title: 10 Arrested in Federal Indictment Charging Olympic Athlete-Turned-Cocaine Trafficker with Ordering Murder of Witness in January

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ten defendants have been arrested – and 11 total are in custody – pursuant to a nine-count federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charging a former Olympic snowboarder now on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List, a Canadian criminal barrister, a reggaeton musician, a would-be gangland news website operator, and others in connection with the January 31 murder in Colombia of a federal witness in a separate criminal case. Ryan James Wedding, 44, a Canadian national residing in Mexico, the case’s lead defendant, is charged with overseeing the operations of a criminal enterprise – including by engaging in witness intimidation tactics such as murder – and enriching himself with the enterprise’s laundered drug proceeds. In March 2025, Wedding was placed on the FBI’s List of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. There is an increased $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest and/or prosecution. The following defendants were arrested Tuesday as part of the second phase of a law enforcement action entitled “Operation Giant Slalom”: Deepak Balwant Paradkar, 62, of Thornhill, Ontario, Canada; Atna Ohna, 40, of Laval, Québec, Canada; Gursewak Singh Bal, 31, of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; Allistair Chapman, 33, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Ahmad Nabil Zitoun, 35, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez, 47, of Bogotá, Colombia; Yulieth Katherine Tejada, 36, of Orlando, Florida, who is legal permanent resident from Colombia; Edwin Basora-Hernandez, 31, of Montréal; Wilson Riascos, 45, of Cali, Colombia; and Rolan Sokolovski, 37, of Toronto. “Whether you’re a kingpin or a dealer on the street, anyone who sells drugs to our kids will be arrested and prosecuted,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Ryan Wedding controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world and works closely with the Sinaloa Cartel. We will not rest until his name is taken off the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List, and his narco-trafficking organization lies dismantled.” “The murder of a witness in Colombia earlier this year was a cruel, cold-blooded act that could not and did not go unanswered,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “This week’s arrests underscore our resolve to root out and punish the wrongdoers involved in this criminal organization and serve as a warning for drug lord Ryan Wedding: If convicted, you will never see the outside of a prison ever again.” “Today’s announcement is a culmination of the steadfast work of the FBI and our partners around the world to identify and dismantle violent gang and drug organizations,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Ryan Wedding and his associates allegedly imported tons of cocaine each year from Colombia through Mexico and onto the streets of U.S. communities. His criminal activities and violent actions will not be tolerated, and this is a clear signal that the FBI will use our resources and expertise to find Ryan Wedding and bring him and his associates to justice.” “Ryan Wedding’s athletic drive snowballed into a life of violence and, instead of conquering mountains, he mastered a deadly drug distribution enterprise and will continue to order murders while he enjoys protection by his cartel associates and others,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “‘Operation Giant Slalom’ is a dynamic international investigation and involves dedicated partners collaborating in multiple countries with the shared goal of capturing Wedding, finding justice for several murder victims – including a cooperating witness – and ridding communities in North America of deadly drugs.” “No one, not even a former Olympian, is above the law,” said Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “We are increasing our reward offer to up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ryan Wedding. We are also offering rewards of up to $2 million each for the assassins behind the murder of his associate in Colombia.” “Today we’re exposing the network of associates and enablers behind Ryan Wedding – one of the most notorious criminals and narcotraffickers still evading justice,” said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley. “Treasury is joining with the FBI and the Department of Justice to cut Wedding and his criminal partners off from the U.S. financial system and help dismantle the network they rely on. Our goal is simple: make it difficult for criminals like this to profit from poisoning our communities.” “International cooperation, such as our involvement in Operation Giant Slalom, is vital to our ability to stay ahead of organized crime,” said Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Mike Duheme. “The RCMP and its international law enforcement partners work together closely, regularly sharing knowledge, technical expertise, and intelligence to enable us to collectively target the most serious organized crime groups that threaten our countries - no matter where they are operating in the world.” To eliminate threats and advance his enterprise’s interests, Wedding issued orders to murder various individuals, including an order to kill the victim, a witness in a 2024 federal narcotics case against Wedding, which resulted in the victim’s death. Wedding placed a bounty on the victim and enlisted the services of others to locate and kill the victim, who was shot to death in a restaurant in Medellín, Colombia, in January 2025. In the 2024 indictment, Wedding is charged with running a continuing criminal enterprise, assorted drug trafficking charges, and directing the November 20, 2023, murders of two members of a family in Caledon, Ontario, Canada, in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment that passed through Southern California. Another member of that family survived the shooting but was left with serious physical injuries. Also charged in the indictment unsealed today are 18 additional defendants, including Paradkar, a criminal barrister who advised Wedding to murder the victim so that Wedding would avoid extradition to the United States from Mexico on the 2024 federal criminal charges against him. Paradkar also provided Wedding with court documents and discovery to which he would not otherwise have access, and – through attorneys whose representation he secured – access to enterprise members and associates who either were arrested, indicted, or under investigation. Bal was the co-founder and co-operator of “The Dirty News,” a website that law enforcement seized pursuant to a federal warrant. In exchange for payment, Bal agreed to not post about Wedding and instead posted a photograph of the victim so that the victim could be located and killed. Basora-Hernandez, a reggaeton musician and citizen of the Dominican Republic, provided co-conspirators with the victim’s contact information for the purpose of helping Wedding and his criminal enterprise locate and murder the victim. Concurrent with Tuesday’s arrests, law enforcement has taken immigration action against associates of Wedding’s enterprise, including Latin pop artist Samantha Melissa Granda-Gastelu, 38, a Canadian national residing in Aventura, Florida, whose husband Nahim Jorge Bonilla, 37, has been indicted on separate murder conspiracy charges. Bonilla is in currently in federal custody, charged with drug trafficking crimes. An immigration action also is being initiated against Madeline Paradkar, 27, a Canadian national residing in Chicago who is an attorney and Paradkar’s daughter. Law enforcement continues to search for Wedding, and the following three defendants: Rasheed Pascua Hossain, 32, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Bianca Canastillo-Madrid, 37, of Mexico City; and Tommy Demorizi, 35, of Montréal, who is believed to be a fugitive in the Dominican Republic If convicted, Wedding – and the defendants charged in connection with the victim’s murder – would face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. The FBI is investigating this matter with the Los Angeles Police Department, the United States Departments of State and Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Federal Policing. In addition, significant assistance was provided by U.S. law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigation Miami and Chicago and U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Buffalo; Canadian law enforcement partners, including Ontario Provincial Police, and Colombian law enforcement partners, including Colombian National Police – Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol, Special Interagency Investigation Group ( Policía Nacional de Colombia – Dirección de Investigación Criminal e Interpol , Grupo Especial de Investigación Interagenciales ). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, Colombia also provided significant assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Kenneth R. Carbajal of the Major Crimes Section and Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Galatzan, Tara Vavere, and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this 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. This case is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, TCOs, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.


