title: Richmond Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Richmond, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for distributing child pornography. Zachary Ryan Taylor, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Friday, Sept. 15, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Taylor to pay $25,215 in restitution to the child victims depicted in the images of child pornography. The court also sentenced Taylor to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration. He will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life. On March 8, 2023, Taylor pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography. Taylor admitted that he participated in a chatroom through the online application Kik. Taylor communicated with an online covert employee with the FBI, claiming to be sexually active with a child victim. He sent the covert FBI employee an image of child pornography that he claimed was the child victim, although investigators do not believe the photo actually was a depiction of the child victim. Taylor also claimed he had been with a second child victim. On Dec. 21, 2021, the FBI and other law enforcement personnel executed a search warrant at Taylor’s residence. Upon arrival at the residence, the emergency lights on law enforcement vehicles were activated, and officers knocked and announced their presence. Taylor narrowly opened the front door to look out. After he failed to completely open the door despite orders to open the door and show his hands, the door was forced open. Investigators seized several cell phones and other electronic devices, which contained hundreds of videos and images of child pornography. The Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force also investigated two cybertips, from Musical.ly and Kik, which reported that Taylor had uploaded images and videos of child pornography to those platforms. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the FBI and the Richmond, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Childhood 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.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: U.S. Attorney Ritz Announces $500,000 Grant to Memphis Nonprofit to Support Community Re-Entry

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, today announced that a Memphis nonprofit organization was awarded a Department of Justice grant for $500,000 to help reinforce community-based reentry programs and create more opportunities for formerly incarcerated community members to make successful transition back to society. This grant, which comes through the Byrne Discretionary Grants Program, was awarded to Lifeline to Success, a local organization focused on helping men and women with serious felony convictions transition back to society. The funds will support the organization’s new rehabilitation center, Welch Home for Success, and a 12-month demonstration program offering peer support, therapeutic and mental health services, job training, and life coaching to reduce recidivism and support long-term success. “Our reentry partners play a crucial role in keeping Memphis safe and strong,” said United States Attorney Ritz. “This grant demonstrates the federal government’s commitment helping state and local partners stand with us to decrease crime, advance opportunity for ex-offenders, and protect our entire community. Lifeline to Success has an impressive and long-standing track record for helping those whose past would put them most at risk for returning to crime. We applaud them for the work they’ve done and the work this grant will allow them to do in the future.” “If someone is committed to leaving a life of crime, our goal is to help them transform and become productive members of the community,” said Executive Director Vinessa Brown. “Since we started this program in 2009, we’ve helped more than 1,947 men and women to create new lives for themselves, find jobs, set financial goals, and become successful. We’re excited to launch the Welch Home for Success and focus the tools and partnerships we’ve built over two decades toward creating a life skills curriculum that reduces recidivism and increases ex-offenders’ chances of thriving here at home.” The Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program is administered by Congress and supports projects that improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, prevent or combat juvenile delinquency, and assist crime victims. Additional information about grants and funding through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs is available at www.ojp.gov . ###


title: Former Crawford County Substitute Teacher Sentenced to Ten Months in Federal Prison for Sending Hoax Bomb Threats to Two Indiana Schools and A Newspaper

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ALBANY- Mary Fortner, 35, of Milltown, Indiana, has been sentenced to ten months in federal prison after pleading guilty to two-counts of making hoax bomb threats. According to court documents, on January 19, 2023, Mary Fortner sent a bomb threat to a Milltown, Indiana, police officer using an anonymous messaging application. The threat targeted a Crawford County school, where she was employed as a substitute teacher at the time. That same day, FBI agents and Crawford County Sheriff’s Deputies interviewed Fortner at her residence and executed a search warrant, recovering her cell phone and other devices. During multiple interviews with law enforcement officials, Mary Fortner denied any knowledge of the bomb threat. On February 21, 2023, Fortner sent an email to the Corydon Democrat, a local news outlet in Corydon, Indiana, again threatening to bomb a list of several addresses, including Milltown Elementary School in Milltown, Indiana and the Corydon Cinemas. Later that evening, the HCSD executed a search warrant at the Fortner’s residence and took her into custody. The FBI determined that the threat came from a mobile device that had been factory reset in attempt to conceal the crime. “This series of bomb threats shook the sense of safety that all of our children, teachers, and families deserve—and are especially egregious coming from an adult trusted to educate our children,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “These hoax threats needlessly caused an urgent and expansive law enforcement response. I commend the FBI, Harrison and Crawford County Sheriff’s Departments, and the Milltown Police Department for working together to quickly identify the perpetrator. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that threats of violence and terror are serious crimes that will not be tolerated in our communities.” “The Crawford County Sheriff’s Department would like to thank all the departments involved in resolving this case.,” said Crawford County Sheriff, Jeff Howell. “School safety should be a high priority for all agencies. Our nation’s youth is our greatest treasure. A special thanks to the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and federal agencies for their work ensuring that justice was served.” The FBI, Crawford and Harrison County Sheriffs’ Offices, and Milltown Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Fortner be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following her release from federal prison, the first two months to be served on home detention. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Rinka and Kathryn Olivier, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Savannah woman sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for violent armed robbery

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County woman has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to the violent armed robbery of a vendor stocking an automatic teller machine. Shannan Barnwell , 25, of Savannah, was sentenced to 170 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Interference with Interstate Commerce by Robbery; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Barnwell to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “It is extraordinarily fortunate that no one was hurt during this robbery,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The sentence imposed by the court is a direct consequence of Barnwell’s decision to put innocent individuals’ lives in danger for her own financial gain.” As described in court documents and testimony, a vendor was restocking an automatic teller machine on Burroughs Street in Savannah on Sept. 27, 2022, when Barnwell brandished a handgun and declared a robbery. As Barnwell took containers of cash from the vendor, the attendant drew his firearm and Barnwell ran away, firing two shots with one striking the ATM. No individuals were struck by gunfire, and the vendor did not fire his weapon. Savannah police officers located and arrested Barnwell at a nearby park, and recovered the cash receptacles and two pistols that Barnwell had dropped as she fled. At the time of the robbery, Barnwell was on parole from a previous conviction for armed robbery and carjacking, and her sentence will be served consecutive to the incarceration for the state parole violation. “Barnwell terrorized and threatened her innocent victim,” said FBI Savannah Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Will Clarke. “This lengthy prison sentence hopefully provides some peace to the victim by ensuring Barnwell cannot terrorize anyone for decades to come.” The Savannah Police Department and the FBI investigated the case, which was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Criminal Division Chief E. Gregory Gilluly Jr. and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Makeia R. Jonese.


