Two leaders of the national gang the Gangster Disciples were sentenced today for a racketeering conspiracy involving murder.
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Barbados Travel AdvisoryIn TravelSeptember 26, 2020Reconsider travel [Read More…]
This Week in Iran PolicyNovember 21, 2020Office of the [Read More…]
Arkansas Project Manager Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and False Statements in Connection with COVID-Relief FraudIn Crime NewsAugust 6, 2020A project manager employed by a major retailer has pleaded guilty to bank fraud charges for filing fraudulent bank loan applications seeking more than $8 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.[Read More…]
One of the Nation’s Largest Chicken Producers Pleads Guilty to Price Fixing and is Sentenced to a $107 Million Criminal FineIn Crime NewsFebruary 23, 2021Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation (Pilgrim’s), a major broiler chicken producer based in Greeley, Colorado, has pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to pay approximately $107 million in criminal fines for its participation in a conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chicken products, the Department of Justice announced today.[Read More…]- Former Subcontractor Sentenced for Obstruction of JusticeIn Crime NewsFebruary 17, 2021A former subcontractor for the U.S. Marines Corps was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for destroying records in connection with a federal investigation of bribery and procurement fraud at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (MCBCL), located in Jacksonville, North Carolina, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.[Read More…]
Kazakhstan Travel AdvisoryIn TravelSeptember 26, 2020Do not travel to [Read More…]- Political Scientist Author Charged With Acting As An Unregistered Agent Of The Iranian GovernmentIn Crime NewsJanuary 19, 2021A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Kaveh Lotfolah Afrasiabi, also known as “Lotfolah Kaveh Afrasiabi,” with acting and conspiring to act as an unregistered agent of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Afrasiabi was arrested yesterday at his home in Watertown, Massachusetts, and will make his initial appearance this morning in federal court in Boston, Massachusetts, before United States Magistrate Judge Jennifer C. Boal.[Read More…]
- FBI Report on Crime Shows Decline in Violent Crime Rate for Third Consecutive YearIn Crime NewsSeptember 28, 2020Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released its 2019 edition of Crime in the United States, which showed that violent crime decreased nationwide for the third consecutive year. After decreases in both 2017 and 2018, the violent crime rate dropped an additional one percent this past year and the property crime rate decreased 4.5 percent.[Read More…]
- NASA’s Juno Spacecraft Updates Quarter-Century Jupiter MysteryIn SpaceDecember 17, 2020The spacecraft has been [Read More…]
- Justice Department Recognizes the 10th Annual Human Trafficking Prevention MonthIn Crime NewsJanuary 29, 2021The Department of Justice today commemorates the 10th annual National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and declares a continued commitment to combatting human trafficking in all its forms. The fight against human trafficking remains one of the department’s highest priorities, and the department will remain relentless in its efforts to bring traffickers to justice and seek justice for survivors.[Read More…]
- Terrorist Designation of Abd al-Aziz Malluh Mirjirash al-MuhammadawiJanuary 13, 2021Office of the [Read More…]
- Former NGO Procurement Official Pleads Guilty to BriberyIn Crime NewsDecember 23, 2020A former non-governmental organization (NGO) procurement official pleaded guilty today to paying bribes to NGO procurement officers in exchange for sensitive procurement information related to NGO contracts funded in part by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). These contracts were for the procurement of food and supplies that would ultimately be provided to those affected by various humanitarian crises, including refugees displaced by the conflict in Syria.[Read More…]
- West Virginia Woman Sentenced for Willful Retention of Top Secret National Defense Information and International Parental KidnappingIn Crime NewsJanuary 25, 2021Elizabeth Jo Shirley, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 97 months of incarceration for unlawfully retaining documents containing national defense information and 36 months of incarceration for international parental kidnapping. Shirley, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of willful retention of national defense information and one count of international parental kidnapping in July 2020. Shirley admitted to unlawfully retaining a National Security Agency (NSA) document containing information classified at the Top Secret/Secret Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) level relating to the national defense that outlines intelligence information regarding a foreign government’s military and political issues. Shirley also admitted to removing her child, of whom she was the non-custodial parent, to Mexico with the intent to obstruct the lawful exercise of the custodial father’s parental rights.[Read More…]
