Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A San Antonio, Texas woman received a 15-month prison sentence for her role in a conspiracy to distribute counterfeit coupons that were used at retail stores across the United States to procure more than $17 million in unauthorized discounts.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Jamarea Grant, 33, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison in connection with a kickback scheme in which he and his uncle, Kirk Perry, a former U.S. Department of Agriculture program director, conspired to bill the federal government nearly $400,000 for work that Grant did not actually perform, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
An Orange County woman was arrested today on a federal indictment charging her with defrauding a nonprofit created to financially support a high school football team, an organization for which she served as treasurer, out of more than $400,000, in part, to pay the delinquent balance on her home’s mortgage.
Source: United States Department of Justice
A Hawaii husband and wife were sentenced yesterday to 16 months and 24 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a nationwide tax fraud scheme that involved deceiving the IRS into issuing a nearly $200,000 tax refund and then using shell bank accounts and frivolous legal filings to prevent the government from getting it back.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from approximately February 2015 through November 2018, Beverly Braumuller-Hawver and Scott Hawver, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, engaged in a fraudulent tax refund scheme by paying a promoter a series of fees in exchange for fraudulent tax paperwork. Armed with those materials, the Hawvers filed an amended 2014 tax return attaching a fabricated IRS Form 1099-MISC — a document that falsely claimed a mortgage company had paid Hawver $749,163 in income and withheld $424,163 of that amount in federal taxes. The fictitious withholding claim prompted the IRS to issue the Hawvers a tax refund for $192,845 that they were not entitled to receive.
The Hawvers moved quickly to put the money out of the government’s reach. They deposited the U.S. Treasury check into a newly opened bank account. Within days, they transferred $170,000 into a separate account held in the name of BeverlyB Music LLC, an unrelated music business the Hawvers operated. On that same day, the Hawvers paid co-conspirators more than $70,000 from the BeverlyB Music account for their roles in the scheme. Braumuller-Hawver later wired $22,000 from that account to a jeweler to purchase gold and silver coins. When the IRS began seeking to recover the fraudulent refund, the Hawvers did not simply ignore the notices. Instead, they sent scripted, frivolous correspondence to the IRS, filed a petition in U.S. Tax Court to thwart collection and participated as plaintiffs in multiple frivolous civil RICO lawsuits against IRS employees who were doing their jobs.
In March 2026, a federal jury convicted Braumuller-Hawver and Hawver of conspiring to defraud the IRS. The jury also convicted Braumuller-Hawver of filing a false tax return and money laundering.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Chief District Judge Derrick K. Watson ordered Beverly Braumuller-Hawver and Scott Hawver to jointly and severally pay $182,438.37 to the United States in restitution.
Along with the Hawvers, the Department of Justice has prosecuted a number of other defendants involved in a nationwide tax fraud scheme that drew in more than 200 participants across at least 19 states. In 2022, the main promoters of the scheme were sentenced to 11 years in prison, more than 8 years in prison, and 51 months in prison. In Hawaii, the scheme was organized and led by Rosemarie Lastimado-Dradi, who marketed the operation as the “Escrow Trust Refund” program, recruited clients (including the Hawvers) and directed her cut of their fraudulent refunds — between 25 and 40 percent — into accounts held in the name of fictitious business entities and purported trusts. In January 2026, Lastimado-Dradi was sentenced to a total of 9 years in prison. Other Hawaii participants in the scheme have also received significant sentences, including Elvah Miranda (48 months in prison), Marciaminajuanequita Dumlao (33 months in prison), Daniel Miranda (30 months in prison), Brigida Chock (27 months in prison) and Lazerrick Lawrence (20 months in prison).
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson for the District of Hawaii made the announcement
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Megan L. Jones and former trial attorney Sarah A. Kiewlicz of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Tax Section prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (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.
Source: United States Department of Justice
An Orange County woman was arrested today on a federal indictment charging her with defrauding a nonprofit created to financially support a high school football team, an organization for which she served as treasurer, out of more than $400,000, in part, to pay the delinquent balance on her home’s mortgage.
Source: United States Department of Justice
A Hawaii husband and wife were sentenced yesterday to 16 months and 24 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a nationwide tax fraud scheme that involved deceiving the IRS into issuing a nearly $200,000 tax refund and then using shell bank accounts and frivolous legal filings to prevent the government from getting it back.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from approximately February 2015 through November 2018, Beverly Braumuller-Hawver and Scott Hawver, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, engaged in a fraudulent tax refund scheme by paying a promoter a series of fees in exchange for fraudulent tax paperwork. Armed with those materials, the Hawvers filed an amended 2014 tax return attaching a fabricated IRS Form 1099-MISC — a document that falsely claimed a mortgage company had paid Hawver $749,163 in income and withheld $424,163 of that amount in federal taxes. The fictitious withholding claim prompted the IRS to issue the Hawvers a tax refund for $192,845 that they were not entitled to receive.