title: Members of Area Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced the sentencing of three individuals as the result of an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in Baton Rouge. Quentin Mabin, age 31, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced to 144 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Court further sentenced Mabin to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. Jabari Williams, age 38, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced to144 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a mixture of substance containing methamphetamine. The Court further sentenced Williams to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. Charles Andre, age 40, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. The Court further sentenced Andre to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. As the charging documents explain, and the defendants admitted, on February 6, 2019, a confidential informant (CI) arranged for the purchase of four ounces of methamphetamine from Charles Andre for $1,500. The CI stated that they had previously purchased 4 ounces of methamphetamine directly from Quentin Mabin and Jabari Williams. Andre directed the CI to meet at a park near the intersection of Antioch and Tiger Bend Roads in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The CI was provided with the agreed-upon purchase price of $1,500 and an audio/video recording device. The recording captured Andre as the apparent coordinator of this drug transaction. Mabin was also seen video and heard stating that Williams would be arriving in the parking lot shortly. At that time, Mabin was aware that the CI, Andre, and Williams, and himself had negotiated a drug deal involving four ounces of methamphetamine for a purchase price of $1,500. Mabin then departed the area. Williams subsequently entered the parking lot of the location where Andre and the CI were located. Williams handed a packet to Andre who then placed the packet in the CI’s vehicle. On February 20, 2019, the CI again arranged for the purchase of four ounces of methamphetamine. On this occasion, Andre directed the CI to come to his residence on Woodlawn Acres Avenue in Baton Rouge. At the designated time, law enforcement agents maintained surveillance at Mabin’s residence on Elva Drive in Baton Rouge. At approximately 7:20 p.m., Mabin was identified as he exited the residence and drove to a location in Denham Springs, Louisiana, where he engaged in what appeared to be a hand-to-hand drug transaction. At approximately the same time, separate law enforcement provided the CI with $1,500 and an audio/video recording device. The CI drove to, and entered, Andre’s Woodlawn Acres residence. After his meeting in Denham Springs, Louisiana, Mabin returned to the Elva Drive residence, entered the residence for a short period of time, and then drove to Andre’s Woodlawn Acres residence. The CI’s video captured Andre’s absence from the kitchen area of the residence for a brief period of time. Agents conducting surveillance outside of the residence identified Mabin as he pulled into the driveway of Andre, met with Andre, and then drove off. Andre then entered the residence and handed the CI a packet containing methamphetamine. On February 23, 2019, EBRSO Narcotics agents obtained a search warrant for Mabin’s Elva Drive residence. A search of said residence was conducted and methamphetamine was seized. Mabin shared possession of this methamphetamine with Williams, knew that it was methamphetamine, and, along with Williams, possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. On February 28, 2020, law enforcement identified that a residence in Denham Springs, Louisiana, was likely receiving shipments of illegal narcotics. On March 2, 2020, a police canine conducted a free air sniff of a FedEx package addressed to said residence. The canine returned a positive alert for the presence of illegal controlled substances. A search warrant for the package was then obtained, and the package was opened and searched. Among items found in the package were 6 vacuum-sealed bags containing over 3 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine. A small amount of the substance was placed back into the Federal Express package, which was then delivered under surveillance of law enforcement to the suspect Denham Springs residence. Upon delivery of the package, the resident at the address on the FedEx package looked at it, to include the name on the package, and advised that it was not his. The resident stated that he had recently moved into the residence, and that a man advised him that he had recently moved from the residence, and that a package addressed to him was still being delivered to the residence. The man requested that, upon receipt, the resident place the package on the front steps of the residence so that he could pick it up. After the delivery was completed, the resident placed the package on the front steps of the residence and then departed the area. Approximately one hour after the package was left on the front steps of the residence, during which time surveillance was maintained, Mabin approached the residence on foot and took possession of the package. The male then ran down the street and entered a gray Toyota Camry. A computer inquiry of the license place on the vehicle identified that it was registered to a female with an outstanding warrant for her address. Law enforcement then conducted a traffic stop of the Camry. After being advised of her Miranda rights, the female driver (who was also the registered owner of the Camry) advised that she had given Mabin, the sole passenger in the vehicle, a ride the area near the aforementioned delivery address so he could pick up a package. The driver gave consent to a search of her vehicle and, among other items, law enforcement located and seized the Federal Express package that had been the subject of this ongoing investigation. The package was located on the front passenger floorboard where Mabin was sitting. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Mabin admitted that the methamphetamine belonged to him, and that he had ordered approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine for a price of $14,000 from a source in California. He stated that he used the address of the suspect Denham Springs residence because it had been vacant. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with invaluable assistance from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.


title: Russian International Money Launderer Arrested for Illicitly Procuring Large Quantities of U.S.-Manufactured Dual-Use Military Grade Microelectronics for Russian Elites

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: Maxim Marchenko, 51, a Russian citizen who has resided in Hong Kong, was charged today in connection with conspiring to defraud the United States and with smuggling, wire fraud, and money laundering offenses based on his alleged participation in a scheme to unlawfully procure U.S.-sourced, dual-use microelectronics with military applications on behalf of end users in Russia. “According to the complaint, Marchenko employed a web of shell companies as part of an overseas smuggling ring to ship dual-use U.S. technology with military applications to Russia in contravention of U.S. law,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s action reinforces the Department’s commitment to protect U.S. security and counter Russian aggression in Ukraine through the vigorous enforcement of our export control laws.” “As alleged, Maxim Marchenko participated in an illicit procurement network that provided military grade microelectronics to end users in Russia,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “Following Russia’s unjust invasion of Ukraine, Marchenko and his co-conspirators are alleged to have used shell companies and other deceptive measures in order to secure U.S.-manufactured microelectronics, with applications including in rifle scopes, night-vision goggles, thermal optics, and weapon systems, for use by Russians. This office will relentlessly pursue those who seek to flout U.S. law in order to supply Russia with military technology.” “Today’s charges demonstrate the FBI’s ability to leverage its international presence and partnerships to stop the illegal transfer of dual-use technology to Russia,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI's National Security Branch. “As alleged in the charges, Marchenko and his co-conspirators engaged in an elaborate, fraudulent scheme to smuggle military-grade technology with the potential to harm U.S. national security. The FBI and our partners will never waver in our commitment to keep Americans safe.” “We are laser-focused on rooting out the procurement networks fueling the Russian war machine,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod. “Working hand-in-hand with our federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to identify and disrupt Russia’s use of front companies in the People’s Republic of China and elsewhere to evade our controls.” “Disrupting the efforts of facilitators and procurement agents like Marchenko, who use their skills and connections to advance the agenda of the Russian war machine, is one of the most important priorities of this task force. Today’s arrest should serve as another reminder that we will leverage and deploy every tool to bring these criminals to justice,” said Task Force KleptoCapture Co-Director David Lim. According to court documents, Maxim Marchenko is a Russian national who resides in Hong Kong and operates several Hong Kong-based shell companies, including Alice Components Co. Ltd. (Alice Components), Neway Technologies Limited (Neway) and RG Solutions Limited (RG Solutions). Marchenko and two co-conspirators (CC-1 and CC-2), who are also Russian nationals, have operated an illicit procurement network in Russia, Hong Kong and elsewhere overseas. This procurement network has fraudulently obtained from U.S. distributors large quantities of dual-use, military grade microelectronics, specifically OLED micro-displays, on behalf of Russia-based end users. To carry out this scheme, Marchenko, CC-1 and CC-2 used shell companies based in Hong Kong and other deceptive means to conceal from U.S. Government agencies and U.S. distributors that the OLED micro-displays were destined for Russia. The technology that Marchenko and his co-conspirators fraudulently procured have significant military applications, such as in rifle scopes, night-vision googles, thermal optics and other weapon systems. To perpetrate the scheme, Marchenko and other members of the conspiracy acquired the dual-use OLED micro-displays from U.S.-based distributors using Marchenko’s Hong Kong-based shell companies, including Alice Components, Neway and RG Solutions. Members of the conspiracy, including Marchenko, procured these sensitive microelectronics by falsely representing to the U.S. distributors (who, in turn, are required to report to U.S. agencies) that Alice Components was sending the shipments to end users located in China, Hong Kong and other countries outside of Russia for use in electron microscopes for medical research. In reality, the OLED micro-displays were destined for end users in Russia. Marchenko and other members of the conspiracy concealed the true final destination (Russia) from U.S. distributors for the purpose of causing false statements to the U.S. agencies. To conceal the fact that these OLED micro-displays were destined for Russia, Marchenko and other members of the conspiracy worked together to transship the illicitly procured OLED micro-displays by using pass-through entities principally operated by Marchenko in third countries, such as Hong Kong. Marchenko then caused the OLED micro-displays to be shipped to the ultimate destination in Russia using, among other entities, a freight forwarder known to provide freight forwarding services to Russia. In addition, Marchenko and other members of the conspiracy used Hong Kong-based shell companies, principally operated by Marchenko, to conceal the fact that payments for the OLED micro-displays were coming from Russia. In total, between in or about May 2022 and in or about August 2023, Marchenko’s shell companies funneled a total of more than $1.6 million to the United States in support of the procurement network’s efforts to smuggle the OLED micro-displays to Russia. Marchenko is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison; conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison; money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; smuggling goods from the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI and Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating the case. The FBI Legal Attaché in Australia; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance. The Southern District of New York is prosecuting the case, with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture and the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Marchenko complaint


