title: Missouri Felon Sentenced to 33 Years in Prison for Child Pornography, Meth Crimes

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Thursday sentenced a man who recorded his criminal sex act with a child and possessed drugs to 33 years in prison. Rayshaun Reed, 37, pleaded guilty in July to three felonies: possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography. He admitted recording a sex act with the teen, possessing drugs and possessing other images containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The victim’s parents triggered the investigation by contacting the Hayti Police Department with concerns about Reed. Officers conducted a court-approved search of Reed’s motel room and found six bags of meth totaling about 25 grams in weight, three bags of marijuana totaling about 22 grams, a bag of "K2" synthetic marijuana and clothing belonging to the victim. His phone contained at least 16 videos depicting CSAM that had been downloaded from the internet. Reed was on supervised release at the time of his crimes, having previously been convicted of distribution of methamphetamine. Judge Limbaugh sentenced Reed to 36 months for violating his supervised release and a total of 30 years for his new crimes. Reed will be on supervised release for 20 years after his release from prison and will receive sex offender treatment while in custody. The Hayti Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis is prosecuting the case. 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. 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 .


title: OVER $200,000 IN CRYPTOCURRENCY FORFEITED IN SCAM INVOLVING ELDERLY VICTIMS

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson ordered the forfeiture of various cryptocurrencies seized from a foreign digital currency exchange. This forfeiture order will now allow the U.S. Department of Justice to begin the process of returning these funds back to the multiple victims, all of whom lost funds in this cryptocurrency emergency scam. On December 15, 2025, a Final Order of Forfeiture was signed in a civil forfeiture action which formally forfeited 1.96356404 BTC and 60,139.5734 USDT, as digital currency involved in wire fraud and money laundering offenses. This bitcoin and USDT, also known as Tether, were seized from a wallet address in the name of an Indian national, which wallet address was held at a digital currency exchange located in the Seychelles, Africa. The combined forfeited bitcoin and tether are worth over $200,000. At least four elderly victims were targeted and manipulated to send a certain amount of funds to a cryptocurrency address to supposedly safeguard their funds or to avoid criminal charges. All four of the victims followed the instructions of the subjects by withdrawing cash from their bank accounts, depositing the cash into bitcoin ATMs, and then sending the bitcoin to designated cryptocurrency addresses controlled by the subjects. Of these four victims, all over the age of 70, two resided in Louisiana, one in Texas, and one in Minnesota. The U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force worked with multiple agency partners to gather information from the victims to help trace the scammed funds. In one case, the victim spoke with whom she believed was her bank fraud department who advised that her bank account had been hacked and that there were “child pornography charges on her account.” After the subject threatened that she would be arrested, the subject advised that she could avoid arrest if she withdrew $31,000 from her account and deposited it into a Bitcoin Depot ATM and subsequently transferred it to a “secure” account designated by the subject. The victim complied. In another case, the victim was advised on her laptop that her device had been hacked and that, to avoid a scheduled automatic payment to a child pornographic website, she had to contact whom she believed was her bank fraud department. After speaking with this supposed bank representative, she was instructed to withdraw $30,000 from her bank account and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM in two separate, equal amounts of $15,000 and transfer to a wallet address given to her by the bank representative. A cryptocurrency emergency scam involves subjects who impersonate bank representatives or government officials using high-pressure tactics and fake crises, such as that a victim’s funds are at risk, to trick victims into withdrawing cash from their bank accounts, buying cryptocurrency at an ATM, and then forwarded this cryptocurrency to a supposedly secure account or wallet address. These scams often target the elderly and use urgency to the scammer’s advantage by exploiting victims’ emotions and convincing them that their funds are at risk of being depleted. This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force with assistance from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office, Randall County Sheriff’s Office (Texas), and the Renville County Sheriff’s Office (Minnesota), and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Brady Casey. The United States Department of Justice implemented an Elder Justice Initiative, which supports the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at www.justice.gov/elderjustice .


title: Justice Department Secures $480,000 Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Ohio Landlords and Property Managers

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that the owners and operators of rental properties in and around Athens County, Ohio have agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging that their former rental manager, Joseph Earl Lucas, sexually harassed female tenants and prospective tenants of rental properties for almost twenty years, in violation of the Fair Housing Act. “No one should have to endure sexual harassment to keep a roof over his or her head,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to holding landlords and housing providers accountable for illegal harassment of their tenants.” “The provision of housing should not be conditioned on sexual favors or otherwise involve sexual harassment,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “My Office will continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act against landlords and property managers who engage in such exploitive conduct.” “The defendants severe abuse of power victimized our most vulnerable community members for almost twenty years and stripped them of their basic right to safety and dignity,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG). “Sexual misconduct is never a misunderstanding of boundaries. It is coercion and it is violence disguised as authority. HUD OIG will continue to work with the US Attorney’s Office to hold housing providers accountable for this type of horrible conduct.” The department’s lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in August 2023, alleged that, from at least 2004 until at least 2023, Lucas, a former resident of Amesville, Ohio, subjected female tenants and applicants to severe and pervasive sexual harassment. In addition to Lucas, the lawsuit named as Defendants Jacob and Emily Bush, and Joie and Jeremy Carr, who held ownership interests in properties managed by Lucas and retained him to manage the properties on their behalf. Jacob Bush and Joie Carr are Lucas’ grandchildren. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General participated in the investigation that resulted in the department’s lawsuit. Under the settlement, the Bushes and Carrs will pay a total of $470,000 to women harmed by Lucas’ harassment and a $10,000 civil penalty to the United States. The agreement also: prohibits the Bushes and Carrs from retaining or otherwise permitting Lucas to manage their rental properties; requires the Bushes and Carrs to adopt policies and procedures to prevent future sexual harassment at their properties; and requires the Bushes and the Carrs to attend training on the requirements of the Fair Housing Act, including its prohibition on sexual harassment. If you are a victim of sexual harassment by a landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, email the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov , or submit a report online . More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative , led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $16.6 million for victims of such harassment.


title: Jose Cesari, Leader Of Sophisticated Armed Beer Theft Enterprise, Sentenced To 63 Months In Prison

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that JOSE CESARI, a/k/a “Cry,” was sentenced to 63 months in prison for conspiring to commit—and committing—theft from interstate or foreign shipments. Between approximately 2022 and 2024, CESARI led the “Beer Theft Enterprise,” a Bronx-based criminal organization focused on breaking into railyards and beverage distribution facilities throughout the Northeast and stealing beer—primarily Corona and Modelo, shipped from Mexico—to bring back to the Bronx to sell. CESARI pled guilty in July 2025 before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos, who imposed today’s sentence. “Jose Cesari led an armed crew that repeatedly targeted railyards and warehouses, stealing massive quantities of beer and treating it like easy money,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He took part in more than three dozen thefts and recruited others into the scheme. No more. Today’s sentence should send a message to anyone who thinks about stealing from businesses in the Southern District of New York: the women and men of this Office take these crimes seriously, and we will not tolerate them.” According to the allegations in the Indictment and statements made in public court filings and proceedings: Between July 2022 and April 2024, the Beer Theft Enterprise carried out dozens of beer thefts, which cumulatively resulted in losses to certain railroad and beverage distribution companies of at least hundreds of thousands of dollars. During at least one of those thefts, the crew carried a gun. In a typical theft, the Beer Theft Enterprise operated during the night. The members of the Beer Theft Enterprise working on a particular night usually assembled in the Bronx before traveling to that night’s target railyard or beverage distribution facility. Normally, the group brought at least one U-Haul box truck to the target railyard or warehouse to be filled with cases of stolen beer. Once they arrived at their target location, members of the Beer Theft Enterprise typically broke into the railyard or warehouse, breached the railcar or area containing Corona or Modelo beer, and transported that beer—often hundreds of cases—to their waiting vehicles. The Beer Theft Enterprise then took the stolen beer back to the Bronx, where it was inspected and made available for sale. After assisting in a beer theft, each of the participating members of the Beer Theft Enterprise was typically paid hundreds of dollars for the night’s work. As the leader of the Beer Theft Enterprise, CESARI participated in more than three dozen beer thefts in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York, and recruited other members to the group. CESARI acted brazenly and without regard for the law. For example, as shown in the image recovered from CESARI’s phone below, CESARI had his picture taken in the midst of one particular beer theft, scaling a railcar filled with Corona beer and holding a yellow angle grinder: CESARI played a crucial role in ensuring the success of the Beer Theft Enterprise. CESARI regularly used his Instagram account to recruit new members. For instance, CESARI advertised on social media that he could provide a “police scanner” from the “precinct of your choice with the purchase of train method” and promised recruits “100k in ten days sorry not a month.” CESARI also frequently bragged about how much money he made from his beer heists. For example, as shown in the image below, CESARI posted to his Instagram account an image of himself in a Corona t-shirt, and boasted that, while some people “got rich off of corona virus [virus emoji],” he “got rich off coronas [train emoji],” referring to the Corona beer that he had stolen: * * * In addition to the prison term, CESARI, 29, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit $473,710.52 in proceeds from his participation in the Beer Theft Enterprise and make restitution in the amount of $518,710.52. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Port Authority Police Department, and the CSX Railroad Police Department. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Z. Margulies and Joseph H. Rosenberg are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Justice Department Highlights Nationwide Crackdown on Tren de Aragua

