 months for smuggling over 100 illegal aliens in locked trailer

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 49-year-old resident of Laredo has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Juan Manuel Aguirre pleaded guilty Feb. 6. U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Aguirre to serve 63 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered Aguirre’s history of smuggling aliens on multiple occasions and the danger he posed by transporting them in a sealed, locked, dark and unventilated trailer that required authorities to open with a bolt cutter. “Human smuggling is an incredibly dangerous enterprise, and it requires the trafficker to care absolutely nothing about the lives and safety of those they transport,” said Ganjei. “Fortunately, there were no deaths in this case, but the underlying facts indicate that several of those transported had difficulty breathing and feared for their life. The Southern District of Texas will make sure that all human smugglers pay a serious price for their callousness.” On Dec. 2, 2024, law enforcement observed several individuals being loading into a white trailer in a warehouse parking lot. Aguirre was the driver of the truck hauling it. After he departed the location, authorities conducted a traffic stop which resulted in the discovery of 101 aliens locked inside the trailer, 13 of whom were children as young as 13 years old. Multiple illegal aliens reported they had difficulty breathing and feared for their life due to the conditions in the trailer. They were from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba and Honduras. Aguirre will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, Drug Enforcement Administration and Webb County Sheriff’s Office. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is prosecuting the case.


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Trying to Arrange Florida Murder

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced an Illinois man to 97 months in prison for trying to have a business associate in Florida murdered. At an initial meeting in Missouri in January of 2024, Ben Patrick Mullavey asked a former employee to kill Mullavey’s business partner in Florida. The employee contacted authorities. In later conversations, many of which were recorded by the FBI, Mullavey told the employee that he had been planning the murder for months and had conducted surveillance of the victim and stolen a Florida license plate. Mullavey suggested the best time and place to commit the murder, ways to avoid being identified on surveillance cameras and ways of disposing of the victim’s body. On Jan. 13, 2024, the employee left Mullavey’s home with orders to kill the victim, a crossbow, arrows, the stolen Florida license plate, handwritten directions to a restaurant located next door to the victim’s business and $2,100 in cash. In a victim impact letter, Mullavey’s target said that since being informed that he was the target of a murder-for-hire scheme, he has lived in a “state of constant fear.” Forced to abandon his business out of concern over the risk of being in a public place every day, he also lost his financial security, his apartment and everything inside it. “This is not just something that happened once. It is something that will affect me every day for the rest of my life,” he wrote. Mullavey, 66, of Mechanicsburg, in Sangamon County, pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one felony count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of attempted murder-for-hire. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton prosecuted the case.


title: Clifton T. Barrett Takes Oath as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO, N.C. – Clifton T. “Cliff” Barrett took the oath of office yesterday to become the United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. The oath was administered by U.S. District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. at the L. Richardson Preyer Federal Building in Greensboro. Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Mr. Barrett as the interim U.S. Attorney on July 21, 2025. “I am honored to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina and thank President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for placing their trust in me,” said U.S. Attorney Barrett. “I look forward, along with other prosecutors in the office, to making the Middle District a safer place to live by holding offenders accountable for their actions. We will work closely with state, local, and federal law enforcement in addressing President Trump’s law enforcement priorities.” As the U.S. Attorney, Mr. Barrett is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Middle District of North Carolina, which covers 24 counties in the central part of the state from Durham County on the east to Yadkin County on the west, stretching up to Virginia on the north side and down to South Carolina on the south. Approximately 3 million people live in the Middle District of North Carolina. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to immigration, gang violence, National Security, drug trafficking, and violent crime. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States. U.S. Attorney Barrett joined the Department of Justice as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Middle District of North Carolina in September 1994. He has prosecuted a broad range of federal criminal cases, including drug trafficking organizations, violent crime, child exploitation, public corruption, tax fraud, and offenses related to terrorism. He has held numerous leadership roles in the office, including 25 years as Chief of the Criminal Division. He has also served in leadership at the Department of Justice as an evaluator of other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and as a member of the Criminal Chiefs Working Group, an appointed committee that works in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney General’s Advisory Commission in providing advice to the U.S. Attorney General. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Barrett was an Assistant District Attorney for nine years in Forsyth County, North Carolina where he primarily prosecuted violent crime cases. Barrett received his bachelor’s degree in history cum laude from Wake Forest University in 1982, and his Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1985. He has been an Adjunct Professor at Wake Forest University School of Law teaching Criminal Trial Advocacy since 1996. ###


title: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Reentry

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Angel Urbina-Ramirez, a/k/a Angel Urbina Ramirez, a/k/a Angel Urbinaramirez, age 53, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Poteau, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division. The Indictment alleged that on June 13, 2025, Urbina-Ramirez, an alien, was found in the United States after having been previously removed on January 30, 2018, without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Urbina-Ramirez will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.