title: Two Minneapolis Men Sentenced for Armed Carjacking

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST PAUL, Minn. – Two Minneapolis men have been sentenced for carjacking, kidnapping, and holding a victim at gunpoint for several hours, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on the evening of February 14, 2023, T’Shawn Teon Palton, then 20, Jamal Timothy Funchess, 18, and a then-juvenile at the time of the offence posted an advertisement on Facebook Marketplace to purportedly sell an iPhone. The victim responded and made arrangements to buy the phone. The victim and the purported seller agreed to meet at a location in Columbia Heights. When the victim arrived at the location and was still in the car, Palton and the juvenile approached. The juvenile had a gun and hit the victim in the face with the firearm. The men ordered the victim to the backseat of the car. The men then got into the victim’s car, drove a short distance, and picked up Funchess. For several hours, the three men drove the victim’s car around the Twin Cities, holding the victim at gunpoint in the backseat. Each of the three men at some point held the firearm and pointed it at the victim. During this time, they demanded that the victim surrender his cell phone, wallet, credit cards, and banking information. They drove to several gas stations around the Twin Cities in an attempt to use the victim’s cards to withdraw money. Toward the end of the ordeal, the three men discussed what to do with the victim and openly talked about murdering him. Eventually, they dropped the victim on a road in St. Paul and drove away in the victim’s car. The victim ran to a nearby gas station and borrowed an employee’s cell phone to call 911. Officers were able to use the location of the victim’s stolen cell phone to find Palton, Funchess, and the juvenile, along with the victim’s stolen car and possessions. Palton and Funchess pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on May 22, 2023, to one count each of carjacking. On September 15, 2023, Palton and Funchess were sentenced by Senior Judge Susan Richard Nelson. Palton received 108 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Funchess received 100 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bloomington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes prosecuted the case.


title: Woodbridge Residents Ordered to Pay $336,356 for Defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – On September 7, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia entered a judgment that ordered Bernice Suppey, 40, and Kwaku Adubofour, 42, of Woodbridge, to pay $336,356 based on their fraudulent applications for multiple loans through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “The Paycheck Protection Program has been a critical lifeline to small businesses and workers during the COVID-19 crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber. “EDVA is committed to using all enforcement tools – both civil and criminal – to hold accountable anyone who took advantage of the program for personal gain.” “This recovery is a direct result of the concerted efforts of SBA and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia to investigate claims of fraud in SBA’s COVID-relief programs and to recover funds lost through fraud from individuals and companies that engage in such activities,” said SBA’s General Counsel, Therese Meers. The PPP offered loans to eligible small businesses for economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP borrowers were required to provide their income and supporting documents to calculate and confirm the loan amount. Suppey and Adubofour obtained four PPP loans by submitting applications with inflated income and fabricated tax documents to SBA-authorized lenders. Based on these fraudulent applications, the Court found Suppey and Adubofour liable for violating the False Claims Act, conspiring to violate the False Claims Act, and for violating the Financial Institutions Reform, Recover, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA). The outcome in the case was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Litigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Hochul III and Kristin Starr. The case caption is United States v. Suppey , No. 1:22-cv-00279-CMH-IDD. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia .


title: St. Peters, Missouri Woman Sentenced to 8 Months in Prison, Ordered to Repay $204,000 for Pandemic Fraud

