Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ST. PAUL – Matthew Thomas Onofrio, 34, of Plymouth, Minnesota, has been sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Over the course of two years, Onofrio devised and carried out a $420 million bank fraud scheme.

Between 2020 and 2022, Matthew Onofrio—a young nurse anesthetist and real estate investor—devised and carried out a massive bank fraud scheme. To carry out his fraud scheme, Onofrio created a real estate investment program whereby Onofrio would enter into purchase agreements for commercial properties and assign them to novice “investors” at highly inflated prices. Onofrio then coached his investors to lie to banks to obtain loans they could not afford based on false information.

Onofrio promoted his own financial success and real estate investment strategies in online professional networking groups and on a popular podcast geared towards aspiring real estate investors, called “Bigger Pockets.” Onofrio leveraged those platforms to create a reputation as something of a real estate savant, which attracted more investors.

Onofrio’s investors did not have the kind of money (typically, 30% of the purchase price) that was necessary to purchase the multi-million-dollar properties that Onofrio offered. To solve this problem, Onofrio counseled his investors defraud the banks.

Onofrio helped investors prepare fraudulent personal finance statements falsely indicating they had enough cash to cover the requisite down payment. When the lending banks inevitably requested proof of funds, Onofrio temporarily wired the money into his investors’ bank accounts, making it appear they actually had the money.  If the banks asked about the source of the funds, Onofrio instructed his investors to tell the banks it came from other investments, or they had family money. Onofrio would also loan his investors money to cover the down payment but would not include the loans on the investors’ personal financial statements or record the promissory notes as a second mortgage on the property to keep it hidden from the banks.

Over the course of approximately two years, Onofrio completed 68 deals involving $420,564,795 in fraudulently obtained bank loans.  Although many of Onofrio’s investors stopped paying on their promissory notes following Onofrio’s indictment in this case, Onofrio netted at least $35,745,252 from his fraudulent scheme before being caught.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced Onofrio to 36 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, and ordered him to play $5,398,641 in restitution.  In handing down her sentence, Judge Nelson identified Onofrio as the “ringleader and architect of a vast bank fraud.” Judge Nelson explained that she wanted to send a message to other would-be fraudsters that there is no such thing as a get-rich-quick-scheme—at least not a legal one.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the IRS, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 9, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against a man allegedly involved in the armed robbery of a bank in Bear Creek in northwestern Outagamie County. The indictment named Martin M. Muniz-Lara (age: 43) of Greenville, Wisconsin.

Count One of the indictment charges Muniz-Lara with Armed Bank Robbery in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and 2113(d). If convicted, Muniz-Lara faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. Count Two charges Muniz-Lara with Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). If convicted, Muniz-Lara faces up to life in prison, with a 7-year mandatory minimum sentence that must be consecutive to any other sentence. Muniz-Lara would also face fines, a special assessment, and terms of supervised release at the end of any sentence imposed.

According to the indictment, on or about October 17, 2025, the defendant forcefully took money from a federally insured bank in Bear Creek and brandished a firearm while committing the robbery.

The Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with assistance from the FBI, Oshkosh Police Department, and Outagamie County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier will prosecute the case in United States District Court in Green Bay.

An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal grand jury Indictment has been unsealed, charging TASHELLA SHERI AMORE DICKERSON, 52, of Oklahoma City, with wire fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

According to the Indictment, beginning in at least 2016, Dickerson served as the Executive Director of Black Lives Matter OKC (BLMOKC). As Executive Director, Dickerson had access to BLMOKC’s bank, PayPal, and Cash App accounts.

The Indictment alleges that, although BLMOKC was not a registered tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, it accepted charitable donations through its affiliation with the Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ), based in Arizona. AFGJ served as a fiscal sponsor to BLMOKC and required BLMOKC to use its funds only as permitted by Section 501(c)(3). AFGJ also required BLMOKC to fully account upon request for the disbursement of all funds received and prohibited BLMOKC from using its funds to purchase real estate without AFGJ’s consent.

