title: Justice Department Files Suit Against University of California for Antisemitic Hostile Work Environment

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division filed suit against the University of California for engaging in a hostile work environment against Jewish and Israeli faculty and staff at its University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. After the Hamas-led massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023, antisemitic acts pervaded UCLA. The suit alleges the University engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination in violation of Title VII against Jewish and Israeli employees at UCLA by failing to prevent and correct discriminatory and harassing conduct. The suit further alleges the University negligently permitted a hostile work environment against two charging parties and other aggrieved Jewish and Israeli employees. In 2024, the University allowed antisemitic harassment to continue unabated for days in front of its iconic Royce Hall: among other acts, Jews were not permitted on portions of the main quad, Jewish professors were assaulted, and swastikas were graffitied on University buildings. The University has ignored, and continues to ignore, gross and repeated violations of viewpoint-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions involving these and other actions directed against Jewish and Israeli employees. Jewish and Israeli faculty have been physically threatened, had their classrooms disrupted, and had their workplaces papered with disturbing images. Jewish professors have been, and continue to be, subjected to ostracism and harassment by their colleagues and students, while their colleagues and supervisors not only have failed to report those acts as required but have even participated in them. Numerous Jewish and Israeli employees have been forced to take leave, work from home, and even leave their jobs to avoid the hostile work environment. “Based on our investigation, UCLA administrators allegedly allowed virulent anti-Semitism to flourish on campus, harming students and staff alike,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s lawsuit underscores that this Department of Justice stands strong against hate and anti-Semitism in all its vile forms.” “The litany of vile acts of antisemitism that allegedly took place, and continue to take place, at UCLA are, if found to be true, a mark of shame against the University of California,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will ensure that UCLA maintains an environment for its employees free from antisemitic harassment.” “UCLA failed to live up to its systemwide commitment to diversity and equal opportunity when it stood by as Jewish employees were subjected to harassment,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “The federal government has an obligation to step in and ensure a discrimination-free environment at our universities.” The lawsuit stems from a Commissioner’s Charge filed by then-Commissioner Andrea Lucas of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in June 2024. The EEOC was instrumental in investigating the allegations of harassment at UCLA and in identifying the University’s poor complaint system. “The EEOC is committed to eradicating antisemitism at work,” said EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas. “If a University will not investigate and remedy repeated allegations of antisemitism against its employees, the EEOC will.” If you have experienced antisemitic harassment at UCLA, if UCLA has failed to investigate your complaint of antisemitic harassment, or if you have other information related to the Division’s suit against the University, please email the Civil Rights Division at community.uc@usdoj.gov . If you work for a university or college and have experienced antisemitic harassment at work, you can file a charge with the EEOC at How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( https://www.eeoc.gov/how-file-charge-employment-discrimination ). There are strict time limits for filing discrimination charges, so you should contact the EEOC promptly if you suspect discrimination. Learn more about addressing antisemitism at work here: What To Do If You Face Antisemitism at Work .


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Enters Into Settlement Agreement To Improve Accessibility At Historic Bronx House And Museum

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today the settlement of a civil rights lawsuit against the NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION (“PARKS”) and the HISTORIC HOUSE TRUST (“HHT”). The settlement resolves violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) at the Van Cortlandt House Museum in Van Cortlandt Park, in the Bronx, New York. “The ADA applies to all places of public accommodation, even those that predate our Declaration of Independence,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The settlement approved today will expand access at the Van Cortlandt House Museum so more visitors, including people with disabilities, can experience this important piece of New York City history.” According to the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, the Agreement entered by the court, and information from the Van Cortlandt House Museum: The Van Cortlandt House was built in 1748 as the residence of the Van Cortlandt family. During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington stayed at the House in 1776 and 1783. At the end of the nineteenth century, the Van Cortlandt family sold the property to the City of New York. The City has operated the property as a museum since 1897, in coordination with the HHT. A Cottage was added to the property in 1910 that now serves as a welcome center and gift shop. The Van Cortlandt House Museum aspires to recreate the furnishings and decoration of the home from 1749 to 1823. The settlement, in the form of a court-approved stipulation and order (the “Agreement”), was entered today by U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken and requires PARKS, among other things, to embark on a long-term capital project that seeks to provide barrier-free access to the basement and the first floor of the House. In the near term, the Agreement obliges PARKS to remove barriers to accessibility at the Cottage, many of which have already been removed. After the United States issued its findings letter to PARKS regarding the violations of the ADA, PARKS installed a wooden ramp that for the first time provided access to the Cottage. The Agreement obliges PARKS to maintain this ramp pending completion of the broader capital project. While providing physical access to the second and third floors of the House is not readily achievable due to architectural constraints, the ADA requires places of public accommodation to explore other methods of accessibility. As a result, the Agreement requires PARKS to offer iPads or similar electronic devices at the Cottage that provide a virtual 360-degree tour of the entirety of the House. Mr. Clayton thanked the Disability Rights Section of the Department of Justice, and particularly its architectural staff, for their assistance in this matter. Since President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law in 1990, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has played a significant role in bringing numerous New York City institutions into compliance with the ADA and its regulations. The Office’s enforcement efforts include, among many others, Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Shubert Theaters, the Nederlander Theaters, the Jujamcyn Theaters, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Opera, the Apollo Theater, the Rainbow Room, The Vessel at Hudson Yards, and dozens of hotels and restaurants. To file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation within the Southern District of New York is not accessible to persons with disabilities, use the Civil Rights Complaint Form available on the United States Attorney’s Office’s website, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/civil-rights . Complaints should be emailed or sent by mail to: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York 86 Chambers Street, 3rd Floor New York, New York 10007 Attention: Chief, Civil Rights Unit USANYS-CivilRights@usdoj.gov The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Kennedy is in charge of the case.


title: Ross Township Resident Pleads Guilty to Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Ross Township, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Ralph Talerico, 45, pleaded guilty to three counts before Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bisson. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, in and around June through July 2023, Talerico produced videos of two minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, on or about June 6, 2024, Talerico possessed videos and still images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were prepubescent and under 12 years of age. Chief Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Talerico. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Carlyle man sentenced to prison for maintaining a drug house

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Carlyle man to 46 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to operating a drug house near a park. John E. Kock, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. Following imprisonment, Kock will serve three years of supervised release. “Operating a drug house steps away from a park puts families and children at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting cases with a strong community impact in neighborhoods of all sizes, and we will hold offenders accountable.” According to court documents, Kock allowed others staying at his residence to use and distribute meth between March 2020 and October 2023. Law enforcement conducted controlled buys of meth from people living in the home and executed search warrants which recovered drug paraphernalia. “Community safety is a top priority for this office. Sentences like this one show that we will hold accountable anyone who turns their home into a hub for illegal drug activity and threaten the safety of hardworking families," said FBI-Springfield Acting Special Agent in Charge Ruben Marchand-Morales. "Our work doesn't stop here; we remain committed to continuing working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and disrupt drug trafficking, reduce violent crime, and ensure that every neighborhood is a safer place to live, work, and raise a family." The property was located in the 1600 block of Livingston Street in Carlyle across the street from a park. The FBI Springfield Field Office, TOC-West Task Force and Carlyle Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Clinton County Sherrif’s Office and Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Hudson prosecuted the case.