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Monday sentenced a woman from St. Peters, Missouri to eight months in prison for defrauding a small business assistance program out of $204,095 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trashunda M. Harrison, 38, was also ordered to repay the money. Harrison pleaded guilty June 6 to three counts of wire fraud and one count of bank fraud and admitted engaging in a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program from around June 2020 through April 2021. The PPP was intended to save both small businesses and jobs. Harris submitted a total of nine fraudulent applications for PPP loans in the names of three businesses: The Quiet Space LLC, Blow LLC and StrutN 80s LLC, as well as in her own name as a sole proprietor. Harrison lied on the applications about the payroll and income of the businesses and submitted fraudulent tax forms to support her false claims. On applications for additional loans, she falsely claimed to have used the first loan for payroll and other business expenses. At the time, Harrison had only one functional business, StrutN 80s, which made substantially less than what she claimed in her PPP applications. Harrison falsely claimed the businesses would use the money for allowed expenses such as payroll. She instead used the PPP money for unapproved purposes, including shopping, dining, rent, cash withdrawals and payments to individuals who had no affiliation with the companies, she admitted in her plea agreement. Harrison “exploited the COVID-19 pandemic for her personal gain, at the expense of those struggling due to the economic consequences of the pandemic,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow wrote in a sentencing memo. Clow also pointed out that Harrison used the identity of someone else in two of her loan applications, without that person’s knowledge. The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: North Carolina Man Convicted Of Defrauding Attorneys Through International Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Omoyoma Christopher Okoro, age 49, of North Carolina, was found guilty of all charges against him following a five-day jury trial that concluded on September 15, 2023. The indictment charged Okoro with conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, mail fraud affecting a financial institution, and bank fraud. In addition, Okoro was charged with two counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, one count of mail fraud affecting a financial institution, and one count of bank fraud. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Okoro, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Nigerian origin, resided in Nigeria before moving to the United States around 2013. Between 2006 and 2010, Okoro, along with other unnamed coconspirators, conspired to defraud attorneys located in the United States through what became known as the “attorney collection scheme.” Through this scheme, attorneys in the United States were contacted by a prospective “client” in a foreign country who purported to be in need of legal representation. The client would typically claim to be owed money from someone in the United States resulting from a business transaction, settlement from a dispute, or an accident. If the attorney responded to the initial inquiry, the attorney would then be told that the other party had agreed to settle the matter and was prepared to make a payment. Soon after that, the attorney would receive a counterfeit “official check” supposedly issued by a U.S. bank in the mail. The attorney was directed by the client to deposit the check into his or her law firm escrow account, keep a portion of the funds as payment for services, and wire the balance to a foreign bank account, typically located in an East Asian country. Once the funds reached the foreign bank account, they were immediately withdrawn by a member of the conspiracy, generally before the attorney victim realized that he or she had been defrauded. The attorney and the attorney’s bank would then be left responsible for the loss once they realized that the official check was counterfeit. The evidence at trial showed Okoro communicating with numerous other members of the conspiracy, including individuals responsible for furnishing the financial accounts in East Asia used to receive victim funds, as well as individuals who appeared to be in contact with attorney victims. On numerous occasions, Okoro was either the sender or recipient of emails confirming that an attorney victim had wired funds to a foreign bank account. In addition, evidence at trial showed funds flowing back to Okoro from coconspirators located in the area of Toronto, Canada, where several key members of the conspiracy resided. In total, it is believed that over $20 million in fraudulent proceeds were actually obtained through the attorney collection scheme, and over $70 million in attempted fraud occurred. Okoro represents the latest defendant to be prosecuted in this district for his role in the attorney collection scheme. Prior defendants include Emmanuel Ekhator and Yvette Mathurin, previously residents of Canada and Nigeria, and Kingsley Osagie of Nigeria. For more information, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/nigerian-national-sentenced-100-months-involvement-scheme-defraud-lawyers-out-millions . They also include Henry Okpalefe, previously a resident of Toronto, Canada and Nigeria. For more information, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/canadian-man-sentenced-18-years-imprisonment-multi-million-dollar-fraud-targeting-us . The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma, Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams, and U.S. Department of Justice Trial Attorney Shaunik R. Panse prosecuted the case and handled the case at trial. This case and other prior cases related to the attorney collection scheme were previously handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christy Fawcett, Kim Douglas Daniel, Chelsea Schinnour, and Paul J. Miovas, Jr. The maximum penalty under federal law for each of the five charges against Okoro is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. # # #


title: Two Manchester Residents Arrested for Conspiring to Manufacture Methamphetamine in Their Residence

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – Two Manchester residents have been charged for conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine and possessing the necessary chemicals and equipment to do so within their home, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Charles Winchell and Catherine Quinn, both 42 years old, were charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of equipment, chemicals, products, and materials to manufacture methamphetamine. Winchell will make an initial appearance in federal court in Concord today at 2:30 p.m., and Quinn will appear at 3:00 p.m. According to the charging documents, Quinn and Winchell purchased pseudoephedrine, an over-the-counter medication and the primary ingredient used for the manufacturing of methamphetamine, dozens of times over the past few months. Most recently, Winchell purchased pseudoephedrine yesterday. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at their residence this morning and found pseudoephedrine and other ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine, such as lighter fluid, drain cleaner, and batteries, which contain lithium strips used to create a chemical reaction. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manchester Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather A. Cherniske is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Former Fresno Sleep Clinic Owner Pleads Guilty to Submitting over $1 Million in Fraudulent Claims for Sleep Studies to Medicare

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Travis Gober, 44, of Hanford, pleaded guilty to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft charges today for submitting over $1 million in fraudulent claims for sleep studies to Medicare, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court records, Gober owned the VIP Sleep Center, which operated sleep clinics in Fresno and Tulare Counties. Sleep clinics perform diagnostic sleep studies on patients to identify disorders like sleep apnea and narcolepsy. From October 2019 through September 2021, Gober caused the VIP Sleep Center to submit thousands of claims to Medicare, which is a federally funded health care insurance program, for sleep studies that were not actually performed on patients. The claims also falsely stated that the patients had been referred for the sleep studies by physicians with whom Gober had previously worked. This was done because Medicare will not pay for a sleep study unless the patient was referred by a physician. Gober committed this fraud, at least in part, to try to pay debts and address other financial difficulties that his brother, Jeremy Gober, had caused the VIP Sleep Center and him to incur without his knowledge or consent. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Department of Health Care Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case. Travis Gober is scheduled to be sentenced by Jennifer L. Thurston on Jan. 16, 2024. Gober faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for the health care fraud conviction, and an additional, mandatory two years in prison for the identity theft conviction. His actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. Travis Gober’s brother, Jeremy Gober, was previously charged with health care fraud and identity theft related to other sleep clinics in the Central Valley in December 2022 . The charges are only allegations. Jeremy Gober is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: MILTON MAN SENTENCED TO SIXTY YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR CHILD SEX CRIMES COMMITTED IN FIJI

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jason R. Moore, 43, of Milton, Florida, was sentenced to sixty years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to two counts of “Illicit Sexual Conduct in Foreign Places.” The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “There is no greater charge than the protection of our children,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who engage in such heinous conduct.” Moore engaged in “Illicit Sexual Conduct in Foreign Places” from March 2013 through February 2016. Specifically, Moore engaged in these crimes in the Republic of Fiji. Moore was arrested by Special Agents from the Department of Homeland Security and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in Santa Rosa County in late 2022 after victims of Moore’s crimes came forward regarding their sexual abuse. Moore’s prison sentence will be followed by a Lifetime of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions. “Individuals who masquerade under a disguise of public trust and prey on the vulnerability of children in their own home should expect to be held fully accountable for their actions,” said HSI Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “I commend the victim for having the courage to come forward. HSI’s strong partnerships with HSI Buffalo and the New York State Police were key in holding this sexual predator responsible for turning a child into a lifelong victim.” This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case. FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Chris Williams said, “As a former preacher, Moore had plenty of access to children in a role that placed him in a position of trust for parents and the community. Taking this dangerous predator off the streets was a priority for our agents. I thank them for their commitment to this case as well as that of our partners. I’m glad to know Moore will be in prison for years to come.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Mobile Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Possessing and Firing an Illegal Machinegun During New Year’s Eve Celebrations

