Southern District of Florida

MIAMI – A Miami Beach man appeared in federal court Monday after allegedly posting repeated threats on social media to assassinate the President of the United States and other officials.

According to court records, from at least January through April 2026, Nathaniel Sanders II, 32, of Miami Beach, used X and Instagram to make numerous posts threatening the lives of President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of State and Acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, and former Attorney General Pamela Bondi.

“Threats against public officials are not political speech,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They are serious federal crimes that endanger public safety and the rule of law. The complaint alleges that this defendant repeatedly threatened to assassinate the President of the United States and other senior officials. Those allegations will now be tested in court. Our Office will continue working with the U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement partners to investigate threats, protect public officials, and ensure that those who violate federal law are held accountable. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

“Making threats against the President of the United States is a federal crime, and we treat it with the seriousness it deserves every time,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office. “It does not matter where the threat is made or what platform is used, our agents will identify you, investigate you, and work alongside our federal and local partners to bring charges when appropriate. We remain relentless in our mission to protect the President and to act swiftly against anyone who puts others at risk.”

Sanders is charged with threatening the President of the United States and transmitting threats in interstate commerce. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Townsend made the announcement.

The USSS Miami Field Office is investigating the case with valuable assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, and Miami Beach Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Meckler Silverberg is prosecuting the case.

A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-mj-02772.

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MIAMI – A jury in Fort Lauderdale convicted a Bahamian national for his role in a multi-vessel smuggling operation that transported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and dozens of unauthorized migrants from the Bahamas to South Florida.  

Terrance Wallace, 32, was found guilty of conspiracy to import cocaine, importing cocaine, and alien smuggling offenses following a jury trial.

“This defendant helped operate a transnational smuggling pipeline that brought both cocaine and unlawful migrants into South Florida by boat,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “That combination of narcotics trafficking and human smuggling poses a direct threat to public safety and the integrity of our borders. The jury’s verdict makes clear that those who work with criminal smuggling organizations to move drugs and people into this country will be prosecuted and held accountable.”

“Combatting transnational criminal organizations involved in narcotics and alien smuggling is a significant priority for HSI and the Homeland Security Task Force,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “Working alongside our HSTF federal, state, and local partners, HSI will utilize every resource at our disposal to pursue and dismantle these criminal organizations to protect our communities and defend our borders.  This verdict sends a clear message:  HSI will continue to pursue and hold traffickers accountable for endangering lives and threatening public safety.”

Five co-defendants — Malik Delancy, 23; Fiero Cooper, 33; Darren Sears, 25; Ivan Curry, 52; and Jeremiah Russell, 19 — previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on June 8.  

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 30, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations, working alongside a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) cutter, detected three go-fast vessels traveling from the Bahamas toward South Florida.  Once the vessels entered U.S. waters, CBP, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and USCG units moved to intercept.   Officers activated emergency lights and sirens and ordered the drivers to stop. One vessel ignored multiple commands, prompting officers to fire warning shots before disabling the boat.

Upon boarding, officers encountered Delancy, Cooper, Sears, Ivan Curry, and Russell. Law enforcement discovered approximately 168 kilograms of cocaine and 31 Chinese nationals on board, none of whom were authorized to enter the U.S.

Separately, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents observed Wallace and Teshawn Curry conducting counter-surveillance near the Fort Pierce Inlet on behalf of the drug trafficking and alien smuggling organization.

The investigation also revealed that Wallace participated in at least two prior successful drug smuggling ventures at the same location, bringing his involvement to more than 500 kilograms of cocaine.  Text messages and videos recovered from Wallace’s cellphone showed him acting as a lookout during all three operations. 

Wallace faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Acting Special Agent in Charge Figueroa, and Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the DEA, Miami Field Division, and made the announcement.

DEA West Palm Beach District Office and HSI West Palm Beach investigated the case, with assistance from CBP, USCG, the 7th Coast Guard District, the Davie Police Department, and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Ustynoski, Ajay Alexander, and Catherine Koontz are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises of agents and officers from the DEA, HSI, CBP, USCG, the Davie Police Department, and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60233.

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MIAMI – A previously deported Nicaraguan national was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in a cyber-enabled international bank impersonation scheme that resulted in more than $29 million in losses to victims across the United States.

U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom sentenced Ernesto Ortega Padgett, 41, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to transport stolen property.

“Ortega built a sophisticated international fraud scheme on deception, stolen trust, and technology, draining more than $29 million from victims across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “He impersonated banks, exploited fear and urgency, and used an international laundering network and cryptocurrency to move and conceal the proceeds. Today’s 15-year sentence sends a clear message: if you steal from Americans through fraud and hide behind borders, technology, or shell accounts, we will find you, extradite you, and hold you accountable. And you will not keep the proceeds of your crimes.”

“Ortega believed his sophistication, his use of technology, and the distance between him and his victims would allow him to operate without consequence,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office. “He was wrong. As criminals evolve their methods, the U.S. Secret Service is evolving faster, working alongside our law enforcement and international partners to strengthen our intelligence and investigative capabilities to identify, track, and apprehend those who exploit innocent people. This case shows that no level of deception or complexity will shield criminals from accountability. The Secret Service will continue to protect hardworking Americans and go to great lengths to bring those responsible to justice. I want to commend our agents, our partners, and our prosecutors for their exceptional work in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.”

Beginning in 2020, Ortega and his co-conspirators posed as bank representatives and used a combination of technology and social engineering to trick victims into disclosing sensitive financial information. Ortega then used that information to access victims’ accounts and initiate unauthorized wire transfers.

To conceal and move the stolen funds, Ortega relied on an international network of money launderers who withdrew proceeds in cash and transferred funds to accounts under his control, often converting them into cryptocurrency. The scheme also involved threats and coercion to force certain individuals to participate in laundering activities.

Ortega used the proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle, including renting luxury apartments in Madrid and beach homes in Marbella, Spain, spending up to $30,000 per month, and purchasing high-end watches, jewelry, electronics, and designer goods.

The scheme spanned multiple countries and continents and resulted in losses exceeding $29 million. Several co-conspirators have already been sentenced for their roles.

Ortega had been charged in Spain for related criminal conduct and had pending charges in Panama. After his arrest in Spain, Ortega violated the conditions of his release and remained a fugitive for nearly a year. In December 2023, law enforcement learned he planned to travel to Paris, France. Authorities apprehended Ortega at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, and he was later extradited to the U.S. on June 13, 2024.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Jason Scalzo of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) Electronic Crimes Unit; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

The FDIC-OIG Electronic Crimes Unit and the USSS Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Ortega’s arrest and extradition. Law enforcement partners in Spain and France, as well as the USSS offices in Madrid and Paris and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Panama City, provided valuable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moore prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number  23-cr-20049.

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MIAMI – A federal grand jury has charged five South Florida defendants for their roles in a cocaine trafficking organization tied to an international network moving narcotics from Colombia through the Dominican Republic into South Florida.

The indictment charges Daniel “Mickey” Hernandez, 38, of Miami; Frank Gonzalez, 45, of Hialeah; Alexander “Al Biggs” Walker Caraballo, 50, of Miami; Jose Luis “Lil Cuz” Diaz, Jr., also known as “Pri,” 33, of Miami Gardens; and Humberto “Kiki” Moreno, 42, of Miami, with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Hernandez and Diaz are also charged with distribution offenses. Walker and Gonzalez face additional charges for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of firearms and ammunition as convicted felons.

According to court documents, the defendants were part of a Miami-based drug distribution network responsible for kilogram-level cocaine trafficking. Investigators identified Hernandez as a key distributor, with Moreno, Caraballo, and Gonzalez among his suppliers and associates. Agents traced the operation to a high-rise in Midtown Miami, where cocaine was stored and prepared for distribution.

The investigation builds on prior High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) efforts targeting cocaine routes between Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and South Florida, including Operation Final Voyage, which led to the prosecution of high-level traffickers and cooperation from more than 90 defendants.

As part of those efforts, Operation Horseman’s Voyage targeted maritime trafficking networks responsible for importing large quantities of cocaine into South Florida, while Operation Mouse Trap focused on local retail and wholesale distributors. Investigators identified a network importing up to 1,700 kilograms of cocaine aboard high-end fishing vessels traveling from the Dominican Republic to Miami.

The Miami-based distribution operation was allegedly led by Andy Gabriel Mercedes-Hernandez, who directed the receipt, storage, and distribution of cocaine shipments with the assistance of approximately 20 associates, including boat captains, enforcers, and street-level distributors.

The investigation led to multiple enforcement actions. In October 2025, law enforcement arrested two defendants and seized more than $250,000 in drug proceeds concealed in a vehicle. In a separate interdiction, law enforcement seized more than 1,600 kilograms of cocaine from a vessel.

The investigation culminated in a search warrant executed at a Midtown Miami luxury high-rise apartment, where agents seized approximately 536 kilograms of cocaine, 14 firearms — including an unserialized AK-47 — and roughly $3.1 million in cash. Walker was later arrested, and agents recovered additional cocaine packaged for street-level distribution, along with bulk cash concealed in hidden compartments in his vehicle.

In the days that followed, law enforcement arrested additional members of the organization, including Jesus Alberto Salcedo-Perez, Keisy Estibet Peguero, Enmanuel Amauris Rivera-Cabrera, and Mario Joel Rijo-Jimenez. A federal grand jury had already charged several co-conspirators, and additional charges have been filed against others, including cocaine suppliers based in the Dominican Republic and Colombia.

If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life for the conspiracy charge. Walker and Gonzalez also face additional consecutive sentences of up to life for firearms offenses and up to 15 years for possessing firearms as convicted felons.

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the DEA Miami Field Office made the announcement.

DEA Miami is leading the investigation, with support from the ATF Street Terror Offender Program (STOP) Team, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, City of Miami Police Department, Miami Beach Police Department, City of Homestead Police Department, City of Aventura Police Department, Sunny Isles Beach Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Protection, and the Florida National Guard.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Almas Abdulla is prosecuting the case against the Operation Mouse Trap defendants, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Anika Miranda handling asset forfeiture. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Kirkpatrick is prosecuting the Operation Horseman’s Voyage defendants, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken overseeing asset forfeiture.

This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises agents and officers from ATF, DEA, HSI, BSO, USMS, and USPIS.

An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 26-cr-20092 and 26-cr-20135.

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MIAMI – A federal jury in Miami found a former U.S. Congressman and lobbyist guilty of secretly lobbying on behalf of the Venezuelan government and laundering millions of dollars tied to that work, in violation of the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA).

“These convictions expose a simple truth: the defendants sold access and influence to a hostile foreign regime for money,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They accepted millions tied to the Maduro regime, concealed that relationship from the United States government, and used trusted personal and political relationships to secretly advance the interests of Venezuela’s regime. In South Florida, where so many families fled communist oppression, that kind of betrayal carries real weight. The Foreign Agents Registration Act exists to protect transparency and safeguard our democracy from covert foreign influence. If you secretly act on behalf of a foreign government in violation of federal law, you will be investigated, prosecuted, and convicted.”

"Today’s verdict sends a clear and powerful message: our democratic processes are not for sale to foreign adversaries. Choosing to prioritize personal greed over legal transparency, David Rivera and Esther Nuhfer violated the Foreign Agent Registration Act by lobbying for the interests and benefit of the Venezuelan government,” said Brett Skiles, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Using coded messages and laundering millions of dollars to fund personal lifestyles and political campaigns, these defendants thought they could operate in the shadows. This conviction proves that no matter how much 'coded language' is used or how high-ranking the conspirators may be, the FBI and its partners will remain steadfast in identifying and investigating those who covertly serve foreign interests at the expense of the American public's trust."

“This verdict underscores what can be achieved when federal partners combine their investigative strengths,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Following the money is what IRS Criminal Investigation does best, and our agents worked tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to uncover the illegal activity driving this foreign influence scheme. IRS Special Agents will continue to pursue criminals, regardless of how sophisticated the scheme or influential the individuals involved.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, David Rivera, 60, and Esther Nuhfer, 51, obtained a $50 million contract with a subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), to advance the interests of the Venezuelan regime in the U.S. Without registering as foreign agents as required by law, Rivera and Nuhfer lobbied U.S. officials — including then-U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and U.S. Representative Pete Sessions — and arranged meetings between U.S. policymakers and high-ranking Venezuelan officials, including then-President Nicolas Maduro and then-Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez. In text message exchanges, Rivera and Nuhfer used coded language to describe their activities.  

The evidence further showed that Rivera used approximately $600,000 from the contract proceeds to fund his Florida state congressional campaign, among other personal uses. Nuhfer used approximately $455,000 of the proceeds for the purchase of a residence in Key Colony Beach. 

The jury found Rivera guilty of conspiracy to violate FARA, a violation of FARA, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and four counts of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property. Nuhfer was convicted of conspiracy to violate FARA, a violation of FARA, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property. 

Rivera faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison.  Nuhfer faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office, made the announcement.

Senior Trial Counsel Harold Schimkat, Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Cruz, and Trial Attorney David Ryan of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number  22-cr-20552.

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The last member of a transnational Colombian robbery crew in Miami was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for his role in a series of robberies of and thefts from jewelry couriers that targeted high-end retailers and resulted in losses exceeding $5 million. Leroy Ortega, also known as “el Enano,” 43, of Miami, was the last of 11 defendants to be sentenced as part of a series of indictments targeting a South American theft group operating in the Southern District of Florida.

The 11 defendants were each convicted as part of Operation Boujee Bandits, an investigation of a Colombian South American theft group targeting jewelry salespersons in South Florida and elsewhere. The investigation resulted in three indictments and an information that charged robberies and money laundering activity from September 2019 to July 2021.

According to court documents, Ortega was part of a group that forcefully took jewelry and other property from victims they believed were in the business of buying and selling jewelry throughout South Florida. To commit the robberies, defendants rented vehicles using false identification documents to follow jewelry salespersons from the International Jewelry Exchanges or the Seybold Jewelry Building. They would then rob victims of the jewelry that they were transporting, sometimes brandishing a knife-like weapon to ensure victims’ compliance.

Ortega admitted that he committed two robberies. On Oct. 16, 2019, Ortega and his co-defendants identified a person they believed was carrying a case of jewelry. In fact, the victim was not a jewelry courier but rather a professional photographer who had been photographing jewelry. Following the victim to a shopping center, co-defendant Allan Lucas, 33, of Miami, pushed the photographer and Ortega grabbed the photographer’s case, which contained photography equipment and a computer. The photographer chased Ortega and Lucas to their get-away car. When the photographer tried to open the car door to get his case back, Ortega reversed the car, causing injury as the photographer was thrown to the ground.

