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Department of Justice

Pickleball Company Owner Scammed Hundreds, Owes $47M In Debts: DOJ Pickleball Company Owner Scammed Hundreds, Owes $47M In Debts: DOJ
Pickleball Company Owner Scammed Hundreds, Owes $47M In Debts: DOJ A pickleball company owner accused of running a Ponzi-like scheme won't be able to walk away from more than $47 million in unpaid debts, authorities said. Rodney Grubbs agreed to waive his right to bankruptcy discharge, the Department of Justice announced on Wednesday, June 11. Grubbs was the owner of Indiana-based All About Pickleball LLC, also known as Pickleball Rocks. Creditors can continue to go after him for repayment, even after his bankruptcy case is closed. "The USTP is committed to addressing fraudulent and abusive conduct that threatens the integrity of the bankruptcy …
Trump Targets Cities Defying Federal Immigration Laws, He Says: See The List Trump Targets Cities Defying Federal Immigration Laws, He Says: See The List
Trump Targets Cities Defying Federal Immigration Laws, He Says: See The List A long list of cities and counties across the country are now officially in the federal government’s crosshairs for refusing to comply with immigration law. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published a sweeping new list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” that it says are deliberately defying federal immigration enforcement — and officials are calling them out by name. The release follows Executive Order 14287, signed by President Donald Trump in April, which directs DHS and the Department of Justice to highlight jurisdictions that allegedly shield “criminal illegal aliens” from arres…
Trump Pardons Virginia Sheriff Convicted Of Selling Badges For Bribes Trump Pardons Virginia Sheriff Convicted Of Selling Badges For Bribes
Trump Pardons Virginia Sheriff Convicted Of Selling Badges For Bribes The former Virginia sheriff convicted of accepting bribes in exchange for handing out deputy badges and law enforcement credentials has received a full pardon from President Donald Trump. Trump took to Truth Social on Monday to announce that former Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins, 53, had been pardoned after accepting more than $75,000 in bribes. Jenkins was convicted late last year after a jury found him guilty of taking the money — in the form of cash and campaign contributions — from multiple people, including undercover FBI agents.  In return, Jenkins appointe…
‘You Are Served’: Woman Spits On Interim US Attorney In DC, Outs Herself On X, Feds Say ‘You Are Served’: Woman Spits On Interim US Attorney In DC, Outs Herself On X, Feds Say
‘You Are Served’: Woman Spits On Interim US Attorney In DC, Outs Herself On X, Feds Say Emily Gabriella Sommer didn’t just spit on a federal prosecutor in public — she went online and bragged about it in vivid detail, authorities said. The 32-year-old District resident was arrested this week after being charged in connection with a bizarre incident earlier this month involving former Interim US Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., according to the Department of Justice. The charge? Assaulting, resisting, or impeding a government official — a federal crime. The alleged assault happened on May 8, around 3:30 p.m., right outside the US Attorney’s Office on the 600 block of D Street NW…
Hackers Infect 394K+ Computers, Microsoft Disrupts 'Most Popular Infostealer': What To Know Hackers Infect 394K+ Computers, Microsoft Disrupts 'Most Popular Infostealer': What To Know
Hackers Infect 394K+ Computers, Microsoft Disrupts 'Most Popular Infostealer': What To Know A global cybercrime tool used to steal passwords and drain bank accounts was shut down in a major takedown led by Microsoft and federal authorities. The tool called Lumma Stealer had infected more than 394,000 Windows computers worldwide between March and May, Microsoft said in a blog post on Wednesday, May 21. Hackers used the malware to target schools, hospitals, banks, and gaming communities, often holding victims for ransom or committing financial fraud. A federal court order allowed Microsoft's digital crimes unit to seize more than 2,300 web domains that powered the malware's ope…