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced the unsealing of multiple indictments against more than 70 individuals, including leaders and members of designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA), linked to various violent crimes inside and outside the United States, including murder, robbery, extortion, kidnapping, money laundering, and controlled substance trafficking. These actions include indictments across five U.S. Attorney offices, including the District of Colorado, District of Nebraska, District of New Mexico, Southern District of New York, and the Southern District of Texas. Since January 20, 2025, the Department has federally indicted over 260 members of TdA. “Immediately upon taking office, I directed the Department of Justice to fiercely pursue the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This latest multi-state series of charges underscores the Trump Administration's unwavering commitment to restoring public safety, dismantling violent trafficking networks, and ridding our country of Tren de Aragua terrorists.” “Tren de Aragua is a terrorist cartel that exploits our borders to bring murder, drugs, and chaos into American communities,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This Department is crushing their leadership, dismantling their networks, and cutting off their money across the United States. There will be no safe haven here. If you cross our border to commit violent crime, we will find you, prosecute you, and put you away.” “The FBI is committed to investigating members of violent transnational gangs whose actions violate our laws and put American lives at risk,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The existence of TdA is a direct threat to our national security, and we will not allow such a dangerous criminal organization to take root in our communities. Together with our law enforcement partners at every level, we are working to bring these ruthless criminals to justice.” “Tren de Aragua is a ruthless, highly organized, and rapidly expanding foreign terrorist organization that thrives on chaos and human suffering,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “They exploit alliances with other terrorist-designated groups and transnational networks, including the FARC, ELN, and Cartel de los Soles, fueling instability, corruption, and violence across the region while endangering American communities. DEA is confronting this threat by relentlessly targeting their leadership, financial networks, and infrastructure. Those who align with TdA are standing against the United States and will face the full force of federal law enforcement.” “The United States Marshals Service makes this point clear to all members of gangs like Tren de Aragua, we are coming for you,” said Gadyaces S. Serralta, Director of the United States Marshals Service. “We will not give you a moment of rest. We will find you. We will arrest you. You will be made to answer for your crimes. We will continue to work with all of our federal partners, to rid you from our country. Together, we are making the communities of America safer.” “The foreign terrorist organization known as Tren de Aragua has used illicit firearms to maintain and expand control of its criminal enterprise, and imparted untold violence, widespread narcotics addiction, and death in American communities,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Deputy Director Rob Cekada. “The men and women of ATF, along with our federal law enforcement partners, have worked tirelessly to bring the members of this organization to justice. We will continue to systematically dismantle Tren de Aragua and other foreign terrorist organizations to ensure our communities are protected from harm. The days of Tren de Aragua running roughshod over the American public, preying on, and profiting from American citizens is over.” “These actions reflect the strength of our partnerships and our determination to dismantle criminal networks like Tren de Aragua,” said BOP Director William K. Marshall III. “The Federal Bureau of Prisons is proud to support this mission by providing critical intelligence and secure management of offenders, ensuring justice and safety for our communities.” A case summary is below: DISTRICT OF COLORADO : Two alleged leaders of TdA have been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with a series of crimes in Colorado. These defendants are facing several charges including a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy. The indictment alleges that from May 2024 through on or about March of 2025, the defendants conducted activity for TdA through a pattern of racketeering activity that included robbery, extortion, kidnapping, money laundering and controlled substance offenses. The defendants are also charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and firearms offenses in connection with the armed robberies of two jewelry stores in the Denver, Colorado area in June of 2024. DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA : A grand jury returned two indictments charging a total of 54 individuals, some associated with TdA, for leading and facilitating a large-scale conspiracy to use malware to steal millions of dollars from U.S. financial institutions by hacking ATMs. Charges against some of the defendants included conspiracy to provide material support for terrorism, in addition to conspiracies to commit bank fraud, money laundering, bank burglary, and computer fraud and abuse. DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO : Federal prosecutors have indicted 11 alleged members and leaders of TdA on racketeering charges, accusing them of kidnapping, brutally interrogating, and strangling a victim in an Albuquerque apartment, before burying his body in a remote desert grave. Some defendants were also directly involved in an armed confrontation at an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado, during which rival groups exchanged gunfire and a victim was killed. SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK : An indictment has been unsealed charging Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, a/k/a “Nino Guerrero,” in connection with a leadership role in TdA operating throughout North America, South America, and Europe. For over a decade, Guerrero Flores has served as either the leader or co-leader of TdA, acting as the mastermind over TdA’s expansion across the Western Hemisphere. While operating from Venezuela and elsewhere, Guerrero Flores ordered, directed, facilitated, and supported acts of violence and terrorism transcending national boundaries, including murders, kidnappings, extortions, and maiming against victims located inside and outside the United States, and facilitated the transport of tons of cocaine from Venezuela to the United States. Guerrero Flores is currently at large, and the U.S. Department of State is offering rewards of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction. SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS : A six-count superseding indictment has been unsealed charging four Venezuelan nationals, including multiple alleged high-ranking members of TdA, for conspiring to provide and providing material support to TdA, and for conspiracy and distribution of cocaine in Colombia intended for distribution in the United States. According to court records, two of the defendants are some of the topmost TdA leaders, with one allegedly exercising command and control over all of TdA’s criminal operations, including the illegal importation and smuggling of gold and narcotics, extortion, and murder. The two other defendants are also high-ranking TdA leaders who operate out of multiple South American countries and direct operations to include gold smuggling, narcotics export and violent crime. These cases are part of Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), which was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded at the direction of Attorney General Bondi to target Tren de Aragua. JTFV is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; and the District of Nevada; as well as the as well as the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, USMS, and the Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, has also provided significant assistance. TdA is a violent transnational criminal organization that originated as a prison gang in Venezuela in the mid-2000s. TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States. TdA’s criminal activities include a variety of violent and criminal offenses, including drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other acts of violence to enforce and further the organization’s criminal activities. TdA has also developed an additional source of revenue stream through financial crimes that target financial institutions throughout the United States, including using jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in cash. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Oklahoma Man to Serve Ten Years in Federal Prison for Federal Hate Crime Violation