Then, on Nov. 7, 2019, Ortega and his co-conspirators, including defendants Andres Barahona Poveda, 51, a national of Colombia, and Edwin Castillo, 45, of Pembroke Pines, robbed a jewelry salesman of approximately $125,000 of assorted jewelry. Ortega and his co-conspirators followed the salesman to his business in Miami Beach. As the salesman sat in the vehicle, Ortega approached and smashed the salesman’s windows while another co-conspirator took the salesman’s backpack containing the jewelry. When the salesman tried to exit the vehicle, Ortega held the salesman’s door shut trapping him inside the vehicle. To conduct the robbery, defendant Carlos Morales, 47, of Miami rented a vehicle using a fraudulent Venezuelan driver’s license.

Ortega pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy and two counts of Hobbs Act robbery.

Defendants convicted under this operation, in addition to Ortega, include:

• Allan Lucas, 34, of California, who was sentenced to 168 months in prison;
• Diana Grisales Basto, 41, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 97 months in prison;
• Carlos Morales, 48, of Florida, who was sentenced to 60 months in prison;
• Giovanni Cardenas, also known as “El Mono,” 40, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 110 months in prison;
• Andres Barahona Poveda, 51, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 87 months in prison;
• Edwin Castillo, 45, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 108 months in prison;
• Demian Gonzalez Contreras, 30, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 74 months in prison;
• Victor Fabian Valenzuela, 39, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 57 months in prison;
• Hernando Rodriguez Mahecha, also known as “Nando,” 42, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 60 months in prison; and
• Mark Simon, 57, of New York, was sentenced to 57 months in prison.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.

The FBI Tampa Field Office is leading the investigation of the case with valuable assistance from the FBI Miami Field Office, Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Miami-Dade Police Department, Miami Beach Police Department, Tampa Police Department, Boca Raton Police Department, Palm Beach Sherriff’s Office, Boynton Beach Police Department, Fort Pierce Police Department, and the Jewelry Security Alliance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance.

Trial Attorneys Lakeita F. Rox-Love and Deputy Chief Kelly Pearson of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Dobbins for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

MIAMI – Two cybersecurity professionals were sentenced today to four years each in prison for their role in a conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce through extortion in connection with ransomware attacks occurring in 2023.

Ryan Goldberg, 40, of Georgia, and Kevin Martin, 36, of Texas, were sentenced. According to court documents, they and another co-conspirator, Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, successfully deployed the ransomware known as ALPHV BlackCat between April 2023 and December 2023 against multiple victims located throughout the U.S. The three men agreed to pay the ALPHV BlackCat administrators a 20% share of any ransoms received in exchange for access to the ransomware and ALPHV BlackCat’s extortion platform. All three men worked in the cybersecurity industry — meaning that they had special skills and experience in securing computer systems against harm, including the type of harm they themselves were committing against the victims in this case. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their 80% share of this ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means.

According to court documents, ALPHV BlackCat targeted the computer networks of more than 1,000 victims around the world. The group used a ransomware-as-a-service model in which developers were responsible for creating and updating ransomware and for maintaining the illicit internet infrastructure. Affiliates were responsible for identifying and attacking high-value victim institutions with the ransomware. After a victim paid, developers and affiliates shared the ransom.

“The court’s sentences today reflect the damage that these defendants inflicted during their cyberattacks on victim companies throughout the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “They harmed important firms who were providing medical and engineering services. They played hardball with them, going so far as to cause the leak of patient data from a doctor’s office victim. They also split the ransoms they were paid, and laundered the illicit proceeds. These were supposed to be cybersecurity specialists who did good and helped businesses and people. Instead, they used their high-level cyber skills to feed their greed. Ransomware attackers like this should be punished and removed from society to serve their lawful sentences so they cannot harm others.”

“These defendants exploited specialized cybersecurity knowledge not to protect victims, but to extort them,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They used ransomware to lock down critical systems, steal sensitive data, and pressure American businesses into paying to regain access to their own information. Today’s sentence of four years reflects not only the scale of this scheme, but the real harm inflicted on businesses, employees, and victims whose private information was weaponized for profit. In this District, cybercriminals will face federal prison and forfeit the proceeds of their crimes.”

“Today’s sentencings show that ransomware criminals can operate anywhere, including right here in the United States, and that the FBI is actively working to track them down and dismantle their networks — wherever they exist,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Goldberg and Martin leveraged their technical skills and cyber security knowledge to extort millions from victims across the U.S., but the FBI’s global reach ensured that they ultimately faced justice. When Goldberg sought to flee abroad and escape prosecution, the FBI tracked him through 10 countries, demonstrating the lengths we will go to hold cyber criminals accountable and protect victims. The FBI thanks our DOJ partners for their help securing today’s outcome.”

Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt ALPHV BlackCat ransomware, in which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by ALPHV BlackCat.

In December 2025, Goldberg and Martin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. In April 2026, co-conspirator Angelo Martino also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. In addition to conspiring with Goldberg and Martin to attack victims with ransomware, Martino also abused his role as a negotiator for victims of ransomware by sharing confidential victim information with threat actors to increase the value of the ransom paid. His sentencing is set for July 9.

The FBI Miami Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.

Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul B. Morris for the Eastern District of Texas and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W.A. Peach for the Middle District of Georgia. Additional assistance was provided by the Policía de Investigación of the Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México.

Private sector organizations can report any suspicious activities and threats to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), visiting www.tips.fbi.gov or contacting their local FBI field office.

If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov. If you have information about ALPHV BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program. Information can be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required):

he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20443.

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Two American cybersecurity professionals were sentenced today to four years each in prison for their role in a conspiracy to obstruct, delay, or affect commerce through extortion in connection with ransomware attacks occurring in 2023.

Ryan Goldberg, 40, of Georgia, and Kevin Martin, 36, of Texas, were sentenced. According to court documents, they and another co-conspirator, Angelo Martino, 41, of Florida, successfully deployed the ransomware known as ALPHV BlackCat between April 2023 and December 2023 against multiple victims located throughout the United States. The three men agreed to pay the ALPHV BlackCat administrators a 20% share of any ransoms received in exchange for access to the ransomware and ALPHV BlackCat’s extortion platform. All three men worked in the cybersecurity industry — meaning that they had special skills and experience in securing computer systems against harm, including the type of harm they themselves were committing against the victims in this case. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their 80% share of this ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means.

According to court documents, ALPHV BlackCat targeted the computer networks of more than 1,000 victims around the world. The group used a ransomware-as-a-service model in which developers were responsible for creating and updating ransomware and for maintaining the illicit internet infrastructure. Affiliates were responsible for identifying and attacking high-value victim institutions with the ransomware. After a victim paid, developers and affiliates shared the ransom.

“The court’s sentences today reflect the damage that these defendants inflicted during their cyberattacks on victim companies throughout the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “They harmed important firms who were providing medical and engineering services. They played hardball with them, going so far as to cause the leak of patient data from a doctor’s office victim. They also split the ransoms they were paid, and laundered the illicit proceeds. These were supposed to be cybersecurity specialists who did good and helped businesses and people. Instead, they used their high-level cyber skills to feed their greed. Ransomware attackers like this should be punished and removed from society to serve their lawful sentences so they cannot harm others.”

“These defendants exploited specialized cybersecurity knowledge not to protect victims, but to extort them,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They used ransomware to lock down critical systems, steal sensitive data, and pressure American businesses into paying to regain access to their own information. Today’s sentence of four years reflects not only the scale of this scheme, but the real harm inflicted on businesses, employees, and victims whose private information was weaponized for profit. In this District, cybercriminals will face federal prison and forfeit the proceeds of their crimes.”

“Today’s sentencings show that ransomware criminals can operate anywhere, including right here in the United States, and that the FBI is actively working to track them down and dismantle their networks — wherever they exist,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Goldberg and Martin leveraged their technical skills and cyber security knowledge to extort millions from victims across the U.S., but the FBI’s global reach ensured that they ultimately faced justice. When Goldberg sought to flee abroad and escape prosecution, the FBI tracked him through 10 countries, demonstrating the lengths we will go to hold cyber criminals accountable and protect victims. The FBI thanks our DOJ partners for their help securing today’s outcome.” 

Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt ALPHV BlackCat ransomware, in which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by ALPHV BlackCat.

In December 2025, Goldberg and Martin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. In April 2026, co-conspirator Angelo Martino also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. In addition to conspiring with Goldberg and Martin to attack victims with ransomware, Martino also abused his role as a negotiator for victims of ransomware by sharing confidential victim information with threat actors to increase the value of the ransom paid. His sentencing is set for July 9.

The FBI Miami Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.

Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.

Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul B. Morris for the Eastern District of Texas and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W.A. Peach for the Middle District of Georgia. Additional assistance was provided by the Policía de Investigación of the Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México.

Private sector organizations can report any suspicious activities and threats to the FBI’s National

Threat Operations Center by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), visiting www.tips.fbi.gov or contacting their local FBI field office.

If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov. If you have information about ALPHV BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program. Information can be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required): he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion. 

MIAMI – Four defendants have been sentenced for their roles in a transnational business email compromise (BEC) scheme that stole more than $38 million from victims across the U.S. and abroad.

Kelvin Owusu Nkwantabisa, also known as “Kevin Brown” and “KO,” 33, of Georgia, and John Jouissance, 33, of Ohio, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, while Leshea Moore, also known as “Deborah Green,” 29, of Georgia, and  Justice Amoh, “Samuel Andrews,” 37, of New York, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to court records, beginning at least in August 2022, the defendants were members of a transnational criminal organization (TCO) that carried out a sophisticated BEC fraud targeting individuals and businesses. The group gained unauthorized access to victims’ email accounts, monitored communications involving legitimate financial transactions, and then impersonated trusted business partners to redirect payments to bank accounts controlled by the TCO. The stolen funds were then moved through multiple accounts to conceal their origin and avoid detection.

“This was organized international fraud carried out through deception, stolen trust, and financial manipulation,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants infiltrated legitimate business communications, diverted millions of dollars, and laundered the proceeds through shell companies and fraudulent bank accounts to conceal their crimes. Business email compromise schemes can devastate companies and individuals in a matter of hours. Today’s sentences send a clear message: if you use our financial system to steal and launder money, we will find you, follow the money, and hold you accountable.”

Nkwantabisa led the U.S.-based operation. He coordinated with overseas co-conspirators, directed the creation of bank accounts across multiple states to receive victim funds, tracked incoming payments, and instructed others on how to launder the proceeds. Nkwantabisa was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Moore established shell companies, opened bank accounts using fictitious identities, and conducted financial transactions to launder fraud proceeds. She also managed others involved in creating false identities and communicated with financial institutions about victim payments. Moore was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison.

Amoh opened bank accounts using fictitious identities to receive victim funds and carried out financial transactions at Nkwantabisa’s direction to launder proceeds.  He was sentenced to three years in prison.

Jouissance established shell companies, opened bank accounts to receive victim funds, and conducted financial transactions to launder the proceeds. He was sentenced to four years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.

HSI Fort Lauderdale investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Quin Landon prosecuted the case.  Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon handled asset forfeiture.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60061.

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An Oregon man who worked as a payment processing broker pleaded guilty today to wire fraud for his role in using fraudulent, unauthorized debits to steal money from victims’ bank accounts.

According to court documents, Jeremy Todd Briley, 46, of Oregon, worked as a payment processing broker. Acting on behalf of clients (merchants), Briley identified payment processors in the United States for his clients to use in processing charges. Briley’s two largest clients were sham companies that falsely represented that they provided online marketing services to businesses. Instead, they stole from victims by fraudulently debiting their bank accounts, causing over $14 million in unauthorized debits and attempted debits.

From February 2017 to December 2023, Briley obtained and maintained payment processing relationships for those sham companies so that they could process fraudulent debits, knowing that the sham companies were fraudulently debiting bank accounts. Despite repeatedly receiving information that the debits processed on behalf of the sham companies were not authorized by the victims, Briley concealed the fraudulent activities of the sham companies in various ways, and he arranged for a payment processor to deceive banks by manipulating return rates on the fraudulent debits.

Briley pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group; and Special Agent in Charge Vincent R. Zehme of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Chicago Region made the announcement.

The USPIS and FDIC-OIG are investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Daniel Zytnick of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida is handling forfeiture.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

MIAMI – United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones, for the Southern District of Florida, has been promoted to the rank of Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve, marking more than twenty-three years of military service spanning infantry, operational law, national security, and combat advising.

Colonel Reding Quiñones currently serves as the senior reserve legal advisor to the Staff Judge Advocate at United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), where he advises the 4-star Combatant Commander and senior military leadership on the legal authorities governing combat operations, maritime interdiction, intelligence activities, force protection, and national security operations.

Since the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel, Colonel Reding Quiñones has advised on kinetic military operations across the Central Command theater, helping provide legal oversight and operational guidance during some of the most consequential military actions in the region, including sustained regional defense operations, the twelve-day conflict between Iran and Israel, and current U.S. naval blockade and maritime interdiction operations targeting Iranian commercial and military vessels.

In this current military role, Colonel Reding Quiñones has served as a senior law advisor during combat operations, advising commanders on the lawful employment of force, rules of engagement, targeting authorities, maritime seizure operations, and escalation response.

His operational experience builds on a military career that began as an Army cavalry scout and infantry officer before transferring into the Air Force Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Over the course of his career, he has served in key legal billets supporting Air Force Special Operations Command, Pacific Air Forces, United States European Command, and now USCENTCOM.

His military decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, reflecting outstanding service across combat support, operational law, and joint military missions.

“Military service has shaped every part of my adult life,” said Colonel Reding Quiñones. “From leading soldiers as a young infantry officer, to advising commanders in combat, to serving as a federal prosecutor and Florida trial judge, the mission has always been the same: serve the country, protect Americans, and defend the rule of law.”

Colonel Reding Quiñones was promoted effective April 1, 2026. The rank of Colonel represents the senior field-grade rank in the United States Air Force and reflects sustained superior performance, leadership, and trust across more than two decades of military service.

A Miami native and the son of a Cuban political refugee, Colonel Reding Quiñones earned his undergraduate degree from University of Florida and his law degree from Florida International University before building parallel careers in military service, prosecution, and the judiciary over a lifetime of public service.

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MIAMI – During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, a mother and son made their initial appearances in federal court on Friday to face an indictment charging them with fraud and identity theft offenses involving an elderly victim that spanned years.

According to court records, Natacha Maria Lezcano, also known as Maria Margarita Lezcano, 63, of Miami, became a live-in caregiver for the victim in 2020. She later obtained permission from the victim for her husband and son, Daniel Romero, 33, also of Miami, to move into the residence.

“This indictment alleges a cruel betrayal of trust,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “According to the charges, the victim, an elderly woman, opened her home to these defendants and, in return, they exploited her age, her trust, and her identity for financial gain. During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, this case serves as a reminder that financial exploitation of the elderly can be every bit as devastating as violent crime. Our Office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who target vulnerable victims. The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”

Beginning in 2020 and continuing through 2023, Romero is alleged to have used the victim’s personal identifying information to open fraudulent credit cards, make unauthorized purchases, and transfer funds for his personal benefit. The conduct involved submitting false credit applications, impersonating the victim in communications with financial institutions, and initiating unauthorized electronic transfers from the victim’s bank accounts.

