title: Man Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Supervisory Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy Linked to Sureños and Sinaloa Cartel

body_text: ST. PAUL – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, aka “Homie,” 34, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The defendant was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson on September 9, 2026. According to court documents, Diaz-Aguilar managed the “Diaz-Aguilar Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO)” and is a member of the Sureños, a transnational criminal organization originating in Southern California. He is one of several defendants in United States v. Diaz-Aguilar et al. Other defendants in the case include: Juan Martin Elvira Jr. , of Rochester, Minnesota, sentenced to 75 months in prison on June 11, 2026, for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine Edward Gonzalez , of Hastings, Minnesota, sentenced to 120 months in prison on June 3, 2026, for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine Eric Anthony Rodriguez , of St. Paul, Minnesota, sentenced to 260 months in prison on August 13, 2026, following a six-day trial where he was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine Bruce Michael Orton, of North Branch, Minnesota, sentenced to 140 months in prison on June 16, 2026, for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine According to court documents, in the summer of 2024, law enforcement began investigating suspected methamphetamine trafficking in Rochester, Minnesota. In August 2024, agents executed a search warrant at a coconspirator’s residence and found approximately 7.6 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,500 M-30 fentanyl pills, a variety of marijuana products, cellphones, and nearly $8,000 in cash. A review of the coconspirator’s phone revealed messages with “Homie,” the coconspirator’s methamphetamine supplier, with transactions going back to April 2024. Agents later determined that “Homie” was Diaz-Aguilar. From October 2024 through January 2025, law enforcement conducted three controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Diaz-Aguilar and executed a search warrant at a stash house in Hastings, Minnesota, where agents found a bulk quantity of methamphetamine and used drug packaging that demonstrated hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine had recently traveled through the house. In December 2024, Diaz-Aguilar traveled to Chicago with two coconspirators to obtain a bulk quantity of methamphetamine and traveled in a two-vehicle convoy back to Minnesota. Police stopped the vehicle driven by one of the defendant’s coconspirators, Edward Gonzalez, and located approximately 42 pounds of methamphetamine in the trunk. Agents later executed a search warrant at Diaz-Aguilar’s residence and seized his phones. Investigators found messages between the defendant and another coconspirator, Bruce Orton, about drug transactions dating back to August 2023 including discussions on pricing and the defendant’s access to 170 pounds of methamphetamine. Agents also found a ledger in Diaz-Aguilar’s closet that contained sales entries of bulk quantities of methamphetamine to others. “This sentence sends a clear message that those who traffic deadly narcotics in Minnesota will be met with decisive action. My office remains fully committed to protecting the public by dismantling the criminal networks that put our communities at risk,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “Today, the ringleader of an organization responsible for flooding our streets with methamphetamine was brought to justice,” said DEA Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie. “No one is above the law and today’s sentencing is yet another reminder that DEA will work tirelessly to take these criminals and their poisons out of our neighborhoods.” “The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office and the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team (SEMVCET) work collaboratively with local, state, and federal agencies to disrupt and dismantle Drug Trafficking Organizations. This case is one example of positive outcomes achieved when working together. Minnesota and beyond are safer with these dangerous drugs off the streets and the suspects held accountable,” said Tim Parkin, Captain of the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office and Commander of the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Minnesota State Patrol, Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Chisago County Sheriff’s Office, East Central Minnesota Drug Task Force, Hastings Police Department, Rochester Police Department, Cannon River Drug Task Force, and the New Prague Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Raphael B. Coburn and William C. Mattessich prosecuted the case. Note: Previous press release on the indictment ( April 8, 2025 ) linked here.


title: Man Pleads Guilty and Faces at Least 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in the Death of a Young Woman

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. PAUL – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Hudeife Muhamud Mire, aka “Juice,” 24, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. His plea hearing was before U.S. District Judge Jerry W. Blackwell on September 8, 2026. Mire faces a statutory minimum of 20 years in prison and supervised release of at least four years. According to court documents, in 2021, Mire conspired with others to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The defendant remained a part of the agreement until May 17, 2022, when he was arrested. On April 16, 2022, Mire sold fentanyl to the victim, a 19-year-old woman. The victim died from an overdose minutes after consuming one of the pills. On May 17, 2022, police executed a search warrant at Mire’s apartment and seized roughly 180 grams of fentanyl pills and over $4,000 in cash. On May 19, 2022, state authorities charged the defendant with third-degree murder related to the woman’s death. On June 1, 2022, Mire was released under certain conditions. However, days later, on June 4, 2022, and in violation of his release conditions, Mire flew to Kenya on a one-way ticket and remained there until January 6, 2026, when federal agents returned him to the United States. Mire admitted that he flew to Kenya to avoid investigation and prosecution for the offense. “Today’s guilty plea represents a crucial step toward justice for the young woman and her family. Our office remains committed to holding accountable those who peddle deadly drugs into our communities,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “A 19-year-old woman lost her life to a pill that the dealer knew contained fentanyl, a substance that continues to destroy families and communities,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie. “Despite his best efforts to evade justice, Mire must now face the consequences of his actions, while also living with the knowledge that his dealings left a young woman’s family and friends grieving.” “Mire’s plea agreement reflects the strength of our partnerships and the unwavering commitment required to bring fugitives to justice,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “The gravity of the defendant’s crimes—including distributing fentanyl that caused a young woman’s death and then fleeing to obstruct justice—underscores the importance of holding offenders accountable. This outcome was made possible through close cooperation with the Government of Kenya, whose assistance ensured the defendant’s return to the United States to face federal charges. We are grateful for their collaboration and for the collective work of all our law enforcement partners who made this result possible.” “Fleeing the country didn’t allow Mr. Mire to escape accountability,” said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans. “This case is a strong example of what can happen when law enforcement partners stay committed to seeing a case through, no matter how long it takes or how far it leads. The BCA was proud to work alongside our partners here in Minnesota and internationally to help locate Mr. Mire and return him to the United States to answer for his actions, moving this case one step closer to justice for Samantha Myers.” “Although no sentence given to Hudeife Mire will equal the loss experienced by the victim’s family and friends, we are grateful that there will be accountability for his role in her death. Fentanyl continues to be a plague on our society and hopefully this prosecution deters others. The CEE-VI Drug and Gang Task Force, Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office, and Willmar Police Department would also like to acknowledge our state and federal partners who assisted in locating Mire in a foreign county and getting him back to the United States to be prosecuted,” said CEE-VI Commander Ross Ardoff, Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Tollefson, and Willmar Police Chief Mike Holme in a joint statement. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the CEE-VI (Cooperative Enforcement Effort) Drug and Gang Task Force, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office, and the Willmar Police Department, with assistance from other law enforcement partners. Assistant United States Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.


title: Couple in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme Sentenced to 97 Months’ Imprisonment

