Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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U.S. Attorney Announces Recovery Of $19.5 Million For Victims Of China-Based Pump-And-Dump Schemes

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the Nashville Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Terence G. Reilly, announced today the filing of two civil forfeiture Complaints for more than $19.5 million in cash and stock obtained through pump-and-dump market manipulation schemes involving CTRL Group Limited (“CTRL Group”) and Dreamland Limited (“Dreamland”), Hong Kong-based companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange.  

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Chinese National Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Jacksonville, Florida – Henglie Zhou (31, China) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to five years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. Zhou pleaded guilty on March 5, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

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Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Narcotics Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Material Support to Terrorism in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A Honduras-based Chinese national extradited from Guatemala pleaded guilty today to conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, conspiring to launder money derived from drug trafficking, and to providing material support to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, specifically the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). 

According to court documents, Wenshen Xu, 52, used a transportation network and contacts in Latin America to smuggle multi-kilogram loads of cocaine into the United States. Xu’s transportation network included access to airstrips, airports, armored cars, couriers, and associates. On July 17, 2025, Xu and others agreed to arrange and facilitate the transportation of a multi-kilogram load of cocaine out of Cali, Colombia, on behalf of an individual who claimed to represent the CJNG. Xu and his co-conspirators imported over 450 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. Xu and his co-conspirators also coordinated the laundering of over $22 million dollars from the sale of cocaine and fentanyl by drug trafficking organizations. This money laundering network used a variety of concealment methods, including cryptocurrency money transfers, trade-based money laundering, and encrypted communications platforms. 

Xu was arrested in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on July 17, 2025, at the request of the United States and was extradited to the United States on Jan. 30. 

He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 15 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Cindy Marx of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division made the announcement.

The DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit is investigating the case, with assistance from DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit; DEA’s offices in Guatemala and Colombia; the Colombian National Police; and the Guatemalan National Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Guatemala.

Trial Attorney Chelsea R. Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edgardo J. Rodriguez and Christopher M. Carter for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. 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. 

MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.

MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.

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Wise County Woman Sentenced for Distributing Cocaine and Psilocybin

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ABINGDON, Va. – A Wise County, Virginia woman, who distributed hundreds of grams of cocaine and Psilocybin, was sentenced to five years in federal prison. Emily Dawn McCoy, 27, of Pound, Va., pled guilty to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing Psilocyn. 

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Defense News in Brief: Navy Delivers Major Capability with Completion of USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) Modernizations

Source: United States Navy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Navy has significantly enhanced the warfighting capability of its destroyer fleet with the completion of major modernizations on the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95). These upgrades deliver revolutionary defensive and offensive power within an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) environment.

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Justice Department Requires Egg Producers to End Coordinated Benchmark Manipulation that Artificially Inflated Prices Across the Country

Source: United States Department of Justice

The Proposed Settlements Will Ensure Competitive Prices for Consumers by Stopping Coordination to Inflate Egg Prices

The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, together with 17 State Attorneys General, filed a civil lawsuit against Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (Cal-Maine); Hickman’s Egg Ranch Inc. (Hickman’s); and Centrum Valley Holdings LLC, Versova Holdings LLC, and Versova Management Cooperative (Versova) for unlawful coordinated manipulation of egg prices. At the same time, the Department filed proposed settlements that will, if approved by the court, prevent these companies from engaging in such coordinated manipulation in the future.

“No product more quintessentially represents affordability than the price Americans pay for eggs,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “These actions prove this Department’s continued commitment to protecting competition and providing real relief for everyday Americans’ pocketbooks.”

“Food affordability is a top priority of the Antitrust Division,” said Former Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “These settlements resolve years of conduct that dragged on Americans’ finances and their everyday lives. I thank and recognize the dedicated work of the Division’s talented staff and state partners.”

“The Antitrust Division is steadfast in our work to protect our nation’s citizens from illegal conduct that makes daily life less affordable,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Sarrine of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We are proud that these settlements will keep egg prices competitive and keep money in the hands of consumers across the country.”

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, the complaint alleges that Cal-Maine, Hickman’s, and Versova coordinated to artificially inflate the daily quotations of Urner Barry Publications, a market reporting company whose publications affect prices that grocery stores, restaurants, and others pay for eggs nationwide.

Defendants produce and sell eggs to grocery stores, restaurants, and other businesses that ultimately sell or provide eggs to American consumers. Defendants and other egg producers also bid to acquire eggs on spot markets, including the Egg Clearinghouse. Urner Barry considers this bidding information when it issues daily price quotations that influence wholesale egg prices. Every year, billions of eggs are sold with prices based on Urner Barry’s price quotations.

