Source: United States Navy
DILI, Timor-Leste — The U.S. Navy (USN) and Timor-Leste Defense Forces (F-FDTL), also known as Falintil- Forças de Defesa de Timor-Leste (F-FDTL), marked the start of the 14th Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Timor-Leste 2025, with an opening ceremony in Dili, Sept. 22.
Source: United States Navy
ATLANTIC OCEAN – The U.S. Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs conducted four scheduled missile test flights of unarmed Trident II D5LE missiles from an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine off the east coast of Florida from September 17-21. One launch test event Sunday evening lit up the night sky and was visible from Puerto Rico.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A Pennsylvania doctor was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for orchestrating conspiracies to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, and unlawful distribution of controlled substances and money-laundering related offenses. He was also ordered to pay over $2 million in restitution and over $2 million in forfeiture.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Neil K. Anand, M.D., 48, of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, conspired to submit false and fraudulent claims to health plans provided by Medicare, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Independence Blue Cross (IBC), and Anthem, for “Goody Bags” of medically unnecessary prescription medications, which were dispensed to patients by in-house pharmacies owned by Anand. In total, Medicare, OPM, IBC, and Anthem paid over $2.4 million in reimbursements. To entice patients to take the unwanted Goody Bags, Anand also conspired to distribute oxycodone outside the usual course of medical practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. In furtherance of the conspiracy, unlicensed medical interns wrote prescriptions for controlled substances using blank prescriptions that were pre-signed by Anand. As part of the scheme, Anand prescribed 20,850 oxycodone tablets for nine different patients. After learning that he was under investigation, Anand concealed the proceeds of the fraud by transferring approximately $1.2 million into an account in the name of a relative and for the benefit of a minor relative.
In April 2025 Anand was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, three counts of health care fraud, one count of money laundering, four counts of unlawful monetary transactions, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob, Patrick J. Campbell, and Arun Bodapati of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, 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.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
MIAMI – A federal jury today convicted Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, of Hawaii, for attempting to assassinate President Donald J. Trump when he was a major presidential candidate in a planned sniper attack at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
“Today’s verdict against a would-be assassin of President Trump illustrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This attempted assassination was not only an attack on our President, but an affront to our very nation itself. I am grateful to our attorneys and law enforcement partners for protecting President Trump and securing this important verdict.”
“This verdict sends a clear message. An attempt to assassinate a presidential candidate is an attack on our Republic and on the rights of every citizen,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Department of Justice will relentlessly pursue those who try to silence political voices, and no enemy, foreign or domestic, will ever silence the will of the American people. I want to thank and congratulate the trial team and our law enforcement partners for their outstanding work and dedication in bringing this case to justice.”
“Today’s jury verdict delivers justice. What Routh did was objectively evil — an attempt not only to take a life, but to rob Americans of their right to vote and to silence free speech. This was nothing less than an attempted assassination of both a man and the democratic voice he represented,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “We have seen over the past decade how political violence — from the assassination of Charlie Kirk to threats meant to silence conservative voices — has poisoned our public square. Such violence is un-American. It is an assault on every one of us, no matter our politics. The Southern District of Florida will relentlessly pursue those who try to steal our freedoms, and we will ensure that the rule of law — not fear, not violence — prevails.”
“Ryan Routh’s attempted assassination of President Trump was a disgusting act — mere weeks before an election and only months after a separate assassination attempt came dangerously close to succeeding,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “FBI teams worked quickly and diligently with local partners and the Department of Justice to demonstrate a clear fact pattern of Routh’s planning and intent, and we are grateful to see a quick resolution. The FBI will continue working aggressively to take violent offenders off American streets and protect public officials from threats of all nature.”