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Mekfira Hussein and Abduljabar Hussein have been sentenced to a total of 97 months in prison for their roles in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Husseins submitted fraudulent claims for meals and ultimately obtained approximately $8.8 million in federal child nutrition program funds. The defendants were sentenced before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel on September 8, 2026. Mekfira Hussein , 42, of Shakopee, Minnesota, was sentenced to 57 months in prison on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She pleaded guilty on January 31, 2025 . Abduljabar Hussein , 45, of Shakopee, Minnesota, was sentenced to 40 months in prison on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He pleaded guilty on February 5, 2025 . “The Husseins stole money that was meant for vulnerable children. Their sentences today reflect my office’s commitment to holding those who defraud the American taxpayer accountable,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline, Matthew C. Murphy, and Austin L. Bowyer prosecuted these cases. Assistant United States Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets. Note: Press releases on the defendants’ indictment ( October 18, 2022 ) linked here.


title: 12 Robertson County Defendants Charged in Federal Cocaine Trafficking Case

body_text: NASHVILLE – Twelve Robertson County residents have been indicted on federal charges stemming from a multi-year investigation into the distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine and related firearms offenses, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. A federal grand jury returned the indictments in August 2026, charging the defendants with conspiring to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, along with numerous substantive drug trafficking offenses. One defendant is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The investigation began in approximately January 2024 and was conducted by the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from federal law enforcement partners. On September 3, 2026, members of the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), and United States Marshals Service conducted a coordinated operation to execute federal arrest warrants. Six of the indicted defendants were arrested during the operation. An additional defendant was located in Ohio the following day and remains in custody there on state warrants. Five defendants were already in custody on other charges and are expected to make appearances in federal court later this month. The defendants and charges include: Derrick Artell Hurt, 47, of Greenbrier, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack cocaine - Three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense Santoria Antonio Brown, a/k/a “Hoggie,” 48, of Springfield, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine - Twelve counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense Terrelle Epprise Payne, a/k/a “Rat Daddy,” 53, of Springfield, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine - Five counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine - Felon in possession of a firearm - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense Michael Christopher Bigbee, a/k/a “Big Mike,” 42, of Springfield, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine - Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense Alandis Vontay Darden, a/k/a “Apple Head,” 43, of Springfield, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine - Nine counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense Anthony Terrill Swoopes, a/k/a “Swoopes,” 56, of Springfield, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine - Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense Tomika Mischelle Woodard, a/k/a “Mickey,” 53, of Springfield, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine - Seven counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense David Lee Brown, 41, of Springfield, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine - Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense Nola Ann Davis, 52, of Springfield, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine - Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense Donald Ray Bugg, 36, of Springfield, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine - Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense Shauntai Deshelle Black, 29, of Springfield, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine - One count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense Taylor Leighann Rose, 29, of Springfield, Tennessee - Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine - Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense “Cocaine and crack cocaine poison neighborhoods, and the firearms that travel with them turn drug deals into shootings,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “For more than two years, the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office and ATF built this case one transaction at a time, and today a dozen alleged traffickers are facing federal charges because of that work. This office will use every tool the law gives us to dismantle drug networks in Middle Tennessee, and we are grateful to our partners at every level of law enforcement who made this operation possible.” “This case is a prime example of law enforcement working collectively to protect our communities and confront those who blatantly disregard public safety by distributing deadly narcotics and illegally possessing firearms,” said Special Agent In charge, Jamey VanVliet. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and charge those individuals who continue to make our neighborhoods unsafe through armed drug trafficking activities.” “The success of this multi-year operation is a direct reflection of the strong working relationships and partnerships we have built with our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Robertson County Sheriff Michael Van Dyke. “Through communication, cooperation, and a shared commitment to our community, we were able to remove illegal drugs and firearms from our streets and hold those involved in criminal activity accountable. We are grateful to every agency and officer who worked together to make this operation a success.” The investigation remains active and ongoing. The cases are being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. These arrests are 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 interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the resources of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have 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 available tools to prosecute and remove violent criminal aliens from the United States. #####


title: State Inmate with Child Sexual Abuse Material Faces 20 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Georgia, Middle

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A former inmate at Central State Prison in Macon who was serving a sentence for child molestation is facing up to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material on an altered J-pay tablet while behind bars. Timothy Jock Knight, 45, formerly of Central State Prison, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Mark Treadwell on September 3. Knight faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to a maximum of 20 years in prison to be followed by a maximum lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for Dec. 1, 2026. There is no parole in the federal system. “It is deeply troubling that, even while serving time for child molestation, this individual continued to seek out and view child sexual abuse material and research ways to harm children,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Thanks to the coordinated efforts of state and federal authorities, the defendant was identified and will be held accountable.” "There are few crimes more egregious than those perpetrated against children, and in this case the defendant proved he remains a danger to the community, even from a prison cell," said Rob Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office. "We will take every opportunity to leverage our digital forensic technology to thwart the activity of distributors and consumers of child sexual abuse materials, no matter their location." “Child sexual abuse material is a horrific form of exploitation that continues to victimize children long after the abuse itself occurs. Those responsible must be held accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI will never back down in the fight against this crime, and remain committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to protect our children and hold criminals accountable.” “Any type of criminal activity perpetrated from behind the walls of our facilities will not be tolerated, and we are grateful to our federal and state partners for their assistance in bringing this case to a close,” said Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation received a Cybertip generated by Instagram in reference to the distribution of child sexual abuse material in 2021. Instagram reported that a subject account named “timknight444,” uploaded two images depicting CSAM. The tip included Knight’s profile picture and his driver’s license. GBI found Knight was serving a state sentence for attempted child molestation out of the Superior Court of Columbia County, Georgia, and was housed at Central State Prison, scheduled for release in January 2027. The GBI obtained search warrant results for Knight’s Instagram account and collected two J-Pay tablets at Central State Prison. One tablet was found in Knight’s locker and had been altered but did not contain CSAM. Investigators found the second tablet with Knight when they confiscated it. Investigators confirmed that the tablet was altered and that it contained CSAM. Also, the device contained Google search histories for information on abusing, trafficking, and raping children. Investigators found 3,410 unique artifacts of CSAM material that include images of prepubescent children. Most images came from five different video series. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. The GBI, the Georgia Department of Corrections, and the United States Secret Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Brown and Julius Jefferson are prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: Maryland Drug Trafficker Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges Connected to HSTF Investigation