As the complaint alleges, Defendants conspired to inflate Urner Barry’s price quotations by agreeing to: (1) submit a large number of bids; (2) cause multiple Defendants to bid in order to signal to Urner Barry that a diverse set of market participants needed to buy eggs; (3) submit a large number of bids in the hours leading up to the publication of Urner Barry’s price quotations; (4) submit bids that were unlikely to lead to executed trades; and (5) execute trades at premium prices.

As the complaint also alleges, egg price quotations dropped significantly from their peak after Defendants learned of the Department’s investigation and were instructed to preserve documents in March 2025.

The proposed settlements result from the Department’s focus on anticompetitive practices that lead to higher food prices. If approved by the court, these settlements will prohibit Defendants from:

  • Communicating with competitors regarding bidding strategies and the prices, timing, and number of bids;
  • Communicating with competitors regarding certain information about bids, prices, supply, and demand that they may share with a benchmark publication;
  • Agreeing with competitors on the number, pricing, or other terms of bids or transactions;
  • Communicating with competitors regarding bids or transactions that are not based on legitimate business needs;
  • Communicating with competitors regarding bids or transactions that are intended to affect a benchmark publication.

Additionally, the proposed settlements will require that Defendants adopt antitrust compliance programs, appoint antitrust compliance officers, monitor meetings of cooperatives and joint ventures, and report potential violations of the proposed settlements.

The Attorneys General of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin joined the Department in the complaint and proposed settlements.

As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlements, along with competitive impact statements, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlements within 60 days following the publication to Zachary Trotter and John Thornburgh, Acting Chief and Assistant Chief, Chicago Office, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Rookery Building, 209 S. LaSalle St., Ste. 600, Chicago, Illinois 60604. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa may enter the final judgments upon finding they are in the public interest.

Anyone with information about anticompetitive conduct in agricultural industries or any other violations of the antitrust laws is encouraged to contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov.

Cal-Maine is headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi; Hickman’s is headquartered in Buckeye, Arizona; and Versova is headquartered in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Note: See the Complaint here, the Proposed Final Judgments for Cal-Maine here, Hickman’s here, and Versova here, and the Stipulation and Order for Cal-Maine here, Hickman’s here, and Versova here.

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Security News: Justice Department Requires Egg Producers to End Coordinated Benchmark Manipulation that Artificially Inflated Prices Across the Country

Source: United States Department of Justice

The Proposed Settlements Will Ensure Competitive Prices for Consumers by Stopping Coordination to Inflate Egg Prices

The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, together with 17 State Attorneys General, filed a civil lawsuit against Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (Cal-Maine); Hickman’s Egg Ranch Inc. (Hickman’s); and Centrum Valley Holdings LLC, Versova Holdings LLC, and Versova Management Cooperative (Versova) for unlawful coordinated manipulation of egg prices. At the same time, the Department filed proposed settlements that will, if approved by the court, prevent these companies from engaging in such coordinated manipulation in the future.

“No product more quintessentially represents affordability than the price Americans pay for eggs,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “These actions prove this Department’s continued commitment to protecting competition and providing real relief for everyday Americans’ pocketbooks.”

“Food affordability is a top priority of the Antitrust Division,” said Former Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “These settlements resolve years of conduct that dragged on Americans’ finances and their everyday lives. I thank and recognize the dedicated work of the Division’s talented staff and state partners.”

“The Antitrust Division is steadfast in our work to protect our nation’s citizens from illegal conduct that makes daily life less affordable,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Sarrine of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We are proud that these settlements will keep egg prices competitive and keep money in the hands of consumers across the country.”

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, the complaint alleges that Cal-Maine, Hickman’s, and Versova coordinated to artificially inflate the daily quotations of Urner Barry Publications, a market reporting company whose publications affect prices that grocery stores, restaurants, and others pay for eggs nationwide.

Defendants produce and sell eggs to grocery stores, restaurants, and other businesses that ultimately sell or provide eggs to American consumers. Defendants and other egg producers also bid to acquire eggs on spot markets, including the Egg Clearinghouse. Urner Barry considers this bidding information when it issues daily price quotations that influence wholesale egg prices. Every year, billions of eggs are sold with prices based on Urner Barry’s price quotations.

As the complaint alleges, Defendants conspired to inflate Urner Barry’s price quotations by agreeing to: (1) submit a large number of bids; (2) cause multiple Defendants to bid in order to signal to Urner Barry that a diverse set of market participants needed to buy eggs; (3) submit a large number of bids in the hours leading up to the publication of Urner Barry’s price quotations; (4) submit bids that were unlikely to lead to executed trades; and (5) execute trades at premium prices.

As the complaint also alleges, egg price quotations dropped significantly from their peak after Defendants learned of the Department’s investigation and were instructed to preserve documents in March 2025.