Lezcano is alleged to have known about the fraud and failed to report it to authorities.

Romero is charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Lezcano is charged with misprison of a felony. If convicted, Romero faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud and bank fraud counts, up to 10 years for access device fraud, and a mandatory consecutive term of at least two years for aggravated identity theft.  Lezcano faces up to three years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

USSS Miami is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Love is prosecuting the case.

An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20139.

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MIAMI – The Boise Cascade Company (Boise Cascade) pleaded guilty and was sentenced today for a felony violation of the Lacey Act for its role in a timber trafficking scheme to evade countervailing and anti-dumping duties. Boise Cascade was sentenced to pay a fine of $6,382,000, representing twice the gross profits it derived from the illegal wood at issue in this case, and implement a compliance plan. Boise Cascade is the third federal criminal enforcement action to come out of this large-scale duty evasion scheme.

“As I made clear at last week’s TIMBER Working Group Roundtable event hosted by ENRD, we must thwart efforts of foreign bad actors who engage in illegal timber mining to finance other illicit and dangerous activities,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “Boise Cascade’s guilty plea is a significant step toward ending illegal timber shipments from entering our country, thereby bolstering American security and safeguarding American citizens from threats of transnational criminal organizations.”

“Boise Cascade either knew about or was willfully blind to the illegal importation of the plywood they were purchasing from Horizon Plywood,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This scheme defrauded taxpayers of import duties and undercut law-abiding competitors by importing and selling between $25 million and $65 million worth of plywood products. By purchasing these illegal imports, Boise Cascade helped perpetuate the scheme.”

“Trade fraud is not a paperwork violation. It is theft from the American taxpayer and an attack on lawful American commerce,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Boise Cascade knowingly profited from illegally imported timber and helped sustain a scheme designed to evade millions in duties owed to the United States. Today’s guilty plea and sentence make clear that companies that turn a blind eye to fraud in pursuit of profit will be held accountable. Our Office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect honest businesses, American markets, and the integrity of our trade system.”

“Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to protecting U.S. economic interests and enforcing laws that safeguard our natural resources,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “This case highlights the importance of collaboration between federal agencies to disrupt illegal importation schemes and hold responsible parties accountable. HSI will continue to pursue those who seek to profit by circumventing U.S. laws and regulations.”

Boise Cascade is a publicly traded company with a distribution center in Pompano. Boise Cascade purchased wood from Horizon Plywood (Horizon), whose principals, Noel and Kelsy Quintana, were sentenced in February 2024 for conspiracy and Lacey Act violations based on their illegal importation of hardwood plywood. Horizon employee Marta Angelbello was also sentenced after pleading guilty to making a false statement in a declaration related to her role in the scheme.

According to court filings, during the sales years of 2018 through 2021, Boise Cascade’s Pompano location purchased hardwood plywood from Horizon, totaling more than $30 million. Beginning in approximately 2019, Boise Cascade purchased, received, sold, and transported hardwood plywood from Horizon knowing (including actions manifesting willful blindness) that hardwood plywood was illegally imported from China. The importation was illegal because Horizon smuggled the wood and violated the Lacey Act by falsifying import declarations for hardwood and softwood plywood. Boise Cascade knew that Horizon had previously tried to hide the origin of the wood that it imported. For example, Horizon transshipped products from China to Malaysia, where it moved product into new containers, and then from Malaysia to the United States. Boise Cascade knew or should have known the plywood purchased from Horizon was sourced from China.

Boise Cascade was also aware the United States executed a search warrant at Horizon’s warehouse in South Florida in January 2021, and despite knowing that Horizon was under some federal investigation, Boise Cascade still placed at least 10 new orders for birch plywood in the two weeks following the search warrant and received the orders.

HSI investigated the case with support from Customs and Border Protection.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Harris and Elizabeth Hannah for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.

ENRD is a member of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, ENRD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-60088.

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The Boise Cascade Company (Boise Cascade) pleaded guilty and was sentenced today for a felony violation of the Lacey Act for its role in a timber trafficking scheme to evade countervailing and anti-dumping duties. Boise Cascade was sentenced to pay a fine of $6,382,000, representing twice the gross profits it derived from the illegal wood at issue in this case, and implement a compliance plan. Boise Cascade is the third federal criminal enforcement action to come out of this large-scale duty evasion scheme.

“As I made clear at last week’s TIMBER Working Group Roundtable event hosted by ENRD, we must thwart efforts of foreign bad actors who engage in illegal timber mining to finance other illicit and dangerous activities,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “Boise Cascade’s guilty plea is a significant step toward ending illegal timber shipments from entering our country, thereby bolstering American security and safeguarding American citizens from threats of transnational criminal organizations.”

“Boise Cascade either knew about or was willfully blind to the illegal importation of the plywood they were purchasing from Horizon Plywood,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This scheme defrauded taxpayers of import duties and undercut law-abiding competitors by importing and selling between $25 million and $65 million worth of plywood products. By purchasing these illegal imports, Boise Cascade helped perpetuate the scheme.”

“Trade fraud is not a paperwork violation. It is theft from the American taxpayer and an attack on lawful American commerce,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Boise Cascade knowingly profited from illegally imported timber and helped sustain a scheme designed to evade millions in duties owed to the United States. Today’s guilty plea and sentence make clear that companies that turn a blind eye to fraud in pursuit of profit will be held accountable. Our Office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect honest businesses, American markets, and the integrity of our trade system.”

“Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to protecting U.S. economic interests and enforcing laws that safeguard our natural resources,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “This case highlights the importance of collaboration between federal agencies to disrupt illegal importation schemes and hold responsible parties accountable. HSI will continue to pursue those who seek to profit by circumventing U.S. laws and regulations.”

Boise Cascade is a publicly traded company with a distribution center in Pompano, Florida. Boise Cascade purchased wood from Horizon Plywood (Horizon), whose principals, Noel and Kelsy Quintana, were sentenced in February 2024 for conspiracy and Lacey Act violations based on their illegal importation of hardwood plywood. Horizon employee Marta Angelbello was also sentenced after pleading guilty to making a false statement in a declaration related to her role in the scheme.

According to court filings, during the sales years of 2018 through 2021, Boise Cascade’s Pompano location purchased hardwood plywood from Horizon, totaling more than $30 million. Beginning in approximately 2019, Boise Cascade purchased, received, sold, and transported hardwood plywood from Horizon knowing (including actions manifesting willful blindness) that hardwood plywood was illegally imported from China. The importation was illegal because Horizon smuggled the wood and violated the Lacey Act by falsifying import declarations for hardwood and softwood plywood. Boise Cascade knew that Horizon had previously tried to hide the origin of the wood that it imported. For example, Horizon transshipped products from China to Malaysia, where it moved product into new containers, and then from Malaysia to the United States. Boise Cascade knew or should have known the plywood purchased from Horizon was sourced from China.

Boise Cascade was also aware the United States executed a search warrant at Horizon’s warehouse in South Florida in January 2021, and despite knowing that Horizon was under federal investigation, Boise Cascade still placed at least 10 new orders for birch plywood in the two weeks following the search warrant and received the orders.

HSI investigated the case with support from Customs and Border Protection.

Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Harris and Elizabeth Hannah for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

ENRD is a member of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, ENRD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here.

MIAMI – A Land O’Lakes man, formerly employed as a ransomware negotiator, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit ransomware attacks against U.S. companies in 2023.

According to court documents, Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, collaborated with the operators of the Blackcat/ALPHV (BlackCat) ransomware variant used by cybercriminals to attack and extort institutions and companies. Beginning in April 2023, Martino abused his role at a U.S.-based cyber incident response company to assist BlackCat actors. Working as a negotiator on behalf of five different ransomware victims, Martino provided BlackCat attackers with confidential information about the negotiating position and strategy of his company’s clients without the clients’ or his employer’s knowledge or permission. This confidential information assisted the ransomware actors and maximized the ransoms that the victims were required to pay. The BlackCat actors paid Martino for this confidential information.

Additionally, Martino has admitted to conspiring with Ryan Goldberg of Georgia and Kevin Martin of Texas to successfully deploy BlackCat ransomware between April 2023 and November 2023 against multiple victims located throughout the U.S. All three men worked in the cybersecurity industry and leveraged their knowledge and skills to commit these crimes. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their share of the ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means.

To date, law enforcement has seized $10 million of assets from Martino, including digital currency, vehicles, a food truck, and a luxury fishing boat that Martino obtained using proceeds of the offense or acquired as a result of the offense.

“Angelo Martino’s clients trusted him to respond to ransomware threats and help thwart and remedy them on behalf of victims,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Instead, he betrayed them and began launching ransomware attacks himself by assisting cyber criminals and harming victims, his own employer, and the cyber incident response industry itself.”

“Ransomware victims turned to this defendant for help, and he sold them out from the inside,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As he admitted in court, he abused his position at a cyber incident response company to feed confidential information to BlackCat actors, helping them maximize ransom payments from American victims. He then went further, joining the conspiracy himself to deploy ransomware and profit from extortion. This guilty plea makes clear that if you weaponize insider access and cybersecurity expertise against victims in South Florida or anywhere in this country, you will be prosecuted. And as the seizure of more than $10 million in assets shows, you will not get to keep the proceeds of your crime.”

“The FBI works every day to dismantle the ransomware ecosystem,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “That includes apprehending key facilitators like Angelo Martino, who abused the trust placed in him as a private sector negotiator by collaborating with ransomware criminals. Martino provided BlackCat ransomware actors with confidential information to maximize ransom payments. He also conspired with other U.S. residents to launch attacks on victims across the country. His guilty plea demonstrates that, for all the international aspects of cybercrime, the threat is also here in the United States. The FBI is proud of the close collaboration with partners that led to this outcome.”

Martino pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Martin and Goldberg separately entered guilty pleas to the same charge in December 2025. Martin and Goldberg are scheduled to be sentenced on April 30 and each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt BlackCat ransomware, during which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by the BlackCat ransomware actors.

The FBI’s Miami Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer for the Middle District of Florida and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx P. Calderón of the Southern District of Florida.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.

Private sector organizations can report any suspicious activities and threats to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), visiting www.tips.fbi.gov or contacting their local FBI field office.

If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov. If you have information about ALPHV/BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program. Information can also be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required):

he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20065.

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MIAMI – Today, Joseph E. diGenova was sworn in as Counselor to the Attorney General, assuming a senior advisory role within the U.S. Department of Justice.

In this capacity, diGenova will advise the Attorney General on significant legal, policy, and enforcement matters, drawing on decades of experience in federal prosecution, complex investigations, and national legal practice.

“Joe diGenova brings a lifetime of experience, judgment, and proven leadership to this role,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “He understands the mission of the Department of Justice and the responsibility we carry to enforce the law fairly, protect the American people, and uphold the Constitution. I am confident he will serve with distinction.”

diGenova has served in some of the most demanding legal roles in government and private practice. From 1983 to 1988, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, where he led one of the largest and most complex prosecutorial offices in the country. During his tenure, he supervised major public corruption, national security, and violent crime prosecutions, earning a reputation for disciplined, results-driven leadership.

Following his government service, diGenova built a distinguished career in private practice, representing clients in high-stakes criminal, civil, and congressional investigations. He has also been a frequent legal commentator and advisor on matters involving federal law enforcement and constitutional issues.

diGenova received his undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati and his law degree from Georgetown University.

As Counselor to the Attorney General, diGenova will support the Department’s mission: to protect Americans, enforce the rule of law, and ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice.

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A Florida man, formerly employed as a ransomware negotiator, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit ransomware attacks against U.S. companies in 2023.

According to court documents, Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, Florida, collaborated with the operators of the Blackcat/ALPHV (“BlackCat”) ransomware variant used by cybercriminals to attack and extort institutions and companies. Beginning in April 2023, Martino abused his role at a U.S.-based cyber incident response company to assist BlackCat actors. Working as a negotiator on behalf of five different ransomware victims, Martino provided BlackCat attackers with confidential information about the negotiating position and strategy of his company’s clients without the clients’ or his employer’s knowledge or permission. This confidential information assisted the ransomware actors and maximized the ransoms that the victims were required to pay. The confidential information included the victims’ insurance policy limits and internal negotiation positions. The BlackCat actors paid Martino for this confidential information.

Additionally, Martino has admitted to conspiring with Ryan Goldberg of Georgia and Kevin Martin of Texas to successfully deploy BlackCat ransomware between April 2023 and November 2023 against multiple victims located throughout the United States. All three men worked in the cybersecurity industry and leveraged their knowledge and skills to commit these crimes. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their share of the ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means.

To date, law enforcement has seized $10 million of assets from Martino, including digital currency, vehicles, a food truck, and a luxury fishing boat that Martino obtained using proceeds of the offense or acquired as a result of the offense.

“Angelo Martino’s clients trusted him to respond to ransomware threats and help thwart and remedy them on behalf of victims,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Instead, he betrayed them and began launching ransomware attacks himself by assisting cyber criminals and harming victims, his own employer, and the cyber incident response industry itself.”

“Ransomware victims turned to this defendant for help, and he sold them out from the inside,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As he admitted in court, he abused his position at a cyber incident response company to feed confidential information to BlackCat actors, helping them maximize ransom payments from American victims. He then went further, joining the conspiracy himself to deploy ransomware and profit from extortion. This guilty plea makes clear that if you weaponize insider access and cybersecurity expertise against victims in South Florida or anywhere in this country, you will be prosecuted. And as the seizure of more than $10 million in assets shows, you will not get to keep the proceeds of your crime.”

“The FBI works every day to dismantle the ransomware ecosystem,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “That includes apprehending key facilitators like Angelo Martino, who abused the trust placed in him as a private sector negotiator by collaborating with ransomware criminals. Martino provided BlackCat ransomware actors with confidential information to maximize ransom payments. He also conspired with other U.S. residents to launch attacks on victims across the country. His guilty plea demonstrates that, for all the international aspects of cybercrime, the threat is also here in the United States. The FBI is proud of the close collaboration with partners that led to this outcome.”

Martino pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Martin and Goldberg separately entered guilty pleas to the same charge in December 2025. Martin and Goldberg are scheduled to be sentenced on April 30 and each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt BlackCat ransomware, during which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by the BlackCat ransomware actors.

The FBI’s Miami field office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.

Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer for the Middle District of Florida and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx P. Calderón of the Southern District of Florida.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. 

Private sector organizations can report any suspicious activities and threats to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), visiting www.tips.fbi.gov or contacting their local FBI field office.

If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov.

If you have information about ALPHV/BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program. Information can also be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required): he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.

MIAMI – A Florida nursing assistant was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison and two years of supervised release for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need. Cruz was also ordered to pay $3,712,345.70 in restitution and $724,871 in forfeiture.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christian “Chris” Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, Florida, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.

Cruz and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces. Cruz lied to Medicare, claiming that he was the sole owner and operator of the company, when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator. The co-conspirator has been charged but remains at large.