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court, stemming from charges for his role as a drug supplier. U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Alcedo Hodge, Jr., 30, of Parkville, to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges are in connection with a multi-state Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) drug investigation. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Shane K. Todd, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS). According to court documents, in 2024, the DEA investigated a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Richmond, Virginia. Investigators identified Co-Conspirator 1 (CC-1) as one of the DTO’s re-supply sources, along with Hodge. Then in December 2024, law enforcement intercepted wiretap conversations about the DTO’s cocaine re-supply in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. On December 5, investigators covertly followed a DTO member who drove from Virginia to Owings Mills, Maryland, to meet CC-1. During the surveillance, law enforcement observed Hodge arrive at a secluded shopping center parking lot. The DTO member and CC-1 then followed Hodge in their vehicles. While in the parking lot, investigators saw CC-1 exit Hodge’s vehicle. Then, as Hodge left the parking lot, CC-1 called the DTO member over to his vehicle. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the DTO member after he returned to Virginia later that day. Investigators searched the DTO member’s car, recovering one kilogram of cocaine. Additionally, in January 2025, investigators observed Hodge engaging in another suspected drug transaction. Then on March 17, 2025, investigators initiated a traffic stop on Hodge in Baltimore County after observing an additional suspected drug transaction. During the traffic stop, a K-9 unit scanned the vehicle and returned a positive alert for the controlled substances. Investigators searched the vehicle and recovered three kilograms of cocaine; a fully loaded Glock semi-automatic handgun equipped with a 22-round capacity extended magazine; and approximately $78,000 in cash. After law enforcement arrested Hodge, investigators searched his Parkville residence. Inside his residence, investigators recovered an additional three kilograms of cocaine; another loaded firearm, which was stolen; and two digital money counters. Hodge acknowledged that he intended to use the recovered firearms and U.S. currency to facilitate his drug offense. 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 Baltimore comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, BCPD, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Miner who prosecuted the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md .


title: Man Indicted on Distribution and Possession of Child Sex Abuse Material Charges

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that a Maryland man is facing federal indictment in connection with child sex abuse crimes. Robert Paul Miller, III, 35, of West Friendship, is charged with distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and possessing CSAM. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Gregory Der, Howard County Police Department (HCPD) According to the indictment, Miller distributed videos depicting adults sexually abusing minors. Miller also maintained a Dropbox storage account, associated with his email address, that contained one or more CSAM visual depictions. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. If convicted, Miller faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for distributing CSAM. Miller also faces a maximum of 10 years for possessing CSAM. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and HCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Baltimore Man Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of Firearm and Stolen Postal Service Key

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man is headed to federal prison for firearm and postal-service theft crimes. U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Shykeem Fallin, 24, today, to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person and possession of a stolen key adopted by the United States Postal Service. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD). According to court documents, on February 4, 2025, a BPD detective, monitoring a CitiWatch Camera, observed Fallin displaying characteristics of an armed person. The detective saw Fallin adjusting the front waistband of his pants while in a convenience store. Then Fallin exited the store and approached the driver’s side of a white vehicle with an unknown male who was speaking to a female driver. During the conversation, the officer noticed Fallin repeatedly checking and adjusting an object in the front waistband of his pants. Then the detective saw Fallin walk to the front of the car and pull out a black handgun and hold it against his side. Fallin then put the firearm back in his waistband and adjusted his pants. After the white vehicle left, Fallin went to his vehicle and entered the driver’s seat. Shortly after, BPD officers arrived on the scene to apprehend Fallin. After law enforcement arrested Fallin, officers asked him if he owned a permit for the firearm. But Fallin denied having the firearm. Then law enforcement searched the vehicle and uncovered a loaded firearm that contained 12 rounds of ammunition underneath the driver’s seat. Additionally, law enforcement discovered a United States Postal Service (USPS) Arrow Key that fell from the driver’s side visor onto the driver’s seat. An Arrow Key is a government-issued master key that enables postal carriers to open cluster box units, blue collection boxes, and other USPS-secured mail infrastructure. Upon further investigation, law enforcement learned that the recovered Arrow Key was stolen from a postal carrier on February 3. U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the USPIS and BPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, for its valuable assistance. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Rigney and Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III, who prosecuted the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Missouri man pleads guilty to enticing minor to engage in sexual acts

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri man pleaded guilty to criminal charges after making plans to engage in sex acts while chatting with an undercover federal agent posing as an underaged girl. According to court documents, Jason A. Teeman, 47, of Raymore, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography. In July 2025, Teeman used social media and text messages to chat with a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent purporting to be a 14-year-old girl in Kansas. During the conversations he made comments filled with sexual innuendo including how he only likes to “date young females” and “just keep in mind I’m the one risking going to jail here”. Teeman then made plans to travel from Missouri to Kansas to engage in sexual acts with the “girl” in the back seat of his car or at the girl’s home. After the agent explicitly claimed to be 14 years old, Teeman continued communicating in a sexual manner. The FBI arrested Teeman after he arrived at the designated meeting location and confiscated his cellphone. Forensic analysis revealed 14 files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child erotica, including of children under 9 years old. His chat history revealed he sent multiple messages to other online users requesting they facilitate or assist in procuring a child for Teeman to have sexual contact with in exchange for money. He is scheduled to be sentenced December 8, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick is prosecuting the case. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: District of Kansas releases update on child exploitation cases prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas (USAO-KS) provides an update of cases prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood (PSC). PSC is a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), PSC 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. As part of the commitment to prosecuting cases related to child sexual abuse and exploitation, USAO-KS staffs with federal prosecutors who specialize in seeking justice in these types of offenses. In June, July, and August, USAO-KS indicted defendants on child exploitation related offenses while achieving substantial sentences for defendants post-conviction. Indictment Jonathan Arnold, 47, of Leavenworth was indicted on three counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. Stephen Crook, 34, Leavenworth of was indicted on one count of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact with a minor under 12 years of age. David Reno, 58, of Lenexa was indicted on two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Tyller White, 24, of Parsons was indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of a child – attempted production of child pornography. Colton Wiggins, 25, of Wichita was indicted on one count of distribution of child pornography. Plea Cody S. Bingham, 24, of Derby pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography. William “Bill” Bright, 58, of Hutchinson pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography. James D. Fishbaugh, 53, of Blue Springs, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Dean Glovier, 28, of Topeka, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child pornography. Bebak Gurung, 26, of Fort Riley, Kansas, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation-production of child pornography. Tyson Hale, 26, of Mayetta, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of minor in Indian Country. Dylan Jamescupp, 34, of Ottawa pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography. Zachery Leslie, 25, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography. Michael Steven Podrybau, 43, of Alton pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of obscene visual representation of the sexual abuse of children. Adam T. Umstead, 42, of Independence, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography. Michael Eugene Watley, 58, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. Sentencing Joshua Craig Abel, 44, of Topeka was sentenced to 151 months in prison followed by lifetime supervised release, after a jury convicted him of one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child pornography. Joseph Donald Dube, 40, Topeka was sentenced to 90 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child pornography. Garrett Gayoso, 25, of Baxter Springs was sentenced to 222 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count production of child pornography. Tommie Earnest Giles, 53, of Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced to 120 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Blake Nolan, 21, of Kansas City, Kansas, was sentenced to 72 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. Gavin Onuffer, 28, of Haysville was sentenced to 121 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. Dennis Lee Hamilton, 45, of Kansas City, Kansas, was sentenced 360 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of production of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. David Mark Jones, 35, of Shawnee was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Jeffrey T. Lyons, 33, of Olathe was sentenced to 264 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child. Victor Ortiz, 49, of Junction City was sentenced to 360 months in prison followed by lifetime supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – production of child pornography Adam Charles Pfeiffer, 36, of Wichita was sentenced to 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. Ronald Waltrip, 62, of Haysville was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography. https://www.justice.gov/psc An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Federal jury convicts three conspirators in $11M Medicaid fraud and kickback scheme