Photos Show Fugitive Berlin Twp Bank Robber Extradited From Ukraine: Prosecutor Photos Show Fugitive Berlin Twp Bank Robber Extradited From Ukraine: Prosecutor
Photos Show Fugitive Berlin Twp Bank Robber Extradited From Ukraine: Prosecutor A 30-year-old Berlin Township resident was returned to the United States from Ukraine on Friday, May 16, after he was charged with robbing multiple banks in 2022, authorities said. Edward Deveaux was originally charged in September 2022 with robbing a Truist Bank in Waterford and a Republic Bank in Winslow, Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay, U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., Waterford Police Chief Daniel Cormaney, and Winslow Police Chief Donald Lemons said. Deveaux was charged the following month with robbing a TD Bank in Willingboro, authorities said. Following the ro…
UnitedHealth Group Faces Criminal Probe, Report Says UnitedHealth Group Faces Criminal Probe, Report Says
UnitedHealth Group Faces Criminal Probe, Report Says The Department of Justice has launched an investigation of UnitedHealth Group for possible criminal Medicare fraud, according to a new report. The investigation in connection to its Medicare Advantage business is in addition to other government inquiries into the nation's largest healthcare provider, The Wall Street Journal says. The report comes just days after Andrew Witty stepped down as CEO for personal reasons amid a sharp decline in the company's stock price. He was replaced by board chair Stephen J. Hemsley. Hemsley had served as UnitedHealth CEO from 2006 to 2017. …
'Burn That Sh—!' DC Protester Who Torched American Flag Learns Fate In Court 'Burn That Sh—!' DC Protester Who Torched American Flag Learns Fate In Court
'Burn That Sh—!' DC Protester Who Torched American Flag Learns Fate In Court He doused it in lighter fluid. He set it on fire. He yelled for a better lighter. Now, he’s learning his fate. A North Carolina man who sparked outrage by burning an American flag during a demonstration outside Union Station in Washington, DC has been sentenced, federal prosecutors announced. Michael Snow Jr., 25, of Durham, was sentenced to four months of probation, 40 hours of community service, and ordered to pay $525 in restitution after pleading guilty to destruction of government property. The incident happened on July 24, 2024, when protesters gathered in Columbus Circle in front o…
Criminal Network Targets Kids At Home, FBI Says: What To Know About 764 Criminal Network Targets Kids At Home, FBI Says: What To Know About 764
Criminal Network Targets Kids At Home, FBI Says: What To Know About 764 Federal authorities are intensifying efforts against a disturbing online network known as "764," which they describe as a violent extremist group that targets and exploits children through social media and gaming platforms. Two men have been charged for allegedly leading the enterprise: Leonidas Varagiannis, age 21, a US citizen living in Thessaloniki, Greece, and Prasan Nepal, age 20, of North Carolina.  Varagiannis was arrested on Monday, May 6, in Greece. Nepal was arrested Monday, April 22, in North Carolina and has since made a court appearance. Both are expected to appear in cour…
UPenn To Strip Lia Thomas Of Women’s Awards After Title IX Violation: Feds UPenn To Strip Lia Thomas Of Women’s Awards After Title IX Violation: Feds
UPenn To Strip Lia Thomas Of Women’s Awards After Title IX Violation: Feds The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has ruled the University of Pennsylvania violated Title IX by allowing a male athlete to compete in women’s sports and access female-only facilities, the Trump administration announced Monday, April 28. As part of the punishment, "federal officials ordered UPenn to strip transgender swimmer Lia Thomas of all women’s athletic titles, records, and awards — and return them to the rightful female athletes", according to the announcement. OCR found Penn denied women equal athletic opportunities when it permitted Thomas, a biologica…
27 Suspected  'Terrorist' Gang Members Face Sex Trafficking, Gun, Drug Charges In NY 27 Suspected  'Terrorist' Gang Members Face Sex Trafficking, Gun, Drug Charges In NY
