title: Eastern NC Drug Pipeline Dismantled: 35 Years Federal Prison

body_text: Raleigh, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Alexander Sandoval, 29, to thirty‑five years in federal prison for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl, meth, and cocaine throughout the Eastern District of North Carolina. On December 12, 2025, Sandoval plead guilty to conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of meth, distributing 50 grams or more of meth, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug‑trafficking crime. “This depraved drug pusher pumped staggering amounts of fentanyl, meth, and cocaine into our communities, hiding his poison in furniture and moving it across Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Even up to the bitter end, armed with a revolver, fleeing at more than 100 miles an hour, and running from officers on foot, he refused to stop. But, in the end, he fought the law and the law won. Let this be a stark warning, we will put you in prison for decades. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill, Prison Awaits – Do Right.” In 2022, investigators identified Sandoval as a narcotics supplier. As they expanded their investigation, law enforcement discovered his drug‑trafficking organization hid fentanyl, meth, and cocaine inside furniture and shipped to Fayetteville. Once the shipments arrived, he directed others to retrieve the packages, dismantle the furniture, and collect the drugs for distribution. Sandoval’s operation moved approximately 79 pounds of fentanyl, 1,817 pounds of meth, and 174 pounds of cocaine into Eastern North Carolina. Literally a ton of poison meant to kill citizens and their children so he and his minions could scam a few bucks. Between February and June 2023, investigators conducted several controlled meth purchases from Sandoval, who consistently carried a firearm during the drugs. When Hope Mills Police later attempted to stop him for speeding, he took off, leading officers on a high‑speed chase that exceeded 100 mph before he abandoned his vehicle and ran away on foot. As he fled, he unsuccessfully tried to toss a revolver and meth, but the cops eventually found those after they arrested him. Despite his track history for criminal recklessness, the state judges just released him from state custody. Sandoval immediately returned to his criminal ways. Within just a few months, he again fled in a high-speed chase from police, eventually ditching his car, and attempted to toss his cocaine. Despite his arrest, Sandoval remained undeterred, shamelessly making multiple phone calls from jail to organize his drug distribution upon his release. All of those calls were recorded, and law enforcement followed all his plans. “This sentence reflects the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from dangerous drug traffickers,” said the Reid Davis FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. “In the past year alone, federal drug‑trafficking investigations led to thousands of arrests nationwide, including significant increases in cases involving fentanyl and methamphetamine. These arrests are the result of coordinated efforts with our federal, state, and local partners, and they underscore our intensified crackdown on the criminal networks driving the fentanyl epidemic. The FBI will continue to crush violent crime, dismantle these organizations, and hold those who threaten the safety of North Carolinians accountable.” "This guilty plea and subsequent sentencing reflect our relentless commitment to removing violent, habitual offenders from the streets of Fayetteville. Drug trafficking and gun violence inflict deep, lasting harm on our neighborhoods, and our department will not stand by while violent actors endanger our residents and threaten the peace of our community,” said Assistant Chief Todd Joyce, Fayetteville Police Department. “This outcome demonstrates what is possible through seamless coordination between local officers, federal investigators, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. To those who choose to introduce dangerous narcotics and illegal firearms into Fayetteville; you will be met with the full weight of our combined resources, and you will be held accountable under federal law." This prosecution is part of Operation Couch Potato, a component of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) established under Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole‑of‑government initiative committed to dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the United States and abroad. Through unprecedented interagency coordination, HSTF directs federal law enforcement resources to investigate and prosecute the broad spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations. The HSTF places a particular emphasis on targeting offenders involved in crimes against children and uses all available legal authorities to identify, prosecute, and remove violent criminal aliens from the United States. W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement following sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. FBI, the Fayetteville Police Department, and the Hope Mills Police Department investigated the case. A copy of this press release is available on our website . Related court documents and additional information can be found at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-89-D-BM-1.


title: St. Louis Postal Worker Accused of Dumping 30,000 Pieces of Mail

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis mail carrier has been accused of dumping at least 30,000 pieces of mail in vacant lots since 2024. Armond Paige, 54, was indicted on September 2 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on one count of delay or destruction of mail by a postal employee. The indictment says that Paige dumped mail in vacant, weedy lots rather than delivering it. From roughly 2024 to April 29, 2026, Paige discarded at least 30,000 pieces of mail in various vacant lots, the indictment says. At the time, Paige was working out of the Maryville Gardens Post Office on Meramec Street in south St. Louis. Paige appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty. A charge set forth in an indictment is merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to five years in jail, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine. The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.


title: Southeast Missouri Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Two Armed Robberies

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

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a southeast Missouri man to 20 years in prison for his role in the armed robbery of two businesses and their patrons in 2024. Tarrence Raybon, 41, and two other men robbed a tobacco and liquor store in Kennett on Jan. 17, 2024. The two other men were armed. One grabbed a man and threw him to the ground while pointing a gun at him. They stole cash and a cell phone from victims and cash and lottery tickets from the store. Raybon was out on bond and wearing a GPS monitoring device on his ankle, which showed him at store at the time it was robbed. Four days later, Raybon and two other men robbed another Kennett business. One man held a gun to a victim’s head while Raybon stole cash from the store’s office. Raybon used bolt cutters to break into video gambling machines and steal cash while his accomplices held employees and patrons at gunpoint. They also stole cash, a gun and a cell phone from victims. Raybon's ankle monitor again put him at the scene of the robbery. Both robberies were also captured on video. On Feb. 27, 2024, Raybon and two other people were in a stolen car and being pursued by Pemiscot County Sheriff’s deputies and officers with the Portageville Police Department. The driver of the vehicle crashed. After Raybon fled on foot, officers found his driver’s license and a distinctive chrome Lorcin .380 handgun used during both robberies. Raybon, of Kennett, in Dunklin County, pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to two counts of robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Kennett Police Department, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Pemiscot County Sheriff’s Office, the Portageville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.