title: Texas man sentenced for employment tax fraud

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A Harris County resident has been sentenced for failing to report and pay employment taxes, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Joseth “Joe” Limon pleaded guilty May 27. U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now ordered Limon to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. During the hearing, Judge Rosenthal took issue with Limon’s claim he was a hardworking businessman who had never asked for a handout from anyone, noting that he just took from the United States. Limon is also required to pay approximately $8.7 million in restitution. Limon owned and operated Platinum Employment Group Inc. which supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. From 2013 through 2018, Platinum failed to file employment tax returns and, according to its payroll records, more than $8.7 million in taxes. After closing Platinum, he set up another labor-staffing company - Rockwell Staffing LLC - in the name of a relative. When he discovered the IRS was attempting to collect the company’s employment taxes, he caused that relative to submit an affidavit that falsely claimed Rockwell had been a victim of identity theft and had no employment tax liability. Limon was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh and Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: Upper Darby Man Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Defrauding a Religious Organization and a Political Organization

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Willie Jordan, 68, of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to one year in prison, one year of supervised release, $142,991 in restitution, and forfeiture of $142,991 by United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III for two separate fraud schemes Jordan conducted. The defendant was charged by information with two counts of wire fraud and pleaded guilty in July of this year. As detailed in court filings and statements made in court, Jordan was a deacon and trustee for Religious Organization #1, located in Philadelphia, Pa. Jordan was responsible for managing and overseeing various financial matters involving Religious Organization #1, including collecting funds for the organization, depositing those funds in the organization’s bank accounts, and paying the organization’s expenses. Religious Organization #1 placed Jordan in a position of trust and allowed him to exercise almost total control over its funds. The defendant did not receive a salary from Religious Organization #1. Rather, he received his salary from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, where he was a Director of Operations for a state senator. From at least in or about January 2020 through at least in or about January 2024, Jordan exploited Religious Organization #1 for his personal financial benefit. On a regular basis, the defendant improperly issued checks to himself from Religious Organization #1’s business checking account, and made it appear that such checks were to reimburse him for expenses that he incurred on behalf of Religious Organization #1. In fact, Jordan did not incur those expenses and simply issued those checks for his personal benefit. The defendant engaged in this activity fraudulently and without the knowledge or permission of Religious Organization #1, its trustees, or members. As part of this scheme, Jordan issued approximately 82 fraudulent checks to himself totaling approximately $57,384, resulting in significant losses to Religious Organization #1. As presented in court filings and statements, Political Organization #1 was one of 66 wards in Philadelphia and a subdivision of Political Organization #2, which represented the interests of a political party in the City of Philadelphia. From in or about 1996 through in or about April 2025, the defendant was the elected leader of Political Organization #1 and controlled and managed the organization’s finances. Jordan did not receive a salary from Political Organization #1. From at least in or about January 2020, through at least in or about January 2024, Jordan exploited Political Organization #1 for his personal financial benefit. He opened two bank accounts in name of Political Organization #1, made himself the sole signatory on the accounts in the name of Political Organization #1, and obtained, for both accounts, debit cards that he controlled. On a regular basis, the defendant improperly conducted financial transactions, through debit card charges, checks, and ATM cash withdrawals, using Political Organization #1’s bank accounts to transfer the funds of Political Organization #1 to himself or others, for his personal benefit. Jordan used Political Organization #1’s funds for personal purchases at airlines, car dealerships, furniture stores, grocery stores, and other retail establishments. He also used those funds to pay his personal credit card bills, utility bills, and cellular telephone bills. In or about the summer of 2023, Jordan used the funds of Political Organization #1 to pay more than $12,500 in expenses for a family member’s funeral. The defendant engaged in these personal financial transactions without any benefit flowing to Political Organization #1 and without the knowledge or permission of any of its members. As part of this scheme, Jordan defrauded Political Organization #1 and its members of at least $85,607. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen and Special Assistant United States Attorney James E. Price.


title: Hollidaysburg Lawyer Sentenced to Prison for Forging U.S. District Judge’s Signature

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on November 18, 2025, to 15 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release, on his conviction of forgery, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Michael Brandon Cohen, 42, who pleaded guilty on July 25, 2025, to forging the signature of a United States District Judge on two occasions. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, in 2022, Cohen was licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Cohen was retained to represent a victim in a civil lawsuit against a healthcare company, and informed the victim that he filed the lawsuit on the victim’s behalf in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania; however, Cohen never filed the lawsuit. On both May 18, 2022, and October 13, 2022, Cohen sent the victim fake court orders purportedly issued by the Chief United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in the victim’s favor against the healthcare company. The orders awarded the victim monetary sanctions and fees and bore the electronic signature of the Chief Judge. However, the Chief Judge never issued the orders and, therefore, did not authorize his electronic signature on the orders. Rather, Cohen forged the Chief Judge’s signature on the fake orders in an effort to authenticate their legitimacy to his victim client. Assistant United States Attorneys Carl J. Spindler and Mark Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and Blair County District Attorney’s Office for their support in the successful prosecution of Cohen.


title: Charlotte Man Sentenced To More Than Nine Years In Prison For Armed Robbery

