title: International Crackdown on India-Based Organized Crime Gangs Results in 24 Arrests in U.S., Canada, and Europe

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement in the United States, Canada, and Europe have arrested 24 defendants – 11 of them in California – connected to three India-based transnational organized crime groups charged with a litany of criminal acts, including the assassination in Canada in 2023 of a prominent Indian political and religious figure, the Justice Department announced today. Today’s law enforcement action – “Operation Hard Ball” – is the result of a years-long federal investigation into Indian crime syndicates that engage in racketeering, targeted killings, shootings, extortion, the trafficking of bulk quantities of narcotics across international borders, and other crimes around the world whose impact is especially felt in the Indian diaspora. In total, 37 defendants – including two defendants who ran their global criminal syndicates while imprisoned in India – are charged across three indictments unsealed today. Those arrested in the United States – 11 in California, one in Indiana, and one in Georgia – are expected to make their initial appearances today in federal court. Three defendants have been arrested in Canada, one defendant was arrested in Spain, and seven defendants already were in custody prior to today’s law enforcement operation. Law enforcement is looking for 10 fugitives – seven in the United States, two in India, and one in Europe. As part of this investigation, law enforcement has seized approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine and 1 kilogram of heroin along with $40,000 in cash and a dozen firearms. A total of 23 search warrants have been executed in the Sacramento area and 11 warrants have been executed in the Los Angeles area. “Transnational criminal gangs who spread fear, drugs, and violence will face the full force of justice and the weight of the federal government,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Working together, law enforcement in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia are determined to target and dismantle these criminal organizations wherever they operate. There is no safe harbor for these thugs.” “Today’s coordinated operation strikes at the heart of three brutal transnational organizations that have terrorized families, exploited communities, and stolen lives through ruthless acts of violence in the U.S. and abroad,” said Patrick Grandy, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “We, alongside our partners, remain steadfast in our commitment to identifying these violent organizations, disrupting their activities, and ensuring they face the justice they deserve.” “The true measure of this operation isn’t found in the arrests or the seizures alone,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “It’s found in what they represent: a united commitment between the LAPD and our federal and international partners to relentlessly pursue those who threaten our communities. Together, we are dismantling organized crime, removing dangerous offenders from our streets, and making Los Angeles a safer city.” “The most effective way to combat transnational crime is for multiple law enforcement partners to team up and target criminals where they operate,” said Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Mike Duheme. “Together, we disrupted the operations of organized criminals who used murder, cruelty and fear to extort and control people in both Canada and the United States. We won’t pause for long to reflect on the work it took to get this job done – we’ll keep doing what we do best to preserve public safety in Canada, in the United States, and around the world.” United States v. Bishnoi, et al. Lawrence Bishnoi, 33, of Punjab, India, a gangster long imprisoned in India, was a self-styled university student leader before tiring of politics and turning himself and his followers to crime, according to a nine-count indictment that a federal grand jury returned on July 1. In public, Bishnoi projected an image of himself as a “patriot,” “nationalist,” and deeply religious individual through social media posts and interviews with news organizations and used this public image to recruit members and associates to his crime syndicate in India, the United States, and elsewhere. In private, Bishnoi presided over a sweeping criminal enterprise that spanned multiple continents. Using contraband cellphones and other voice-over internet protocol devices smuggled into his jail cell, Bishnoi personally directed political assassinations, murders, shootings, extortions, kidnappings, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other crimes committed by members and associates of the Bishnoi enterprise worldwide. The Canadian government in September 2025 designated the Bishnoi enterprise as a terrorist entity. To help manage the enterprise’s day-to-day operations, Bishnoi delegated control to trusted lieutenants and regional leaders of the enterprise. These lieutenants and regional leaders included Satinderjeet Singh, 32, a.k.a. “Goldy Brar”, of Punjab, India, the North American leader of the Bishnoi enterprise, Rohit Godara, 37, of Rajasthan, India, the European leader of the Bishnoi enterprise, and Sukhraj Singh Kang, 58, of Punjab, India. According to the indictment, both Brar and Godara effectively spoke for Bishnoi and helped direct the actions of members and associates of the Bishnoi enterprise worldwide, including acts of violence committed by the gang’s members and associates in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere. This criminal gang engaged in violent activity in each country in which it operated, including the United States, and used violence to cultivate a climate of fear, in particular in India and among Indian diaspora communities worldwide. The gang exploited this fear to extort its victims, hyping their violence and criminality through online videos and internet posts. Among the crimes alleged in the indictment is the assassination of a prominent political and religious leader – identified in court documents as “H.S.N.” – from India’s Punjab state and who was living in Canada at the time of his death. Bishnoi and Brar are charged with ordering this assassination, which occurred when two gunmen shot and killed H.S.N. as he left a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18, 2023. According to the indictment, the enterprise routinely targeted prominent religious, social, and political leaders with violence, and used these high-profile acts to terrorize and extort members of the community. For instance, in November 2023, Bishnoi claimed responsibility for a separate shooting that occurred at the Vancouver, Canada residence of a prominent Indian actor and singer, and warned in the Punjabi language in a Facebook post, “no one can save you from us.” Bishnoi, Brar, Godara, and others extorted victims via WhatsApp and other encrypted messaging applications by threatening violence against the victims or the victims’ families. For example, Bishnoi, Brar, Godara, and other defendants attempted to extort victims in Los Angeles and Thousand Oaks, demanding in December 2025 and January 2026 that the latter victim make a $5 million payment. In addition to these extortion schemes, the Bishnoi enterprise helped fund its activities through international drug trafficking and stealing drug shipments from rival gangs. For example, in November 2024, Bishnoi and Brar oversaw the transportation of 49 kilograms (108 pounds) of cocaine that was intercepted in Redlands and was intended for shipment via long-haul semi-trucks from the U.S. to Canada. From March 2024 to July 2025, the Bishnoi enterprise stole a total of approximately 520 kilograms (1,146.4 pounds) of cocaine in the greater Los Angeles area from rival drug trafficking gangs. The indictment charges Bishnoi, Brar, Godara, and six other defendants with one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion (Hobbs Act), six counts of attempted Hobbs Act extortion, and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, namely cocaine and methamphetamine. United States v. Bhagwanpuria, et al. A seven-count federal grand jury indictment returned June 25 charges 17 defendants with operating a criminal enterprise that engaged in murder-for-hire, drug trafficking, kidnappings, extortions, weapons trafficking, and other crimes around the world, including in the United States and Canada. Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, 38, of Punjab, India, a gangster imprisoned in India, is an associate-turned-rival of Bishnoi, and founded his own criminal enterprise in India’s Punjab state. The Bhagwanpuria gang operates as a transnational criminal syndicate headquartered in India with members across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. This group includes more than 1,000 members and associates worldwide, and more than 100 members and associates in the United States. To expand its power, this group corrupted law enforcement officers in India and partnered with corrupt government officials, including to assist in extortion schemes. It also provided false information to law enforcement officers in India regarding alleged crimes. The Bhagwanpuria group used this false information to target perceived rivals and individuals that members or associates believed were cooperating with law enforcement, often triggering baseless criminal proceedings and extortion plots by corrupt Indian law enforcement officers against perceived rivals. According to the indictment, in April 2026, Gurlal Singh, 22, of Stockton, California, a member of the Bhagwanpuria syndicate who is an illegal alien from India, threatened a victim and then provided the victim’s name to a corrupt law enforcement officer in India’s Punjab state. This ultimately led to the victim, the victim’s father, and the victim’s sister being falsely accused of the January 2026 murder of a victim in India identified in court documents as “B.S.” It also led to the corrupt law enforcement officer in India extorting the victim and the victim’s father in connection with that pending murder case. A separate member of the Bhagwanpuria syndicate, Gurdev Singh, 26, is alleged to have attempted to extort a family living in the Midwest while he was being held in ICE custody, including by threatening to “put [] bullets in your kids.” The group funded its activities through drug trafficking, including through drug transportation sub-networks in Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, as well as through illegal firearms dealing. Garinder Deo, 40, a.k.a. “Doctor, “Rocket,” and “Ritz Carlton,” of Vancouver, Canada, though not charged as a member or associate of this criminal group, allegedly helped enrich the group by purchasing bulk quantities of cocaine and heroin that were to be shipped from Southern California to the eastern United States with the assistance of members and associates of the Bhagwanpuria enterprise. This included the attempted shipment in June 2025 of 99.2 kilograms (218.7 pounds) of cocaine and one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of heroin that law enforcement ultimately intercepted. The indictment charges one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of attempted Hobbs Act extortion, two counts of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of distribution of cocaine, one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, and one count of possession of a machine gun. United States v. Dhanda, et al. Ravinder Singh Dhanda, 57, a.k.a. “Randy,” “Rolex,” and “John Wick,” of Vancouver, Canada, Jaskarn Baghri, 50, a.k.a. “Baba,” of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, Gurtej Singh Smagh, 43, a.k.a. “Simba,” of Creston, British Columbia, Canada, and eight other defendants are charged in an eight-count indictment returned June 23 alleging they transported, smuggled, and distributed hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine each week from the U.S. into Canda. According to the indictment, Dhanda operated a drug distribution network that provided international smuggling services for bulk quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine to drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. He negotiated transportation rates and logistics with these DTOs and subcontracted the storage and transportation of these drugs. The cocaine and methamphetamine were concealed and transported on long-haul semi-trucks from the greater Los Angeles area – including Los Angeles, West Covina, Ontario, Fontana, and Perris – to the U.S.-Canada border. Sometimes, farm trucks from working farms were used to hide the narcotics en route to Canada. The indictment specifically alleges the shipment of 430.1 kilograms (948.2 pounds) of cocaine from July 2023 to November 2024. The indictment charges one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances, one count of operating a continuing criminal enterprise, and five counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, many of the defendants would face a mandatory minimum prison sentence between 10 years in federal prison and life imprisonment, and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. The FBI; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP); and United States Customs and Border Protection’s Buffalo Field Office are investigating these matters. RCMP is conducting a parallel investigation into South Asian organized crime. Assistance was provided by Unidad Central Operativa de la Guardia Civil (Spain); Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles; the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Division; the Regional Narcotics Suppression Program, a specialized multi-agency task force that targets high-level drug trafficking and money laundering organizations operating in Southern California and managed by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department; the Brownsburg (Indiana) Police Department; the Pennsylvania State Police; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Philadelphia Field Division; the FBI’s field offices in Buffalo, Sacramento, and San Francisco; and the FBI’s Legal Attaché offices in New Delhi, Mexico City, Madrid, and Ottawa. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. 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. Assistant United States Attorney Declan T. Conroy of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting these cases.