title: Missouri Man Sentenced for $284,000 Pandemic Rental Assistance Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A Moberly, Missouri man was sentenced to 27 months in prison Tuesday and ordered to repay the $284,000 that he fraudulently obtained via a pandemic rental assistance scam. Steven W. Hendren, 34, submitted numerous fraudulent applications for State Assistance for Housing Relief (SAFHR) rental assistance to the Missouri Housing Development Commission from March 2021 through June 2024. Hendren falsely listed himself as a landlord in the loan applications and included fake lease agreements and financial statements. He also submitted other applications in which he fraudulently inflated rent amounts and altered lease agreements and financial statements. The SAFHR program was designed to provide emergency assistance for rent, utility bills and other expenses during the pandemic. Hendren received $284,840, much of which he used for personal expenses including the purchase of a 2020 GMC Yukon. Hendren pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of wire fraud. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports 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.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On September 2, 2026, REUBEN WEBB (“WEBB”) , age 33, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty to two counts of a four-count indictment charging him with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control Act, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. In Count 2, WEBB is charged with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In Count 3, WEBB is charged with possession of a firearm, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced WEBB to a term of imprisonment of 66 months. Following his sentence, WEBB will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years. WEBB must also pay a $200.00 mandatory special assessment fee. According to documents filed in federal court, beginning in August 2024, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) conducted a joint criminal investigation within the Uptown neighborhood of New Orleans. On September 9, 2024, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) conducted surveillance specifically focusing on a target location in the 8800 block of Fig Street. While conducting surveillance, detectives observed a known individual standing on the front porch of the residence in possession of a firearm. Minutes later, WEBB arrived at the residence, driving a gray Jaguar F-Pace with no license plate. WEBB exited the driver’s seat and was observed in possession of a firearm. Shortly after, WEBB walked to a nearby neighborhood store. Surveilling units elected to stop WEBB . Uniformed officers entered the store and attempted to apprehend WEBB . Upon observing the officers, WEBB fled but officers arrested him shortly thereafter. During a search of WEBB ’s waistband area, officers located his firearm, a Glock 29 Model Gen 4, ten-millimeter caliber pistol. The firearm was equipped with a magazine containing fifteen (15) live rounds and one live round in the firearm’s chamber. After WEBB ’s September 2024 arrest, members of law enforcement continued to investigate WEBB . After learning that WEBB continued to illegally possess firearms and continued to engage in drug trafficking, NOPD detectives obtained a search warrant for WEBB ’s Instagram account. A search of WEBB ’s Instagram account revealed pictures of WEBB in possession of firearms and Tapentadol. The search also revealed messages regarding the sale of controlled substances between WEBB and others. In response, detectives obtained court authorization to monitor WEBB ’s location. On May 15, 2025, NOPD detectives located WEBB ’s 2019 Jaguar F-Pace car and stopped WEBB ’s who was inside the vehicle. Officers later obtained a search warrant for WEBB ’s vehicle and located a Glock Model 29, Gen 4, ten-millimeter caliber pistol in the glove box. A residential search warrant was also obtained for WEBB ’s residence. During the search, detectives recovered the following controlled substances and items/paraphernalia used by drug traffickers for packaging-controlled substances for distribution, including 180 tablets of Tapentadol, cocaine, two digital scales, and a vacuum sealer. A stolen, Kel-Tec Model PLR-16, AR-15 pistol, was also recovered along with one (1) live round of ten-millimeter ammunition; two (2) boxes of .223 live rounds of ammunition; one (1) live round of .40 caliber ammunition; a black magazine containing thirty-eight (38) live rounds of 2.23x56 caliber ammunition; and one Magpul 60 round drum magazine. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. * * *


title: Mexican Illegal Alien Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry of Removed Alien, with Enhanced Penalty for Prior Felony Convictions

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA –ANDRES TOVAR-MERCADO ("TOVAR-MERCADO") , age 39, a native of Mexico, was indicted on September 3, 2026, for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and 1326(b)(2), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to the charging document, the defendant was found in the United States on August 18, 2026, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States after being previously deported on October 13, 2016. TOVAR-MERCADO faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 for re-entry of a removed alien. He is also eligible for a 10-year enhanced sentencing because of felony convictions in the Western District of Texas for illegal re-entry into the United States. U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. * * *


title: Lafourche Parish Resident Sentenced for Furthering a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – First Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that MICHAEL LEWIS , (“LEWIS”) , age 44, of Thibodaux, Louisiana was sentenced on September 3, 2026 to 48 months imprisonment, followed by 12 months of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Brandon Long after previously pleading guilty to illegal use of communications facility to further a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §843(b) and Title 18, U.S.C. §2. According to the court documents, beginning at a time unknown, but continuing until at least June 5, 2024, LEWIS conspired with other individuals, mainly Linez Green and John Paul Gage Jr., to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine throughout the Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting the narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications, and the use of multiple vehicles. On multiple occasions, LEWIS used his cell phone to further this conspiracy, and helped others distribute methamphetamine to numerous customers in Thibodaux. Both Green and Gage Jr. have also previously pled guilty in this case. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Violent Crimes Unit. 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 New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. ***


title: Lafourche Parish Resident Sentenced for Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – First Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that JOHN PAUL GAGE JR ., (“ GAGE JR.” ) age 43, of Des Allemands, Louisiana, was sentenced on September 1, 2026 by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long to 262 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, after he previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine and a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §841(a)(1), §841(b)(1)(A), §841(b)(1)(C), and §846, as well illegal use of communications facility, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §843(b) and Title 18, U.S.C. §2. According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least June 5, 2024, GAGE JR. conspired with several individuals to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine throughout the Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting the narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications, and the use of multiple vehicles. On numerous occasions, GAGE JR. used his cell phone to further this conspiracy and distributed cocaine and methamphetamine to numerous customers in Thibodaux, Louisiana. GAGE JR. ultimately trafficked at least thirty kilograms of cocaine from Houston into the Eastern District of Louisiana. First Assistant U. S. Attorney Simpson, praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Violent Crimes Unit. 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 New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. * * *


title: Former Army Pay Technician Sentenced for Claiming Pay for Military Funeral Honors Ceremonies That Never Occurred

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTOPHER O’CONNOR (“O’CONNOR”), a former Army pay technician, was sentenced on September 3, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to five years’ probation, 100 hours of community service, and payment of $98,691 in restitution, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. O’CONNOR previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, for submitting fraudulent reimbursement requests for military funeral honors that he and six other Army reservists allegedly performed, but had not. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant United States Chandra Menon, Chief of the Public Corruption Unit, was in charge of the prosecution. Updated for accuracy. The United States Army Criminal Investigation Command is currently named The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division. ***


title: Stockton man sentenced to 9.5 years in prison for robbing a Fire Wings restaurant at gunpoint