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to prison yesterday for robbing a Family Dollar store at gunpoint, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Belton Lamont Davis, 44, was ordered to serve 117 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for Hobbs Act Robbery and firearms offenses. Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Estella Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to filed documents and the sentencing hearing, on April 30, 2024, Davis entered a Family Dollar store located at 3618 Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte and robbed the store at gun point. Court documents show that Davis robbed the store after an individual associated with the defendant had a dispute with the store clerk about a monetary transaction. Upon entering the store, Davis retrieved a firearm from his waistband, pointed it at the store clerk and demanded money from the register. The store clerk complied. After stealing the money, Davis fled the scene in his vehicle. A witness on the scene observed the vehicle’s license plate which the store clerk provided to the 9-1-1 operator. CMPD officers quickly located and stopped the vehicle, and Davis was taken into custody. Upon a search of the vehicle and the defendant, the officers found a loaded Smith and Wesson SD40 VE .40 caliber pistol and cash. Davis has a prior conviction for second degree murder, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On November 26, 2024, Davis pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery, possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He will remain in federal custody until he is transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Founder/CEO and Clinical President of Digital Health Company Convicted in $100M Adderall Distribution and Health Care Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in San Francisco yesterday convicted Ruthia He, the founder and CEO of Done, a California-based digital health company, and David Brody, its clinical president, for their roles in a years-long scheme to illegally distribute Adderall over the internet and conspire to commit health care fraud in connection with the submission of false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement for Adderall and other stimulants. Ruthia He was also convicted of conspiring to obstruct justice. “These defendants carried out a $100 million scheme to unlawfully provide easy online access to Adderall and other stimulants by targeting drug seekers, engaging in deceptive advertising, and putting profits above patient care,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This verdict sends a clear message that the Criminal Division will hold accountable criminals who attempt to exploit telehealth to write illegal prescriptions for their personal gain. Innovation in health care must never come at the cost of patient safety, professional integrity, or the rule of law.” “Not all drug dealers operate in the shadows or on street corners,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California. “Some, like Ruthia He and David Brody, use computers and social media instead. Doctors take an oath to do no harm. David Brody and other doctors were only too willing to sell their integrity to He and put money ahead of patient wellbeing. Medical necessity must always drive the decision to prescribe controlled substances like Adderall and other stimulants. Ruthia He and David Brody violated that core principle when they exploited telehealth rules to push prescription medication, and hurt patients in the process. This prosecution marks the beginning of a sustained effort. Digital health companies that engage in unlawful drug distribution should take notice that they will not escape accountability.” "These criminals turned telehealth into a pipeline for addiction, recklessly distributing controlled medications with no regard for safety, science, or the law,” said Assistant Administrator Cheri Oz of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Control Division. “This verdict makes clear that DEA will shut down anyone who abuses medicine, exploits patients, or puts profit above the American people." “This case represents one of the most egregious abuses of telehealth we’ve seen,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The defendants built a brazen business model based on addiction, deception, and disregard for patient safety — flooding the market with controlled substances while defrauding federal health care programs. Their intentional disregard for patient safety and the law put lives at risk and eroded public trust in digital medicine. HHS-OIG will relentlessly pursue those who exploit innovation to endanger lives and steal from taxpayers.” “The fraudulent acts of He and Brody led to clients’ substance abuse, addiction and, in some cases, overdose. Instead of putting the care of their customers first, they prioritized their own greed by fraudulently prescribing more that $100 million worth of Adderall and other stimulants. These were shameful acts, and a jury of their peers agreed. Both He and Brody will now face the consequences of this egregious fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis of IRS Criminal Investigation New York. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, He and Brody conspired with others to build a billion-dollar technology company and raise money from investors by providing easy access to over 40 million pills of Adderall and other stimulants in exchange for payment of a monthly subscription fee. He and Done spent over $40 million on deceptive advertisements on social media networks that sought to convince Americans challenged by a lack of structure during the COVID-19 pandemic that they were suffering from ADHD. Defendants also paid for targeted keyword search advertisements for drug seekers who wanted to obtain Adderall without a legal prescription. The evidence at trial showed that He and Brody sought to place “hard limits” on clinical discretion by limiting the length of the initial appointment to less than half the length of a typical psychiatric examination, and seeking to increase profits by refusing to pay for any follow-up treatment. In order to facilitate the illegal prescriptions, He paid nurse practitioners around the country up to $60,000 per month to refill prescriptions without clinical interaction, and enabled an “auto-refill” technology feature where patients could receive prescriptions without clinical interaction for years based on an auto-generated email sent each month requesting additional prescriptions. The auto-refill policy, in some instances, resulted in prescriptions being issued for deceased patients. He instructed employees that successful technology companies profit off addiction, and offered an expensive luxury electric vehicle to employees who broke the law. Brody told nurses to continue prescribing Adderall, even to patients who were abusing other medications, and to disregard the risk of going to jail. He and Brody also prohibited independent clinical practitioners from discharging patients, and patients were not discharged and continued to receive Adderall even after concerned family members repeatedly notified Done that their children were suffering from bipolar, Adderall-induced psychosis, or other mental health conditions that could be worsened by continued prescriptions. In order to ensure that members continued paying monthly subscription fees, He, Brody, and others conspired to defraud insurers so that Done members would be able to use insurance to pay for Adderall dispensed at pharmacies. He, Brody, and others submitted false and fraudulent prior authorization requests to insurers, which claimed that Done followed the DSM-5 in diagnosing ADHD, utilized urine drug screens, and falsely claimed that non-stimulants had previously been tried without success. As a result, Medicare, Medicaid, and the commercial insurers paid in excess of approximately $14 million. In 2022, national media outlets reported that Done was making Adderall too easy to get online. In response to questions from the media, investors, and certain major pharmacy chains, the defendants made deceptive statements about Done’s policies. While internal documents showed that the defendants followed a “customer-first” philosophy where they attempted to obtain customer approval ratings higher than America’s highest-rated retailers, offered second opinions to patients who complained of being denied Adderall, and that He – who had no medical training – ultimately was responsible for approving clinical practices, the defendants falsely denied the existence of these policies and claimed Done was run by independent clinical leadership. To obstruct the government’s investigation, the evidence at trial showed that He moved operations to China to make personnel and evidence unavailable. He limited her communications on company platforms, used encrypted messaging apps with disappearing messages, and deleted incriminatory documents, such as language encouraging Done providers to provide Adderall even to patients who did not have ADHD. He also transferred over $1 million to a Chinese shell company named Make Believe Asia, conducted internet searches for countries that did not have extradition, and was stopped by law enforcement leaving the country. He and Brody were both convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of controlled substances, and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He was also convicted of one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. He and Brody each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances counts. Sentencings are set for Feb. 25, 2026. Judge Breyer will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The DEA, HHS-OIG, HSI, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case. Acting Health Care Fraud Unit Chief Jacob Foster, Assistant Chief Emily Gurskis, and Trial Attorney Arun Bodapati of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Green, for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Sinaloa Cartel Senior Lieutenant Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: Phoenix, Ariz. – Jose Guadalupe Tapia-Quintero, 54, of San Francisco de Tacuichamona, Sinaloa, Mexico pleaded guilty on November 17, 2025 for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine with Intent to Import into the United States and Conspiracy to Commit Concealment Money Laundering. Sentencing is scheduled for February 2, 2026, before United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi. Jose Guadalupe Tapia-Quintero was a leader of a narcotics trafficking organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico commonly known to its members, associates, and the public as the “Sinaloa Cartel” beginning in December 2006 and continuing through March 2012. He admitted that he acted as a major coordinator - organizing the transportation and distribution of ton quantities of controlled substances, including methamphetamine, for importation from Mexico into the United States for the Sinaloa Cartel. During this time, he was also involved in the concealment of the ownership of the proceeds stemming from the sale of methamphetamine and other drugs in the District of Arizona. He oversaw the collection of proceeds from the drug sales in the United States. After the drugs were sold, the proceeds were collected and stored in the organization’s stash houses in Arizona and elsewhere. A large portion of the drug proceeds were picked up by couriers working at his direction and transported back to Mexico, where they were eventually received by him and other members of the Sinaloa Cartel. “This case is a great example of our partnership with DEA in targeting, prosecuting, and convicting the members of the Sinaloa Cartel operating deep within Mexico.” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “This investigation showcases the strength of our partnerships, working as one team,” said DEA Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Cheri Oz. “DEA will continue to target and arrest top cartel members in our relentless pursuit of justice.” A conviction for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine with Intent to Import into the United States carries a maximum penalty of up to life in prison, a fine up to $10,000,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Concealment Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of a fine up to $500,000 or twice the amount of laundered funds, a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, or both, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-13-00179-PHX-MTL RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-163_Tapia-Quintero # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Carjacking 72-Year-Old

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted carjacking a 72-year-old man in 2023. Kirk Hall, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted being one of two men who stole a BMW X5 on July 7, 2023. Shortly before 1:00 a.m., the victim parked the BMW in a St. Louis County apartment complex. Hall and the other gunman ordered the driver and passenger out. The other gunman then stole the vehicle, taking the driver’s cell phone and other personal items. Hall followed in another vehicle. The BMW was found, unoccupied, a few hours later. At Hall’s Feb. 18, 2026 sentencing, he faces at least five years in prison for the gun charge, consecutive to the carjacking charge. Carjacking is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nichole Frankenberg is prosecuting the case.


