Category: MIL-OSI

Source: US FBI

During a recent visit to the Wilmington, Delaware, Resident Agency of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Director Christopher Wray met with staff and key partners to discuss the Bureau’s initiatives in the state and to stress how critical FBI partnerships are to protecting our communities.

Source: US FBI

Greensboro, NC – Chaudhry Shabbir Ahmed pled guilty on Monday, February 3, 2025, to conspiring to launder over $3 million in connection with a $100 million dollar health care fraud scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon.

According to court documents, Ahmed conspired with another individual to represent himself as the owner of two durable medical equipment businesses—Dune Medical Supply, LLC located in High Point, North Carolina and Prospect Health Solutions, Inc. located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ahmed and a co-conspirator used a sham purchase agreement to make it appear as though Ahmed owned and operated these companies, even though the co-conspirator continued to control the companies. Once Ahmed was listed on relevant documents as the sole owner of Dune and Prospect, including documents submitted to Medicare, Dune and Prospect collectively submitted more than $100 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare. The claims were submitted between April 2024 and August 2024 for durable medical equipment that Medicare beneficiaries never received, requested, or needed, or that the provider never ordered.

Before the scheme was discovered, Medicare electronically deposited more than $33 million in claim reimbursements into bank accounts held in the name of Dune and Prospect at various financial institutions. Ahmed had access to these accounts and would withdraw fraud proceeds in cash at bank branches. For example, on June 30, 2024, Ahmed withdrew $400,000 in cash from Prospect’s bank account and on August 9, 2024, Ahmed withdrew $500,000 in cash from Prospect’s bank account.

As part of the plea agreement, Ahmed agreed to forfeit over $17.6 million dollars that was seized during the investigation, as well as a Rolex watch and cryptocurrency.

Sentencing is scheduled to take place on June 24, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in Greensboro, North Carolina, before Chief United States District Judge Catherine C. Eagles. At sentencing, Ahmed faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and monetary penalties.

The Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Mayer, JoAnna McFadden, and Ashley Waid.

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Source: US FBI

Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JONATHAN MOYNAHAN LARMORE was sentenced today to five years in prison for manipulating the stock price of WeWork, Inc. (“WeWork”) with a fake tender offer designed to fraudulently inflate the value of LARMORE’s own WeWork securities. LARMORE’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, who also presided over a one-week trial after which LARMORE was convicted of one count of tender offer fraud and one count of securities fraud.

Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Jonathan Larmore treated the stock market like a game he could rig to obtain instant riches at the expense of innocent investors. As today’s sentence shows, this Office will continue to advocate for significant penalties against those who manipulate our markets and defraud investors.”

According to the evidence presented in court during the trial:

LARMORE is the former CEO of Arciterra Companies LLC, a real estate investment and management firm. In the fall of 2023, LARMORE perpetrated a scheme to use a false and fraudulent tender offer to manipulate the stock price of WeWork, a co-working space company that was publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

To execute his scheme, LARMORE created a sham real estate investment firm called Cole Capital Funds LLC (“Cole Capital”). LARMORE then spent more than $775,000 buying tens of thousands of cheap, short-dated, out-of-the-money WeWork call options and hundreds of thousands of shares of WeWork common stock. On November 3, 2023, LARMORE published a fake press release announcing that Cole Capital proposed to acquire 51% of all outstanding shares owned by minority shareholders of WeWork at a more-than-700% premium in an all-cash offer worth more than $77 million. At the time, WeWork was on the verge of bankruptcy. The press release itself contained a number of false and misleading claims about LARMORE and Cole Capital, and their ability to carry through with the purported tender offer.

In fact, neither LARMORE nor Cole Capital had the intent or ability to execute the announced tender offer. Instead, LARMORE intended for news of the tender offer to fraudulently inflate WeWork’s share price and, thereby, to increase the value of LARMORE’s newly acquired WeWork call options and shares.

Approximately one minute after LARMORE’s press release about his fraudulent tender offer was published, WeWork’s share price quickly increased during after-hours trading by more than 70% and continued to rise to a high of more than 150% over the stock price prior to the publication of the press release. The WeWork call options LARMORE purchased could have made him tens of millions of dollars with a big enough spike to WeWork’s stock price, but the vast majority of the options expired before LARMORE could publish his manipulative press release. The following Monday, November 6, 2023, WeWork filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. LARMORE never followed through on his fraudulent tender offer.