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Douglas Sharron Piggee Jr., 55, of Stockton, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 9.5 years in prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, on July 21, 2022, Piggee walked into a Fire Wings restaurant in Stockton, pointed a loaded gun at the cashier, and demanded money from the register. Piggee then took the money and fled on foot, leaving his car keys behind. Officers found his car parked down the street. Inside the car was the cash, an unserialized, loaded, privately manufactured firearm or “ghost gun,” an extended magazine loaded with 24 rounds of ammunition, and the clothes Piggee used during the robbery. Piggee committed this crime while on supervised release after serving prison sentences for two prior federal convictions: one for armed bank robbery and one for escape and illegal possession of a firearm. Piggee pleaded guilty on March 25, 2025. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stockton Police Department conducted the investigation Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Desmond prosecuted the case. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.


title: Clovis woman arrested for multimillion dollar fraud scheme

body_text: Criminal complaint: brown_kelly_complaint.pdf FRESNO, Calif. — Kelly Lynn Brown, 47, of Clovis, was arrested Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, on a criminal complaint for using her employer’s company credit card to make more than $4 million of unauthorized, personal purchases, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court records, between November 2020 and October 2024, Brown worked as a bookkeeper at a leading Fresno business specializing in custom countertops and commercial hardwood products. In her role, she had access to the personally identifiable information of employees, including the business’s owner. In January 2021, Brown recommended that the owner obtain an American Express credit card for business expenses. The owner, however, was not interested in obtaining an American Express credit card for himself or for his business. Nevertheless, two weeks later Brown gave the owner two American Express credit cards, one under the owner’s personal name and the other under the business name. A few months later and unbeknownst to the owner, Brown obtained a credit card in her own name under the owner’s American Express account without his authorization. Brown began using this credit card for unauthorized personal expenses, including luxury retail purchases, travel, health and beauty treatments, and a down payment on a 2022 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. In August 2022, Brown started an online apparel store, Western Edge Boutique. Around the same time, she made numerous clothing and apparel-related purchases on the unauthorized card. Brown used the business’s bank account to make payments to American Express from 2021 through 2024 to conceal and further her fraud scheme. In late 2024, the owner discovered the scheme and fired Brown. Brown spent more than $4 million dollars on unauthorized purchases. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arelis M. Clemente is prosecuting this case. If convicted, Brown faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Singaporean Ringleader of $245 Million Cryptocurrency Racketeering Enterprise Pleads Guilty in Washington D.C.

body_text: WASHINGTON – Malone Lam, 22, a citizen of Singapore and recent resident of Miami, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. in connection with his role as ringleader of an international cybercrime conspiracy that used social engineering to steal and launder cryptocurrency valued at more than $245 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “If you build a cybercrime empire, we will find you, dismantle your operation, and hold you accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This defendant led an international network that preyed on victims through deception, invaded their privacy, and stole hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. Working with our partners at the FBI and IRS-CI, we will continue to hunt down the criminals who weaponize technology to steal from innocent people.” Lam pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to one count of participating in a RICO conspiracy. Judge Kollar-Kotelly set a status hearing December 8, 2026. According to court documents, the criminal enterprise began no later than October 2023 and continued through at least May 2025. The scheme developed through connections made on online gaming platforms and was comprised of individuals based in California, Connecticut, New York, Florida, and abroad. The RICO conspiracy used social engineering and occasional home break-ins to obtain information that allowed the conspirators to drain their victims’ cryptocurrency wallets. Lam, aka “Anne Hathaway,” “$$$,” “King Greavy,” organized the social engineering enterprise, identified target victims, and coordinated the roles of the different conspirators. Members and associates of the conspiracy used the stolen cryptocurrency to purchase, among other things, nightclub services ranging up to $500,000 per evening, luxury handbags valued in the tens of thousands of dollars which were given away at nightclub parties, luxury watches valued between $100,000 up to over $500,000, luxury clothing valued in the tens of thousands of dollars, rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons, and Miami, private jet rentals for travel, a team of private security guards, and a fleet of exotic cars, ranging in value from $100,000 to $3,800,000. Law enforcement arrested Lam on Sept. 18, 2025, at his rental home in Miami. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office. Significant investigative and operational support was provided by the FBI’s Los Angeles and Miami field offices, as well as the United States Attorney’s Officers in the Central District of California, Southern District of Florida, and the District of New Jersey. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. Howland and David Liss of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 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 JD Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. 24cr417


title: New Britain Man Charged with Gun Possession and Drug Distribution Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick, Jr., today announced that JAMIE PATTERSON, also known as “Diddy,” 28, of New Britain, has been charged by indictment with firearm possession and drug distribution offenses. Patterson appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven and pleaded not guilty to the charges. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on June 12, 2026, West Hartford Police observed Patterson engaging in suspected drug sales on New Park Avenue in West Hartford. Later that day, officers attempted to stop Patterson’s vehicle but he fled at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement tracked Patterson’s vehicle to Middletown, where Patterson was taken into custody. A search of Patterson’s person revealed a 9mm pistol and distribution quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. It is alleged that Patterson’s criminal history includes state convictions for drug and firearm offenses, and federal convictions in May 2023 for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Patterson has been detained since June 12, 2026. On August 26, 2026, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years. Patterson, who is on federal supervised release, faces additional penalties if he is found in violation of his supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the West Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the East Hartford, Hartford, New Britain, West Hartford, Wethersfield, and Newington Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for New England Bank Robbery Spree