The Hawvers moved quickly to put the money out of the government’s reach. They deposited the U.S. Treasury check into a newly opened bank account. Within days, they transferred $170,000 into a separate account held in the name of BeverlyB Music LLC, an unrelated music business the Hawvers operated. On that same day, the Hawvers paid co-conspirators more than $70,000 from the BeverlyB Music account for their roles in the scheme. Braumuller-Hawver later wired $22,000 from that account to a jeweler to purchase gold and silver coins. When the IRS began seeking to recover the fraudulent refund, the Hawvers did not simply ignore the notices. Instead, they sent scripted, frivolous correspondence to the IRS, filed a petition in U.S. Tax Court to thwart collection and participated as plaintiffs in multiple frivolous civil RICO lawsuits against IRS employees who were doing their jobs.
In March 2026, a federal jury convicted Braumuller-Hawver and Hawver of conspiring to defraud the IRS. The jury also convicted Braumuller-Hawver of filing a false tax return and money laundering.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Chief District Judge Derrick K. Watson ordered Beverly Braumuller-Hawver and Scott Hawver to jointly and severally pay $182,438.37 to the United States in restitution.
Along with the Hawvers, the Department of Justice has prosecuted a number of other defendants involved in a nationwide tax fraud scheme that drew in more than 200 participants across at least 19 states. In 2022, the main promoters of the scheme were sentenced to 11 years in prison, more than 8 years in prison, and 51 months in prison. In Hawaii, the scheme was organized and led by Rosemarie Lastimado-Dradi, who marketed the operation as the “Escrow Trust Refund” program, recruited clients (including the Hawvers) and directed her cut of their fraudulent refunds — between 25 and 40 percent — into accounts held in the name of fictitious business entities and purported trusts. In January 2026, Lastimado-Dradi was sentenced to a total of 9 years in prison. Other Hawaii participants in the scheme have also received significant sentences, including Elvah Miranda (48 months in prison), Marciaminajuanequita Dumlao (33 months in prison), Daniel Miranda (30 months in prison), Brigida Chock (27 months in prison) and Lazerrick Lawrence (20 months in prison).
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson for the District of Hawaii made the announcement
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Megan L. Jones and former trial attorney Sarah A. Kiewlicz of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Tax Section prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (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.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A San Bernardino County man was arrested today on a federal grand jury indictment charging him and two other defendants with paying people on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles to sign petitions using stolen identities of registered voters to qualify initiatives on ballots in California elections.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Tampa, Florida – Aleksandr Golovchenko (50, Oregon) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti to 25 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for three counts of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.Golovchenko pleaded guilty on April 29, 2026.
Source: United States Department of War
The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial will be temporarily closed to the public from 3 a.m. through 12 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 11, with the exception of any victim’s families, survivors, or survivor’s families, in support of the 25th Anniversary 9/11 Observance Ceremony.
Source: United States Department of Justice
On August 11, 2026, the Office of Information Policy (OIP) hosted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Best Practices Workshop for agency FOIA professionals on negotiating with requesters. A summary of the best practices discussed is now available on OIP’s Best Practices Workshop Series page.
The workshop consisted of representatives from five agencies including the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Treasury, the Merit Systems Protection Board, and the Department of Education. Panelists described how negotiations have benefited their FOIA programs by narrowing the scope of complex requests, reducing number of pages to review, and fostering stronger relations with requesters. Additionally, panelists shared their best practices for achieving successful negotiations, emphasizing the importance of the intake process, leveraging publicly available information, and preparing properly for negotiations to maximize success.
A detailed list of the best practices discussed at these and other OIP workshops, and related guidance, can be found on the Best Practices Workshop Series page of OIP’s website.
Launched in 2014, the Best Practices Workshop series was designed as a part of the United States’ Second Open Government National Action Plan commitment to modernize FOIA administration. The goal of the series is to improve FOIA processes by leveraging effective strategies from across the government, highlighting successes achieved by agencies, and sharing successful approaches on a wide range of FOIA issues.
We invite you to suggest discussion topics for upcoming Best Practices Workshops, and you can e-mail your suggestions for new workshop topics to DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov (link sends e-mail) using the subject line “Agency Best Practices Workshop Suggestion.”