- Protests in RussiaJanuary 23, 2021Ned Price, Department [Read More…]
Civilian-Military Interaction in Conflicts: Best Practices and Perceptions (Brown University)September 27, 2020Bureau of Population, [Read More…]- Two Virginia Men Convicted for Their Roles in Investment Fraud SchemeIn Crime NewsNovember 3, 2020A federal jury found two representatives of a purported investment company based in the United Kingdom guilty on Oct. 30 for their roles in an investment fraud scheme by which they stole at least $5 million from victim investors.[Read More…]
New NASA Research Projects Probe COVID-19 ImpactsIn SpaceSeptember 26, 2020The new projects look at [Read More…]- The Department of Justice Announces Standards for Certifying Safe Policing Practices by Law Enforcement AgenciesIn Crime NewsOctober 28, 2020Today, the Department of Justice announced Standards for Certification that will be used by credentialing bodies so they can begin certifying thousands of law enforcement agencies over the next three months. The Standards of Certification are a result of President Trump’s June Executive Order 13929, Safe Policing for Safe Communities.[Read More…]
- The United States Has Repatriated 27 Americans from Syria and Iraq Including Ten Charged with Terrorism-Related Offenses for Their Support to ISISIn Crime NewsOctober 1, 2020The International [Read More…]
- Eastern Kentucky Doctor and Assistant Plead Guilty to Unlawfully Distributing OpioidsIn Crime NewsAugust 10, 2020A Kentucky doctor and his former office assistant pleaded guilty on Aug. 7 for their roles in unlawfully distributing opioids and other controlled substances during a time when the defendants did not have a legitimate medical practice.[Read More…]
Global Entry for Citizens of SwitzerlandIn TravelSeptember 26, 2020How to Apply for Global [Read More…]- Florida Tire Importer Pleads Guilty in Tax ConspiracyIn Crime NewsDecember 10, 2020A Miami, Florida, tire importer pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the government, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan of the Southern District of Florida.[Read More…]
- Secretary Blinken’s Call With Families Of Loved Ones Held Hostage Or Wrongfully Detained AbroadFebruary 2, 2021Office of the [Read More…]
Judicial and Legislative Branches to Continue Discussions on Judiciary Case Management BillIn U.S CourtsDecember 9, 2020The Judicial Conference of the United States expressed its opposition to the version of a bill passed by the House this week, saying it “will have devastating budgetary and operational impact on the Judiciary and our ability to serve the public” by imposing radical and costly changes on the Third Branch’s electronic case management system without adequate funding.[Read More…]- Defendant Was Convicted of Multiple Counts of Sex and Drug Trafficking, Several Firearm Offenses and Other Offenses, Including Witness TamperingIn Crime NewsFebruary 24, 2021Prince Bixler, 41, of Lexington, Kentucky, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Wier to 36 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $333,100 in restitution to three sex trafficking victims.[Read More…]
- Japanese Shipping Company Fined $1.5 Million for Concealing Illegal Discharges of Oily WaterIn Crime NewsJuly 30, 2020Misuga Kaiun Co. Ltd. (MISUGA), a Japanese-based company engaged in international shipping, was sentenced yesterday in federal court before U.S. District Court Judge Paul G. Byron in Orlando, Florida.[Read More…]
- Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael Murray Delivers Remarks to the Honorable Lee Yeakel IP Inn of CourtIn Crime NewsDecember 18, 2020Good evening and thank you for inviting me to join you this evening. I’m pleased to have the opportunity to discuss the Antitrust Division’s intellectual property and antitrust portfolio, which has been a cornerstone of our efforts over the last few years. I’d like to thank Tim, Jacob, and Craig for their excellent setup, which allows me to dive into some of the critical issues we’ve spent the last several years addressing.[Read More…]
- The Ortega Regime’s New Authoritarian Law Undermines DemocracyDecember 24, 2020Michael R. Pompeo, [Read More…]
- Grand Juries Carry on During PandemicIn U.S CourtsOctober 27, 2020As the federal courts have gradually resumed operations with new pandemic-era health and safety rules in place, one aspect of the courts’ mission is on a fast track: the resumption of grand jury proceedings.[Read More…]
- Home Health Agency and Former Owner to Pay $5.8 Million to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsIn Crime NewsNovember 20, 2020Doctor’s Choice Home Care, Inc. and its former owners, Timothy Beach and Stuart Christensen, have agreed to pay $5.15 million to resolve allegations that the home health agency provided improper financial inducements to referring physicians through sham medical director agreements and bonuses to physicians’ spouses who were Doctor’s Choice employees, the Department of Justice announced today.[Read More…]