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TAYLOR DZICZEK, 44, formerly of Chicopee, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 90 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for a bank robbery spree in 2021 and 2022. According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 2021 and August 2022, Dziczek committed the following 14 robberies and one attempted robbery of banks and credit unions in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire: September 9, 2021 Arrha Credit Union, West Springfield, Mass. September 20, 2021 American Eagle Credit Union, Enfield, Conn. October 4, 2021 People’s United Bank, Brattleboro, Vt. October 15, 2021 Webster Bank, East Windsor, Conn. October 21, 2021 People’s United Bank, Brattleboro, Vt. (attempt) October 22, 2021 Webster Bank, Somers, Conn. November 5, 2021 Workers Credit Union, Athol, Mass. November 19, 2021 Liberty Bank, Avon, Conn. November 20, 2021 Savings Bank of Walpole, Keene, N.H. December 16, 2021 Greenfield Cooperative Bank, Montague, Mass. January 6, 2022 KeyBank, East Windsor, Conn January 21, 2022 Franklin First Credit Union, Greenfield, Mass. May 26, 2022 People’s United Bank, Plainville, Conn. June 3, 2022 TD Bank, Nashua, N.H. August 17, 2022 Liberty Bank, Meriden, Conn. During each robbery, Dziczek typically turned off his cellphone and drove his car with the license plates removed to the bank or credit union. He then entered the bank or credit union wearing a hooded sweatshirt, surgical mask, and baseball cap, and handed the teller a note demanding cash in large denominations and claiming to have a gun. During the investigation, Dziczek was identified as a suspect who robbed the Peoples United Bank, located at 117 East Street in Plainville, Connecticut, on May 26, 2022. On that date, Dziczek entered the bank, approached the teller counter and gave the teller a note stating words to the effect of, “I have a gun. Don‘t call 911. Don‘t set off any alarms.“ When the teller stated she did not have any more money, Dziczek pulled what appeared to be a black firearm from the front pocket of his sweatshirt and made additional statements including “Give me all the money,” “I have a gun,” and “Don‘t be a hero.” Dziczek removed some of the paper money wrappers from the money he received from the teller and discarded them at the bank before he fled the scene. Plainville Police detectives collected the discarded money wrappers as evidence. On October 21, 2022, FBI special agents surveilled Dziczek while he was in the MGM Casino in Springfield, Massachusetts, and retrieved an energy drink can with a black straw from which Dziczek was observed drinking. Laboratory analysis connected DNA found on the straw to DNA found on discarded money wrappers from the Plainville bank robbery. Dziczek has been detained since his arrest on December 1, 2022. On September 26, 2025, he pleaded guilty to three counts of bank robbery. Judge Nagala ordered Dziczek to pay restitution in the total amount of $82,567. This investigation was conducted by the FBI New Haven Division’s Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Boston Division, FBI Albany Division, Connecticut State Police, Massachusetts State Police, Athol (Mass.) Police Department, Avon (Conn.) Police Department, Brattleboro (Vt.) Police Department, Chicopee (Mass.) Police Department, East Windsor (Conn.) Police Department, Enfield (Conn.) Police Department, Greenfield (Mass.) Police Department, Keene (N.H.) Police Department, Meriden (Conn.) Police Department, Montague (Mass.) Police Department, Nashua (N.H.) Police Department, Plainville (Conn.) Police Department, Somers (Conn.) Police Department, and Springfield (Mass.) Police Department. The Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Division of Scientific Services provided valuable assistance to the investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings, and Stephanie T. Levick. U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont and for their close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.


title: Oregon Man Sentenced to 16 Months in Federal Prison for Abusing His Role at Mobile Phone Store to Give Customers’ Info to Criminals

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former Oregon-based AT&T Store employee was sentenced today to 16 months in federal prison for selling his access to his employer’s network to a hacker by “SIM swapping” customers – fraudulently reassigning customers’ cell phone numbers – so the hacker could take control of the victims’ bank accounts and steal their money, causing nearly $600,000 in intended losses. Kenneth Carter, 44, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld, Jr., who also ordered him to pay $99,528 in restitution. Carter pleaded guilty on March 24 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. “SIM swapping” is a technique in which a criminal fraudulently induces a mobile carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber’s Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card to a SIM card controlled by another without the legitimate subscriber’s authorization or knowledge. This process allows a criminal to intercept two-factor authentication codes sent to the victim via phone call or text message, and to gain access to the victim’s various accounts. According to Carter’s plea agreement, from May 2018 to November 2019, Carter worked at an AT&T retail store in Portland, Oregon. As part of the conspiracy, a co-conspirator identified potential victims who had bank accounts that could be accessed online and would obtain personal identifying information (PII) and cell phone numbers for those potential victims. This co-conspirator then sent to Carter victims’ PII and cell phone numbers so Carter could do the SIM swap, which he could do as an AT&T Store employee. Carter, at the co-conspirator’s direction, then used the victim’s PII to fraudulently cause AT&T to swap the victim’s SIM card from the victim’s cell phone to a different cell phone controlled by Carter and other co-conspirators. A co-conspirator then caused password reset information and two-factor authentication codes for a victim’s online bank account to be sent by text message to a phone Carter and his co-conspirators controlled. He and others then forwarded the information and codes to a co-conspirator, who then accessed the victim’s online bank account and made fraudulent wire transfers from it. Carter and the other conspirators received a cut of the illicitly obtained proceeds, typically $1,000 to $2,000 per SIM swap, one of which occurred at an AT&T Store in Lancaster. In November 2019, law enforcement searched Carter’s residence in Oregon and found that he possessed PII belonging to victims, including the cell phone number, name, and Social Security number of a victim who had $99,528 fraudulently transferred to a Portuguese bank account controlled by Carter’s co-conspirators. In total, three victims targeted in this scheme suffered a combined intended loss of at least $593,963. Carter further admitted that in addition to these three victims, he performed SIM swaps on the accounts of other AT&T customers. AT&T terminated Carter in 2019. “[Carter] abused the trust of his employer and sold his access to AT&T’s network to a hacker by SIM swapping AT&T customers so the hacker could take control of victims’ accounts and deplete their funds,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “One victim lost nearly $100,000, and other victims may have lost more had it not been for fraud prevention at various banks, which stopped the transfers the funds before they were wired overseas.” The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew M. Roach and Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.


