Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A 21-year-old man has pleaded guilty to his role in robbing a postal carrier of the key used to open U.S. Mail collection boxes. The robbery was part of a larger conspiracy to steal checks and later cash them for personal benefit and use.
Source: United States Department of War
Joint Interagency Task Force 401 announced the adoption of the Standard Guidelines for Test and Evaluation of Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technologies, requiring that all C-sUAS evaluations capture the same core data to facilitate a single, coherent, and reliable body of evidence for use throughout the War Department.
Source: United States Army
USAG BAVARIA – HOHENFELS, Germany – A fire inspector with the Directorate of Emergency Team at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria – Hohenfels received recognition from the local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter March 9, 2026, for her dedication to job and community.
Theresa Hecht has been with DES since September 2022 and has since made an impact across the community because of her passion for fire safety and her engagement with many other on-post organizations.
Adam Moore, the chapter commander of VFW Post 10557, commended Hecht’s ability to build relationships within the community as he presented her a plaque.
“We wanted to present you this award because your relationships matter,” Moore said. “In an environment like this, where we have Americans working alongside Germans, and then we’re working alongside the rest of Europe when they come through here, how you present yourself and how you interact is very important.”
Hecht has taken part in several on-post community events, such as the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, Trunk-or-Treat Halloween event. She has also introduced herself at the Child Development Center to demonstrate that firefighters are nothing for the preschool-age children to fear despite their bulky suits and masks.
When the members of VFW Post 10557 decided to renew the Public Servant of the Year award recently, it was Hecht’s involvement in so many aspects of garrison life that brought her immediately to the organization’s mind.
“A lot of our members are also part of other associations, such as Boy Scouts, BOSS, MWR, USO, etcetera,” said Moore. “When I asked who should we nominate, it was unanimously decided that Theresa Hecht should be the person.”
“Thank you for choosing me,” said Hecht. “Thank you to the people who believed in me.”
Source: United States Army
PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. — The U.S. Army has cleared the M111 Offensive Hand Grenade for full material release. Developed by the Capabilities Program Executive Ammunition and Energetics, CPE A&E, in conjunction with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center at Picatinny Arsenal, the M111 OHG will replace the obsolete body and fuze of the Mk3A2 hand grenade series, marking the first new lethal hand grenade to achieve full material release since 1968 when the Mk3A2 entered service. The Mk3A2 is restricted for use due to its asbestos body, unlike the M111 which utilizes a plastic body that is fully consumed during detonation.
The M111 will provide increased training and operational readiness while providing the Soldier with a safer option. It also offers Soldiers the ability to fight more effectively in closed quarter urban environments by leveraging blast overpressure, BOP, instead of fragmentation to deliver lethality. When used in grenades, BOP delivers devastating effects to enemy personnel and equipment without fragmentation and is a potent tactical advantage in the field. The M67 fragmentation hand grenade projects lethal and incapacitating fragments that can be deflected when employed in enclosed, restricted terrain like buildings, rooms and structures, whereas the M111 OHG projects high BOP effects that are less affected by obstacles in enclosed and restricted terrain.
“One of the key lessons learned from the door-to-door urban fighting in Iraq was the M67 grenade wasn’t always the right tool for the job. The risk of fratricide on the other side of the wall was too high,” explained Col. Vince Morris, Project Manager Close Combat Systems, CPE A&E. “But a grenade utilizing BOP can clear a room of enemy combatants quickly leaving nowhere to hide while ensuring the safety of friendly forces.”
In open terrain, the Soldier will employ the M67 to maximize lethal fragment effects, whereas in enclosed and restricted terrain, Soldiers will employ the M111 to maximize BOP effects on the enemy.
“We’ve given our Soldiers and joint warfighters the flexibility to determine in the field which type of grenade will best suit the current situation they are facing, be it open space or confined area,” explained Tiffany Cheng, one of the DEVCOM Armaments Center engineers that developed the M111 at Picatinny Arsenal.
Another major benefit of the new M111 design is standardization. The new grenade and its training version, the M112, leverage the same five-step arming process as the M67 and its training version, the M69, allowing Soldiers to train as they fight, improving combat performance and effectiveness. In addition, the M111 and M112 use the same fuzes as the M67 and M69 respectively, thereby enabling Army acquisition professionals to save costs by leveraging economies of scale made possible by common fuze production lines when sourcing both grenades. Both grenades also have government-owned intellectual property that enables the Army to effectively compete production contracts across the industrial base, enhancing production opportunities for multiple vendors while providing best value to our customers, the Soldiers and the taxpayer.
“By standardizing the arming process and the fuzing, the Army saves taxpayer money without sacrificing lethality on the battlefield,” said Morris. “This is the kind of acquisition reform that is currently underway throughout the Army acquisition enterprise. We are taking advantage of that initiative to drive down costs while increasing combat effectiveness.”
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a Dwayne Lowery aka Chi Chi, 31, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and kidnapping, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $5,000,000.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A twice-deported illegal immigrant from Mexico has been federally charged with carjacking a restaurant employee in Orange County last month – assaulting both the victim and her coworker who rushed to help her and nearly hitting them with the stolen vehicle – and with illegally reentering the United States, the Justice Department announced today.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Kaevon Sutton, 24, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty March 6 in U.S. District Court to federal kidnapping for leading an armed assault on two victims in Northeast Washington, forcing them at gunpoint into their own vehicles, and driving them across state lines into Maryland.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
PHOENIX, Ariz. – A Mexican national who overstayed his visa and illegally possessed a semi-automatic pistol and ammunition has been convicted by a federal jury. Luis Donaldo Garcia Lopez, 31, of Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico, was found guilty of Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, following a three-day trial. Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2026, before U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Three individuals were convicted today at trial in connection with a racketeering conspiracy encompassing multiple fraud schemes, including visa fraud to employ foreign workers unlawfully, soliciting salary kickbacks from the employed workers, and health care fraud billing schemes resulting in over $32 million in losses to Pennsylvania Medicaid.
