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April 30, 2026

Payment Processing Broker Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Bank Debits

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

An Oregon man who worked as a payment processing broker pleaded guilty today to wire fraud for his role in using fraudulent, unauthorized debits to steal money from victims’ bank accounts.

According to court documents, Jeremy Todd Briley, 46, of Oregon, worked as a payment processing broker. Acting on behalf of clients (merchants), Briley identified payment processors in the United States for his clients to use in processing charges. Briley’s two largest clients were sham companies that falsely represented that they provided online marketing services to businesses. Instead, they stole from victims by fraudulently debiting their bank accounts, causing over $14 million in unauthorized debits and attempted debits.

From February 2017 to December 2023, Briley obtained and maintained payment processing relationships for those sham companies so that they could process fraudulent debits, knowing that the sham companies were fraudulently debiting bank accounts. Despite repeatedly receiving information that the debits processed on behalf of the sham companies were not authorized by the victims, Briley concealed the fraudulent activities of the sham companies in various ways, and he arranged for a payment processor to deceive banks by manipulating return rates on the fraudulent debits.

Briley pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years 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 Colin M. McDonald; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group; and Special Agent in Charge Vincent R. Zehme of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Chicago Region made the announcement.

The USPIS and FDIC-OIG are investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Daniel Zytnick of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida is handling forfeiture.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

April 30, 2026

Bristol, Virginia Man Sentenced to 10 Years on Federal Drug and Gun Charges

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia man who conspired with others to distribute more than 600 fentanyl pills was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison.Briar Stephens, 25, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime.

April 30, 2026

Defendant Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Attempting to Obstruct a Federal Drug Trafficking Investigation

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Julian Gonzalez was sentenced by United States District Judge William F. Kuntz II to 57 months’ imprisonment for attempted obstruction of justice. Gonzalez was convicted of this crime following a one-week jury trial in October 2024.

April 30, 2026

Pharmacy Technician Pleads Guilty to $5.6M Health Care Fraud Scheme and Illegal Distribution of Oxycodone

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A Michigan man pleaded guilty yesterday to defrauding health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, by billing for prescription medications that he never dispensed and providing unlawful prescriptions of oxycodone to drug traffickers in exchange for cash.

According to court documents, Ali Naserdean, 32, of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, was a pharmacy technician at three metro-Detroit pharmacies. From 2019 through 2022, Naserdean and his co-conspirator submitted false and fraudulent claims to health care benefit programs for prescription drugs that were not ordered by a doctor and never dispensed to the patient. Naserdean and his co-conspirator used forged prescriptions from doctors to hide their scheme, when the patient had never seen the listed doctor and the medication had never actually been prescribed. Naserdean and his co-conspirator caused over $5.6 million of loss to Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Additionally, from 2019 through 2022, Naserdean provided unlawful prescriptions of oxycodone to drug traffickers in exchange for cash, without regard to whether the prescriptions were actually prescribed by physicians or dispensed in good faith.

Naserdean pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and possession with intent to illegally distribute oxycodone. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 1 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years 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 Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan; Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman of the FBI Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ethridge of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.

The FBI Detroit Field Office, HHS-OIG, and the City of Dearborn Police Department investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Jeffrey A. Crapko of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Kuebler for the Eastern District of Michigan prosecuted the case.

The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

April 30, 2026

25 Defendants Convicted in International $215M Scam That Targeted 1,000+ Victims

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

After a four-day trial, a federal jury found three men guilty of involvement with an international email hacking scheme that defrauded more than 1,000 victims out of approximately $215 million. The scheme spanned 47 states and 19 countries. In total, 25 defendants have been convicted for their roles in this fraud and money laundering scheme, commonly referred to as a “business email compromise.”

April 30, 2026

Former U.S. Postal Carriers, Bank Manager, and Convicted Felon Indicted on Federal Charges for Nearly $5 Million Bank Fraud and Mail Theft Scheme

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Two former U.S. Postal Service mail carriers, a former Alpharetta assistant bank manager, and a convicted felon face federal charges after participating in a scheme to steal valuable items from the mail, including a $4.9 million U.S. Treasury check.

April 30, 2026

Convicted Felon Sentenced to 87 Months in Trafficking Nine Firearms, Including to Buyer Who Said He Was ‘At War’

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Brandon Smith, 34, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison for conspiring to traffic at least nine firearms to a prohibited buyer over the course of six months.

April 30, 2026

Multiple Illegal Aliens Sentenced for Unlawful Presence in U.S., Including Portugal Citizen Who Destroyed Government Property

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Baltimore, Maryland – Several aliens, unlawfully in the United States, recently pled guilty and received their sentences, including a Portugal citizen and national, who destroyed government property. These prosecutions are in connection with the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America.

