Fraud News From World

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 15, 2023
Air National Guardsman Indicted for Unlawful Disclosure of Classified National Defense Information
A member of the U.S. Air National Guard (USANG) stationed in Massachusetts was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly retaining and transmitting classified national defense information on a social media platform beginning in or around 2022 and continuing until his arrest in April.

Jack Douglas Teixeira, 21, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, was indicted on six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information relating to the national defense (National Defense Information). Teixeira was arrested on April 13, 2023, and charged by criminal complaint with retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or materials. On May 19, 2023, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy granted the government’s motion for dete.. […] Read More

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Thank you, Heather. I want to extend my appreciation to you, the National Legal Aid and Defender Association, the Black Public Defender Association and Alaina Bloodworth and April Frazier Camara for your hospitality and leadership.

It really is an honor to be here. I am excited to celebrate the public defenders, mitigation specialists, executives, administrators and other professionals in this room, who have dedicated their careers to affirming the dignity and humanity of the people they represent.

This Monday, our nation will collectively commemorate and celebrate Juneteenth. This holiday, which recognizes the end of enslavement for Black Americans, also marks the beginning of a long and continuing struggle for equality, equity and justice.

We cannot celebrate Juneteenth without acknowledging the continued and pervasive injustices that continue to impact Black communities in this country. From Jim Crow, to disenfranchisement, to redlining, to disp.. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
FACT SHEET: Update on Justice Department ’s Ongoing Efforts to Tackle Gun Violence
On June 14, 2023, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco convened a meeting with the Criminal Division, FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Marshals Service, and all 93 U.S. Attorneys to discuss ongoing efforts to reduce violent crime and combat the gun violence that fuels it. These efforts include implementing the landmark Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) passed by Congress and signed by the President last June; addressing the proliferation of untraceable and unlawful “ghost guns” that threaten public safety; surging resources to federal, state, local, and Tribal law-enforcement partners on the front lines; and adopting other common-sense reforms that keep guns out of the wrong hands.  

Focusing U.S. Attorney Resources on Gun Crimes: .. […] Read More

Remarks as Delivered

Good [afternoon]. In just a few minutes, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and I will be meeting with all 93 of our U.S. Attorneys, and with the heads of the Department’s law enforcement components, to discuss our summer anti-violent crime strategy.

Among other things, we will be reinforcing the importance of identifying, investigating, and prioritizing the prosecution of those who are responsible for the greatest violence in our communities.

We will discuss the U.S. Marshals’ upcoming launch of the next phase of Operation North Star. The last two phases resulted in the capture of more than 2,300 fugitives wanted for violent crimes across the country. Our Deputy U.S. Marshals will conduct this next phase together with our state and local task force partners to target the most dangerous criminals in communities with the highest levels of violence.

We will also discuss DEA’s plans to launch the third phase of Operation Overdrive. So far, the first two phases o.. […] Read More

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Thank you so much, Director Dettelbach.

And, thank you to the women and men of the ATF for hosting us today.

Thank you all for being here and for your commitment to our shared mission of keeping the American people safe.

I also want to acknowledge the dedicated members of the U.S. Attorney community here today—U.S. Attorneys Diggs, Esparza, Hamdani, Restaino, Simonton, and Uballez. Thanks for the work you are leading across this country to combat firearms trafficking.

It’s also great to be here with Deputy Secretary John Tien and the Deputy Homeland Security Advisor, Josh Geltzer.

And I’m grateful to Ambassador Ken Salazar for taking time out from the Chief of Missions conference to be here for this important discussion.

Although we represent different agencies, we share the same commitment to fighting the epidemic of gun violence that has shattered communities across our country.

Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking networks—those that ope.. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
U.S. Army Soldier Pleads Guilty to Terrorism Charges for Attempting to Help ISIS Conduct Deadly Ambush on U.S. Troops
U.S. Army Private First-Class Cole Bridges Provided Tactical Guidance in Attempt to Help ISIS Attack and Murder U.S. Service Members in the Middle East
An Ohio man today pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to murder U.S. military service members based on his efforts to help the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) to attack and kill U.S. soldiers in the Middle East.

Cole Bridges, aka Cole Gonzales, 22, of Stow, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman. According to court documents, Bridges joined the U.S. Army in approximately September 2019 and was assigned as a cavalry scout in the Third Infantry Division based in Fort Stewart, Georgia. Beginning in at least 2019, Bridges began researching and consuming online prop.. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Montana Man Sentenced for Federal Hate and Firearms Crimes for Shooting Intended to Kill and Rid Town of LGBTQI+ Residents
A Montana man was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris to 18 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for shooting into a residence and attempting to shoot others with the intent of ridding a town of LGBTQI+ residents.