title: Parker Man Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison for Second Degree Murder

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Andre Anthony Miller, 33, of Parker, Ariz., was sentenced on June 23, by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 336 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Miller previously pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder. On February 18, 2024, on the Colorado River Indian Tribes (“CRIT”) Reservation, Miller shot the victim, who was a former intimate partner, in front of the victim’s minor children. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries from the shooting, including quadriplegia. Approximately eleven months later, the victim died from her injuries. Both Miller and the victim are enrolled CRIT members. The FBI’s Phoenix Division and the CRIT Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-00743-PHX-DJH RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-119_Miller # # # 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: Former Phoenix Mariachi Instructor Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Carlos Jobany Castaneda Lechuga, 38, of Laredo, Texas, pleaded guilty yesterday to five counts of Producing Child Pornography involving five minor age girls. Sentencing is scheduled for September 15, 2026, before United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa. Lechuga has been detained in federal custody since his arrest in December 2024. During the change of plea hearing, Lechuga admitted that between 2013 and 2019, he taught mariachi music classes at a school and gave private music lessons at his home in Phoenix, Arizona. The victims were students who came to his home for private music lessons. During this period, when each of the girls was between the ages of 6 – 11 years old, Lechuga recorded videos and images that showed him undressing, touching, and exposing the girls’ nude genitalia to the camera. In December 2024, the FBI located five video recordings on the dark web showing two of the identified girls. A conviction for Producing Child Pornography carries a minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years, and a possible $250,000 fine. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC coordinates federal, state, and local resources to investigate, prosecute, and rescue victims. For more investigation, visit www.justice.gov/psc . The FBI’s Phoenix Division and Phoenix Police Department conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-00025-DJH RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-120_Lechuga # # # 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: Soldotna man arrested on child pornography charges

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Soldotna man was arrested last week in Sterling on criminal charges related to his alleged possession and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, Adam O’Guinn, 29, had allegedly been identified as using PayPal to make approximately 27 purchases from known sources of CSAM. Upon the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, law enforcement allegedly discovered CSAM on his phone. O’Guinn allegedly purchased CSAM over at least two years. O’Guinn is charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. The defendant made his initial court appearance on July 2 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, O’Guinn faces between five and 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman of the District of Alaska and William Ferrari, Deputy Assistant Director, Diplomatic Security Service – Office of Investigations made the announcement. The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service is investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service’s Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force and the Alaska State Troopers. If anyone has information concerning O’Guinn’s alleged actions, please contact the U.S. Department of State at DSSFraudTips@state.gov . Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Alexander and Jordyn Caldwell are prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc . UPDATE: This release has been updated to correct the tip email listed. ###


title: United States to Pay $180 Million to Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska to Resolve Long-Running Port Litigation that began in 2014

