District of New Jersey

NEWARK, N.J. – City of Newark Deputy Mayor and former Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara was recognized today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey for his unwavering commitment to cooperative law enforcement in the state of New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. 

On June 30, 2022, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka elevated O’Hara to deputy mayor of Newark. In February 2021, Baraka appointed O’Hara to be public safety director and he began his service in that role in March 2021, overseeing more than 1,960 employees, comprising 996 sworn police officers, 611 firefighters, and 346 civilian employees, and a budget that exceeded $200 million.

“Director O’Hara's service has been defined by his commitment to reforming policing and his fidelity to partnering with other law enforcement agencies to protect the people of Newark,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “Through his leadership, we have maintained our indispensable cooperation and proactive participation in our efforts to confront and suppress violent crime in the great city of Newark. During his career, he brought reform and transparency to police practices by leading the Newark Police Department’s implementation of the Department of Justice’s Consent Decree. Under Director O’Hara ‘s leadership, the Police Department’s crime suppression efforts improved upon the record levels of violent crime reduction that were met in 2020.”

As the leader of the city of Newark’s Department of Public Safety, Director O’Hara has enhanced the collaborative working relationships among federal, state, and local partners, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Newark Police Department, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security & Preparedness, and numerous other state and local agencies and police departments. Director O’Hara’s commitment to the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s multi-agency cooperative effort aimed at combatting violent crime in and around vulnerable communities, has saved lives and lessened the scourge of gun violence. As other communities experience significant increases in gun violence, Director O’Hara to date this year has led the Newark Police Department to a 29 percent decrease in total shooting incidents, and a 26 percent decrease in shooting murder victims. Under Director O’Hara’s stewardship, the Newark Police Department has less total shooting incidents and shooting murder victims than it did at this point in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.

“The city of Newark was well served by Director O’Hara’s relentless efforts to prioritize the safety of the people in this wonderful community,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said.

Director O’Hara received both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in criminal justice from Rutgers University. In 2001, Director O’Hara joined the Newark Police Department as a police officer, rising through the ranks to become a captain in 2016.

CAMDEN, N.J. – A member of an Atlantic City, New Jersey, drug-trafficking organization was sentenced today to 125 months in prison for conspiring to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Terryn Kelsey, 32, of Atlantic City, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin.  Judge Kugler imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

Seventeen other members of the drug trafficking conspiracy – Khalif Toombs, Tyjuan Demarest, Nasir Brown, Karon Carey, James Blackwell, Philip Surace, David Ramirez, Wilbert Toombs, Quadir Stanley, Dean Johnson, Khalif Davis, Joseph Aversa, Thomas Randall, Mayda Hernandez, Sarah Taliaferro, Wayne Burnside, and Blaine Dorsey – previously have pleaded guilty. Of those 17 defendants, 15 have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from eight to 135 months. The charges against four other defendants, Jeremy Carll, Valarie Lamar, Tieyesha Tucker, and Jamal Marshall, remain pending.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:

Kelsey, along with leader Khalif Toombs and other members of the drug conspiracy, trafficked heroin from Patterson, New Jersey and into Atlantic City throughout the course of the investigation. Kelsey admitted in court to conspiring with others to traffic between one and three kilograms of heroin during this time and to operating Toombs’ cellular phone to further the conspiracy. The investigation tracked multiple stamps of heroin being distributed by Toombs and others, including, “AK-47,” “Apple,” “Fortnite,” “Rolex,” “Frank Lucas,” “Bentley,” “Pandora,” and “9 ½.” Between Jan. 1, 2017, and June 21, 2019, those stamps accounted for 48 deaths and 84 non-fatal overdoses in New Jersey.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Kelsey to five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s Safe Streets South Jersey Violent Incident and Gang Task Force, Atlantic City Resident Agency, and FBI, Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine; officers of the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Deputy Chief James A. Sarkos, the Interim Officer in Charge; the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor William E. Reynolds; the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Scheffler; and the Pleasantville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean Riggin, with the investigation leading to today’s pleas. He also thanked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the N.J. State Police for their assistance.

This case is being conducted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martha K. Nye of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton and Elisa T. Wiygul of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

For the four defendants whose charges remain pending, the charges and allegations are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man who was employed as a certified public accountant in northern New Jersey today admitted failing to disclose income on his tax returns, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

William Kawam, 57, of Hewitt, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with subscribing to false tax returns and conspiracy to defraud the United States.  