title: Carjacking Nets D.C. Woman 70 Months in Prison

body_text: WASHINGTON — Angel Hall, 25, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 70 months in prison for her role in a 2024 armed carjacking of a woman in Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Hall and her co-defendant Brian Allison, 56, each pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2025, to one charge of carjacking and aiding and abetting. In addition to the prison term, Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Hall to serve three years of supervised release. Allison is scheduled to be sentenced next month. According to court documents, on Feb. 1, 2024, about 11 p.m., Allison and Hall followed the victim into a takeout restaurant on the 4500 block of Benning Road, SE. Allison and Hall left without ordering, but followed the victim as she left with her food. Allison approached the victim as she walked to her vehicle. As Hall stood lookout, Allison flashed the butt of a pistol that he was carrying in his pocket, and said, “Gimme those f---ing keys or I’m gonna bust your head.” After the victim handed over her keys, Allison demanded her phone and wallet. Allison then asked for the PIN number to her debit card. The victim provided the number. Allison told the victim if the PIN was not correct, he would kill her. Using the key fob, Allison tried to open the trunk to force the victim into it. Allison could not get the trunk open, so he ordered her into the front passenger's seat. Hall got into the back seat. Allison got into the driver’s seat and pulled away. Allison drove the victim and Hall to a grocery store in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Allison then told Hall to “bust” the victim if she tried to leave. Allison entered the store with the victim’s debit card, withdrew $500 from an ATM, and bought some food and other items. He returned to vehicle and drove them all back to the District. Allison parked the car on the 5700 block of Southern Avenue SE. Once stopped, he took one of the victim’s gloves and wiped down the victim’s keys and the steering wheel. Allison returned the phone, keys, and wallet to the victim. Allison and Hall fled on foot towards Central Avenue, SE. The victim drove to the 6th District Station house and reported the incident. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole. 24cr157


title: Lowcountry Attorney Charged with Defrauding $1.5M from Mt. Pleasant Law Firm and Clients

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — William Christopher Swett, 42, of Johns Island, has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering for defrauding his employer and clients of at least $1.5 million. According to the charging documents, Swett worked as a personal injury attorney at a Mt. Pleasant law firm and represented individuals in civil claims following death, injury, and other loss. From at least 2018 through 2024, Swett devised a scheme to defraud the law firm and his clients. To further his scheme, Swett established legal services companies and expensed the law firm and his clients for services not performed and for inflated and illegitimate expenses. Swett withheld his association with these companies from his clients and the law firm. Swett also submitted reimbursement requests for fictitious clients, fabricated death and personal injury claims, and falsified medical records and other documents to further his fraud. To conceal his crimes, Swett laundered the funds through accounts he controlled and siphoned the money for his own personal enrichment. Swett fraudulently obtained at least $1.5 million. Swett has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of wire fraud and four counts of money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Limehouse is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Department of Justice Selects U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago As Leading Prosecutorial Partner on Trade Fraud Task Force

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today announced that the Department of Justice has selected the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago to be a lead prosecutorial partner on a task force designed to bring robust enforcement against importers, purchasers, supply chain actors, and other parties who seek to defraud the United States. Those with information about serious trade fraud schemes should consider filing a False Claims Act case in the District or making a voluntary disclosure or criminal referral under one of the avenues available for cooperators or whistleblowers. The Department of Justice recently created the Trade Fraud Task Force to aggressively pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade federal customs laws, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. Those engaged in fraud increasingly are attempting to illegally import below-market, industry-destabilizing goods without paying lawful duties or smuggling prohibited items that violate laws addressing public health, safety, intellectual property rights, and national security by allowing dangerous, restricted, or adversarial materials to bypass critical screening protocols. Trade fraud not only deprives the government of vital revenue used to reinvest in the country, but also threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. At an economic level, illegally transshipped, mislabeled, and misdeclared merchandise also creates a two-tier pricing structure for imported products: higher prices for buyers and sellers unwilling to transact in transshipped, mislabeled, and misdeclared merchandise, and cheaper prices for those willing to do so or who are otherwise indifferent. In a significant policy speech on Monday at the Forum on Trade Investigations Enforcement and Litigation in Arlington, Va., the Head of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, Cody Matthew Herche, announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will serve as a lead prosecutorial partner on the Task Force, along with attorneys from the Department of Justice and agents from the Department of Homeland Security and the Environmental Protection Agency. In the speech, Mr. Herche praised U.S. Attorney Boutros for his “partnership and extensive thought leadership in highlighting and combatting trade fraud” as well as his decades-long work in the space both as a federal prosecutor and thereafter. When U.S. Attorney Boutros served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Chicago from 2008 to 2015, he led what still stand as the Department of Justice’s largest-ever criminal trade fraud prosecutions , spanning 27 corporate and individual defendants across multiple indictments [1] , with losses totaling approximately $260 million. Those cases provide valuable insight into how the Trade Fraud Task Force will build future criminal prosecutions. After his initial public service as a federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Boutros handled many matters and investigations involving trade fraud, authored numerous articles and book chapters on the subject, and served as the keynote speaker at several noteworthy legal conferences throughout the country. “As Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. observed, ‘[A] page of history is worth a volume of logic,’” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Early in my career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in this Office, I led a series of momentous trade fraud prosecutions that laid the groundwork for the Trade Fraud Task Force. There were many unprecedented challenges in these difficult cases, but I was determined by a strong sense of the law and all equities, while also being fortified by an unwavering agency partner in the Department of Homeland Security in Chicago. Together we persevered and worked relentlessly for years to bring what still stand as the largest and most significant criminal trade fraud cases in our nation’s history. I take great pride in knowing that we were the architects of this enforcement area and that we were decades ahead of our time. It is also deeply satisfying that the vision we had for this enforcement area nearly 20 years ago has now been adopted at the very highest levels of the Department and is being implemented across the whole of government.” The Northern District of Illinois spans 18 counties—from the Lake Michigan shoreline on the eastern edge of Illinois to the Mississippi River on the state’s western border—and serves as a major transit hub in the middle of the United States. Air and water transportation centers in northern Illinois are critically important global, national, and regional connectors. The Illinois International Port District, also known as the Port of Chicago, annually moves more than 19 million tons of cargo . Located along Lake Michigan on Chicago’s Southeast Side, the Port of Chicago provides the means to move bulk commodities across the Chicago region and beyond, whether by water, train, or truck. O’Hare International Airport in Chicago was the 13th largest air cargo hub in the world in 2024 (the most recent year for which final data is available), moving more than two million tons of cargo, while Chicago Rockford International Airport in Rockford, Ill., moves more than a million tons of cargo per year, making it the 13th busiest airport for cargo in the United States . Under our federal criminal laws, any offense involving the importation of an object may be inquired of, and prosecuted in, any district from, through, or into which the imported object or person moves. “Chicago is one of the largest and most significant inland ports in the United States, allowing for expansive venue opportunities for criminal and civil trade fraud matters,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Trade compliance is a key concern for not only our region’s economic security, but also that of our entire nation’s. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will be strongly committed to holding parties accountable for their fraudulent schemes that undermine honest American competitors. We are proud to stand with our Department of Justice and agency partners as a prosecutorial leader of the Trade Fraud Task Force. I applaud the Administration for bringing greater focus, intensity, efficiency, and impact to prosecuting all varieties of trade fraud and safeguarding American ingenuity and security.” The Trade Fraud Task Force will advance President Trump’s America First Trade Policy by pursuing those who violate customs laws through duty and penalty collection actions under the Tariff Act of 1930, actions under the False Claims Act, and, where appropriate, parallel criminal prosecutions, penalties, forfeitures, and seizures. The Trade Fraud Task Force encourages importers, their agents, purchasers, other supply chain actors, and industrial and commercial end-users to conduct thorough audits of their sourcing, purchasing, and importing practices, and voluntarily self-disclose and remediate unlawful behavior. In addition, the Trade Fraud Task Force welcomes False Claims Act filings as well as referrals and cooperation from the domestic industries that are most harmed by unfair trade practices and trade fraud. [1] Among the cases U.S. Attorney Boutros brought as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois in the criminal trade fraud area were: U.S. v. Giesselbach , et al., 08 CR 417; U.S. v. Yong Xiang Yan , 09 CR 424; U.S. v. Hung Ta Fan , 10 CR 198; U.S. v. Shu Bei Yuan , 11 CR 84; U.S. v. Couture , 11 CR 781; U.S. v. Hung Yi Lin , 13 CR 125; U.S. v. Groeb Farms, Inc. , 13 CR 137; U.S. v. Murphy, et al. , 13 CR 138; U.S. v. Jun Yang , 13 CR 139; and U.S. v. Urbain Tran , 13 CR 140.