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, the United States and the Municipality of Anchorage announced the resolution of Municipality of Anchorage v. United States , No. 14-166C (U.S. Court of Federal Claims), which has been pending since 2014. Under the settlement agreement, the United States will make a payment of $180 million to the Municipality in exchange for concluding this decade-long litigation against the United States for its alleged fault in the uncompleted Port of Alaska expansion project. “I was honored to visit the Port of Alaska today to announce this settlement,” said Acting Attorney General Blanche. “Reaching this fair and reasonable resolution allows both parties to move beyond many years of litigation and instead focus on what matters most: modernizing and beautifying the Port of Alaska, while lowering costs for consumers.” The settlement reflects the parties’ shared recognition that continued litigation would consume substantial public resources while delaying the opportunity to focus on the Port of Alaska’s future. Rather than lingering on the past, both parties will instead collaborate and prioritize how the port may best benefit both Alaska and the United States. By ending this long-running litigation, both the United States and the Municipality can redirect time, attention, and taxpayer resources toward their respective public missions rather than continued courtroom proceedings. “Settlements such as this one reflect a reasoned judgment that certainty and public resource conservation are of greater value than another decade of litigation, which would detract from taxpayer resources and personnel focusing on the Department’s top priorities,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “Bringing this litigation to a close also creates a welcomed opportunity for collaboration among federal, state, and local partners to better support the long-term functionality and economic vitality of the Port of Alaska for the benefit of the American people.” Today’s resolution allows both parties to shift their attention toward ensuring that the Port of Alaska continues to meet the needs of Alaska’s residents, businesses, and U.S. military installations for decades to come.


title: Man Sentenced in $39M Bank Fraud Scheme That Defrauded Seven Financial Institutions

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A California man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release for perpetrating an elaborate bank fraud scheme that took in approximately $39 million from multiple financial institutions over the course of nearly 10 years. He was also ordered to pay over $19.4 million in restitution and $21.8 million in forfeiture. According to court documents, Gary Topolewski, 64, of Northridge, engaged in the nearly decade-long scheme to defraud multiple financial institutions through the submission of false and fraudulent commercial loan applications on behalf of his purported companies, Topolewski America Inc., Morrison Knudsen Services Inc., and Metal Jeans Inc. As a result, these entities received more than $39 million in fraudulently obtained loan proceeds, with Topolewski unsuccessfully seeking millions more. Topolewski falsely represented in the loan applications that the loans were for the purchase of large, industrial earth-moving construction equipment, and for business working capital purposes. In reality, Topolewski and his companies did not use the proceeds as represented and instead diverted, laundered, and misappropriated the proceeds for other purposes, including for the purchase of properties and to make Ponzi-like payments to financial lenders to perpetuate the scheme by using loan proceeds from newer loans to pay down the balance of other loans. Topolewski used several aliases, including the stolen identity of a victim, and company names that were similar to those of established companies in the construction and equipment industries. In December 2025, Topolewski pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Delzotto of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement. The FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Sara Hallmark of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Lopez for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.


title: Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms and Dog Fighting Charges from Interstate “Mayhem Madness” Event

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Kansas City, Missouri, resident Vinol Wilson, 52, pleaded guilty today in federal court to illegally possessing a firearm after a felony conviction and to multiple federal dogfighting offenses. Those offenses include conspiring to violate the federal Animal Welfare Act’s animal fighting law, keeping a dog for use in dog fighting, and buying and receiving a dog to use in a dogfighting venture. “Wilson subjected animals to pain and suffering all for sport and profit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department continues to aggressively prosecute this criminal activity, and we work with our partners to rescue dogs whenever we can.” “Inflicting cruelty on innocent dogs for entertainment and profit is both deplorable and in violation of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price for the Western District of Missouri. “The Western District of Missouri is proud to have worked alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to enforce the Animal Welfare Act and hold those responsible accountable. Through these efforts, we help protect those that cannot defend themselves.” According to court documents filed in the case, the defendant ran a dog fighting operation. He invited several others to participate in a multi-card dog fighting event known as “Mayhem Madness 2025” to be held at his residence in Kansas City on May 17, 2025. Parties traveled with fighting dogs from multiple states and used rental cars and short-term, internet-based vacation rental housing in connection with their trip to attend the “Mayhem Madness 2025” dog fighting event. At the event, four dog fights were set to take place and three occurred. During the overnight period of May 17–18, 2025, after all dog fights were completed, the defendant polled attendees for their views on which dog performed the best and which was the “gamest,” or most willing to continue fighting despite injury, of the evening. The defendant awarded large trophies for “Best in Show” and “Gamest in Show” to two of the dog fight participants. Wilson further purchased and received a puppy from one of the out-of-state participants and intended to possess this dog for fighting purposes. During a search warrant executed at Wilson’s residence on May 20, 2025, agents recovered sixteen fighting dogs, four of whom were pregnant and soon thereafter gave birth to 31 puppies. Agents also recovered items used in connection with the possession and maintenance of fighting dogs, such as medications, syringes, a “slatmill” dog treadmill, and fighting dog “pedigrees.” The defendant was further found in unlawful possession of a 5.56mm pistol loaded and chambered with 29 rounds of ammunition. The dogs were rescued and cared for by a program administered by the U.S. Marshals Service. Following a separate, successful civil forfeiture action brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, these dogs did not have to be returned to the defendant, but instead, could be rehabilitated and evaluated for possible adoption. Under federal law, it is illegal not only to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce, but also to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes. Each of the three dog fighting counts carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a criminal fine of up to $250,000. The firearm charge carries a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison and a criminal fine of up to $250,000. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General and the Jackson County Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Becker, David Barnes, and James Kirkpatrick for the Western District of Missouri and Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Farmakidis for the Western District of Missouri handled the civil forfeiture case for the dogs.


title: Justice Department Dismisses Alaska Lawsuit, Conceding Biden Era Oil and Gas Leasing Program Violated the Law

body_text: The Department of Justice’s Energy and Natural Resources Division filed a stipulation today dismissing lawsuits by the State of Alaska and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, concerning those plaintiffs’ challenges to the 2024 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program. The lawsuits arose because the 2024 Program had imposed various restrictions on development, with the effect of frustrating Congress’s directive that the Department of the Interior establish and administer a competitive oil and gas leasing program in the Coastal Plain region of the Arctic Refuge. “The Biden era Alaska oil and gas leasing program violated the law and improperly limited Alaska’s energy potential with unreasonable regulation,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This settlement supports the Trump Administration’s commitment to secure American energy independence and our national security for generations to come.” “This settlement sets the record straight that the Biden administration’s 2024 restrictions on oil and gas production in Alaska were overly restrictive and contrary to Congress’s clear command to establish a competitive oil and gas leasing program in Alaska’s Coastal Plain,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “Today’s correction of the prior administration’s congressional obstruction helps enhance America’s energy dominance and prevents any future repetition of overreaching policies that thwart our Nation’s best interests.” “This settlement furthers President Trump’s commitment to unleash Alaska’s extraordinary resource potential,” said Adam Gustafson, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division. “The Bureau of Land Management will now administer its oil and gas leasing program according to the plain meaning of the controlling statute. That means more oil leasing, more domestic energy, and more independence from foreign sources of energy.” The settlement concedes that the 2024 Program violated the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in various ways, including by: effectively abdicating Interior’s duty to conduct a second lease sale; closing 75% of the 1.56 million-acre Coastal Plain to exploration and leasing; imposing unreasonable surface use restrictions on the remaining 25%; and unreasonably restricting surface disturbance to 995 acres Program-wide, instead of the “up to 2,000 acres” explicitly provided for in the Tax Act. The settlement advances national and energy security interests by clarifying the Tax Act’s requirements, identifying violations of those requirements, and prohibiting the Department of the Interior from repeating those violations in any future decision governing the Program.