title: Phoenix Man Sentenced to 171 Months in Prison for 2022 Peoria Carjacking

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Adonijah Josiah Ortega, 23, of Phoenix, was sentenced on Sept. 3, by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 171 months in prison for a 2022 carjacking during which Ortega shot and assaulted a man with a firearm. Ortega previously pleaded guilty to Carjacking and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On the morning of Aug. 8, 2022, Ortega approached the victim in a business parking lot in Peoria, Arizona. There, he demanded the victim’s wallet and keys and a physical confrontation ensued. During the confrontation, Ortega struck the victim in the head several times with a pistol and shot him in the leg. Ortega then fled with the victim’s vehicle and later attempted to set it on fire by dousing the interior with gasoline and shooting at it. Investigators with the FBI and Peoria and Phoenix Police Departments arrested Ortega three days later at an apartment complex. “Violent perpetrators like Mr. Ortega should know there is no safe place for them in Arizona because we won’t rest until we see them behind bars,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Our office is committed to the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods because it is an initiative that continues to see results.” Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. The Peoria Police Department, in conjunction with the FBI’s Phoenix Division, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick E. Chapman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Day, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 22-CR-22-01078-PHX-DLR RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-153_Ortega # # # 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: Virginia Man Convicted of Investor and Bankruptcy Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia, convicted Jihoon Park, 52, of Chantilly, Virginia, today for his participation in a fraud scheme that victimized individuals and defrauded a U.S. Bankruptcy Court. “Jihoon Park claimed he would invest his community members’ life savings, retirement, and money and promised a high-yield return. Instead, he stole the millions of dollars entrusted to him to enrich himself,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Unsuspecting families and individuals suffered devastating financial crises because of Park’s crimes. The Criminal Division’s White Collar Section is using every available resource to stop criminals from destroying people’s livelihoods and retirements.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Park convinced people in his community to let him invest their money and grow their assets. He used his personal relationships and his former affiliation with a large national financial institution to gain victims’ trust and convince them to give him money to invest on their behalf. Park promised safe investments with high returns. But he lied. Instead, he transferred over $2.5 million from the multiple victims to himself. Among other things, he used the stolen money to buy a house and cryptocurrency for himself. When one of the victims sued him, Park transferred assets to his wife and concealed millions of dollars in cryptocurrency assets before filing for bankruptcy and falsely claiming he had only $0.34 in financial assets and no cryptocurrency to avoid paying his victim creditors any money back from his fraud. Park was convicted of three counts of wire fraud and two counts of bankruptcy fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 10, 2026. Park faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on the wire fraud counts and a maximum penalty of five years on the bankruptcy fraud counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Timothy J. Coley of the Criminal Division’s White Collar and Corporate Enforcement Section and Trial Attorney Zachary H. Ray of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell L. Carlberg and Jack Morgan for the Eastern District of Virginia.


title: Texas Couple Sentenced for Operating Website Selling Smuggled Pesticides and Veterinary Drugs

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Thao Duong and Lam Mai, a wife and husband from Garland, Texas, were sentenced today in federal court to charges stemming from their operation of a website selling veterinary drugs and pesticides smuggled into the United State from Mexico. Duong was sentenced to three months in prison, two years of supervised release, and a forfeiture of more than $1.5 million. Mai was sentenced to two years of probation. “The defendants in this case traded human safety and environmental health for illicit profit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute transnational crimes to secure our border and protect the health and safety of Americans.” “No one should profit from bringing illegal chemicals into the United States and poisoning American communities,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Illegal Mexican pesticides and animal steroids are a dangerous combination. The sentence in this case underscores the importance of the cooperative efforts of federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt smuggling operations and secure our nation’s borders from foreign harm.” “Trafficking toxic chemicals into the United States is a blatant assault on our national security and public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan R. Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “These defendants pumped dangerous, foreign sourced pesticides and drugs into our country recklessly putting American communities at risk. This sentence makes clear we will be uncompromising in the prosecution of those who engage in illicit activities that threaten our people, our environment and the integrity of our borders.” “The FDA is charged with ensuring that veterinary drugs meet rigorous safety standards. When individuals smuggle and distribute misbranded and unapproved veterinary drugs, they jeopardize the health of animals,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Lamb of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who distribute misbranded and unapproved animal drugs unlawfully.” According to filings and evidence presented in court, in approximately 2011, Duong began using various online platforms to sell animal care products to customers throughout the United States. The products she sold were used primarily by people engaged in rooster fighting ventures. Duong was not a veterinarian and did not require customers to provide veterinary prescriptions to purchase veterinary drugs. She also sold products such as Cipio Vet, Baytril Max, and Caterrol, which are produced in Mexico and not approved by the FDA for use in the United States. In 2017, she added the pesticides Taktic and Bovitraz to her inventory. Neither Taktic nor Bovitraz were registered with the EPA for sale or use and could not be sold legally in the United States. In 2018, Duong started a website, which she used as her primary means of selling and distributing veterinary drugs and pesticides. After launching the site, Duong entered into agreements with several co-conspirators to purchase veterinary drugs and pesticides that she knew had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico. The smuggled pesticides and veterinary drugs were brought into the United States through the Calexico Port of Entry in Imperial County, California, and placed in storage units near the border. Duong’s co-conspirators then shipped the products from California to Texas. Between 2018 and 2022, Duong obtained approximately $2.4 million worth of smuggled merchandise from her co-conspirators. Lam Mai was the shipping manager for the website. After orders were received, he packaged the pesticides and veterinary drugs and distributed them to customers throughout the country using the U.S. Postal Service and other shippers. According to the EPA, the active ingredient in the pesticides Taktic and Bovitraz is amitraz, which is toxic to bees if released into hives, and then ultimately to humans when it ends up in honey, honeycomb, and beeswax. Misuse of amitraz-containing products in beehives can result in exposures that could cause neurological effects and possibly reproductive effects in humans from the consumption of contaminated honey. Signs of neurotoxicity from exposure to amitraz have been documented in multiple animal species and include central nervous system depression, decrease in pulse rate, and hypothermia. The EPA and FDA investigated the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Trial Attorney Lauren D. Steele of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincent J. Mazzurco and Madeleine Case for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case. ENRD is a member of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, ENRD, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here .


title: Russian National Extradited to United States for  Bank Account Takeover Fraud Scheme Causing Millions of Dollars in Losses