title: Butte man sentenced to 3 years in prison for illegal firearm possession

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

body_text: MISSOULA – A Butte man who illegally possessed multiple firearms was sentenced today to 37 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Shawn Troy Thumper Saccheri, 49, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The government alleged in court documents that on November 27, 2024, law enforcement conducted a search at Saccheri’s residence after receiving information he possessed firearms. Prior to the search, Saccheri admitted he possessed prohibited items. Law enforcement located the following five firearms and ammunition at his residence: Harrington & Richardson model 765 Pioneer, .22 caliber rifle Winchester model 1912, 12-gauge shotgun with a shortened barrel Western Auto Supply Revelation model 120, .22 caliber rifle Remington model 870, 12-gauge shotgun Winchester model 97, 12-gauge shotgun Harrington and Richardson model Bay State shotgun receiver Assorted ammunition and a magazine On October 11, 2018, Saccheri was convicted of distribution of dangerous drugs, a felony, in Flathead County and sentenced to six years to the Montana Department of Corrections. On June 9, 2023, he was convicted of possession of dangerous drugs, a felony, in Yellowstone County and sentenced to five years all suspended with credit for 160 days in custody. Each conviction is a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year which prohibits Saccheri from owning firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Stack prosecuted the case. The ATF conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Rockbridge County Man Sentenced for Unlawfully Harvesting Timber from National Forests

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Rockbridge County, Virginia man convicted of unlawfully damaging trees and removing timber from a national forest was sentenced yesterday to 30 days in jail. Matthew Keith Miller, 35, was previously tried in federal court on October 9, 2025, and convicted of both offenses. According to evidence presented at previous court hearings, on January 18, 2025, an anonymous complainant advised the U.S. Forest Service that they observed several downed locust trees in a restricted area around Petites Gap Road, within Rockbridge County. The complainant provided a picture of a truck that was being used to remove the wood, which the Forest Service traced back to Miller. Miller admitted that he had removed trees from Petites Gap Road that day, but he claimed that he had a wood cutting permit and only took dead timber. However, Miller’s wood cutting permit explicitly restricted timber harvesting in the Petites Gap Road area. A Forest Service officer inspected the location where Miller removed timber and found many live trees had been cut down. Miller also made multiple postings on Facebook Marketplace advertising the sale of large amounts of locust timber. Acting U.S. Attorney Robert N. Tracci made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Inman is prosecuting the case for the United States. The U.S. Forest Service Investigations investigated the case.


title: Repeat Felon on Supervised Release Sentenced to 21 Months for Illegal Possession of Handgun

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jefry Stevent Padilla Sanchez, 21, a previously convicted felon whose last known address was in Silver Spring, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 21 months in federal prison in connection with his illegal possession of a loaded handgun in a crowded public transit station, while unlawfully possessing fentanyl and while on active court supervision, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Padilla pleaded guilty on Oct. 23, 2025, before Judge Tanya S. Chutkan to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 21-month prison term, Judge Chutkan ordered Padilla to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on September 12, 2025, about 6:38 p.m., officers with the Metro Transit Police Department observed Padilla commit fare evasion at the Fort Totten Metro Station by “piggybacking” behind a paying customer. Officers then detained Padilla to issue a citation when a subsequent records check revealed Padilla had an active extraditable warrant issued by the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland, for violation of probation stemming from a felony burglary conviction. Officers placed Padilla under arrest and conducted a search incident to arrest. Police discovered a 9mm Heckler & Koch P2000SK semiautomatic handgun concealed in Padilla’s waistband. The firearm was loaded with nine rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber. In addition to the firearm, officers recovered approximately 37 “M30” pills, which field testing confirmed contained fentanyl. At the time of this offense, Padilla had multiple prior felony convictions out of Maryland. The offenses included second-degree burglary and unauthorized removal of a motor vehicle. He was serving concurrent terms of supervised probation for those offenses. This case was investigated by the Metro Transit Police Department with valuable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tortorice. 25cr323


title: Member of Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Distributing PCP and Other Narcotics

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Phillip Gillard, 48, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 18 years in prison, 10 years’ supervised release, and $2,400 in fines and assessments by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for drug trafficking and firearms offenses. In July 2023, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania returned a 54-count superseding indictment charging Gillard and eight co-defendants with their participation in a large-scale drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) operating in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia, in the immediate vicinity of the Memphis Street Academy, a charter school located at 2950 Memphis Street. The defendant was convicted at trial of federal drug trafficking and firearm offenses in February 2024. The charges arose from the FBI’s two-year investigation into the Gillard drug trafficking organization, which supplied other drug traffickers with wholesale quantities of methamphetamine, phencyclidine (“PCP”), fentanyl, and other narcotics. Throughout the course of the investigation, law enforcement agents conducted surveillance and undercover sting operations, during which drugs were purchased from the defendants. Gillard and his co-defendants maintained three separate properties in connection with their drug trafficking organization, all of them less than 1,000 feet away from the Memphis Street Academy. In total, the FBI confiscated over 20 pounds of pure methamphetamine, three gallons of PCP, one and a half kilograms of cocaine, 900 grams of crack cocaine, 400 grams of fentanyl, and 11 firearms. Co-defendants Diane Gillard, Sharif Jackson, Amin Whitehead, Cesar Maldonado, Terrence Maxwell, Raphael Sanchez, Melvin Dreher, and Arron Preno pleaded guilty to their roles in the Gillard DTO. Diane Gillard was sentenced to 16 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release, Jackson to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release, Whitehead to 11½ years in prison and 10 years of supervised release, Maldonado to eight years in prison and eight years of supervised release, Maxwell to more than seven and a half years in prison and five years of supervised release, Sanchez to seven and a half years in prison and three years of supervised release, Dreher to five years in prison and three years of supervised release, and Preno to six months in prison and two years of supervised release. This case was investigated by the FBI, Philadelphia Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations, with extraordinary cooperation from the Memphis Street Academy, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Robert Schopf.