title: Justice Department Announces Completion of Compliance Review After Minnesota Repeals Grant Program Based on Unlawful DEI Criteria

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, the Justice Department announced that the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) voluntarily resolved the Department’s compliance review under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI). The Department opened a review of MDH’s Capacity Strengthening Initiative grant program because it used race, color, and national origin to determine which applicants received funding. Because MDH has now ended the grant program, the Department is closing its review. “Recipients of federal dollars cannot decide who benefits from those funds on the basis of race, color, or national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department appreciates that the State of Minnesota has recognized this foundational principle and has repealed the statute governing the program.” The Capacity Strengthening Initiative grant program was purportedly established to help organizations serving “people of color.” The grant program limited eligible grantees to organizations that worked with “people of color,” provided “strategic consideration and g[a]ve priority” to proposals from organizations “led by populations of color,” and ensured that grant funds were prioritized and awarded to organizations that were within counties that had a higher proportion of “Black or African American” and “nonwhite Latino(a)” communities. After the Department notified MDH of the compliance review, Minnesota repealed the Capacity Strengthening Initiative grant program’s enabling statute and MDH confirmed the program had ended. Title VI prohibits race, color, or national origin discrimination by recipients of Federal financial assistance, including the Minnesota Department of Health. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt .


title: Founder/CEO and Clinical President of Digital Health Company Sentenced to 72 Months and 24 Months, Respectively, for $90 Million Scheme to Distribute over 37 Million Pills of Adderall

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: The founder and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ruthia He of Done Global Inc., a California-based digital mental health company, was sentenced today to six years in prison and a fine of $1 million for orchestrating a scheme that used her company’s technology platform, compensation structure, and clinical protocols to unlawfully distribute over 37 million pills of Adderall, defraud insurers of over $12 million, and obstruct the federal investigation that followed. The defendant spent over $40 million on social media advertisements to deceive Americans into believing they had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), falsely diagnosing patients with ADHD, and distributing Adderall, including to patients who the company was warned were suffering from Adderall psychosis, bipolar, depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions that were worsened by stimulant prescriptions. The goal of the conspiracy was to obtain an over $1 billion valuation by fueling user growth through a subscription for prescription business model whereby patients paid a monthly fee for prescriptions that were automatically refilled and obtained through a frictionless technology platform. Co-defendant David Brody, Done’s former clinical president, was separately sentenced to two years in prison a fine of $1 million. “Ruthia He hid behind the cloak of medicine to deceive the public, defraud health care programs, and unlawfully deal highly addictive drugs to vulnerable patients,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Ruthia He’s business model cast aside medical necessity and patient care in favor of profit and greed. Today’s sentence is a clear warning to every digital health boardroom: if you build fraud or illegal drug distribution into your growth model, the Department of Justice will find you and bring you to justice.” “Drug traffickers are driven by profits, not people,” said U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian for the Northern District of California. “Whether they operate from a street corner or from a computer, the motive and the resulting harm are the same. These defendants made a choice to operate a telehealth platform that ignored medical necessity and as a result put patients at risk. Today’s sentences send an important message: Telehealth companies prescribing controlled substances must follow medical standards, prioritize patient safety, and comply with the law, and those who do not will be held responsible.” “Today’s sentencing reflects the serious consequences of abusing the public’s trust and corrupting the nation’s controlled substance system for personal profit,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “The defendants used the convenience of telemedicine to facilitate the unlawful distribution of highly addictive stimulants, placing communities at risk and undermining legitimate patient care. Whether the scheme operates on a street corner or behind a computer screen, DEA and our partners will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who traffic in prescription drugs for criminal gain.” “Today’s sentencing makes clear that people who use technology as a cover to push dangerous drugs and exploit federal health care programs will pay a heavy price,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of HHS‑OIG. “These defendants harmed patients, undermined clinicians, and stole taxpayer dollars. High‑tech fraud schemes are still just fraud, and HHS‑OIG will continue to work with our partners to pursue justice for victims and hold fraudsters accountable.” According to court documents, defendants used a technology platform, management incentives, and clinical protocols that were designed together to corrupt medical decision-making at a national scale. Defendants sought to build a billion-dollar technology company and raise money from investors by advertising easy access to Adderall and other stimulants in exchange for payment of a monthly subscription fee: Done Health adertisement. Other ads deceived Americans who suffered from other mental health conditions — or simply from inattentiveness due to aging or a lack of structure due to work-from-home policies — into thinking that they were suffering from ADHD, and that Adderall was the solution to their problems. “When fraudsters steal from Medicare and Medicaid, they’re also stealing from the elderly, disabled, and low-income Americans who depend on these programs and from the taxpayers who fund them,” said Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “But it’s never just about the money. The evidence prosecutors assembled in this case confirms what we’ve seen countless times before: that scammers who are willing to steal your money don’t mind stealing your health or even your life. CMS is proud to work alongside the Justice Department and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud to put criminals like He and Brody behind bars, where they can’t steal from hardworking taxpayers or harm vulnerable Americans anymore.” Evidence at trial showed that the defendants used a combination of carrots and sticks to cause unnecessary prescriptions. The defendants refused to hire or fired Done clinicians who did not participate in the conspiracy, while paying up to $60,000 per month to clinicians who signed Adderall prescriptions every 30 seconds. The defendants pressured clinicians to diagnose ADHD in initial visits capped at half the length of a typical examination and pressured them to prescribe stimulants to patients who the clinicians did not believe had ADHD or who were at risk for serious side effects. The defendants also used an “auto-refill” platform technology feature after an initial diagnosis to minimize follow-up appointments, where prescribers signed prescriptions for Adderall based on an automatically generated message that a patient desired a refill. Because of these policies, some patients went years without seeing clinicians, who continually authorized refills even through involuntary psychiatric holds or after the patients had died. Brody himself personally wrote prescriptions for 394,324 Schedule II stimulant pills prescribed to 6,559 Done members who were complete strangers to him: he never evaluated them or even reviewed a single patient record. Brody even admitted that “it only [took him] 30 seconds per refill” prescription because he never checked patients’ medical records. As he told defendant He, his dream job at Done would allow him to make money “WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO SEE OR TALK TO THE PATIENT[s].” “Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting American communities from the devastating impact of prescription drug abuse and corporate fraud,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “These defendants deliberately corrupted medical decision-making and flooded communities with over 40 million pills of Adderall, fueling addiction and worsening the prescription epidemic across the United States. “Their actions put vulnerable patients — including children — at risk. They ignored repeated warnings from clinicians and families, and prioritized profit over safety and health. This case demonstrates the critical role HSI plays in investigating and dismantling complex criminal enterprises that exploit technology and the health care system for profit. HSI remains steadfast in our mission to protect the public and ensure that those who endanger lives for personal gain face the full consequences of their actions.” The evidence at trial showed that defendants were repeatedly warned by clinical leaders that they would face “legal consequences” for furthering illegal prescriptions, but they nevertheless persisted. He told providers and employees who raised concerns that she would buy an expensive luxury car for the “first person to get arrested.” Defendants also prohibited independent clinical practitioners from discharging patients, and patients 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. Three mothers testified at trial about their desperate efforts to warn Done that it should not be prescribing to their children, which Done ignored. “When people put profit above the safety and well-being of others, they undermine trust in the systems we all rely on,” said Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. of IRS-CI New York. “IRS-CI special agents are specially equipped to trace the complex financial trails left behind by those seeking to enrich themselves at the expense of patient care and public safety. We stand up for victims and remain vigilant, holding individuals accountable for brazen schemes that put lives at risk.” Brody encouraged Done’s practitioners to disregard the widely accepted DSM-V criteria. Indeed, Brody described these addictive substances to Done employees as candy that Done providers handed out like Santa Claus. Brody acknowledged that Done’s practices were “on the edge” of the law, remarking that people who were “really into the law” were not his cup of tea. When one prescriber expressed concerns about the legality of Done’s prescribing practices, defendant Brody said that she should prescribe stimulants to patients “no matter what and not worry about going to jail.” 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 $12.3 million. In 2022, faced with scrutiny from the media, He and Brody lied about Done’s policies. When national pharmacy chains began blocking Done prescriptions due to safety concerns, the defendants falsely claimed to have robust compliance measures to ensure the pills kept flowing. Internal documents showed that defendant He ultimately created a secondary entity, Mindful Mental Wellness, specifically to bypass pharmacy blocks and continue dispensing stimulants. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s investigation reached beyond the individual clinicians writing the prescriptions to examine how corporate decisionmakers controlled its operations. To obstruct the government’s investigation, the evidence at trial showed that He moved operations to China to make personnel and evidence unavailable. After receipt of the grand jury subpoena issued to Done, He instructed Done employees to move to encrypted messaging applications, such as Signal and WhatsApp, to discuss sensitive company business, instead of using official company platforms that were being collected by Done’s attorneys for production to the government. He also turned on “disappearing messages” in her communications with Done colleagues, rendering it impossible to obtain such messages. He also personally deleted and directed employees to delete incriminatory documents and messages from the company servers. As the investigation closed in, He continued to move assets and company operations abroad. She researched non-extradition countries on her MacBook and saved a screenshot of the results: Image of He's search for non-extradition countries. Chart of Done Global Advertising-Related Payments to China. Notification of He turning on disappearing messages. In Feb. 2023, agents intercepted He on her way to the airport, bound for a flight to Hong Kong. She surrendered her passport and was warned that leaving the country would result in arrest. Four months later, however, she secretly obtained a Chinese travel document that would allow her to travel to China — a fact she concealed from the court and law enforcement following her arrest and that ultimately led to her pretrial detention due to her risk of flight. He also set up a shell company — MakeBelieve Asia — and transferred millions of dollars to China. In Nov. 2025, 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. The DEA, HHS-OIG, HSI, and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Acting Health Care Fraud Unit Chief Jacob Foster, Assistant Chief Emily Gurskis, and Trial Attorneys Arun Bodapati and Raymond Beckering III of the Justice Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Green for the Northern District of California prosecuted the case. The sentence is the first sentence announced since the creation of the West Coast Strike Force in the Northern District of California, District of Arizona, and District of Nevada . On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. Since its inception in March 2007, the Fraud Division’s Health Care Strike Force program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, CMS, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, 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: Hairstylist aboard cruise ship charged with abusive sexual contact with two cruise guests

