Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: US FBI

SAN DIEGO – Michael Pratt, the alleged mastermind behind the GirlsDoPorn commercial sex trafficking ring, made his first appearance in federal court today following his extradition from Spain Monday night.

Pratt, who was the owner of the website GirlsDoPorn, was charged in October 2019 in the Southern District of California with sex trafficking crimes in connection with a scheme to deceive and coerce young women to appear in pornographic videos. Pratt was an international fugitive for more than three years before he was arrested in Spain in December 2022. Earlier in 2022, he was named to the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted list.

At today’s hearing, Pratt was arraigned and entered a not-guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel E. Butcher. A detention hearing is scheduled for March 21 at 3 p.m. before Judge Butcher, followed by a motion hearing/trial setting on April 19 at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino.

“We cast a wide net in search of Mr. Pratt and now that he is in San Diego, we are prepared to bring him to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath. “We extend our deep appreciation to the government of Spain for its assistance in securing his arrest and extradition.”

“Michael Pratt’s initial appearance in San Diego is tangible proof that the pursuit of justice never stops, regardless of length of time or location,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge, Stacey Moy. “Pratt’s arrest and extradition back to the United States reflects a great collaboration among multiple agencies, both in the United States and Spain who were dedicated to seeking justice for the young women he allegedly victimized. This large, internationally coordinated effort could not have been successful without support from our law enforcement partners in Spain, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Justice, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

According to public court filings, Pratt and his co-defendants used force, fraud, and coercion to recruit hundreds of young adult women – most in their late teens – and at least one minor victim, to appear in GirlsDoPorn videos.

Pratt is accused of recruiting the victims from throughout the United States and Canada using internet advertisements for clothed modeling jobs. Even after the victims were told the gig involved an adult video-shoot, Pratt and his co-defendants convinced the women that their videos would be provided solely to private collectors on DVD in foreign countries, that they would remain anonymous, and that the videos would not be posted on the internet – assurances that Pratt and his co-defendants knew to be false.

Most of the video shoots took place in San Diego – at local hotels and short-term rental units.  Although the women were promised that the video shoots would be brief, they often took hours. Once the video productions began, some women were not permitted to leave the shooting locations until the videos were completed; some were threatened with lawsuits or cancelled flights home if they did not complete the videos; and others were allegedly forced to perform certain sex acts, which they had earlier declined to do.

After the victims returned home, still believing that they would remain anonymous, Pratt and his co-defendants posted clips of the videos on heavily trafficked adult film sites, like Pornhub, to funnel traffic to the full-length versions of the videos on his website, GirlsDoPorn. Pratt charged visitors to GirlsDoPorn a subscription fee. The site generated more than $17 million in revenue for Pratt.

Pratt faces 19 felony counts stemming from the operation of GirlsDoPorn. The charges include:

•           Fifteen counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion;

•           Conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion;

•           Production of child pornography;

•           Sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud, and coercion; and

•           Conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California recognizes the outstanding efforts of the FBI in San Diego; the FBI Legal Attaché in Spain; the U.S. Marshals Service; Spain’s Ministry of Justice; and law enforcement officials in Spain and Portugal; as well as the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, for their substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Pratt.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 19cr4488                                   

Michael James Pratt                                        Age:       36                 Unknown

Matthew Isaac Wolfe                                      Age        37                     San Diego, CA

Ruben Andre Garcia                                       Age:       31                      San Diego, CA

Theodore Gyi                                                  Age,       46                        Solana Beach, CA  

Valorie Moser                                                 Age:       37                       San Diego, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES IN SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT

Count 1

Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1594

Maximum Penalty:  Life in prison, $250,000 fine.

Counts 2-16

Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion 18 U.S.C. §1591(a) and (b)(1)

Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: life in custody, $250,000 fine.

Count 17

Production of Child Pornography, 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e)

 Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: thirty years in prison, $250,000 fine.