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

In 2015, Kawam and a conspirator undertook a scheme to conceal certain money from the IRS. The conspirator compensated Kawam for a portion of his accounting services by providing him with a credit card belonging to one of the conspirator’s businesses that Kawam could use for personal expenses. Kawam failed to report the charges as income, and the conspirator failed to report the charges as business expenses. Kawam failed to report $146,605 for tax years 2015, 2016, and 2017, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $54,400.

The count of subscribing to false tax returns to which Kawam pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $100,000 fine; the conspiracy to defraud the United States count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 21, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man was arrested for distributing and possessing videos of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Bryan Wesselius, 45, of Whippany, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He appeared by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond, with home detention and electronic monitoring.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From September 2021 through May 2022, Wesselius distributed material containing video files of child sexual abuse via a publicly available online peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program, which allows internet users to trade digital files. An undercover law enforcement officer conducted online sessions using the (P2P) program. During multiple sessions, a user shared multiple files featuring videos of child sexual abuse from an IP address traced to Wesselius’ address. Law enforcement officials later recovered one file previously shared during one of those sessions from one of Wesselius’ electronic devices.

The count of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. The count of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. 

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Boonton Township Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Danyo, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, the Hanover Township Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Loock and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division, for their assistance with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clara Kim of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine base and distributing fentanyl and cocaine base, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Marvin Lagrier, aka “Black Jesus,” 40, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to a superseding information charging him with one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Lagrier was a Newark Housing Authority employee at the time of his arrest. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence today by videoconference.

A codefendant, Tyrell Wilson, aka “Hell Rell,” 37, of Rahway, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base and one count of possession with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base. Judge Arleo sentenced Wilson on Feb. 14, 2022, to 10 years in prison.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On Sept. 19, 2019, law enforcement officers approached an apartment in Essex County, New Jersey, to execute a court-authorized search warrant. Wilson and Lagrier exited the apartment and attempted to flee the area but were apprehended and placed under arrest. Upon searching the apartment, as well as Wilson’s vehicle and a backpack that Wilson discarded while fleeing, law enforcement officers recovered a large amount of cocaine base, heroin, and fentanyl as well as many items of drug paraphernalia for packaging narcotics. Law enforcement officers also recovered a firearm and several rounds of ammunition as well as several cellular phones. They also recovered several brown Newark Housing Authority uniforms bearing the name tag, “Marvin,” which matched the uniform that Lagrier wore at the time of his arrest. 

In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Lagrier to four years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark, and members of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

This case is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, the Orange Police Department and the Irvington Police Department.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall Randolph of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime/Gang Unit in Newark.

NEWARK, N.J. – The former corporate secretary and director of corporate law at Apple today admitted engaging in an insider trading scheme that spanned five years, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.

Gene Levoff, 48, of San Carlos, California, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to six counts of an indictment charging him with securities fraud. Levoff was initially charged by complaint in February 2019.

“Gene Levoff betrayed the trust of one of the world’s largest tech companies for his own financial gain,” Attorney for the United States Khanna said. “Despite being responsible for enforcing Apple’s own ban on insider trading, Levoff used his position of trust to commit insider trading in order to line his own pockets. This Office will continue to prioritize securities fraud prosecutions.”

“This defendant exploited his position within a company strictly for financial gain that he would not have otherwise realized,” Terence Reilly, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge in Newark, said. “That’s called ‘gaming the system.’ Insider trading is not just illegal, it is a threat to the viability of our markets. The average American, whose retirement savings is invested in these companies, has every right to expect that rules are being followed, the game is being played fairly, and their nest egg is safe from profiteers who willingly sidestep the rules to improve their own financial future at the expense of others. The FBI is here to make sure the playing field is level.”

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From February 2011 to April 2016, Levoff – the top corporate attorney at Apple who also served as the company’s assistant secretary and corporate secretary – misappropriated material, nonpublic information about Apple’s financial results and then executed trades involving the company’s stock. This scheme to defraud Apple and its shareholders allowed Levoff to realize profits of approximately $227,000 on certain trades and to avoid losses of approximately $377,000 on others.

Specifically, Levoff was co-chairman of Apple’s Disclosure Committee, which reviewed and discussed the company’s draft quarterly and yearly earnings materials and periodic U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings before they were publicly disclosed. Levoff mined these materials for inside information about Apple to guide his decisions to buy and sell Apple stock ahead of its earnings announcements. When Apple posted strong revenue and net profit for a given financial quarter, he purchased large quantities of stock, which he later sold for a profit once the market reacted to the news. When there were lower-than-anticipated revenue and net profit, Levoff sold large quantities of Apple stock, avoiding significant losses.

