Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud in COVID-Relief Fraud Scheme
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated August 18, 2021, Hunter VanPelt, aka Ellen Corkrum, 49, pleaded guilty to perpetrating a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $7.9 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
WIFLE Award Winner Recognized for Lifesaving Bravery in U.S. Marshals Service Shootout
At the 21st Annual WIFLE Leadership Training, Deputy U.S. Marshal Lisa Alvarez was recognized for her superior work and fast decision-making by receiving the Julie Y. Cross Award.
Chicago Pharmacist Arrested for Selling COVID-19 Vaccination Cards Online
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated August 17, 2021, a licensed Chicago pharmacist was arrested for allegedly selling dozens of authentic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination cards on eBay.
DOJ Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Massachusetts Sober Home Operator
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated August 11, 2021, a sober home operator in Massachusetts, Peter McCarthy, allegedly subjected female residents to sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act.
U.S. Foreign Service Member Indicted for Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct While in Philippines
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated August 3, 2021, a member of the U.S. foreign service, Dean Cheves, 61, was indicted for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and possession of child pornography.
Leader of a Drug Trafficking Organization and Ally of the Sinaloa Cartel Sentenced
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated July 27, 2021, Luz Irene Fajardo Campos, aka “La Comadre,” “La Madrina,” and “La Doña,” 57, of Culiacan, Mexico, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison following a 2019 trial for her role in in an international drug trafficking conspiracy that included Mexico, Colombia, Honduras, and the United States.
Ohio Man Charged with Plot to Conduct Mass Shooting of Women
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated July 21, 2021, Tres Genco, 21, of Hillsboro, Ohio was charged with attempting to conduct a mass shooting of women and with illegally possessing a machine gun.
Tree DNA Helps Secure Conviction of Timber Thief
In a first for a federal criminal trial, prosecutors used tree DNA evidence to help convict the lead defendant for stealing timber from U.S. Forest Service lands in Washington state.
Kentucky Man Sentenced for Racially Motivated Hate Crime
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated June 24, 2021, Gregory A. Bush of Louisville, KY was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering two Black shoppers at a Kroger grocery store and the attempted murder of a third. Each of these crimes was found to be racially motivated. He pleaded guilty-but-mentally-ill to state charges for murder, attempted murder and wanton endangerment.
Used Motor Vehicle Dealer Sentenced in Odometer Tampering Scheme
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated June 29, 2021, Shmuel Gali of New York was sentenced to 60 months in prison for tampering with car odometers and partaking in a money laundering scheme. For his crimes, he will be required to pay $3,936,000 in restitution.
Former DoD Linguist Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Providing Classified Information to Foreign Terrorist Organization
According to a Department of Justice press release from June 23, 2021, a Defense Department linguist was sentenced to 23 years in prison for delivering classified U.S. national security information to a foreign actor. She had pleaded guilty on March 26, 2021.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime Charges Related to Targeting Gay Men on Dating App
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated June 3, 2021, Daniel Jenkins, 22, pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime and two related charges for plans to target gay men with violent crimes.
Operation Trojan Shield Uses Encrypted Messaging Platform to Thwart Global Crime Networks
In a news release from June 8, 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced the successful completion of Operation Trojan Shield, a global effort targeting encrypted platforms used by criminal groups.
Nevada Bottled Water Company Ordered to Stop Distributing Adulterated Products
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated June 1, 2021, a Nevada bottled water company and its owners were recently permanently enjoined from preparing, processing, and distributing adulterated and misbranded bottled water.
FBI Employee Indicted for Illegally Removing Classified National Security Documents
According to a Department of Justice press release from May 21, 2021, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) employee was indicted for illegally removing numerous national security documents that were found in her home.
Three Peruvian Nationals Conspired to Defraud Thousands of Spanish-Speaking U.S. Residents
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release from May 14, 2021, three Peruvian nationals pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud thousands of Spanish-speaking U.S. residents. Omar Cuzcano Marroquin, 32, Jerson Renteria Gonzales, 37, and Evelyng Milla Campuzano, 35, each of Lima, Peru used Peruvian call centers to extort Spanish-speaking individuals in the US for money, threatening them with arrest and deportation if they did not comply.
Florida Woman Charged with Falsifying Clinical Data
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated May 11, 2021, Jessica Palacio, 34, of Miami, FL was charged with conspiring to falsify clinical trial data surrounding asthma medication for children. She worked as a study coordinator at a clinical trial firm called Unlimited Medical Research.
Undercover FBI Agent Exposes Public Corruption Among City Officials
According to a Department of Justice press release dated May 5, 2021, two former city officials in Calexico, California were sentenced to two years in prison for accepting bribes in return for a city permit to open a cannabis dispensary. The defendants were caught by an undercover FBI agent.
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography
According to a Department of Justice press release from April 28, 2021, a North Carolina man pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. Raul Ayala Jr., 72, admitted to molesting minors going as far back as the 1970s. Following this admission, police executed a warrant to search Ayala’s home, where they found child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on multiple digital devices.
Couple Sentenced for Conspiring to Steal Medical Secrets to Sell to China
According to a Department of Justice press release dated April 20, 2021, a 51-year old man from Dublin, Ohio, Yu Zhou, was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing scientific trade secrets related to exosomes and exosome isolation from Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Research Institute for personal financial gain and conspiring to commit wire fraud.