title: United States Reaches $501,556 Civil Settlement Resolving Allegations of False Claims to Federal Health Care Programs

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Drake on Tuesday announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri and a Missouri psychiatrist have reached a $501,556 civil settlement that will resolve False Claims Act (FCA) allegations. The settlement resolves allegations that from Jan. 1, 2019, through May 31, 2024, Dr. Mohd Azfar Malik falsely indicated to both Medicare and Missouri Medicaid that he provided face-to-face psychotherapy to patients, including by submitting false claims for payment when he was out of town and for services that were provided by other practitioners. Dr. Malik was part-owner of Behavioral Health Services, LLC which owned and operated Psych Care Consultants in St. Louis, Missouri. The settlement consists of $250,778 in restitution, which is doubled under the FCA. The civil settlement contains no admission of liability. In April of 2025, Dr. Malik pleaded guilty to making false statement in federal health care related matters and admitted submitting claims for payment to Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurers in which he falsely claimed to have performed in-person services when he was out of Missouri or out of the country. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11. “Holding health care professionals accountable for submitting false claims for financial gain is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring that critical resources are appropriately utilized,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners will continue to collaborate our efforts to protect the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs.” This civil settlement was a result of the combined work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, HHS/OIG Office of Investigations, the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Clewiston Felon Sentenced To Prison For Unlawfully Possessing Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jose Ignacio Carrizalez III (27, Clewiston) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Carrizalez pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025. According to court documents, on April 12, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Carrizalez’s residence after he sold a firearm to a confidential informant and offered to sell another one. During the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement seized multiple firearms, assorted ammunition, and a “switch” designed for use in converting a semi-automatic pistol into a machine gun. Carrizalez is a convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey. 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: Repeat Domestic Violence Offender  from Ganado Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Brian Jason Gishie, 46, of Ganado, Arizona, was sentenced on July 16, by Senior United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Gishie, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault of an intimate partner by strangling. On or about June 20, 2024, Gishie brutally assaulted an intimate partner at his home in Greasewood, Arizona, within the Navajo Nation community. Using a baseball bat, Gishie hit the victim several times on her head and body. He then strangled her with both hands for several seconds. The victim was medically treated for injuries related to the assault. Gishie had previously been convicted of multiple domestic violence related offenses, including Aggravated Domestic Violence in Maricopa County in 2004, and Assault by Strangling in the District of Arizona in 2019. The FBI Phoenix Division’s Flagstaff office and the Navajo Nation Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08120-PCT-DGC RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-123_Gishie # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Antwaun Winbush, 45, of Charleston was sentenced on Monday, July 21, 2025, to 12 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 25, 2024, a law enforcement officer attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Winbush on U.S. Route 35 in Putnam County. Winbush attempted to flee from the officer, reaching speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. While fleeing, Winbush dumped large quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana out of his vehicle’s window. Some of the thrown methamphetamine struck the officer’s patrol vehicle and the officer inhaled methamphetamine through the air vents. Winbush almost struck multiple vehicles while fleeing before he lost control of his vehicle and came to a stop. Officers arrested Winbush following the pursuit and recovered some but not all the methamphetamine from the roadway. As part of his guilty plea, Winbush admitted that he possessed approximately 141.8 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine. Winbush also committed other criminal conduct on October 4, 2021, and December 24, 2023. On October 4, 2021, an officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Winbush in Jackson County. A search of the vehicle by law enforcement resulted in the seizure of approximately 227 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, 8 grams of cocaine, 14.7 grams of fentanyl, and a Glock model 33 .357-caliber pistol found hidden behind the stereo area of the dashboard. Winbush admitted to possessing the seized controlled substances and to intending to distribute them. On December 24, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Winbush’s residence and seized more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, a firearm, and ammunition found hidden behind a loose wall. Officers also found drug trafficking paraphernalia, including scales, cutting agents and plastic baggies, during the search. “Winbush’s criminal history dates back 30 years and includes 20 adult convictions. Winbush has shown time and again that he is only deterred from continuing his criminal conduct and putting citizens at risk when he is incarcerated,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “I commend the brave law enforcement officers who safely apprehended the defendant after he endangered their lives and the public with his reckless attempt to flee the Putnam County traffic stop. I also commend investigative work of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).” Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-154. ###