body_text: Sergei Anatolyevich Filimonov, 36, a Russian national and web developer who was allegedly involved in a transnational cyber‑fraud conspiracy responsible for large‑scale bank account takeover activity, was arraigned Friday in the Northern District of Georgia after being extradited from the Republic of Georgia. Filimonov was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 4, 2025, for charges relating to a credential‑harvesting and bank‑fraud operation that targeted victims across the United States. According to court documents, Filimonov and his co‑conspirators executed a sophisticated scheme involving spoofed domains that mimicked the websites of federally insured financial institutions. The conspirators purchased sponsored search‑engine links to divert unsuspecting banking customers to fraudulent login pages, where victims entered their credentials. The conspirators used the stolen credentials to access bank accounts, review account balances, and initiate unauthorized wire transfers to steal bank account funds. The indictment also alleges that Filimonov developed and maintained online infrastructure supporting the operation, including interactive databases storing more than 5,000 stolen login credentials and software designed to capture and transmit sensitive authentication data. Filimonov and his conspirators allegedly attempted to obtain millions of dollars from victim accounts, including accounts held by companies located in the Northern District of Georgia. In connection with the charged scheme, the Department of Justice previously seized the domain , web3adspanels.org, which operated as a backend server storing stolen credentials harvested from fraudulent banking websites. The seized backend database contained thousands of compromised credentials, including those belonging to victims located in the Northern District of Georgia. Filimonov is charged with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud; access device fraud conspiracy; multiple counts of bank and wire fraud; possession of unauthorized access devices; possession of device‑making equipment; effecting transactions with unauthorized access devices; and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a minimum penalty of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 175 years in prison. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case. Senior Counsel Brian Mund of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Morris for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance was provided by former CCIPS Trial Attorney Jolee Porter and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Estonian Office of the Prosecutor General, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia, the Georgian Central Criminal Police Department, and the FBI Office of the Law Enforcement Attaché in Tbilisi. Since January 2025, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has received more than 5,100 complaints reporting bank account takeover fraud, with reported losses exceeding $262 million. The public is encouraged to stay vigilant and to follow steps recommended by the FBI , including regularly monitoring financial accounts, using “Bookmarks” or “Favorites” for navigating to login websites and guarding against phishing attempts. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ohio Missionary Enters Guilty Plea for Child Exploitation Crimes in Haiti

body_text: Today, Jeriah Mast, 45, of Millersburg, Ohio, entered a guilty plea today to two counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors in Haiti. According to court documents, Mast traveled from the United States to Haiti on multiple occasions between 2002 and 2019, including with the organization Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), where he sexually abused minors. Law enforcement obtained flight records showing that Mast had taken over 30 flights from the United States to Haiti between November 2002 and August 2018. Sentencing is set for Dec. 15, 2026. “Jeriah Mast preyed on vulnerable children while working in Haiti as a missionary,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His guilty plea to multiple counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors reflects both the severity of his crimes and our unwavering commitment to holding U.S. citizens accountable when they exploit children abroad. This type of predatory conduct — committed by someone entrusted with missionary work — represents a profound betrayal of trust, and today’s plea is an important step toward justice for the many victims harmed by Mast’s actions.” “This defendant violated the innocence of children and violated the trust of those who supported his supposed missionary work,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “It is reprehensible behavior that we will prosecute to the fullest. We thank the investigators from HSI and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work bringing this man to justice.” “The defendant’s guilty plea underscores HSI’s critical mission to identify and investigate those who exploit children, including individuals entrusted with positions of authority, no matter where the crimes are committed,” said Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit. “Together with our law enforcement partners, HSI Cleveland will continue working to hold child predators accountable in the United States and to seek justice for victims wherever our investigations take us.” HSI Cleveland investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Holmes County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office. Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Kane and Jennifer King for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Justice Department to Conduct Election Monitoring in New Hampshire Primary Election

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice is monitoring polling sites in two New Hampshire cities — Manchester and Nashua — for the state’s primary election to ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law. “The Department of Justice is continuing its monitoring efforts all the way through primary season,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This is the last week before the Division begins ramping up preparations for midterm election monitoring, which will help ensure trust and transparency throughout the country.” “The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire is proud to partner with the Civil Rights Division on election integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan for the District of New Hampshire. “New Hampshire’s elections, including our critical First-in-the-Nation Primary, deserve to instill the highest possible confidence. My office will continue bringing together state and federal partners to ensure that Granite State elections are free, fair, and in accordance with all applicable laws.” The Department, through the Civil Rights Division, enforces federal voting rights laws to ensure the right to vote is protected for all eligible citizens. The Department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country. The Department is currently monitoring polls with four DOJ staff from the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in each city. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces various federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Civil Rights Acts. From now and up to Election Day on Nov. 3, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. If you would like to request election monitoring in a particular jurisdiction, please contact the Voting Section at VEM@usdoj.gov, and the Civil Rights Division will determine whether monitoring is warranted.


title: It’s a New Day in Fort Worth: Federal operation aims to remove violent offenders from the community

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: FORT WORTH, Texas — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that federal prosecutors, in coordination with federal and local law enforcement partners, launched Operation New Day, a public safety initiative aimed at ridding the Fort Worth community of dangerous criminal offenders in advance of the upcoming holiday season. Formally launched on Aug. 24, this 90-day operation focuses on prosecuting narcotics traffickers, dangerous illegal aliens and other violent offenders. By removing these threats from the community, U.S. Attorney Raybould aims to help ensure a safer and more family‑friendly holiday season. Less than two weeks since its inception, Operation New Day has resulted in 23 new federal cases being filed by the Fort Worth Division. “Those who break our laws, flood our streets with drugs and commit violent acts in our community should understand that they are not welcome in Fort Worth,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “North Texas will not serve as a refuge for individuals who persist in violating federal law, nor will it provide a respite for those who believe they can evade justice.” Since launching Operation New Day, the Fort Worth Division has seized more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine , along with distribution quantities of crack cocaine, and powder cocaine. Additional charges have been filed against multiple individuals for offenses including possession of a machine gun, escape from detention, narcotics distribution and illegal reentry into the United States. Fort Worth is the 10th‑largest city in the nation and Operation New Day represents a significant step toward making Fort Worth the safest big city in the nation.


title: Mexican Citizen Charged with Illegally Voting in the 2022 Election

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced Jesus Javier Jurado Garcia, 25, an illegal alien from Mexico living in Beloit, Wisconsin, was charged on September 2, with illegally voting as an alien in the November 2022 election. According to the criminal Information, on November 8, 2022, Jurado Garcia, knowing he was not a United States citizen, illegally voted in an election held in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the offices of Member of the Senate and Member of the House of Representatives. “Protecting the integrity of federal elections is a fundamental responsibility of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “The charge against this defendant reflects our commitment to enforcing the law and ensuring that every vote cast complies fully with federal requirements. No one is above these obligations, and my office will continue to pursue cases where unlawful voting occurs.” If convicted, Jurado Garcia faces up to one year in prison. Any sentence would be imposed by a judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. A criminal Information merely contains accusations. Jurado Garcia is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Four Convicted Felons Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking at Memphis Nuisance Hotel