“Thanks to the quick reaction by the U.S. Secret Service, Ryan Wesley Routh was unsuccessful in his attempt to inflict political violence. The verdict against Routh is indicative of the professionalism, determination, and resilience of the investigative team who rapidly and thoroughly pursued every lead in this top priority case. No stone was left unturned,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI’s Miami Field Office. “It was an around-the-clock, full court press that put the FBI’s investigative acumen on full display. We are joined in this effort with the full support of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Secret Service, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and DOJ’s National Security Division. I commend their diligence and commitment in pursuit of this outcome.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, then-U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano – who was patrolling one hole ahead of the President at the golf course – spotted Routh pointing an AK-style rifle at Special Agent Fercano from a sniper’s hide in the fence abutting the golf course. Special Agent Fercano, in fear for his life and the life of President Trump, opened fire at Routh who fled. Law enforcement subsequently found a loaded SKS-style rifle equipped with a scope, a magazine containing an additional nineteen rounds of ammunition and the safety off, steel armor plates, and a camera attached to the fence pointing toward the sixth hole green of the golf course, where Routh had been hiding:
A witness saw Routh running across the road from the golf course and getting into a black Nissan Xterra. Based on information provided by the witness, Routh was later apprehended heading northbound on I-95 by officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
A search of Routh’s Nissan Xterra found numerous mobile phones, and a list of flights out of the country in the afternoon and evening of Sept. 15, 2024 – the day of the attempted assassination – along with directions to Miami International Airport. Cell records for two of the cell phones found in the Nissan Xterra showed that on multiple days and times from Aug. 18 to Sept. 15, Routh’s cell phone accessed cell towers located near Trump International and the President’s residence at Mar-a-Lago.
A witness testified at trial that he contacted law enforcement stating that Routh had dropped off a box at his residence in April after Routh made another trip to the area near the golf course. Included in the box was a handwritten letter from Routh addressed “Dear World,” which stated, among other things, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.”
Routh was convicted of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment; possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment; assaulting a federal officer (the Secret Service Special Agent, Robert Fercano), which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison; and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and Martin County Sheriff’s Office also assisted with this case.
Senior Counsel John C. Shipley, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Browne, National Security Section Chief Maria K. Medetis Long, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Luce for the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorneys James Donnelly and John Cella of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department will continue to defend the democratic process, safeguard our leaders, and ensure accountability for political violence.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-CR-80116.
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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
BOSTON – A Marlboro man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Larry Stephen, 46, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution. In April 2025, Stephen pleaded guilty to one count each of distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. He was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on July 18, 2023 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023.
Authorities identified Stephen as an individual using a social media platform to receive and post CSAM. During a search of Stephen’s Marlboro residence on June 7, 2023, his cell phone was seized. A preliminary examination of the device revealed the presence of CSAM and that Stephen repeatedly posted images and videos depicting CSAM on a social media platform.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Marlboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney’s David G. Tobin and Eric Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
TULSA, Okla. – A Prue man was sentenced today for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and Receipt of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Caleb Paul Toothman, 43, to 365 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Toothman will also be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Heil further ordered Toothman to pay $3,000 in restitution.
In December 2023, Toothman connected with a 14-year-old minor victim through a website and began communicating with them via social media. On two separate occasions, the minor victim agreed to meet Toothman and snuck out of their home. Toothman picked up the minor and then drove to a park where he sexually abused the victim. Further, Toothman requested and received sexually explicit photos of the minor victim.
Toothman is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan Michel and Kate Brandon 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 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.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
The Justice Department’s Criminal Division today announced the expansion of its Health Care Fraud Unit’s New England Strike Force to the District of Massachusetts. This expansion brings enhanced federal enforcement resources to one of the nation’s most significant health care and life sciences hubs.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts has a national reputation in health care enforcement and has developed a significant record of success in investigating and prosecuting health care fraud, including complex cases involving pharmaceutical and medical device companies, providers, and executives. In FY 2025 alone, working together on health care fraud enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit and Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit recovered more than $450 million in fraudulently obtained funds. Building on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s historic track record and the success of the Criminal Division’s Health Care Fraud Unit’s specialized prosecutors and data-driven, multi-agency Strike Force model, the Department is deploying a powerful force multiplier, allowing it to accelerate the detection, investigation, and prosecution of complex fraud schemes throughout the District of Massachusetts.
“Boston is home to world-class health care institutions, cutting-edge life sciences innovators, and a robust health care startup ecosystem, making it one of the most influential and active regions in the national health care landscape,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The expansion of the New England Strike Force to Boston will ensure that we are focused, efficient, and coordinated in our efforts to root out both individual and corporate bad actors engaged in criminal misconduct in the health care marketplace.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts has a long history of leading the nation in health care fraud enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “The unique partnership between our criminal and civil health care fraud enforcement matters has led to groundbreaking and historic enforcement success and industrywide changes. The Office has cracked down on fraud committed by pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers as well as unethical doctors and corporate executives who put greed ahead of patient safety and steal from government programs. The Strike Force model will act as a force multiplier, increasing resources and promoting even greater successes.”