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted three defendants on charges relating to a Medicaid fraud scheme through a Henrico-based mental health agency. This case is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, twin sisters E'mon and Armone' Ambers, 31, and Traquan Brown, 32, participated in a scheme to defraud Medicaid through a mental health agency known as Divine Youth Counseling, LLC. E’mon Ambers was Divine Youth’s Chief Executive Officer and Armone’ Ambers was Divine Youth’s Program Director. Brown, who was involved in a romantic relationship with E’mon, was employed by Divine Youth and purported to provide counseling services on behalf of the agency. According to court documents, between January 2022 and October 2025, Divine Youth submitted more than $11 million in fraudulent claims to Medicaid for mental health services known as Crisis Stabilization and Mobile Crisis. The defendants falsely claimed that two mental health professionals simultaneously provided services to Medicaid recipients, when in truth, at most a single mental health professional was present for the service. The false claims that two professionals provided “Team Treatment” services caused millions of dollars of loss to Medicaid. The defendants also paid more than $470,000 in illegal kickbacks in the form of purchasing hotel rooms for Medicaid recipients. The defendants used the hotel rooms to incentivize recipients to obtain Medicaid services from Divine Youth, a practice the defendants knew and understood was wrong and unlawful. E'mon and Armone' Ambers were found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, payment of kickbacks, and transactional money laundering. E'mon faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to 92 years in prison, and Armone' faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to 42 years in prison. Brown was found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud. He faces up to ten years in prison. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 15. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Court will hold a separate proceeding on Dec. 14 to address the defendants’ forfeiture obligations. The assets subject to forfeiture include $5,937,156.30 in funds seized pursuant to a federal seizure warrant. Additional forfeitable property includes assets involved in the transactional money laundering offenses, including two matching Mercedes-Benz G-Wagons and a residence purchased in Richmond, Texas. The FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Virginia Office of the Attorney General investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Day, Janet Jin Ah Lee, and Leighton Watson are prosecuting 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. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-24.


title: Gregg County tax preparer charged with federal violations related to falsified tax returns

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Longview man has been charged with federal violations related to falsified tax returns in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jason Elias Briley, 42, was named in a 19-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in August 2026, charging him with aiding or assisting in tax fraud. Briley appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell on September 9, 2026. According to information presented in court, Briley owned a tax preparation business in Longview and is alleged to have prepared federal tax returns on behalf of his clients that included false information in an attempt to increase the refund amounts. The documented tax loss is alleged to be approximately $370,000. If convicted, Briley faces up to three years in federal prison. It is important to note that an indictment or arrest should not be considered as evidence of guilt and that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson. ###


title: Chinese nationals arrested in China as Homeland Security Task Force  works to stop drugs imported through the Eastern District of Texas destined for U.S. prisons

body_text: PLANO, Texas – Two Chinese nationals have been indicted and charged with federal drug trafficking violations as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Lisa Xing, 36, and Zhanwen Song, 38, Chinese citizens, were charged in a six-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas, charging them with drug trafficking and money laundering violations. In May, Adell Willis, 43, of Lewisville, and Judy Ly, 30, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, were indicted in the same conspiracy. All four defendants have been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; conspiracy to possess contraband in prison; conspiracy to manufacture and distribute controlled substances knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States; and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Willis was also charged with possession of synthetic drugs with intent to distribute. “The indictment alleges that a China‑based supplier and a domestic distributor worked together to bring deadly synthetic drugs into the United States for distribution across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “We will continue working with our Homeland Security Task Force partners to pursue and hold accountable those who traffic dangerous drugs into our country.” “The Homeland Security Task Force was established by President Trump’s executive order to protect Americans from illegal drug activity infesting our communities,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This FBI and our partners will stop at nothing to identify, find, and arrest these criminals who bring drugs to our streets. These two Chinese nationals allegedly trafficked dangerous, synthetic drugs from China into the United States and smuggled them into our prison systems for illicit gain. This HSTF investigation is yet another example, among thousands, of our task forces working throughout the country, every day, to make it safer for everyone. Thank you to FBI Dallas and our great law enforcement partners across the interagency who worked this investigation with us.” “Today’s announcement underscores DEA’s commitment to attack the entire synthetic drug supply chain and trace these deadly substances back to their source. This investigation led us to China, and thanks to the cooperation of Chinese law enforcement, two Chinese nationals are now in custody and will face justice for their role in supplying dangerous drugs destined for Americans,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “DEA’s global reach and chemical precursor expertise are unmatched. We are proud to bring those capabilities to the Homeland Security Task Force as we work together to identify these networks, dismantle their supply chains, and build landmark cases.” The indictment alleges that beginning in March 2023, the defendants conspired to possess synthetic opioids, synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic stimulants, and other controlled analogues, in correctional institutions. It is alleged in the indictment that Willis purchased synthetic drugs from Xing and Song in China and had them shipped to his residence in the Eastern District of Texas and Ly’s residence in Michigan. It is also alleged that once Willis and Ly received the synthetic drugs, they would convert the drugs to a liquid before soaking sheets of paper in the drug mixture. Once the sheets of paper were saturated, they were then delivered to inmates at various federal and state correctional institutions across the country. China’s Ministry of Public Security arrested Xing, Song, and 19 co-conspirators, seized 475 kilograms of synthetic cannabinoids, and shutdown four illicit manufacturing sites in China. The FBI-MPS counternarcotics working group, established in January 2026, facilitated the collaborative efforts to dismantle this transnational criminal network. These results represent a major milestone in U.S.–China counternarcotics cooperation and underscore the effectiveness of sustained, structured coordination between both countries in addressing the international illicit chemical supply chain. If convicted, the defendants each face a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison. This case 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 Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucas Machicek and Dustin Farahnak. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Jamaican National Sentenced to Over 9½ Years in Prison for Illegally Reentering the U.S.