April 30, 2026

Defense News: NC Guard, UK Forces conduct joint UAS training

Source: United States Army

New London – North Carolina National Guard Soldiers and Airmen participated in a joint unmanned aerial systems training exercise with the 101st Royal Regiment of Artillery, where the training was part of a broader Patriot Training series aimed at increasing combat readiness and lethality on April 15, 2026.

The event brought together service members from 5-113th Field Artillery, 1-119 Infantry Regiment, Bravo Company 3/20 Special Forces Group, 60th Troop Command, Medical Readiness Detachment, 118th Air Support Operations Squadron, Joint Forces Headquarters, and 449th Combat Aviation Brigade to build proficiency in reconnaissance, small unit tactics, decision-making, and unmanned systems integration. Throughout the week, participants trained in a joint, multinational environment designed to enhance interoperability and strengthen partnerships.

“This training is designed to build proficiency and confidence across formations,” said Master Sgt. Stephen Cook, Operations Noncommissioned Officer, Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group. “A key component of the training is emphasizing integrating unmanned systems into operations”.

“Drones are very effective at both observing and then delivering effective munitions against the weapons system that we operate,” said Capt. Matt Murtagh, alpha battery commander, 5-113th Field Artillery. “Knowing how they work is how you learn to defeat them and countermeasures against them. The better you learn the system, the better you counteract that.”

Participants also applied the military decision-making process, incorporating real-time aerial intelligence into tactical planning. “This is about increasing lethality through better integration and faster decision-making,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jerry Smith, Operations Warrant Officer, Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group.

The joint nature of the exercise allowed NC Guard Soldiers and Airmen to work closely with their British counterparts, sharing tactics, techniques, and procedures. The collaboration between the two groups reinforced the importance of multinational coordination in large-scale combat operations.

“It’s great to train with our nation’s friends and allies from the US,” said Staff Sgt. Nick Hyde, 101st Royal Regiment of Artillery. “Sharing ideas is really important and allows us to drill down on our own skills. It’s about what we bring as individuals, whether or not we’re junior and senior NCOs or officers…having that self awareness and doing it in a really kind of progressive way.”

Defense News: Nevada Guard builds wildfire response readiness

Source: United States Army

CARSON CITY, Nev. — As wildfire season nears, the Nevada National Guard stands ready with freshly trained crews and aircraft following intensive April training and certification efforts.

Approximately 40 Nevada Army National Guard Soldiers from northern and southern Nevada completed annual wildland firefighting training in partnership with the Nevada Division of Forestry, earning Type 2 wildland firefighter certification and strengthening the state’s ground response capability.

U.S. Army Soldiers in the Nevada Army National Guard get ready to conduct a line construction exercise at the Nevada Division of Forestry’s western area headquarters in Washoe Valley, Nevada, Apr. 23, 2026. The Nevada Army National Guard and Nevada Division of Forestry conducted annual joint training to certify Soldiers as Type 2 wildland firefighters, strengthening the state’s wildfire response capability through hands-on instruction and continued interagency partnership. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Adrianne Lopez) VIEW ORIGINAL

The training, now in its fifth year, provided hands-on experience in essential firefighting tasks and reinforced the Guard’s role in supporting civil authorities during emergency operations.

During the training, Soldiers practiced key firefighting tasks, including digging fire lines, deploying fire shelters, handling ignition tools and using hand tools safely. The instruction also covered factors such as fire behavior, topography, fuels and weather to prepare them for wildfire situations.

Sgt. Skylar Lujan, a returning participant, said the experience broadened his understanding of the Guard’s community support role and brought him a sense of pride and purpose.

U.S. Army Spc. Samuel Mendoza, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 422nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion, tries on his gear at the Nevada Division of Forestry’s western area headquarters in Washoe Valley, Nevada, Apr. 23, 2026. The Nevada Army National Guard and Nevada Division of Forestry conducted annual joint training to certify Soldiers as Type 2 wildland firefighters, strengthening the state’s wildfire response capability through hands-on instruction and continued interagency partnership. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Adrianne Lopez) VIEW ORIGINAL

“Having this opportunity really widens my perspective and gives me pride,” Lujan said. “I’m working for the community, so it’s a win-win.”

The training was conducted in partnership with the Nevada Division of Forestry, which provided instruction and certification support for Guard members preparing to assist with wildfire response.

The Nevada Army National Guard also completed aerial firefighting training with UH-60 Black Hawk crews, ensuring aviation assets are ready to support state wildfire suppression missions when called upon.

Together, the ground and aviation training efforts enhance the Nevada National Guard’s ability to respond quickly and effectively during wildfire season, providing additional capability to state and local agencies when resources are stretched.

The Nevada National Guard has supported wildfire response operations across the state in previous years and remains ready to assist civil authorities when requested.