John Russell Howald, of Basin, was convicted by a federal jury on Feb. 17 of a hate crime involving an attempt to kill and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence for firing an AK-style rifle at the residence of a woman who was known within the town as lesbian and was home at the time, and then walking further into town intending to target others he perceived to be lesbian, queer, and gay. The trial lasted four days.

“This defendant is being held accountable for his horrific attempted mass shooting against the LGBTQI+ community in a.. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Construction Firm CFO Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Crime
Defendant Failed to Pay More Than $6 Million in Payroll Taxes
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a Mississippi company pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to report and pay over employment taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Julian Russ of Houma, Louisiana, was the CFO of Community Construction Company LLC, a pipeline-maintenance and construction company based in Hazelhurst, Mississippi. From at least 2012 through October 2018, Russ did not file required quarterly employment tax returns or pay over the taxes withheld from employees’ wages to the IRS, despite knowing of his obligation to do so. In total, Russ caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $6 million.

Russ faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federa.. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Oregon Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS
An Oregon man pleaded guilty in federal court today for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) by producing and distributing propaganda and recruiting materials online in coordination with ISIS members overseas.

Hawazen Sameer Mothafar, 33, an Iraqi national residing in Troutdale, Oregon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

According to court documents, Mothafar immigrated to the U.S. from Iraq in 2014 and, since his arrival, has resided in Troutdale. An ISIS supporter since 2014, Mothafar was the co-founder of the Sunni Shield Foundation, a pro-ISIS media organization that created and published violent propaganda promoting ISIS ideology and objectives. In this role, Mothafar created the Sunni Shield’s first media product, a video of .. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Property Management Company to Pay Nearly $75,000 to Resolve Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Claims
The Justice Department today announced that FPI Management Inc. (FPI) has agreed to pay $74,087 to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing unlawful charges on nine servicemembers who were exercising their right to terminate their apartment leases after receiving military orders to relocate.

“The right for servicemembers to terminate leases without penalty when military orders send them elsewhere is a critical protection for people who already sacrifice so much,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to enforce federal civil rights laws to ensure that paying rent for housing they no longer need is not another sacrifice servicemembers must bear.”

“The SCRA protects servicemembers who have ans.. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Statement from Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice on the Adoption of the Equal Access to Justice Resolution at the United Nations Crime Commission
The Office for Access to Justice today issued the following statement from Director Rachel Rossi following the adoption of the “Equal Access to Justice for All” resolution at the 32nd Session of United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in Vienna, Austria:

“The Office for Access to Justice is pleased to have played a role in the recent adoption by consensus of the first UN-CCPCJ resolution on access to justice. This resolution recognizes that when access to justice is limited or restricted in criminal justice systems, the rule of law is undermined. The resolution emphasizes the importance of United Nations Member States taking ‘all necessary steps to provide fair, transparent, effective, non-discriminatory and accountable services that .. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Justice Department Co-Hosts Second Meeting of the Counterterrorism Law Enforcement Forum in Norway
The Justice Department’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (State CT) co-hosted the second annual meeting of the Counterterrorism Law Enforcement Forum (CTLEF) with the Government of Norway in Oslo from June 6 to 7. The CTLEF, which focuses on countering the global threat of racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism (REMVE), brought together law enforcement, prosecutors, and other criminal justice practitioners from Europe and North and South America, as well as specialists from INTERPOL, Europol, the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law and other multilateral organizations to discuss how to effectively address and counter REMVE threats.

Assistant Attorney General (AAG) Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Depar.. […] Read More

Thank you for the kind introduction. I appreciate the opportunity to share some thoughts with all of you today on the Antitrust Division’s global approach to criminal enforcement.

One of our values at the Antitrust Division, and the department as a whole, is to be clear with the public about our enforcement priorities, policies and the standards we apply in making charging decisions. And when we have issues and topics appropriate for reasoned discussion, we want to hear from a diverse set of views. For this reason, my colleagues and I appreciate the opportunity to participate in today’s conversations and describe the outstanding work by division prosecutors day in and day out to seek economic justice on behalf of our country.

Economic liberty is something cherished around the world. Looking at the enforcers, private practitioners, competition law experts, in-house counsel and former colleagues assembled in this room, there is at least one thing we share: We all want dynamic, vibrant .. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Two Federal Bureau of Prisons Employees Charged with Violating the Civil Rights of an Inmate Resulting in His Death
A federal grand jury indicted a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) lieutenant and a BOP registered nurse yesterday with violating the civil rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to the inmate’s serious medical needs, resulting in his death.