Levoff was subject to Apple’s regular quarterly “blackout periods,” which prohibited individuals who had access to material nonpublic information from engaging in trades until a certain period after the company disclosed its financial results to the public. Levoff ignored this restriction, as well as the company’s broader Insider Trading Policy – which he was responsible for enforcing – and instead repeatedly executed trades based on material, nonpublic information without Apple’s knowledge or authorization. On several occasions, Levoff executed trades within a blackout period after notifying other individuals subject to the restriction that they were prohibited from buying or selling Apple stock until the blackout period terminated.

The securities fraud counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 10, 2022.

The SEC previously filed a civil complaint against Levoff based on the same conduct.

Attorney for the United States Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Reilly, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the SEC, for the assistance provided by its Enforcement Division, and Apple, which cooperated with law enforcement over the course of the investigation.

The government is represented by Daniel V. Shapiro, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division.

NEWARK, N.J.– A New York man today admitted his role in a scheme to alter and deposit hundreds of checks stolen from mailboxes across New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Nigel Lynch, 21, of Yonkers, New York, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an information charging him with one count of bank fraud conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to receive and possess stolen mail.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:

From February to November 2020, Lynch and two conspirators stole over 290 checks from New Jersey mailboxes in Morris, Essex, Somerset, and Passaic counties. They then altered the stolen checks and deposited them into bank accounts controlled by Lynch and his conspirators. After the stolen checks were deposited, Lynch and his conspirators withdrew cash from the accounts totaling over $550,000.

The bank fraud charge conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine; and the conspiracy to receive and possess stole mail carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 8, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. 

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake Coppotelli of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.

NEWARK, N.J. – A New York doctor today admitted participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak, distribution of a controlled substance in furtherance of that scheme, and the unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Michael DeNicola, 59, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, distribution of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2019 to August 2021, DeNicola and his conspirators agreed to engage in a scheme to bill the Amtrak health care plan for fraudulent claims for services that either were never provided or were medically unnecessary. They would recruit Amtrak employees to participate in the scheme by paying them to allow the conspirators to use their patient and insurance information to submit false and fraudulent claims. DeNicola and his conspirators submitted false and fraudulent claims that caused Amtrak losses of more than $1.6 million.

DeNicola also provided oxycodone prescriptions to an individual in return for the individual’s agreement to allow his patient and insurance information to be used for the submission of fraudulent insurance claims. DeNicola provided oxycodone prescription to others at the direction of this individual and did so outside of the usual course of professional treatment and without legitimate medical purpose. From April 2017 through February 2018, DeNicola issued 64 oxycodone prescriptions in this manner.

DeNicola also unlawfully possessed a firearm on Sept. 1, 2019, after previously having been convicted in a court of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

The conspiracy to commit health care fraud and unlawful possession of a firearm charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The distribution of a controlled substance charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1million fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 22, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters; special agents of the  Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll in New York; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Greenberg; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division; and the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Samuel Dotson, with the investigation, leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark and Daniel V. Shapiro, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division.

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted conspiring to murder a federal witness to protect a drug trafficking enterprise of which he was a member, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Ali Hill, 29, of East Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to one count of a superseding indictment charging him with racketeering conspiracy.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2013 to March 12, 2018, Hill was a member of a drug trafficking enterprise responsible for distributing cocaine, heroin, marijuana and fentanyl in and around Newark. Hill became aware that another member of the enterprise was cooperating with federal law enforcement authorities in an investigation into illegal activity. Hill aided other members of the the enterprise in planning the murder of the victim, who was shot to death on March 12, 2018, as the victim walked his dog near a park in Bloomfield, New Jersey.

The count of racketeering conspiracy carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief William C. Robinson, and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephen II, for its assistance. 

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Frazer and Naazneen Khan of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.

NEWARK, N.J. – Two Indian nationals admitted to conspiracy to commit wire fraud by accepting illegally obtained $1.2 million in wire transfers from victims across the country, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Arushobike Mitra, 27, and Garbita Mitra, 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an information charging them each with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

As part of an international fraud scheme, criminal India-based call centers utilized automated robocalls to victims across the country with the intent of defrauding U.S. residents, particularly the elderly. After establishing contact with victims through these automated calls, other members of the conspiracy would coerce or trick the victims into sending large sums of cash through physical shipments or wire transfers to other members of the conspiracy, including the Mitras. These conspirators used a variety of schemes to convince victims to send money, including impersonating government officials from agencies such as the Social Security Administration, or impersonating law enforcement officers from the FBI or DEA, and threatened victims with severe legal or financial consequences if they did not comply. Another method utilized by the callers involved convincing the victim they were speaking with someone from a tech support company and coercing the victim into granting the caller remote access to their personal computers. The caller would then access the victim’s bank accounts and make it appear to the victim that the caller had inadvertently added money to the victim’s bank account, when in fact the caller had simply transferred money from another one of the victim’s own accounts. The caller would then instruct the victim to “return” the money by way of mail or wire transfer to other members of the conspiracy, including the Mitras. Arushobike Mitra and Garbita Mitra are charged with receiving fraudulent transfers of cash from 48 victims across the country totaling more than $1.2 million.

The conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine of twice the amount of the loss, whichever is greater. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for Dec. 13, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Cyber Intrusion Group, and El Dorado Task Force Asset Identification & Removal Group, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge, Peter C. Fitzhugh in New York; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas. He also thanked the Hoboken Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the New York City Police Department, and the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office for their assistance.

The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Meriah Russell of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Camden. 

NEWARK, N.J. – A Sussex County, New Jersey, woman today admitted that she concealed her attempts to provide material support to Syrian foreign terrorist organizations, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine, and FBI Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Timothy Langan announced.

Maria Bell, aka “Maria Sue Bell,” 54, of Hopatcong, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging her with one count of concealing attempts to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations.

According to documents previously filed in this case:

Bell admitted that from February 2018 to November 2018 she knowingly concealed and disguised the nature, location, source, ownership and control of the attempted provision of material support and resources to fighters based in Syria who were members Jabhat Fath al-sham, also known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS) and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Bell admitted that she knew JFS and HTS were designated foreign terrorist organizations, that JFS and HTS has engaged or engages in terrorist activities. She admitted the offense to which she pleaded guilty involved the concealment of the attempted provision of funds or other material support or resources with the intent, knowledge, or reason to believe they were to be used to commit or assist in the commission of a violent act.

The charge of concealment of terrorist financing to a designated foreign terrorist organization carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 21, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Joyce M. Malliet, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit and Trial Attorneys Brenda Sue Thornton and Kathleen Campbell of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.

NEWARK, N.J. – A pharmacist and pharmacy owner pleaded guilty today to violating the Controlled Substances Act by filling fraudulent and counterfeit prescriptions in exchange for cash, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Anthony Duncan, 61, of Hillside, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and codeine.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Duncan was a licensed pharmacist who owned and operated Parkway Central Pharmacy in East Orange, New Jersey. Duncan’s conspirators obtained bogus prescriptions for controlled substances, including oxycodone and codeine. They brought those bogus prescriptions to Duncan at Parkway Central, who filled the prescriptions knowing that they were false or counterfeit and that he was prohibited from dispensing controlled substances without a valid prescription.

Duncan accepted cash payments from his conspirators in exchange for filling the fraudulent and counterfeit prescriptions and dispensing controlled substances. He was generally paid $4 for every oxycodone 30mg pill; $2 for every oxycodone and acetaminophen combination product; and $10 for every eight ounces of cough syrup containing codeine. From November 2014 through November 2018, Duncan filled more than 1,100 false or counterfeit prescriptions for controlled substances. He illegally sold to one conspirator at least 47,000 tablets of Oxycodone 30 mg; 46,000 tablets of oxycodone and acetaminophen combination product; and 56,000 milliliters of cough syrup containing codeine.

The count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and codeine is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million, or twice the gross profit to the defendant, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 8, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hayden M. Brockett of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.

TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was convicted of several counts involving images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Charles F. Browne, 52, of South River, New Jersey, was found guilty on June 27, 2022, following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court of receiving child pornography, soliciting child pornography, possessing prepubescent child pornography, and concealing objects to impede the FBI’s investigation.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

In September 2017, a cloud-based file service noticed that apparent child sex abuse material had been uploaded to, and maintained in, an account with the screen name “Charles Browne” and an email address containing the term “cbrowne.” The FBI obtained the files that were uploaded to the online account, which included prepubescent child pornography and two copies of Browne’s resume.        

On April 8, 2019, law enforcement officers stopped Browne’s vehicle as he left his residence. Brown was given a Miranda warning and interviewed by law enforcement officers about the FBI’s ongoing child exploitation investigation. Browne initially denied having an iPad and then, in response to the agent’s question at the conclusion of the interview asking where his iPad was, responded that it was at home, which was approximately one mile away. Law enforcement officers told Browne that an online file account contained two images of prepubescent child sexual abuse created by an Apple iPhone Model 5C camera. Browne denied knowledge of the child pornography. At the conclusion of the interview, Browne was dropped off at his vehicle, which was locked.