“Healthcare fraud costs taxpayers tens of billions of dollars every year, whether it is through the unlawful diversion of federal program funds or powerful prescription drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI’s Boston Field Office. “That is why the FBI is working day in and day out to root out those who place a greater value on profits than they do on the well-being of patients. We welcome the expansion of the New England Strike Force to Massachusetts as we continue to work with our partners to hold anyone fleecing the U.S. government accountable.”
“The expansion of the New England Health Care Fraud Strike Force into Boston further strengthens our capacity to protect Medicare and Medicaid from criminal networks,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “As a national hub for health care innovation, Boston presents both extraordinary promise for HHS initiatives and increased exposure to sophisticated complex fraud schemes. This strategic expansion underscores our unwavering commitment to deploying investigative expertise where the stakes are highest, working in close collaboration with law enforcement partners to advance fraud detection, dismantle criminal schemes, and hold wrongdoers accountable.”
“Protecting the public from harm caused by criminal misconduct involving drugs and medical devices is a priority for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” said Special Agent in Charge Fernando McMillan of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office. “The expansion of the Strike Force into Boston, a vital hub for life sciences, will enable more robust and coordinated efforts to dismantle criminal networks that introduce unlawful medical products into the market, ultimately protecting patient health and trust in our healthcare system.”
As part of the expansion, the New England Strike Force, which was launched in June 2022 and is led by Fraud Section Assistant Chief Kevin Lowell, will coordinate closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit, led by Chief Mackenzie Queenin. In addition to the FBI, HHS-OIG and FDA, the Strike Force will partner with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, and key state agencies, including the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of Massachusetts and the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts.
Through the establishment of this strategic partnership with the District of Massachusetts, the Justice Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit continues to build on its record of success during a historic enforcement year, which to-date has included the announcement of the largest-ever National Health Care Fraud Takedown in June 2025. In addition, the Unit has significantly expanded its focus on corporate accountability, resolving cases against companies engaged in systemic fraudulent conduct, including recent corporate resolutions with the Kimberly-Clark Corporation and Troy Health, Inc. The Unit’s corporate enforcement efforts align closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Massachusetts and its reputation of successful prosecutions of corporate bad actors operating in the health care industry.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, which was launched in March 2007. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
ABERDEEN, MS – Miguel Angel Sierra-Torreblanca, a Mexican national unlawfully in the United States, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by United States District Court Judge Sharion Aycock for possession of child pornography and 24 months for his illegal reentry to the United States after having been previously deported.
According to court documents, Sierra-Torreblanca, 40, was arrested following a multistate investigation involving the Sheriff Departments of Charleston County, South Carolina and Lowndes County, Mississippi. Sierra-Torreblanca, who had been living in Lowndes County, Mississippi was arrested and found to be in the possession of two cell phones containing images and videos of children being sexually abused. The hundreds of images and videos depicted the graphic sexual abuse of children, some of whom were infants and toddlers. Following his arrest, the defendant admitted to the possession of these images and to being part of a transnational group which traded and shared these graphic images.
Sierra-Torreblanca was also sentenced for his illegal reentry into the United States. The defendant had previously been convicted in federal court for his illegal reentry and had been previously deported from the United States on three prior occasions.
The defendant will be required to register as a sex offender and was sentenced to seven years of supervised release. Judge Aycock ordered that upon release from federal prison the defendant is to be surrenderer to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings. Officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement have placed an immigration detainer on the defendant, which will result in his removal from the United States following the conclusion of his federal prison sentence.
“This conviction and sentence makes it clear that there is no tolerance for anyone exploiting children in our community, especially when the defendant is someone who should never have been present in this country in the first place,” said Clay Joyner, U.S. Attorney. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Mississippi is committed to fully prosecuting those who are here unlawfully, especially if they harm innocent children and possess images of child sexual abuse.”
“The exploitation of children is one of the most horrific crimes we encounter, and we will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure those who prey on children are held accountable,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins. “This case highlights the importance of agencies working together across state lines to investigate and prosecute these offenders, and we are committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
“There is no higher priority than protecting our children. Anyone who preys on the most vulnerable members of our community will be found, arrested, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie. “We are committed to getting these predators off our streets and ensuring our neighborhoods remain safe for every child to grow, learn, and thrive. We are grateful for the interagency partnerships with Mississippi authorities who made this arrest.”