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – BRADEN BIRDSONG , 28, of Oklahoma City, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Jones for the Western District of Oklahoma today and was sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to a federal hate crime violation. According to filed plea documents and today’s court hearing, on August 25, 2023, Birdsong, a white man, attacked D.G., a Black man, while D.G. was cleaning the parking lot of the Oklahoma City restaurant at which he worked. Birdsong used racial slurs and other anti-Black rhetoric as he punched D.G. in the head multiple times. D.G. suffered bodily injury because of the attack. Birdsong admitted that he assaulted D.G. because of D.G.’s race and color. “This defendant’s actions were driven by hate and resulted in a violent attack against a victim targeted simply because of his race,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Crimes motivated by hate threaten the safety and dignity of our communities and will be met with firm accountability. The Justice Department remains committed to enforcing federal civil rights laws and protecting individuals from hate-based violence. I commend our law enforcement partners and prosecutors for their dedication to seeking justice in this case.” “There is no place in our society for the hatred and prejudice that fueled this vicious attack, and no one should fear being targeted simply because of who they are or what they look like,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “We hope today’s sentencing brings some measure of justice to the victim of this senseless act of violence.” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Oklahoma Man to Serve 10 Years in Federal Prison for Federal Hate Crime Violation

body_text: Braden Birdsong, 28, of Oklahoma City, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Jones for the Western District of Oklahoma today and was sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to a federal hate crime violation. According to filed plea documents and today’s court hearing, on August 25, 2023, Birdsong, a white man, attacked D.G., a Black man, while D.G. was cleaning the parking lot of the Oklahoma City restaurant at which he worked. Birdsong used racial slurs and other anti-Black rhetoric as he punched D.G. in the head multiple times. D.G. suffered bodily injury because of the attack. Birdsong admitted that he assaulted D.G. because of D.G.’s race and color. “This defendant’s actions were driven by hate and resulted in a violent attack against a victim targeted simply because of his race,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “Crimes motivated by hate threaten the safety and dignity of our communities and will be met with firm accountability. The Justice Department remains committed to enforcing federal civil rights laws and protecting individuals from hate-based violence. I commend our law enforcement partners and prosecutors for their dedication to seeking justice in this case.” “There is no place in our society for the hatred and prejudice that fueled this vicious attack, and no one should fear being targeted simply because of who they are or what they look like,” said Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “We hope today’s sentencing brings some measure of justice to the victim of this senseless act of violence.” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Smithfield man sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing over 150 improvised explosive devices and an unregistered short barrel rifle

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Smithfield man was sentenced today to eight years in prison for possession of an unregistered short barrel rifle and possession of an unregistered destructive device. According to court documents, on July 31, 2021, Brad Kenneth Spafford, 36, was admitted to an emergency room with a completely amputated right thumb, partially amputated right middle and index fingers, hearing loss, and scalp lacerations. Spafford falsely told the hospital his injuries were caused by fireworks. An investigation later revealed that Spafford’s injuries resulted from his misfire of a launcher at a family member’s rural property where Spafford routinely detonated explosives he made. On Dec. 17, 2024, law enforcement arrested Spafford for possession of an unregistered short barrel rifle. Immediately following Spafford’s arrest, law enforcement searched his Smithfield property and vehicles. Agents recovered an unregistered short barrel rifle and ammunition compatible with the rifle. Agents also found approximately 155 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that appeared to be homemade pipe bombs. Some of the IEDs had handwritten identification on them, including “lethal” and “concussion.” “Brad Spafford’s manufacture and stockpiling of explosive devices posed a serious danger to himself and to others,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This sentence, along with Mr. Spafford’s own injuries, should serve as a deterrent to anyone considering the manufacture of homemade explosives.” “The sentencing of Brad Spafford reflects the serious consequences of illegally possessing dangerous weapons and explosive devices that threaten public safety. This case underscores the FBI's commitment to identifying and stopping individuals who endanger our communities,” said Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office. “The outcome of this case reflects the strength of our justice system and the coordinated efforts of law enforcement to mitigate such threats. I thank the men and women of the FBI Norfolk Field Office for their exhaustive and disciplined work during the all-hands-on-deck search, and our local, state, and federal partners for their assistance and professionalism while supporting FBI Norfolk's Joint Terrorism Task Force.” Among the IEDs analyzed were some with propellant capabilities consistent with use in a launcher and IEDs capable of causing property damage, personal injury, or death. Investigators also recovered bomb-making equipment, along with riot gear, Tannerite, two empty grenade canisters, an improvised mine, precursor chemicals for explosive materials, and numerous rounds of homemade ammunition. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Gantt and Luke Bresnahan prosecuted the case. The Suffolk Police Department, Norfolk Bomb Squad, Virginia State Police, Isle of Wight County Fire Rescue, and Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation, with continued support from the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Norfolk. 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. 2:25-cr-3.


title: Ohio Man Convicted for Stalking, Threatening, Sexually Exploiting Minors on Social Media

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jack Keegan Davis, 22, of Columbus, Ohio has pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, coercion and enticement of a minor, and receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material* for a scheme where he posed as a minor while operating 130 social media accounts, which he used to exploit minors. According to court documents and statements made in court, from August 2022 through October 2024, Davis operated 130 display names on the social media platforms Snapchat, Instagram, Wizz, and Discord, where he posed as a minor and caused others to believe they were speaking with a minor. He used those platforms to convince minors to engage in sexual conduct and to produce child sexual abuse material. Once Davis received the explicit material, he sent it to others on the internet, including to other minors and classmates of one of his victims. He caused one minor to believe they were in a relationship with Davis, and when the minor began to withdraw, Davis began a campaign of stalking and threats towards the minor and their family, despite being served with a restraining order. Davis repeatedly threatened to kill the minor and their family by direct message and through public posts, including: “Im going to kill [the minor] and [the minor’s] family,” “[Minor Victim] ur ded,” “Im going to f***ing kill [the minor],” “I am not kidding I am going to kill [the minor] and [the minor’s] family,” “If [the minor] doesn’t answer me I’m going to [the minor’s] house,” and “I won’t stop until you’re dead.” Davis also shared the minor’s home address and said he would be there when the minor’s father was in another town, where he worked. He promised “revenge if it’s the last thing I do,” and wrote, “lol I just want [the minor] to suffer.” Davis has multiple minor victims in multiple states. Davis faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison a maximum of life in prison, and he will be required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 fine, restitution, and supervision by the U.S. Probation Office following any prison term. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Davis after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report from the U.S. Probation Office. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Kershaw County, S.C. Sheriff’s Department, and the Franklin County, OH Sheriff’s Department. Critical assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore are prosecuting the case. ### * The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”