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Four convicted felons have been sentenced to federal prison for selling firearms at a local hotel and to undercover federal agents. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentences today. The individuals involved in the firearms trafficking and sentenced to prison were: Fred Buford, 33 , of Memphis, TN Courtney Hibler, 41 , of Memphis, TN Frederick Munn, 38 , of Memphis, TN Larry Smith, aka “Killa” 39 , of Houston, TX As part of Operation “Back to Business”, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) determined that Buford, Hibler, Munn, and Smith regularly possessed firearms at the Economy Hotel located at 3869 Lamar Avenue and sold firearms in the hotel's parking lot. In November of 2024, the hotel was shut down by the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit as a public nuisance following complaints of drug sales, homicides, and gang activity. According to information presented in court, in June of 2025, the ATF received information that “Killa”, later identified as Larry Smith, a multiple convicted felon with a prior criminal history of Aggravated Robbery and Aggravated Burglary, had fentanyl and firearms for sale. Between July and August of 2025, Smith facilitated 11 firearms deals in which Smith, Buford, Hibler, and Munn provided the firearms, including one stolen gun. Additionally, Smith facilitated a transaction where Hibler sold fentanyl. Munn has a prior criminal history that includes felony convictions for Aggravated Assault, Auto Burglary, and Reckless Endangerment with a Deadly Weapon. Hibler has a prior criminal history that includes felony convictions for Theft of Property and False Reporting. Photo of firearms seized. In September of 2025, Buford, Hibler, Munn, and Smith were indicted for their roles in both the firearms trafficking and fentanyl distribution. All defendants pled guilty and were sentenced to federal prison by the Honorable Sheryl H. Lipman, Chief United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee. On July 30, 2026, Buford pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. On September 2, 2026, the Court determined that Buford qualified as an Armed Career Criminal (ACC) offender based on his three prior violent felony convictions for Attempted Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Burglary (x2) and Auto Burglary, and sentenced Buford to 180 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release. On February 20, 2026, Smith pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. On June 16, 2026, Smith was sentenced to 76 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release. On February 17, 2026, Munn pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. On May 29, 2026, Munn was sentenced to 94 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release. On February 12, 2026, Hibler pled guilty to distributing fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On May 28, 2026, Hibler was sentenced to 18 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Killa" and his crew posed an immediate and ongoing threat to the public by their repeated illegal gun sales which flooded the streets of Memphis with instruments of death. Thanks to the great work of ATF and our federal and local law enforcement partners, this group of felons is out of business and Memphis is safer.” "This case involved an organized group of individuals who conspired to distribute illegal firearms and deadly narcotics on our Memphis streets," said Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville. "The ATF, alongside our local, state and federal partners, remains steadfast in our mission to hold firearm and narcotic traffickers accountable and protect the community." This case was investigated by the ATF and assisted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Memphis Police Department (MPD) Multi-agency Gang Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory D. Allen and Gregory A. Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Metro Pair Plead Guilty in Fatal Synthetic Opioid Distribution Case

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – COLLIN SHANE KIRBY , 21, of Oklahoma City, and SHANE MICHAEL BURGESS , 24, of Mustang, Oklahoma, have both pleaded guilty to distributing a controlled substance analogue, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public records, on December 12, 2025, Kirby sold pills to Burgess that contained N-Propionitrile Chlorphine, a synthetic opioid known as cychlorphine. That same day, Burgess resold the pills he bought from Kirby to another individual. Court records show the individual died as a result of using the cychlorphine distributed by Burgess and Kirby. In July and August, Kirby and Burgess were charged by separate superseding informations with distribution of a controlled substance analogue. Both have since pleaded guilty and admitted their roles in distributing the cychlorphine that ultimately resulted in at least one individual’s death. Kirby also specifically admitted to distributing cychlorphine to another individual, a minor, on February 7, 2026. At sentencing, Burgess and Kirby each face up to 20 years in federal prison and fines of up to $1,000,000. These cases are the result of investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Joynes is prosecuting the cases. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms Charges

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug‑trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Darell Farmer, 30, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to two counts from a Western District of Missouri indictment charging him with drug trafficking and possessing firearms in furtherance of that trafficking activity, and one count from a case transferred from the Eastern District of Missouri charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on May 5, 2025, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department officers located a vehicle outside a local hospital and recovered multiple firearms, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Farmer, who had driven the vehicle to the hospital, was taken into custody after officers observed a handgun in plain view and confirmed he had prior felony convictions. After he was indicted in the Western District of Missouri, Farmer later fled from law enforcement in Dunklin County, Mo., in August 2025. Officers recovered another firearm following his arrest. Under federal statutes, Farmer is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug‑trafficking crime, and additional penalties of up to 20 years for the drug‑distribution offense and up to 15 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Maximum statutory penalties are prescribed by Congress and provided for informational purposes; sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kirkpatrick from the Western District of Missouri and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Koester from the Eastern District of Missouri. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.


title: Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Nathaniel Wilburn, 35, of Ghent, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 30, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wilburn’s residence and found a Hi-Point JCP .40-caliber pistol, a Charles Daily 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger EC9 9mm pistol, and a Taurus 12-gauge shotgun. As part of his guilty plea, Wilburn admitted to possessing the firearms. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Wilburn knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for breaking and entering in Raleigh County Circuit Court on November 15, 2023. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-67. ###


title: Galloway car dealership owner pleads guilty to importing counterfeit air bags

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – John Bojorquez, 35, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in federal court to trafficking in counterfeit goods by importing counterfeit airbags from China – claiming they were Honda airbags – for vehicles he sold at his auto dealership JB Ohio Auto Sale, LLC. According to court documents, in August 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Chicago O’Hare International Airport seized 20 counterfeit Honda airbags that were sent from China. The boxes were falsely described as containing “desktop night lights” and were addressed to Bojorquez at JB Ohio Auto Sale in Galloway. The same shipper in China sent four similar additional shipments of counterfeit Honda airbags in August 2024, each labeled as “desktop night lights” or “blue desktop nightlights.” When law enforcement executed a search warrant at JB Ohio Auto Sale in May 2025, they seized multiple counterfeit airbags, some of which were piled in a clothes hamper and covered by a towel. Bojorquez admitted to intentionally trafficking in at least 44 counterfeit airbags from August 2024 until May 2025. Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime punishable by up to ten years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and officials with the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG) announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued consumer safety advisories to alert vehicle owners and repair professionals to the dangers of counterfeit airbags, including consistent malfunctioning ranging from non-deployment of the airbag to the expulsion of metal shrapnel during deployment. If you own a vehicle purchased from JB Auto Sale with a suspected counterfeit airbag, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office by calling 888-529-2820. # # #