“When someone targets a child, they’re not just breaking the law, they’re breaking the trust of an entire community,” said Charleston County Sheriff’s Office Detective James Jacko, who worked the case originally as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force in Charleston County. “We always follow every lead, use every resource, and we don’t stop until the people responsible are held accountable. Our kids deserve nothing less.”
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Herzog Jr. and Paul Roberts prosecuted the case. The Lowndes County, Mississippi Sheriff’s Department, Charleston County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Department and the Department of Homeland Security 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.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
GREAT FALLS – A Billings man who was a prolific sex offender and preyed on the most vulnerable and marginalized Native Americans in Montana for decades by molesting, sexually assaulting, drugging, trafficking, and exploiting any defenseless person without regard to their sex, age or biological relationship was sentenced yesterday to 290 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
James Kirby King, 58, was found guilty by a federal district judge in September 2024 of the following charges:
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents and at trial, the government presented evidence that led to convictions for offenses against victims identified as Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3, Jane Doe 4, Jane Doe 10, and other multiple victims. Some of the victims were under the age of 12 at the time, some were under the age of 16, and some were adults. Most of the conduct occurred on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, where King once lived, and in Billings, where King lived more recently. The charged conduct began as early as approximately 1992 and continued until his arrest in 2023.
As alleged in court documents, for more than a decade King repeatedly molested, drugged, assaulted and sexually exploited Jane Doe 1, whose first memory of the molestation was when she was five years old in 1996. In approximately 1994 or 1995, when Jane Doe 2 was 14 years old, King gave her a small amount of alcohol at his residence and she “went blank.” Jane Doe 2 later awoke and became aware of King kneeling between her legs and taking pictures of her. In addition, King attempted to sexually exploit Jane Doe 3 on numerous occasions and forced numerous sex acts on her both as a child and later as an adult on the Fort Belknap Reservation and in Billings. King drugged and raped Jane Doe 4 on the Fort Belknap Reservation when she was in her 20s and he was in his 40s. And King attempted to sex traffic by coercion Jane Doe 10 in October 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Myers and Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services and Great Falls Police Department.
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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Greenbelt, Maryland – Terry Chen, 25, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with submitting fraudulent CARES Act unemployment insurance (UI) claims.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to the plea agreement, beginning in 2021, and continuing until about September 2022, Chen and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States, the State of Maryland, multiple financial institutions, and multiple individuals, including multiple identity theft victims. The co-conspirators submitted false and fraudulent UI benefits claims to the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL), Maryland’s agency that is responsible for processing the claims. Chen participated in UI claims resulting in losses exceeding $1 million but less than $1.5 million. Additionally, Chen used debit cards issued in the names of aggravated identity theft victims to obtain UI fraud funds.
Co-conspirators Bryan Nushawn Ruffin, 27, of Woodbridge, Virginia, and Kiara Smith, 28, of Fort Washington, Maryland, were employed by a company that provided professional support services to the MD-DOL to review UI claims and administer UI benefits. As detailed in the plea agreement, Chen and his co-conspirators possessed and used computers that the company issued to Ruffin and Smith to access non-public UI data and databases maintained by the MD-DOL. Ruffin and Smith then granted Chen and his co-conspirators access to MD-DOL databases which they used to change information on existing UI claims.
This included the contact email address, online account password, and payment method for existing UI claims. The co-conspirators furthered the scheme by using the identity theft victims’ personal identifying information (PII). They also used their access to the MD-DOL databases to upload and approve documents submitted in support of fraudulent UI claims, remove fraud holds on UI claims, certify weeks for determining UI benefits, and engage in other actions to facilitate the fraudulent UI benefits payments. During the scheme, the MD-DOL believed they were disbursing UI benefits to debit cards/accounts of UI applicants, but the accounts were allegedly opened and controlled by Chen and his co-conspirators.
Chen faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy; a mandatory sentence of two years, consecutive to any other imposed sentence, for aggravated identity theft; and 10 years for possession of a machine gun. Additionally, Chen is facing 20 years for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and life for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Chen’s sentencing is currently set for February 2, 2026, at 10 a.m.
The District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and FBI for their work in the investigation along with the MD-DOL for its assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber, Paul A. Riley, and Joseph L. Wenner, who are prosecuting the case, and recognized the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for their valuable assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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