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that DeWhite Dawkins, aka Dwight Dawkins, “Twin White,” and Kaleem Fraites, 42, a Jamaican national who has been unlawfully residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced this afternoon to 115 months in prison by United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage for illegally reentering the U.S. after the defendant’s 2023 deportation. At a separate sentencing hearing this morning, Dawkins was sentenced to 92 months in prison by United States District Judge Kai N. Scott for bribing a postal carrier to deliver packages of marijuana. The sentences will run concurrently, and after completing them, Dawkins will be removed from the U.S. once again. As detailed in court filings and statements, for more than a year, Dawkins, a marijuana dealer, paid a United States Postal Service carrier substantial bribes to deliver Priority Mail packages that contained marijuana to him and an associate. He admitted that, in exchange for the bribes, the carrier delivered some 15 parcels containing approximately 237 pounds of marijuana in total, which were shipped from California to addresses on the postal carrier’s route in Levittown, Pennsylvania. The marijuana in the 15 parcels was valued at approximately $450,000. The illegal reentry case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh Davison. The bribery case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terri A. Marinari.


title: Former Nonprofit Executive Who Defrauded the Organization of More Than $1.6 Million Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison, Six Months of Home Confinement

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that John A. Miller, 77, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 10 months in prison, two years of supervised release with six months of home confinement, and $1,626,556 in restitution by United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge for defrauding the nonprofit organization for which he worked of more than $1.6 million and laundering the fraud proceeds. The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in May 2025 and pleaded guilty this March to one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction involving criminally derived property. As detailed in court filings and statements, Miller served as the executive director and treasurer of a Philadelphia-based religious nonprofit organization that provided financial assistance to the widows and orphans of deceased clergy members. From 2015 through 2022, he diverted money to himself by masking wires intended for beneficiaries with personal checks issued to himself. To conceal the payments, Miller made false and misleading records in the nonprofit’s internal accounting ledgers. In total, Miller misappropriated more than $1.6 million. After Miller diverted the nonprofit funds into his personal accounts, he used the proceeds for personal expenses, including luxury travel and the purchase of a luxury condominium in Philadelphia. After being made aware of the fraud investigation, Miller liquidated the proceeds by selling the property. Despite the sale, law enforcement agents seized the fraudulent proceeds as the transaction took place. This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alisa Shver, J. Andrew Jenemann, and Alexander Bowerman.


title: Camden County Woman Indicted in Alleged Murder-for-Hire Scheme Targeting Two People

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

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jaclyn D. Diiorio, aka “D,” 28, of Runnemede, New Jersey, was arrested and charged by indictment with two counts of using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire. The defendant made her initial appearance in federal court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott W. Reid and is being held in federal custody pending a detention hearing on September 14. The indictment alleges that, from about March 30, 2025, to about April 5, 2025, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of New Jersey, Diiorio used and caused another to use a facility of interstate commerce, that is, a cellular phone, with intent that the murders of Person #1 and Person #2 be committed, in exchange for money. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Camden County (N.J.) Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Gloucester Township (N.J.) Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force – Camden Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kwambina Coker and Joshua Myers. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. U.S. v. Jaclyn D. Diiorio


title: Long Island Contractor Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Fraud In Connection With Hurricane Sandy Recovery Funds

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Alexander Almaraz, the owner of Design Concepts Group LLC (DCG) in Freeport, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 48 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme to induce individuals to hire him and pay DCG to repair their Hurricane Sandy-damaged homes. Almaraz pleaded guilty to the charge in September 2024. As part of the sentence, restitution to the victims will be determined at a later date. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Anne T. Donnelly, Nassau County District Attorney, announced the sentence. “Although years have passed since Hurricane Sandy caused historic damage to our district, the defendant’s victims still feel the emotional and financial pain caused by his selfish crimes,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s sentence holds Almaraz accountable for using vital recovery funds to fund a lavish lifestyle while his customers were deprived of their homes and suffering emotionally and financially. For this crime of greed, it is fitting that the defendant’s home will be a federal prison.” “Alexander Almaraz defrauded more than 20 victims of Hurricane Sandy by promising to raise their storm-ravaged homes and instead used the money for his own personal gain by spending it on luxury items. Almaraz unlawfully sought to profit from the money intended to assist these desperate homeowners following this devastating storm. May today’s sentencing send a message that the FBI will never tolerate those who exploit natural disaster recovery efforts for greedy purposes,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “Hurricane Sandy ravaged waterfront communities across Nassau County, and in the aftermath, this defendant capitalized on the loss and pain of nearly two dozen homeowners trying to rebuild just to fatten his own wallet,” stated Nassau County District Attorney Donnelly. “In his greed, Almaraz made promises he had no intention of keeping and stole more than a million dollars in recovery funds earmarked to help residents who suffered total devastation in the storm. To add insult to injury, while the construction on his victims’ homes remained unfinished, Almaraz was out buying land for himself with their funds. I thank our federal partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI for their commitment to prosecuting heartless schemers who exploited Long Islanders during this tragic event.” On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck New York and New Jersey, causing catastrophic damage to low-lying and coastal areas, including many neighborhoods in the Eastern District of New York. New York residents whose homes were damaged were eligible to receive funding from the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery through the New York Rising (NYR) program. Almaraz entered contracts with homeowners who qualified to receive funds from NYR. As part of these contracts, Almaraz agreed to lift the victims’ homes and set them down on temporary support structures which would permit the foundations of the damaged homes to be removed and new foundations to be installed. After the new foundations were installed, Almaraz was supposed to lower the homes and reconnect the homes’ appliances. Between October 2015 and June 2019, Almaraz agreed to lift the homes of at least 20 customers who had received NYR funding and who collectively paid him approximately $2.5 million. Almaraz convinced many of these victims to move out of their homes and pay him rent to live elsewhere, all the while neglecting their projects and causing greater loss and suffering. Instead of performing the full scope of the agreed-upon work, Almaraz used the victims’ monies to pay for personal expenses, including credit card bills, land purchased in Kansas City, Missouri, and luxury automobiles, including a Lamborghini, a Porsche and a Jaguar. Almaraz’s fraudulent scheme caused more than $1.5 million in losses to NYR and the individual victims. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Megan E. Farrell is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : ALEXANDER ALMARAZ Age: 55 San Antonio, Texas; formerly of Freeport, Long Island E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-17 (JMA)


title: Brooklyn Adult Daycare Owner Sentenced to 76 Months in Prison for Leadership Role in $68 Million Medicaid Fraud Scheme