Cruz received several hundred thousand dollars to his personal bank account from the fraudulent scheme that he frequently withdrew in cash on consecutive days at different bank branches in South Florida, often in amounts just under the bank reporting threshold of $10,000.

“Medical professionals have a trusted role in American society, and when they betray that trust and engage in fraud, the Justice Department will hold them fully accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division.

“This was a deliberate health care fraud scheme built on lies, bribes, and abuse of the Medicare system,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant helped obtain signed doctors’ orders through illegal kickbacks, shipped braces people did not need, and then billed the government for more than $11.4 million in fraudulent claims. He also concealed the true ownership of the company and structured cash withdrawals to hide the proceeds. Yesterday’s sentence of nine years, along with restitution and financial penalties, sends a simple message: fraud does not pay. If you steal from Medicare, you will go to prison and you will be made to pay that money back.”

“By misusing Medicare beneficiaries’ information to enrich himself, this defendant betrayed the trust placed in health care providers,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “This sentence demonstrates how the strength of HHS-OIG partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies allows us to successfully detect and disrupt such complex health care fraud schemes and reinforces that those who attempt to exploit federal health care programs will face serious consequences.”

After a six-day trial in January 2026, a federal jury convicted Cruz of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters and three counts of structuring.

FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling Paulson for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

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A Florida nursing assistant was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison and two years of supervised release for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need. Cruz was also ordered to pay $3,712,345.70 in restitution and $724,871 in forfeiture.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christian “Chris” Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, Florida, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.

Cruz and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces. Cruz lied to Medicare, claiming that he was the sole owner and operator of the company, when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator. The co-conspirator has been charged but remains at large.

Cruz received several hundred thousand dollars to his personal bank account from the fraudulent scheme that he frequently withdrew in cash on consecutive days at different bank branches in South Florida, often in amounts just under the bank reporting threshold of $10,000.

“Medical professionals have a trusted role in American society, and when they betray that trust and engage in fraud, the Justice Department will hold them fully accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. 

“This was a deliberate health care fraud scheme built on lies, bribes, and abuse of the Medicare system,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant helped obtain signed doctors’ orders through illegal kickbacks, shipped braces people did not need, and then billed the government for more than $11.4 million in fraudulent claims. He also concealed the true ownership of the company and structured cash withdrawals to hide the proceeds. Yesterday’s sentence of nine years, along with restitution and financial penalties, sends a simple message: fraud does not pay. If you steal from Medicare, you will go to prison and you will be made to pay that money back.”

“By misusing Medicare beneficiaries’ information to enrich himself, this defendant betrayed the trust placed in health care providers,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “This sentence demonstrates how the strength of HHS-OIG partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies allows us to successfully detect and disrupt such complex health care fraud schemes and reinforces that those who attempt to exploit federal health care programs will face serious consequences.”

After a six-day trial in January 2026, a federal jury convicted Cruz of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters and three counts of structuring.

FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling Paulson for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

Note: Read the full settlement here.

The Justice Department today announced that ADT LLC doing business as ADT Security Services, the nation’s largest home security services company, will pay over $1.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing unlawful charges on at least 3,400 servicemembers who terminated their home security services contracts after receiving military relocation orders.

“Members of our Armed Forces dutifully respond to the defense needs of our Nation, sometimes with very little notice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to ensuring that our servicemembers’ rights are protected so that they can focus on their military mission.”

“Servicemembers should not have to fight companies at home while they are serving our country abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As a career military officer with over 23 years of service, I know firsthand that orders can come with little notice and require immediate action. The law is clear — when servicemembers receive relocation orders, they have the right to terminate contracts without penalty beyond the current billing period. This settlement returns over $1.3 million to affected servicemembers and ensures that companies understand those protections are not optional. We will continue to enforce the law and protect those who protect us.”

The Department alleges that ADT illegally imposed a 30-day notice requirement on servicemembers who terminated their home security contracts. The Department maintains that ADT’s 30-day notice policy violated the SCRA, which allows servicemembers to terminate certain consumer contracts any time after receiving military orders to relocate to a location that does not support the contract. When a servicemember terminates a contract under the SCRA, companies cannot charge any fees beyond the current billing period.

Under the settlement, ADT will pay up to $1,260,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers. ADT will also be required to pay a $79,380 civil penalty, which is the maximum penalty for a first violation of the SCRA, and make policy and training changes to avoid committing future violations.

The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $488 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.

Note: Read the full settlement here.

MIAMI – The Justice Department today announced that ADT LLC doing business as ADT Security Services, the nation’s largest home security services company, will pay over $1.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing unlawful charges on at least 3,400 servicemembers who terminated their home security services contracts after receiving military relocation orders.

“Members of our Armed Forces dutifully respond to the defense needs of our Nation, sometimes with very little notice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to ensuring that our servicemembers’ rights are protected so that they can focus on their military mission.”

“Servicemembers should not have to fight companies at home while they are serving our country abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As a career military officer with over 23 years of service, I know firsthand that orders can come with little notice and require immediate action. The law is clear — when servicemembers receive relocation orders, they have the right to terminate contracts without penalty beyond the current billing period. This settlement returns over $1.3 million to affected servicemembers and ensures that companies understand those protections are not optional. We will continue to enforce the law and protect those who protect us.”

The Department alleges that ADT illegally imposed a 30-day notice requirement on servicemembers who terminated their home security contracts. The Department maintains that ADT’s 30-day notice policy violated the SCRA, which allows servicemembers to terminate certain consumer contracts any time after receiving military orders to relocate to a location that does not support the contract. When a servicemember terminates a contract under the SCRA, companies cannot charge any fees beyond the current billing period.

Under the settlement, ADT will pay up to $1,260,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers. ADT will also be required to pay a $79,380 civil penalty, which is the maximum penalty for a first violation of the SCRA, and make policy and training changes to avoid committing future violations.

The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $488 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.

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MIAMI – A 16-year-old has been indicted as an adult by a federal grand jury on charges of murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the killing of his stepsister.

According to court records, T.H., 16, of Titusville, was traveling aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Horizon with Anna Kepner and other family members on or about Nov. 6-7, 2025. During that time, while the ship was in international waters en route to Miami, T.H. allegedly sexually assaulted and intentionally killed Kepner.  The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office later determined the cause of death to be mechanical asphyxiation.

“Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this unimaginable loss,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging serious offenses that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters. We will present the evidence in court and pursue this case with professionalism and care. As in every case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

T.H. was initially charged as a juvenile by information on Feb. 2. The case remained sealed until U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom ordered it transferred for adult prosecution.

T.H. is charged with murder in the first degree and aggravated sexual abuse.  If convicted, Defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Miami is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra L. López is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20031.

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MIAMI – A Hallandale woman and California man have been sentenced to 230 months and 330 months in prison, respectively, for the 2022 killing of a man in relation to a drug trafficking conspiracy. Both defendants had pleaded guilty to using a firearm to cause death and conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Tsvia Kol, 37, of Hallandale, and Jimmy Sanchez, 38, of Spring Valley, California, murdered a Miami man in connection with a missing package containing about 11 pounds of methamphetamine, the street value of which totaled approximately $90,000. Kol and Sanchez believed that the victim stole the package of drugs, but in fact the drugs had been seized by law enforcement.

Kol and Sanchez confronted the victim in a hotel room that they had rented, and Kol provided Sanchez with a firearm. While inside the room, the victim called 911 and attempted to provide his location. The recorded 911 call captured the sounds of a physical altercation and gunshots.

Hotel security footage revealed Kol and Sanchez fleeing the property after the shooting, and the victim’s body was not discovered in the hotel room until the day after. Sanchez admitted that he shot and murdered the victim and Kol admitted that she had been an accomplice.

“Suspecting that the victim had stolen drugs from them, these defendants committed an execution-style murder,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The drug business is a dangerous game that too often results in death. The Criminal Division will continue to prosecute drugs crimes, especially those involving violence.”

“This started as a drug deal gone wrong and ended in an execution,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendants armed themselves, set up the victim, and carried out a killing over a missing drug package that had already been seized by law enforcement. The prison sentences, over 19 years and over 27 years, reflect the seriousness of that violence. As a career prosecutor and former trial judge, I’ve seen how often drug trafficking turns deadly. In South Florida, we pursue long federal sentences that keep violent criminals off the streets and protect our community.”

“These defendants ruthlessly murdered someone whom they thought had stolen from their own illegal drug trafficking network. Today their sentence ends this cycle of violence,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “The FBI, with our federal, state and local partners work around the clock to ensure these destructive criminals with no regard for a human life are found and held accountable with the goal of making our communities safer and free from drug-related crimes like this.”

“Drug trafficking and violence unfortunately go hand-in-hand,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division. “DEA Miami Agents are working tirelessly to bring justice and safety to our community.”

“In this case the defendants decided the contents of a package were worth more than the victim’s life. It’s a decision they will pay for,” said U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division. “The Postal Inspection Service works tirelessly to eliminate narcotics from our postal system, working with our federal, state, and local partners to make sure those who profit from violence, drug sales, and the abuse of the postal system feel the full weight of the law.”

In January 2026, Kol and Sanchez each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and causing the death of a person during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense.

The DEA, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Miami Dade Sherriff’s Office, the Hialeah Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jessica A. Massey from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and  Racketeering Section prosecuted the case.

This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Miami. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute offenders and prevent violence.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number  24-cr-20264.

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A Florida woman and California man have been sentenced to 230 months and 330 months in prison, respectively, for the 2022 killing of a man in relation to a drug trafficking conspiracy. Both defendants had pleaded guilty to using a firearm to cause death and conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Tsvia Kol, 37, of Hallandale, Florida, and Jimmy Sanchez, 38, of Spring Valley, California, murdered a Miami man (the victim) in connection with a missing package containing about 11 pounds of methamphetamine, the street value of which totaled approximately $90,000. Kol and Sanchez believed that the victim stole the package of drugs, but in fact the drugs had been seized by law enforcement.

Kol and Sanchez confronted the victim in a hotel room that they had rented, and Kol provided Sanchez with a firearm. While inside the room, the victim called 911 and attempted to provide his location. The recorded 911 call captured the sounds of a physical altercation and gunshots.

Hotel security footage revealed Kol and Sanchez fleeing the property after the shooting, and the victim’s body was not discovered in the hotel room until the day after. Sanchez admitted that he shot and murdered the victim and Kol admitted that she had been an accomplice.

“Suspecting that the victim had stolen drugs from them, these defendants committed a callous murder,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The drug business is a dangerous game that results in death, ruined lives, and torn families. The Criminal Division prioritizes prosecuting drug crimes, especially those involving violence.”

“This started as a drug deal gone wrong and ended in an execution,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendants armed themselves, set up the victim, and carried out a killing over a missing drug package that had already been seized by law enforcement. The prison sentences, over 19 years and over 27 years, reflect the seriousness of that violence. As a career prosecutor and former trial judge, I’ve seen how often drug trafficking turns deadly. In South Florida, we pursue long federal sentences that keep violent criminals off the streets and protect our community.”

“These defendants ruthlessly murdered someone whom they thought had stolen from their own illegal drug trafficking network. Today their sentence ends this cycle of violence,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “The FBI, with our federal, state and local partners work around the clock to ensure these destructive criminals with no regard for a human life are found and held accountable with the goal of making our communities safer and free from drug-related crimes like this.”

“Drug trafficking and violence unfortunately go hand-in-hand,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division. “DEA Miami Agents are working tirelessly to bring justice and safety to our community.”

“In this case the defendants decided the contents of a package were worth more than the victim’s life. It’s a decision they will pay for,” said U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division. “The Postal Inspection Service works tirelessly to eliminate narcotics from our postal system, working with our federal, state, and local partners to make sure those who profit from violence, drug sales, and the abuse of the postal system feel the full weight of the law.”

In January 2026, Kol and Sanchez each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and using a firearm to cause death during a drug trafficking offense.

The DEA, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Miami Dade Sherriff’s Office, the Hialeah Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.

Trial Attorney Jessica A. Massey from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Miami. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute offenders and prevent violence.

MIAMI – Jasen Butler, 38, of Jupiter, was sentenced today in West Palm Beach to 60 months in prison and criminal forfeiture by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks. In January, a jury convicted Butler of 34 counts of wire fraud, forgery, and money laundering.

According to the evidence at trial, Butler, the owner of Independent Marine Oil Services LLC, corrupted the competitive bidding process for military fuel contracts and submitted dozens of falsified documents such as wire transfer memos and invoices to multiple U.S. warships between August 2022 and January 2024. These ships were attempting to purchase fuel in international ports in Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Croatia to defend strategic American interests around the globe. Butler received over $4.5 million dollars in payments for phony expenses that Butler had not incurred.

After Butler came under scrutiny by Navy officials, he continued his scheme by concealing his identity from government officials. Butler adopted a false name and feigned employment by a fictitious fuel division of a different company. Butler used the millions in the proceeds of his crimes to personally enrich himself and purchase multiple multi-million-dollar properties in Florida and Colorado. Judge Middlebrooks has entered a preliminary order of forfeiture for those properties.

“The defendant stole millions of dollars from our military with a fake job, fake identity, and fake invoices,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This administration takes defrauding the American military seriously with a prison sentence reflecting the seriousness of the crime.”

“The Defendant made his choice: to rip off the federal government and the Navy to line his own pockets. The Justice Department made its choice: to pursue maximum incarceration for the Defendant. In response, Judge Middlebrooks rightly ordered the Defendant imprisoned for 5 years,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and its wonderful staff have zero tolerance for those who seek to corrupt competition.”

“This sentence reflects the seriousness of what the evidence at trial showed: a calculated scheme that targeted the U.S. military for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant submitted false documents, stole millions in taxpayer funds, and then tried to hide behind a fake identity when scrutiny began. When you defraud our armed forces, you are not just committing fraud, you are undermining operations that protect this country. That conduct will be investigated, prosecuted, and punished.”

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message:  those who defraud the U.S. military will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Josh Packer, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “CGIS will continue to work with our investigative partners and the Department of Justice to identify, investigate, and hold those accountable who exploit government systems for personal gain.”

“This outcome reinforces DCIS’s commitment to safeguarding DoD resources and ensuring taxpayer funds are available for their intended purpose: supporting the readiness and effectiveness of the warfighter,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “This scheme stole millions from the American taxpayer and threatened to undermine a program essential for our global military operations. DCIS, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue and hold accountable those who seek to defraud our military and exploit systems designed to support our nation's warfighters.”

“The sentencing of Jasen Butler sends the unequivocal message that the Department of the Navy has zero tolerance for fraud within its procurement systems,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “The SEA Card program is indispensable to the U.S. Navy's global readiness. NCIS, along with our federal partners, are committed to aggressively dismantling any criminal enterprise that attempts to exploit systems designed to enable U.S. warfighting capabilities around the globe.”

The case was prosecuted by the Department of Justice Antitrust Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. The case was investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service, as a part of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force.