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A 26-year-old citizen of India will appear in U.S. District Court in Tacoma today charged with two counts of abusive sexual contact aboard a cruise ship, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Pranit Narayan Pawar was arrested late last week when the cruise ship Brilliant Lady docked in Seattle. Pawar was employed on the ship as a hairstylist. The complaint alleges he sexually molested multiple passengers under the guise of giving them a massage. Pawar will make his initial appearance in Tacoma at 2:00 today. According to the criminal complaint, Pawar was hired to provide hair care services, but during a recent cruise to Alaska he began offering massages to women who booked hair appointments. In one instance he allegedly offered a free massage to a victim if she agreed to book three appointments with the salon. In the two cases charged in the complaint, Pawar allegedly moved the victims into a small room next to the salon, and while offering a massage, Pawar allegedly moved his hands under the victims’ shirt and onto their breasts. In at least one instance Pawar allegedly locked the door before assaulting the victim. The case is being prosecuted in federal court because the crimes occurred within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. The FBI is tasked with investigating physical and sexual assaults within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction. If you have been a victim of one of these crimes on a cruise or have witnessed one take place, report it to cruise ship security staff immediately. If you are no longer on the cruise and want to report the above, contact your local police and the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov. Learn more about FBI investigations of crimes committed onboard cruise ships: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/crimes-onboard-cruise-ships Abusive sexual contact is punishable by up to two years in prison. The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean H. Waite. pawar_complaint.pdf


title: Popular Wedding Venue Owner in North Carolina Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jason Lottman, 43, of Charlotte, and former owner of Champagne Manor, a popular wedding venue in Monroe, North Carolina, appeared in federal court today and pleaded guilty to wire fraud for defrauding customers and investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “In North Carolina, we don’t mess with brides,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Weddings are once-in-a-lifetime events where individuals spend significant savings, and we will be vigilant to ensure they are not defrauded while they plan their special day.” According to court documents and today’s plea hearing, from October 2023 through January 2025, Lottman orchestrated a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million from customers and investors connected to Champaign Manor. As part of the scheme, Lottman solicited investments in Champagne Manor by promising ownership interests, guaranteed returns, or other financial incentives while making false statements to secure the investment money. In addition, Lottman marketed all-inclusive wedding packages to customers interested in using his venue, that required customers to pay upfront for vendors such as caterers, photographers, florists, DJs, and hair and makeup artists, representing that Lottman would pay those vendors directly or reimburse customers who chose to use their own vendors. Then, Lottman failed to pay those vendors, leaving customers to pay out-of-pocket for services they had already paid for through Lottman. In mid-2024, Champagne Manor defaulted on its mortgage and foreclosure proceedings began. Even though Lottman knew the venue was in severe financial distress and would ultimately cease operations, he continued to solicit payments from customers and investors, while concealing the venue’s dire financial condition. To induce victims to part with their money, Lottman made numerous false representations, including claiming that Champagne Manor was acquiring a glass ballroom that would serve as collateral for certain investment programs. In reality, the ballroom was never purchased. Lottman also offered customers investment-style programs and promotional discounts that promised future repayments or refunds that he knew he could not fulfil. In furtherance of the scheme, Lottman falsely represented to victims that they would receive payments by certain dates. When he missed making the payments, Lottman repeatedly misrepresented the reasons for the delayed payments. The statutory maximum penalty for the wire fraud charge is 20 years in prison. Lottman’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not been set. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the FBI for the investigation of the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Hammond Woman Indicted for Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Faces up to life in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: LAFAYETTE – On June 17, 2026, a federal grand jury in Lafayette returned an indictment charging Kimberly Deshay Hill , 52, of Hammond, with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and § 841(b)(1)(A)(ii). Hill faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in federal prison for the charges. According to court documents, on March 31, 2026, a Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office CAT Unit deputy stopped Hill’s vehicle on I-10 for a traffic violation. Hill had no valid driver’s license, an unrestrained child in the car, and gave conflicting statements about her travel plans. A K-9 alerted to narcotics and a search of the vehicle uncovered twelve kilogram-sized packages of cocaine weighing about 29.8 pounds, as depicted below: Homeland Security Homeland Security U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case, led by Special Agent Matthew Moon. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Sarver with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Joanne Henry-Mills. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla . Related court documents may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is 2:26-cr-00238-01. ### Public Affairs United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Louisiana USALAW-News@usdoj.gov www.justice.gov/usao-wdla Twitter @USAO_WDLA