title: Georgia Man Guilty of 69 Counts in Dog Fighting Case

component: ENRD - Environmental Crimes Section

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – A well-known dog-fighting breeder and trainer in Southwest Georgia was convicted this week of dozens of federal animal welfare charges, along with possessing guns and manufacturing drugs. Dun Bradford, of Sale City, Georgia, was found guilty of 67 counts of possessing a dog for use in an animal fighting venture, one count of manufacture of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime on Dec. 16, following a two-day trial that began on Dec. 15, before Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner. Bradford faces a maximum of life in prison. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. “The cruel and inhumane realities of dogfighting are closely linked to illegal drugs, firearms and other serious crimes,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Our office will use every available resource alongside our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to dismantle dog fighting organizations and bring those responsible to justice. I am grateful to the concerned citizen who reported the abused dogs, whose tip ended a long-standing criminal operation gravely harming animals and the entire community.” “The defendant had extensive involvement in dog fighting and had garnered a reputation as a dog fighting breeder and trainer, which is an especially brutal pursuit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “His conviction highlights local, state and federal law enforcement working together and applying our expertise and resources to rescue 67 abused dogs and get a notorious player out of the dog fighting criminal enterprise.” “This case demonstrates the good results achieved when local, state and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate to rescue dogs suffering at the hands of those involved in dog fighting and related crimes,” said U.S. Marshal Stephen Lynn of the Middle District of Georgia. “The U.S. Marshals remain committed to supporting law enforcement in bringing those responsible for dog fighting to justice and ensuring that rescued canines are placed in protective custody, giving them a chance at a better life.” According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, the Mitchell County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office and Code Enforcement Office responded to a citizen complaint of animal tethering and neglect at a 17-acre property owned by Bradford in Sale City. Officers saw many pit bull type dogs on heavy chains outside the residence, with some exhibiting aggression toward one another. Agents and animal experts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) were called and search warrants were obtained and executed on the property. Agents rescued 67 dogs on chains, many without food, water or shelter. Many of the dogs had recent injuries and scars consistent with dog fighting, including one with severe, recent fighting wounds. A shed on the property held a large amount of dog fighting equipment such as veterinary drugs and devices; anabolic horse steroids; a “breeding stand” used to forcibly breed dogs; training and execution items; and paper pedigrees documenting the fighting history of the dogs. Evidence presented at trial showed Bradford’s home was an area that was used for a long time to breed and train dogs for fighting. Officers also found firearms in Bradford’s home and crack cocaine, along with evidence that the crack was manufactured in Bradford’s kitchen. The case was investigated by the USDA, USMS and the Mitchell County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office and Code Enforcement Office, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy with the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s (ENRD) Environmental Crimes Section and Criminal Chief Leah McEwen with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Romanian Nationals Unlawfully Residing in the United States Indicted for Conspiring to Steal SNAP Benefits

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—Two Romanian nationals unlawfully residing in the United States made their initial appearances yesterday after being indicted by a federal grand jury for their role in a conspiracy to steal more than $160,000 of benefits from low income and food insecure individuals and families. Alexandru Telescu, 29, and Aramis Manolea, 35, have been charged in a 26-count indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States, access device fraud, possession, production, and trafficking of device-making equipment, and aggravated identity theft. “We are deeply grateful to our partners for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the integrity of essential programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Those who steal these sacred funds will be held accountable, and we will ensure that these vital programs continue to serve the communities that rely on them.” “This scheme effectively took food from the dinner tables of struggling American families,” said Carrie Nordyke, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Seattle Field Office. “We’re proud to help our law enforcement partners expose abuse of the SNAP Program and keep government assistance available for those who need it.” “We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Oregon Department of Human Services, and IRS-CI for their steadfast work on this impactful investigation,” said Shawn Dionida, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG) Special Agent-in-Charge. According to court documents, beginning in April 2025, Telescu and Manolea, along with others, conspired to use stolen Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) account information and PINs to fraudulently purchase SNAP-eligible items, like infant formula and energy drinks. The defendants, along with their co-conspirators, also conspired to possess and use electronic devices to steal EBT account information and PINs from point-of-sale terminals in Oregon and elsewhere. The conspiracy used the EBT benefits at grocery stores in Oregon, Washington, and California. The stolen goods were packaged in storage units and loaded into vans and trucks for shipment to California. For example, from July 4, 2025, through October 13, 2025, Telescu and co-conspirators used a Sam’s Club account in California to conduct approximately 231 fraudulent SNAP transactions using victims’ EBT accounts totaling approximately $102,000. From September 5, 2025, through September 9, 2025, Manolea and a co-conspirator used 10 separate EBT accounts in Oregon retail stores to steal approximately $8,739 in SNAP funds. On September 23, 2025, Telescu and co-defendant Andy Perovici installed a skimming device on a retail point-of-sale terminal in Tigard, Oregon, with the intent to capture EBT card account data and customers’ PINs. Telescu and Manolea made their initial appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. They were arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending trial. The USDA OIG and IRS-CI are investigating the case with assistance from the United States Marshals Service for the District of Oregon, Eastern District of California, and the Central District of California, and the Oregon Department of Human Services. Geoffrey A. Barrow and Nicholas D. Meyers, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, are prosecuting the case. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Nigerian National Convicted by Federal Jury of Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Unauthorized Access to Protected Computer

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – After a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted Olusegun Samson Adejorin, 32, a Nigerian national, of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information. Adejorin was previously extradited from Ghana in connection with the case. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty verdict with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. According to the evidence presented at trial, between June and August 2020, Adejorin perpetrated a scheme to defraud Victim 1, a charitable organization located in Maryland, providing investment services to other organizations. Additionally, through the scheme, Adejorin defrauded Victim 2, a charitable organization located in New York, by gaining access to employee email accounts and impersonating employees to induce financial transactions. Among the acts in furtherance of the fraud scheme, Adejorin registered spoofed domain names, which he used to pose as employees of Victim 2 to request withdrawals of Victim 2’s funds from Victim 1. Adejorin also fraudulently obtained access to email accounts of Victim 1, which he used to send emails falsely confirming the fraudulent requests made in Victim 2’s name. He ultimately caused more than $7.5 million of Victim 2’s funds to be sent, pursuant to the fraudulent withdrawal requests, from Victim 1 to bank accounts that were not Victim 2’s bank accounts. Adejorin faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each of the five counts of wire fraud, a maximum of five years for unauthorized access to a protected computer, and a mandatory two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang scheduled sentencing for Friday, April 10, 2026. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and Darren S. Gardner who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Norfolk man sentenced to 10 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor. According to court documents, in June 2024, law enforcement learned of an Instagram user selling CSAM. Investigators traced the user to the Norfolk residence of Isaiah Amery Muniz, 21. An examination of Muniz’ Instagram accounts suggested that Muniz was engaged in the sale and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). From one of those accounts, Muniz encouraged a 12-year-old victim to produce and send CSAM to him, at one point offering to send the victim $50 via Cash-app. Later that day, Muniz, again using Instagram, unsuccessfully attempted to obtain CSAM from another suspected minor. Investigators identified approximately 800 CSAM images on Muniz’s phone. “Isaiah Muniz’s crimes are abhorrent,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The images Muniz obtained through the exploitation of children caused irreparable harm to his victims. Such conduct underscores the profound damage inflicted by those who exploit children for profit, and this office will use every tool at its disposal to identify and prosecute such offenders.” “This case is a stark reminder that behind every image is a real child being harmed," said Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office. “This sentence sends a clear message: those who exploit children will be found and held accountable. Crimes against children are among the FBI’s highest investigative priorities, and we will never stop working tirelessly with our partners to identify predators, protect victims and keep our children safe.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen S. Taylor 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. 2:25-cr-94.


title: Connecticut Resident Sentenced To 37 Months In Prison For Fraudulently Obtaining  $1.2 Million In Unclaimed Property

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Henry J. White, Jr, age 75, of Connecticut, was sentenced by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick to 37 months in prison for submitting false and fraudulent claims for unclaimed property to state treasuries. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, White, along with his sister and codefendant, Patricia A. White, together received over $1.2 million in false and fraudulent claims for unclaimed property from state treasuries around the United States. Henry J. White, Jr., using the names of corporate entities with which he was not affiliated and which he had no lawful authority to use, applied for and received unclaimed property from state treasuries throughout the United States. This scheme took place over the course of approximately ten years, from around 2013 until around 2022. State treasuries, relying on the certifications provided by Henry J. White, Jr., under penalty of perjury, issued payment checks, which were generally sent by U.S. mail to the shared home address of both defendants. From there, the Whites deposited and cashed these fraudulently obtained payment checks, and these funds were then used for personal expenses, including for mortgage payments for their shared home in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. Patricia A. White’s sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled, will occur at a later date. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Mehalchick also ordered that White pay $1,208,271 in total restitution to approximately 30 state treasuries. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Chester County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Unregistered Explosive Devices