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 120 months in prison—the maximum sentence allowed under federal law—for illegally possessing a machinegun that he fired during New Year’s Eve celebrations in downtown Mobile. According to court documents and evidence presented at his sentencing hearing, Thomas Earl Thomas, Jr., 23, fired a Glock .40 caliber pistol, which was illegally modified with a machinegun-conversion device and equipped with an extended magazine, into a crowd of revelers on Dauphin Street during Mobile’s New Year’s Eve celebrations on December 31, 2022. The device attached to Thomas’s illegal weapon, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” converted the firearm from a semiautomatic pistol to a fully automatic machinegun. Surveillance video showed Thomas firing multiple rounds from the firearm, which killed one victim, severely injured eight others, and caused substantial damage to nearby businesses. Mobile police and paramedics tended to the wounded victims on-scene, who ranged from age 17 to age 57. Detectives also canvassed the scene, recovering 22 fired .40 caliber shell casings, four damaged bullets, three bullet jacket fragments, and two lead fragments, among other evidence. Detectives conducted two recorded interviews of Thomas, who admitted that he lied about several key facts during the interviews. Specifically, Thomas admitted that he lied about not having a gun or shooting it on Dauphin Street. Evidence extracted from Thomas’s cell phone linked him to the firearm, which he had purchased at a gun show in Mobile on December 10, 2022. Thomas admitted that he knew the gun had later been illegally modified with a machinegun-conversion device. An expert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives examined and test fired Thomas’s illegal weapon. When equipped with the machinegun-conversion device, the firearm expelled multiple rounds of ammunition with a single pull of the trigger. Both the firearm and the machinegun-conversion device are illegal under federal law. “Wantonly shooting into an innocent crowd, Thomas made his crime even more dangerous and serious by using an illegal machinegun,” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello. “Working with our federal, state and local partners, we will do everything we can to protect our community by taking these illegal weapons off the street, and putting the criminals who use them in prison.” Marcus Watson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Nashville Field Division, said, “Citizens should be able to attend celebratory events without the fear and grim reality of possibly losing their lives. This individual knowingly and recklessly discharged a firearm that contained a machinegun-conversion device, known as a ‘Glock switch,’ into a crowd of innocent people. The ATF along with our state, local, and federal partners will continue to utilize every resource that we have in the pursuit of justice for individuals who make the conscious effort to perpetuate violence in the communities that we serve.” In addition to the 10-year prison sentence, Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock ordered Thomas to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will receive treatment for substance abuse and mental health. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Beaverstock ordered Thomas to pay $100 in special assessments and forfeited Thomas’s illegal weapon to the United States. Thomas faces several pending charges in the Mobile County District Court stemming from this incident, including intentional murder, first-degree assault, and shooting a firearm into occupied and unoccupied buildings and vehicles. He is presumed innocent in that case until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The ATF and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Two with 2022 Gun Store Burglary

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: DANVILLE, Va.– A federal grand jury in Danville, Virginia returned an indictment in August charging a pair of men with robbing a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) in 2022. The grand jury charged Bradley Wayne McCraw, 43, of Gaffney, South Carolina, and Justin Darrell Whitaker, 30, of Cleveland County, North Carolina, with breaking into the Rabbit Ridge Gun Shop and Range in Ararat, Virginia in the early morning hours of September 22, 2022, and stealing at least 13 firearms from the business’ inventory. McCraw and Whitaker are each charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of knowingly and intentionally stealing firearms from an FFL, and one count of possession of stolen firearms. U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Craig B. Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case with assistance from the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriffs’ Offices in Cherokee County, South Carolina, Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Cleveland County, North Carolina also have assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin B. Johnson is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Russian International Money Launderer Arrested For Illicitly Procuring Large Quantities Of U.S.-Manufactured Dual-Use, Military Grade Microelectronics For Russian Entities

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, David Lim, Co-Director of Task Force KleptoCapture, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Matthew S. Axelrod, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging MAXIM MARCHENKO with conspiring to defraud the United States and with smuggling, wire fraud, and money laundering offenses based on MARCHENKO’s alleged participation in a scheme to unlawfully procure U.S.-sourced, dual-use microelectronics with military applications on behalf of end users in Russia. MARCHENKO was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court earlier today and ordered detained. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Maxim Marchenko participated in an illicit procurement network that provided military grade microelectronics to end users in Russia. Following Russia’s unjust invasion of Ukraine, Marchenko and his co-conspirators are alleged to have used shell companies and other deceptive measures in order to secure U.S.-manufactured microelectronics, with applications including in rifle scopes, night-vision goggles, thermal optics, and weapon systems, for use by Russians. This Office will relentlessly pursue those who seek to flout U.S. law in order to supply Russia with military technology.” Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said: “According to the complaint, Marchenko employed a web of shell companies as part of an overseas smuggling ring to ship dual-use U.S. technology with military applications to Russia in contravention of U.S. law. Today’s action reinforces the Department’s commitment to protect U.S. security and counter Russian aggression in Ukraine through the vigorous enforcement of our export control laws.” Co-Director of Task Force KleptoCapture David Lim said: “Disrupting the efforts of facilitators and procurement agents like Marchenko, who use their skills and connections to advance the agenda of the Russian war machine, is one of the most important priorities of this Task Force. Today’s arrest should serve as another reminder that we will leverage and deploy every tool to bring these criminals to justice.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Attempts by individuals to circumvent U.S. law through money laundering and other forms of deception undermine foreign policy established to keep the United States and our allies safe. Marchenko allegedly defied U.S. law by procuring sensitive American-made electronics on behalf of the Russian end users, directly endangering citizens in both Ukraine and the United States. The FBI will not yield in its efforts to stop those who deceive the U.S. government and directly jeopardize our national security.” Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod said: “We are laser-focused on rooting out the procurement networks fueling the Russian war machine. Working hand-in-hand with our federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to identify and disrupt Russia’s use of front companies in the People’s Republic of China and elsewhere to evade our controls.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint unsealed today in White Plains federal court: [1] MAXIM MARCHENKO is a Russian national who resides in Hong Kong and operates several Hong Kong-based shell companies, including Alice Components Co. Ltd. (“Alice Components”), Neway Technologies Limited (“Neway”), and RG Solutions Limited (“RG Solutions”). MARCHENKO and two co-conspirators (“CC-1” and “CC-2”), who are also Russian nationals, operate an illicit procurement network in Russia, Hong Kong, and elsewhere overseas. This procurement network has fraudulently obtained from U.S. distributors large quantities of dual-use, military grade microelectronics, specifically OLED micro-displays, on behalf of Russia-based end users. To carry out this scheme, MARCHENKO, CC-1, and CC-2 used shell companies based in Hong Kong and other deceptive means to conceal from U.S. Government agencies and U.S. distributors that the OLED micro-displays were destined for Russia. The technology that MARCHENKO and his co-conspirators fraudulently procured have significant military applications, such as in rifle scopes, night-vision googles, thermal optics, and other weapon systems. To perpetrate the scheme, MARCHENKO and other members of the conspiracy acquired the dual-use OLED micro-displays from U.S.-based distributors using MARCHENKO’s Hong Kong-based shell companies, including Alice Components, Neway, and RG Solutions. Members of the conspiracy, including MARCHENKO, procured these sensitive microelectronics by falsely representing to the U.S. distributors (who, in turn, are required to report to U.S. agencies) that Alice Components was sending the shipments to end users located in China, Hong Kong, and other countries outside of Russia for use in electron microscopes for medical research. In reality, the OLED micro-displays were destined for end users in Russia. MARCHENKO and other members of the conspiracy concealed the true final destination (Russia) from U.S. distributors for the purpose of causing false statements to the U.S. agencies. To conceal the fact that these OLED micro-displays were destined for Russia, MARCHENKO and other members of the conspiracy worked together to transship the illicitly procured OLED micro-displays by using pass-through entities principally operated by MARCHENKO in third countries, such as Hong Kong. MARCHENKO then caused the OLED micro-displays to be shipped to the ultimate destination in Russia using, among other entities, a freight forwarder known to provide freight forwarding services to Russia. In addition, MARCHENKO and other members of the conspiracy used Hong Kong-based shell companies, principally operated by MARCHENKO, to conceal the fact that payments for the OLED micro-displays were coming from Russia. In total, between in or about May 2022 and in or about August 2023, MARCHENKO’s shell companies funneled a total of more than $1.6 million to the United States in support of the procurement network’s efforts to smuggle the OLED micro-displays to Russia. * * * MARCHENKO, 51, a Russian citizen who has resided in Hong Kong, is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; smuggling goods from the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and its New York Field Office, Counterintelligence Division and the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce. Mr. Williams also thanked the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Australia; the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section; and the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division for their assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division and Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer N. Ong and Shiva H. Logarajah are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Former Local Politician Arrested on Indictment Alleging $70,000 in Bribes to Baldwin Park City Councilmember for Marijuana Permits