title: U.S. commences civil action to forfeit $7.1 million in cryptocurrency tied to oil and gas storage fraud scheme

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington today filed a civil action seeking the forfeiture of cryptocurrency valued at approximately $7.1 million seized in the investigation of an oil and gas related investment fraud scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. The funds, part of some $97 million taken in by the coconspirators between June 2022 and July 2024, was seized by Homeland Security Investigations in December 2024. “The co-schemers in this fraud moved their ill-gotten gain through various cryptocurrency accounts to try to launder the money stolen from victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “Federal investigators and prosecutors in our office moved as quickly as possible to trace and seize the cryptocurrency so that some of the losses can be returned to victims.” According to the forfeiture filing and other records in the case, from at least August 2022 through August 2024, the co-schemers convinced victims to send money to what was represented as escrow accounts to purchase oil tank storage in either Rotterdam, Netherlands, or Houston. The schemers indicated that the investors could make significant profits by renting the oil tank storage they obtained to others. The victims sent money to accounts linked to these entities: Sea Forest International LLC; Apex Oil and Gas Trading LLC; Navigator Energy Logistics LLC; Terminal Energy International Escrow Service LLC; Energo Horizons Logistics (EA) LLC; Legacy Energy Logistics Transport Group LLC; Green Tree Gateway LLC. However once victims sent their money, they were not sent any further information on their investment and co-schemers simply stopped responding. Newcastle, Washington resident Geoffrey K. Auyeung, 47, was indicted in August 2024 as the coconspirator in the U.S. who is charged with receiving much of the fraud proceeds generated by the fraud scheme. The money was quickly moved to one or more of at least 81 different accounts at financial institutions, moved offshore, or moved to one or more of at least 19 different cryptocurrency accounts, where it was used for the purchase of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Tether, USD Coin, and Ethereum. Much of the cryptocurrency was further transferred to accounts at the cryptocurrency exchange Binance. According to the forfeiture filing, the cryptocurrency accounts that were seized were linked to individuals in Russia and Nigeria. Some of the cryptocurrency purchased with victims’ funds was also sent to cryptocurrency exchanges in Russia and Nigeria, at least one of which is alleged to have facilitated money laundering for transnational criminal organizations – including terrorist organizations and organizations that violate international trade sanctions. At the time of Auyeung’s arrest and indictment, some $2.3 million was seized from his bank accounts. The $7.1 million in cryptocurrency the government is seeking to forfeit is in addition to the $2.3 million. Should the court approve the forfeiture the money will be distributed to victims in the case. Currently. Investigators have identified dozens of victims who were defrauded out of approximately $17.9 million. Investigators believe those numbers will continue to grow as more victims are identified and verified. The case is being investigated by HSI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jehiel Baer and Yunah Chung.


title: New York Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Traffic Firearms from Maine to New York

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Syracuse, New York man was sentenced on Monday in U.S. District Court in Bangor for conspiring to violate federal firearms laws and being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Tyquinn Montell Cannon (aka “Q”) , 32, to 45 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Cannon pleaded guilty on June 17, 2024. According to court records, beginning in May 2022, Cannon knowingly conspired with others in Maine and New York to illegally obtain firearms at federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs) in central and southern Maine using straw purchasers. Two of the coconspirators in Maine would arrange for the straw purchase of firearms, and Cannon would deliver, or arrange the delivery of, the illegally obtained firearms to coconspirators in New York. In September 2022, Cannon was found in possession of a Glock .40 caliber pistol, which had earlier been straw purchased at an FFL in Maine. Cannon is prohibited from possessing firearms due to felony drug convictions in Illinois. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Massachusetts State Police investigated the case. STRAW PURCHASING: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her. ###


title: Former bank insider pleads guilty to stealing money from customer accounts