title: Four Drug Traffickers Sentenced To Federal Prison For Distributing Thousands Of Fentanyl-Laced Pills

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Four drug traffickers responsible for distributing thousands of fentanyl pills in the Charlotte area were sentenced to prison today, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Ezekiel Lee Suber, 26, of Forest City, N.C. was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Darien Akiel Brown, 24, also of Forest City, was sentenced to 72 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Elija McDowell, 22, of Charlotte was ordered to serve 57 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release, and Jocelyn Marie Hamilton, 26, of Charleston, West Virginia, was sentenced to five years of probation. According to court documents and court proceedings, between 2023 and 2024, the defendants, led by Suber, operated as a drug conspiracy trafficking fentanyl in Charlotte and elsewhere. Court documents show that during the investigation undercover law enforcement officers made multiple purchases of fentanyl-laced pills from Suber and his co-defendants. The pills were yellow in color and had a “T-189” imprint, which is the same as color and imprint as 30 milligram Oxycodone Hydrochloride tablets. In addition, court documents show that during some of the undercover drug buys law enforcement observed that Suber was armed with a firearm. On February 27, 2024, law enforcement arrested Suber at his residence in Charlotte. During a subsequent search of the residence, they seized two loaded firearms, two loaded magazines, multiple rounds of ammunition, and more than $4,200 in U.S. currency. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement purchased over 7,000 fentanyl-laced pills from the co-conspirators, containing over a kilogram of fentanyl. In making the announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington prosecuted the case.


title: Repeat Felon Sentenced for Possessing Child Pornography and Ammunition

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

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Salina man was sentenced today for Possession of Child Pornography and being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Michael Allen Dean, 40, to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Dean will also be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Hill further ordered Dean to pay $45,000 in restitution. That money goes directly to the victims identified in the child sexual abuse material that Dean possessed. In May 2023, a social media application reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children that child sexual abuse material was uploaded. The investigation revealed that the IP address and phone number associated with the social media account were linked to Dean. Based on the cybertip, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Dean’s home and cellphone. When agents searched Dean’s home, they found several rounds of ammunition. After searching Dean’s cellphone, agents found more than 424 videos and 213 images of minor children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Court documents show that some of the minors were under 12 years old, including material that showed toddlers and infants being sexually abused. According to court documents, Dean was convicted in 2011 in state court for possessing child pornography. He was sentenced to a 10-year suspended sentence and spent 60 days in jail. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is the nation’s centralized reporting system for suspected child sexual exploitation. Because of the growth of technology, Child Sexual Abuse Material images and videos can be found in any online realm, causing the children who were initially sexually abused to be revictimized, over and over, with each share. NCMEC reports that its CyberTipline has received more than 195 million reports related to Child Sexual Abuse Material, commonly referred to as CSAM. NCMEC’s Child Victim Identification Program has reviewed more than 425 million images and videos and identified more than 30,000 victims. Dean will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Homeland Security Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee National Marshal Service assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wright prosecuted 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. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the US After a Prior Removal

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Mexican national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally reentering the U.S. after a prior removal. According to court records, on October 22, 2025, Juan Mendez-Morales , 43, was stopped by police for speeding. When a United States Border Patrol Agent arrived, Mendez-Morales admitted that he was a citizen of Mexico and had no immigration documents allowing him to be in the United States. Mendez-Morales was previously removed from the U.S. in October 2013 pursuant to an order from an immigration judge. Mendez-Morales faces a maximum prison term of two years and a fine up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The United States Border Patrol investigated the case. Operation Take Back America: 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. ###


title: California Company and Three Employees Sentenced for Conspiring to Sell Misbranded N95 Masks to Hospital in Early Months of COVID-19 Pandemic

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A California company, and three individuals who owned and managed the company, were sentenced last week in connection with the shipment of facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Advoque Safeguard LLC was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to one year of probation. The company was also ordered to pay a fine of $700,000. Jason Azevedo, 34, of Cedar Creek, Texas and Andrew Stack, 53, of Santa Cruz, Calif. were each sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $100,000. Paul Shrater, 52, of Simi Valley, Calif. was sentenced to six months’ probation and ordered to pay a fine of $100,000. In October of 2024, Advoque Safeguard pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to introduce misbranded devices into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead. Azevedo, Shrater and Stack pleaded guilty to one count of introduction of misbranded devices into interstate commerce. A second company, JDM Supply LLC (JDM), and two individuals, Daniel Motha and Jeffrey Motha, also pleaded guilty and were sentenced in April 2025 to one year of probation. Each were also ordered to pay a $9,500 fine. Jason Colantuoni also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit price gouging and in July 2025 was sentenced to time-served and a fine of $3,000. In the spring of 2020, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, ASG and JDM conspired to ship facemasks that were misbranded as National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved, N95 respirators. One hospital accepted and paid for hundreds of thousands of purported N95 masks that were manufactured by ASG and sold to the hospital by JDM. The hospital did not use the masks, which were eventually returned to ASG. ASG and JDM misled the hospital into believing that the ASG masks were NIOSH-approved N95s, when in fact they were not. In August 2020, a NIOSH lab tested a sample of the ASG masks that had been shipped to the hospital and all 10 ASG masks tested between 83.94% and 93.24% filtration efficiency and thus fell under the 95% minimum level of filtration efficiency required for N95 respirators. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Queenin prosecuted the case.


title: Kyle Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting a Woman Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on October 31, 2025. Channing Little Whiteman, 39, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Little Whiteman was indicted on six counts of assault by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on July 16, 2025. Little Whiteman pleaded guilty to two of the assaults, occurring on different days. On May 13, 2024, Little Whiteman and his girlfriend were drinking when an argument ensued in which Little Whiteman accused her of cheating on him. Law enforcement was dispatched to their residence. Little Whiteman assaulted the victim with a bat and a cigarette resulting in a fractured leg and a cigarette burn to the victims’ thigh. On November 5, 2024, Little Whiteman and his girlfriend were drinking when an argument ensued. Little Whiteman again accused his girlfriend of cheating on him. Little Whiteman grabbed a metal chair and struck the victim in the face with the chair, causing her orbital bone and maxillary sinus to fracture. The victim suffered a large laceration under her eye and was unable to see until the swelling decreased as her eye was nearly swollen shut. At the time the victim was injured she was seven months pregnant. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case. Little Whiteman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison  for Sexually Assaulting Teenaged Girls

body_text: ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on November 3, 2025. Chico Baker, age 24, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Baker was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 15, 2025. Between December 10, 2023, and January 20, 2024, Baker had sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl without her consent and engaged in sexual contact with two 15-year-old girls. The conduct occurred in rural McLaughlin, South Dakota, in the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, authorizes certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country to be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was also 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. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Baker was immediately returned to the South Dakota State Penitentiary, where he is serving an eight year sentence for Reckless Burning (Aiding and Abetting). He will be remanded to federal custody following the completion of that sentence.


title: Connecticut Dentists Pay More than $714K to Settle False Claims Allegations