title: Justice Department Sues University of California Over Antisemitism and Hostile Work Environment at UCLA

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – The United States Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division filed a lawsuit today against the University of California alleging it engaged in a hostile work environment against Jewish and Israeli faculty and staff at its University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. According to today’s complaint, after the Hamas-led massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023, antisemitic acts pervaded UCLA. The suit alleges the university engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination in violation of Title VII against Jewish and Israeli employees at UCLA by failing to prevent and correct discriminatory and harassing conduct. The lawsuit further alleges the university negligently permitted a hostile work environment against two charging parties and other aggrieved Jewish and Israeli employees. In 2024, the university allowed antisemitic harassment to continue unabated for days in front of its iconic Royce Hall: among other acts, Jews were not permitted on portions of the main quad, Jewish professors were assaulted, and swastikas were graffitied on university buildings. The university has ignored, and continues to ignore, gross and repeated violations of viewpoint-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions involving these and other actions directed against Jewish and Israeli employees. Jewish and Israeli faculty have been physically threatened, had their classrooms disrupted, and had their workplaces papered with disturbing images. Jewish professors have been, and continue to be, subjected to ostracism and harassment by their colleagues and students, while their colleagues and supervisors not only have failed to report those acts as required but have even participated in them. Numerous Jewish and Israeli employees have been forced to take leave, work from home, and even leave their jobs to avoid the hostile work environment. “UCLA failed to live up to its systemwide commitment to diversity and equal opportunity when it stood by as Jewish employees were subjected to harassment,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “The federal government has an obligation to step in and ensure a discrimination-free environment at our universities.” “Based on our investigation, UCLA administrators allegedly allowed virulent anti-Semitism to flourish on campus, harming students and staff alike,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s lawsuit underscores that this Department of Justice stands strong against hate and anti-Semitism in all its vile forms.” “The litany of vile acts of antisemitism that allegedly took place, and continue to take place, at UCLA are, if found to be true, a mark of shame against the University of California,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will ensure that UCLA maintains an environment for its employees free from antisemitic harassment.” The lawsuit stems from a Commissioner’s Charge filed by then-Commissioner Andrea Lucas of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in June 2024. The EEOC was instrumental in investigating the allegations of harassment at UCLA and in identifying the university’s poor complaint system. “The EEOC is committed to eradicating antisemitism at work,” said EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas. “If a university will not investigate and remedy repeated allegations of antisemitism against its employees, then EEOC will.” Assistant United States Attorney Julie A. Hamill of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section and Justice Department Trial Attorneys Carl D. Wasserman and Besa Bucaj of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section are litigating this matter with assistance from Eric Sell, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division, Jeffrey Morrison, Acting Chief of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section, and Hilary Pinion, Acting Principal Deputy Chief of the Employment Litigation Section.


title: Texas Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison For Smuggling Kilograms of Cocaine

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Texas man has been sentenced for smuggling cocaine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby. U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Rolando Garza-Alaniz, 38, of Roma, Texas, to 64 months in prison. In October 2025, Garza pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to the plea agreement, on September 6, 2023, an agent with the 17 th Circuit Drug Task Force conducted a traffic stop on Garza for crossing the lines on Interstate 20/59 in Greene County, Alabama. Garza told the agent that he and his girlfriend were travelling from Texas to New York for vacation. The agent noticed that Garza appeared to be extremely nervous during the conversation and asked if he could search the vehicle. Garza consented to the search. Agents recovered 7 kilograms of powder cocaine concealed inside the inner lining of the Igloo cooler. 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. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the 17 th Circuit Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany T. Byrd and Carson R. Gilbert prosecuted the case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office EDNC Announces Seizure of $61 Million  Dollars’ Worth of Cryptocurrency

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that federal agents seized over $61 million worth of Tether, a cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar. Investigators traced the seized funds to cryptocurrency addresses allegedly associated with the laundering of criminally derived proceeds stolen from victims of cryptocurrency investment scams, commonly known as a “pig butchering scheme”. “The seizure of a staggering $61 Million dollars’ worth of funds linked to cryptocurrency fraud shows that, in the Eastern District of North Carolina, cheaters never win. Our asset forfeiture team worked along with HSI to take the profit out of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. According to court filings, criminal actors targeted and recruited victims by establishing trust under the pretense of a romantic relationship. Once trust was secured, the scammers claimed to possess specialized techniques for generating substantial profits through cryptocurrency trading. They directed victims to fake cryptocurrency trading platforms, which closely resembled legitimate platforms in both name and appearance. These fake platforms displayed made up investment portfolios showing unusually high returns, deliberately designed to entice victims to invest more and more money. When victims attempted to withdraw their funds, they could not and were often presented with various excuses, such as the requirement to pay a “tax” or “fee” to release their funds. The scammers used these tactics to further exploit and extract even more money from their victims. Once the victims’ money transferred to a cryptocurrency wallet under the scammers’ control, the crooks quickly routed that money through many other wallets to hide the nature, source, control, and ownership of that stolen money. In this case, agents and analysts from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Raleigh, North Carolina received a report of alleged investment fraud from a victim through the HSI Tip Line. Through investigative efforts, agents and analysts traced the victim’s money into and through multiple cryptocurrency wallets used in the fraud and money laundering scheme. Several of these wallets still contained substantial amounts of victims’ money subject to seizure and forfeiture. “Criminal actors and professional money launderers use cyber-enabled fraud schemes to swindle their victims and conceal their ill-gotten gains,” said HSI Charlotte Acting Special Agent in Charge Kyle D. Burns. “HSI special agents work diligently to trace the illicit proceeds of crime across the globe to disrupt and dismantle the transnational criminal organizations that seek to defraud hardworking Americans.” The Department of Justice and HSI acknowledges Tether for its assistance in transferring these assets.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than Eight Years in Prison for Firearms and Identity Theft Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A convicted felon was sentenced Feb. 3 to 104 months in federal prison after a drive-by shooting investigation uncovered firearms, contraband, and stolen personal information. U.S. District Judge David S. Leibowitz imposed the sentence on Keith Bethel, 34, after a federal jury found him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices, and aggravated identity theft. “What began as a drive-by shooting investigation led to the discovery of illegal firearms, stolen identities, and a calculated fraud operation,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Federal investigators uncovered a dangerous combination of violence and identity theft that harmed real people — from a foster care specialist to a young Air Force firefighter. The Southern District of Florida will continue working with our partners to dismantle criminal enterprises and protect our community.” According to evidence presented at trial, on July 18, 2023, law enforcement responded to a high-caliber drive-by shooting at a residence in a Lauderhill neighborhood. Law enforcement learned that Bethel — who was on an ankle monitor at the time due to a prior felony conviction — fled the residence after the shooting. A search of the residence, described as a “trap house,” revealed multiple firearms, including a large-capacity Draco-style firearm, ammunition, and extensive evidence of identity-theft activity. Investigators uncovered folders containing victims’ personal identifying information, stolen mail, blank checks, and a ledger with scripts and instructions for defrauding individuals and financial institutions. Victims in the case included a Florida basketball coach, a foster care specialist, a retired nurse, and a young U.S. Air Force firefighter, all of whom suffered the theft and misuse of their personal information. U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, made the announcement. HSI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kseniya Smychkouskaya and General Crimes Chief Joseph Egozi prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60103. ###