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A South Chesterfield woman pled guilty today to embezzling funds from and making false statements to her former employer, Truist Financial Corporation. According to court documents, Ahshah Dior Martin, 35, repeatedly stole customer banking information to enrich herself. In 2023, Martin began improperly using her access to Truist computer systems to gather Truist account holders’ banking information. Then, she initiated fraudulent debits and withdrawals from these accounts for her own benefit. For instance, Martin repeatedly initiated payments from customer bank accounts to a child support payment processor, through which Martin paid herself. In all, Martin used her access to sensitive customer financial information to steal $195,000 from at least 70 separate Truist customer accounts. Martin stole from the Truist accounts of individuals and entities, including multiple churches, a children’s museum, an eye tissue bank non-profit organization, manufacturing and construction companies, a small business making customized holsters, and the North Carolina Wing of the Civil Air Patrol. Martin spent stolen funds on cosmetic products, clothing, travel expenses, dining, and at a hookah bar. On April 15, 2024, Martin was terminated by Truist. Despite repeated attempts to retrieve her Truist laptop, Martin retained access to her work computer. To conceal her wrongdoing and prevent the return of her Truist laptop, Martin faked her own death. On April 17, 2024, in response to an email from Truist asking for the computer, Martin responded, “Sorry to inform you, she has passed away.” Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 20 and faces up to 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey D. Pittano, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Region for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Avi Panth and Robert S. Day are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-102.


