Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A Dallas County, Texas man was sentenced to 26 months in prison for a federal hate crime and for making violent interstate threats against various individuals based on their religion, including the employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization located in New Jersey, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey announced today.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A federal jury convicted the CEO of Power Mobility Doctor Rx, LLC (DMERx) for his role in operating a platform that generated false doctors’ orders to defraud Medicare and other federal health care benefit programs of more than $1 billion.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
American Health Foundation (AHF), its affiliate AHF Management Corporation, and three affiliated nursing homes — Cheltenham Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (Cheltenham), The Sanctuary at Wilmington Place (Wilmington Place), and Samaritan Care Center and Villa (Samaritan) — have agreed to pay $3.61 million to resolve claims related to billing Medicare and Medicaid for grossly substandard skilled nursing services between 2016 and 2018. AHF is a nonprofit corporation that is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, and owns and controls nursing homes in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Cheltenham is a 255-bed nursing home located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Wilmington Place is a 63-bed nursing home located in Dayton, Ohio; and Samaritan is a 56-bed nursing home located in Medina, Ohio.
“Nursing homes are expected to provide their residents, which include some of our most vulnerable citizens, with quality care and to treat them with dignity and respect,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna Jenny of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will not tolerate nursing homes — or their owners or managing entities — abdicating these responsibilities and seeking taxpayer funds to which they are not entitled.”
The United States’ complaint, filed in June 2022, alleged that the aforementioned three AHF nursing homes provided grossly substandard services that failed to meet required standards of care in various ways. For example, the United States alleged that each facility failed to follow appropriate infection control protocols and had problems maintaining adequate staffing levels. The United States also alleged that Cheltenham housed its residents in a dirty, pest-infested building; gave its residents unnecessary medications, including antibiotic, antipsychotic, antianxiety, and hypnotic drugs; deprived its residents of their dignity by subjecting them to verbal abuse, leaving them without meaningful activities or stimulation, and failing to safeguard their possessions, including money, clothing, and other personal items; and failed to provide needed psychiatric care. The United States similarly alleged that Wilmington Place had repeated failures relating to resident mediations, including the provision of unnecessary drugs, and persistently failed to create and maintain crucial resident care plans and assessments. Finally, the United States alleged that Samaritan had repeated failures related to resident care plans and assessments, and housed residents in a building and on grounds that often were not safe and sanitary.
Contemporaneously with the settlement announced today, the AHF entities agreed to enter into a chain-wide, quality of care Corporate Integrity Agreement with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, which will remain in effect for five years and address quality of care and resident safety within the AHF entities’ skilled nursing facilities.
The case is captioned United States v. American Health Foundation Inc.; AHF Management Corporation; AHF Montgomery Inc. doing business as Cheltenham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center; and AHF Ohio Inc. doing business as The Sanctuary at Wilmington Place and doing business as Samaritan Care Center and Villa, Case No. 2:22-cv-02344 (E.D. Pa.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of an effort by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General. This matter was handled by Fraud Section attorneys Ben Young and Susan Lynch.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Source: United States Navy
SASEBO, Japan – Navy units assigned to U.S. 7th Fleet concluded Integrated Battle Problem (IBP) 25.5, May 23, after spending nearly a week off the coast of Sasebo conducting a tactical warfighting rehearsal event that tests and develops fleet-centric concepts and capabilities.
Source: United States Navy
BATANES ISLANDS, Philippines — Strategically positioned on an island in the Luzon Strait, U.S. Marines with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, established a Fires Expeditionary Advanced Base (EAB) with the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) and conducted simulated maritime interdiction as a part of Exercise KAMANDAG 9, June 1, 2025.
Source: United States Navy
ROSTOCK, Germany – Sixteen NATO allies, more than 40 ships, 25 aircraft and approximately 9,000 personnel began the 54th iteration of Baltic Operations, or BALTOPS 25, with the start of the pre-sail conference, June 3, in the Baltic Sea region.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Leader of Online Swatting Ring Admits to Targeting over 75 Public Officials, Four Religious Institutions, and Multiple Journalists in Nationwide Bomb Threat Spree
Thomasz Szabo, also known as Plank, Jonah, and Cypher, 26, of Romania, pleaded guilty today to being the leader of a years-long conspiracy that targeted victims across the United States with “swatting” and bomb threats. Szabo and his co-conspirators falsely reported ongoing violent emergencies at government buildings, houses of worship, and private residences, including the homes of senior government officials.