As proven at trial, Bhaskar and Arun Savani built a complex criminal enterprise they dubbed “the Savani Group” that amassed tens of millions of dollars through outright fraud at every turn. Bhaskar was a dentist by training and controlled the numerous dental practices of the Savani Group, and Arun generally controlled the finances and real property holdings of the Savani Group. Ola Radomiak was a long-term employee and executive at the Savani Group and facilitated the Savanis’ conspiracy to defraud Medicaid. Through their criminal enterprise, Bhaskar and Arun Savani substantially enriched themselves over the course of a decade. Their offenses included filing numerous false H-1B visa applications, fraudulently billing health care benefit programs in the names of non-treating dentists, obstructing a grand jury investigation, laundering fraud proceeds through a complex web of financial transactions, wire fraud, and mail fraud. By their fraud, they obtained more than $32 million from Medicaid through nominee-owned dental practices used to bill Medicaid after the Savani Group’s Medicaid contracts were terminated.
“This significant prosecution exemplifies the commitment of the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer-funded programs from fraudsters and corrupt healthcare professionals who seek their own personal enrichment by bilking government programs and then laundering their ill gotten gains,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division, and all of our partners including the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, will continue using every law enforcement tool available to identify, disrupt and dismantle organized fraud and those who corruptly manipulate the worker visa and Medicaid programs. Fraudsters and money launderers like Bhaskar and Arun Savani and their associates who do so will pay a heavy price.”
“This sprawling investigation and prosecution meant untangling a complex web of fraudulent billing practices and sham medical entities,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Our office worked with numerous state and federal partner agencies to unravel and prove the multiple healthcare fraud schemes at the heart of this operation. It’s gratifying to dismantle this crooked enterprise and hold those responsible to account. Fraud and abuse cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars a year and rob the healthcare system of vital resources.”
“This conviction demonstrates the critical importance of partnerships across law enforcement agencies when confronting complex financial and organized criminal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “By leveraging our collective expertise and resources, we were able to expose and dismantle a racketeering enterprise built on deception and fraud. The FBI, working closely alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, will continue to pursue those who exploit others for personal profit and bring them to justice.”
“Today’s verdict sends a clear message: those who corrupt the Medicaid program for personal gain — no matter how elaborate their schemes — will be held fully accountable,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The Savani Enterprise exploited vulnerable patients, manipulated government programs, and siphoned taxpayer dollars for their own benefit. HHS‑OIG, alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners, remains unwavering in our commitment to protect the integrity of Medicaid and to defend the public’s trust in our healthcare system.”
“The defendants orchestrated a years‑long scheme to defraud Medicaid, evade taxes, and launder millions of dollars through a complex network of companies and accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Newark Field Office. “These crimes do not just enrich wrongdoers, they drain vital public resources and erode trust in government programs. These convictions make clear that those who defraud the government will be held accountable. IRS‑CI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle financial fraud schemes and protect the public.”
“Today’s convictions send a clear message that those who build criminal enterprises on the backs of vulnerable patients, exploited workers, and U.S. taxpayers will be held to account,” said Special Agent in Charge of Eric McLoughlin of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia Field Office. “For years, the Savani Group manipulated our immigration system, corrupted healthcare programs, and laundered their illicit proceeds through a maze of shell companies and accounts. This investigation and resulting prosecution reflect the strength of our partnerships with federal and state agencies and our shared commitment to dismantling complex fraud schemes wherever they take root.”
“Visa fraud undermines our legal immigration system and often victimizes those seeking legitimate opportunities in the United States,” said Resident Agent in Charge Anthony Tortora of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Philadelphia Resident Office. “The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to investigating these schemes and protecting the integrity of the visa process. This conviction sends a clear message that such fraud will not be tolerated.”
“Today’s verdict holds the defendants accountable for their criminal conduct,” said Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). “The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is unwavering in its commitment to protect the integrity of the Foreign Labor Certification programs. When bad actors exploit vulnerable workers or attempt to game the system, we investigate, we expose, and we hold them accountable. We will continue working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure these programs serve legitimate labor needs — not criminal enterprises. Fraud will not be tolerated. Accountability is not optional.”
Brothers Bhaskar and Arun Savani, charged in January 2023, have now been convicted by a jury of conspiracy to conduct a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to commit visa fraud, visa fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, money laundering conspiracy, concealment and transactional money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Treasury, and wire fraud. Bhaskar Savani was also convicted of conspiracy to distribute in interstate commerce an adulterated and misbranded medical device.
Bhaskar and Arun Savani, respectively, face a statutory maximum penalty of 420 years in prison and 415 years in prison. Sentencing hearings are scheduled on July 8 for Bhaskar Savani and July 9 for Arun Savani.
Aleksandra “Ola” Radomiak was convicted of conspiracy to conduct a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and health care fraud. Ola Radomiak’s sentencing hearing is scheduled before the Honorable Jeffrey L. Schmehl on July 14.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG, IRS-CI, HSI, DSS, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, DOL-OIG, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the State of Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kenneth Kaplan and Chelsea Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Scicchitano, Paul Shapiro, and J. Andrew Jenemann for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
Source: United States Navy
Bremerton, Wa. – The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) departed Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton, Washington, for the last time in its 51-year service history, as part of a scheduled homeport shift to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, March 7.