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Two Connecticut dental providers have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments to resolve allegations of violations of the federal and state False Claims Acts. The settlements stem from a larger investigation into fraudulent activity by health care providers who submit kickback-tainted claims to the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (“CTMAP”) for services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred by third-party “patient recruiting” companies. It is alleged that, in violation of their CTMAP provider agreements and the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, DENT PLUS FAMILY DENTISTRY, PLLC, a now dissolved dental practice based in Stamford, L&M FAMILY DENTISTRY, LLC, a now dissolved dental practice based in New Haven, and their owners, IVAN MAKAR, DDS and OLEG LOSIN, DDS, submitted claims to the CTMAP, which includes the state’s Medicaid program, related to dental services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred to the businesses by a third-party patient recruiting company. Dent Plus Family Dentistry and L&M Family Dentistry paid a patient recruiter for each Connecticut Medicaid patient the recruiter referred to the practices. With each submitted claim, Dent Plus Family Dentistry, L&M Family Dentistry, and their owners impliedly certified that the conditions of receiving payment were met, including, but not limited to, that they did not pay kickbacks or violate any terms or provisions of the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (“CTDHP”) provider manual concerning the submitted claim. The CTDHP provider manual, which is an addendum to both the CTMAP provider agreement and the CTMAP provider manual, expressly prohibits per-patient compensation for individuals referred to CMAP providers. To resolve the allegations under the federal and state False Claims Acts, Makar and Losin paid $714,446.27 to reimburse the Medicaid program for conduct occurring from January 1, 2019, through September 6, 2020. In entering into the civil settlement agreement, the providers and their practices did not admit liability. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office; and the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Thidemann and Assistant Attorney General Joshua L. Jackson of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.


title: Drug Trafficker Zhi Dong Zhang, A.K.A. “Brother Wang,” Returned from Mexico to Face International Narcotics and Money Laundering Charges in New York and Georgia

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – Zhi Dong Zhang, also known as “GG,” “Kun Li Hernandez,” “Chang Li Gong Sun” and “Memo,” “Brother Wang,” “BW,” “Pancho,” “HeHe,” “HaHa,” “Chino,” and “Summor Ownor,” was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on a second superseding indictment (the Indictment) charging him with international cocaine distribution conspiracy, international cocaine distribution, cocaine importation conspiracy, cocaine and methamphetamine possession and distribution conspiracy, and money laundering crimes. The defendant, a Chinese citizen, was arrested in Mexico after Mexico issued an arrest warrant based on extradition requests from the Eastern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia, and was returned to the United States on October 23, 2025. The defendant was ordered detained pending trial. On October 24, 2025, the defendant had an initial appearance in the Southern District of Texas, where he was arraigned on this Indictment and on the indictment in the Northern District of Georgia. The defendant has been designated a Consolidated Priority Organization Target (CPOT) by the Department of Justice, a designation given to the most significant narcotics traffickers in the world. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Todd W. Blanche, United States Deputy Attorney General; Theodore S. Hertzberg, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia; Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York); and Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Atlanta Division (DEA Atlanta), announced the arraignment. “As alleged, the defendant is a leader of one of the most prolific drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the world who, together with his co-conspirators, imported thousands of kilograms of narcotics, including cocaine and methamphetamine, into the United States and other countries,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The indictments he faces in the Eastern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia will hold him responsible for the great harm he has caused.” “The defendant stands accused of running a global enterprise that pumped massive quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine into our communities and laundered millions in narcotics proceeds,” stated Deputy Attorney General Blanche. “His return to the United States is a major step in dismantling a network that has fueled addiction, violence, and death. I’m grateful for the outstanding work of our prosecutors, agents, and international partners who refused to let him hide behind aliases, shell companies, or foreign borders. The Department of Justice will continue to target the world’s most dangerous traffickers, wherever they operate, and bring them to justice.” “Zhang’s transnational network was allegedly intricate, well-coordinated, and well-funded,” said Unites States Attorney Hertzberg. “However, through the great work of dedicated law enforcement agencies and valued cooperation from our international partners, Zhang’s poison pipeline has been shut off. Whether the perpetrators are here or hiding abroad, my office will continue to vigorously pursue anyone who is trafficking illegal narcotics in and through the Northern District of Georgia.” United States Attorneys Nocella and Hertzberg also expressed their appreciation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, the United States Marshals Service, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, HSI Mexico City, HSI Rio Grande Valley, and the Government of Mexico. “HSI’s arrest of Zhi Dong Zhang marks a decisive blow against the ruthless criminal enterprises responsible for flooding our streets with cocaine, meth and deadly fentanyl,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Patel. “The defendant’s alleged actions on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG have bolstered the operations of transnational criminal organizations responsible for peddling death in nearly every form – fueling an overdose epidemic, spreading violence, and destabilizing communities across the United States and beyond. One by one, year after year, the HSI New York Homeland Security Task Force will continue to wage an unyielding campaign against those who empower cartels to sow destruction and death for greed, ensuring that no corner of their criminal empire is beyond the reach of justice.” “This arrest represents a critical milestone in a long-running investigation into an alleged high-level narcotics trafficker with international reach,” said DEA Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Murphy. “A defendant wanted on warrants out of Eastern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia has now been taken into custody, thanks to years of coordinated work by DEA and our partners. We will continue to follow the evidence and the money until the leadership of these organizations is dismantled.” The EDNY Indictment As set forth in court filings, since June 2016, Zhang has operated a massive narcotics trafficking and money laundering organization in Mexico and the United States, importing thousands of kilograms of narcotics, including cocaine and methamphetamine, into the United States and other countries. Law enforcement has made numerous seizures of narcotics traced to the defendant’s organization, including 46 kilograms of cocaine, 58 kilograms of methamphetamine, and almost seven kilograms of fentanyl. Zhang and members of his organization also laundered millions of dollars of criminal proceeds from these narcotics sales through the creation and use of shell companies in the United States, which were opened using false social security numbers and other fraudulent documents. The organization recruited individuals known as “banqueros” to open bank accounts at various banks on behalf of the shell companies, engage in money pickups at different money drop locations throughout the United States, deposit that money into the shell company bank accounts, and wire the funds to other beneficiary accounts to be laundered outside of the United States. The organization employed supervisors in Mexico, known as “coordinators,” who directed the banqueros at every step of the process, including coordinating the money pick-ups, buying and booking travel, and providing the fraudulent documentation to open bank accounts. In total, law enforcement identified more than 100 shell companies tied to Zhang’s organization that were used to launder at least $77 million in narcotics proceeds. The charges in the Indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces up to life in prison. This case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section as part of the work of the Office’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Miranda Gonzalez and Vincent Chiappini are in charge of the prosecution. The NDGA Indictment As set out in Court filings, Zhang was allegedly a leader of a vast drug trafficking and money laundering organization that began operating in Mexico at least as early as 2016. Zhang allegedly used an extensive network of coordinators and couriers to get cocaine and fentanyl to multiple destinations in the United States. In January and February 2022, Zhang personally negotiated and coordinated the delivery of 11 kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of fentanyl to Atlanta for distribution. Once the cocaine and fentanyl were distributed, Zhang allegedly oversaw the use of stash houses in Georgia and California to collect the drug proceeds which were then deposited into bank accounts. The money laundering was massive and involved 150 companies, 170 bank accounts and approximately $20 million in drug proceeds. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The Defendant: ZHI DONG ZHANG Age: 38 China E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-302 (S-2) (BMC) 22-cr-294_nd_ga_superseding_indictment.pdf 21-cr-302_second_superseding_indictment.pdf