title: Pasco County School Employee Charged with Possession of Child Sex Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Joel Thomas Lust (51, New Port Richey) has been charged by federal indictment with possessing child sex abuse material. If convicted, Lust faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the indictment, between March 2023 and May 2024, Lust possessed and accessed with intent to view a matter which contained a visual depiction involving the sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. Indictment


title: Goliath Ventures CEO Arrested for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Christopher Alexander Delgado (34, Apopka) has been arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud and money laundering. If convicted on all counts, Delgado faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the complaint, Delgado was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Goliath Ventures, formerly known as Gen-Z Venture Firm. From January 2023 through January 2026, Delgado operated Goliath as a “Ponzi scheme,” which is a form of investment fraud that involves the payment of purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors. Delgado’s scheme involved soliciting victims to invest substantial sums of money under false and fraudulent promises of monthly returns generated through cryptocurrency “liquidity pools.” Victims were induced to give money to Goliath through personal referrals, professional marketing materials, luxury events, charitable sponsorships, and some monthly payments of purported returns, all of which were designed to establish Goliath’s bona fides with investors. Based on these false and fraudulent representations, Goliath obtained at least $328 million from victim investors. Although Goliath represented that it would place the victim investors’ funds in cryptocurrency liquidity pools, in reality, the funds were primarily used to pay purported returns to earlier investors, to return principal to investors who requested it, and for Goliath’s extravagant business gatherings, holiday parties, and luxury travel accommodations. With victim investors’ funds, Delgado purchased four residential properties each worth between $1.15 million and $8.5 million. Victims identified by law enforcement will directly receive notice of their rights pursuant to the Crime Victims’ Rights Act. If you believe you are a victim and have not otherwise received notice, please email Goliathvictims@ci.irs.gov . You can also visit https://justice.gov/usao-mdfl/goliath_ventures for more information on how to self-identify yourself to law enforcement. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Varadan, Noah P. Dorman, and Hannah Nowalk Watson. Criminal Complaint


title: Scranton Man Sentenced To 12 Years For Possession Of A Machine Gun

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Naim Mustafa House, age 28, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 24, 2026, to 144 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a machine gun. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on July 8, 2024, Scranton Police Officers initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle that House was a passenger. House fled on foot and was found hiding under a rear porch of a residence. During a search incident to arrest, police found marijuana packed for resale on his person and inside his backpack found 30 additional grams of marijuana and a Glock 7, 9mm handgun equipped with a device to transition the firearm from a semiautomatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm. The firearm also had an extended magazine containing 10 rounds of ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Scranton Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Individual Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Provide Contraband to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, PR

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 24, 2026, United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach sentenced Selena Crespo Dumeng to 10 months in prison and two years of supervised release, for her role in a conspiracy to provide contraband in prison, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The defendant was indicted on July 18, 2024, along with seven co-defendants, and arrested on July 22, 2024. On November 11, 2025, the defendant plead guilty to conspiracy to provide contraband in prison. According to court documents, from July 2023 and continuing up to May 22, 2024, Crespo-Dumeng and others conspired to provide prohibited objects, specifically, controlled substances, to inmates housed at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Guaynabo. The defendant and others did this by utilizing the United States Postal Service and other third parties to introduce controlled substances -- buprenorphine strips (Suboxone) -- disguised as legal mail to inmates. The controlled substances were hidden concealed in documents inside purposely built pockets or laced into the documents themselves. Defendant Crespo Dumeng acted as an intermediary providing payments for the smuggling of drugs into MDC. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Claudia Dubravetz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI San Juan made the announcement. FBI San Juan was in charge of the investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Vance Eaton and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlos J. Romo Aldea from the Puerto Rico Department of Justice prosecuted the case. ###


title: Individual Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for his Participation in Bribery Scheme to Eliminate Puerto Rico Department of Transportation Fines

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 23, 2026, United States District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado sentenced Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández to 24 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and restitution of $32,000 for his role in a bribery and wire fraud conspiracy and scheme to defraud the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP), announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Three other defendants were previously charged alongside Cruz-Hernández; two are scheduled to be sentenced in March 2026, and one is awaiting trial. The four defendants were indicted on July 17, 2024, and arrested on July 18, 2024. Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández plead guilty on May 6, 2025, to conspiracy to commit bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, federal program bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud deprivation of honest services of a public official, and wire fraud deprivation of honest services. Defendant Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández negotiated and made bribe payments to multiple public DTOP employees working in the regional driver service centers (CESCO) located in Caguas and Carolina, Puerto Rico. During the bribery scheme, approximately $66,000 was paid by Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández to multiple DTOP employees. These bribe payments were made in exchange for certain official acts, including accessing DTOP-CESCO information, obtaining duplicate documentation, and eliminating driver and vehicle fines. The DTOP employees were responsible for accessing driver and vehicle information, and among other things, possessed the ability to remove driver and vehicle fines. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Yariel Ramos, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations was in charge of the investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy from the Financial Fraud & Public Corruption Section prosecuted the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Illegal Alien With Prior Drug Trafficking, Sexual Abuse of a Child, and Firearm Theft Convictions Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison For Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: An illegal alien from Mexico, previously convicted of drug trafficking, sexual abuse of a child, and theft of a firearm, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Ivan Hernandez-Ortiz, 36, residing in Dallas, Texas, was indicted in March 2023 and pled guilty in October 2025 to illegally reentering the United States after he was last deported by immigration authorities in 2020. On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown sentenced him to 120 months in federal prison. According to evidence presented at sentencing, Hernandez-Ortiz illegally entered the United States approximately five times, was granted voluntary return on three occasions, and was formally removed twice. Previously, he was federally prosecuted for illegal reentry into the United States in the Southern District of Texas in 2015 and was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison. Court records reflect that Hernandez-Ortiz was also convicted of six other felonies, including drug trafficking, firearm theft, and sexual abuse of a child—the victim of which was a 15-year-old female recognized during a traffic stop by Dallas Police Department officers as a child identified on a bulletin as missing and potentially being sex trafficked. Evidence at sentencing revealed that Hernandez-Ortiz previously admitted to being in a dating relationship with the victim and that she was pregnant with his unborn child. For the current illegal reentry offense, the lead prosecutor sought the maximum sentence allowed by statute, and the Court agreed. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorney Marbel Leonel Munoz prosecuted the case.


title: Illegal alien felons sentenced for unlawful reentries into the country

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – Two Mexican nationals have been ordered to federal prison in separate, but similar, cases for returning to the United States without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Raymundo Pecina-Lopez, 43, has now admitted his guilt, while Samuel Moreno-Soto, 38, pleaded guilty Dec. 9, 2025. U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge sentenced Pecina-Lopez to 39 months, and U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has imposed an 18-month-term for Moreno-Soto. Not U.S. citizens, both are expected to again face removal proceedings following their imprisonment. At the hearings, the courts heard additional evidence regarding their criminal histories. Both men have previous convictions for assault of a family member and narcotics offenses. Pecina-Lopez was also convicted of driving while intoxicated and illegally carrying a weapon, and Moreno-Soto has additional convictions of harboring aliens and illegal reentry. Pecina-Lopez was first ordered removed in September 2009 and returned illegally one time, while Moreno-Soto was initially removed in June 2014 and returned twice without authorization. They have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Hostetter prosecuted both matters with the assistance of Special AUSA Carrie Law and AUSA Amanda Alum on the Pecina-Lopez and Moreno-Soto cases, respectively. 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Mexican National Sentenced for Unlawfully Being in the United States After Being Arrested for Driving Drunk