“This defendant led a dangerous swatting criminal conspiracy, deliberately threatening dozens of government officials with violent hoaxes and targeting our nation’s security infrastructure from behind a screen overseas,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This case reflects our continued focus on protecting the American people and working with international partners to stop these threats at their source.”
“Today, Szabo pleaded guilty to a years-long conspiracy that targeted victims with swatting and bomb threats, including to government buildings, houses of worship and homes of government officials,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Swatting endangers lives and will not be tolerated by the FBI. We are fully committed to working with our partners to bring to justice those criminals hiding behind keyboards and threatening violence.”
“This defendant’s targeted and ruthless behavior put countless people in danger, including law enforcement, public officials, and ordinary citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Swatting attacks, that is, falsely reporting an ongoing threat of violence at a victims’ home address for the purpose of provoking a police response there, drain precious resources and can result in major injury or even death. Anyone who hijacks police resources for senseless crimes like these will have to answer for their actions.”
According to court documents, Szabo was the founder and leader of an online community that, starting in late 2020, engaged in a pattern of bomb threats and “swatting” — that is, falsely reporting an ongoing threat of violence at a victims’ home address for the purpose of provoking a police response there.
As leader of the group, Szabo made false reports to U.S. law enforcement including a threat in December 2020 to commit a mass-shooting at New York City synagogues, and a threat in January 2021 to detonate explosives at the U.S. Capitol and kill the President-elect. Szabo publicized his “swatting” activity to his followers and encouraged them to engage in similar behavior.
Beginning on Dec. 24, 2023, and continuing through early January 2024, subordinate members of Szabo’s group perpetrated a spree of swatting and bomb threats that included, as its victims, at least 25 Members of Congress or family members of Members of Congress; at least six then-current or former senior U.S. Executive Branch officials, including multiple cabinet-level officials; at least 13 then-current or former senior federal law enforcement officials, including the heads of multiple federal law enforcement agencies; multiple members of the federal judiciary; at least 27 then-current or former state government officials or family members of such officials; at least four religious institutions; and multiple members of the media.
During that time period, one of those subordinates bragged to Szabo: “I did 25+ swattings today,” and “creating massive havoc in [A]merica. $500,000+ in taxpayers wasted in just two days.”
Szabo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and one count of threats involving explosives, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 23. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Szabo was extradited from Romania in November 2024.
The U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office and Criminal Investigative Division, the FBI’s Washington and Minneapolis Field Offices, and the U.S. Capitol Police are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing Szabo’s arrest and extradition and assisted with securing evidence from abroad, including through mutual legal assistance requests. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Secret Service’s Bucharest Resident Office, Miami Field Office, Syracuse Resident Office, Springfield Resident Office; the FBI’s Legat Office in Bucharest; and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington, the District of South Dakota, the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, the Southern District of Illinois, and the Northern District of New York. The Romanian authorities’ assistance was critical to the successful investigation of the case and extradition of Szabo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor Mulroe for the District of Columbia is prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Two Florida men pleaded guilty last week just before jury selection began for their June 2 trial. The two pled before Magistrate Judge David Baker to tax crimes related to a scheme to prepare false tax returns for clients. Specifically, Franklin Carter Jr., of Sanford, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and not filing tax returns, and Jonathan Carrillo, of St. Cloud pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2016 to 2020 Carter and Carrillo owned and operated Neighborhood Advance Tax (NAT), a return preparation business with a dozen offices throughout Florida. Carter, Carrillo and their co-conspirators fraudulently inflated client tax refunds by fabricating deductions on their returns. They also held periodic training sessions at which they taught other NAT employees how to prepare fraudulent tax returns.
In 2021, Carter, Carrillo and the co-conspirators started another tax return preparation business. The new business, Taxmates, operated out of the same offices that NAT had previously used. As with NAT, Carter, Carrillo and the others used Taxmates to prepare false tax returns for clients. Many of those returns included false deductions. As before, Carter, Carrillo and their co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients.