title: SDTX adds 256 more cases in ongoing border enforcement efforts

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 259 individuals have been charged in immigration and border security-related crimes from June 26-July 3, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. The Southern District filed a total of 188 criminal complaints for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 40 people face charges of illegal entry. Most of those individuals have previous convictions, such as narcotics and violent crimes, immigration offenses and more. The cases also include 26 people allegedly involved in human smuggling, while the remaining five matters relate to other immigration offenses and assaulting officers. Among those charged with felony reentry include a Guatemalan illegal alien with a prior conviction for rape of a child, according to the charges. However, law enforcement discovered Jelber Botello-Hernandez near La Grulla, with no authorization to be in the United States. Also found in the same area was Mexican national Rogelio Rodriguez-Jaimes who allegedly has a prior conviction for unlawful transportation of firearms. Authorities also allegedly found Mexican nationals Armando Almaguer-Trejo and Eva Karina Gomez-Salazar in the McAllen area without legal authorization to be in the United States. According to the criminal complaints, Almaguer-Trejo has a prior conviction for DUI with a child, while Gomez-Salazar was previously convicted of drug trafficking, according to their respective charges. All four had just been removed during various months this year, according to the charges. If convicted of felony reentry after removal, all face up to 20 years in federal prison. The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Honduran illegal alien guilty after flight from trooper

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 46-year-old illegal alien who resided in Corpus Christi has been convicted of illegally reentering the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. A federal jury deliberated for approximately 15 minutes before returning the guilty verdict against Carlos Lopez-Mejia aka Eddi Alberto Lopez-Mejia following a one-day trial. On Sept. 6, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with excessively tinted windows and a non-complaint stop lamp. The driver presented a Mexican identification card and admitted he was present in the United States illegally. Lopez-Mejia was the passenger in the front seat. Authorities also asked for his identification, but he refused to provide it or answer any questions. Upon the arrival of additional members of law enforcement, Lopez-Mejia exited the vehicle and fled on foot to a nearby apartment, but was quickly taken into custody. The investigation revealed Lopez-Mejia had been removed from the United States in 2001 and 2019. At trial, the jury heard from several members of law enforcement who provided details about the arrest, his prior removals from the United States, fingerprint analysis confirming his identity and that Lopez-Mejia had never sought status to legally enter or remain in the United States. The defense attempted to convince the jury that the records of the prior removals were unreliable. They did not believe those claims and found Lopez-Mejia guilty as charged. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos presided over the trial and set sentencing for Oct. 7. At that time, Lopez-Mejia faces up to two years in federal prison. He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Izaak Bruce and Zachary Bird prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Mississippi Man Sentenced for Firearms Trafficking

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS — A Mississippi man was sentenced on July 2, 2026, to 27 months for illegally buying and selling firearms that were later resold and subsequently recovered at multiple crime scenes. According to court documents, between March 15, 2022, and July 27, 2023, Jonathan Levon Warner, 28, of Jackson, Mississippi, purchased at least 33 firearms, primarily Glocks, at gun stores and shows in the Southern District of Mississippi and elsewhere. Warner and another individual purchased these firearms to resell for profit to an individual from Chicago. Neither Warner nor the other individual possessed a federal firearms license to resell the guns. The individual from Chicago would travel to Jackson, Mississippi to purchase the firearms and pay Warner with cash or send him money using Cashapp. Nine firearms that Warner purchased and later resold were recovered in the Chicago area by law enforcement. At least five of the firearms were recovered by law enforcement during suspected crimes; three of which were recovered from individuals who could not lawfully possess a firearm, i.e., did not possess a Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card or Concealed Carry License (CCL), or were convicted felons. Six of the nine firearms were recovered in the Chicago area within nine months or less of the purchase date. According to court documents, Warner admitted to law enforcement that he sold approximately 20 but no more than 40 firearms to the individual from Chicago. Warner also admitted that he would make a profit of $200 to $300 per firearm. Warner plead guilty on April 7 to the unlicensed firearms dealing charge. “The illegal sale of firearms often arms the most dangerous criminals in our communities and directly contributes to ongoing violence,” said United States Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger. “I commend the Special Agents of ATF and our prosecutors for holding Warner accountable.” “This defendant’s actions showed a complete disregard for public safety – illegally buying and selling guns without a license to individuals and convicted felons that resulted in violent crime incidents in Chicago,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Denham. “ATF will continue to work alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure these offenders are removed from our communities and held fully accountable with significant sentences to be served in prison.” Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Denham of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement. The ATF investigated this case. Trial Attorney Lakeita Rox-Love and Deputy Chief Kelly Pearson of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amber Jones and Matt Allen for the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.


title: Jackson Man Sentenced to Over 27 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation, Cyberstalking, and Sextortion Offenses

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Jackson man was sentenced on July 2, 2026, to 27.5 years in federal prison for charges relating to a “sextortion” scheme that targeted multiple victims, including minors, across several states. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and pay restitution to his victims. According to court documents and statements made in court, Marquez Cameron Jones Weston, 24, operated a “sextortion” scheme in which he engaged in cyberstalking, interstate threats, extortion, attempted production of child pornography, and transportation of child pornography over the internet. As part of the scheme, Weston attempted to and did extort money and sexually explicit photographic images and videos from numerous female victims, some of whom were minors, over the internet. Weston was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Northern Division of the Southern District of Mississippi on September 25, 2024. Weston pleaded guilty to attempted production of child pornography, transportation of child pornography over the internet, extortion, and cyberstalking on February 20, 2025. “The facts in this case are some of the most egregious and disturbing I have ever seen. I am proud of the professionalism demonstrated by our investigative and prosecutorial team who worked diligently to bring justice to the victims of Weston’s heinous crimes,” stated United States Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger. United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Sam Houston State University Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly T. Purdie and Dave Fulcher prosecuted the case. The FBI provides the following six tips on how people can protect themselves from sextortion schemes: Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you. Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers. Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims. Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and this person asks you to start talking on a different platform. Be in the know. Any content you create online—whether it is a text message, photo, or video—can be made public. And nothing actually “disappears” online. Once you send something, you don’t have any control over where it goes next. Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone. If you, your child, or someone you know is being exploited via sextortion, contact your local FBI field office , call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or report it online at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) . Additional resources can found at Sextortion and Financially Motivated Sextortion — FBI . If you believe you are a victim in this particular case, please also contact the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.