27 Suspected 'Terrorist' Gang Members Face Sex Trafficking, Gun, Drug Charges In NY Twenty-seven suspected members and associates of the violent criminal organization Tren de Aragua are facing federal charges in New York.  These charges follow a large-scale investigation into racketeering, sex trafficking, drug smuggling, robbery, and firearms offenses, authorities announced. The two indictments, unsealed this week in the Southern District of New York, accuse the defendants of participating in a broad range of crimes.  The crimes include smuggling women from Venezuela into the United States, forcing them into commercial sex work, distributing a pink powdery drug…
'Unrepentant' George Santos Crying Out For 'Significant' Prison Time With Social Posts: DOJ 'Unrepentant' George Santos Crying Out For 'Significant' Prison Time With Social Posts: DOJ
'Unrepentant' George Santos Crying Out For 'Significant' Prison Time With Social Posts: DOJ Disgraced former New York congressman and convicted fraudster George Santos is proving, once again, that he’s more concerned with clout than consequences. With just days before his sentencing, federal prosecutors filed a scathing letter in Central Islip federal court Thursday, April 17, highlighting a wave of Santos’ recent social media posts they say “cry out” for a stiff prison sentence. The letter–sent from US Attorney John Durham to Judge Joanna Seybert–claims the X posts are “antithetical to the ‘genuine remorse’” claimed by Santos’ attorneys in their sentencing memorandum. Santos, 36…
Google Gained 'Monopoly Power' With Online Ad Technology, Virginia Judge Rules Google Gained 'Monopoly Power' With Online Ad Technology, Virginia Judge Rules
Google Gained 'Monopoly Power' With Online Ad Technology, Virginia Judge Rules A federal judge ruled that Google illegally cornered the online advertising market by linking its tools together to block out competition, a major win in a broader antitrust crackdown on Big Tech. The ruling found Google liable for willfully using a series of "anticompetitive acts" to dominate how digital ads are placed across the internet. The decision was handed down in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia on Thursday, April 17. In her decision, US District Judge Leonie Brinkema said Google's ad technology blocked out competitors and hurt consumers. "For over …
'Pig Butchering' Scam Involving Nearly $5M In Losses Hits Capital Region Victim 'Pig Butchering' Scam Involving Nearly $5M In Losses Hits Capital Region Victim
'Pig Butchering' Scam Involving Nearly $5M In Losses Hits Capital Region Victim You may want to think twice before trusting that friendly text from a “wrong number.” The US Secret Service has seized a new web domain linked to a cryptocurrency scam known as “pig butchering,” a confidence crime that has bilked victims out of millions — including nearly $175,000 from one upstate New York resident alone, federal officials said. The term “pig butchering” refers to a methodical con in which scammers “fatten up” their victims by gaining their trust before financially gutting them through fake investment schemes.  The announcement came from US Attorney John A. Sarcone II…
Trump Targeted In Assassination Threats By PA Man From Same County As 2024 Shooting: DOJ Trump Targeted In Assassination Threats By PA Man From Same County As 2024 Shooting: DOJ
Trump Targeted In Assassination Threats By PA Man From Same County As 2024 Shooting: DOJ A Pennsylvania man is accused of threatening to assassinate President Donald J. Trump and other U.S. officials, the Department of Justice announced on Friday, April 11. Shawn Monper, 32, of Butler, was arrested after the FBI and Butler Township Police investigated a series of alarming online posts made under the username "Mr Satan," according to federal authorities. The threats, made between January 15 and April 5, included specific violent plans. In one February comment, Monper allegedly wrote: “Nah, we just need to start killing people, Trump, Elon, all the heads of agencies Trump appoint…
Would-Be Assassin Admits Plot To Kill Supreme Court Justice In Maryland: DOJ Would-Be Assassin Admits Plot To Kill Supreme Court Justice In Maryland: DOJ