The proposed settlements result from the Department’s focus on anticompetitive practices that lead to higher food prices. If approved by the court, these settlements will prohibit Defendants from:

  • Communicating with competitors regarding bidding strategies and the prices, timing, and number of bids;
  • Communicating with competitors regarding certain information about bids, prices, supply, and demand that they may share with a benchmark publication;
  • Agreeing with competitors on the number, pricing, or other terms of bids or transactions;
  • Communicating with competitors regarding bids or transactions that are not based on legitimate business needs;
  • Communicating with competitors regarding bids or transactions that are intended to affect a benchmark publication.

Additionally, the proposed settlements will require that Defendants adopt antitrust compliance programs, appoint antitrust compliance officers, monitor meetings of cooperatives and joint ventures, and report potential violations of the proposed settlements.

The Attorneys General of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin joined the Department in the complaint and proposed settlements.

As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlements, along with competitive impact statements, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlements within 60 days following the publication to Zachary Trotter and John Thornburgh, Acting Chief and Assistant Chief, Chicago Office, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Rookery Building, 209 S. LaSalle St., Ste. 600, Chicago, Illinois 60604. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa may enter the final judgments upon finding they are in the public interest.

Anyone with information about anticompetitive conduct in agricultural industries or any other violations of the antitrust laws is encouraged to contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov.

Cal-Maine is headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi; Hickman’s is headquartered in Buckeye, Arizona; and Versova is headquartered in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Note: See the Complaint here, the Proposed Final Judgments for Cal-Maine here, Hickman’s here, and Versova here, and the Stipulation and Order for Cal-Maine here, Hickman’s here, and Versova here.

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Security News: Miles Guo Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Leading Billion-Dollar Fraud

Source: United States Department of Justice

Attorney for the United States, Sean S. Buckley, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, announced that MILES GUO, a/k/a “Ho Wan Kwok,” a/k/a “Guo Wengui,” a/k/a “Brother Seven,” a/k/a “The Principal,” a/k/a “Boss,” was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres to 30 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering, among other charges, for leading an expansive and complex scheme to solicit more than $1 billion of investments in various entities and programs through false statements and misrepresentations to thousands of GUO’s online followers.  

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Defense News: Through the Darkness Together: One Soldier’s 48-hour journey for mental health awareness

Source: United States Army

TAPA, Estonia — The alarm broke the silence just before 2 a.m. Outside, the rain had finally eased after falling on and off for nearly two days, leaving the gravel trails slick with mud and scattered puddles. The air was cold enough that every breath lingered beneath the glow of headlamps cutting through the darkness. There were no loud cheers waiting at the starting line, no countdown clock and little conversation. Just the quiet shuffle of runners tightening their shoes for another four-mile run.

Hosted by the British Army’s Royal Welsh, the 4x4x48 endurance challenge brought together U.S. and allied service members to complete four miles every four hours for 48 consecutive hours in support of mental health awareness. The event ultimately raised more than £3,000 for mental health initiatives while creating opportunities for service members from multiple nations to share the challenge together. For 1st Lt. James Pyle, this wasn’t simply another leg of the race; it was his 11th.

Over the previous 36 hours, every alarm had been answered. Every four-hour interval meant pulling on wet running shoes, stepping back onto the uneven Estonian roads and putting one foot in front of the other. While many soldiers participated on and off throughout the weekend, Pyle committed to every leg of the challenge, covering all 48 miles from the first run to the last.

“Sgt. Max Navas and I are pretty big runners, and we had never run anything like this before,” Pyle said. “We wanted to challenge ourselves and really push ourselves.”

The challenge demanded more than endurance. Sleep came in short intervals. Muscles stiffened between runs. By the time the 2 a.m. run arrived, the excitement of the opening miles had given way to quiet determination. The only sounds were shoes striking wet gravel, water splashing beneath each step, and the steady rhythm of breathing carried into the cold night air.

While the challenge tested participants physically, its purpose reached well beyond endurance. Held in support of Combat Stress, the United Kingdom’s leading veterans’ mental health charity, the event raised awareness for veterans living with the invisible wounds of military service while encouraging open conversations about combat mental health. The 4x4x48 challenge reminded participants that supporting one another is just as important as reaching the finish line.

Somewhere along those quiet miles, interoperability became more than a military objective. It became a conversation between runners sharing the same trail, the same cold air and the same determination to keep moving forward.