title: United States Attorney Announces Largest Meth Seizure In Colorado History,  So-Called ‘Kingpin’ Charge Filed Against Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney for the District of Colorado announces that 15 individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the largest methamphetamine seizure in Colorado history. One defendant is facing the so-called ‘drug kingpin’ charge as an alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization. Defendants named in the indictment include: Marco Antonio De Silva Lara, Sergio Ivan Arce Lopez, Juan Luis Cabrera Saucedo, Luis Enrique Lopez Lopez, Rigoberto Aranda, Erik Alejandro Benitez Chavez, Robert Shane Gerstner, Joseph Ricardo Menzor, William Joseph Rollins, Brittney Pierce, Francisco Javier Armenta Barraza, Jamie Cash Hoover, Cesar Andres Huizar Guerra, and Trenton Anthony Thompson. Eleven of these defendants are in federal custody, while the remaining defendants are believed to remain in Mexico. As detailed in the complaint, federal wiretaps, extensive surveillance, undercover operations, and swift enforcement efforts led to the seizure of more than 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine linked to this organization, including the following: In December 2024, agents seized 96 pounds of methamphetamine from a member of the organization on a Greyhound Bus in Vail, Colorado. In February 2025, 101 pounds of methamphetamine and a half kilogram of fentanyl powder were seized from another member of the organization on a highway in Colorado. In April 2025, over 700 pounds of methamphetamine was seized from a residence in Lakewood, Colorado, along with freezers, propane tanks, and other equipment consistent with methamphetamine manufacturing or conversion. Investigators found thousands of packages of methamphetamine concealed in the corners of containers of fruit. In August 2025, nearly 50 pounds of methamphetamine was seized from a residence in Arvada, Colorado. All 15 defendants face drug charges which carry a potential sentence of no less than ten years and up to life in federal prison. Four of the defendants are charged with money laundering, which carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison. Marco Antonio De Silva Lara is charged with operating a Continuing Criminal Enterprise in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 848(a), commonly known as the ‘drug kingpin’ charge. This charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life in prison. “This successful investigation boasts the largest methamphetamine seizure in Colorado history and intercepted more than 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine before it could be distributed into our community,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “This investigation showcases what we are able to accomplish when we combine the resources, tools, and expertise of federal agencies with the passion, experience, and sweat equity of local law enforcement officers.” The investigation is being handled by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Arvada Police Department each made significant contributions to this case. This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Rocky Mountain HSTF comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service, Office of Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshals Service (USMS), Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement / Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE/ERO) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. The Transnational Organized Crime and Money Laundering Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado is handling the prosecutions. The charges contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Case Number: 1:25-CR-240-PAB


title: Henry County Man Indicted on Federal Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Jackson, TN – A federal grand jury in Jackson, Tennessee recently returned an indictment charging a McKenzie, Tennessee man with multiple federal child sexual exploitation offenses. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the return of the indictment today. According to the indictment, John A. Bell, 59 , is charged with 14 counts of using and employing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct and a single count of possessing a cell phone that contained visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including visual depictions involving a prepubescent minor who had not attained 12 years of age engaging in such conduct. The indictment concerns Bell’s alleged acts against six minors and ranges in time from the fall of 2021 until October 2025. This case is pending before United States District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen in Jackson. Bell is facing a 15-year mandatory-minimum sentence and a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment on each of the production counts and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment on the possession count. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by Special Agent Eric McCraw, FBI Nashville Division, Jackson Resident Agency, and Lt. David Andrews with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. If anyone has any additional information regarding this case or any matter involving the abuse of minor children, please contact the FBI Nashville Division (615-232-7500) or the Henry County Sheriff’s Office (731-642-1672). Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Pittsburgh Felon Charged with Possessing Firearm and Ammunition

body_text: This release was published following the 43-day government shutdown during which the Indictment occurred. PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced. The one-count Indictment named James W. McKissick III, 32, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on or about August 29, 2025, McKissick possessed a firearm and ammunition as a previously convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Florida Man Indicted for Interstate Threats Made While Living in Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed an indictment, charging Arsham Rashidi Dizajgan, 27, of Gainesville, Florida, with six counts of transmitting in interstate or foreign commerce a threat to injure another person. Law enforcement arrested Dizajgan today in Gainesville. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley, FBI – Jacksonville Field Office; Police Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD); and Chief of Police Nelson Moya, Gainesville Police Department (GPD). “Threats to the safety and security of American citizens will not be tolerated, particularly when such threats adopt the language and tactics of violent extremists and foreign terrorist organizations,” Hayes said. “We will investigate and prosecute such violations to the fullest extent of the law.” "The FBI takes all threats seriously and will investigate each and every potential threat brought to our attention,” Paul said. “Swift collaboration between the FBI’s Baltimore and Jacksonville Field Offices, as well as the Anne Arundel County and Gainesville Police Departments, led to this arrest. We continue to encourage the public to report any concerning messages to law enforcement.” “This arrest reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities,” Carley said. “When an individual uses social media to issue violent threats and signals support for a foreign terrorist organization, the FBI will hold that individual accountable. We take these threats seriously and will move quickly to ensure online rhetoric does not turn into real-world harm.” As alleged in the indictment, in widely disseminated propaganda videos, Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization, uses upside-down red triangles to mark targets just before they are attacked. Beginning in about September 2024, and continuing through March 2025 — while living in Arnold, Maryland — Dizajgan used the social media platform TikTok to post photographs and videos of Americans with upside-down red triangles over their heads, along with threatening comments. During the same time frame, Dizajgan also used his TikTok account to post photographs, videos, and comments condemning Americans and non-Muslims and celebrating violence against them. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, AACOPD, and GPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina A. Hoffman who is prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: New Kensington Felon Indicted for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

body_text: This release was published following the 43-day government shutdown during which the Indictment occurred. PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced. The one-count Indictment named William Jermaine Rodgers III, 28, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on or about July 1, 2025, Rodgers possessed a firearm and ammunition as a previously convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Brooklyn Business Owner Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison  for $55 Million Illegal Check Cashing, Bank Fraud, and Tax Evasion Scheme