The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-80093.

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Jasen Butler, 38, of Jupiter, Florida was sentenced today in West Palm Beach to 60 months in prison and criminal forfeiture by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks. In January, a jury convicted Butler of 34 counts of wire fraud, forgery, and money laundering.

According to the evidence at trial, Butler, the owner of Independent Marine Oil Services LLC, corrupted the competitive bidding process for military fuel contracts and submitted dozens of falsified documents such as wire transfer memos and invoices to multiple U.S. warships between August 2022 and January 2024. These ships were attempting to purchase fuel in international ports in Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Croatia to defend strategic American interests around the globe. Butler received over $4.5 million dollars in payments for phony expenses that Butler had not incurred.

After Butler came under scrutiny by Navy officials, he continued his scheme by concealing his identity from government officials. Butler adopted a false name and feigned employment by a fictitious fuel division of a different company. Butler used the millions in the proceeds of his crimes to personally enrich himself and purchase multiple multi-million-dollar properties in Florida and Colorado. Judge Middlebrooks has entered a preliminary order of forfeiture for those properties.

“The defendant stole millions of dollars from our military with a fake job, fake identity, and fake invoices,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This administration takes defrauding the American military seriously with a prison sentence reflecting the seriousness of the crime.”

“The Defendant made his choice: to rip off the federal government and the Navy to line his own pockets. The Justice Department made its choice: to pursue maximum incarceration for the Defendant. In response, Judge Middlebrooks rightly ordered the Defendant imprisoned for 5 years,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and its wonderful staff have zero tolerance for those who seek to corrupt competition.”

“This sentence reflects the seriousness of what the evidence at trial showed: a calculated scheme that targeted the U.S. military for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant submitted false documents, stole millions in taxpayer funds, and then tried to hide behind a fake identity when scrutiny began. When you defraud our armed forces, you are not just committing fraud, you are undermining operations that protect this country. That conduct will be investigated, prosecuted, and punished.”

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message:  those who defraud the U.S. military will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Josh Packer, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “CGIS will continue to work with our investigative partners and the Department of Justice to identify, investigate, and hold those accountable who exploit government systems for personal gain.”

“This outcome reinforces DCIS’s commitment to safeguarding DoD resources and ensuring taxpayer funds are available for their intended purpose: supporting the readiness and effectiveness of the warfighter,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “This scheme stole millions from the American taxpayer and threatened to undermine a program essential for our global military operations. DCIS, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue and hold accountable those who seek to defraud our military and exploit systems designed to support our nation's warfighters.”

“The sentencing of Jasen Butler sends the unequivocal message that the Department of the Navy has zero tolerance for fraud within its procurement systems,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “The SEA Card program is indispensable to the U.S. Navy's global readiness. NCIS, along with our federal partners, are committed to aggressively dismantling any criminal enterprise that attempts to exploit systems designed to enable U.S. warfighting capabilities around the globe.”

The case was prosecuted by the Department of Justice Antitrust Division and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. The case was investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service, as a part of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force.

The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.

MIAMI – A tugboat captain has been charged with seaman’s manslaughter after operating a barge with obstructed visibility and without a proper lookout, resulting in a fatal collision in Biscayne Bay that killed three children.

“Our hearts are with the families of the children who lost their lives in this tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This information alleges a preventable loss of life on our waterways, including the failure to follow basic maritime safety rules and cellphone use during transit at or near the time of the collision. We will present the evidence in court with care and professionalism. As in every case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

According to court records, Yusiel Lopez Insua, 46, of Miami, was piloting a tugboat pushing a barge loaded with construction debris across Biscayne Bay on July 28, 2025. The vessel’s forward view was obstructed by a deckhouse and crane, and no one aboard was assigned as a lookout.

At the same time, a children’s sailing camp was operating nearby. A sailboat carrying one counselor and five children lost wind and stalled in the path of the tugboat and barge. Due to the obstructed visibility, and lack of a lookout, Insua did not see the stalled sailboat before the barge struck it.

A forensic review of Insua’s cellphone revealed internet activity during transit, including at or near the time of the collision.

The counselor and two children escaped after being dragged under the barge. Three children were trapped in the wreckage and drowned.

Insua is charged with seaman’s manslaughter. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Edward L. Songer of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Southeast Region; and Captain Frank J. Florio III of U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Sector Miami, made the announcement.

CGIS, Southeast Region; USCG, Sector Miami; and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are investigating the case.  U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones commends the valiant rescue efforts of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, the Miami Police Department, and the Miami Beach Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Gilfarb and Daniel Rosenfeld, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl, are prosecuting the case.

An information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20122.

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MIAMI – A convicted felon pleaded guilty to orchestrating a years-long real estate investment fraud scheme that raised more than $50 million from investors through false promises about high-value property assets and the use of investor funds.

Jean Joseph, also known as “Jon,” 55, of Boca Raton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. His co-defendant, Janalie Camille Bingham, also known as Janalie Camille Joseph, 44, also of Boca Raton, previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

“These defendants sold the illusion of a $450 million real estate portfolio that simply did not exist,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Instead of investing $50 million as promised, they diverted millions into speculative trading, paid high commissions to keep money flowing, purchased a luxury home for themselves, and used new investor funds to make Ponzi-style payments to earlier investors. That is fraud, plain and simple. In South Florida, if you build a scheme on deception and misuse investor funds, you will be investigated and you will be prosecuted.”

According to court records, Joseph and Bingham formed Wells Real Estate Investment, LLC in or around 2017 and operated the company together, with Bingham serving as the Chief Executive Officer.  Beginning in approximately 2019, Joseph and Bingham concealed Joseph’s involvement in the business after he became a convicted felon.

Despite beginning to serve a prison sentence in June 2020 in an unrelated wire fraud case, Joseph continued to direct aspects of the scheme from prison. Earlier, in October 2019, Joseph and Bingham opened a bank account in the name of Wells Real Estate, with Bingham as the sole authorized signer due to Joseph’s pending criminal prosecution. Joseph nevertheless directed transactions in the account, including while incarcerated.

From approximately 2019 through 2024, Joseph and Bingham solicited investors to purchase promissory notes issued by Wells Real Estate. They falsely represented that investor funds would be used to acquire and improve residential and commercial real estate and that the notes were backed by valuable real estate holdings. In reality, only a small portion of investor funds was used for real estate. Instead, Joseph diverted approximately $28 million into speculative equities trading.

Joseph and Bingham also falsely claimed that the investment notes were secured by a real estate portfolio purportedly worth as much as $450 million. In truth, neither Wells Real Estate nor the defendants owned sufficient real estate assets to secure the investments.

Joseph and Bingham further misled investors by claiming that Wells Real Estate did not pay commissions on note sales. In fact, the company paid up to 15% in commissions, distributing approximately $8 million in investor funds to sales personnel.

To sustain the scheme, the defendants used funds from newer investors to make more than $8 million in Ponzi-style payments to earlier investors, without disclosing the source of those payments.

They also used more than $2 million in investor funds for personal expenses, including a down payment on a $1.95 million home that they used as their primary residence.  Shortly after purchasing the home through a limited liability company, the property was transferred into Bingham’s name.

Joseph and Bingham are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez. Bingham’s sentencing is scheduled for May 8, and Joseph’s sentencing is set for June 4. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Miami is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, which previously brought a civil action against Joseph and Bingham.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli S. Rubin and Roger Cruz are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20483.

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MIAMI – A Uruguayan man pleaded guilty yesterday to agreeing to use an unlicensed money services business to circumvent U.S. sanctions relating to Venezuela by transferring approximately $100,000 from the Dominican Republic into a U.S. bank account.

According to court documents, Irazmar Carbajal De Jesus, 60, agreed to transfer approximately $99,500 delivered in cash in the Dominican Republic to a specified bank account in Ft. Lauderdale.  Law enforcement agents advised Carbajal De Jesus’s partner that the funds were from a sanctioned person from the Venezuelan government who needed help moving them to the U.S.

“This defendant agreed to move money tied to a sanctioned Venezuelan official into the United States, using coded language, fake invoices, and layered transactions to try to hide what was really happening,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Sanctions are not symbolic. They are a critical national security tool, and anyone who tries to evade them by exploiting our financial system will be identified and prosecuted. Our Office will continue to protect the integrity of U.S. banks and hold accountable those who attempt to turn them into conduits for illicit funds.”

Carbajal De Jesus and his partner advised that the fee would be 20 percent for this service, which included creating fake invoices to justify the transactions to the banks and the use of several accounts to transmit the funds. Carbajal De Jesus referred to the funds in coded language, identifying them as a “boy who needs to be taken to school.”   

Carbajal De Jesus pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

The FBI International Corruption Unit in Miami investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Barbara Levy of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case.

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 International Unit investigates and prosecutes cross-border money laundering schemes involving transnational criminal organizations, cartels, foreign official corruption and related money laundering affecting the U.S. financial system and prosecutes criminal cases and civil forfeiture matters to recover the proceeds of those crimes.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number  25-cr-20426.

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MIAMI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida recently hosted its inaugural Federal Prosecutor Leadership Academy, a two-day program designed to introduce high school students to the mission and work of the Department of Justice and inspire the next generation of public servants.

The inaugural class included 33 students representing 10 high schools across Miami-Dade County. Throughout the program, students engaged directly with federal prosecutors, law enforcement agents, and members of the judiciary to gain a comprehensive understanding of the federal criminal justice system.

“This program is about access and mentorship at an early stage,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “For many of these students, this was their first real interaction with federal prosecutors, law enforcement agents, and judges. That kind of exposure matters. When young people can engage directly with professionals in public service, it turns something distant into something possible. Early access like this can shape the trajectory of a student’s life and give them a clearer understanding of how they can one day serve. As a career prosecutor and former state trial judge, I’ve seen in my own development how mentorship opens doors and helps build the next generation of public servants.”

Over the course of two days, students participated in a series of interactive panels and presentations led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys and federal law enforcement partners, including representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Secret Service, and the City of Doral Police Department.

Programming included:

• An introduction to the Department of Justice and the structure of the U.S. Attorney’s Office

• Roundtable discussions with Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Civil Division, General Crimes Section, Violent Crime and Special Victims Section, and Economic Crimes Section

• A panel on pathways to becoming a federal prosecutor

• A presentation on the “nuts and bolts” of a criminal investigation

• A law enforcement panel highlighting interagency collaboration in federal cases

• A guided office tour and a visit with a U.S. Magistrate Judge

Building on the success of the inaugural program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will host a second session of the Federal Prosecutor Leadership Academy on April 6-7, which will welcome students from private high schools across Miami-Dade County.

The Federal Prosecutor Leadership Academy is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s broader community outreach efforts aimed at strengthening public trust and building a pipeline of diverse future leaders in the justice system.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office looks forward to continuing the program in the years ahead.

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A Uruguayan man pleaded guilty today to agreeing to use an unlicensed money services business to circumvent U.S. sanctions relating to Venezuela by transferring nearly $100,000 from the Dominican Republic into a U.S. bank account.

According to court documents, Irazmar Carbajal De Jesus, 60, agreed to transfer approximately $99,500 delivered in cash in the Dominican Republic to a specified bank account in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The agents told the defendant’s partner that the funds were from a sanctioned person from the Venezuela government who needed help moving them to the United States.

Carbajal and his partner advised that the fee would be 20 percent for this service, which included creating fake invoices to justify the transactions to the banks and the use of several accounts to transmit the funds. Carbajal referred to the funds in coded language, identifying them as a “boy who needs to be taken to school.”   

Carbajal pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Division made the announcement.

The FBI International Corruption Unit in Miami investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Barbara Levy of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

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 International Unit investigates and prosecutes cross-border money laundering schemes involving transnational criminal organizations, cartels, foreign official corruption and related money laundering affecting the U.S. financial system and prosecutes criminal cases and civil forfeiture matters to recover the proceeds of those crimes.

MIAMI – The former Chief Executive Officer of Nodus International Bank (Nodus Bank), a Puerto Rican international bank, pleaded guilty yesterday for leading a scheme to fraudulently obtain at least $24.9 million from Nodus Bank and conspiring to evade U.S. sanctions against Venezuela.

“The defendant abused his position as CEO, turning the bank he managed into his own personal ATM and unlawfully transacting with a sanctioned individual,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant’s crimes undermine the integrity of our financial system, threaten economic prosperity, and harm national security. The Criminal Division will investigate and prosecute fraudsters to protect financial markets and promote safety and prosperity for all Americans.”

“This defendant used his position as CEO to siphon more than $24 million, hide conflicts of interest, and help drive the bank’s collapse,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The scheme also involved efforts to evade U.S. sanctions tied to Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PDVSA. As a career prosecutor and former state trial judge, I’ve learned that following the money reveals the truth. Here, it exposed both fraud and sanctions violations. We will hold accountable anyone who abuses our financial system for personal gain.”

“Corporate titles don’t place anyone above the law,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Executive level fraud has real victims, and yesterday’s outcome is a step toward restoring accountability and confidence in the banking system. IRS Special Agents, alongside our partners, will keep bringing transparency to complex financial crimes and delivering results.”

According to court filings, Tomás Niembro Concha, 64, of Miami, conspired with others to siphon money from Nodus Bank, ultimately leading to the bank’s failure in 2023. Niembro and his co-conspirators concealed from other Nodus Bank board members and executives and the bank’s regulator that certain investments and loans were for the benefit of Niembro and Board Chairman Juan Ramirez, in violation of Puerto Rican law. From 2017 to 2023, Niembro, Ramirez and others caused Nodus Bank to invest $11 million in a Miami-based lender so those funds could be loaned to Niembro and Ramirez for their own benefit. Niembro and his co-conspirators knew that these transactions were illegal and concealed their conduct through the sham investments.

Between January 2018 and September 2021, Niembro and Ramirez also fraudulently induced Nodus Bank’s board and comptroller to agree to buy at least 47 promissory notes totaling approximately $25.3 million from Nodus Finance, a Miami-based company that Niembro and Ramirez jointly owned, so they could use the proceeds of the transactions for themselves.

In early March 2023, Nodus’s regulator, the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions of Puerto Rico (OCIF), notified the bank it would be placed into liquidation. Niembro and Ramirez fraudulently caused Nodus Bank to accept a loan portfolio from Nodus Finance to pay down the debt from the 47 promissory notes.

Moreover, between 2021 and 2023, Niembro conspired with others to conduct prohibited financial transactions with an individual designated as a Specially Designated National (SDN) by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for providing material support to Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA). To satisfy an outstanding loan of approximately $2.5 million that the SDN’s company had with Nodus Bank prior to the imposition of sanctions, Niembro and the SDN devised a scheme to cause Nodus Bank to foreclose on the SDN’s home in Southampton, NY — for which they obtained OFAC authorization — but separately reached a “private” agreement to induce Nodus Bank to sell the property back to the SDN for $4 million through a front company — a transaction that was strictly prohibited by U.S. sanctions and not otherwise licensed by OFAC.