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kevin Krebs, 32, of Malvern, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Mary Kay Costello to possession of an unregistered firearm or destructive device. The defendant was arrested on a criminal complaint in October and charged by information earlier this month. As detailed in court filings and statements, on June 14, 2025, Krebs was arrested by the West Chester Police Department for carrying a firearm without a license. Two days later, Chester County Detectives executed a state search warrant at Krebs’s residence and discovered what appeared to be an improvised explosive device (IED), specifically a pipe bomb, and related materials, in a garage attached to the premises. Bomb technicians responded, examined the device, and determined that it contained nails and screws, which are frequently placed inside IEDs to serve as shrapnel. As the search continued, investigators located multiple additional IEDs, as well as other explosive materials and related components. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31 and faces a maximum possible term of 10 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. This case was investigated by the Chester County District Attorney’s Office, FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency, and the West Chester Police Department, with the assistance of the Montgomery County, FBI, and ATF Bomb Squads, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Frank Menna.


title: Six Additional Defendants Charged, One Defendant Pleads Guilty in Ongoing Fraud Schemes

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Six additional defendants have been charged federally with participating in schemes to defraud the government in the Autism fraud scheme and the Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) fraud scheme. One defendant charged in the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) Autism scheme pled guilty today. And this morning, federal agents executed a search warrant relating to fraud in an additional state program, the Integrated Community Services (ICS) program, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. The EIDBI Autism Fraud Scheme In the Autism fraud scheme, Abdinajib Hassan Yussuf , age 27, has been charged by federal information with one count of wire fraud. As set forth in the information, Yussuf and others devised and carried out a scheme to defraud the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention benefit, a publicly funded Minnesota Health Care Program that offers medically necessary services to people under the age of 21 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Yussuf was the President and CEO of Star Autism Center LLC. From late 2020 through December 2024, Yussuf used Star Autism to carry out a scheme to defraud the EIDBI program. Star Autism purported to provide necessary one-on-one therapy to children with autism. In fact, Star Autism employed unqualified individuals as “behavioral technicians.” These behavioral technicians were often 18- or 19-year-old relatives, with no formal education beyond high school and no training or certifications related to the treatment of autism. To run their fraud scheme, Yussuf and his partners needed children who had an autism diagnosis and an individual treatment plan. They approached parents in the Somali community to recruit their children into Star Autism. If a child did not have an autism diagnosis, Yussuf and his partners worked to get the recruited child qualified for autism services. As a recruitment tactic to drive up enrollment, Star Autism paid monthly cash kickback payments to parents who enrolled their children to receive EIDBI services through Star Autism. The amount of these payments was contingent on the services DHS authorized a child to receive—the higher the authorization amount, the higher the kickback. Yussuf and his partners submitted millions of dollars’ worth of claims for Medicaid reimbursement on behalf of Star Autism. Many of these claims were fraudulently inflated, billed without providers’ knowledge, and for services that were not actually provided. The cost of the kickback payments that Star Autism paid to parents were financed through Star Autism’s fraudulent billings to Medicaid. Yussuf’s fraudulent scheme resulted in Star Autism obtaining more than $6 million in EIDBI reimbursement funds from Minnesota DHS and UCare. Yussuf shared in the proceeds of the fraud scheme with the other owners and investors in Star Autism. Among other things, Yussuf used more than $100,000 in fraud proceeds to purchase a freightliner semi-truck. He also sent more than $200,000 in fraud proceeds to Kenya. In September 2025, Asha Farhan Hassan , age 28, was charged by federal information with wire fraud for her role in a $14 million Autism fraud scheme. Hassan was also charged with participating in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, for which she received $465,000. This morning, before United States District Judge David Doty, Hassan pled guilty to one count of wire fraud for her role in these schemes. Hassan will be sentenced at a later date. The Housing Stabilization Services Fraud Scheme In July 2020, Minnesota became the first state in the country to offer Medicaid coverage for Housing Stabilization Services. The Housing Stabilization Services Program is a Medical Assistance (that is, Medicaid) benefit designed to help people with disabilities, including seniors and people with mental illnesses and substance use disorders, find and maintain housing. By design, the HSS Program had low barriers to entry and minimal records requirements for reimbursement that combined to make the Program susceptible to fraud. Before the HSS Program’s inaugural year, DHS predicted the HSS Program would cost about $2.6 million annually. That proved to be inaccurate. In 2021 alone, the HSS Program paid out more than $21 million in claims. That figure ballooned in the following years: $42 million in 2022, $74 million in 2023, and $104 million in 2024. In just the first six months of 2025, the Program paid out another $61 million. In the Housing Stabilization Services fraud scheme, Anthony Waddell Jefferson , age 37, and Lester Brown , age 53, have both been charged by federal information with one count of wire fraud. As set forth in the information, Jefferson and Brown devised and carried out a scheme to defraud Minnesota’s Housing Stability Services Program. Jefferson and Brown live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jefferson and Brown heard that Minnesota’s HSS Program was a good opportunity to make money. Jefferson, Brown, and three of their associates decided to become Minnesota HSS Providers, despite living on the other side of the country and having no network in or connections to Minnesota or its communities. Ultimately, their sole connection to Minnesota was their fraudulent participation in the Housing Stabilization Services Program. Jefferson and Brown registered LLCs in Minnesota and participated in the Housing Stability Services Program as service providers. They were supposed to provide housing consulting, transitioning, and sustaining services to qualifying people in need. Instead, they defrauded the program. Jefferson and Brown repeatedly flew together from Philadelphia to Minneapolis for the purpose of recruiting beneficiaries for their companies. They visited shelters and Section 8 housing facilities, marketing themselves as “The Housing Guys.” Jefferson hired family members and associates to work as his employees. At Jefferson’s direction, those employees created fake client notes purporting to document services provided. In some of that documentation, Jefferson invented fake employees whose names he used to sign off on client notes. Brown generally did not keep client notes, despite being required by Program rules to do so. When insurance representatives sought that documentation, Brown made up fake notes to satisfy the requests. Jefferson and Brown submitted about $3.5 million in HSS claims for services purportedly provided to about 230 beneficiaries. In the Housing Stabilization Services fraud scheme, Hassan Ahmed Hussein , age 28, and Ahmed Abdirashid Mohamed , age 27, have both been charged by federal indictment with one count of wire fraud. As set forth in the indictment, Hussein and Mohamed owned and operated a company called Pristine Health LLC in St. Paul. Hussein and Mohamed registered Pristine Health with the Minnesota Secretary of State and then submitted paperwork to DHS to operate Pristine as an HSS provider. Hussein and Mohamed were supposed to provide housing consulting, transitioning, and sustaining services to qualifying people in need. Instead, and in furtherance of their fraud scheme, Hussein and Mohamed caused the submission of false claims information that significantly overrepresented the services they provided. Hussein and Mohamed shared responsibilities for Pristine’s operations. They worked with another HSS Provider called Foundation First—which was in the business of generating fake HSS Program paperwork—to “consult” on many of Pristine’s purported beneficiaries. Pristine and Foundation First worked together to fabricate Housing Focused Plans for Pristine beneficiaries. Pristine then used those beneficiaries’ names to submit false claims to the HSS Program. To further expand their operations, Hussein and Mohamed retained the services of another entity—Company 1—to find new beneficiaries whose names Pristine could use to bill the Program. Company 1 encouraged providers to use Company 1’s services to “grow [their] clientele,” “grow bigger than you are now,” and achieve “BIG profit.” Hussein and Mohamed claimed to service nearly 100 different beneficiaries through Pristine and for such services claimed to be entitled to about $750,000. But in reality, the defendants’ operations at Pristine provided only a fraction of their claimed total. Hussein and Mohamed spent much of their fraud proceeds on themselves and to fund personal travel, including to London, Sydney, Dubai, Istanbul, and several destinations in Saudi Arabia. In the housing stabilization services fraud scheme, Kaamil Omar Sallah , age 26, has been charged by indictment with four counts of wire fraud. Sallah owned and operated a company called SafeLodgings, Inc. Sallah registered SafeLodgings with the Minnesota Secretary of State in March 2023. That same month, Sallah submitted paperwork to enroll SafeLodgings as an HSS Provider. Through SafeLodgings, Sallah was supposed to provide housing consulting, transitioning, and sustaining services to qualifying people in need. Instead, he defrauded the program. Sallah submitted inflated and fraudulent bills in which he repeatedly claimed that individual SafeLodgings employees had serviced multiple beneficiaries in the same one- or two-hour blocks. Such double billing is neither practically possible nor is it permitted under Program rules. Sallah submitted bills to the Program claiming that he personally provided reimbursable services. Those bills, too, included double billing. In 2024 alone, Sallah claimed to have personally provided more than 3,600 billable service hours. Sallah diverted much of his fraud proceeds to conspirators, including to his employees at SafeLodgings, and he spent much of it on himself and on investments, including nearly $150,000 in a cryptocurrency exchange. In all, between approximately March 2023 and August 2025, Sallah and his company fraudulently claimed to be entitled to approximately $1.4 million for providing Housing Stabilization Services and received nearly $1.3 million. In November 2025, federal agents served Sallah, as SafeLodgings’s owner, with a grand jury subpoena for company records related to the HSS Program. Sallah retained counsel for the purpose of responding to that subpoena. Then he fled the country. On or about November 26, Sallah flew from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Amsterdam. He has not returned to the United States. The Integrated Community Supports (ICS) Fraud Scheme Today, the Court unsealed a search warrant for the business of Ultimate Home Health Services LLC which participated in the Integrated Community Supports (“ICS”) program. In 2021, Minnesota began offering Medicaid coverage for ICS. ICS is a Minnesota Medicaid benefit designed to fill a gap in the service continuum between a person living in their own home and more restrictive settings such as group homes and assisted living. ICS was designed to help people live more independently in the community—as opposed to an institutionalized setting—with daily one-on-one help with health, safety, and household tasks so that qualifying individuals can live in the community. Providers can bill up to 24 hours per day for ICS services. Unfortunately, the ICS program has been vulnerable to fraud. As with the EDIBI and HSS programs, the ICS program has seen explosive growth over the five years since it began in 2021. After paying out a total of approximately $4.6 million in 2021, the program has grown to cost more than $170 million in 2024. In all, claims data shows that the Medicaid system has paid out more than $400 million for ICS services since 2021. According to DHS records, Ultimate Home Health Services submitted claims for reimbursement for over $1.1 million in ICS funds between approximately June 2024 and August 2025. During that time, Ultimate Home Health Services submitted claims on behalf of a total of 13 clients. According to the search warrant affidavit, ICS billed Medicaid for services for multiple individuals that it did not provide. ICS falsely claimed to have provided ICS services to one individual on all but four days over a 447-day period. Another individual with severe mental illness was found dead in his apartment, and DHS records show that he was receiving ICS services from Ultimate Home Health at the time of his death. According to DHS records, Ultimate Home Health claimed to be providing 12 hours of services a day, although the individual’s mother, who visited him at least once a week, said that Ultimate Home Health was not providing anywhere near the care for which they were billing Medicaid. These cases are the result of investigations being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Daniel W. Bobier, Harry M. Jacobs, Rebecca E. Kline, and Matthew Murphy are prosecuting these cases. Informations and Indictments are merely allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: MEXICAN NATIONAL PLEADS GUILTY TO FIREARMS OFFENSE