Count 18

Sex Trafficking of a Minor and By Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a)(1), (a)(2), and (c)

Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: life in custody, $250,000 fine.

Count 19

Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and 1956(h).

Civil penalty of the greater of (A) the value of the property, fund or monetary instruments involved in the transaction or (B) $10,000

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

FBI – Southern District of California and Legal Attaché in Spain

U.S. Marshals Service

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs

Spanish National Police

Spain’s Ministry of Justice

Spain’s Ministry of Interior

*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: US FBI

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 19, 2024

SAN DIEGO – Matthew Isaac Wolfe was sentenced in federal court today to 14 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy with Michael Pratt, owner of the website GirlsDoPorn, and others, to deceive and coerce young women into appearing in pornographic videos. A restitution hearing is scheduled for May 7, 2024 at 10 a.m.

The conspiracy included recruiting the victims from throughout the United States and Canada using internet advertisements for clothed modeling jobs. Even after the victims learned the gig involved an adult video-shoot, Wolfe admitted to persuading women to appear in the videos by telling them that the videos would never be posted online, that the videos would never be released in the United States, and that no one who knew the women would ever find out about the videos, representations he knew to be false. In truth, the videos were exclusively marketed and distributed on the internet. Not only did Wolfe lie to the women, he also instructed others to do so. Wolfe told co-defendant Theodore Gyi, the cameraman on hundreds of GirlsDoPorn video shoots, that if asked, he should lie to the women and tell them the videos would not be posted on the internet.

Most of the video shoots took place in San Diego – at local hotels and short-term rental units.  Although the women were promised that the video shoots would be brief, they often took hours. Once the video productions began, some women were not permitted to leave the shooting locations until the videos were completed; some were threatened with lawsuits or cancelled flights home if they did not complete the videos; and others were allegedly forced to perform certain sex acts, which they had earlier declined to do.

After the victims returned home, still believing that they would remain anonymous, clips of the videos were posted on heavily trafficked adult film sites, like Pornhub, meant to funnel viewers to the full-length versions of the videos on Pratt’s website, GirlsDoPorn. Pratt charged visitors to GirlsDoPorn a subscription fee and generated more than $17 million in revenue. 

Wolfe pleaded guilty to the conspiracy on July 26, 2022, admitting he moved to the United States from New Zealand in 2011 to work for Pratt and had a wide range of responsibilities. He filmed approximately 100 videos; uploaded finished videos onto the internet; oversaw the company’s financial books; and operated various business entities that were used to promote the business. Wolfe worked at GirlsDoPorn from 2011 until his arrest in October 2019.

During hearings today and on January 22, 2024, approximately 30 survivors asked a federal judge to impose a significant sentence, describing how the actions of Wolfe and his co-defendants destroyed their lives. Survivors, many of them college students at the time, described answering what they thought were legitimate modeling ads and flying to San Diego for paid modeling gigs, only to be forced to perform sexual acts on camera.

The women spoke of struggling with substance and alcohol abuse, anxiety and depression, suicidal thoughts and attempts, and post-traumatic stress syndrome in the aftermath of their videos going viral. Some spoke of lost relationships with friends and family; others dropped out of school; and others went into hiding.

One of the women said: “I was robbed of my privacy, my dignity, and my peace of mind… But worst of all, I was robbed of my identity. I was once viewed as a beautiful, fun-loving and strong woman who was known for her athleticism and ability to make just about anyone laugh. I was a caring friend and a daughter my parents were proud of. Mr. Wolfe shattered who I was…Today I’m taking my identity back. I am not a victim. I’m a survivor.”

One woman recalled the day she learned that her pornographic video received more than 300 million views on Pornhub, one of the most-visited websites in the world.