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Zakia Khan was sentenced by United States District Judge Natasha C. Merle to 76 months in prison in connection with her leadership role in carrying out a $64 million Medicaid fraud and illegal kickback scheme at her two social adult daycare centers and a home health care company. In August 2025, Khan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay health care kickbacks. As part of her sentence, Khan was also ordered to pay over $56 million in restitution and to forfeit $5 million in fraud proceeds, including two properties, cash, and gold jewelry seized during a search of her home, as pictured below. EDNY Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Colin M. McDonald, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; Pete Gizas, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York); Miranda L. Bennett, Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the sentence. “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message of deterrence in our District,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office and the Justice Department are focused on protecting American taxpayers from fraudsters and as such, we will vigorously prosecute corrupt health care owners and operators in our district.” “Khan acted with staggering greed, leading a scheme to defraud Medicaid of millions of dollars intended for people in need. She and her co-conspirators set up social adult daycares but, instead of providing care and services to our most vulnerable neighbors, they enriched themselves with cash, gold, and property,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Gizas. “Today’s sentence sends a message: we will be relentless in our pursuit of justice against fraudsters. HSI is working side by side with our law enforcement partners to uncover and dismantle complex fraud networks like this one.” “Social adult day care and home health services are designed to support seniors, not line the pockets of fraudsters,” said HHS-OIG Acting Deputy Inspector General Bennett. “Today’s sentence sends an important message that anyone who illicitly exploits the Medicaid program will be held accountable to the full extent of the law.” “Zakia Khan stole $64 million from Medicaid through bribes and kickbacks—money meant to support the most vulnerable,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “This was not only deeply illegal but also immoral, and the NYPD will continue to investigate anyone who exploits government programs for personal gain. I thank our NYPD investigators and all our partners in law enforcement for their work in stopping this criminal and bringing this case to a close.” According to court documents, Khan owned two social adult daycare centers—Happy Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc. (Happy Family) and Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc. (Family Social) in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn. She also owned a home health care fiscal intermediary called Responsible Care Staffing Inc. and an entity she used to receive and disguise fraud proceeds called Tanwee Services Inc. From approximately October 2017 through July 2024, in exchange for kickbacks and bribes, a web of marketers referred Medicaid recipients to Khan’s social adult daycare centers. As depicted in the pictures below, Khan and the marketers paid kickbacks and bribes to the Medicaid recipients to induce them to sign up for services that Khan then billed to Medicaid. These services were never actually provided as represented to Medicaid. Between 2017 and 2024, Happy Family and Family Social fraudulently billed Medicaid approximately $64 million. Medicaid paid approximately $56 million based on these false and fraudulent claims. Khan and her co-conspirators used multiple business entities to launder the fraud proceeds and generate the cash used to pay kickbacks and bribes to the marketers and the Medicaid recipients. EDNY Zakia Khan on an undercover recording paying illegal kickbacks inside her office at Happy Family. EDNY EDNY Medicaid recipients receiving illegal cash kickbacks in exchange for filling out false attendance sheets for Zakia Khan’s social adult daycare centers. HHS-OIG, HSI New York, and NYPD investigated the case. Deputy Chief Patrick J. Campbell and Trial Attorney Leonid Sandlar of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire Kedeshian for the Eastern District of New York, who is handling forfeiture matters. 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. The Defendant: ZAKIA KHAN Age: 55 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 24-CR-409 (NCM)


title: Bloods Gang Leader Sentenced to 280 Months’ Imprisonment  for Narcotics Distribution Resulting in Three Overdoses

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Gary Johnson, a Bloods gang leader and narcotics trafficker who was responsible for the distribution of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin throughout Long Island, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 280 months’ imprisonment. Johnson was convicted following a four-week trial on 22 counts of a second superseding indictment charging him with narcotics distribution, including distribution that resulted in three non-fatal overdoses, as well as a firearms-related crime. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the sentence. “As a result of the outstanding work by the FBI, our local law enforcement partners and the prosecutors of this Office, Johnson has been held accountable for his role in a large-scale narcotics distribution operation involving fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and for distributing fentanyl and cocaine that caused three individuals to overdose in 2020,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “We hope that today’s sentence brings a measure of justice to the victims who thankfully survived and their families, and sends a clear message that those who distribute drugs, particularly that cause overdoses, will face severe consequences.” “Today's sentencing of Gary Johnson serves as a stark reminder that those who distribute drugs in New York will be held accountable. The FBI New York Long Island Safe Streets Gang Task Force works tirelessly to bring drug traffickers to justice. Those who endeavor to follow in Johnson's footsteps will be stopped in their tracks, so that future victims may be spared,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “The drug epidemic is fueled by people who are focused on making a profit, without regard for the devastating consequences their actions can have when those drugs reach individuals who ultimately overdose,” stated SCPD Commissioner Catalina. “I want to commend EDNY for ensuring Johnson will be spending time in prison for his crimes. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to halt the flow of narcotics and hold drug dealers accountable for the selfish choices that put lives at risk.” Between June 2013 and November 2020, Johnson, a leader in the G-Shine set of the Bloods based in Suffolk County, sold fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin throughout Long Island. The drugs distributed by the defendant caused multiple victims to overdose, including three individuals who suffered overdoses in March and May 2020. The jury convicted Johnson of multiple narcotics-distribution offenses, including three counts of distributing narcotics resulting in serious bodily injury. Johnson was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. That conviction arose from the recovery of a semi-automatic firearm from Johnson’s residence during the execution of a search warrant. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith A. Arfa, Stephen Petraeus, and Mark E. Misorek are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Dejah Turla, Rebecca Roth, and Adam Bernard, as well as Victim Witness Specialist Stephanie Marroquin. The Defendant : GARY JOHNSON Age: 43 Bellport, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-518 (S-2) (JMA)


title: Jurors Convict St. Louis County Felon Caught with Guns, Drum Magazines

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Jurors in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Wednesday found a St. Louis County felon caught with two guns guilty of a firearm charge. Evidence and testimony at the trial, which started Tuesday, showed that a Hazelwood police officer stopped Paris D. McPeters on June 18, 2024, after he failed to stay in his lane. After learning that McPeters had an active warrant, the officer arrested him. Before the vehicle was towed, the officer asked McPeters whether there were guns or drugs in the vehicle and McPeters responded, “yeah.” A search revealed a 5.56-caliber semi-automatic rifle with a loaded 100-round drum magazine, five additional loaded large capacity magazines, a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol with a loaded 50 round drum magazine and extra ammunition, evidence and testimony showed. McPeters has numerous prior convictions. As a felon, he is barred from possessing firearms. McPeters, 44, was found guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced December 9. The charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison. The Hazelwood Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Christian Goeke and Joseph Green are prosecuting 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: Honduran Illegal Alien Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry of Removed Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – DAVID VILLADARES-MONTOYA , a/k/a “Alex Montoya,” a/k/a “David Alexander” (“VILLADARES-MONTOYA “), age 39, a native of Honduras, was indicted on September 3, 2026 for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to the indictment, the defendant was found in the United States on August 27, 2026, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on August 14, 2023. VILLADARES-MONTOYA 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. 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 Homeland Security Investigations 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: Former Postal Employee Sentenced For Obstruction of U.S. Mail