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former Compton city councilman was arrested today on a federal grand jury indictment alleging he and his consulting client paid $70,000 in bribes to a member of the Baldwin Park City Council in exchange for that official’s votes and support for commercial marijuana permits. Isaac Jacob Galvan, 36, of Compton, who served on the Compton City Council from 2013 until May 2022, was arrested at his residence this morning on a 10-count indictment filed on September 13 and unsealed today. Special agents with the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation today also arrested Yichang Bai, 50, of Arcadia, the owner and operator of W&F International Corp., a Diamond Bar-based import-export business and a consulting client of Galvan’s who allegedly helped orchestrate the bribery scheme. The indictment charges Galvan and Bai with one count of conspiracy, one count of bribery and eight counts of honest services wire fraud. The defendants are expected to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. “Former Compton City Councilmember Isaac Galvan stands accused of paying tens of thousands of dollars to a corrupt member of the Baldwin Park City Council in order to enrich himself and a client with a marijuana business,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “This case is yet another example of my office’s determination to root out public corruption and backroom deals that corrode our political system. We will continue to pursue politicians who violate their sacred oaths by placing their own desires ahead of their constituents’ needs.” “Today, the FBI arrested Isaac Galvan for allegedly using his position of power to bribe an elected city official in order to enrich himself and a client,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “As these actions erode the public’s trust and harm the communities these officials were elected to serve, FBI Los Angeles will continue to investigate them and those individuals who enable their corrupt schemes.” “Mr. Galvan, a former Compton City Councilman, and Mr. Bai are accused of undermining the process of fair and open competition when they by allegedly paying bribes to Baldwin Park City Councilman Ricardo Pacheco in exchange for securing marijuana permits for Mr. Bai’s corporation, W&F International,” said Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office. “City Councilmen, hold positions of trust. That trust is broken when these public officials commit crimes like bribery, but when they do IRS Criminal Investigation, and our law enforcement partners will be there to seek justice on behalf of the citizens.” In June 2017, Baldwin Park began permitting the cultivation, manufacture, and distribution of marijuana within its city limits. Soon afterward, then-Baldwin Park City Councilman Ricardo Pacheco, 60, of Baldwin Park, began soliciting bribes from businesses seeking marijuana development agreements and related permits in the city, according to court documents. In exchange for the illicit payments, Pacheco agreed to use his position in city government to assist the companies with obtaining marijuana permits, including voting in their favor. According to the indictment, Galvan first paid Pacheco a $10,000 bribe in August 2017 to secure Pacheco’s support for a future consulting client’s marijuana permit. Then, after securing W&F as a client, Galvan facilitated $70,000 in bribes from Bai to Pacheco. Pacheco served on Baldwin Park’s city council from 1997 until his resignation in June 2020, and he was the city’s mayor pro tempore in 2018. Galvan allegedly paid the bribes in exchange for Pacheco’s political support of and promise to deliver Baldwin Park’s approval of marijuana permits for W&F. Pacheco then delivered, voting in favor of W&F’s marijuana permit and later voting in favor of W&F’s bid to relocate its operations. Throughout the scheme, Galvan and Bai allegedly took steps to cover up their illegal payments to Pacheco by concealing Bai and W&F’s connection to the payments for Pacheco. For example, Bai collected checks from third parties who owed him money and then – at Galvan’s direction – gave Galvan the checks with blank payee lines. Galvan then gave the checks to Pacheco, who then arranged for them to be cashed, either by him or third parties. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted of all charges, Galvan and Bai would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the bribery count and up to 20 years in federal prison for each honest services wire fraud count. Pacheco pleaded guilty in June 2020 to one count of bribery for accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes – including $20,000 in cash – from a Baldwin Park Police officer working at the FBI’s direction, in exchange for the councilmember’s political support of the Baldwin Park Police Association’s contract with the city. Pacheco’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 17, 2024. In November 2022, prosecutors secured a guilty plea to a bribery charge from Gabriel Chavez, 66, of Upland, a former San Bernardino County planning commissioner who admitted to funneling bribes through his company to Pacheco in exchange for the politician’s votes and influence over the city’s cannabis permitting process. Chavez’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 11. Both Chavez and Pacheco have signed plea agreements in which they have agreed to cooperate in the government’s ongoing investigation. The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas F. Rybarczyk, Michael J. Morse, and Lindsey Greer Dotson of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case. Any member of the public who has information related to this or any other public corruption matter is encouraged to send information to the FBI’s tip line at tips.fbi.gov or to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565.


title: U.S. Attorney Chris Kavanaugh to Host Meeting of Attorney General’s Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee in Charlottesville, Va.

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh will host 28 other U.S. Attorneys from across the country for the annual in-person meeting of the Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) from September 20 th to September 22 nd in Charlottesville, Virginia. U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh serves as Chair of the Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee (TNSS) which plays a critical role in formulating, examining, and implementing policies and initiatives that affect the Department’s investigation and prosecution of national security threats and acts of domestic and international terrorism. U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan of the Northern District of Georgia serves as vice-chair. “A top priority of the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney community in particular is keeping our nation safe,” said U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh. “Many of the threats we encounter are not neatly cabined to one geographic district, but rather are national in scope. As leaders of the Department of Justice in our respective districts, it is essential to meet with one another to discuss ongoing efforts to disrupt national security threats and to share best practices for investigating and prosecuting national security cases throughout the country. This meeting serves as a critical opportunity for United States Attorneys and Justice Department officials to achieve that goal, and I am honored to host our committee here in the Western District of Virginia.” “Strategic coordination across the country is essential to protecting our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The work of the Attorney General Advisory Committee’s Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee develops and advances the awareness, perspective, and best practices that are necessary to keep our respective districts safe.” The agenda for the TNSS meeting will include presentations by multiple current and former officials of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a national security law scholar from the University of Virginia School of Law’s National Security Law Center, and case studies by fellow United States Attorneys. The United States Attorneys will also meet with Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen of DOJ’s National Security Division as part of the subcommittee work supporting the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee. In addition to U.S. Attorneys Kavanaugh and Buchanan, the committee’s membership includes United States Attorneys from Virginia, Georgia, New York, California, Texas, North Carolina, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, Hawaii, Guam, and the District of Columbia. Established in 1973, the AGAC and its subcommittees advise the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and represents the views of federal prosecutors across the country.