“That ad seemed harmless, but it wrecked my entire life. In an instant, the life I had was gone: My hopes gone, my relationships gone, everything was gone…The fall-out from the videos spread to every part of my life like cancer, and that cancer remains to this day, making it virtually impossible for me to start a new life. I lost my modeling career, my college years, my whole twenties, my name, my career path, my friends, and my family. Everything I had built was gone, and so too was my future. Doors that were once opened were slammed in my face…Matthew Wolfe stole my life, and it wasn’t just my life. He stole hundreds of lives. What kind of price do you put on a life? Mr. Wolfe deserves a jail sentence that accounts for each and every life he has stolen.”

Another woman told the court: “It’s been nearly 3,650 days of living in a tortuous purgatory, but today marks a major milestone in my recovery. Today there’s a shift in the winds. Today is the day all the survivors get their voices back. Today is the day we get to be heard.”

Wolfe also admitted he was aware that personal identifying information and social media accounts for some women were being posted on pornwikileaks.com, a site controlled by Pratt and dedicated to “exposing” the true identities of individuals appearing in pornographic videos, causing the victims to be subjected to severe harassment. Even after Wolfe became aware of this, he and others continued to assure prospective models that no one would ever find out about their video shoot or learn their identity.

“We applaud all survivors who courageously speak out in pursuit of justice,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Their voices rang out in the courtroom today, and we stand beside them in holding Mr. Wolfe accountable for the incredible pain and suffering he caused.”

“Matthew Wolfe’s willingness to use deception, coercion and intimidation to exploit young women paints a sordid picture of the lengths some people will go just to make money,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Wolfe’s sentencing today, and any past or future sentencings related to this case, are small slivers of justice for the victims, but ultimately don’t fully heal the deep pain spawned by Mr. Wolfe and the other defendants.”

Co-defendant Michael Pratt made his first appearance today after being extradited from Spain following more than three years as an international fugitive. In 2022, Pratt was named to the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted list.

Ruben Andre Garcia, the recruiter and male model, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 14, 2021. Theodore Gyi was sentenced to four years in prison on November 9, 2022. Valorie Moser, the office manager, is set for sentencing on August 9, 2024.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 19cr4488                       

Michael James Pratt                                        Age:       36                 Unknown

Matthew Isaac Wolfe                                      Age        37                     San Diego, CA

Ruben Andre Garcia                                       Age:       31                      San Diego, CA

Theodore Gyi                                                  Age,       46                        Solana Beach, CA  

Valorie Moser                                                 Age:       37                       San Diego, CA

CHARGES

Count 1

Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1594

Maximum Penalty:  Life in prison, $250,000 fine.

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

FBI – Southern District of California

U.S. Marshals Service

*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: US FBI

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maurice Bryant, 54, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 5,000 grams of cocaine and 280 grams of cocaine base and for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Bryant is among the 15 federal defendants arrested in 2021 and charged in a 45-count indictment for trafficking narcotics as part of a DEA-led multi-agency operation targeting cocaine and heroin traffickers in North Sacramento. The Court found Bryant to be an organizer or leader of the vast cocaine distribution network. During just 60 days of wiretaps in 2018 and 2019, he was intercepted strategizing the movement of cocaine over the Mexican border, distributing over five kilograms of powder cocaine and a kilogram of cocaine base to his co-conspirators, and converting large quantities of powder cocaine into cocaine base (crack cocaine) in his residence. At the time of his arrest, agents seized drug trafficking paraphernalia, two loaded firearms, and a military-grade bullet proof vest from his residence.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case.

Below is the status of Bryant’s co-defendants:

On September 29, 2022, Jason Tolbert, 45, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

On November 17, 2022, Charles Carter, 36, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.

On November 17, 2022, Andre Hellams, 40, of North Highlands, pleaded guilty to two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.  Hellams is scheduled to be sentenced on February 17, 2025. 

On December 8, 2022, Michael Hampton, 57, of Vallejo, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.