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Lacresha Vining (“VINING”) , age 27, of Independence, Louisiana, was sentenced to a one year of probation by U.S. District Judge Nannette J. Brown on September 3, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to obstruction of mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1701, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. The Court also imposed a mandatory $10 special assessment fee. According to court documents, in September 2023, VINING knowingly obstructed the passage of mail while employed as a postal carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. United States Attorney David I. Courcelle praised the work of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Kippers of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Federal Court Orders Forfeiture of Approximately $7 Million and Three Vehicles Following Conviction of Jamie P. McNamara

body_text: NEW ORLEANS - On August 21, 2026, United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion entered a Final Order of Forfeiture in United States v. Jamie P. McNamara (“ MCNAMARA ”), Criminal Docket No. 22-151, requiring the forfeiture of over $7 million dollars in criminally derived funds, and 3 luxury vehicles, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. MCNAMARA plead guilty on May 29, 2026, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1349 and 1347, and was sentenced to ten years in prison on October 23, 2025. According to court documents, MCNAMARA operated several laboratories in Louisiana and Texas, which obtained fraudulent doctors’ orders for genetic testing from telemarketers and call centers that used aggressive telemarketing campaigns to induce Medicare beneficiaries to agree to receive genetic testing. Orders for genetic testing were signed by purported telemedicine doctors who were not the beneficiaries’ treating physicians, did not perform consultations with the beneficiaries, and did not follow up with the beneficiaries after the testing was performed. To obtain the orders, MCNAMARA paid illegal kickbacks and bribes, which he disguised through sham contracts. In furtherance of the scheme, he also shifted the billing between his laboratories to evade scrutiny from Medicare and law enforcement and concealed his ownership and control of the laboratories by falsely listing the names of his family members as owners and company representatives on Medicare and other documents. In approximately one and a half years, the laboratories operated by MCNAMARA submitted over $174 million in claims to Medicare for genetic testing and received over $55 million in reimbursements. Before MCNAMARA was indicted, law enforcement officers seized several of his assets that had been purchased with the proceeds of his scheme. In its recent order, the Court ordered the forfeiture of the contents of an investment account and a bank account held in the name of a company controlled by MCNAMARA , along with three vehicles purchased with proceeds of the offense, namely, a Land Rover Range Rover, a BMW, and a Ford F-150. In total, the forfeited accounts contained a value totaling approximately $7,051,089.08. Asset forfeiture is a law enforcement tool that allows the United States to take property derived from, or used to commit, federal crimes. It is designed to strip criminals of the proceeds of their offenses, remove the instruments used to carry them out, and- where victims can be identified- return recovered funds to the people who were harmed. U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney, Alexandra Giavotella, Asset Forfeiture Coordinator, handled the forfeiture component. Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Moses for the Eastern District of Louisiana 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: Vallejo gun trafficker sentenced to 7 years in prison

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Zuryess Roberts, 26, of Vallejo, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to seven years in prison for illegal gun trafficking and possessing a machine gun conversion device, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. A federal jury found Roberts guilty in May 2025 after trial. According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Roberts was the leader of a loosely affiliated crew that was illegally selling dangerous, high-powered weapons in Vallejo using a Super 8 motel on Solano Avenue in Vallejo as the hub of their criminal activity. During the investigation, on multiple separate occasions, Roberts sold and oversaw the sale of dangerous weapons, including a machine gun conversion device and facilitated the sale of multiple untraceable ghost guns, on the streets of Vallejo to a person he believed to be a violent criminal. In total, Roberts was responsible for selling 13 firearms, and he received approximately $7,850, from selling firearms during the course of the investigation. Four co-defendants were convicted of firearms-related crimes and sentenced to federal prison. They include: Taezon Laurece Sanderson, 23, sentenced to 36 months; Divaya Talley, 18, sentenced to 36 months in prison; Napoleon Washington, 45, sentenced to 15 months in prison; Anderson Thurston, 66, sentenced to 12 months in prison. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Vallejo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt 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: San Francisco man sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for child exploitation

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Sean Michael Hunt, 51, of San Francisco, was sentenced Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 12 years and seven months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, on May 17, 2010, Hunt pleaded guilty to receiving CSAM in Fresno. After serving his prison sentence, he relocated to San Francisco and began serving a lifetime term of supervised release. In March 2024, during a search of Hunt’s residence, Hunt’s probation officer found two laptops, three iPhones and one iPad. On the devices were more than 10,000 still images and 75 videos of CSAM. Hunt was charged with violating the conditions of his release and was additionally charged with possession of CSAM. On Jan. 26, 2026, Hunt pleaded guilty to the violation of supervised release and to possession of CSAM. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the cases. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Scam Center Strike Force Conducts Seizures of Chinese-Run Illicit Scammer Marketplace, and Restrains $52 Million in Laundered Crypto Scammer Funds In One Day