title: Federal Fraud Charges Filed Against Former Indianapolis Daycare Operator

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS – Sharon Jackson, 60, of Pendleton, Indiana, has been charged by federal Information with one count of wire fraud and one count of failure to file an individual income tax return. The charges were brought as part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. Jackson has agreed to plead guilty to both charges, though she has not yet formally entered her plea in federal court. According to court documents, between 2017 and 2024, Jackson operated three childcare facilities in Indianapolis at various times: Precious Hearts of Solid Rock, Greater St. Mark Five Star Ministry, and Little Angels of Precious Hearts. During this period, Jackson allegedly devised and executed a scheme to enrich herself by fraudulently obtaining funds through two government programs: the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The CCDF program provides vouchers to low‑income families to help cover childcare costs while parents work, attend training, or pursue education. The CACFP program reimburses participating childcare providers for eligible food expenses for enrolled children. To obtain CCDF funds, Jackson falsely reported that children attended the Little Angels facility on dates and times when she knew they were not present. She recorded fraudulent attendance by using Hoosier Works Child Care cards assigned to parents to swipe children in and out of the building, despite the children not being there. Jackson also submitted false attendance records through a phone system, entering family‑specific information including CCDF voucher numbers, zip codes, and attendance details. CCDF providers are not permitted to possess HWCC cards or any other information that would allow them to record a child’s attendance. Jackson and several parents allegedly agreed that she would falsely claim their children attended Little Angels. In return, Jackson paid the parents a portion of the CCDF funds as kickbacks, distributing payments through Cash App or by leaving cash in the gutters at the facility for pickup. As a result of this scheme, Jackson allegedly obtained approximately $359,083.60 in CCDF funds to which she was not entitled. Jackson also defrauded the CACFP by claiming reimbursement for meals that were never provided. She allegedly created fraudulent invoices from food vendors, claiming she had purchased and served food that was never provided to children at her childcare facilities. Jackson received additional CACFP funds based on these false claims. Further, Jackson failed to file federal income tax returns for 2018 and for 2020 through 2023. As of the date of this filing, she has not submitted individual income tax returns for 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023. As a result, Jackson owed approximately $287,381.79 in taxes for those years. The United States Department of Agriculture—Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration are investigating this case. Jackson is scheduled to make her initial appearance on September 10, 2026. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Eakman and Meredith Wood, who are prosecuting this case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports 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. An Information contains merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Romanian fugitive apprehended in Washington state after fleeing prosecution in Georgia

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: SAVANNAH, Georgia: An illegal alien on the run has been arrested in the Western District of Washington near Seattle. Bogdan Alexandru Gherghevici , a/k/a “Victor Zema, 27, originally indicted in August 2025 in a 16-count indictment charging him with federal Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft charges, has been apprehended and is set to be transferred back to the Southern District of Georgia. Gherghevici was illegally in the United States and fled when the investigation began. Gherghevici is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. Gherghevici’s co-defendant, Viorel Cristea , 33, a Romanian citizen illegally present in the United States, was convicted of one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $679,100 in March 2026. The investigation began in May 2025 when a victim contacted the Pierce County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office regarding suspicious activity from a farm equipment dealer purported to be in Blackshear, in the Southern District of Georgia. Sheriff’s Office investigators and Homeland Security Investigations agents determined the company was fraudulent, and HSI agents identified Cristea and Gherghevici as conspirators. According to the indictment, it was alleged that at least as early as March 2025, and up to and including May 2025, both defendants participated in an extensive scheme falsely claiming to sell used farm equipment. This fraudulent scheme victimized more than a dozen prospective purchasers across the country, many of them elderly, and resulted in a total loss of more than $600,000. The capture, and subsequent extradition of Gherghevici has been ordered by Western District of Washington Magistrate Judge Brian A. Tsuchida, ensures the Southern District of Georgia can proceed with the prosecution of the case. “We commend our law enforcement partners no matter where they may be, and the team effort across the country will now send this defendant back to answer for the conduct alleged in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We look forward to bringing this case to a resolution and assisting the victims with closure.” “Fleeing prosecution does not erase the harm caused to victims or stop HSI from pursuing justice,” said Steven N. Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “This arrest reflects the strength of our partnerships with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and law enforcement partners in Washington state. HSI will continue working across jurisdictions to identify, locate, and bring alleged fraudsters before the courts.” The case was investigated by HSI Savannah Field Office, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Bondura, Olivia Brame, and L. Alexander Hamner.


title: South Florida Men Sentenced to Prison for $34.8M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare Beneficiaries

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Two South Florida men were sentenced to multiple years in prison for their roles in a $34.8 million health care fraud conspiracy billing Medicare for thousands of orthotic braces sent to Medicare beneficiaries who did not need them. “These fraudsters billed Medicare $34.8 million for braces that patients didn’t need and didn’t request — and now they’re paying the price,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “They paid kickbacks for fake doctors’ orders, shuffled billing among several companies to dodge payment suspensions, and pocketed millions that belonged to American taxpayers. Their prison sentences make clear: if you steal from Medicare, you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, and you will be held accountable.” “Medicare is not a blank check for fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants built a $34.8 million scheme around medically unnecessary braces, fraudulent doctors’ orders, and illegal kickbacks, all to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers. Today’s sentences reinforce a simple message: if you steal from our health care programs, we will find you, prosecute you, and hold you accountable.” According to court documents, Kenneth Charles Kessler, III, 43, of Miami, and Michael Andrew Gomez, 43, of Miramar, owned and operated seven durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies based in Florida. Through these DME companies, they submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces. Kessler and Gomez also paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain fraudulent signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces, and then claimed payment for those braces from Medicare. Kessler and Gomez used their multiple DME companies to evade Medicare payment suspensions by shifting their fraudulent billing between their DME companies. Kessler profited more than $1.4 million, and Gomez profited more than $2.3 million from the fraudulent scheme. Kessler was sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment, and Gomez was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment. In May 2026, Kessler and Gomez each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office; and Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), made the announcement. FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Aisha Schafer Hylton and Owen Dunn of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. 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. The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud 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 since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case numbers 25-cr-60188. ###