On March 16, 2023, Arlington Caine, 48, of Rio Linda, was sentenced to 22 months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

On March 14, 2024, Bobby Conner, 51, of Sacramento, was sentenced to six months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

On April 25, 2024, 2023, Dwight Haney, 52, of Sacramento was sentenced to time served for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

On May 30, 2024, Jerome Adams, 56, of North Highlands, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

On August 8, 2024, Steven Hampton, 64, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.

On September 26, 2024, Mark Martin, 63, of Sacramento was sentenced to time served for using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

On August 1, 2024, Alex White, 61, of North Highlands, was sentenced to a term of 38 months (time served) for distribution of cocaine base.

On September 3, 2024, Tyrone Anderson, 44, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 135 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 5,000 grams of cocaine and 280 grams of cocaine base and for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.

Charges are pending against Yovanny Ontiveros, 41, of Sacramento, and Wilmer Harden, 52, of Elk Grove. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.

Source: US FBI

FRESNO, Calif. — Scott Eric Anderson, 46, of Fresno, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for conspiracy to destroy property, malicious destruction by means of an explosive device and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between November 2022 and February 2023, Anderson committed a series of pipe-bombings on unoccupied vehicles and property in Fresno. The bombings damaged vehicles belonging to two auto-related businesses on Clinton Avenue in Fresno. On Feb. 19, 2023, a bomb heavily damaged a vehicle used by a home health care business on Fallbrook Avenue in Fresno. Anderson sometimes recorded his crimes by video. Law enforcement also recovered a pistol in Anderson’s bedroom. Anderson was previously convicted of carrying a loaded and concealed weapon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Tierney prosecuted the case.

Source: US FBI

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Sept. 26, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Dontae Jones Jr., 20, and Yasmin Millett, 21, both residing in Northern California with no fixed address, and JoMya Mauriyne Futch, 21, of Richmond, charging them with conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Futch was additionally charged with one count of perjury.

The indictment was unsealed today following the defendants’ arrests.

According to court documents, between June 2023 and September 2024, Jones and Millett conspired to commit at least 10 bank robberies in Sacramento, Vallejo, Suisun City, Benicia, Concord, and Antioch. Jones and Millett worked together and with others, primarily women they recruited, such as Futch, to facilitate a patterned series of bank robberies. The participants drove to bank and credit union branches, entered the branches with threatening notes demanding money, presented the notes to branch employees, took cash, and exited the branches to a waiting getaway car. Generally, the notes would instruct the bank employees to provide money or “I will kill everyone in here.” On at least one occasion, a woman was held at gunpoint and forced to commit a robbery by Jones and Millett against her will. On another occasion, Jones and Millett used a minor in an attempted robbery. After a successful robbery, the members of the conspiracy distributed the stolen money amongst themselves.

Jones and Millett actively sought and groomed recruits to act as the note passers. Millett advertised the conspiracy on Instagram in videos and photographs of herself and other participants holding large amounts of cash. Jones and Millett sometimes directed recruits to wear dark sunglasses during the robberies to conceal their identities and carry purses in order to carry the stolen money away from the banks and credit unions.

Futch joined the conspiracy and conspired to commit at least two bank robberies. She is additionally charged with perjury. On Aug. 15, 2024, Futch appeared as a witness under oath before a grand jury and knowingly made false statements.

This case is the product of an investigation by FBI field offices in San Francisco and Sacramento, with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department, Vacaville Police Department, Suisun City Police Department, Vallejo Police Department, Antioch Police Department, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Benicia Police Department, Concord Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Hayward Police Department, and Fremont Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of conspiracy to commit bank robbery, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. The bank robbery counts carry a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Futch faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if she is convicted of perjury. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Source: US FBI