Niembro pleaded guilty to a two-count Information charging conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Niembro’s sentencing has been scheduled for June 8. As part of his plea agreement, Niembro agreed to forfeit at least $16.9 million, which represents the value of the proceeds he derived from the wire fraud conspiracy.  A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated the case with support from OCIF and the Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture (TEOAF).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Felipe Plechac-Diaz and Trial Attorneys Javier Urbina and Samir Paul of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises of agents and officers from IRS-CI with the prosecution being led by Bank Integrity Unit of the Money Laundering Narcotics and Forfeiture Section of the Department of Justice and by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

MNF’s 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 Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20035.

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The former Chief Executive Officer of Nodus International Bank (Nodus Bank), a Puerto Rican international bank, pleaded guilty yesterday for leading a scheme to fraudulently obtain at least $24.9 million from Nodus Bank and conspiring to evade U.S. sanctions against Venezuela.

“The defendant abused his position as CEO, turning the bank he managed into his own personal ATM and unlawfully transacting with a sanctioned individual,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant’s crimes undermine the integrity of our financial system, threaten economic prosperity, and harm national security. The Criminal Division will investigate and prosecute fraudsters to protect financial markets and promote safety and prosperity for all Americans.”

“This defendant used his position as CEO to siphon more than $24 million, hide conflicts of interest, and help drive the bank’s collapse,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The scheme also involved efforts to evade U.S. sanctions tied to Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PDVSA. As a career prosecutor and former state trial judge, I’ve learned that following the money reveals the truth. Here, it exposed both fraud and sanctions violations. We will hold accountable anyone who abuses our financial system for personal gain.”

“Corporate titles don’t place anyone above the law,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Executive level fraud has real victims, and yesterday’s outcome is a step toward restoring accountability and confidence in the banking system. IRS Special Agents, alongside our partners, will keep bringing transparency to complex financial crimes and delivering results.”

According to court filings, Tomás Niembro Concha, 64, of Miami, Florida, conspired with others to siphon money from Nodus Bank, ultimately leading to the bank’s failure in 2023. Niembro and his co-conspirators concealed from other Nodus Bank board members and executives and the bank’s regulator that certain investments and loans were for the benefit of Niembro and Board Chairman Juan Ramirez, in violation of Puerto Rican law. From 2017 to 2023, Niembro, Ramirez and others caused Nodus Bank to invest $11 million in a Miami-based lender so those funds could be loaned to Niembro and Ramirez for their own benefit. Niembro and his co-conspirators knew that these transactions were illegal and concealed their conduct through the sham investments.

Between January 2018 and September 2021, Niembro and Ramirez also fraudulently induced Nodus Bank’s board and comptroller to agree to buy at least 47 promissory notes totaling approximately $25.3 million from Nodus Finance, a Miami-based company that Niembro and Ramirez jointly owned, so they could use the proceeds of the transactions for themselves.

In early March 2023, Nodus’s regulator, the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions of Puerto Rico (OCIF), notified the bank it would be placed into liquidation. Niembro and Ramirez fraudulently caused Nodus Bank to accept a loan portfolio from Nodus Finance to pay down the debt from the 47 promissory notes.   

Moreover, between 2021 and 2023, Niembro conspired with others to conduct prohibited financial transactions with an individual designated as a Specially Designated National (SDN) by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for providing material support to Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA). To satisfy an outstanding loan of approximately $2.5 million that the SDN’s company had with Nodus Bank prior to the imposition of sanctions, Niembro and the SDN devised a scheme to cause Nodus Bank to foreclose on the SDN’s home in Southampton, NY — for which they obtained OFAC authorization — but separately reached a “private” agreement to induce Nodus Bank to sell the property back to the SDN for $4 million through a front company — a transaction that was strictly prohibited by U.S. sanctions and not otherwise licensed by OFAC.

Niembro pleaded guilty to a two-count Information charging conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Niembro’s sentencing has been scheduled for June 8. As part of his plea agreement, Niembro agreed to forfeit at least $16.9 million, which represents the value of the proceeds he derived from the wire fraud conspiracy. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated the case with support from OCIF and the Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture (TEOAF).

Trial Attorneys Javier Urbina and Samir Paul of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Felipe Plechac-Diaz for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises agents and officers from IRS Criminal Investigation with the prosecution being led by Bank Integrity Unit of the Money Laundering Narcotics and Forfeiture Section of the Department of Justice and by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

MNF’s 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 Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.

MIAMI – A Brazilian national was found guilty by a federal jury for his role in a scheme to smuggle firearm parts capable of being assembled into fully automatic assault rifles from the U.S. to Brazil.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Victor Waldeck Oliveira Iglesias, 31, conspired with co-defendant Alvaro Teixeira, 50, to smuggle eight sets of HK firearm parts to Brazil. The co-defendants planned to conceal the illegal gun parts inside shipments that were otherwise legally licensed for export. Evidence at trial showed that Iglesias and Teixeira intended to smuggle many more firearm parts kit if the scheme had succeeded.

“This case involved an effort to secretly move machine gun components out of the United States and into the international black market,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The evidence at trial showed that the defendants planned to conceal these parts inside legitimate export shipments and send them overseas, where they could be assembled into fully automatic firearms. Thanks to the work of ATF agents and our law enforcement partners, this scheme was stopped before those weapons reached the streets.”

Law enforcement agents later executed a search warrant at Iglesias’s apartment and discovered eight HK gun kits in a large box prepared for shipment. Agents arrested Iglesias at that time. After Iglesias’s arrest, Teixeira delivered 10 additional firearm parts kits to an individual he believed was a buyer in the parking lot of Dolphin Mall.

The jury convicted Iglesias of one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the U.S. and one count of attempt to smuggle goods from the U.S. He faces up to 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count and up to 10 years on the attempted smuggling count. U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams will sentence Iglesias on May 4, after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Teixeira was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison on March 10 after pleading guilty to the same charges.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.

The ATF Miami Field Office is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Almas Abdulla, Christian Harris, and Joseph Mahoney are prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number  25-cr-20161.

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MIAMI – Four illegal aliens were charged by federal complaint for their roles in an alien smuggling venture that led to a high-speed maritime pursuit off the coast of Miami-Dade County, during which law enforcement was forced to disable the vessel to stop it.

According to court records, Theron Don Mills, 26, of The Bahamas; Oswaldo Sisa Heredia, 39, of Ecuador; and Joel Perez-Matos, 41, and Pablo Antonio Alvarez Rodriguez, 33, both of the Dominican Republic, made their initial appearance on Monday after attempting to evade law enforcement in a vessel carrying multiple undocumented migrants heading towards the U.S.

The suspect vessel, operated by Mills, was initially detected approximately 21 miles east of Miami-Dade County and traveling west toward shore. On March 11, just before midnight, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) law enforcement vessel located the boat approximately two miles from shore.

When law enforcement approached, the vessel fled. Despite law enforcement activating lights and sirens, the vessel continued to evade authorities. After the vessel failed to stop, agents first discharged warning rounds. When that did not work, disabling rounds were discharged into the engine, ultimately bringing the vessel to a halt.

Law enforcement identified 15 aliens onboard the small center-console vessel. All were transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter WILLIAM FORES for biometric screening and records checks.

Those checks revealed that Mills, Sisa Heredia, Perez-Matos, and Alvarez Rodriguez had previously been deported from the U.S.

All four Defendants are charged with illegal re-entry of a deported alien.   Mills is also charged with encouraging and inducing aliens to enter the U.S., based on his role as the vessel’s operator. If convicted, Mills faces up to five years in prison on the inducement charge, and each defendant faces up to two years in prison on the illegal reentry charges.

The remaining 11 aliens were not charged and were repatriated to The Bahamas.

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

HSI Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from CBP AMO and the USCG.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case.

An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-mj-2508.

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MIAMI – An Arizona man was sentenced Thursday in Fort Pierce to 40 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a minor online and traveling to Florida, where he sexually abused the victim.

U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon sentenced Joshua Black, 38, to 480 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to production of material involving sexual exploitation of minors and transporting material involving sexual exploitation of minors.

“This defendant used the internet to target a 13-year-old child, manipulate her into sexual exploitation, and preserve those images for his own gratification,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “He then crossed state lines to continue that abuse in person. Production of child sexual abuse material is among the most serious crimes we prosecute because it permanently records a child’s victimization. Forty years in federal prison ensures accountability and protects other children from future harm.”

According to court records, Black sexually abused a minor victim between 2023 to 2025, when she was between 13 and 15 years old. During that time, Black took screenshots of the victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct during a video call with him. Black later transported those images to Indian River County, where he traveled to meet the victim and engage in sexual activity with her at a Vero Beach hotel.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Miami, Fort Pierce Resident Agency, investigated the case, with assistance from the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Kahn Obenauf and Justin Hoover prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Anyone with information relating to child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-14016.

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MIAMI – A Tennessee man was convicted by a federal jury on Feb. 24 of attempting to sex traffic a minor living in Colombia and attempting to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) involving the victim.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Ramon Arellano Sandoval, 65, of Antioch, Tennessee, exchanged thousands of text and video messages with a female victim living in rural Colombia who was only 14 years old at the time. Despite knowing the victim was underage, Sandoval repeatedly solicited sexually explicit videos from her and directed her to produce CSAM, often in exchange for electronic payments. Sandoval also traveled to Colombia to engage in commercial sex with the minor victim.    

“The jury’s verdict delivered justice for a 14-year-old victim who was targeted and exploited by a 65-year-old man who knew exactly what he was doing,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The evidence showed that this defendant pressured a child to create sexually explicit videos and even traveled overseas to abuse her. That conduct is predatory, criminal, and intolerable. The Southern District of Florida will continue working with our federal partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute anyone who seeks to exploit children online or anywhere else.”

The jury found Sandoval guilty of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and attempted production of visual depictions of the sexual exploitation of a minor. He faces up to life in federal prison for attempted sex trafficking and up to 30 years for attempted production. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.

HSI Miami is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tim Farina and Camille Smith are prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20519.

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MIAMI – A former Fort Lauderdale tennis coach has been sentenced to 240 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to coercing and enticing two minors to engage in sexual activity.

U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian imposed the sentence on Daniel James Riggs, 33, on Thursday.

“Children and parents trust coaches with more than athletic instruction. They trust them with safety, guidance, and character,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant abused that trust in the most disturbing way imaginable, using his position to groom and sexually exploit the very students he was supposed to mentor. Twenty years in federal prison reflects the seriousness of that betrayal. The Southern District of Florida will continue to pursue predators who target children and ensure they face the full weight of the law.”

According to court records, Riggs worked as a tennis coach for Team Riggs at a Fort Lauderdale tennis center, where both minor victims were his students. Riggs used multiple social media accounts to communicate with the victims and engage them in sexually explicit conversations. Law enforcement identified several social media accounts used by Riggs through subscriber and billing records. The offense conduct occurred from approximately 2021 through Riggs’ arrest in late 2024.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Miami investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Smith prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60038.

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MIAMI – A Haitian-born fraudster has been stripped of his U.S. citizenship after defrauding COVID-19 relief programs of millions of dollars and concealing his criminal conduct during the naturalization process.

U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith entered an order revoking the citizenship of Joff Stenn Wroy Philossaint, 25, of Fort Lauderdale, after determining that Philossaint illegally procured his citizenship by making false statements to immigration officials.

“United States citizenship is one of the greatest privileges our nation can offer, and it must be earned honestly,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant built his path to citizenship on false statements while stealing millions from programs meant to keep small businesses alive during the pandemic. The court’s order revoking his citizenship restores accountability and reinforces a simple principle: if you lie to obtain immigration benefits and commit federal crimes, you will lose what you unlawfully gained.”

Between April 2020 and May 2021, Philossaint fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief funds through companies he owned or controlled and by preparing loan applications for others in exchange for kickbacks. The applications contained materially false representations about the applicants’ revenues and payroll.

In total, Philossaint and his co-conspirators prepared and submitted 40 fraudulent loan applications, obtaining approximately $3.8 million in loan proceeds. Philossaint personally received approximately $549,000 through the scheme in the form of loan proceeds and kickbacks.

Before beginning the scheme, Philossaint applied for U.S. citizenship in February 2020. During a sworn naturalization interview on Dec. 15, 2020, Philossaint concealed his involvement in the fraud scheme and falsely denied committing crimes or making misrepresentations to obtain public benefits in the U.S. These false statements allowed Philossaint to unlawfully obtain U.S. citizenship on Feb. 9, 2021.

On Sept. 8, 2022, Philossaint was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of conspiracy to launder money, and unlawful procurement of citizenship. Philossaint later pleaded guilty to the three conspiracy charges, and a jury found him guilty of obtaining citizenship contrary to law.

On June 26, 2023, Philossaint was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison. On Feb. 23, the court granted a motion filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and entered an order revoking Philossaint’s U.S. citizenship.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Acting Special Agent in Charge, Jason Xerri , U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Eastern Region; Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.

SBA OIG, Investigations Division’s Eastern Region; USSS Miami; FBI Miami; IRS-CI, Florida Field Office; and HSI Miami investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Osborne and Shannon O’Shea Darsch prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-60161.

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MIAMI – Two owners of a pharmaceutical wholesale company were sentenced Friday to a total of 38 years in prison for orchestrating a complex, nationwide drug diversion scheme that harmed vulnerable HIV-positive patients, placed countless others at risk, and corrupted the supply chain for prescription drugs in the United States.

“Patrick and Charles Boyd did not just commit fraud and cost taxpayers millions of dollars, they preyed upon some of the most vulnerable members of our society: HIV patients who depend on life-saving treatments to manage their disease,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Fraud schemes like this one undermine the integrity of our supply chain for necessary prescription drugs. These defendants will rightly spend years in prison for their reprehensible conduct, which took advantage of people for illicit profit. This case is another example of how the Criminal Division, our United States Attorney partner in the Southern District of Florida, and law enforcement will pursue and seek convictions of those who defraud our systems, endanger our citizens, and seek to line their pockets with fraud proceeds.”

“These defendants treated life-saving HIV medication like street contraband,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They bought drugs off the street from black-market suppliers, shipped them in dirty boxes and discarded packaging, falsified paperwork, and pushed those medications back into the legitimate pharmaceutical supply chain. The consequences were real. HIV patients received bottles containing the wrong drugs, and at least one patient lost consciousness after ingesting medication that should never have been in that bottle. As a former military prosecutor, federal prosecutor, and trial judge, I have seen how greed can drive dangerous schemes. When criminals gamble with patient safety for profit, federal prison is the result.”