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Information on the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability ProgramIn U.S GAO NewsJanuary 22, 2021The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has taken steps to implement its Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP)—a dual-purpose program for navigation improvements and ecosystem restoration along the Upper Mississippi River system. Specifically, in 2004 the Corps identified 24 navigation improvement projects and 1,010 ecosystem restoration projects and proposed a plan for implementing them. For example, the Corps plans to construct or extend 12 locks to facilitate commercial barge traffic along the river system (see fig.), which the states of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin have generally relied on as their principal conduit for export-bound agricultural products. The Corps also plans to restore floodplains along the river system and backwaters that provide habitat for hundreds of species of wildlife. While the total estimated program cost is $7.9 billion, as of October 2020, the Corps has initiated technical studies and designs for 47 NESP projects at a cost of approximately $65 million. Barge Tow at Lock and Dam 15 in Rock Island, Illinois However, the Corps has identified several challenges facing the program, and it has taken steps to mitigate them. Specifically, the Corps was unable to implement NESP projects for 7 years because the program did not receive funding in fiscal years 2011 through 2017, in part because the Corps identified other projects as higher priorities. To mitigate this challenge, the Corps reprogrammed funding to help ensure projects could be executed when funds became available. Another challenge is that the Corps has not yet established partnership agreements that are needed for some NESP ecosystem projects. Corps officials said that about 15 to 20 percent of the ecosystem projects will require partnership agreements in which partners commit to share 35 percent of the project costs, typically through the purchase of land for the project. The officials said that partners may be reluctant to make financial commitments to projects while NESP funding is uncertain. Furthermore, the partnership agreements can take up to 18 months to put in place. To help expedite program implementation, Corps officials said they have pursued projects in fiscal year 2020 that can begin without a commitment from project partners. The Upper Mississippi River system provides approximately $1 billion in annual benefits to the nation’s economy through boating, fishing, and other uses, according to a Corps report. It also supports more than 2.5 million acres of aquatic, wetland, forest, grassland, and agricultural habitats. In 1986, Congress declared its intent to recognize the system as a nationally significant commercial navigation system and a nationally significant ecosystem. However, the Upper Mississippi River’s navigation system has faced significant delays in commercial boating and barge traffic, and human activity has caused a decline in environmental quality, according to a 2004 Corps report. The Corps initiated studies in 1989 and 1990 to identify ways to improve the river system. The Corps issued a feasibility report in 2004 that identified improvement projects, and in 2007 Congress formally authorized NESP and the projects identified in the report. GAO was asked to review NESP. This report describes (1) the steps the Corps has taken to implement NESP and (2) the challenges the Corps has identified to fully implementing the program and steps the Corps is taking to address these challenges. To conduct this work, GAO reviewed Corps reports, documents, and data from fiscal year 2005—the year in which the Corps began implementing NESP projects—through fiscal year 2020. GAO also interviewed Corps officials. For more information, contact Mark Gaffigan at (202) 512-3841 or gaffiganm@gao.gov.[Read More…]
Belgium Travel AdvisoryIn TravelSeptember 26, 2020Reconsider travel to [Read More…]- St. Vincent and the Grenadines ElectionNovember 13, 2020Michael R. Pompeo, [Read More…]
- Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel D. Brownback On the 2020 Ministerial to Advance Freedom of Religion or Belief and the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance Ministers’ ForumNovember 17, 2020Samuel D. Brownback, [Read More…]
- Justice Department Applauds Passage of the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation ActIn Crime NewsDecember 24, 2020On Dec. 23, 2020, President Donald J. Trump signed into law the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act (the “Act”), which prohibits employers from retaliating against certain individuals who report criminal antitrust violations. The Act was sponsored by Senator Chuck Grassley, passed the Senate on Oct. 17, 2019, and passed the House of Representatives on Dec. 8, 2020.[Read More…]
- District Court Orders Illinois Sprouts And Soybean Products Company To Comply With Food Safety RulesIn Crime NewsSeptember 15, 2020A federal court permanently enjoined a Chicago firm from preparing and distributing adulterated sprouts and soybean products in violation of federal law, the Department of Justice announced today.[Read More…]
- Hospital Researcher Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Steal Trade Secrets, Sell Them in ChinaIn Crime NewsFebruary 1, 2021A former Dublin, Ohio, woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 30 months in prison for conspiring to steal exosome-related trade secrets concerning the research, identification and treatment of a range of pediatric medical conditions. Li Chen, 47, also conspired to commit wire fraud. Chen admitted in her guilty plea in July 2020 to stealing scientific trade secrets related to exosomes and exosome isolation from Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Research Institute for her own personal financial gain.[Read More…]