Would-Be Assassin Admits Plot To Kill Supreme Court Justice In Maryland: DOJ A California man who traveled across the country armed with a gun, ammo, zip ties, and a crowbar to kill a sitting Supreme Court justice in Maryland has pleaded guilty, federal prosecutors announced. Nicholas John Roske, age 29, of Simi Valley, admitted in court that he flew from Los Angeles to Dulles International Airport in June 2022, carrying a firearm and ammunition in his checked luggage.  From there, he took a taxi to a Montgomery County neighborhood, where he planned to assassinate a Supreme Court Justice at their home, according to the Department of Justice. He was reportedly …
Virginia Protester Who Painted ‘HAMAS IS COMIN’ On Union Station Statue Sentenced In DC Virginia Protester Who Painted ‘HAMAS IS COMIN’ On Union Station Statue Sentenced In DC
Virginia Protester Who Painted ‘Hamas IS Comin’ On Union Station Statue Sentenced In DC A Virginia man who defaced a federal monument in Washington, DC, with a pro-Hamas message during a protest outside Union Station is heading to prison for a short stay, according to federal officials. Zaid Mohammed Mahdawi, 26, of Richmond, was sentenced on Friday, April 4, to 10 days in federal prison and six months of supervised release after pleading guilty to destruction of government property, the US Attorney’s Office for DC announced. The incident happened on July 24, 2024, during a protest rally at Columbus Circle.  Around 3:30 p.m., Mahdawi climbed onto the Columbus statue and …
Record-Breaking 190 Dogs Seized From Ex-NY Giant Previously Convicted Of Dogfighting: DOJ Record-Breaking 190 Dogs Seized From Ex-NY Giant Previously Convicted Of Dogfighting: DOJ
Record-Breaking 190 Dogs Seized From Ex-NY Giant Previously Convicted Of Dogfighting: DOJ A former New York Giant faces dogfighting charges after authorities seized what they called the largest amount of dogs taken from a single person in a federal case. A grand jury indicted LeShon Johnson of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, on charges related to animal fighting and trafficking, the Department of Justice said in a news release on Tuesday, Mar. 25.  Johnson, 54, was charged with possessing 190 pit bull-type dogs for use in an animal fighting venture, along with selling, transporting, and delivering a dog for use in an animal fighting venture. "Dogfighting is a cruel, bloo…
High-Ranking MS-13 Leader Arraigned On Terrorism Charges On LI After FBI's 'Most Wanted' Arrest High-Ranking MS-13 Leader Arraigned On Terrorism Charges On LI After FBI's 'Most Wanted' Arrest
High-Ranking MS-13 Leader Arraigned On Terrorism Charges On LI After FBI's 'Most Wanted' Arrest A top leader of the notorious MS-13 gang, who was recently added to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, has been arraigned in federal court in New York. Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, 47, was taken into custody in San Diego, California, on Tuesday, March 18, after Mexican authorities located him in Veracruz and expelled him from the country, the US Attorney’s Office said. He had been a fugitive for nearly three years. Roman-Bardales, a founding member of MS-13’s leadership structure known as Ranfla en las Calles, was arraigned in the Eastern District of New York on Wednesday, March 1…
Would-Be Church Shooter Penned Chilling Letters Before Being Thwarted In Haymarket: DOJ Would-Be Church Shooter Penned Chilling Letters Before Being Thwarted In Haymarket: DOJ
Would-Be Church Shooter Penned Chilling Letters Before Being Thwarted In Haymarket: DOJ A Falls Church man who entered a Prince William County church armed with a gun and dozens of rounds of ammunition was convicted of a federal hate crime after making threats to kill congregants during Sunday services, authorities announced. After a four-day trial, a federal jury found Rui Jiang, 35, guilty on all charges, including attempting to obstruct the free exercise of religious beliefs through an attempted act of violence involving a dangerous weapon, according to the Department of Justice. Jiang was also convicted of transmitting online threats and a firearms violation, prosecut…
Predator Who Stalked, Kidnapped Victims In Alexandria Gets 20 Years: Feds Predator Who Stalked, Kidnapped Victims In Alexandria Gets 20 Years: Feds