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Mexican national was sentenced today for Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Estevan Barron-Ruiz, 49, to eight months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release. In August 2025, Barron-Ruiz was arrested and later convicted in a separate state court case for aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under suspension, and unsafe lane change. While being booked into jail, law enforcement discovered that he was not lawfully inside the United States. Court records show that Barron-Ruiz was previously removed from the United States in November 2014. Law enforcement further verified that Barron-Ruiz has not applied or sought permission from the Secretary of Homeland Security to re-enter the United States. Court dockets show that Barron-Ruiz previously pleaded guilty in 2013 to another aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol charge in State Court. Barron-Ruiz will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. He consented to removal from the United States and agreed to cooperate in removal proceedings following his sentence. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster prosecuted the case.


title: Pharmacist and Business Owner Pleads Guilty to $3M Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Insurer Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A pharmacist and business owner who engaged in a five-year pharmacy shortage fraud scheme at two separate pharmacies pleaded guilty today, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division. Mohammad Hamdan, age 44, from Dearborn Heights, Michigan, pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud for a scheme that caused over $3 million in loss to Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. At the hearing, Hamdan admitted to utilizing his two pharmacies to submit false and fraudulent claims for prescriptions even though the prescribed drugs were medically unnecessary or not actually dispensed. In many instances, the pharmacies lacked the inventory to dispense these drugs but billed the health care insurers as thought they had been dispensed. Over the five-year scheme, Hamdan submitted or directed the submission of false and fraudulent claims totaling over $3.2 million. Sentencing before United States District Judge Judith Levy will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Hamdan faces a possible maximum sentence of not more than 10 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a fine of not more than $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dorval Norwood.


title: Canadian who traveled to Virginia intending to meet a minor for sex sentenced to 10 years in prison

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Canadian man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. According to court documents, on May 9, 2025, Tommy Varesh, 54, of Toronto, used a publicly-viewable online discussion platform to contact a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl in the Washington area, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer (UC). Varesh indicated he was from New York and willing to travel to meet the UC for sex. Varesh asked the UC if she used birth control and told her he would buy emergency contraception. Varesh sent graphic sexual images of himself and persistently requested sexual images from the UC even though the UC expressed reluctance. Varesh often reiterated the need for his relationship with the UC to remain a secret, especially from the UC’s mother and other adults and to ensure their communication was private. He also attempted to hide his intentions by moving their conversations to a platform from which messages were automatically deleted while also sending false messages to the original platform deceptively stating that he and the UC would not engage in sex. On June 16, 2025, Varesh traveled to Virginia to meet the UC for sex. When he was arrested, he was carrying black lingerie and emergency contraception. The FBI Washington Field Office and the Fairfax County Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . 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. 1:25-cr-306.


title: Arizona Surgical Hospital Agrees to Pay $5.6M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Violations

component: Civil Division

body_text: Southwest Orthopedic and Spine Hospital LLC doing business as OASIS Hospital (OASIS), United Surgical Partners International Inc. (USPI), and Dignity/USP Phoenix Surgery Centers LLC, have agreed to pay $5.6 million to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations relating to improper financial relationships between OASIS and Southwest Orthopedic and Spine Hospital Physicians Group LLC (Southwest Physicians). OASIS is a surgical hospital located in Phoenix, Arizona. USPI disclosed the arrangements at issue to the government following a 2019 internal compliance review and independent investigation. The settlement resolves allegations that from 2011 through 2018 OASIS made improper financial contributions to Southwest Physicians, a physician group that referred patients to OASIS. Those financial contributions allegedly took the form of interest payments on convertible bonds issued to the physicians’ group. The United States alleged that these arrangements violated both the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and the Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law. The AKS prohibits the provision of remuneration to induce the referral of services or items that are paid for by a federal health care program. The Stark Law prohibits hospitals from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions. A claim submitted in violation of the AKS or the Stark Law can also violate the False Claims Act. “The AKS and Stark Law are designed to ensure that decisions about patient care are not influenced by physicians’ personal financial interest,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As this settlement reflects, we will hold accountable those who violate these important safeguards, but we will also give credit when resolving such misconduct to those who fully disclose their mistakes, take appropriate remedial actions, and meaningfully cooperate with the government’s investigation.” “Kickback schemes undermine the medical decision-making of medical professionals – including physicians – when such professional judgements should only serve the health and well-being of patients,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Both those who pay and those who receive kickbacks enrich themselves from such deals, but these schemes are corrosive to the integrity of our health care system and drive up the cost of health care for all of us. HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer-funded health care programs and the millions of people in our country who rely on them.” In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that OASIS and USPI took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government. Following an internal compliance review and independent investigation, OASIS and USPI promptly took remedial actions and disclosed the relevant arrangements to the government. OASIS and USPI also provided the government with a detailed and thorough written disclosure and cooperated with the government throughout its investigation. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The matter was handled by Fraud Section Senior Trial Counsel David Finkelstein. The claims resolved by the United States in the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Nevada Man Pleads Guilty To Arson At Tesla Collision Center In Las Vegas

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty Monday to using a firearm and Molotov cocktails to destroy and damage vehicles and property at a Tesla Collision center in March 2025. According to court documents, on March 18, 2025, Paul Hyon Kim spray-painted the word “RESIST” on the front of the Tesla Collision center entrance. He then used a PA-15 multi-caliber firearm equipped with a .300 BLACKOUT upper receiver attached to the lower receiver; and a 7.62mm silencer to shoot out surveillance cameras. Kim then fired several shots into vehicles. Next, Kim threw three Molotov cocktails into three vehicles; two exploded and erupted into flames, and a third did not detonate. In total, Kim damaged five Tesla vehicles. Kim pleaded guilty to two counts of arson of property used in interstate commerce; one count of attempted arson of property used in interstate commerce; and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm (destructive device). The mandatory minimum statutory penalty is five years in prison. The total maximum statutory penalty is 70 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for May 27, 2026, before United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Division, and Special Agent in Charge John Wester for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) San Francisco Field Division made the announcement. The FBI, ATF, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case with significant assistance from the Clark County Fire Department. ###


title: MS-13 Associate Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for the Murder of Teenage Victim in Kissena Park in Queens