title: Essex County Businessman Sentenced to Prison for $2 Million Food Stamp Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey business owner was sentenced to 27 months in prison for defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of over $2 million, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced. Victor Madera, 67, of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was sentenced on July 1, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court. He previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to defraud SNAP and one count of engaging in SNAP benefits fraud. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Madera owned a medium-sized grocery store in East Orange, New Jersey and was an authorized participant in SNAP. SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program, is a U.S. Department of Agriculture program that uses federal tax dollars to subsidize low-income households, providing those households the opportunity to maintain a more nutritious diet by increasing their purchasing power of eligible food products. Between May 2017 and November 2024, employees at Madera’s business illegally exchanged SNAP benefits for cash. The employees entered inflated dollar amounts for allegedly eligible SNAP transactions and provided SNAP recipients a percentage of the transaction’s value in cash, keeping the remainder. As a result of this conduct, Madera received SNAP redemptions far in excess of the true value of food and other SNAP-eligible items actually received by SNAP recipients. Madera, through his business, unlawfully exchanged over $2.2 million of SNAP benefits for cash. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Madera to 1 year of supervised release and ordered him to pay over $2.2 million in restitution and forfeiture. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano, Chief of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Stephen Turano, Esq.


title: Waverly Man Sentenced to 135 Months for Transportation and Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Joshua Hecht, 26, of Waverly, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 6, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for transportation of child pornography and possession of child pornography. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Hecht to 135 months’ imprisonment for transportation of child pornography and 120 months’ imprisonment for possession of child pornography. The terms of imprisonment will be run concurrently to one another. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Hecht will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Beginning in October 2023, Hecht contacted Victim 1 over Snapchat. Victim 1 was a 16-year-old male residing outside of the United States. Hecht maintained contact with Victim 1 and used Victim 1 to create visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct over Snapchat video chat. Specifically, Hecht took screenshots of Victim 1 masturbating. On January 26, 2024, Hecht flew from Omaha, to Chicago, Illinois, with the plan to fly to meet Victim 1 in person. HSI agents had previously become aware of Hecht’s intended travel and observed Hecht board the flight in Omaha and exit the flight in Chicago. Hecht was then contacted by HSI agents in the jetway, which is the functional equivalent of the border, as he was boarding his flight to leave the United States to meet Victim 1. The agents did a border search of Hecht’s phone and found the images of Victim 1 on Hecht’s phone. Agents then seized Hecht’s phone. Hecht’s phone was then extracted pursuant to a search warrant and reviewed. On Hecht’s phone, agents found multiple videos, depicting Victim 1 and Hecht masturbating on Facetime video calls. 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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 14 years for Distributing Methamphetamine and Possessing Firearms as a Felon

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

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Keith McDougald, 46, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 25, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for methamphetamine distribution and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced McDougald to 168 months’ imprisonment on each count to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After McDougald’s release from prison, he will serve a three-year term of supervised release. Between the dates of January 29, 2024, and September 4, 2024, an Omaha Police Department confidential source purchased methamphetamine and firearms from McDougald and firearms from his relative, Demetrius Hunter. At that time, both McDougald and Hunter were prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions. McDougald had a conviction for attempted first-degree sexual assault. Hunter’s convictions were for operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest and possession of a firearm by a felon. On January 29, 2024, McDougald sold the confidential source 114 grams of methamphetamine in a parking lot. On February 19, 2024, McDougald sold the source 392 grams of methamphetamine in another parking lot. On April 29, 2024, McDougald contacted the source and told the source that he and his nephew (Hunter) were available to meet near 30th and Lake streets to sell a firearm. They sold the source a Sig Sauer P220 .45 cal. handgun and magazine containing seven .45 cal. rounds. On May 14, 2024, McDougald brokered the sale of a Polymer 80 PFC940C 9mm handgun and a high-capacity drum magazine containing one live 9mm round, to the source, for Hunter. On May 22, 2024, McDougald brokered the sale of a Glock 26 9mm handgun and the three magazines, to the source, for Hunter. On May 27, 2024, McDougald and Hunter sold the source an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 multi-caliber pistol and an empty magazine. On June 3, 2024, Hunter was arrested and booked at the county jail for unrelated charges and while he was incarcerated, he arranged for the sale of a Norinco SKS 7.62x39 cal. rifle, which McDougald sold to the source on June 12, 2024. On July 25, 2024, McDougald sold the source a Cobrayo M11/9 9mm handgun. On August 31, 2024, after Hunter’s release from jail, he sold the source an AM-15 short-barreled rifle and a 60-round magazine, a 100 round drum magazine, and twenty live .223 cal. rounds. Demetrius Hunter pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm on November 25, 2025 and was sentenced to 92 months to be served concurrently and 3 years supervised release on both counts on March 12, 2026. United States Attorney Lesley Woods said, “I want to congratulate the Omaha Police Department and ATF for taking an armed registered sex offender off the street and out of our communities. Unfortunately, it appears this defendant refuses to make better life choices no matter how many convictions have stacked up for him at this point. Nebraska is safer with McDougald behind bars. I am grateful to OPD and ATF for making this case and doing the community an invaluable service in the process.” 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 was primarily investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Omaha Police Department.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to 10 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Emerson Reyes-Andrade, 32, of San Salvador, El Salvador, was sentenced on July 2, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Reyes-Andrade to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Reyes-Andrade is released from prison, he will be deported as he is not a United States citizen and was in the country illegally. Reyes-Andrade was charged as a result of his involvement with a Mexico source of supply of methamphetamine who supplies the Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa, areas with methamphetamine via a local network of drug couriers. On September 4, 2024, a cooperating witness working with law enforcement contacted the Mexican source and ordered two pounds of methamphetamine. The source sent Reyes-Andrade who met the cooperator at an Omaha location where he delivered approximately two pounds of methamphetamine to the cooperator. On November 21, 2024, a search warrant was executed on Reyes-Andrade’s Omaha residence revealing approximately seven grams of methamphetamine. On that same date another search warrant was served on an Omaha residence where Reyes-Andrade had been seen frequenting, and approximately 110 pounds of methamphetamine were discovered. This prosecution 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. HSTF Omaha comprises agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, USPIS, the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, and assistance of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska.