title: Exporting business pays to resolve allegations it failed to screen cargo

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – An exporting and logistics business has agreed to pay $50,000 to resolve allegations it insufficiently screened cargo bound for export to Central America, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Interport Company Inc. is registered in Illinois and Florida. It maintains an office in Houston and ships goods and vehicles from Freeport and the Port of Houston. Exporters such as Interport are required to submit electronic filings containing certain information for each international shipment pursuant to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations. As part of that process, they are required to screen shipments for firearms and ammunition. They must also provide vehicle identification numbers (VIN) for any vehicles in their shipments. During 2020 and 2021, authorities inspected various shipping containers destined for Central America that Interport had loaded. Those inspections revealed hidden firearms and ammunition contained within customer goods, along with vehicles whose VINs differed from the ones Interport had submitted on electronic forms. As a result, CBP assessed civil penalties for each violation it discovered. Interport agreed to pay $50,000 to satisfy those penalties without litigation and to enhance its screening of customer shipments in the future. As part of the settlement, Interport must meet on a quarterly basis with CBP representatives at the Port of Houston to discuss additional compliance measures. CBP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray and Auditor Matt Prahl handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Former Doctor Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Selling Opioid Painkillers for Cash at His High Desert Medical Clinic

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former physician was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison for illegally prescribing and distributing the semi-synthetic opioid painkiller oxycodone to buyers who visited his Victorville medical office. Wendell Mark Street, 71, of Las Vegas, was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu. Street pleaded guilty in August 2019 to two counts of knowingly and intentionally prescribing and distributing oxycodone to patients without a legitimate medical purpose. While Street was a licensed anesthesiologist, on August 1, 2013, he sold two prescriptions for $300 each to a confidential informant and an undercover investigator with the California Medical Board. The pills contained the opioid oxycodone and alprazolam, which has the brand name Xanax. He wrote the prescriptions without a legitimate medical purpose and intentionally acted outside the usual course of professional practice, including by failing to conduct a physical examination, establish diagnostic testing, provide a treatment plan, and create documentation to establish a medication indication for the prescriptions. The investigation showed that Street prescribed 7,769 prescriptions for narcotics, including 437,000 doses of oxycodone, from November 2012 to November 2013. In April 2016, Street surrendered his medical license. “A doctor holds a position of trust over his patients and with the government, which grants him the authority to write prescriptions for controlled substances for the medical needs of his patients,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “[Street] violated his position of trust by selling prescription, thereby placing the lives of his patients at risk.” The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jason C. Pang of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.


title: Ohio coding consultant agrees to settle allegations regarding neurostimulator devices

body_text: HOUSTON – A 47-year-old healthcare consultant has agreed to pay $30,000 to settle allegations that she assisted in causing the submission of false claims, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Franceene McKinney is a medical information technology and coding consultant based in the Cincinnati area. Through her business, IOS Consultants LLC, she provided services to doctors, chiropractors and other medical professionals across the country, including in the Southern District of Texas. From Jan. 1, 2016, to Dec. 31, 2020, McKinney aided those providers in billing Medicare fraudulently, pointing them to a billing code designed for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes. These are invasive procedures usually requiring the use of an operating room. Medicare pays thousands of dollars per procedure. However, the providers McKinney assisted did not perform surgical procedures. Instead, patients received devices used for electro-acupuncture, which only involves inserting needles into patients’ ears and taping the neurostimulator behind them with an adhesive. In addition to the financial settlement, McKinney and IOS have agreed to a three-year period of exclusion from participation in any federal health care programs. To date, this is the tenth case the Southern District of Texas has resolved for similar conduct. The other matters included settlements with a Katy anesthesiologist , Houston pain doctor , Rockport chiropractor , Houston chiropractor , Laredo pain doctor , The Woodlands pain doctor , Cypress marketing representative , and two separate settlements (linked here and here ) with Cypress podiatrists. The Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: United States Files False Claims Act Complaint Against Bournewood Health Systems and First Psychiatric Planners

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office has filed a complaint against Brookline-based Bournewood Health Systems and First Psychiatric Planners (FPP) for allegedly paying kickbacks in the form of free sober housing to induce patients to choose Bournewood and FPP over other treatment facilities. The United States Attorney’s Office filed the complaint under the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute against Bournewood Health Systems and FPP, together doing business as Bournewood. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office has also joined the complaint under the Massachusetts False Claims Act and other state laws. It is alleged that Bournewood and FPP paid kickbacks in the form of free sober housing to induce substance use recovery patients to choose and attend Bournewood’s and FPP’s Partial Hospital Program, over a myriad of other treatment options and facilities, in violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, the federal False Claims Act, the Massachusetts Anti-Kickback Statute and the Massachusetts False Claims Act. The governments contend that Bournewood and FPP paid the kickbacks to sustain and grow their daily patient census and increase the amount of reimbursement received from insurers, including federal healthcare programs, for the provision of partial hospital program treatment services. It is further alleged that Bournewood and FPP contracted to send patients to certain sober homes to support their revenues, even when they knew that some of the sober homes were unsafe and threatened patients’ sobriety. Patients expressed to Bournewood and FPP, and Bournewood and FPP were otherwise aware of, concerns regarding sexual solicitation and harassment, drug overdoses, prescription medication theft, bed bugs and overcrowding. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits providers from offering or paying, directly or indirectly, any remuneration—which includes money or other things of value—to induce Medicare and Medicaid patients to select the provider’s services. The governments do not contend that any substance use patient knowingly accepted the defendants’ kickbacks. “The government’s complaint today alleges that Bournewood and FPP paid illegal kickbacks to induce vulnerable patients to drive business to their sober home operations,” said Joshua S. Levy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. “This kickback scheme negatively impacted the Medicare and Medicaid programs financially, and more importantly it jeopardized patients’ health at a vulnerable time in their recovery.” “Kickbacks can adversely influence the medical decision-making process,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “Together with our federal and state law enforcement partners, we remain committed to investigating allegations of improper arrangements that can put patient safety at risk.” “Massachusetts is no place to take advantage of vulnerable populations, especially those suffering from substance use disorder,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “These entities referred patients to certain unsafe sober homes and jeopardized their healing to support their own revenue. By taking action, my office and the USAO are reaffirming our commitment to ensure those seeking help have access to treatment and a safe path to recovery.” The government’s investigation was prompted by False Claims Act allegations brought in a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, HHS-OIG SAC Coviello and Attorney General Campbell made the announcement today. This matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Sharobem and Julien Mundele of the Affirmative Enforcement Unit; Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory Dorchak and Anuj Kheturpal of the Civil Rights Unit; and Assistant Attorney General Katie Cooper Davis of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Division.