FRESNO, Calif. — Angelo Jackson Mendiver, 27, of Bakersfield, a former campus security supervisor at Arvin High School, was sentenced today to two years in prison for conspiring to engage in the manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials and for mailing explosive devices, as well as making false statements to FBI agents, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Mendiver used an Instagram account to sell explosives and explosive materials and worked closely with a male juvenile Bakersfield high school student to fulfill transactions and send explosives in the mail to residents of other states. In Instagram messages to the juvenile, Mendiver sent a photo of titanium salute, an explosive device, followed by two videos of homemade explosive devices that he had made and the statement that “homemade kills all consumer.” He also advised the juvenile to be “super careful bro that homemade shit is dangerous.” On June 1, 2023, a federal search warrant executed at Mendiver’s residence resulted in the seizure of 536 pounds of uncontained explosives and explosive materials, which presented an extreme safety hazard to the residents. Agents seized another 440 pounds of uncontained explosives and explosive materials from the juvenile’s residence. At both residences, agents also found items used to make explosives.

Mendiver also falsely stated to FBI agents that he did not sell explosives and did not work with anyone in committing explosives offenses.

The juvenile co-conspirator’s case is being handled by the Kern County District Attorney’s Office.

This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI with assistance from the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.

Source: US FBI

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Raykheem Andrew Guthery, 32, of Vallejo, was sentenced today to five years in prison for possessing ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on June 9, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a vehicle stop on Guthery for driving a car without license plates. Guthery pretended to be someone else, claimed he was not on parole or probation, and denied being armed. In fact, Guthery was on probation for felony assault and had a firearm loaded with an extended magazine concealed on his person. Officers discovered the firearm during Guthery’s arrest. The firearm was a non‑serialized, privately manufactured firearm, known as a “ghost gun.” It was loaded with one round of .40-caliber ammunition in the chamber and another 17 rounds in an extended magazine.

Guthery is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has been convicted of at least three felonies, including a 2016 felony conviction for forcible assault likely to cause grave bodily injury. He was also prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at the time of this offense because he was then the subject of a domestic violence protective order issued on April 15, 2021, by the Superior Court of California, Solano County.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles woman and a San Fernando Valley man were arrested today on a 24-count federal grand jury indictment alleging a scheme to defraud Medicare out of more than $54 million via hospice and diagnostic testing services that were never provided and then laundered their illicit proceeds, including by buying millions of dollars’ worth of gold bars and coins.

Sophia Shaklian, 36, of the Larchmont area of Los Angeles, and Alex Alexsanian, 47, of Burbank, were arrested early this morning. They are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

Shaklian is charged with 16 counts of health care fraud and four counts of transactional money laundering. Alexsanian is charged with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and three counts of concealment money laundering.

According to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on October 2, Shaklian, often using aliases, managed and submitted claims for seven health care providers enrolled with Medicare and located in Los Angeles County. These businesses included a hospice company she owned – the Pasadena-based Chateau d’Lumina Hospice and Palliative Care – and several diagnostic testing companies: Saint Gorge Radiology in Sylmar; Hope Diagnostics in North Hollywood; Direct Imaging & Diagnostics and Lab One – both located in Hollywood; and Labtech and Lifescan Diagnostics in Claremont.

From March 2019 to August 2024, these companies allegedly submitted more than $54 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for services that were never provided and not needed. In total, they received more than $23 million for those claims. Shaklian allegedly laundered Medicare funds paid to Chateau by transferring them to accounts in the name of “Varsenic Babaian,” a synthetic or fake identity. 

Alexsanian allegedly directed a foreign national to open Saint Gorge Radiology, and to acquire Medicare provider Console Hospice in Van Nuys, and then provide control of those companies and their bank accounts and the foreign national’s personal bank accounts to Alexsanian.

Alexsanian conspired with the foreign national (who soon left the country) and others to have Saint Gorge Radiology and Console Hospice submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for services not provided and then laundered the Medicare reimbursements they received, as well as funds deposited into their accounts through the “Babaian” identity, and used them to, among other things, buy more than $6 million in gold bars and coins.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime.  Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted of all charges, Shaklian would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each health care fraud count and up to 20 years in federal prison for each money laundering count. Alexsanian would face up to 20 years in federal prison for each count. 