“Friday’s sentence underscores the extreme danger these defendants created,” 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). “They took life‑threatening actions that showed an alarming disregard for human life in service of nothing more than a payday. Their criminal scheme endangered vulnerable patients, put entire communities at risk, and undermined the integrity of Medicare and Medicaid. HHS‑OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners — and using every tool in our arsenal — to pursue and dismantle illegal black‑market rings that seek to corrupt the nation’s drug supply and exploit taxpayer‑funded health care programs.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, brothers Patrick Boyd, 47, and Charles Boyd, 43, of Easton, Maryland, founded and owned Safe Chain Solutions, a wholesale distributor of pharmaceutical medications located in Maryland. Charles Boyd was the CEO, while Patrick Boyd was a Managing Partner who oversaw the company’s sales division.  The evidence presented at trial showed that Patrick and Charles Boyd conspired with at least five black-market suppliers to purchase HIV drugs obtained through patient “buyback schemes” at steep discounts. One of their suppliers testified at trial that he purchased HIV drugs from patients on the street, removed the original prescription labels, and packaged the bottles in cardboard boxes — sometimes scavenged from trash on pick-up days — before shipping them to the defendants. On one occasion, this supplier used a diaper box he found on the street to ship the drugs. Many of these bottles were dirty, unsealed, and showed obvious signs they had previously been dispensed, such as the two depicted below:

Trial evidence showed that pharmacies complained to Safe Chain Solutions about their illicit conduct. For example, pharmacies reported to Safe Chain Solutions that they received bottles with entirely different drugs in them as early as August 2020.

In another documented complaint, one of their pharmacy customers sent the defendants a photo of the condition in which he received HIV drugs from them:

The customer informed Patrick and Charles Boyd that these bottles of HIV drugs did not meet “safety standards . . . and may present risk for our patients” and returned the drugs.

Evidence admitted at trial included an article shared between the defendants discussing these serious risks, just days before the customer complained. According to the article, “The schemes hurt individuals with HIV, cost taxpayers millions of dollars and drive up the viral load in communities, exposing others to the illness and spoiling the city and state’s mission to drive the number of new HIV diagnoses to zero.”

Despite these early complaints, Patrick and Charles Boyd continued buying cheap, diverted HIV drugs from the same black-market suppliers for many months, and continued selling the drugs to pharmacies along with falsified paperwork designed to fool their customers and regulatory agencies.

A patient who received a bottle of prescribed HIV medication sold to a pharmacy by the defendants testified at trial that Seroquel, an anti-psychotic drug, was actually in his bottle. He testified that he unwittingly ingested the Seroquel and lost consciousness for 24 hours. Evidence at trial established that missing even a single dose of HIV medication can increase a patient’s viral load and heighten community transmission risk in areas with high HIV infection rates. There was at least one additional documented complaint where another HIV patient unwittingly ingested a different drug that was in his bottle.

The trial evidence established the many elaborate steps Patrick and Charles Boyd took to conceal their criminal conduct from detection. They worked with the black-market suppliers behind the back of their own Director of Compliance, who testified that she repeatedly raised concerns throughout the conspiracy but was ignored. They also enlisted attorneys as part of their cover-up. One of those attorneys testified at trial, describing how the Boyd brothers concealed and misrepresented material information while seeking legal advice about pharmacy complaints and reporting obligations to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the evidence, the defendants failed to report numerous incidents to the FDA involving pharmacies that had received incorrect or tampered medications.

Between April 2020 and September 2021, Patrick and Charles Boyd bought and resold more than 28,000 bottles of these black-market HIV drugs. They paid more than $92.8 million for the drugs, which they sold to pharmacies for a profit. Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurers were billed and paid for these illicit drugs.

In October 2025, Patrick and Charles Boyd were convicted at trial of conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce; conspiracy to traffic in medical products with false documentation; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; two counts of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce; and two counts of wire fraud. Patrick Boyd was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Charles Boyd was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In addition to the prison sentences, the defendants were ordered to pay $21,850,000 in forfeiture.

A third defendant, Adam Brosius, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud with the Boyds and was sentenced to 97 months in prison in connection with his role in the scheme.

HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski and Trial Attorney Jacqueline Zee DerOvanesian of the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section, with the assistance of Assistant Chief James V. Hayes of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, prosecuted the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida handled asset forfeiture.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20255.

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Two owners of a pharmaceutical wholesale company were sentenced Friday to a total of 38 years in prison for orchestrating a complex, nationwide drug diversion scheme that harmed vulnerable HIV-positive patients, placed countless others at risk, and corrupted the supply chain for prescription drugs in the United States.

“Patrick and Charles Boyd did not just commit fraud and cost taxpayers millions of dollars, they preyed upon some of the most vulnerable members of our society: HIV patients who depend on life-saving treatments to manage their disease,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Fraud schemes like this one undermine the integrity of our supply chain for necessary prescription drugs. These defendants will rightly spend years in prison for their reprehensible conduct, which took advantage of people for illicit profit. This case is another example of how the Criminal Division, our United States Attorney partner in the Southern District of Florida, and law enforcement will pursue and seek convictions of those who defraud our systems, endanger our citizens, and seek to line their pockets with fraud proceeds.”

“These defendants treated life-saving HIV medication like street contraband,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They bought drugs off the street from black-market suppliers, shipped them in dirty boxes and discarded packaging, falsified paperwork, and pushed those medications back into the legitimate pharmaceutical supply chain. The consequences were real. HIV patients received bottles containing the wrong drugs, and at least one patient lost consciousness after ingesting medication that should never have been in that bottle. As a former military prosecutor, federal prosecutor, and trial judge, I have seen how greed can drive dangerous schemes. When criminals gamble with patient safety for profit, federal prison is the result.”

“Friday’s sentence underscores the extreme danger these defendants created,” 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). “They took life‑threatening actions that showed an alarming disregard for human life in service of nothing more than a payday. Their criminal scheme endangered vulnerable patients, put entire communities at risk, and undermined the integrity of Medicare and Medicaid. HHS‑OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners — and using every tool in our arsenal — to pursue and dismantle illegal black‑market rings that seek to corrupt the nation’s drug supply and exploit taxpayer‑funded health care programs.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, brothers Patrick Boyd, 47, and Charles Boyd, 43, of Easton, Maryland, founded and owned Safe Chain Solutions, a wholesale distributor of pharmaceutical medications located in Maryland. Charles Boyd was the CEO, while Patrick Boyd served as a Managing Partner who oversaw the company’s sales division. The evidence presented at trial showed that Patrick and Charles Boyd conspired with at least five black-market suppliers to purchase HIV drugs obtained through patient “buyback schemes” at steep discounts. One of their suppliers testified at trial that he purchased HIV drugs from patients on the street, removed the original prescription labels, and packaged the bottles in cardboard boxes — sometimes scavenged from trash on pick-up days — before shipping them to the defendants. On one occasion, this supplier used a diaper box he found on the street to ship the drugs. Many of these bottles were dirty, unsealed, and showed obvious signs they had previously been dispensed, such as the two depicted below:

Trial evidence showed that pharmacies complained to Safe Chain Solutions about their illicit conduct. For example, pharmacies reported to Safe Chain Solutions that they received bottles with entirely different drugs in them as early as August 2020.

In another documented complaint, one of their pharmacy customers sent the defendants a photo of the condition in which he received HIV drugs from them: 

The customer informed Patrick and Charles Boyd that these bottles of HIV drugs did not meet “safety standards . . . and may present risk for our patients” and returned the drugs.

Evidence admitted at trial included an article shared between the defendants discussing these serious risks, just days before the customer complained. According to the article, “The schemes hurt individuals with HIV, cost taxpayers millions of dollars and drive up the viral load in communities, exposing others to the illness and spoiling the city and state’s mission to drive the number of new HIV diagnoses to zero.”

Despite these early complaints, Patrick and Charles Boyd continued buying cheap, diverted HIV drugs from the same black-market suppliers for many months, and continued selling the drugs to pharmacies along with falsified paperwork designed to fool their customers and regulatory agencies.

A patient who received a bottle of prescribed HIV medication sold to a pharmacy by the defendants testified at trial that Seroquel, an anti-psychotic drug, was actually in his bottle. He testified that he unwittingly ingested the Seroquel and lost consciousness for 24 hours. Evidence at trial established that missing even a single dose of HIV medication can increase a patient’s viral load and heighten community transmission risk in areas with high HIV infection rates. There was at least one additional documented complaint where another HIV patient unwittingly ingested a different drug that was in his bottle.

The trial evidence also established the many elaborate steps Patrick and Charles Boyd took to conceal their criminal conduct from detection. They worked with the black-market suppliers behind the back of their own Director of Compliance, who testified that she repeatedly raised concerns throughout the conspiracy but was ignored. They also enlisted attorneys as part of their cover-up. One of those attorneys testified at trial, describing how the Boyd brothers concealed and misrepresented material information while seeking legal advice about pharmacy complaints and reporting obligations to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the evidence, the defendants failed to report numerous incidents to the FDA involving pharmacies that had received incorrect or tampered medications.

Between April 2020 and September 2021, Patrick and Charles Boyd bought and resold more than 28,000 bottles of these black-market HIV drugs. They paid more than $92.8 million for the drugs, which they sold to pharmacies for a profit. Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurers were billed and paid for these illicit drugs.

In October 2025, Patrick and Charles Boyd were convicted at trial of conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce; conspiracy to traffic in medical products with false documentation; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; two counts of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce; and two counts of wire fraud. Patrick Boyd was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Charles Boyd was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In addition to the prison sentences, the defendants were ordered to pay $21,850,000 in forfeiture.

A third defendant, Adam Brosius, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud with the Boyds and was sentenced to 97 months in prison in connection with his role in the scheme.

HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacqueline Zee DerOvanesian and Alexander Thor Pogozelski for the Southern District of Florida, with the assistance of Assistant Chief James V. Hayes of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida handled asset forfeiture.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit. 

MIAMI – A Miami man pleaded guilty today to drug-trafficking offenses related to the importation of N-Isopropyl Butylone, a Schedule I drug and synthetic cathinone, from China into the U.S. for distribution in South Florida. 

According to court documents, Terrell Jermaine Williams, 40, conspired with a China-based drug distributor to import controlled substances into the U.S. for distribution in Miami. The conspiracy began in or around 2022 and continued through 2025.

“This defendant worked with a supplier overseas to bring a dangerous synthetic drug into South Florida and profit from its distribution,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Synthetic cathinones—often referred to on the street as ‘bath salts’ or ‘flakka’—are powerful and unpredictable stimulants that pose a serious threat to public safety. Our Office will continue working with the Homeland Security Task Force and our federal, local, and international partners to stop these trafficking pipelines and prevent dangerous narcotics from reaching our communities.”

To facilitate the scheme, Williams communicated with the Chinese distributor through a mobile-based messaging platform. In a message dated Nov. 3, 2023, the distributor encouraged Williams to stock up on the substance before it was banned so he could charge higher prices when it became unavailable to others.

In another conversation in April 2024, the distributor warned Williams, “its election year there , they check more frequently than before, you know firearms and drugs from china.”

The distributor also sent Williams photographs of the controlled substances through the messaging platform.

Information developed during the investigation was shared with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Guangzhou in China. HSI Guangzhou coordinated with Chinese law enforcement authorities, who initiated a parallel investigation. In September 2025, China’s Anti-Smuggling Bureau (ASB) and other regulatory agencies seized approximately 700 kilograms of N-Isopropyl Butylone believed to be destined for the U.S.

At the time of the seizure, N-Isopropyl Butylone was not yet a regulated substance in China. Following the seizure, Chinese authorities determined that the substance had no legitimate use and subsequently placed it under regulatory control, restricting its manufacture.

Williams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import N-Isopropyl Butylone into the U.S. and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute N-Isopropyl Butylone. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of HSI Miami, and Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, made the announcement.

HSI Miami, HSI Guangzhou, USPIS, and the Homestead Police Department are investigating the case. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, and City of Miami Police Department provided invaluable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises agents and officers from HSI Miami, HSI Guangzhou, CBP, USPIS, the Homestead Police Department, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, and City of Miami Police Department, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20471.

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MIAMI – A federal inmate serving a life sentence was convicted by a federal jury in Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 27 for his role in a violent scheme to abduct and rob a rideshare driver while fleeing Georgia state custody.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Stevenson Charles, 24, had been in federal custody until Dec. 5, 2025, when he was transferred to Georgia state custody to await trial on charges related to a 2022 murder and armed robbery. During a routine security check on Dec. 22, 2025, authorities discovered that Charles and two other inmates — Yusuf Minor, 31, and Naod Yohannes, 25 — were missing from the facility.

“This defendant’s escape from custody triggered a violent chain of events that put an innocent rideshare driver in grave danger,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The evidence at trial showed a brutal kidnapping carried out to facilitate his flight from justice. Thanks to the determined work of our federal agents and law enforcement partners, the victim survived and the defendant now stands convicted by a jury of his peers. Our Office will continue to work with our partners to ensure that violent offenders who threaten the public are held fully accountable.”

After escaping, Charles and his co-conspirators used a rideshare service in Georgia and kidnapped the driver. Once inside the vehicle, one of the defendants wrapped a rope around the victim’s neck from behind, bound the victim’s hands, and forced the victim into the backseat. The defendants then threatened the victim’s life and told the victim to keep their head down while they drove into South Florida.

The defendants forced the victim to provide access to her banking accounts and used the victim’s banking cards to make purchases at businesses in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, including securing a short-term rental residence in Broward County. When the victim attempted to escape, the defendants physically assaulted the victim and made threats against her life. The defendants transported the victim to the rental residence, where they prevented the victim from leaving.

Over 18 hours into the kidnapping, during the evening of Dec. 22, 2025, law enforcement located Charles driving the victim’s vehicle, with Yohannes also inside. Law enforcement attempted to disable the vehicle and Charles exited the vehicle while it was still moving. Charles fled on foot, leading agents on a chase through a construction site. During the foot chase, Charles discarded a semi-automatic handgun before being apprehended shortly thereafter. The firearm was subsequently recovered along the route of the pursuit.

The jury convicted Charles of kidnapping, conspiracy to kidnap, Hobbs Act robbery, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on the conspiracy and kidnapping counts and up 20 years in prison on the Hobbs Act robbery count. Charles also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison on the felon-in-possession count if the Court determines that he qualifies as an armed career criminal under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA). Charles waived a jury trial on the ACCA phase of the felon-in-possession count, which the Court has set for a future date.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Yohannes and Minor are scheduled to stand trial on March 30.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Miami is investigating the case. FBI Atlanta; the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Atlanta; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division; the Martin County Sheriff’s Office; the Broward Sheriff’s Office; and USMS Miami provided invaluable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Maultasch and Breezye Telfair are prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number  26-cr-60009.

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MIAMI – The final defendant in a scheme to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has been sentenced in federal court.

U.S. District Judge Ed Artau sentenced Max Alberto Mera Ulloa to 27 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

“This scheme exploited emergency relief programs funded by the American taxpayer,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants submitted more than 165 fraudulent loan applications and then demanded kickbacks from the very funds meant to keep workers employed. Today’s sentence closes out this case and sends a clear message: those who steal from programs designed to help our communities will be investigated, prosecuted, and held accountable.”