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Oscar Flores-Mejia, also known as “Chamuco,” an associate of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, was sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment for the murder of 17-year-old Andy Peralta. Co-defendants Juan Amaya-Ramirez, also known as “Cadaver,” and Leyla Carranza were previously sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment and 22 years’ imprisonment, respectively, for their participation in the murder. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), announced the sentences. “The senselessness of this murder is matched only by its brutality,” said United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendants lured Andy Peralta to a secluded part of Kissena Park where they beat him mercilessly before Amaya-Ramirez choked him to death and Flores-Mejia hacked at him with a knife. The murder of this teenager is a chilling reminder of MS-13’s callous disregard for human life. Bringing those who commit violent crimes to justice is one of our Office’s highest priorities.” Mr. Nocella also thanked the New York City Police Department for its work on the case. “MS-13’s pattern of savagery, depravity and instilling terror in our communities while treating human life as expendable will not be tolerated,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “May today’s sentencing send a clear message: those who commit murder and gang violence for a foreign terrorist organization like MS-13 will be held accountable. The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to dismantling all dangerous organizations and protecting our neighborhoods.” “MS-13’s violence is methodical, premeditated, and ruthless —its depravity laid bare in the horrific and senseless murder of Andy Peralta in Kissena Park, NY. No prison sentence can ever restore what was stolen from his family, who are forced to endure the lifelong trauma of such unimaginable brutality,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “HSI New York and our law enforcement partners stand resolute in our mission to dismantle MS-13 and protect our communities from further acts of unspeakable violence.” As proved at a hearing in connection with Leyla Carranza’s sentencing, the defendants sought to murder Peralta because they believed he was associated with 18th Street, a rival gang of MS-13. Flores-Mejia found a video online that depicted Peralta, who the defendants did not know, briefly flashing a sign associated with the 18th Street gang. Flores-Mejia then recruited a 16-year-old boy to help kill Peralta. Amaya-Ramirez’s then-girlfriend Carranza was recruited to befriend Peralta and lure him to his death in the park. The day of the murder, Carranza messaged Peralta and took him to a predetermined location in Kissena Park in Flushing where Amaya-Ramirez, Flores-Mejia and their 16-year-old accomplice were waiting. Flores-Mejia had brought a knife and black winter gloves to use in the attack. When Peralta arrived, Flores-Mejia gave a signal, and the men attacked Peralta, beating him until they were exhausted. Amaya-Ramirez then began strangling Peralta while Flores-Mejia stomped on his head. Peralta begged for his life and called out for his mother and father. Flores-Mejia put dirt in his mouth to silence him and Amaya-Ramirez choked him to death. Flores-Mejia stabbed Peralta in the back and slashed his tattoo of his girlfriend’s name. The men took a photograph posing over Peralta’s body in which they flashed MS-13 hand signs. They stole Peralta’s money and dragged him to a small body of water, where he was found the following day. Today’s sentencing is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of MS-13. MS-13’s leadership was based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders, and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 45 murders in the district and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by our law enforcement partners including HSI and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI and NYPD. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime & Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel, Anna L. Karamigios and Kamil R. Ammari are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendants: JUAN AMAYA-RAMIREZ Age: 28 Fresh Meadows, Queens OSCAR FLORES-MEJIA Age: 26 Elmhurst, Queens LEYLA CARRANZA Age: 25 Richmond, Virginia E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-228 (LDH)


title: Hardy County Man Convicted of Firearms Charges

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jeremy Mongold, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was convicted of illegally purchasing and transferring a firearm that was later used in another crime, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “Mongold intentionally lied so he could purchase a pistol for a violent person who was prohibited from possessing firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Harvey. “That pistol was subsequently used in a serious crime, and Mongold lied to federal agents to cover his tracks. Now he faces a prison sentence.” “By lying on an ATF form to purchase a firearm for his brother, Jeremy Mongold contributed to additional violent crime. As a result of his actions, he will now serve a lengthy federal prison sentence,” said Special Agent in Charge John Nokes, ATF. Following a two-day trial, a jury found Mongold, 47, guilty of making a false statement to purchase a firearm, the unlawful transfer of a firearm, and making a false statement to a federal agent. Mongold’s brother, Zachary Mongold, is prohibited from having firearms because of a prior domestic battery conviction. The jury was presented evidence that Zachary attempted to purchase a firearm and was denied. The following day, Jeremy purchased the same pistol. When questioned about the firearm, Jeremy lied to federal agents about its intended owner. The gun was later used in a serious crime in Pendleton County, West Virginia. Zachary Mongold pled guilty to a federal charge of the unlawful possession of a firearm connected to this case in December 2025. He will be sentenced at a later date. Jeremy Mongold is facing up to 15 years for the transfer count. He’s facing up to 10 years for the false statement for the firearm charge, and he faces up to 5 years for the false statement to a federal agent. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Cogar and Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.


title: Texas Doctor Sentenced to 8.5 Years in Prison for $145 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An orthopedic surgeon was sentenced today to 102 months in prison and ordered to pay over $13 million in restitution for his role in a $145 million scheme to defraud the Department of Labor through the submission of fraudulent claims for prescription compound creams. “The Department is committed to protecting victims and combating fraud against the United States wherever it is found,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence is the result of years of tireless efforts by our prosecutors and agency partners who investigated this complex fraud scheme and brought to justice the defendants responsible for stealing tens of millions of dollars from the American people. It serves as a reminder that medical professionals who violate the trust society places in them, their oath, the law, and harm Americans for personal enrichment will be investigated and prosecuted.” “This sentence sends a strong message to those who would defraud our federal health care programs for personal gain,” said Inspector General Tammy Hull of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG). “The outstanding work by the legal and investigative teams stopped a multi-year health care fraud scheme responsible for tens of millions in fraudulent billing to government agencies. Along with the Department of Justice and our federal law enforcement partners, USPS OIG will remain committed to investigating those who would engage in this type of fraud and abuse.” “Dr. Michael Taba accepted bribes and kickbacks for writing thousands of prescriptions for unnecessary compounded medications issued to injured federal workers covered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP), putting illegal profits above patients’ safety,” said Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) . “We will continue to stand firm alongside our law enforcement partners to protect patients, safeguard the OWCP, and ensure the integrity of DOL’s benefits programs from wastefulness and greed.” “We are committed to collaborating with our law enforcement partners to halt fraud, waste, and abuse,” said Inspector General Cheryl L. Mason of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (VA-OIG). “This sentencing demonstrates that we will identify those who commit healthcare fraud and endanger VA employees and hold them accountable.” “Complex criminal schemes like the one Michael Taba was involved in are fueled by greed that blinds and hardens criminals, and that’s where the forensic accounting expertise of our special agents come in to trace the money,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodrick Benton of the IRS Criminal Investigation's Houston Field Office. “Money always leaves a trail and our criminal investigators are committed to uncovering fraud and ensuring accountability. When people are willing to tear down trust in our nation’s medical system to pilfer money, federal law enforcement stepped in to force them to step out.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Michael Taba, 61, of McKinney, Texas, accepted bribes paid by pharmacy owners to prescribe medically unnecessary compound creams to injured federal workers. Taba’s co-defendants owned and operated three pharmacies located in Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas. Over the course of the scheme, the pharmacy owners paid Taba and other doctors millions in illegal bribes and kickbacks. Evidence at trial showed these compounds were mixed in the back rooms of the pharmacies by untrained teenagers at a cost to Taba’s co-defendants of around $15 per prescription and then billed the DOL-OWCP for as much as $16,000 per prescription. Patients who received the creams testified at trial to the creams’ ineffectiveness and, in some instances, that using the creams resulted in painful, irritating skin rashes. Between May 2014 and March 2017, the pharmacies billed the DOL-OWCP and Blue Cross Blue Shield more than $145 million and were paid more than $90 million for unnecessary prescriptions referred by Taba and other medical providers. On Nov. 16, 2023, a federal jury in the Northern District of Texas convicted Taba on all counts of the superseding indictment, which included one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and three counts of health care fraud. USPS OIG, DOL-OIG, VA-OIG, and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Ethan Womble and Acting Assistant Chief Catherine Wagner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to  Firearm Offenses and Unlawful Entry into the U.S.