component: Criminal Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, together with major federal law enforcement and interagency partners, announced actions taken by the Department of Justice’s Scam Center Strike Force to secure America against Southeast Asian cryptocurrency-related fraud and scams. The Strike Force and the Department of the Treasury took coordinated actions against Xinbi Guarantee (“Xinbi”), an illicit marketplace for scam services, and the Strike Force deployed to Madagascar to assist in the taking down of 13 Chinese-run scam compounds. Approximately $52 million of cryptocurrency involved in scam money laundering was restrained in one day, bringing the total restrained by the Scam Center Strike Force to approximately $938 million. Joining in the announcement were U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska Michael J. Heyman, FBI Criminal Division Deputy Assistant Director Matthew Floyd, Special Agent in Charge Tara McLeese of the United States Secret Service Washington Field Office, and Lisa Palluconi, Deputy Director of the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. “If Chinese organized crime can buy a custom website and a money laundering service the way you order takeout, then every American with a retirement account is in the blast radius,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My Strike Force will continue to dismantle Chinese organized crime, those who facilitate it, and protect Main Street America.” As alleged in a seizure warrant unsealed today, Xinbi is a Chinese-language illicit marketplace, run on Telegram, where vendors market their services to scam center operators. The Telegram channel operated primarily in Chinese, and the vendors post their available services on the Telegram channel, to include creating custom scam investment websites, laundering or “washing” money that scammers obtain from victims of wire fraud, and soliciting trafficking victims to work in scam compounds in Southeast Asia. Once a scammer “purchases” a service from the vendor, Xinbi as an organization holds money to be paid to the vendor until the vendors services are complete, to assure the scammers that the vendors will perform the services. The seizure warrant alleged numerous instances where U.S. victims funds were traced to specific vendors who advertised their money laundering services on the Telegram channel, and posted cryptocurrency wallets for payment on Telegram. On September 7, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia authorized seizure of the Telegram channels hosting this marketplace. A vendor advertisement on the Telegram channel for “cleaning” cryptocurrency for Chinese RMB. A vendor advertisement on Telegram for recruiting scammer (“Level 1”) agents. Additionally, also pursuant to the same warrant, the Scam Center Strike Force seized two cryptocurrency wallets that Xinbi used to collect payments for vendors, which collectively held approximately $12 million in funds. Law enforcement also sought restraint of 47 additional cryptocurrency wallets that were believed to be associated with money laundering on Xinbi’s network and with vendors who had worked for scammers. Due to all these coordinated efforts, more than $52 million worth of cryptocurrency was restrained from Xinbi and its network of vendors that facilitate the organized crime groups running scam centers around the globe. The Strike Force thanks Tether for its proactive assistance in this investigation. Today, in further coordinated action, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Xinbi as a significant transnational criminal organization and identified numerous cryptocurrency wallets associated with Xinbi. OFAC also designated two other entities for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Xinbi. As a result of today’s action by OFAC, all property and interests in property of these three sanctioned entities that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. For more information, please see the Department of Treasury’s press release at this link. “After scamming money from hardworking Americans, criminals operating overseas laundered it through the Xinbi Guarantee network, which operated under the false assumption that they were out of the reach of U.S. law enforcement, said Tara McLeese, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office. “The efforts of our agents and investigative analysts to trace stolen funds and unveil the scope of this criminal network shows that while the methods of fraud may change, our resolve does not.” “Global crime faces global justice, and the FBI will stop at nothing to protect the finances that hardworking Americans build over their lifetimes,” said FBI Chicago Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Whalen. “Today’s seizure demonstrates law enforcement and prosecutors’ commitment to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling scam centers, no matter where they are in the world. The FBI is committed to working with domestic and international partners around the globe to stop scammers before they attack and hold these criminals accountable.” “Scam centers are not just criminal enterprises—they are engines of exploitation that devastate victims, families, and communities," said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. " These schemes target our elderly and most vulnerable, draining their finances, eroding their trust, and in many cases leaving lasting emotional harm. The FBI is committed to dismantling these networks, holding offenders accountable, and restoring a sense of security to the communities they prey upon.” Also today, U.S. Attorney Pirro announced that the Scam Center Strike Force will expand its scope to attack scam center compounds globally. In furtherance of that expanded focus, U.S. Attorney Pirro, together with U.S. Attorney Heyman and FBI Criminal Division Deputy Assistant Director Matthew Floyd, announced that the Strike Force had deployed a team to Madagascar to assist local law enforcement in cracking down on scam centers in that country. The Strike Force team, which was in country for two weeks, supported the local authorities related to the take down of 13 scam centers that were being operated by Chinese organized crime syndicates. The Strike Force team assisted in the processing of more than 3,200 electronic devices. The Strike Force team has also opened their own investigations on the basis of interviews conducted of the nearly 400 arrestees, at least approximately 30 of whom where Chinese leaders of the scam compounds, who were repatriated to China by the Chinese government. "Transnational criminal organizations don’t care about borders, and the Department of Justice won’t either,” said Michael J. Heyman, U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska. We are proud to be part of the Scam Center Strike Force and will work to eliminate these international scam networks and bring justice to U.S. fraud victims across the country." Boxes of phones from Chinese run compounds in Madagascar, reviewed by the Strike Force Room of scam center evidence seized by the Madagascar authorities, which the Strike Force team assisted in processing. ********************************************** About the Scam Center Strike Force The Scam Center Strike Force was officially launched by U.S. Attorney Pirro in November 2025 to address the growing threat posed by Chinese organized crime syndicates operating scam centers primarily in Southeast Asia. The Strike Force targets cryptocurrency investment fraud, cyber-enabled fraud, human trafficking, and money laundering operations that have cost American victims billions of dollars. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), cyber-enabled fraud schemes were responsible for almost 85% of all losses reported to IC3 in 2025. Within that category, CIF schemes have continued to grow, and the IC3 calculated the reported losses from CIF scams rose, from $4.57 billion in 2023, to $8.65 billion in 2025, an increase of 89%. [1] These figures, largely based on losses reported by victims, likely significantly under-represent the true loss amounts incurred by Americans, since most fraud victims do not report to IC3, if at all. On March 6, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Administration to prioritize cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes draining American families of their life savings. Through the Executive Order, President Trump is unleashing every available tool to stop foreign-backed criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber-enabled fraud. The Scam Center Strike Force is a critical node in executing the mission outlined in the President’s Order. Founded by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, the Strike Force has been joined it its work by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, Justice Department’s Criminal Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations-DC, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Alaska, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Western Washington. The Strike Force works in collaboration with other federal agencies, including the Treasury and State Departments. The Strike Force works in strategic partnership with private industry and calls on all U.S. businesses to take more proactive steps to protect users from scam operations. The Scam Center Strike Force will use every tool available to help secure Main Street Americans from these scams. With its interagency and public partners, it will educate Americans on how to identify these scams, prevent generational wealth from flowing from America into the pockets of Chinese organized crime, and work with unwavering focus to return stolen funds to victims. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Karen P. Seifert for the District of Columbia directs the Strike Force. Today’s seizures were handled by AUSA Seifert and AUSA Rick Blaylock, Jr., of the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office as well as AUSA Mac Caille Peturrson, of the U.S. Attonrey’s Office for the District of Alaska, along with the FBI’s Chicago Field Office and U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, with substantial assistance from Paralegals Peter Bleicken and Jessica In, both of the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office. The Madagascar investigations are being handled by AUSA Peturrson, with AUSAs Seifert and Blaylock, along with FBI’s Honolulu Field Office. The FBI thanks authorities in Madagascar for their assistance.


title: Killingly Man Admits Stealing $775K from Nonprofits in Windham and Middlefield

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, and Connecticut State Police Colonel Daniel Loughman announced that RYAN FITZGIBBONS, 44, of Killingly, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a fraud offense stemming from his theft of more than $775,000 from nonprofit organizations in Windham and Middlefield. According to court documents and statements made in court, Fitzgibbons was employed as the executive director of the Holy Family Home & Shelter (“HFHS”), a charitable non-profit group in Windham serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness by providing emergency and temporary housing. Between approximately November 2021 and June 2023, Fitzgibbons stole approximately $734,683 from HFHS by making unauthorized wire transfers from the HFHS bank account to his personal accounts, unauthorized purchases and ATM withdrawals using the HFHS debit card, and writing checks from the HFHS account to himself and to “cash.” Fitzgibbons attempted to cover up his criminal behavior by providing false transactions and donation accounting reports to HFHS board members. As part of his scheme, in September 2022, Fitzgibbons failed to report to the HFHS board a $392,000 donation HFHS received from the estate of an individual. Fitzgibbons was terminated from HFHS in September 2023. In approximately April 2024, Fitzgibbons was hired as the executive director of the Durham Middlefield Youth & Family Services ("DMYFS"), a charitable nonprofit based in Middlefield serving children and families by fostering a healthy community through prevention, intervention, treatment and community-building. Fitzgibbons used the DMYFS bank account to make approximately $40,769 in unauthorized purchases that he falsely justified as “marketing,” “wages,” and “software.” He was terminated from the position in August 2024. Fitzgibbons pleaded guilty to wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He also has agreed to pay $775,452.21 in restitution. Fitzgibbons is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for December 2. This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Middlefield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick. U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Middlesex for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.