In addition, Carter did not file personal tax returns for 2019 through 2021, despite being legally required to do so.
In total, both men caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $12 million.
Several of their co-conspirators have pleaded guilty. Diandre Mentor, Abryle de la Cruz and Emmanuel Almonor pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States as part of the same scheme. Adon Hemley pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and helping others file false returns. Isaiah Hayes pleaded guilty to helping others file false returns.
Carter and Carrillo will be sentenced at a later date. Both face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Carter faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison for each failure to file a tax return charge and Carillo faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison for each charge of assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. Both men also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Interim U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Michael L. Jones of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
The Proposed Settlement Requires a Substantial Divestiture Package That Will Preserve Competition for Specialized Communications Test and Measurement Equipment
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Keysight Technologies Inc. (Keysight) to divest Spirent Communications plc.’s (Spirent) high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulation businesses to resolve antitrust concerns arising from their proposed $1.5 billion merger.
The Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Division’s competitive concerns.
“This structural solution preserves competition for key testing equipment used to ensure that data moves quickly and securely across the world. The proposed divestiture to Viavi, an established and innovative test and measurement company, ensures that American consumers and businesses will continue to benefit from competition that promotes innovation, and which allows American companies to maintain global leadership,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Antitrust Division. “This consent decree proceeding secures enforceable commitments from the merging parties, provides transparency into the Antitrust Division’s efforts to resolve merger investigations, and gives the public an opportunity to comment as provided by statute.”
According to the complaint, Keysight and Spirent dominate the markets in the United States for high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulators. High-tech companies – including chipset manufacturers, cloud computing providers, mobile network operators, government labs, and large enterprises – rely on the Defendants’ products to validate that their networks and network equipment are functional, secure, and integrating the latest technology. The parties together account for 85% of the market for high-speed ethernet testing, more than 60% of the market for network security testing, and more than 50% of the market for RF channel emulators. Keysight and Spirent are each other’s closest competitors in these markets and compete head-to-head to develop and sell this crucial test equipment. Without the proposed divestiture, Keysight’s acquisition of Spirent would likely result in higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation to the detriment of customers and American consumers.
The proposed settlement requires Keysight to divest Spirent’s high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulation businesses to Viavi, including all tangible and intangible assets necessary to produce and sell these products. Together, these three business lines account for about 40% of Spirent’s total revenues. Viavi is expected to hire certain key Spirent employees that today support the divested business lines.
Keysight is an American company incorporated in Delaware with its principal office in Santa Rosa, California. Keysight offers design, emulation, and test solutions across a range of industries, including commercial communications; aerospace, defense, and government; and electronic industrial. In 2024, Keysight had global revenue of approximately $4.97 billion.
Spirent is a global company incorporated in the United Kingdom with its principal office in Crawley, England. Spirent offers automated test and assurance solutions for networks, cybersecurity, and satellite positioning. In 2024, Spirent had global revenue of approximately $460.2 million.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Jared Hughes, Assistant Chief, Media, Entertainment, and Communications Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Suite 7000, Washington, D.C. 20530 or via email at ATR.MEC.Information@usdoj.gov. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department has filed federal charges against illegal alien Mohammed Sabry Soliman, the alleged perpetrator of yesterday’s anti-Semitic terrorist attack in Colorado.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement:
“The Department of Justice has swiftly charged the illegal alien perpetrator of this heinous attack with a federal hate crime and will hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Our prayers are with the victims and our Jewish community across the world.
This vile anti-Semitic violence comes just weeks after the horrific murder of two young Jewish Americans in Washington DC. We will never tolerate this kind of hatred. We refuse to accept a world in which Jewish Americans are targeted for who they are and what they believe.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon released the following statement:
“No American should experience violence motivated by hatred based on their faith or national origin, and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice will act swiftly and decisively to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice. There can be zero tolerance for such acts in our great nation.”
Background:
-Soliman is being charged with a federal hate crime in addition to facing state charges for attempted murder in Colorado.
-Read the federal complaint HERE.