title: Final Member Sentenced in Tennessee Fentanyl and  Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Jackson, TN – A federal judge has sentenced James Calvin Hennings, 43 , of Milan, Tennessee to over 27 years in federal prison for his role in an organized drug trafficking scheme in Western Tennessee as well as possession of contraband by a federal inmate. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. Agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation conducted a series of controlled purchases from Hennings during the months of March and April 2022. These controlled purchases led to a Title III wiretap investigation that ran from May 20, 2022 until July 6, 2022 that revealed Hennings received drugs from a source of supply operating out of California and Middle Tennessee and then re-distributed narcotics within the Western District of Tennessee. Hennings, a known affiliate of the Crip Street Gang, was previously injured in a shooting that left him confined to a wheelchair. Due to his limited mobility, he compensated co-conspirators with methamphetamine and financial payments in exchange for their assistance in distributing narcotics. During the pendency of the Title III interceptions, Hennings was intercepted ordering drugs from sources outside the state to ship narcotics to the Western District of Tennessee; these efforts were thwarted by law enforcement. Additionally, he made several attempts to purchase and acquire firearms, intending to retaliate for his previously sustained injury. Between March 2022 and July 2022, agents seized 2,361 grams of methamphetamine, 4,197 pills containing 452 grams of fentanyl, several pounds of marijuana, and three firearms from this drug trafficking organization. After Hennings’ arrest and incarceration for the federal drug trafficking charges, he was found in possession of a cellular telephone in a United States Marshals holding facility. The following co-conspirators were also sentenced as part of their plea agreements in this case: Robert Linningham, 41 , of Humboldt, TN: 120 months and a five-year period of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Justin Cody Rodgers, 37 , of Jackson, TN: 66 months and a five-year period of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. “This sentence reflects Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) commitment to ensuring criminals face severe consequences when they flood our communities with illegal contraband,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “The removal of dangerous narcotics from our streets affirms our commitment to ensuring public safety and protecting our citizens from the devastating impact caused by illegal drugs. We will not tolerate those individuals who prey on some of the most vulnerable members in our communities. Our communities are safer today largely due to a strong collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners.” This investigation was conducted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Milan Police Department, Internal Revenue Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Twenty-Sixth Judicial District Drug Task Force, the United States Marshals Service, as well as the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Christie Hopper and Hillary Parham prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Leader of Multi-State Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ROME, Ga. - Wilfort Foster, III, 41, of El Monte, California, was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to narcotics and money laundering conspiracy charges. Foster, a convicted felon serving a sentence of probation during a portion of the offense, led an operation that moved hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as significant quantities of fentanyl, from California to the North Georgia area and elsewhere, and then laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds. “Our office partnered with a host of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to dismantle a significant, multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering network,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Foster’s 28-year prison sentence should serve as a robust warning to others who might consider trafficking deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine in North Georgia.” “DEA is committed to going after money laundering networks that move cash made from the sale of illegal drugs in the United States,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “We will continue to follow the money trail while working alongside our partners to hold those accountable who profit from the distribution of deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine.” “This sentencing marks the end of a years-long effort to dismantle a dangerous drug trafficking network that was pushing lethal fentanyl and methamphetamine into our communities,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI remains focused on dismantling these dangerous organizations at every level—from supply to distribution to laundering the proceeds of their crimes.” “This significant sentence reflects the massive danger that fentanyl and illicit narcotics pose to our communities,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of HSI and our law enforcement partners, Wilfort Foster, III, who led a major drug trafficking ring, will no longer be able to endanger lives with these deadly substances.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges and other information presented in court: Beginning in 2017 and continuing into 2022, Foster and others conspired to transport methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to Cartersville, Georgia and other areas. Foster ran a stash house and illegal gambling operation in his California barbershop, which he used to supply his network with large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine for sale. In one instance, Foster supplied a co-defendant with more than 22 kilograms of methamphetamine that law enforcement subsequently seized. After Foster’s operation sold drugs, conspirators in Georgia laundered more than $600,000 in cash to Foster by using shell companies and flying with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to California. Foster maintained tight control of his network and once broke a co-defendant’s jaw during a feud over the co-defendant’s drug debt. During the multi-agency investigation, law enforcement seized significant quantities of narcotics and more than a dozen firearms, including an AR-15. Foster continued his drug and money laundering operation in Georgia despite being on probation in California in a case involving the seizure of over nine kilograms of methamphetamine and two firearms. Earlier today, United States District Judge William M. Ray II sentenced Foster to serve 28 years in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Foster was convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and conspiracy to commit money laundering on January 6, 2025, after he pleaded guilty. Another member of Foster’s organization, Steven Ham, 43, of Cartersville, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release on November 26, 2024, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Additionally, the following defendants have pleaded guilty as part of this case and are awaiting sentencing: Clifford Alexander, 39, of Gadsden, Alabama, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Frank Miller, 47, of Cartersville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Kenneth Antoine Scott, 41, of East Point, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Lori Silvers, 46, of Rockmart, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Nia Thomas, 31, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Cartersville Police Department, Cedartown Police Department, Polk County Police Department, Acworth Police Department, Kennesaw Police Department, El Monte (CA) Police Department, Los Angeles (CA) Sheriff’s Department, Rutherford County (TN) Sheriff’s Office, Sevier County (TN) Sheriff’s Office, Kansas City (KS) Police Department, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold, III, Matthew R. LaGrone, and Jeffrey Brown; former Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Beaulieu and Zachary Howard; and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This effort is part of an 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 . The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Indianapolis CPA Sentenced for Participation in Illegal Tax Shelter

component: Tax Division

body_text: An Indiana CPA was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for assisting in the preparation of false tax returns on behalf of clients who participated in an illegal tax shelter. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: between 2013 and 2022, Jason L. Crace prepared income tax returns for clients that claimed millions of dollars in false deductions for so-called “royalty payments.” However, as Crace knew, these “royalty payments” were merely circular flows of money designed to give the appearance of genuine business expenses. Typically, a client would send money to bank accounts controlled by scheme promoters who then sent the money — minus a fee — back to a different bank account controlled by the client. In this way, tax shelter participants retained control of the money they transferred, while falsely deducting the transfers as business expenses on their tax returns. One of the scheme’s promoters, Stephen T. Mellinger III, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years in prison for his role promoting the scheme. In total, Crace’s preparation of false tax returns claiming fraudulent “royalty” deductions caused a loss to the IRS of more than $2.5 million. In addition to his prison sentence, the court sentenced Crace to serve one year of supervised release and to pay restitution of $2,532,936. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Richard J. Hagerman, William M. Montague, and Matthew C. Hicks of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham for the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case.