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Massachusetts man unlawfully present in the United States, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to possession of a loaded firearm following a traffic stop, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. Everton Luis Teixeira Da Silva, 23, of Framingham, MA, has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition and unlawful entry into the United States. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to court documents, on August 17, 2025, during a traffic stop conducted by the Providence Police Department, Da Silva fled from officers on foot and during the pursuit, he discarded a firearm. The weapon was later recovered by police and identified as a green 9mm pistol, loaded with six rounds and had an obliterated serial number. The defendant was apprehended and investigators determined that he entered the United States unlawfully. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron. The matter was investigated by the FBI and the Providence Police Department. 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.


title: Summit County Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison on Child Sexual Abuse Materials Charges

body_text: AKRON, Ohio – A 38-year-old Summit County man has been sentenced to prison for engaging in the receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and then attempting to destroy files in his possession. Alejandro James Sosa, of Akron, Ohio, has been sentenced to 108 months (nine years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles Esque Fleming, after pleading guilty in November 2025 to the following charges: Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct Possession of Child Pornography Destruction, Alteration, or Falsification of Records in a Federal Investigation Obscene Visual Representations of the Sexual Abuse of Children He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment. Judge Fleming imposed the sentence Feb. 20. According to court documents, federal agents were investigating individuals in Portage, Summit, and Medina counties who were suspected of viewing and sharing CSAM. During the investigation, agents discovered that Sosa received or transmitted more than 10,000 CSAM files from about January through August 2025. During a search warrant execution conducted at Sosa’s residence, agents seized multiple electronic devices that contained CSAM which included infants and toddlers. Sosa later admitted that he attempted to delete evidence of CSAM from his electronic device as agents arrived to conduct the search. The investigation was led by the FBI Akron Resident Agency, with valuable assistance from the Ohio State Highway Patrol Office of Criminal Investigation, the Vermilion Police Department and the FBI Task Force. The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Toni Schnellinger Feisthamel for the Northern District of Ohio. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC . To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org , or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


title: International Student Recruiting Firm and Co-Founder to Pay $1.3M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Related to the U.S. Department of Education’s Direct Loan Program

body_text: Massachusetts company Study Across the Pond LLC (SATP) and its principal, John Borhaug, have agreed to pay $1,300,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing foreign schools in the United Kingdom (UK) to submit false claims and false statements to the U.S. Department of Education in connection with the Direct Loan Program through arrangements that violated the federal ban on incentive-based compensation. “American students deserve to make enrollment decisions free of the improper influence of third-party recruiters who pursue their own financial gain rather than the students’ best interests.” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates the Department’s commitment to holding accountable individuals and corporate entities who violate the Incentive Compensation Ban and to protect the integrity of the federal student aid programs like the Direct Loan Program.” “Today’s settlement resolves the United States’ lawsuit against Study Across the Pond and Mr. Borhaug, who used improper incentives in an attempt to influence American students to attend foreign schools,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “My office is committed to ensuring American students are not taken advantage of for financial gain and protecting the integrity of federal student financial aid programs.” “Today’s settlement is a result of the hard work and effort of the Office of Inspector General, the U.S Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Justice to protect and maintain the integrity of the Federal student aid programs by enforcing applicable laws, including the incentive compensation ban,” said Jason Williams, Assistant Inspector General for Investigation Services, U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work together to ensure that Federal student aid funds are used as required by law.” Under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, institutions of higher education that want to participate in federal student aid programs, including the Direct Loan Program, must agree not to provide any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment to student recruiters based directly or indirectly on success in securing student enrollments. This is referred to as the Incentive Compensation Ban. The Incentive Compensation Ban protects students against aggressive recruitment practices that serve the financial interest of the recruiter rather than the educational needs of the student. Since 2013, SATP has recruited American students to attend foreign schools in the UK. The United States alleged that SATP knew of the Incentive Compensation Ban and nevertheless collaborated with at least 28 schools in the UK to violate the Ban while those schools were participating in the Direct Loan Program. Specifically, the United States alleged that SATP demanded a commission for its recruitment services, which was a share of the tuition paid by any students the company recruited for the schools. In many cases, this was money the schools had claimed from the Direct Loan Program for the education of American students. The United States further alleged that SATP created sham records to hide these tuition-sharing arrangements from the Department of Education and ultimately caused foreign schools to submit false claims to the Direct Loan Program. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Hitrost, LLC v. Study Across the Pond, LLC, et al. , No. 21-CV-10274-ADB (D. Mass.) The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Hitrost LLC. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The whistleblower will receive $240,500 as its share of the recovery. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, with assistance from the Department of Education’s Office of the Inspector General, Office of the General Counsel, and Federal Student Aid (FSA) office. The United States was represented in this matter by Trial Attorney Allison C. Carroll of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian LaMacchia and Alexandra Brazier of the District of Massachusetts. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Role in Southwestern Connecticut Drug Ring

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TERRELL WILLS, 52, of Bridgeport, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 54 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for trafficking narcotics in southwestern Connecticut. According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Rodney Canada as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut. An investigation in 2024, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Canada and others orchestrated the street level distribution of narcotics through other members of the conspiracy. Investigators intercepted more than 5000 text messages and calls in which Canada coordinated his drug trafficking activities. Wills, who formerly resided in Darien, was a trusted associate of Canada who primarily distributed cocaine. He also managed cash for the drug trafficking organization, and acted as a middleman between Canada and other drug sellers. Wills, Canada, and other members of the conspiracy were arrested on May 14, 2024. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien, and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles. On October 10, 2025, Wills pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Wills’ criminal history spans approximately 30 years and includes numerous convictions, including a federal narcotics trafficking conviction in March 2014 for which he was sentenced to 48 months in prison. Wills, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on April 24. Canada pleaded guilty and, on December 15, 2025, was sentenced to 110 months of imprisonment. This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments. The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Geoffrey M. Stone.


title: A Multi-Convicted Felon Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Federal Prison on Fraud Charges

body_text: DETROIT – A Dearborn Heights man was sentenced today for his role in several fraud schemes totaling $1.2 million, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division. Joseph Miller, 53, of Dearborn Heights, was sentenced to 129 months in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft. According to court records, Miller, who has an extensive criminal history including 18 prior felony convictions, participated in three separate fraud schemes. In the first scheme, Miller used stolen identities to open charge accounts in the names of unsuspecting victims. Miller and others used those charge accounts to make $912,000 in fraudulent purchases from two separate retailers. Second, Miller also used stolen identities to obtain fraudulent loans from a financial institution. In total, he, working with others, defrauded the financial institution with approximately $172,000 in loans. Finally, Miller and his co-conspirators caused fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications to be submitted for several businesses. EIDL is a program run by the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest financing to small businesses affected by declared disasters. In total Miller and his co-conspirators obtained $203,970 in fraudulent relief funds from this program. Miller was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Wyse. Related forfeiture and restitution matters are being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Fasbinder.