title: US Attorney Hosts United Against Hate Event in Gary, Indiana

component: Community Relations Service

body_text: HAMMOND, IN– Last week, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana partnered with the Gary Indiana Police Department and, hosted its first “United Against Hate” Community Outreach Event, bringing together local and federal law enforcement and the community to discuss effective strategies to prevent, report, and respond to hate crimes and incidents. “United Against Hate” is a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat unlawful acts of hate. “We are excited to bring this initiative to the Northern District of Indiana and thankful to our law enforcement partners and community leaders for joining us in this necessary step to help provide education on combating hate and protecting civil rights,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. The event, held Thursday, September 14, 2023, at the New Friendship Baptist Church in Gary, Indiana, featured remarks by U.S. Attorney Johnson and Gary Chief of Police, Anthony Titus, as well as presentations from Assistant U.S. Attorneys, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and a representative from the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service (CRS) on the topics of identifying hate crimes and incidents, the importance of reporting, and resources available to help communities dealing with such crimes. “Combating hate crimes and bias incidents is one of the top priorities of the Department of Justice and our office,” said U.S. Attorney Johnson. “It is very fitting to be discussing strategies to tackle these issues on this day and in this forum, as September 15th marks the 60 th anniversary of the bombing of the 16 th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama by members of the KKK. Addressing and defending against hate crimes requires all of us to be attentive and vigilant.” As part of its United Against Hate Program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office hopes to engage with diverse communities across the District to further education and prevention efforts and encourage reporting of hate crimes, bias incidents, and discrimination to local and federal authorities. By convening community forums and providing education about civil rights statutes and incident reporting mechanisms, the goal is to build relationships and root out hate in the district. Community Organizations or Leaders that wish to partner with the United States Attorney’s office to explore holding such an event in their community should contact the District via the following link: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndin/northern-district-indiana-us-attorney-speakers-bureau . Finally, if you believe you are the victim of a hate crime or have witnessed a hate crime, immediately report the crime to your state or local police by dialing 9-1-1, then quickly report the incident to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). You can report to the FBI online at tips.FBI.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). If you believe a bias incident or act of discrimination may not involve a hate crime, you should still report such incident to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division at civilrights.justice.gov or by contacting the Civil Rights Coordinator in the Civil Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: Former Social Worker Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Federal Prison for Masterminding Multiple Frauds by Using Clients’ Stolen Identities

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – A former Orange County social worker was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison for stealing the Social Security numbers and other personal identifying information (PII) from clients then using the stolen information to fraudulently obtain tax refunds, welfare benefits, and credit cards. John Tran, who is believed to be either 57 or 61, of Fountain Valley, was sentenced by United States District Judge James V. Selna, who also ordered him to pay $1,110,288 in restitution. Tran pleaded guilty in November 2019 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims, three counts of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. From August 2010 to June 2019, Tran and his co-conspirators used the stolen information to fraudulently obtain money from the federal government, the State of California, the County of Orange and financial institutions. The Orange County Social Services Administration employed Tran from July 1994 until October 2018. Tran abused his position of public trust to steal PII belonging to agency clients as well as other individuals, many of whom were recent immigrants to the United States. Tran and his co-conspirators used the stolen PII to file false federal and state tax returns in the names of identity theft victims, fraudulently obtaining welfare benefits, underreporting income, and falsely claiming deductions on their personal tax returns, and opening credit cards and other lines of credit in the names of the identity theft victims. Proceeds from the schemes were laundered and structured to avoid detection by law enforcement and banks. Tran and his accomplices filed approximately 433 tax returns using stolen PII and generated at least $973,153 in tax refund payments from the United States. To further the scheme and avoid detection by the IRS, Tran provided the stolen PII to tax preparers in Orange County who used it to create fraudulent Forms 1099-MISC purporting to show payments made to the identity theft victims by companies, including those controlled by Tran and other co-conspirators. False federal income tax returns were prepared using the Tran-provided stolen identities. Purported payments on the fraudulent Forms 1099 were falsely used as income to the identify theft victims, making them appear to qualify for tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. In turn, the purported payments to the identity theft victims were used by the tax preparers’ clients to offset business revenues and reduce the taxes they owed by making it appear that the identity theft victims worked for them. In exchange for the fabrication of the Forms 1099, the corrupt tax preparers’ clients paid them a fee. Tran also used the stolen identities of two victims to open fraudulent bank accounts, open credit cards, and open social services cases. For example, in September 2014, Tran opened a credit card account in another person’s name and used that card for personal expenses, including for items such as skin care products, Costco purchases, and sports gambling. Tran in 2007 charged approximately $14,000 to a credit card in the name of one victim after he convinced the victim to allow him to use the victim’s credit card. The victim, who was a recent immigrant to the United States and one of Tran’s SSA clients, believed that he had to let Tran use the credit card because Tran was a powerful government official who had control over the victim’s families’ SSA benefits. In addition to opening at least 12 fraudulent bank and credit card accounts, Tran fraudulently created and managed SSA benefits cases for family, friends, and for himself, obtaining state benefits for which he and others were not entitled. In total, along with the $973,153 in fraudulently obtained tax refunds, Tran defrauded two victims out of approximately $44,604, and defrauded the Orange County Social Services Administration out of approximately $92,531. “[Tran] abused his position of trust as a social worker to steal his client’s identities and generate fraudulent tax refunds for his personal gain,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Not satisfied with stealing from the IRS, [Tran] also fraudulently obtained social services benefits for himself and others.” Anton Nguyen , 54, of Fountain Valley, the owner of a Westminster-based tax preparation business, was sentenced last month to 41 months in prison and was ordered to pay $3,773,282 in restitution for his role in the scheme. Rosemary Pham, 65, of Midway City, another tax preparer, pleaded guilty on July 14 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of aiding and advising the filing of false tax returns. She faces up to eight years in federal prison at her October 30 sentencing hearing. In total, federal prosecutors have secured eight guilty pleas in this criminal case. IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Bradley E. Marrett of the Santa Ana Branch Office prosecuted this case.


title: West Virginia man sentenced for child pornography charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jerry Wayne Ricketts, age 43, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 235 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, Ricketts used the Kik app on his phone to upload images and videos of child pornography. Officers conducted a search of his home and another home in which he uploaded some of the images. Ricketts admitted to using both residences to upload images and videos and accessing the dark web. A review of his phone revealed more than 600 images and videos of child pornography, including minors under the age of 12. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police investigated. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: French man sentenced for international tax scheme

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Ayodele Arasokun, age 46, of Paris, France, was sentenced today in West Virginia to 34 years in federal prison for orchestrating an international tax scheme. Arakosun was convicted by a jury in October 2022 of twenty-one counts of wire fraud and aggravated identify theft. According to court documents and statements made in court, Arasokun coordinated a scheme to file 1,701 false returns and claim $9.1 million in refunds, with West Virginia residents among the victims. Evidence presented at trial showed that Arasokun had the money transferred to pre-paid debit cards and checking accounts that he was monitoring. The investigation revealed approximately 700 U.S.-based accounts containing more than $50 million was being tracked by the defendant. A total of $2.2 million in fraudulent refunds were actually paid by the Internal Revenue Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Cogar and Eleanor Hurney. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) - Cybercrime Investigations Division, and the IRS-CI, Los Angeles field office investigated. TIGTA investigates abuses of the IRS’s online electronic portals, including the Electronic Filing Pin application, which was compromised in this case. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.