title: Dodge County Sheriff Charged and Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: On Monday, July 6, 2026, United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced criminal charges against Dustin Weitzel, 46, of Fremont, Nebraska. Weitzel was charged by information with one count of wire fraud. The penalties for wire fraud are a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment, a maximum $250,000 fine, both such imprisonment and a fine, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment of $100. Weitzel is scheduled to be sentenced before Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. on October 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. The Dodge County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 17 (FOP17) was created in approximately 2006. It was a requirement for all Dodge County Sheriff’s Deputies to be members of FOP17. It was also required for all FOP17 members to pay dues which were collected via an automatic paycheck withdrawal. Weitzel has been employed by the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office since 1999. At some point prior to 2018, Weitzel became Treasurer for FOP17 and served as Treasurer until February 2023. Weitzel stopped serving as Treasurer for FOP17 upon his being elected Sheriff of Dodge County. The dues for FOP17 were used to pay for FOP17’s attorney, an annual golf tournament, training, and various charitable causes. Weitzel’s role as Treasurer was to oversee the collection of dues, maintain the bank accounts, and report on the status of FOP17 funds at the FOP17 meetings. FOP17 had three bank accounts at First State Bank and Trust Co.: a checking account, a golf funds account, and a savings account. At all relevant times in the Information, Weitzel was the only FOP17 member with online access to FOP17’s bank accounts. Weitzel was also a signer on all three accounts. From April 2018 through February 2022, while Weitzel was Treasurer for FOP17, he made 84 transactions between the FOP17 accounts at First State Bank and Trust Co. and Weitzel’s personal bank accounts at RVR Bank. These transactions were not authorized by the FOP17 Board and were not for FOP17 purposes. Many of the transfers from the FOP17 accounts into Weitzel’s personal accounts were to prevent overdrafts in Weitzel’s personal accounts. In total, $45,500 was wired from FOP17 accounts into Weitzel’s personal accounts. Weitzel in turn returned $40,750.01 in funds from his personal accounts to FOP17 accounts prior to detection. The remaining balance missing from FOP17 accounts is $4,749.99. As part of this scheme, on August 28, 2020, Weitzel initiated a wire transfer in the amount of $2,500 from the FOP17 checking account at First State Bank and Trust Co. to Weitzel’s personal checking account at RVR Bank. Weitzel was interviewed and admitted to this conduct. As part of his plea agreement, Weitzel agreed that he will surrender his law enforcement certification before the sentencing date in this case and that he will not work as a law enforcement officer in the future. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Colombian Woman and Venezuelan Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of Minors

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Michel Daiana Martinez-Gonzalez, 29, of Colombia, and Alfredo Manuel Zambrano-Hurtado, 26, of Venezuela, were each sentenced on July 6, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for their roles in sex trafficking of two minors. Martinez-Gonzalez was sentenced for two counts of sex trafficking of a minor by force and Zambrano-Hurtado was sentenced for two counts of sex trafficking of a minor. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Martinez-Gonzalez to 210 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Martinez-Gonzalez’s release from prison, she will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Co-defendant Zambrano-Hurtado was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Zambrano-Hurtado’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Martinez Gonzalez and Zambrano-Hurtado entered the United States illegally in 2022. Senior Judge Bataillon ordered both to pay special assessments of $10,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. On January 6, 2025, the Omaha Police Department received a report of a theft. Responding officers identified indicia of sex trafficking. The Omaha Police Department-Homeland Security Investigations Human Trafficking Task Force immediately began investigating and recovered two minor females, aged 15 and 16, who had been transported to the AmericInn hotel in Omaha by Zambrano-Hurtado from out of state to be sold for commercial sex. The two minor females reported that Eduardo Jose Perdomo and Michel Martinez-Gonzalez were both advertising the minors online for commercial sex and arranging commercial sex acts with buyers. Zambrano-Hurtado admitted to transporting Perdomo and the victims to Nebraska and transporting one of the minors for commercial sex acts on at least two occasions. The evidence showed that Zambrano-Hurtado also assisted with keeping watch at the hotel. Martinez-Gonzalez admitted that she knew the victims were minors and knew that Perdomo had an arrangement with the hotel employees that they could have sex with the victims anytime they wanted in exchange for allowing them to stay at the hotel. Martinez-Gonzalez further admitted to paying a man in the Dominican Republic to rent two online commercial sex advertisements. Martinez-Gonzalez claimed that one page was intended for her own work in prostitution while the other she rented to Perdomo, but Martinez-Gonzalez got tired of commercial sex work and began utilizing the minors for commercial sex with the clients who responded to her page as well. Perdomo is scheduled for sentencing in front of Senior Judge Bataillon on July 20, 2026. “Not all prisons have bars on the doors. Homeland Security Investigations freed these children from a physical and mental prison when they tore down this criminal organization and ripped them out of Nebraska’s streets and put real bars between these human traffickers and the innocent children they were preying on daily,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods. “There is no greater evil than the kind of evil that financially profits from the sex trafficking of a child by force and from enslaving children in the commercial sex trade. Martinez-Gonzalez exploited children in an unthinkable manner for her own selfish gain. She illegally immigrated to the United States to commit the worst crimes imaginable against children in our country. She deserves every second, minute, hour, and month of her federal prison sentence and more. Human traffickers are not welcome in Nebraska, and they would be wise to leave before we catch them because no mercy will be shown to them if we get to them first.” “HSI’s mission is to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities, and there is no greater priority than safeguarding children from exploitation,” said Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Acting Special Agent in Charge Rick Sabatini. “The sentences handed down today reflect the seriousness of these crimes and the focused commitment of HSI and our partners to dismantle trafficking networks and bring predators to justice. Martinez-Gonzalez preyed on innocent children, inflicting unimaginable harm for her own profit. Thanks to the tireless work of our agents and the dedication of the prosecution team, these traffickers will spend years behind bars, unable to harm another child. HSI will continue to pursue those who exploit children with relentless determination, and we will not rest until every victim is rescued and every trafficker is held accountable.” This prosecution 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. HSTF Omaha comprises agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, USPIS, the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, and assistance of the Omaha Police Department with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska.


title: Former College Basketball Player Charged with Defrauding Victims of $2.2 Million

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — Former college basketball player and Estonian national Kerr Kriisa was arrested and will appear in federal court this week on five counts of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. According to court documents, from 2022 through June 2, 2026, Kriisa, 25, in Monongalia County, West Virginia and elsewhere, allegedly carried out a scheme to obtain nearly $2.2 million from multiple victims using false representations, fabricated identities, and deceptive communications. The indictment alleges that Kriisa posed as various individuals — including fictional contacts and family members — and falsely claimed he and his family were in danger, that his mother needed cancer treatment, or that family property required urgent financial support. “Financial fraud schemes erode trust and cause real harm to victims who believed they were helping someone in need,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “Our office will continue to pursue individuals who exploit others through deception. We are committed to holding them accountable for their actions.” Kriisa allegedly requested repeated payments from two victims and, at times, directed one victim to send money to the other under false pretenses. The indictment describes numerous emails and text messages sent as part of the scheme, including five specific wire transmissions tied to the charged counts. In April 2025, Kriisa allegedly signed a written agreement promising to repay one victim $100,000 by February 2026, which prosecutors say was also fraudulent. Kriisa played basketball for the University of Arizona, West Virginia University, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Cincinnati. The government is seeking forfeiture of any proceeds traceable to the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of approximately $2.2 million. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating. An indictment is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Read the filed indictment here: kriisa_indictment.pdf