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In addition to the prison term, LARMORE, 51, of Syracuse, Indiana, was sentenced to three years of supervised release during which the defendant must perform 500 hours of community service.

Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filed a civil action against LARMORE, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam S. Hobson, Sarah Mortazavi, and Justin V. Rodriguez are in charge of the prosecution. 

Source: US FBI

Source: US FBI

The FBI is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously and, as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement. 

Source: US FBI

Mexican nationals and former leaders of the Los Zetas cartel were arraigned today in Washington, D.C., on charges of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise that involved multiple murder conspiracies, conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana destined for the United States, using firearms — including a machinegun — during and in relation to drug trafficking crimes, and conspiring to launder monetary instruments.

According to court documents, Miguel Trevino Morales, also known as Z-40, Zeta40, and 40, age 52, and Omar Trevino Morales, also known as 42 and Z-42, age 48, ascended to the highest level of leadership in Los Zetas, a violent cartel comprised of former Mexican military officers that began as an armed militaristic wing of the Gulf Cartel. Miguel Trevino Morales allegedly took over leadership of Los Zetas in October 2012 until his arrest by Mexican authorities in 2013, at which point, his brother, Omar Trevino Morales, allegedly assumed primary leadership of the cartel until his arrest by Mexican authorities in 2015. After their arrests, the defendants allegedly renamed Los Zetas to Cartel del Noreste (CDN) and continued to control the cartel while incarcerated in Mexico. Through the date of the fifth superseding indictment, CDN allegedly continued Los Zetas’ criminal drug trafficking activities and acts of violence including murders, assaults, kidnappings, assassinations, and acts of torture. On Feb. 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of State designated CDN as a foreign terrorist organization.

“The DEA has never wavered from the global fight against this vicious, ruthless cartel led by brothers Miguel (Zeta 40) and Omar Trevino Morales (Zeta 42).  These brothers are charged with importing tons of dangerous drugs into our country, and we believe they continued to run their business while serving time in a Mexican prison. Now they will face justice in the United States,” said Acting Administrator Derek S. Maltz of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “Our work is far from over. DEA will continue to keep the pressure on violent organizations, like Los Zetas, to disrupt their operations and relieve the stranglehold they exert along the southwest border.”

“The Criminal Division is dedicated to achieving the Attorney General’s goal of the Total Elimination of Cartels,” said Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As alleged, former Zetas cartel leaders Z-40 and Z-42 engaged in conspiracies to kill members of the Mexican government, Mexican citizens, members of rival cartels, members of the Guatemalan government, and Guatemalan drug traffickers. We will aggressively pursue and bring to justice in the United States violent transnational criminals and leaders of cartels and hold them accountable for the death and violence they have committed here and abroad and for the large amounts of dangerous drugs that devastate our communities.”

“As alleged, the defendants represent some of the world’s most vicious cartel leaders, who oversaw Los Zetas’ reign of terror with grotesque impunity and ruthlessness, and a sheer disregard for anything beyond their wealth, power, and control,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso of ICE Homeland Security Investigations New York. “I commend ICE Homeland Security Investigations’ El Dorado Task Force for consistently proving itself as a formidable opponent against cartels intent on causing harm. We will use whatever means necessary to protect the safety and security of Americans from threats both here and abroad.”

The defendants are charged with one count each of continuing a criminal enterprise, conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana for importation into the United States, use of a firearm in relation to drug trafficking crimes, and international money laundering conspiracy. As part of the continuing criminal enterprise count, the defendants are alleged to have engaged in conspiracies to kill members of the Mexican government, Mexican citizens, members of rival cartels, members of the Guatemalan government, and Guatemalan drug traffickers. Because the defendants are charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, they face a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.    

The defendants were subject to longstanding U.S. extradition requests, that were not honored during the prior Administration, but the Mexican government elected to transfer to the current U.S. government in response to the Justice Department’s efforts pursuant to President Trump’s and the Attorney General’s leadership against Mexican drug cartels. On Feb. 27, the defendants were transferred by Mexican authorities to the United States.   

The Drug Enforcement Administration, ICE HSI, and the FBI are investigating the case.

Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Jayce Born and Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Wang for the Eastern District of New York, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

Source: US FBI

“Daniel San Diego’s arrest after more than 20 years as a fugitive for two bombings in the San Francisco area shows that no matter how long it takes, the FBI will find you and hold you accountable,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “There’s a right way and a wrong way to express your views in our country, and turning to violence and destruction of property is not the right way.”

Source: US FBI

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Jose Saez, Jr., a pastor at a church located in Brentwood, New York, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child.  The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack.  When sentenced, Saez, Jr., faces a minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years in prison.

John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.

“The defendant’s sexual exploitation of minors, both in person and online, is horrific, and he now faces at least 15 years in prison for his unspeakable crimes,” stated United States Attorney John J. Durham.  “That he held a position of trust and responsibility as a pastor of a local church makes his conduct even more reprehensible. Protecting vulnerable children from predators like this defendant will always be a priority of this Office.”

Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the Suffolk County Police Department for their work on the case.

“The defendant not only admitted to sexually abusing young children, but also discussed his church and his congregants as targets of additional abuse. His sustained exploitation of children—in person and online—is clear, and this plea is a step forward on the road to justice for his victims. Children are among the most vulnerable in our communities, and the FBI will stop at nothing to make sure they are protected and the monsters who would do them harm are put behind bars,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies.

As set forth in court filings and today’s plea proceeding, Saez used an encrypted messaging service to engage in sexually explicit conversations with minors and with a law enforcement officer acting in an undercover capacity (the UC).  In August of 2023, Saez had online conversations with the UC.  During those conversations, the defendant stated that he had sexually abused an infant, that his “sweet spot” was molesting children between the ages of 11 and 15, and that he was able to find his younger victims at “church.”  Pursuant to a court-authorized search, FBI agents recovered numerous images and videos of child pornography from the defendant, which he had solicited from minors.  The defendant also admitted to law enforcement officers that he encouraged a minor to produce child pornography and send it to him.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Anyone with information about sexual exploitation by the defendant is asked to contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or 212-384-1000.  

The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Misorek and Adam R. Toporovsky are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Dejah Turla.

The Defendant:

JOSE SAEZ, JR.
Age:  29
Brentwood, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-480 (JMA)

Source: US FBI

Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the sentences imposed on VAZHA GABADADZE, TEIMURAZ TAVBERIDZE, KAKHA KATSADZE, and DAVIT TIKARADZE for extortion offenses.  The defendants include the leader of a criminal enterprise from the Republic of Georgia and his associates.  The last of the defendants to be sentenced, TAVBERIDZE, was sentenced to 21 months in prison today by U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff after having been convicted on December 9, 2024, following a one-week jury trial.  The remaining three defendants were previously sentenced to terms of prison ranging from 12 to 30 months.

Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said:  “Vazha Gabadadze and his associates threatened to mutilate and kill a victim if he did not provide them with money.  They intimidated the victim, relying on their connections to violent organized crime, to obtain thousands of dollars.  But thanks to the dedication of the FBI and the career prosecutors of this Office, all four defendants have been brought to justice and will serve federal prison time for their crimes.” 

According to the Indictment, public court filings, and statements made in court:

GABADADZE is a crowned “vor v zakone” and the leader of a criminal enterprise from the Republic of Georgia.  A vor v zakone, which is a Russian phrase that translates to “thief-in-law” or “thief within the code,” is part of a fraternal order of criminals that dates back to the time of the czars.  The vor stands at the highest level of Russian and Georgian organized criminal groups.  Traditionally, vory demand and receive tribute from criminals and laypersons, license criminal activity by others, and resolve disputes between members of the criminal community.  Payment demands are enforced by violence and threats of violence.  TAVBERIDZE, KATSADZE, and TIKARADZE each worked under GABADADZE’s supervision and control.

In 2017, in Georgia, GABADADZE approached an individual (the “Victim”) and demanded $15,000, claiming that the Victim’s friend owed GABADADZE the money.  The Victim subsequently moved to the U.S. 

In 2022, GABADADZE followed the Victim to the U.S. and reinitiated the extortion.  GABADADZE and the other defendants pursued, harassed, and threatened to kill and maim the Victim and his family if he did not pay.  Those threats were particularly violent and included, among others, that one or more of the defendants would “break [the Victim’s] spine over his knee,” “peel out [the Victim’s] eyes,” that the Victim would be beaten beyond recognition to his family, and that the Victim’s dead body would be found “when the snow melts.” 