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, David Motovich was sentenced by United States District Judge William F. Kuntz, II to 15 years in prison for operating an illegal money transmitting business, failure to file currency transaction reports, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Kuntz ordered Motovich to forfeit approximately $38 million, including his interests in a penthouse apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan featuring a private indoor swimming pool, commercial real estate buildings in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn, and luxury jewelry and handbags. Motovich was convicted by a jury following a three-week trial in July 2024. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI) announced the sentence. “The defendant used his family-run lumber business to orchestrate a massive illegal check cashing scheme and facilitate rampant tax evasion in the New York City construction industry,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendant put his own greed and thirst for luxury above the needs of helpless victims, whose identities, company names, and signatures he ruthlessly stole. The defendant’s significant sentence should send a message that fraud does not pay, and federal banking and tax rules apply to all.” “David Motovich allegedly deposited more than $55 million into accounts he opened in the names of other individuals to selfishly fund an unearned lavish lifestyle, by swindling unsuspecting victims and companies,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The FBI will relentlessly pursue those individuals who not only deceive others, but also defraud the United States for their own personal gain.” “David Motovich made millions from his shady business, making back-office deals to hide cash for clients,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Chavis. “While trying to conceal more that $55 million from the U.S. government, Motovich adorned himself with watches and jewelry and luxury cars. Now, after today’s sentencing, he will have years to think of his actions as he lives in less luxurious federal housing. There is no penthouse with a pool available.” As proven in court proceedings, Motovich used his family-run business in the Midwood section of Brooklyn as a front for an illegal, unlicensed check-cashing operation. From the second floor of Midwood Lumber on Coney Island Avenue, Motovich offered his services primarily to the owners and operators of construction companies, cashing millions of dollars in checks to fund off-the-books payrolls for those businesses. As part of the scheme, Motovich cashed checks for his customers in exchange for a fee or a percentage of the face amount of the checks, ranging between four and 15 percent. Motovich’s customers paid a higher fee to Motovich than the fees charged by licensed check cashing businesses because the customers understood that Motovich would not file Suspicious Activity Reports or Currency Transaction Reports for cash transactions in amounts greater than $10,000, as required by federal anti-money laundering statutes. Motovich supplied his check cashing customers with fraudulent documents that they could use to disguise the transactions as payments by the customers for materials and/or subcontracting work if the customers were audited by the New York State Workers Compensation Board or tax authorities. In furtherance of his scheme, Motovich created shell companies for the purpose of facilitating his illegal check cashing business and enabling himself and his associates to evade taxes. Motovich instructed his customers to issue checks drawn against their business accounts and to make the checks payable to one of the companies. Motovich then deposited the checks into bank accounts that he created at several financial institutions. Motovich facilitated tax evasion by using these accounts to conceal millions of dollars in payments from his own companies and those of his associates. To conceal his control and ownership of the funds in the accounts, and to avoid detection of his scheme, Motovich opened the accounts in the names of other individuals. In one instance, Motovich stole the identity of a low-level worker and then bribed a banker to open accounts in the victim’s name and funnel millions of dollars through the accounts. In other instances, Motovich impersonated the name of a legitimate company to open shell accounts and repeatedly forged the signature of an unwitting insurance broker. In total, between 2012 and 2019, Motovich deposited more than $55 million into the accounts that he had opened in the names of other individuals and used the funds to purchase real estate; pay personal and corporate credit card accounts; purchase luxury items, including millions of dollars of diamonds, watches, jewelry, and clothing; make lease and purchase payments for Porsche and Lexus luxury vehicles; pay premiums on multi-million dollar life insurance policies for himself, his wife and others; renovate his penthouse apartment in Manhattan to include a swimming pool; and to fund other business ventures. Motovich’s co-defendants Marina Kuyan, Kemal Sarkinovic, and Joshua Markovics all previously pleaded guilty to various charges in connection with the scheme. They are awaiting sentencing. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik Paulsen, Andrew Grubin, and Matthew Skurnik are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Daniel Arakawa. The Defendant : DAVID MOTOVICH Age: 50 New York, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-497 (WFK)


title: Jury finds Seeley Lake woman guilty of gun charge

body_text: MISSOULA – A Seeley Lake woman who purchased a firearm for a prohibited person was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Following a one-day trial, Alyssa Mikkel Tsuber, 32, was found guilty of one count of false statement during a firearm transaction. Tsuber faces a potential term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 20, 2026. Tsuber was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents and at trial that an individual who was prohibited from owning a firearm reported that Alyssa Tsuber purchased a firearm for him. Law enforcement interviewed Tsuber about the firearms. Tsuber advised she purchased a firearm for the prohibited person with his money. During the interview, law enforcement told Tsuber she marked that she was the actual buyer on the Firearms Transaction Record. She said, “I bought it, but no.” Law enforcement clarified, “You paid for it, but it wasn’t for you.” She said, “Right.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. 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 . XXX


title: Federal Court Terminates Consent Decree Regarding the New Orleans Police Department After Successful Reforms

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana terminated the consent decree covering the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), marking the end of federal court oversight under the 2013 decree. The Justice Department and the City of New Orleans jointly moved to terminate the consent decree based on NOPD’s successful implementation of reforms related to use of force; crisis intervention; stops, searches, and arrests; and other areas. “We are proud to recognize the New Orleans Police Department’s sustained progress and commitment to constitutional policing,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We credit the officers and supervisors who have transformed NOPD — despite local political obstacles — and who continue to work to keep communities safe.” “We join our Justice Department colleagues in the Civil Rights Division in applauding the collaborative efforts with the NOPD that have resulted in today’s termination,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The NOPD’s reforms have already borne many good fruits in our community. There can be no question that our city is safer, and our police department is better, as a direct result of this case.” In 2012, the Justice Department completed an investigation into NOPD under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. In 2013, the Department and the City of New Orleans entered into a consent decree to address the investigation’s findings that NOPD engaged in a pattern or practice of conduct that violated the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In January 2025, the district court granted the parties’ joint motion for approval of a sustainment plan to ensure the durability of NOPD’s reforms, recognizing that today’s NOPD “is a far different agency from the one that spawned DOJ’s investigation in 2011 and the imposition of the Consent Decree in 2013.” Resolution of the NOPD case marks the seventh police reform matter — some court consent decrees and some out-of-court agreements — that the Justice Department has been able to resolve so far in 2025. In each of these matters, the Justice Department has worked with law enforcement agencies around the country to successfully implement reforms to better serve Americans and return control to local authorities.


title: Tennessee Man Sentenced to Over 18 years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: A federal judge sentenced a Tennessee man to 221 months in prison and three years of supervised release today for being a felon in possession of a firearm under the Armed Career Criminal Act. “Gun violence poses a significant danger to the safety and security of our communities,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s significant sentence highlights the Criminal Division’s steadfast commitment to aggressively prosecuting repeated armed offenders and protecting the public. I thank the prosecutors and our federal and state law enforcement partners who worked diligently to achieve this result.” “Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to community, and in this case, the defendant was an armed career criminal who continued to possess a firearm despite his prior felony conviction history,” U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee. “There is and ought to be a significant consequence for such recidivist criminal behavior, and this is one more armed career criminal removed from our streets for a long time.” “These efforts signify what can be accomplished when we work together with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to combat violent crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division. “Through this collaboration, we were able to remove a violent armed career criminal from our Memphis streets.” According to documents and evidence presented to the court, on Jan. 19, 2022, Memphis Police Department (MPD) stopped a vehicle driven by Markel Strong, 29, of Memphis because its tint violated traffic law. Police observed, and seized, a firearm in plain view located in the front seat near the vehicle’s center console. Strong was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his numerous prior violent felony convictions. On Aug. 19 a federal jury found Strong guilty of being a felon in possession of the firearm and separately determined that Strong’s three prior violent felony convictions occurred on separate dates, which triggered enhanced punishment under the Armed Career Criminal Act. At today’s sentencing hearing, the United States presented evidence of the defendant’s violent behavior while in custody, as well as other crimes to which the seized firearm has been linked. ATF and MPD investigated the case. Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Brittenum for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. This joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute violent gang members and other violent criminals in Memphis.


