Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Timothy France Johnson was sentenced in to 51 months in federal prison along with a money judgement of $3,148,094.48 for running an 11-year Ponzi scheme in which he represented to investors that he would use their funds to promote NBA preseason games
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Richard Teplitsky, 72, of Williamsville, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to mail fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced that Dut Dour, 34, of Buffalo, NY, and Tommy Purdue, 28, of Buffalo, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit trafficking in firearms, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Source: United States Department of Justice
A U.S. government contractor was arrested by the FBI this morning for allegedly leaking national defense information to another individual who repeatedly posted classified information to an online publication.
“National defense information is classified to protect the American people from bad actors around the world who wish to do us harm,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The details alleged in this affidavit reflect the behavior of a government contractor who exempted himself from a federal law governing the protection of classified information. The Department of Justice will continue prosecuting individuals who leak classified information and put our national security at risk.”
“The FBI arrested the subject after he was caught allegedly betraying his oath and leaking classified defense information,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Protecting America’s secrets is a top counterintelligence priority of this FBI – and anyone caught abusing their position of trust within the government by jeopardizing national security and putting our brave warriors at risk will be met with the full weight of justice.”
“Following a referral from the Agency, on Friday, October 23rd, the FBI arrested a contractor who provided services to CIA for alleged unauthorized disclosures of classified information,” said CIA Director John Ratcliffe. “The unauthorized release of classified material poses grave risks to our national security, intelligence sources, ongoing operations, and our officers. There is absolutely zero tolerance for leaking, and anyone who violates their oath will be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“As alleged, Brinksman reached far outside his own duties to obtain some of our Nation’s most closely held secrets and handed them to a romantic partner he knew intended to publish them,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “That is not carelessness. It is a betrayal of his oath and the American people who entrusted him to fulfill his duties honorably. Those cleared to hold our Nation’s secrets undertake a solemn obligation to protect that information. If proven at trial, this conduct is a grave violation of the Espionage Act, and the National Security Division will prosecute it as such.”
Ian A. Brinksman, 42, of the District of Columbia was arrested following a search of his residence and charged by criminal complaint with unlawfully transmitting national defense information.
According to the criminal complaint, beginning in 2020, the defendant worked as an employee of a U.S. government agency based in the Eastern District of Virginia and later in 2022 began working as a developer for systems integration for “Company 1,” a contractor to the same U.S. government agency. During all times relevant to the complaint, Brinksman held a Top Secret security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access.
As further detailed in the complaint, Brinksman had an ongoing personal relationship with an individual who maintains an online publication on Substack (Individual 1). A fundraising article reportedly published by Individual 1 in September 2026 claimed Individual 1 had “published reporting based on classified [relevant U.S. government agency] assessments.” Individual 1 posted on her social media profile, “I also accept leaks.”
The FBI Chicago Field Office is investigating the case with substantial assistance from the Washington Field Office.
Trial Attorneys Eli Ross and Kathryn DeMarco of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vito Iaia for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal Chawla and Stuart Allen for the District of Columbia.
Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Note: Please see the affidavit here.
Source: United States Department of Justice
Zheng Zhao, 44, a Chinese national, was arraigned today in the Central District of California after being extradited from the Netherlands for his alleged role in an international cryptocurrency investment conspiracy carried out from scam centers in the Kingdom of Cambodia that targeted U.S. citizens. Ultimately, the government was able to identify 174 U.S. victims.
“This extradition should be a lesson to all those who seek to exploit vulnerable Americans from overseas,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will pursue charged defendants anywhere in the world, especially those who are alleged to have stolen money, converted it to cryptocurrency, and used foreign financial institutions in the process to try to hide and obfuscate their crimes. Wherever you are, we have the reach to find you.”
“As crime has globalized, so has law enforcement’s ability to locate and catch criminals,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “When innocent Americans are harmed by cybercriminals and their enablers, we and our partners around the globe will relentlessly ensure they face justice in a U.S. courtroom.”
“Today’s arraignment demonstrates our collective commitment to pursuing transnational criminal networks that exploit the American people,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Bratz of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Criminal Investigative Division. “This case should serve as a warning to scammers in every corner of the world: there is nowhere to hide. Secret Service investigators and our law enforcement partners remain unwavering in their commitment to identify those who operate scam centers, disrupt their financial infrastructure, and bring them to justice.”
According to court documents, Zhao was allegedly part of an international criminal network that induced U.S. victims to transfer funds to accounts controlled by co-conspirators, who then laundered victim money through U.S. shell companies, international bank accounts, and digital asset wallets. The cycle of the scheme began when overseas co-conspirators contacted U.S. victims via unsolicited social media interactions, telephone calls, text messages, and online dating services to gain the victims’ trust. The co-conspirators promoted fraudulent digital asset investments to the victims. The co-conspirators created fake websites that resembled real cryptocurrency trading platforms and convinced victims to send funds through the fake websites for investments.
The scammers would then tell the victims that their investments were appreciating in value when, in fact, the scammers had stolen the victims’ money. More than $36.9 million in victim funds were transferred from U.S. bank accounts controlled by the co-conspirators to a single account at Deltec Bank in the Bahamas. Zhao and other co-conspirators arranged for Deltec Bank to convert victim funds to the stablecoin Tether (USDT) and to transfer the converted funds to a digital asset wallet controlled in Cambodia. From there, co-conspirators in Cambodia transferred the USDT to the leaders of scam centers throughout the region.
In August 2025, Zhao was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Eight co-conspirators have pleaded guilty so far, including ShengSheng He and Jingliang Su. He and Su each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and were sentenced to 51 months and 46 months in prison, respectively.
USSS’s Global Investigative Operations Center is investigating the case. The Homeland Security Investigations’ El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and U.S. Marshals Service provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked closely with Dutch authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Zhao and provided significant assistance throughout the investigation. The United States sincerely thank Dutch authorities for their assistance.
Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s White Collar and Corporate Enforcement Section, Acting Assistant Deputy Chief James S. Yoon of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nisha Chandran and Alexander Gorin for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked closely with Dutch authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Zhao and provided significant assistance throughout the investigation. The United States sincerely thanks Dutch authorities for their assistance.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This case is part of efforts being undertaken by the Criminal Division’s Cyber-Enabled Scam Initiative (CSI). The CSI is a dedicated team of prosecutors built to find scammers who prey on Americans, disrupt their networks, and hold them accountable. CSI coordinates across the Criminal Division’s Sections, bringing together prosecutors and subject matter experts in complex frauds and investment schemes, cybercrimes and dismantling cyber infrastructure, online child exploitation, international evidence gathering and extradition, overseas prosecutorial development and assistance, and financial tracing and asset forfeiture.
If you or someone you know is a victim of a digital asset investment fraud, report it to IC3.gov.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Luis Molina, 33, of Glenvil, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 22, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing cocaine and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing cocaine.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Timothy Wadsworth, 35, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison and pay $810,965.19 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. In addition, Wadsworth was ordered to forfeit $810,956.19, which represents the wire fraud proceeds he received. This case is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jerry Antonio Baine a/k/a Bank 3x, 23, of Durham, NC, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in the firearms business without a license, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
D’Aundrey Scott, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for charges related to a spree of arsons, one of which killed of 62-year-old Darryl Finney, in May 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Source: United States Department of Justice
The leader of Frente 33, part of the FARC dissident group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP), a designated foreign terrorist organization, was extradited from Colombia to the Southern District of Florida on Thursday to face federal charges stemming from an alleged international cocaine trafficking and money laundering conspiracy.