body_text: United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that Avelardo Ahumada-Vega, age 49, an illegal alien from Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to possession of a firearm by an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. Ahumada-Vega’s conviction is punishable by up to fifteen years imprisonment. He also faces a $250,000 fine, supervised release, and is subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completing his sentence. According to admissions made during his plea, on August 2, 2025, Ahumada-Vega was encountered by deputies from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office following reports of gunfire around a residence located on Tracy Avenue. When deputies arrived, they observed Ahumada-Vega in a vehicle. When he was removed, he had a Ruger American 9mm pistol in the front waistband of this pants. Ahumada-Vega was given Miranda rights, and he admitted that he discharged a firearm into the air. Ahumada-Vega also admitted to stealing the pistol several months prior to his arrest. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement determined Ahumada-Vega was not a citizen of the United States and was illegally and unlawfully present in the United States. This matter was being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III and Special Assistant United States Attorney Allen L. Ross. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: International ocean bottom seismic operations company pays over $4 million to settle False Claims Act allegations

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A Houston-based company that provides ocean bottom node seismic acquisition services to energy companies has paid to resolve allegations of fraudulently securing Paycheck Protection Program loans, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. In 2020 and 2021, Magseis FF LLC was a subsidiary of Magseis FF AS, which Norway-based Magseis Fairfield ASA owned. The company and its affiliates offer 3D and 4D data services to oil and gas exploration and production companies. From March 23, 2021, to Jan. 11, 2022, Magseis applied for a “Second Draw” PPP loan and requested forgiveness. The CARES Act created the PPP to provide forgivable loans to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To qualify for these loans, companies had to have fewer than 300 employees or meet industry-specific size limits. Those with shared ownership had to count all affiliated employees. The settlement resolves allegations that Magseis misrepresented its total employee count to obtain PPP funds and loan forgiveness. The company has now paid $4,155,333 to resolve the claims and has cooperated throughout the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation in coordination with the Small Business Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul B. Moore is handling the matter along with Attorney Amber Perez, Office of General Counsel for the SBA. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Member of Deadly Human Smuggling Organization  Extradited from Canada