The indictment alleges that on Jan. 9, 2021, Lieutenant Shronda Covington, 47, of Chesterfield, Virginia, and Registered Nurse Tonya Farley, 52, of Chesterfield, Virginia, were on duty and working in their official capacities at the Federal Correctional Institution at Petersburg, Virginia. On that day, they allegedly each willfully failed to ensure that the inmate, a 47-year-old man identified as W.W., was provided with necessary medical care, resulting in W.W.’s death, even though each knew that W.W. had serious medical needs. Farley is also charged with writing a false report .. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Former Texas Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Sentenced for Using Unlawful Force on an Inmate
A former Van Zandt County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office jail sergeant was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for violating a jail detainee’s civil rights by using unlawful force against him.

According to court documents, David Yager, 30, previously pleaded guilty and admitted that on or about Feb. 28, 2021, while he was serving in his official capacity, he repeatedly punched detainee M.H. in the chest with a taser with the trigger held down, even though M.H. did not pose a threat to anyone. Yager admitted that the detainee was confined to a restraint chair at the time Yager used unlawful force against him. Yager also admitted that his acts caused bodily injury to the detainee, and that he used force on the detainee despite knowing that there was no legitimate, law enforcement need to use force.

“This defendant abused his authority as a jail sergeant.. […] Read More

Good morning. Thank you all for joining us for the second meeting on the Counterterrorism Law Enforcement Forum. It is great to be here with so many distinguished colleagues to discuss these important issues.

I’ll add that I am especially pleased to be here in Oslo, as an Olsen, and someone who takes a lot of pride in my Norwegian heritage. For me, Oslo is a special place. It is also a place that has been touched by the violence and destruction of domestic violent extremism. So, it is poignant to be here working on this important challenge, with all of you.

Last May, we gathered in Berlin, for our inaugural meeting. I departed the forum daunted by the scale of the problem, but heartened to see the partnership of so many likeminded countries.

I returned to D.C. from Berlin on a Thursday. Two days later, on Saturday afternoon, I received the first alerts from the FBI that there was an active shooter in Buffalo, New York. What we would come to learn over the next hours and days was tha.. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
New Jersey Man Found Guilty of Tax Evasion
Did Not Pay Taxes or File Returns Despite Earning Nearly $1.5 Million
A federal jury convicted a New Jersey man today of tax evasion and failing to file personal income tax returns.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jonathan D. Michael of Springfield, New Jersey, worked as a mechanic in the crane shop at the Port Newark Container Terminal. For the years 2014 through 2018, Michael provided his employer with an Employee’s Withholding Certificate (Form W-4) that falsely claimed he was exempt from any federal income tax withholding. During the same five-year period, Michael did not file personal income tax returns even though he earned approximately $1.5 million in wages, resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of over $375,000.

Michael is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23, 2023, and faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion and one year in.. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Jury Convicts Federal Correctional Officer for Sexual Abuse of Two Female Inmates
A federal jury convicted a federal correctional officer of five counts involving sexually abusive conduct against two female victims who were serving prison sentences. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers presided over the trial.

John Bellhouse, 40, formerly of Pleasanton, California, was initially charged with sexual abuse of an inmate on Feb. 17, 2022. A federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment on Sept. 29, 2022, charging Bellhouse with two counts of sexual abuse and three counts of abusive sexual contact. The charges involved conduct that was alleged to have occurred against two female inmates from December 2019 to December 2020. On Monday, a jury convicted Bellhouse of all counts.

“Correctional Officer Bellhouse committed an egregious breach of trust by using the cover of the BOP facility’s Safety Office to sexually abuse individuals i.. […] Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Pharmacist Sentenced for $1M Prescription Drug Fraud Scheme
A Virginia man was sentenced today to two years in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare of over $1 million in prescription drug benefits.

According to court documents, Ronald A. Beasley II, 33, of Portsmouth, was the pharmacist in charge at NH Pharma, a pharmacy located in Lake Mary, Florida. Through NH Pharma, Beasley and his co-conspirators billed Medicare for expensive compound drug creams that they never actually purchased or dispensed, instead providing Medicare patients an inexpensive compound drug cream that Medicare did not cover. In fact, NH Pharma did not buy enough of the expensive prescription drugs to fill all the prescriptions NH Pharma billed to Medicare. In total, Beasley and his co-conspirators received more than $1 million in fraudulent Medicare proceeds.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Divi.. […] Read More

Remarks as Delivered

Good morning. I am Kristen Clarke, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Today is a good day. I am here with U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, who you’ll hear from shortly as well.

We are here this morning to announce that the Justice Department has secured a settlement agreement in our environmental justice investigation involving the City of Houston. The City of Houston, as you have heard, has agreed to take a number of critical actions to address illegal dumping here in the city, an issue that has long plagued the predominately Black and Latino residents of Houston’s Trinity/Houston Gardens Super Neighborhood 48 and other similar communities in the city. The agreement memorializes the City of Houston’s – and Mayor Turner’s – efforts to ensure racially equitable responses to the environmental hazard and improve the quality of life of members of the Houston community.

Ille.. […] Read More