1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. and allied service members run side by side throughout the 4x4x48 charity event at Tapa Army Base, Estonia, June 24-26, 2026. The 4x4x48 event, hosted by the British Army’s Royal Welsh, challenged participants to run four miles every four hours over a 48-hour period. Running together every four hours for 48 hours, participants demonstrated that overcoming challenges, both physical and mental, is strengthened through teamwork, trust and a shared commitment to one another. V Corps is the U.S. Army’s only forward-deployed corps, serving as the senior tactical headquarters for Army forces in Eastern Europe to deter conflict and provide combat-ready forces alongside our NATO Allies.V Corps is operationalizing and expanding the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative with Allies, rapidly integrating emerging technologies into training and tactical plans. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Aaron Kaczur, 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Aaron Kaczur) VIEW ORIGINAL
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A soldier with the French armed forces navigates the trail with a headlamp during the 4x4x48 charity event at Tapa Army Base, Estonia, June 24-26, 2026. The 4x4x48 event, hosted by the British Army’s Royal Welsh, challenged participants to run four miles every four hours over a 48-hour period. While every mile required participants to put one foot in front of the other, the challenge served as a reminder that navigating mental health and combat stress often requires the same perseverance and the support of those willing to walk beside you. V Corps is the U.S. Army’s only forward-deployed corps, serving as the senior tactical headquarters for Army forces in Eastern Europe to deter conflict and provide combat-ready forces alongside our NATO Allies. V Corps is operationalizing and expanding the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative with Allies, rapidly integrating emerging technologies into training and tactical plans. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Aaron Kaczur, 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Aaron Kaczur) VIEW ORIGINAL
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. and allied service members run during the overnight portion of the 4x4x48 charity event at Tapa Army Base, Estonia, June 24-26, 2026. The 4x4x48 event, hosted by the British Army’s Royal Welsh, challenged participants to run four miles every four hours over a 48-hour period. Running through the night symbolizes the resilience and perseverance often required to navigate mental health challenges and combat stress, while reinforcing that every step forward is strengthened by the support of those who run beside us. V Corps is the U.S. Army’s only forward-deployed corps, serving as the senior tactical headquarters for Army forces in Eastern Europe to deter conflict and provide combat-ready forces alongside our NATO Allies. V Corps is operationalizing and expanding the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative with Allies, rapidly integrating emerging technologies into training and tactical plans. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Aaron Kaczur, 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Aaron Kaczur) VIEW ORIGINAL

“It’s good for interoperability, and it’s good to talk to allies,” Pyle said. “Especially out here when it’s two in the morning and you make small talk while you’re running.”

At 2 a.m., no one knew exactly how they would feel 12 hours later. The finish line still waited through one more alarm, four more miles and another morning of tired legs. Yet as the beams of their headlamps disappeared into the darkness, none of that seemed to matter. The only thing any runner could control was the next step, pressing forward through the mud, the cold and the darkness toward a purpose greater than the miles themselves.

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Defense News: AFN Soldier says goodbye at USAG Wiesbaden's recycling center

Source: United States Army

CLAY KASERNE, Germany – When Sgt. Kevin Dunnaway envisioned his farewell, he didn’t picture a polished conference room but instead chose the place that over the last three years had become genuinely dear to his heart: the recycling center on the Lucius D. Clay Kaserne.

Dunnaway, a broadcast specialist with American Forces Network Europe, spent his time in Germany producing creative media content, hosting radio shows, shooting photography, and championing sustainability.

His unconventional choice of venue for his farewell was a reflection of who he is.

“I chose the recycling center because I wanted something different, something interesting that most people don’t do,” explained Dunnaway.

Dunnaway also emphasized the practical benefits the facility provides to Soldiers and families. The recycling center features a reuse center where departing community members can donate still-usable items before a PCS, allowing others to repurpose them and reduce waste in the process.

“It’s like a thrift shop, but it’s free. The reuse center makes it super easy for people to reduce waste and fill their house with all the goods of consumerism without paying all their hard-earned money,” said Dunnaway.

During the ceremony, Dunnaway was presented with the Joint Service Achievement Medal for his outstanding service as a broadcast journalist and content creator. But the recognition that resonated most came from the words of his fellow Soldiers, who spoke not only to his professional talent, but to his genuine love for the Wiesbaden community.

“Sometimes I’d come in just to handle some errands on the weekends, and I’d see him literally going into the bins and taking stuff out of the trash that should be in the recycling and putting it over in the recycling,” said Sgt.

Benjamin Percy, radio team lead at AFN. “So what he may not always be able to put into words super well, you can see just in his actions how much he cares about the Wiesbaden community. He is just a fantastic person.”

Now headed to Mississippi for his next chapter, Dunnaway leaves behind a legacy of creativity, environmental stewardship, and a farewell ceremony no one is likely to forget.

“I thought it was funny, and I wasn’t really surprised. After working with him for so long, you get to know someone,” said Percy. “It definitely caught me off guard at first, but I think it was very fitting for it to be here [at the recycling center]. I think he made a good choice.”