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A dual Canadian-American citizen made his initial appearance in court in Plattsburg, New York, today after being extradited from Canada to face charges relating to his role in a deadly human smuggling conspiracy that left a family of four, including two small children, dead in the St. Lawrence River. In June 2024, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of New York returned an indictment against Rahsontanohstha Delormier, also known as Storm, 31, of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation (AMIR), Canada, for conspiring to engage in alien smuggling and four counts of alien smuggling for profit. According to court documents, Delormier was arrested in Canada in August 2024 along with co-conspirator Stephanie Square at the request of the U.S. government. Delormier’s and Square’s extraditions followed extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Canadian law enforcement authorities. Square, 52, of the AMIR, was extradited in October 2025. Co-conspirator Timothy Oakes, 34, from the AMIR, was arrested on June 15 and remains detained pending trial for his role in the alleged deadly conspiracy. U.S.-based co-conspirators Dakota Montour, 31, and Kawisiiostha Celecia Sharrow, 43, both of the AMIR in New York, and Janet Terrance, 45, of Hogansburg, New York, entered guilty pleas on Jan. 23, 2025, Oct. 8, 2024 and March 6, 2025, respectively. According to court documents, Delormier was allegedly a member of an alien smuggling conspiracy which resulted in the deaths of eight migrants. As alleged, Delormier, a Native American Indian living on the Canadian portion of the AMIR — which overlaps the United States and Canada — was a known alien smuggler and smuggled aliens by boat utilizing the St. Lawrence River. The evidence establishes that during the week of March 27, 2023, a prolific Canadian smuggler contacted co-conspirators Sharrow and Square to smuggle a family of four across the St. Lawrence River into the United States. Both Square and Sharrow had previously moved aliens for the alien smuggling organization. Delormier was allegedly recruited by Square to assist in the movement of the aliens and agreed to enter the conspiracy despite the dangerous conditions on the St. Lawrence River. According to court documents, Delormier provided co-conspirator Montour access to a pickup truck to transport the aliens via roadways from mainland Cornwall to co-conspirator Oakes’ residence on Cornwall Island, Canada, which serves as a notorious staging area for smugglers to cross contraband and people across the river from Canada into the United States. Pursuant to surveillance footage and hotel records, Montour picked up the family of four, including two small children, from the Elect Inn in Cornwall, Canada on March 29, 2023, at approximately 3:21 a.m. Mother and child departing room 140 at the Elect Inn walking towards Montour’s vehicle on March 29, 2023 at 3:21 a.m. Father and child departing room 140, pulling the door closed before the father walks towards Montour’s vehicle on March 29, 2023 at 3:21 a.m. On March 29, 2023, at 3:26 a.m., Montour crossed the Seaway International Bridge Toll Plaza onto Cornwall Island and then traveled on Island Road towards Buckshot Road and Timothy Oakes’s residence. According to court documents, while the aliens were in transit in Delormier’s pickup truck driven by Montour, Delormier was delivering a small green boat that Square had purchased to transport the aliens across the St. Lawrence River. Delormier assisted Square in picking up the boat and attempted to stage the boat for the aliens’ transportation. However, during Delormier’s attempt to stage the boat, Delormier lost control of the vessel and ended up stranded in the frigid St. Lawrence River. On March 30, 2023, at approximately mid-day, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service (AMPS) rescued Delormier from an abandoned cabin on St. Regis Island. Delormier was suffering from symptoms of hyperthermia. AMPS also recovered a submerged green boat with Delormier, which AMPS photographed and seized. The boat was identified by a cooperating witness as being the same boat sold to Square and Delormier earlier for the alien smuggling event. As alleged, undeterred by the loss of Delormier and the boat to the St. Lawrence River, Square recruited and paid Oakes to transport the aliens across the St. Lawrence River in his small boat. The family of four arrived at the Oakes’s residence on March 29, 2023, at approximately 3:35 a.m. and stayed until that same evening. On March 29, 2023, Square, Montour and Oakes negotiated the family’s perilous crossing. According to court documents, on March 29, 2023, at approximately 9:29 p.m., Oakes’ vehicle with a light blue boat in tow is recorded traveling eastbound away from the Oakes’ residence towards a public boat launch. The vehicle depicted was registered to Oakes. Oakes’s vehicle with light blue boat in tow on March 29, 2023, at 9:29 p.m., appearing to match the boat found in the river during recovery efforts. According to court documents, on March 29, 2023, between 10:09 p.m. and 10:50 p.m., AMPS received multiple calls from citizens on Cornwall Island reporting hearing cries for help on the St. Lawrence River. The callers also reported the terrible weather conditions. During this time, Square instructed Montour to search the banks of the St. Lawrence River for the missing family. On March 30, 2023, AMPS received a report that Casey Oakes, Timothy Oakes’ brother, was missing since the evening of March 29, 2023. Between March 30 and 31, 2023, AMPS conducted a riverine search for Casey Oakes. During the search, AMPS recovered the bodies of eight deceased foreign nationals, including two small children, from the frigid St. Lawrence River near Cattle Island and Chatelain Island. AMPS also recovered a light blue boat. On July 3, 2023, the decomposed body of Casey Oakes was recovered near Ross Island, approximately eight miles from the eight deceased migrants. Timothy Oakes’ light blue and white boat being recovered from the St. Lawrence River near the bodies of the eight deceased migrants. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York and Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo Field Office made today’s announcement. HSI Massena engaged in an extensive years-long investigation of the case, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, New York State Police, Canada Border Services Agency, Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Cornwall Police Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support with foreign legal assistance requests and securing the arrest and extradition of Delormier. The investigation and indictment were coordinated and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U,S, Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/ HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 425 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 375 U.S. convictions; more than 325 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. Trial Attorney Jenna E. Reed of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ukrainian-Israeli Man Pleads Guilty to Multimillion-Dollar  Fake Brokerage Scheme

body_text: A Ukrainian-Israeli national pleaded guilty today to wire fraud in connection with his participation in a large-scale, fake stock-brokerage organization. Yaroslav Shilkloper, 49, a dual citizen of Ukraine and Israel, was a member of a criminal organization that used a sophisticated phony brokerage business to scam U.S. citizens out of millions of dollars. “The defendant helped operate a sham brokerage organization in order to steal millions from American investors,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Using lies and fake trading platforms, he exploited public trust in U.S. financial institutions and drained millions of dollars from hard-working citizens. The plea today underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to holding accountable foreign actors who exploit and defraud American citizens.” “This case demonstrates Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) commitment to protecting Americans from complex financial fraud schemes that cross international borders,” said Deputy Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of HSI. “Through close collaboration with our law enforcement partners here and abroad, we were able to disrupt a sophisticated criminal enterprise and ensure that stolen funds were returned to victims. HSI will continue to pursue those who seek to exploit our financial systems and bring them to justice.” According to court documents and statements made in court, Shilkloper and his co-conspirators defrauded victims in the United States of at least $2.8 million dollars by promising high rates of return on investments made through their “K6 Investing,” “Neotron Holding, LTD,” and “Goldex Technology” companies. As part of the scheme, the defendant provided access to a digital platform that allowed victims to see what they believed were real-time investment performance data. However, the victims’ money was instead laundered through a series of bank accounts in Ukraine, Georgia, Hungary, Israel, Czech Republic, and elsewhere, all controlled by Shilkloper and his co-conspirators. When victims attempted to withdraw their money, they were prevented from doing so, threatened with legal action, or manipulated into sending more money to the fraud ring. Shilkloper is the first of three defendants charged in the case to be arrested and plead guilty. He was extradited from Poland after being arrested there in 2023. If the judge accepts his plea, Shilkloper will pay a fine of $250,000, pay at least $800,000 in additional restitution, and face up to four years in prison. As part of this case, Shilkloper and co-conspirators, with assistance from the Republic of Georgia, have already forfeited nearly $2.8 million dollars that was returned to the defrauded victims. HSI investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Ben Tonkin and Justin G. Bish of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hunter McCreight for the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Polish law enforcement partners to secure the arrest and Sept. 30, 2024 extradition of Shilkloper.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Lying About Health Issues to Obtain Government Benefits