title: Akron Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Akron, Ohio, has been sentenced in federal court to 46 months of imprisonment on his conviction of conspiring to distribute and distributing methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Charles Woods, 67. According to information presented to the Court, investigators identified Woods as a methamphetamine supplier for a drug trafficking operation between Akron, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Investigators searched Woods’ residence and obtained approximately 294 grams of methamphetamine. In court, Woods admitted that he conspired to distribute and distributed between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine over a five-month period. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Woods.


title: Bon Air Man Pleads Guilty to Involvement in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to fentanyl and cocaine trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. DeVaughn Faulk, 28, of the Bon Air neighborhood of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, between March 2024 and July 2024, Faulk participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, both Schedule II controlled substances, by functioning as a redistributor of street-level amounts of both substances. Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for November 12, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Pending sentencing, Faulk will remain in custody. Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine C. Jordan and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Faulk. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Providence Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl-Laced Pills

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Providence man has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for selling fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Michael Sellers, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 70 months of incarceration to be followed by five years of supervised release. Sellers pleaded guilty in March to two counts of distribution of fentanyl. At the time of his guilty plea, Sellers admitted that on at least two occasions he sold more than 1,000 counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills to an individual. Sellers admitted that on November 16, 2023, he provided the individual with 1,027 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills in exchange for $2,500 in cash. On November 24, 2023, he provided the same person with 1,024 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills in exchange for $2,500. Unbeknownst to Sellers, both transactions were monitored by the FBI and the pills were quickly seized. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter I. Roklan and Stacey A. Erickson. The matter was investigated by the FBI. ###


title: Beko Technologies Agrees To Pay Over $3.6 Million To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Involving Improper Paycheck Protection Program Loans

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Beko Technologies, Corp. (Beko), a manufacturer of compressed air products located in Atlanta, Georgia and a subsidiary of a German company, has agreed to pay $3,662,026 to resolve allegations that it provided false information to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which it was not eligible, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “PPP loans were designed to assist struggling businesses and to keep people employed in the middle of the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “The program was supported by taxpayer money to help small businesses and the U.S. economy, not to bankroll foreign businesses ineligible for taxpayer-funded assistance.” Congress created the PPP in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The PPP was administered by the Small Business Administration and provided forgivable loans to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2020, Congress approved funding for a second round of forgivable PPP loans. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the requested loans and that the information they provided was true and accurate. This settlement resolves allegations that Beko misrepresented that it was a small business when it submitted applications for PPP loans totaling over $2.5 million. The government contends that Beko represented in its loan applications that it had 104 or fewer employees when it was, in fact, a subsidiary of a Germany company with over 500 employees worldwide, and therefore was ineligible for the loans, which were forgiven in full at the expense of U.S. taxpayers This matter arose from a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2 Inc. v. Beko Technologies Corp. , No. 3:24-cv-980 (W.D.N.C.). The government’s investigation was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Johnson. Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Five Defendants Sentenced in Connection with Operating One of the Largest Illegal Television Show Streaming Services in the United States