Predator Who Stalked, Kidnapped Victims In Alexandria Gets 20 Years: Feds A violent predator who orchestrated two terrifying kidnappings in Virginia and Maryland—one of which ended in gunfire—will spend nearly 20 years behind bars, federal authorities announced. District resident Tyree Eugene McCombs, 29, was sentenced to 228 months in federal prison this week, for his role in the September 2022 abduction and armed robbery of a couple in Alexandria, and the November 2022 kidnapping, robbery, and shooting of a 25-year-old woman in Maryland and DC. McCombs, who was already on supervised release for a previous violent crime at the time of the attacks, pleaded guilty…
Quakertown Man Hid Explosives In Ceiling Tiles Of Schuylkill County Apartment, Sentenced: DOJ Quakertown Man Hid Explosives In Ceiling Tiles Of Schuylkill County Apartment, Sentenced: DOJ
Quakertown Man Hid Explosives In Ceiling Tiles Of Schuylkill County Apartment, Sentenced: DOJ A Bucks County man who hid homemade explosives behind ceiling tiles in his Schuylkill County apartment has been sentenced to federal prison, authorities announced. John Joseph Weikel, 50, of Quakertown, was sentenced to 30 months behind bars for possession of an unregistered firearm, United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley ruled on Thursday, Feb. 6, according to the Department of Justice. Weikel manufactured two improvised explosive devices and stashed them in the ceiling of his former apartment before being evicted, investigators said. The devices remained hidden for nearly tw…
ICE Arrests Convicted Sex Offender In Brooklyn Following Prison Release ICE Arrests Convicted Sex Offender In Brooklyn Following Prison Release
ICE Arrests Convicted Sex Offender In Brooklyn Following Prison Release U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested a 52-year-old Brazilian national who was convicted in Connecticut of sexual assault, unlawful restraint, and violating a restraining order, authorities said. Emerson Eduardo Ferreira was taken into custody on Jan. 24, in Brooklyn, CT, after being released from state custody, ICE officials said. According to Patricia H. Hyde, acting Field Office Director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Ferreira entered the U.S. lawfully on April 27, 1999, but later violated the terms of his admission and "brutally victimized a Connecticu…
North Bergen Pawn Shop Owner Tied To Burglary Of QB Joe Burrow's Home: DOJ North Bergen Pawn Shop Owner Tied To Burglary Of QB Joe Burrow's Home: DOJ
North Bergen Pawn Shop Owner Tied To Burglary Of QB Joe Burrow's Home: DOJ A 43-year-old North Bergen man was arrested and charged this week for serving as a fence for stolen property, including items stolen from the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, authorities said. Dimitry Nezhinskiy along with Juan Villar, a New York resident, ran a pawn shop in the Diamond District that worked with South American theft groups, purchasing stolen watches, jewelry and other luxury items and then reselling them in their store, John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said. Nezhinskiy and Villar regularly served as “fen…
Judge Blocks Trump Birthright Citizenship Ban Judge Blocks Trump Birthright Citizenship Ban
Judge Blocks Trump Birthright Citizenship Ban A federal judge has issued an indefinite nationwide preliminary injunction blocking President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship, marking a significant legal setback for the administration. US District Judge Deborah Boardman in Maryland ruled Wednesday, Feb. 5, in favor of five pregnant undocumented women who challenged Trump’s executive order.  The policy aimed to redefine the 14th Amendment, excluding children of undocumented immigrants from receiving automatic US citizenship at birth. Boardman determined the order directly conflicts with the "plai…
Trump Commutes Sentence Of Former Newburgh Tattoo Shop Owner, Oath Keeper Member Trump Commutes Sentence Of Former Newburgh Tattoo Shop Owner, Oath Keeper Member
Trump Commutes Sentence Of Former Newburgh Tattoo Shop Owner, Oath Keeper Member A former Hudson Valley tattoo shop owner and Oath Keepers militia group member was one of 14 people who had their sentences commuted by President Donald Trump. Roberto Minuta, age 39, currently of Prosper, Texas, was arrested in March 2021 at his Newburgh tattoo shop in Orange County and sentenced in June 2023 to 54 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release for his part in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots. According to the Department of Justice, Minuta, who often worked as a bodyguard for Trump’s longtime advisor Roger Stone, was later seen at the Capitol&n…