Beginning in late spring 2020, BLMOKC raised funds to support its social justice mission from online donors, as well as from national bail funds. In total, BLMOKC raised more than $5.6 million, which included grants from national bail funds, including the Community Justice Exchange, Massachusetts Bail Fund, and Minnesota Freedom Fund. Most of those funds were routed through AFGJ, as fiscal sponsor, to BLMOKC.

According to the Indictment, BLMOKC was supposed to use these national bail fund grants to post pretrial bail for individuals arrested in connection with protests for racial justice after the death of George Floyd. When bail funds were returned to BLMOKC, the national bail funds sometimes allowed BLMOKC to keep all or a portion of the grant funding to establish a revolving bail fund, or for BLMOKC’s social justice mission, as permitted by Section 501(c)(3).

Despite the stated purpose of the money raised, and the terms and conditions of the grants, the Indictment alleges that beginning in June 2020 and continuing through at least October 2025, Dickerson embezzled funds from BLMOKC’s accounts for her personal benefit.  The Indictment alleges Dickerson deposited at least $3.15 million in returned bail checks into her personal accounts, rather than into BLMOKC’s accounts. Among other things, Dickerson then used these funds to pay for:

• recreational travel to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic for herself and her associates;
• tens of thousands of dollars in retail shopping;
• at least $50,000 in food and grocery deliveries for herself and her children;
• a personal vehicle registered in her name; and
• six real properties in Oklahoma City deeded in her own name or in the name Equity International, LLC, an entity she exclusively controlled.

The Indictment further alleges that Dickerson used interstate wire communications to submit two false annual reports to AFGJ on behalf of BLMOKC. Dickerson reported that she had used BLMOKC funds only for tax-exempt purposes. She did not disclose that she used funds for her personal benefit.

On December 3, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a 25-count Indictment, charging Dickerson with 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. For each count of wire fraud, Dickerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. For each count of money laundering, Dickerson faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction.

The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations, and that Dickerson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Dillon and Jessica L. Perry are prosecuting the case.

Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Defendant charged with sex trafficking crimes related to three victims, including one minor child

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal criminal complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte today, charging an illegal alien with a federal crime in connection with the violent attack on the city’s light rail system, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Oscar Gerardo Solorzano-Garcia, 33, from Honduras, is charged with one count of illegal reentry by a removed alien and one count of committing an act of violence on a mass transportation system.

James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

“Not only should this defendant have already been in prison — he should not have been in our country to begin with,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This attack is more tragic evidence that soft-on-crime policies and vetting failures put innocent citizens at risk. My prosecutors will deliver swift, comprehensive justice in this case.”

“The people of Charlotte deserve to live in a safe city and this horrific act should never have happened,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “As the FBI has illustrated, we will not stand for this type of violence in our communities. Our mission is to keep our communities safe and that is exactly what the men and women of the FBI are working to accomplish each and every day.”

“This defendant is charged with coming back to the United States after being deported not once, but twice, and then stabbing a passenger in the chest on our city’s public transit system,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Everyone who uses public transportation is the victim of a crime like this, and we will act swiftly to prosecute those who violate our immigration laws and endanger the lives of citizens using public transit to go about their daily lives.”  

“Oscar Solorzano-Garcia should not have been on the Charlotte light rail last Friday. In fact, he should not have been in our country. He has a violent criminal history and was deported twice. These two recent attacks on the city’s light rail system make one thing clear. Safety measures on public transportation in our city must be strengthened. People deserve a secure and reliable transit system where they make it to work and back home unharmed,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Barnacle.

“Our strong partnerships with federal and community stakeholders are essential to keeping our city safe,” said CMPD Chief Estella Patterson. “Federal charges brought against violent offenders send a clear message: if you commit violent crimes, you will be held accountable. Actions have consequences, and we will continue working with our justice partners to ensure offenders are prosecuted to the fullest extent.”

According to allegations in the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint:

On December 5, 2025, at approximately 4:49 p.m., officers with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) received a call for service related to an assault with a deadly weapon that occurred on the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte. Responding CMPD officers located the victim in the rear rail car. The victim, identified in court documents as K.D., had sustained serious injuries from a stab wound to his upper left chest and was taken to the hospital.