Each of the defendants played a particular role in executing the extortion. GABADADZE was the leader of the scheme and ultimate beneficiary of the extortion payments.  TAVBERIDZE was primarily responsible for pursuing and communicating with the Victim and, in that capacity, personally threatened the Victim and collected extortion funds from the Victim.  KATSADZE managed the collection of the extortion payments, receiving such payments from TAVBERIDZE and passing them along to GABADADZE. TIKARADZE served as GABADADZE’s secretary and threatened the Victim on at least one occasion.  In total, the defendants received approximately $19,000 during the course of the extortion.

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GABADADZE and KATSADZE each pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act extortion.  TIKARADZE pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion. TAVBERIDZE was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and one count of Hobbs Act extortion after trial.  A chart containing the sentences that each of the defendants received is set forth below.

Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Mr. Podolsky also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the New York City Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Getzel Berger, Varun Gumaste, Chelsea Scism, and Daniel Richenthal are in charge of the prosecution.

Source: US FBI

Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Leslie R. Backschies, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that MARCO TULIO FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ, was extradited from the Dominican Republic and arrived in the United States this afternoon. FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ was extradited on murder, narcotics, and firearms charges in connection with an attempted gunpoint robbery of a Mount Vernon, New York, warehouse that sold various unlicensed marijuana and nicotine products. Two people—one employee of the warehouse and one member of the roughly 15-man robbery crew—were shot and killed during the failed robbery attempt.  FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ will be presented tomorrow in White Plains federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause.

Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Marco Tulio Fernandez-Rodriguez and his co-conspirators attempted a violent armed robbery that left two dead in Mount Vernon. The persistence and dedication of our law enforcement partners led to locating the defendant in the Dominican Republic, where he was arrested. This Office and our partners will not rest until every individual responsible for these senseless deaths is brought to justice.”

FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Leslie R. Backschies said: “Last year, Marco Tulio Fernandez-Rodriguez allegedly fled the country after participating in a robbery and massive gunfight which culminated in the murder of two individuals. Not only did his alleged involvement contribute to a highly violent episode which threatened the community’s safety, but Fernandez-Rodriguez also attempted to avoid responsibility by running. Today’s extradition and indictment reflects the FBI’s tireless commitment to ensuring all criminals face accountability for their behavior, regardless of where they may hide.”

As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today in White Plains federal court:[1]

On or about March 18, 2024, at approximately 10:00 p.m., two customers arrived at a wholesale warehouse in Mount Vernon that sold unlicensed marijuana products. The two customers placed an order for a large quantity of merchandise from the warehouse, and it took warehouse employees about two hours to prepare their order. A little after midnight, after the customers’ order was prepared, two employees from the warehouse helped the customers carry the boxes containing the customers’ merchandise from the warehouse to the customers’ vehicle. At that point, at least 11 members of the robbery crew—including FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ—got out of a large cargo van that had been parked near the warehouse, many brandishing firearms. Some of the robbers, including FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ, ran over to the two employees and the customers, some pointed firearms at them, and others forced them back inside the warehouse. Other robbers who also got out of the van ran inside the warehouse to steal the merchandise, including marijuana. A still image from video surveillance outside the warehouse is depicted below:

Shortly after the robbers got inside the warehouse, a gunfight broke out between the robbers and a warehouse employee. As a result, the warehouse employee and one of the robbers were killed. The robbers fled the scene, failing to steal anything.

On or about December 4, 2024, FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ was arrested in the Dominican Republic.  To date, 12 individuals have been arrested in connection with this crime.

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FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ, 24, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, is charged with one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a maximum possible sentence of death or life in prison; one count of firearms use, carrying, and possession, which carries a maximum possible sentence of life in prison; one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Podolsky praised the work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and the Mount Vernon Police Department. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the Westchester County Police Department, the New York City Police Department, the Westchester Real Time Crime Center, the FBI Legal Attaché in Santo Domingo, and the Dominican authorities for their invaluable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in the Dominican Republic to secure the arrest and extradition of FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ. 

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared D. Hoffman and Justin L. Brooke are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.