The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General and the FBI are investigating this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – A Santa Barbara County man was charged today in a federal criminal complaint alleging he committed a bomb attack at a courthouse in Santa Maria on Wednesday, in which at least five people were injured.

Nathaniel James McGuire, 20, of Santa Maria, is charged with maliciously damaging a building by means of explosive. 

McGuire, who was arrested Wednesday shortly after the attack, is expected to make his initial appearance Friday afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. 

According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on September 25, McGuire entered a courthouse of Santa Barbara County Superior Court and threw a bag into the lobby. The bag exploded and McGuire left the courthouse on foot. The explosion injured at least five people who were present at the courthouse at that time.

Shortly thereafter, McGuire was apprehended and detained by Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies as he was trying to access a red Ford Mustang car parked outside the building. McGuire allegedly yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up, and rebel.

Inside the car, a deputy saw ammunition, a flare gun, and a box of fireworks. A search of the car revealed a shotgun, a rifle, more ammunition, a suspected bomb, and 10 Molotov cocktails. Law enforcement later rendered the bomb safe.

A search of McGuire’s residence revealed an empty can with nails glued to the outside, a duffel bag containing matches, black powder, used and unused fireworks, and papers that appeared to be recipes for explosive material.

“This defendant’s alleged misconduct was chilling,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Not only did he injure five people and traumatize many more, but he possessed a cache of weapons that would have allowed him to wreak even greater destruction had he not been stopped. Attacks on our courts, law enforcement officers, and other public servants are unacceptable, and it is critical that those who carry out such assaults be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”

“The idea of intentionally setting off an explosive device to do harm and avoid justice in the process shocks the conscience,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Make no mistake, we are committed to holding Mr. McGuire accountable for this blatant act of violence. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety.”

“This was a shocking and unprecedented crime in our county, but, in spite of its audacity, the security of the Santa Maria courthouse was maintained,” said Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown. “The suspect was swiftly apprehended by a court security officer, a sheriff’s deputy, two California Highway Patrol officers, and a district attorney’s investigator; we are proud of their resolute actions that almost certainly prevented further violence. We are also grateful for the substantial investigative assistance that has been provided by our colleagues with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and from U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada and his office.”

A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

If convicted, McGuire would face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.

The FBI and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Takla and Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the Counterterrorism Section in the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – A Ventura County woman has been found guilty by a jury of defrauding a Beverly Hills-based independent publishing company and its owner by embezzling at least $1.3 million from the company and the owner’s personal bank account over several years for her own personal expenses, including spa treatment, veterinary bills, and designer handbags.

Kimberly Ann Miletta, 51, of Ventura, was found guilty late Monday of three counts of wire fraud.

According to evidence presented at a five-day trial, from 2009 to 2018, Miletta was president of Phoenix Books, an independent book and audio publisher owned by a victim identified in court documents as “J.O.” As the president of Phoenix Books, Miletta had full control over the business, including its finances, but she only was authorized to use company funds to pay for legitimate business expenses.

From October 2013 to January 2018, Miletta embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars by using the company credit card – over which she had exclusive control – to pay for personal items, and then paid for the credit card bills out of the company’s owner’s personal bank account.

Miletta used the company credit card to pay for, among other things, personal spa treatments, designer handbags, high-end clothing, a multi-thousand-dollar mattress, and years’ worth of veterinary bills and pet products for her cats. Miletta fraudulently charged more than $185,000 worth of purchases at clothing and department stores to the company credit card. Miletta also made a fraudulent wire transfer out of the personal account of the company’s owner of nearly $1 million, which Miletta used to buy an ocean-view home in Ventura.

The jury found Miletta not guilty of two additional counts of wire fraud.

United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong scheduled a January 10, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Miletta will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count. 

The FBI investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Jenna G. Williams of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force and Declan T. Conroy of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.