According to witness statements and surveillance footage, Solorzano-Garcia was a passenger on the train and appeared to be intoxicated. K.D. and Solorzano-Garcia engaged in a verbal altercation, and Solorzano-Garcia pulled out a long knife and stabbed the victim in the chest. Solorzano-Garcia then got off the train and began walking away. Additional CMPD officers responding to the scene located Solorzano-Garcia and took him into custody.

The criminal complaint alleges that Solorzano-Garcia is an alien unlawfully present in the United States. It is further alleged that, in 2012, Solorzano-Garcia was arrested by the Union County Police Department in New Jersey and was later convicted of robbery. In July 2016, Solorzano-Garcia was arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and he was removed from the United States in March 2018. Nine months later, Solorzano-Garcia was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol. He was convicted of illegal reentry and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. On June 9, 2021, Solorzano-Garcia was removed from the United States out of Alexandria, Louisiana.

If convicted, Solorzano-Garcia faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to life in prison in prison for the charge of violence on a mass transportation system, and up to 10 years in prison for the illegal reentry offense. Ultimately, his sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is investigating the case with the assistance of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

 

The charges against the defendant are allegations and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Cristian M. Stevens on Thursday sentenced a man to 125 months in prison for convincing a runaway 17-year-old to work as a prostitute.

Rodarius Servick, 51, will be on supervised release for 15 years after his release from prison. Servick met the victim in August of 2024 on a social media application. Servick convinced her to work as a prostitute and lie about her age. He then brought her from Illinois to Missouri and arranged commercial sex acts by managing online ads, setting the price for sex acts and collecting all the money, Servick admitted as part of a guilty plea in September to one count of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.  

Law enforcement learned on Sept. 13, 2024, of a runaway juvenile that was being trafficked. Detectives found her picture online, and the St. Louis County Police Department conducted an undercover operation that recovered the girl days later.

The FBI, the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards prosecuted the case.

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 Department of Justice Criminal Division’s 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.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Amit Ahuja, 41, of Westminster, Maryland, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in connection with a technical support scheme. Through the scheme, co-conspirators misled victims to believe that their computers were compromised so they needed to pay for computer repair services or software. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Postal Inspector in Charge Eric Shen, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Criminal Investigations Group, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore.

According to public filings, victims received a pop-up window urging them to call a phone number, or an unsolicited phone call, or victims called what they believed was a legitimate technical support company found through an online search.  The co-conspirators allegedly led the victims to believe that their computers had major issues that they needed to pay money to fix immediately. Additionally, the co-conspirators convinced victims that they worked for legitimate computer companies or computer security companies.  As a result of the scheme, more than 1,000 victims, many of whom were older adults, lost more than $6.8 million to co-conspirators.

Victims lost the money based on false pretenses, representations, and promises in connection with the alleged condition of their computers and the services, and the software supposedly required to fix the issues.

Ahuja faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.  A sentencing date is forthcoming.

Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults.  If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).  This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis.  The hotline is staffed from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday.  English, Spanish, and other languages are available.  More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.  Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS and HSI Baltimore for their investigative efforts.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Philip Motsay 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, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Raleigh man, Joseph Matthew Dobbs, age 45, to 135 months in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), after a federal jury convicted him earlier this year.

“Predators who target children have no place in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This office will pursue them relentlessly, charge them aggressively, and make sure they face the consequences they deserve. We will always stand up for the most vulnerable and protect the families of this district. This criminal won’t bother our children for at least 11 years.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, in early November 2022, Dobbs worked from home as an IT support engineer for a multinational technology company. During a routine remote session, a supervisor observed content on Dobb’s work-issued laptop that appeared to be CSAM. The company immediately terminated his employment and provided screenshots to law enforcement.

The Raleigh Police Department executed a search warrant at Dobb’s apartment and seized the company laptop.  Investigators reviewed the device and the company’s back-up servers and found that Dobbs had stored over 300 CSAM images. Many images showed children under the age of 12.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lori Warlick and Logan Liles prosecuted the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case.

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 Justice.gov/PSC.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-182-FL.