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND – A Portage County man has been sentenced to federal prison for obtaining government assistance by making false and misleading statements regarding his state of health. Michael W. Honaker, 55, of Windham, Ohio, was sentenced to 31 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David A. Ruiz, after he pleaded guilty in December 2024 to wire fraud and theft of government property. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution of $432,254.07 to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, $82,400.20 to the Social Security Administration (SSA), and $22,417.00 to the Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority. Judge Ruiz imposed the sentence Dec. 12. “Mr. Honaker’s deception was truly shameless. He had no problem going to great lengths to hide his deceitful behavior and reap the benefits from programs that are meant for people who truly need them,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We are thankful to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation who identified the fraud, and to the Housing and Urban Development and Social Security investigators who were able to put a stop to this waste of taxpayer money.” According to the indictment, Honaker began to receive workers’ compensation benefits in 1998 due to an on-the-job injury he sustained. The following year, he applied for—and received—Social Security disability benefits in the form of monthly cash payments. Later, he was accepted into a housing program administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and began to receive subsidized-housing benefits in March 2012. In 2014, he began to reside at a residence on Greenmeadow Road in Windham. While there, he misrepresented information about himself for the purpose of receiving increased workers’ compensation benefits. In one application submitted, he falsely claimed that “going up and down the stairs several times a day is very painful” and, therefore, needed a lump-sum payment to renovate his home to be handicap-accessible. During a doctor appointment, Honaker pretended to have difficulty walking and dragged his right leg and indicated that he required a wheelchair to maneuver. In another instance, he falsely told an investigator with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation that he used crutches all day and had a “brain injury.” In all instances, the defendant admitted to knowing that these statements were not truthful. “Honaker’s selfish actions put HUD’s housing assistance programs at significant risk and jeopardized the amount of available funding to low-income families who rely on these programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. “HUD OIG will continue to work with its prosecutorial and law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to profit by abusing HUD-funded programs.” “By falsely portraying himself as disabled and continuing to collect Social Security benefits, Michael Honaker committed a serious fraud that cost taxpayers more than $82,000,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Rodriguez with the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, Chicago Field Division. “Cases like this demonstrate our continued commitment to identifying, investigating, and holding accountable those who exploit programs designed to help the most vulnerable.” "Our Special Investigations Department did an exceptional job uncovering and securing the conviction in this complex fraud scheme," said Administrator/CEO Stephanie McCloud of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. "Their collaboration with local police and federal agencies was instrumental in saving money for the State Insurance Fund." Co-defendant Nichole E. Johnson, 42, also of Windham, began to reside at the Greenmeadow Road residence in 2016 without HUD authorization to do so. She was previously sentenced to 24 months of probation for her role in facilitating the scheme, after she pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the SSA regarding Honaker’s state of health. She was also ordered to pay $4,624 in restitution. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General Cleveland Field Office, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, and the Windham Police Department investigated this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason W. White prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Louisiana Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Mail Theft, Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Slidell, Louisiana man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for theft of mail, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. According to court documents, Rashawn Anthony Robinson-Mills, 25, admitted that between August 2023 and January 2024, he traveled along the Gulf Coast breaking into blue U.S. Postal Service letter boxes and stealing mail. Robinson-Mills broke into multiple boxes at several locations in Alabama and Mississippi. He then fraudulently altered and deposited multiple checks and money orders belonging to mail-theft victims, including but not limited to a church in Mobile, Alabama. In conducting these fraudulent transactions, Robinson-Mills used victims’ identifiers without authorization. On January 12, 2024, surveillance cameras at the Walmart on U.S. Highway 98 in Daphne, Alabama captured Robinson-Mills using a crowbar to pry open a letter box in front of the store. Later that day, sheriff’s deputies in Harrison County, Mississippi stopped Robinson-Mills on Interstate 10 eastbound and found the crowbar he used to steal mail in the trunk of his vehicle. Agents searched Robinson-Mills’s cell phone, which contained dozens of photos depicting checks and money orders that he had stolen from the mail and fraudulently altered to be made payable to him. In October 2025, after Robinson-Mills had pleaded guilty in federal court and was awaiting sentencing, police in Pell City, Alabama arrested Robinson-Mills for breaking into multiple vehicles and stealing credit cards while working as an Amazon delivery driver. Robinson-Mills admitted to committing the thefts, which resulted in revocation of his release conditions. At sentencing, the court reviewed evidence that Robinson-Mills used the stolen credit cards to try to purchase a penile girth enhancement at Alabama Men’s Clinic. In addition to the 72-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Robinson-Mills to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Robinson-Mills to pay $200 in special assessments and $64,434.18 in victim restitution. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the Mobile Police Department, the Daphne Police Department, the Biloxi Police Department, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Slidell Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Brooklyn Man Convicted of Sexual Exploitation of Minors

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A federal jury in Brooklyn today convicted Billon McLeod on all seven counts of a superseding indictment charging him with sexual exploitation of a child, attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and coercion and enticement of minors. The verdict was returned after a three-day trial before United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack. When sentenced, McLeod faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the verdict. “The defendant is a serial predator whose playbook of using social media to meet vulnerable minor girls, and then groom and exploit them for his own sexual gratification, is a parent’s nightmare,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Because his victims bravely testified at trial, he will now be held accountable for his serious crimes, and today’s verdict will prevent him from victimizing other minors while he serves a lengthy prison sentence.” Billon McLeod targeted minor girls on social media to coerce them into engaging in explicit conversations and sexual acts. By concealing his true age and manipulating their emotions, McLeod gained the victims’ trust before subjecting them to unthinkable abuse and exploiting the innocence of four young girls. May today’s verdict reflect the FBI’s stout determination to protect vulnerable children from all online sexual predators,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. As proved at trial, between approximately July 2024 and February 2025, McLeod used the internet-based application Snapchat and text messages, when he was an adult, to communicate with four minor females, three of whom he enticed to engage in sexual activity and one of whom he attempted to sexually exploit online. The victims ranged in age from 12-years-old to 16-years-old. In some instances, McLeod lied about his age, pretending to be a teenager. McLeod groomed the victims, messaging them about how much he “liked” or “loved” them and how much he wanted to see them. McLeod sent them sexually explicit messages and encouraged sexually explicit conversations. He persuaded multiple victims via text message and Facetime calls to travel to an apartment in Brooklyn, where they engaged in sexual activity with him, portions of which he recorded on his cell phone. Additionally, the defendant used the same applications and cell phones to entice one minor, and attempt to entice another, to create and send him sexually explicit content of themselves. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 . The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section, with assistance from the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Molly Delaney and Daniel J. Marcus are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Marlane Bosler. The Defendant : BILLON MCLEOD Age: 31 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 25-CR-65 (S-1) (JMA)


title: Greenwich Investment Advisor Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that JEFFREY ARSENAULT, 63, of Greenwich, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to tax evasion. According to court documents and statements made in court, Arsenault was the managing member and majority owner of Old Greenwich Capital Advisors LLC (“OGCA”), which is the investment manager of Old Greenwich Capital Partners LP (“OGCP”), a private equity fund of funds. From 2013 through 2022, OGCP received investment distributions of at least $9.1 million, which should have been distributed to OGCP investors, reinvested, or used to pay authorized expenses. Instead, Arsenault used approximately $5.2 million of the total to pay his personal expenses or other unauthorized expenses, including payments for college tuition and golf club dues. From 2019 through 2022, Arsenault, through OGCA, also received approximately $2.2 million in net income for performing consulting services for third party investment firms. Although he knew that he was entitled to only 70 percent of the net income based on his OGCA partnership agreement, he kept all of it and used that money for his personal expenses. From 2013 to 2016, Arsenault failed to report the proceeds from his embezzlement scheme on his individual federal income tax returns, resulting in income tax due and owing of approximately $1,160,161. From 2017 through 2022, Arsenault failed to file any individual tax returns, resulting in total tax due and owing of approximately $1,002,709. As part of his embezzlement and tax evasion scheme, from 2017 to 2020, Arsenault booked false intercompany loans between OGCA and OGCP to conceal his misappropriation of investor funds, which caused OGCA and OGCP to file false Forms 1065 and provide Arsenault false Schedule K-1s. From 2019 to 2022, Arsenault mischaracterized and concealed from his accountants financial activity, including deposits and wire transfers into his personal bank account, which caused them to prepare false accounting records and tax returns for OGCA. Arsenault has agreed to pay restitution of $2,162,870 to the IRS. He has also agreed to pay restitution of $4,668,523.75 to victims in a related civil case, Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jeffrey Arsenault, 3:24cv1633 . Arsenault is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled. Tax evasion carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherry.


title: Howland Man Sentenced for Passport Fraud

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Howland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for making false statements on a passport application. U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Eric Ericson , 73, to time-served (14 months and 8 days) in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On October 16, 2025, Ericson was found guilty of passport fraud following a three-day trial. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Ericson applied for a U.S. passport at a U.S. Post Office in Bangor on March 24, 2023. When asked about any other names he had used, Ericson failed to disclose his multiple aliases on his passport application. Ericson also falsely reported that he had never applied for or been issued a U.S. passport before, when in fact he had previously applied for and obtained a passport under a different name. He falsely certified that the information in his application was true and correct. Ericson is a registered sex offender, following his Maine state convictions for Gross Sexual Assault, Unlawful Sexual Contact, and Sexual Abuse of a Minor in 2010. The Diplomatic Security Service Portsmouth Resident Office investigated the case with assistance from the Maine State Police. ###