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Yesterday, the final judgments were issued for five Nevada men, including a citizen of Germany, who were sentenced on May 29 and 30 to terms of up to 84 months in prison for running Jetflicks, one of the largest illegal television streaming services in the United States. “The defendants operated Jetflicks, an illegal paid streaming service that made available more television episodes than any licensed streaming service on the market,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This scheme generated millions of dollars in criminal profits, and hurt thousands of U.S. companies and individuals who owned the copyrights to these shows but never received a penny in compensation from Jetflicks. The sentences issued in this case demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to protect American creativity and to ensure that large-scale infringers are brought to justice and punished for their crimes.” “Digital crimes are not victimless crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The copyright owners lost millions of dollars as a result of the illegal paid streaming service. These sentences underscore our joint commitment with the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and FBI to deter and disrupt intellectual property crime via thorough investigation and prosecution of those who violate federal intellectual property laws.” “By building and running one of the largest unauthorized streaming services in the U.S., these individuals not only stole from content creators and legitimate streaming services, they undermined the integrity of our economy and the rule of law," said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “These sentencings are a reminder that illegal actions have consequences. The FBI and our partners are unwavering in our commitment to protect intellectual property rights and hold criminals accountable.” After a 14-day trial that ended in June 2024, a federal jury in the District of Nevada convicted Kristopher Lee Dallmann, 42; Peter H. Huber, 67; Jared Edward Jaurequi, also known as Jared Edwards, 44; Felipe Garcia, 43; and Douglas M. Courson, 65, all of Las Vegas, of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement. The jury also convicted Dallmann of criminal copyright infringement by distribution, criminal copyright infringement by public performance, and money laundering. Subsequently, the court sentenced Dallmann to 84 months in prison; Huber to 18 months in prison; Jaurequi to time served (almost 5 months in prison), 180 days of home confinement, and 500 hours of community service; Garcia to three years probation with 49 days in prison and 1000 hours of community service; and Courson to three years probation with 48 days in prison. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants ran a site called Jetflicks, an online subscription-based service headquartered in Las Vegas, that permitted users to stream and at times download copyrighted television programs without the permission of the relevant copyright owners. At one point, Jetflicks claimed to have 183,285 different television episodes, significantly more than Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime, or any other licensed streaming service. This was the largest internet piracy case — as measured by the estimated total infringement amount and total number of infringements — ever to go to trial as well as the first illegal streaming case ever to go to trial. The defendants’ conduct harmed every major copyright owner of a television program in the United States. Copyright owners lost millions of dollars from the operation. Evidence presented at trial showed that the defendants used automated software and computer scripts that ran constantly to scour sites around the world hosting pirated content. The software and scripts would download, process, and store illegal content, and then make it immediately available on servers in the United States and Canada to tens of thousands of paid subscribers located throughout the United States for streaming and/or downloading. The defendants often delivered episodes to subscribers the day after the shows originally aired on television. The service was not only available to subscribers over the internet but specifically designed to work on many different types of devices, platforms, and software. Each defendant performed at least one and often multiple roles at Jetflicks including management, computer programming and coding, design of the website, applications, and customer interface, technical assistance, content acquisition, subscriptions and revenue, and customer support. Dallmann reaped millions of dollars in profit from the operation. The government conservatively estimated the value of the copyright infringement in the case at $37.5 million. This included the approximate retail value of the defendants’ reproduction of infringing works to create the Jetflicks inventory as well as the approximate retail value of the streams of pirated television episodes that the defendants provided to subscribers. The five defendants sentenced were among eight defendants originally indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia in connection with operating Jetflicks. In addition to the defendants just sentenced in Nevada, defendant Darryl Polo previously pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to four counts of criminal copyright infringement and one count of money laundering for his involvement with Jetflicks as well as an equally large illegal streaming site he ran called iStreamItAll. Similarly, defendant Luis Villarino also previously pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. In May 2021, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Virginia sentenced Polo and Villarino to, respectively, 57 months in prison and 12 months and a day in prison. After the case was transferred to the District of Nevada for trial, defendant Yoany Vaillant was tried separately from the other five remaining defendants. In November 2024, after an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted Vaillant of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. Vaillant is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti, Trial Attorney Michael Christin, and Acting Deputy Chief Christopher S. Merriam of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Oliva and Edward G. Veronda for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. The CCIPS Cybercrime Lab, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada provided significant assistance.


title: St. Louis County Tax Preparer Who Falsified Tax Returns Sentenced

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis County tax preparer to five years of probation for falsifying federal income tax returns for clients. Judge Fleissig also ordered Elisa Y. Brown, 60, to pay $156,559.98 in restitution. Brown admitted preparing false tax returns from 2016-2020. Brown prepared the returns from her home in exchange for between $150 and $250 per return. She did not have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), which is issued by the IRS and required on returns prepared for compensation. Brown digitally signed each tax return in the name of the taxpayer, making it appear to the IRS that the taxpayer had prepared the return. Brown “made up businesses out of thin air and claimed tens of thousands of dollars in false business expenses, false medical and dental expenses, and false cash donations, all for the purpose of inflating the refunds her clients would receive from the IRS, often by thousands of dollars per return,” a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow says. Brown admitted filing false tax returns for 11 clients from 2016-2020. During the same time, she prepared and submitted a total of 560 tax returns, many of which contained similar false deductible expenses. Brown pleaded guilty in April to two counts of assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. The case was investigated by IRS - Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.