Trump Proclaims ‘Liberation Day,’ Reveals Array Of Planned Actions In Inaugural Address Trump Proclaims ‘Liberation Day,’ Reveals Array Of Planned Actions In Inaugural Address
Trump Proclaims ‘Liberation Day,’ Reveals Array Of Planned Actions In Inaugural Address Donald Trump proclaimed “liberation day” in his inaugural address after being sworn in to a second non-consecutive presidential term in the Capitol Rotunda just after noontime on Monday, Jan. 20. Click here for a new, updated story - Trump Ends All Jan. 6 Cases With Pardons, Commutations, Dismissals, Signs Flurry Of Executive Orders  "America will soon be greater, stronger, and far more exceptional than ever before," said Trump, who at age 78, became the oldest person to ever start a presidential term. In the half-hour long speech, he vowed that “the golden age of America begins rig…
American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers
American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers American Express said it will pay $230 million to resolve federal investigations into deceptive sales tactics and recordkeeping violations involving small business credit card and wire transfer products. The credit card company agreed to pay a $108.7 million civil penalty, the Department of Justice said in a news release on Thursday, Jan. 16. The settlement resolved claims against American Express of deceptive marketing and "dummy" account information. American Express was accused of engaging in unlawful sales tactics and falsifying records between 2014 and 2021. "When financial companies …
Maryland Man Who Withheld Drugs From 'Dopesick' Women Forced Into Prostitution Gets Prison Time Maryland Man Who Withheld Drugs From 'Dopesick' Women Forced Into Prostitution Gets Prison Time
Maryland Man Who Withheld Drugs From 'Dopesick' Women Forced Into Prostitution Gets Prison Time A 36-year-old Maryland man who used women's' drug dependency to compel them to participate in commercial sex work for him up and down the East Coast will spend nearly two decades in prison, federal authorities announced. William O’Neil Murray III pleaded guilty in August 2024 to sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion over the course of several months in several states. On Monday, Jan. 13, Murray was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison and also ordered to pay his victims nearly $95,000 in restitution. “This sentencing is a powerful reminder that the FBI Richmond team will tir…
DOJ: Hazleton Discriminates Against Hispanic Voters With 'At-Large System', Suit Claims DOJ: Hazleton Discriminates Against Hispanic Voters With 'At-Large System', Suit Claims
DOJ: Hazleton Discriminates Against Hispanic Voters With 'At-Large System', Suit Claims The federal government is suing Hazleton, accusing the city of discriminating against Hispanic voters with its at-large system for electing city council members, authorities said. The Department of Justice announced the lawsuit against the City of Hazleton in a news release on Tuesday, Jan. 7. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The USDOJ claims Hazleton’s at-large voting system undermines the political influence of the city's growing Hispanic population, which comprises more than 40 percent of Hazleton voters. Despite this s…
Pennsylvania Army Soldier Tried To Join Hezbollah, Expressed Hatred Of Jews: USDOJ Pennsylvania Army Soldier Tried To Join Hezbollah, Expressed Hatred Of Jews: USDOJ
Pennsylvania Army Soldier Tried To Join Hezbollah, Expressed Hatred Of Jews: Usdoj A former active-duty U.S. Army soldier from Pennsylvania attempted to join the foreign terrorist organization Hezbollah and lied to FBI agents about his actions, federal authorities announced on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. Jack Danaher Molloy, 24, a dual U.S.-Irish citizen and former resident of Pittsburgh, has been indicted on charges of providing material support to Hezbollah and making false statements involving international terrorism, according to the Department of Justice. Molloy allegedly traveled to Lebanon and Syria between August and December 2024, attempting to join the designated te…