“These sentences stand as a reminder that stealing from federal programs is stealing from taxpayers—and we will not let those crimes go unanswered,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office. “IRS Special Agents, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to safeguard taxpayer dollars by ensuring criminal conduct carries real consequences.”

According to court documents, between May 2020 and March 2021, Christian Mendoza, Guillermo Lopez Carrazana, and Mera Ulloa, all residents of Miami‑Dade County, conspired to submit more than 165 false and fraudulent PPP loan applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA administered the emergency relief program under the CARES Act to help small businesses maintain payroll and cover essential expenses during the Covid‑19 pandemic.

The defendants owned and operated several businesses, including G LUX LLC, Global Tax & Accounting Group Corp., CM Logistics Systems LLC, and Max Mera Corporation. Through these entities, they submitted fraudulent loan applications that misrepresented payroll expenses and employee information in order to obtain substantial loan amounts under false pretenses.

The conspirators also carried out a kickback scheme where they had the borrower pay them a portion of the money they received from submitting the fraudulent loan applications.  Rather than using the PPP loan proceeds for their intended purposes, the defendants used the funds for personal enrichment.

Mendoza and Lopez Carrazana also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Mendoza, a tax preparer, was sentenced on Dec. 19, 2025, to 33 months in federal prison, followed by 12 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,287,855 in restitution.

Lopez Carrazana was also sentenced on Dec. 19, 2025, to 22 months in federal prison, followed by 18 months of supervised release. A restitution hearing for Lopez Carrazana is scheduled for March 10.

A restitution hearing for Mera Ulloa is scheduled for May 6.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Loecker of IRS-CI, Florida Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Miami and IRS‑CI, Florida Field Office, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Cruz prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case no. 25-cr-20178.

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MIAMI – Five individuals have been sentenced for their roles in a large-scale credit card fraud and money laundering scheme that resulted in more than $3.5 million in fraudulent charges.

Willan Pupo, 38, was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison; Joel Castillo, 39, to 58 months; William Castillo, 42, was sentenced to 55 months in federal prison; Miriam Pupo, 36, to 37 months; and Jessica Forpomes, 40, to 36 months. Each defendant previously pleaded guilty to commit money laundering.

“This was a coordinated fraud ring that generated more than $3.5 million in fake charges by manipulating point-of-sale systems, stolen credit cards, and shell companies,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They exploited legitimate businesses, abused financial systems, and shifted losses onto banks and processors. Large-scale fraud like this undermines confidence in our financial markets. Those who build criminal enterprises around deception and stolen data will face serious federal prison time.”

According to court records, from at least February 2023 through June 2024, the defendants orchestrated a credit card fraud and money laundering scheme involving more than $3.5 million in fraudulent charges. To carry out the scheme, the defendants used legitimate businesses and shell companies to obtain point-of sale (POS) devices from merchant processors. These devices allowed them to process credit and debit card transactions and route funds into accounts under their control.

Once equipped with the POS devices, the defendants conducted fraudulent transactions in several ways. First, they used credit cards belonging to associates to generate sham purchases for goods and services that were never provided. Those associates later disputed the charges to obtain refunds. Second, the defendants purchased stolen credit card numbers on the dark web and through encrypted messaging platforms, including Telegram, and used those numbers to process unauthorized transactions. Third, they use credit cards stolen from the mail to conduct additional fraudulent purchases.

After processing the fraudulent transactions, the defendants quickly transferred or withdrew the proceeds from the associated bank accounts to prevent discovery by merchant processors. When victims reported the fraudulent charges, credit card issuers reversed the transactions, leaving merchant processors and financial institutions to absorb the losses.

To further facilitate the scheme, William Castillo, Willan Pupo, and Joel Castillo accessed a database containing extensive personal identifying information, including names, aliases, dates of birth, social security numbers, addresses, and other sensitive data. They used this information to identify and exploit victims, enabling them to activate stolen credit cards and accelerate their fraudulent activity.   

As part of their efforts to make restitution, Joel and William Castillo have paid over $800,000 to date.

In addition to the credit card fraud scheme, Willan Pupo and Joel Castillo admitted to using shell companies to fraudulently obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), receiving more than $650,000 in proceeds.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations (AIGI) Scott Moffit of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Cybercrimes Investigations Division (CCID), made the announcement.

USSS Miami and TIGTA investigated the cases.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Quin Landon prosecuted the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Annika Miranda and Robin Waugh, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon, handled asset forfeiture.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 25-cr-20184 (Miriam Pupo), 24-cr-20302 (Joel Castillo and Willan Pupo), 25-cr-20185 (Forpomes), and 25-cr-20177 (William Castillo).

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MIAMI – A Georgia man made his initial appearance in federal court today after allegedly leaving a threatening voicemail for a victim in the Southern District of Florida.

According to court documents, on Sept. 19, 2025, Henry Paul Demarco, 64, left a voicemail message threatening to “blow [the victim’s] head off.” The call was transmitted from Georgia to the Southern District of Florida.

Demarco was granted bond with a condition that he have no contact with the victim.

Demarco is charged with interstate transmission of a threat to injure. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Police Chief Michael Coleman of the Riviera Beach Police Department made the announcement.

FBI Miami is investigating the case with valuable assistance from the Riviera Beach Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Juan Albino is prosecuting the case. 

An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-80050.

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MIAMI – A federal indictment unsealed today charges a Miami real estate developer with orchestrating an $85 million fraud scheme, failing to pay millions in taxes, and lying to financial institutions to obtain funds to purchase a luxury yacht.

According to court documents, Rishi Kapoor, 41, formerly of Miami, was the chief executive officer of Location Ventures, a Miami-based real estate development company that purported to develop projects in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Miami Beach, and Fort Lauderdale.

“The indictment alleges an $85 million fraud scheme in which investor funds intended for real estate development were diverted for luxury purchases, including a 68-foot yacht,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “It further alleges that the defendant withheld payroll taxes from employees but failed to turn that money over to the government, effectively stealing from his own employees. These are serious allegations that will now be addressed in federal court. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

As alleged, although Kapoor raised approximately $85 million from investors, most of the promised real estate projects were never built. Despite being entitled to a capped salary of $400,000 plus certain fees, Kapoor diverted substantially more funds for personal use, including the purchase of a 68-foot yacht and a residence in Cocoplum.

The indictment alleges that Kapoor misrepresented to investors the amount of his personal financial contribution to Location Ventures, claiming he had invested $13 million alongside his business partner and family when, in reality, he contributed roughly half that amount. Kapoor also allegedly deceived escrow agents to secure the release of pre-construction condominium deposits and then misappropriated those funds for personal expenses unrelated to the developments.  As a result, condominium projects in Coconut Grove and Miami Beach were never built.

In addition, Kapoor is charged with withholding payroll taxes from Location Ventures employees but failing to remit those taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  Instead, Kapoor allegedly diverted more than $2 million from company accounts for his personal benefit.

The indictment further alleges that Kapoor failed to pay his own personal taxes from 2019 through 2023, despite earning more than $2.8 million in income in 2022 and 2023 alone.   

Kapoor is also charged with falsifying bank statements to inflate his account balances, failing to disclose a significant mortgage on his Cocoplum residence, and misrepresenting that his tax returns had been filed with the IRS—all to obtain more than $9 million in financing. One bank extended a $5 million line of credit to Location Ventures, while another loaned Kapoor $4.2 million to finance the yacht purchase.

The indictment charges Kapoor with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to commit offenses against and to defraud the U.S., failure to pay payroll taxes, tax evasion, failure to file tax returns, and bank fraud. The indictment also includes forfeiture allegations, including a Rolex Daytona watch and 2.5 carat platinum ring.

If convicted, Kapoor faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud; up to 10 years for money laundering; up to five years for each count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the U.S., failure to pay payroll taxes, tax evasion, and failure to file tax returns; and up to 30 years for each count of bank fraud.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also filed a civil action against Kapoor (Case No. 23-cv-24903).

U.S. Attorney Reding Quinoñes, Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.

U.S. Attorney Quinoñes commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI and FBI Miami.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Young and Daya Nathan are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under Case No. 26-cr-20073.

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MIAMI – A Pennsylvania man was convicted by a federal jury on Feb. 11 of attempting to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) involving a minor victim overseas.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Earl Richard Clouser, 55, of Burnham, Pennsylvania, engaged in months-long online communications with a 15-year-old victim in Cuba. Despite knowing her age, Clouser repeatedly solicited sexually explicit videos and directed her to produce CSAM, often in exchange for electronic payments he sent to her.

“This defendant targeted a 15-year-old child, directed her to create sexually explicit material, and then traveled overseas to exploit her in person,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The fact that the victim lived in another country did not put her beyond the protection of U.S. law. If you use the internet or international travel to exploit a child, we will find you, prosecute you, and seek the full measure of federal punishment.”

In September 2025, Clouser traveled from the U.S. to Havana, Cuba, to meet the victim for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. Prior to the trip, the victim provided Clouser with identification confirming she was underage. Nevertheless, Clouser arranged for the victim to meet him in Havana, where she stayed overnight with him at his rental apartment.

After returning to the U.S. through Miami International Airport on Sept. 19, 2025, Clouser was referred for secondary inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. During the inspection, officers discovered CSAM and communications between Clouser and the victim on three electronic devices in his possession, each containing sexually explicit material depicting the victim. Clouser was arrested.

After a two-day trial, the jury convicted Clouser of attempted production of visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. He faces up to 30 years in federal prison with a mandatory minimum of 15 years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.

HSI Miami investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Hannah and Anthony Reynolds tried the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number  25-cr-20444.

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Note: the press release has been updated to include a quote from U.S. Attorney Quiñones.

Francisco Javier Ravelo, 36, of Coral Gables, Florida, pleaded guilty today to distributing videos depicting the torture of monkeys, in violation of the federal Animal Crushing statute. Ravelo was charged in October 2025.

According to court documents, Ravelo created some and administered some online chat groups dedicated to the distribution and discussion of sexual and violent videos depicting monkeys being  mutilated and burned, including baby and adult monkeys. Ravelo personally distributed more than 40 of these obscene crush videos.

“In his first term, President Donald J. Trump signed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act into law to end animal crushing,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “If you are involved in this sadistic activity, we will prosecute you.”

“This case is deeply disturbing,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As a former state court trial judge who presided over domestic violence cases, I was trained to recognize lethality factors, warning signs that violence is escalating. Deliberate cruelty to animals is one of the clearest red flags. It reflects a willingness to dominate, torture, and inflict suffering without remorse. The defendant didn’t merely view this material. He created and administered online groups devoted to it and distributed dozens of obscene animal torture videos. That conduct fuels a market built on brutality. Animal crushing is a serious federal crime. In the Southern District of Florida, we will enforce that law firmly and without hesitation.”

“Our team worked diligently to ensure Ravelo was held accountable for his egregious crimes and to prevent further harm,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “We are grateful for the collaboration that brought this case to resolution and Ravelo to justice.”

Ravelo faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.

HSI investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke E. Latta for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

MIAMI – A federal jury in Miami convicted Victor Rafael Arcia Albeja, also known as “Vitico,” 32, of Miami, on Feb. 20 for his role in a violent human smuggling scheme that kidnapped and extorted Cuban migrants, holding them captive and threatening brutal harm to force payments from their families.

Arcia Albeja was the last of six defendants to be convicted for their roles in a South Florida-based alien smuggling and extortion scheme. Co-defendants Osmel Benitez, 40, of Opa-Locka; Victor Manuel Perez Cardenas, 40, of Tampa; Jhonny Walther Izaguirre Lopez, 46, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Yoelys Prada Ramos, 45, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Jose Angel Marrero Rodriguez, 52, of Houston, Texas, previously pleaded guilty.

“This was an organized human smuggling enterprise enforced through kidnapping, torture, and terror,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendants smuggled vulnerable Cuban migrants into our country and then treated them as commodities, imprisoning them, beating them with machetes, staging mock executions, and putting guns to their heads to extort ransom from their families. These are not immigration violations. They are violent federal crimes. If you exploit desperation for profit in South Florida, you will be hunted down, prosecuted federally, and face the full weight of the law.”

“The depravity of this kidnapping and smuggling operation is almost beyond description,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. “Arcia Albeja and his co-defendants kidnapped, extorted, and tortured victims and their families by putting them in nightmarish circumstances such as a mock hanging, being beaten by a machete, and extorting large sums of money. Now all convicted, these defendants justly face significant prison sentences for their inhumane actions.”

According to the evidence presented at trial, in March and May 2024, Arcia Albeja and Perez Cardenas transported Cuban nationals by boat from Cayo Coco, Cuba to Key Largo.  Benitez and other members of the alien smuggling enterprise then transported the aliens to a safe house in Miami Gardens, where members of the enterprise demanded $15,000 in smuggling fees per person from the aliens’ families and friends. 

To enforce payment and deter noncompliance, members of the enterprise used threats and violence. When the aliens brought in March 2024 failed to pay, Prada Ramos showed the aliens a video depicting a man battering a victim with a machete, then shooting the victim dead.  This video was shown to aliens who came on the May 2024 voyage before they boarded the boat.  Further, Arcia Albeja and other members of the enterprise implemented a policy that no alien would be released until full payment was received.

On May 18, 2024, Arcia Albeja and Perez Cardenas brought approximately 15 aliens to Key Largo. After some attempted to flee, members of the enterprise pursued them. Meanwhile, Perez Cardenas drove some of the aliens to the safe house. At the safe house, enterprise members threatened the aliens with harm if payment was not made. When several aliens’ families failed to pay, five aliens were transported to a vacant farm property in northwest Miami-Dade County used for cockfighting.

At that location, members of the enterprise resumed their efforts to collect the aliens’ smuggling fees, including staging and recording acts of violence and sending the videos to aliens’ families.  One alien testified that Izaguirre Lopez put her on a FaceTime call with her mother, put a gun to her head, and told her mother that if she did not pay, she would receive her daughter’s head. In another instance, Benitez and Arcia Albeja forced one of the aliens to participate in a mock hanging while being beaten with a machete.

When the extortion scheme failed, members of the enterprise attempted to transport the aliens to Louisiana for forced labor to satisfy the smuggling debts. On May 20, 2024, law enforcement stopped Izaguirre Lopez on the Florida Turnpike in Sumter County, arrested him, and rescued the aliens.

The jury convicted Arcia Albeja of conspiracy to kidnap, four counts of kidnapping, conspiracy to bring an alien to the U.S., bringing an alien to the U.S., and four counts of violent crimes in furtherance of racketeering. Arcia Albeja faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on the kidnapping-related charges. He also faces up to 10 years in prison on each of the alien smuggling counts and up to 20 years in prison on each count of violent crimes in furtherance of racketeering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Skiles made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dwayne E. Williams and Bertila Fernandez are prosecuting the case.

FBI Miami is investigating the case. The Homestead Police Department, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office provided invaluable assistance.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises agents and officers from FBI Miami, Homestead Police Department, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website for the United States District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20397.

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