- Former Owner of Aquarium Business Sentenced to Prison for Illicit Trafficking of Protected Reef CreaturesIn Crime NewsFebruary 22, 2021The Justice Department announced today that a Puerto Rico man was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for felony violations of the Lacey Act that involved the trafficking and false labeling of protected reef creatures as part of an effort to subvert Puerto Rican laws designed to protect coral reef organisms.[Read More…]
Tunisia Travel AdvisoryIn TravelSeptember 26, 2020Reconsider travel [Read More…]- U.S.-ASEAN Smart Cities Partnership (USASCP): Sharing Expertise Between Cities to Benefit the People of ASEANNovember 14, 2020Office of the [Read More…]
- Special Envoy for the Sahel Region Ambassador J. Peter Pham Travel to Burkina FasoDecember 27, 2020Office of the [Read More…]
- Department of Justice Announces the Use of Body-Worn Cameras on Federal Task ForcesIn Crime NewsOctober 29, 2020Today, the Justice Department announced that it will permit state, local, territorial, and tribal task force officers to use body-worn cameras on federal task forces around the nation. The department’s policy will permit federally deputized officers to activate a body-worn camera while serving arrest warrants, or during other planned arrest operations, and during the execution of search warrants. The policy is the result of a pilot program launched by the department last October.[Read More…]
- U.S. Commends Slovenia for Designating HizballahDecember 4, 2020Michael R. Pompeo, [Read More…]
- Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim Announces Re-Organization of the Antitrust Division’s Civil Enforcement ProgramIn Crime NewsAugust 20, 2020The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division announced today that it is creating the Office of Decree Enforcement and Compliance and a Civil Conduct Task Force. Additionally, it will redistribute matters among its six civil sections in order to build expertise based on current trends in the economy.[Read More…]
- Fifteen Members and Associates of Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Indicted on Federal Racketeering ChargesIn Crime NewsNovember 23, 2020A superseding indictment [Read More…]
Major New Human Rights-Related Listings and Accompanying Sanctions on Iran September 26, 2020Michael R. Pompeo, [Read More…]- Secretary Michael R. Pompeo with Taher Baraka of Al-ArabiyaNovember 22, 2020Michael R. Pompeo, [Read More…]
- CEO of Multibillion-dollar Software Company Indicted for Decades-long Tax Evasion and Wire Fraud SchemesIn Crime NewsOctober 15, 2020A federal grand jury in San Francisco, California, returned a 39 count indictment charging Robert T. Brockman, the Chief Executive Officer of an Ohio-based software company, with tax evasion, wire fraud, money laundering, and other offenses, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Tax Division, U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson for the Northern District of California, and Chief of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Jim Lee. The charges stem from an alleged decades-long scheme to conceal approximately $2 billion in income from the IRS as well as a scheme to defraud investors in the software company’s debt securities.[Read More…]
- Justice Department Reaches Settlement with San Antonio Housing Providers for Charging Unlawful Lease Termination Fees to ServicemembersIn Crime NewsSeptember 28, 2020The Justice Department today announced that it has reached an agreement with the former owners of two apartment complexes in San Antonio, Texas, to resolve allegations that they violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing unlawful lease termination charges on 41 servicemembers and by refusing to allow four other servicemembers to terminate their leases early.[Read More…]
- Secretary Blinken’s Call with PRC Director YangFebruary 6, 2021Office of the [Read More…]
- Largest U.S. Seizure of Iranian Fuel from Four TankersIn Crime NewsAugust 14, 2020The Justice Department today announced the successful disruption of a multimillion dollar fuel shipment by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated foreign terrorist organization that was bound for Venezuela. These actions represent the government’s largest-ever seizure of fuel shipments from Iran.[Read More…]
- The United States Sanctions Venezuelan Officials Involved in Unjust Sentencing of the Citgo 6December 30, 2020Michael R. Pompeo, [Read More…]
- Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division Adam Hickey Delivers Remarks at the ACI 2nd National Forum on FARAIn Crime NewsDecember 4, 2020Over the last few years, a conventional wisdom has developed about the arc of FARA enforcement. It goes a little something like this: In the beginning, Congress created FARA. Then DOJ rested. For nearly 80 years, it was not enforced, carried no penalties, and was largely ignored. Beginning in 2017, the Special Counsel’s Office used the statute to investigate and charge Russian Internet trolls and politically influential Americans alike. Suddenly, this vague statute transformed from an administrative afterthought into an unpredictable source of criminal liability. FARA registrations skyrocketed, and conferences of white collar defense attorneys organized soon thereafter.[Read More…]