title: Founder/CEO And Clinical President Of Digital Health Company Convicted In $100m Adderall Distribution And Health Care Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury yesterday convicted Ruthia He, the founder and CEO of Done, a California-based digital health company, and David Brody, its clinical president, yesterday for their roles in a years-long scheme to illegally distribute Adderall over the internet and conspire to commit health care fraud in connection with the submission of false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement for Adderall and other stimulants. Ruthia He was also convicted of conspiring to obstruct justice. “Not all drug dealers operate in the shadows or on street corners,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California. “Some, like Ruthia He and David Brody, use computers and social media instead. Doctors take an oath to do no harm. David Brody and other doctors were only too willing to sell their integrity to He and put money ahead of patient wellbeing. Medical necessity must always drive the decision to prescribe controlled substances like Adderall and other stimulants. Ruthia He and David Brody violated that core principle when they exploited telehealth rules to push prescription medication, and hurt patients in the process. This prosecution marks the beginning of a sustained effort. Digital health companies that engage in unlawful drug distribution should take notice that they will not escape accountability.” “These defendants carried out a $100 million scheme to unlawfully provide easy online access to Adderall and other stimulants by targeting drug seekers, engaging in deceptive advertising, and putting profits above patient care,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This verdict sends a clear message that the Criminal Division will hold accountable criminals who attempt to exploit telehealth to write illegal prescriptions for their personal gain. Innovation in health care must never come at the cost of patient safety, professional integrity, or the rule of law.” “This case represents one of the most egregious abuses of telehealth we’ve seen,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The defendants built a brazen business model based on addiction, deception, and disregard for patient safety—flooding the market with controlled substances while defrauding federal health care programs. Their intentional disregard for patient safety and the law put lives at risk and eroded public trust in digital medicine. HHS-OIG will relentlessly pursue those who exploit innovation to endanger lives and steal from taxpayers.” “The fraudulent acts of He and Brody led to clients’ substance abuse, addiction and, in some cases, overdose. Instead of putting the care of their customers first, they prioritized their own greed by fraudulently prescribing more that $100 million worth of Adderall and other stimulants. These were shameful acts, and a jury of their peers agreed. Both He and Brody will now face the consequences of this egregious fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis of IRS Criminal Investigation New York. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, He and Brody conspired with others to build a billion-dollar technology company and raise money from investors by providing easy access to over 40 million pills of Adderall and other stimulants in exchange for payment of a monthly subscription fee. He and Done spent over $40 million on deceptive advertisements on social media networks that sought to convince Americans challenged by a lack of structure during the COVID-19 pandemic that they were suffering from ADHD. Defendants also paid for targeted keyword search advertisements for drug seekers who wanted to obtain Adderall without a legal prescription. The evidence at trial showed that He and Brody sought to place “hard limits” on clinical discretion by limiting the length of the initial appointment to less than half the length of a typical psychiatric examination, and seeking to increase profits by refusing to pay for any follow-up treatment. In order to facilitate the illegal prescriptions, He paid nurse practitioners around the country up to $60,000 per month to refill prescriptions without clinical interaction, and enabled an “auto-refill” technology feature where patients could receive prescriptions without clinical interaction for years based on an auto-generated email sent each month requesting additional prescriptions. The auto-refill policy, in some instances, resulted in prescriptions being issued for deceased patients. He instructed employees that successful technology companies profit off addiction, and offered an expensive luxury electric vehicle to employees who broke the law. Brody told nurses to continue prescribing Adderall, even to patients who were abusing other medications, and to disregard the risk of going to jail. He and Brody also prohibited independent clinical practitioners from discharging patients, and patients were not discharged and continued to receive Adderall even after concerned family members repeatedly notified Done that their children were suffering from bipolar, Adderall-induced psychosis, or other mental health conditions that could be worsened by continued prescriptions. In order to ensure that members continued paying monthly subscription fees, He, Brody, and others conspired to defraud insurers so that Done members would be able to use insurance to pay for Adderall dispensed at pharmacies. He, Brody, and others submitted false and fraudulent prior authorization requests to insurers, which claimed that Done followed the DSM-5 in diagnosing ADHD, utilized urine drug screens, and falsely claimed that non-stimulants had previously been tried without success. As a result, Medicare, Medicaid, and the commercial insurers paid in excess of approximately $14 million. In 2022, national media outlets reported that Done was making Adderall too easy to get online. In response to questions from the media, investors, and certain major pharmacy chains, the defendants made deceptive statements about Done’s policies. While internal documents showed that the defendants followed a “customer-first” philosophy where they attempted to obtain customer approval ratings higher than America’s highest-rated retailers, offered second opinions to patients who complained of being denied Adderall, and that He – who had no medical training – ultimately was responsible for approving clinical practices, The defendants falsely denied the existence of these policies and claimed Done was run by independent clinical leadership. To obstruct the government’s investigation, the evidence at trial showed that He moved operations to China to make personnel and evidence unavailable. He limited her communications on company platforms, used encrypted messaging apps with disappearing messages, and deleted incriminatory documents, such as language encouraging Done providers to provide Adderall even to patients who did not have ADHD. He also transferred over $1 million to a Chinese shell company named Make Believe Asia, conducted internet searches for countries that did not have extradition, and was stopped by law enforcement leaving the country. He and Brody were both convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of controlled substances, and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He was also convicted of one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. He and Brody each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances counts. Sentencings are set for Feb. 25, 2026. Judge Breyer will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The DEA, HHS-OIG, HSI, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case. Acting Health Care Fraud Unit Chief Jacob Foster, Assistant Chief Emily Gurskis, and Trial Attorney Arun Bodapati of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Green for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Maryam Beros and Lynette Dixon. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Mexican man pleads guilty to illegal reentry

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA - A Mexican man accused of being in the United States illegally admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Baldemar Duarte-Nieto, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry. Duarte-Nieto faces a term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $100,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for March 13, 2026. Duarte-Nieto was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that on June 26, 2025, Duarte-Nieto was found by law enforcement in Kalispell after a short vehicle and foot pursuit. The pursuit reached 80 mph in a residential neighborhood and Duarte-Nieto struck a Toyota Camry filled with four people. A K-9 was deployed to apprehend him. Duarte-Nieto had an arrest warrant from Washington for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance – heroin. Duarte-Nieto was first removed from the United States in 1996 or 1997, in 2000, and then a week later with a 20-year bar. He was last removed from the United States in November 2021 after an extensive hearing with an Immigration Judge because he used an assumed identity for approximately 20 years. Duarte-Nieto’s prior convictions include 1996 assault with a weapon in Pacific County, Washington; 2002 carjacking in Claremont, California; 2006 conspiracy/bringing a controlled dangerous substance into a prison in Susanville, California; and 2012 false statements in the Western District of Washington. There are no records within the Department of Homeland Security that Duarte-Nieto ever applied for readmission into the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations, Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). XXX