- Former Construction Executive Sentenced to 38 Months in PrisonIn Crime NewsJanuary 19, 2021A former senior New York construction official was sentenced to 38 months in prison today for tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.[Read More…]
- Chinese Man Extradited for Financing Turtle-Trafficking RingIn Crime NewsDecember 10, 2020A Chinese citizen was extradited from Malaysia to the United States today to face charges for money laundering.[Read More…]
- Justice Department Issues Business Review Letter for Proposed University Technology Licensing ProgramIn Crime NewsJanuary 13, 2021The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it has completed its review of a proposed joint patent licensing pool known as the University Technology Licensing Program (UTLP). UTLP is a proposal by participating universities to offer licenses to their physical science patents relating to specified emerging technologies.[Read More…]
NASA’s ASTER Sees Arizona’s Bighorn Fire Burn Scar From SpaceIn SpaceSeptember 26, 2020From the vantage point [Read More…]
Child Welfare and Aging Programs: HHS Could Enhance Support for Grandparents and Other Relative CaregiversIn U.S GAO NewsAugust 10, 2020In 2018, an estimated 2.7 million children lived with kin caregivers— grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends—because their parents were unable to care for them. Most of these children were cared for outside the foster care system, which can affect the types of services and supports available. While children did not live with parents for a variety of reasons, parental substance abuse and incarceration were often cited in data and in interviews with program officials. Most Children Living with Kin Are Not in Foster Care, 2018 Challenges faced by kin caregivers include having limited financial resources and needing legal assistance, particularly when caring for children outside foster care, according to survey data and studies GAO reviewed. This is, in part, because licensed foster parents generally receive foster care maintenance payments and other services. Officials in selected communities said they have addressed some challenges by, for example, providing temporary payments or legal representation to eligible kin caregivers. However, officials also said that program eligibility criteria or insufficient funds can limit availability or result in waiting lists. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provides technical assistance and other support to help states use federal programs and initiatives established to serve kin caregivers. HHS officials said that these programs are optional, so they mainly provide assistance in response to states' requests. However, this approach has not led to widespread use. For example, 23 states used the option under the National Family Caregiver Support Program to serve older relative caregivers with 1 percent or more of their fiscal year 2016 funds (spent through 2018). State officials said they would like more guides or tools for using these programs. By not proactively sharing information and best practices, HHS may be missing opportunities to help states better support kin caregivers. Grandparents and other kin often step in to provide stability and security when parents cannot care for their children. Taking on this responsibility can lead to significant hardships, especially for older caregivers. GAO was asked to study the challenges faced by grandparents and other older kin when becoming primary caregivers. This report examines (1) what is known about the numbers of grandparents and other kin serving as primary caregivers for children, and the reasons for that care; (2) challenges kin caregivers face and how officials report addressing them in selected communities; and (3) the extent to which HHS has supported states' efforts to use relevant federal programs and initiatives. GAO analyzed U.S. Census Bureau survey and HHS administrative data; reviewed relevant literature, federal laws, regulations, guidance, and other documents; and interviewed officials from HHS, national organizations, and in four states (Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, and Ohio) and communities, selected for their relatively large numbers of grandparent caregivers and to reflect geographic and demographic diversity. GAO is making two recommendations to HHS on sharing information and best practices with states about federal programs that serve kin caregivers. HHS did not concur, stating that the agency already provides ongoing support. GAO maintains that implementing these recommendations would be helpful. For more information, contact Kathryn A. Larin at (202) 512-7215 or larink@gao.gov.[Read More…]
Global Entry for UK CitizensIn TravelSeptember 27, 2020How to Apply for Global [Read More…]- Former Raytheon Engineer Sentenced for Exporting Sensitive Military Related Technology to ChinaIn Crime NewsNovember 18, 2020Today, Wei Sun, 49, a Chinese national and naturalized citizen of the United States, was sentenced to 38 months in prison by District Court Judge Rosemary Marquez. Sun previously pleaded guilty to one felony count of violating the Arms Export Control Act (AECA).[Read More…]