At trial, Browne confessed that he broke into his vehicle after the FBI interview, removed an iPad and his iPhone, and then walked to a local private beach club. Browne was observed by a neighbor as he walked to the end of the dock and threw his iPad and iPhone into the bay.   

After Browne returned to his residence without his electronic devices, the FBI conducted a canvass of the area and located the neighbor who had observed Browne throwing his iPad into the bay. The FBI sent in a dive team, which recovered Browne’s iPad and iPhone – an Apple Model 5C – from the bay.

The devices were repaired; review of the data recovered from the devices revealed videos and images of child sexual abuse. Web history from the iPad reflected that Browne had sought out images of child sexual abuse on the iPad the day before law enforcement officers interviewed Browne. Evidence from Browne’s iPad and iPhone reflected that Browne sent emails to others seeking child pornography “vids.” 

The counts of receipt of child pornography and solicitation of child pornography each carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and fine of $250,000. The count of possession of prepubescent child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The count of concealing objects to impede a federal investigation count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 9, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine of the Newark Division, Assistant Director Michael Driscoll of the New York Division, and Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr., of the Birmingham Division; the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Lori Linskey; the Monmouth County Sherriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Shaun Golden; the Ocean County Sherriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy; the Tom’s River Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Mitchell A. Little; the South River Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Mark Tinitigan; and the Manalapan Township Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Edward Niesz, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty verdict.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie L. Hoxie and Jonathan Fayer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.

CAMDEN, N.J.  – A Michigan man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for defrauding victims of more than $5 million in connection with the sale of medical-related business opportunities, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Vijay Reddy, 46, of Milan, Michigan, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From December 2015 through November 2020, Reddy and his conspirators, David Weinstein and Kevin Brown, advertised business opportunities for sale on various websites. They purported to sell “blocks” of contracts with medical providers who allegedly wanted to outsource their medical billing, collections, appeals, answering, credentialing, or transcription functions. The buyers would then provide the contracted services to the medical providers and earn a profit. The conspirators promised to deliver a specified number of providers and pledged that their proprietary marketing efforts would provide a guaranteed client base to the buyers.

To induce buyers to purchase the business opportunities, the conspirators created fake references purporting to be buyers who vouched for their prior business purchases from the conspirators. In fact, the references were Reddy, Weinstein, and their friends and family members, and they used aliases and disguised phone numbers to speak with potential buyers.

After agreeing to purchase the blocks of medical providers, victims entered contracts with companies represented by Weinstein or Reddy and wired down payments ranging from $15,000 to $240,000 to accounts controlled by Weinstein or Brown. The remainder of each purchase price was payable when the conspirators fulfilled the contract by delivering the agreed-upon number of providers.

After receiving the down payments, Weinstein and Reddy typically delivered to each victim only a small number of medical providers. Despite not fulfilling the contracts of any of the buyers identified by law enforcement, the conspirators continued to sell blocks of medical providers to new buyers and refused to provide refunds for their failures to satisfy the terms of the contracts. The conspirators also periodically sold batches of previously signed contracts and disclaimed further responsibility for those contracts to insulate themselves from complaints or legal action from disgruntled buyers.

Brown acted as the business broker for most of the transactions and received a commission for the sales he brokered. Reddy or Weinstein acted as the seller and signed the contracts with the victims. At least 77 victims sent more than $5 million to accounts controlled by the conspirators. The conspirators spent the victims’ money on personal expenses and business investments.

Weinstein was sentenced in December 2021 to 12 years in prison; Brown pleaded guilty in February 2022 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8, 2022.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Reddy to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $5.93 million.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark; and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood in Philadelphia, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Friedman and Diana V. Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Warren County, New Jersey, businessman today admitted fraudulently obtaining nearly $1.8 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division announced.

Rocco A. Malanga, 50, formerly of Hackettstown, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals to an information charging him with one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:

From April 2020 through August 2020, Malanga submitted false documentation to three lenders to fraudulently obtain approximately $1.8 million in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses. He submitted at least three PPP loan applications on behalf of three different business entities in which he fabricated the number of employees employed by each business entity, as well as their average monthly payroll. Malanga then diverted some of the proceeds from the loans to fund a business that did not receive PPP loan funds. 

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP.  In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.

The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1 percent. Businesses must have used PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and used at least a certain percentage of the loan towards payroll expenses.

The bank fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine; the money laundering charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and a $250,000 fine.  Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 2, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Polite credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy L. Tomlins; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood; special agents of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, under the Direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Donnelly; special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca, New York Region; and special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott, with the investigation leading to the today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake Coppotelli of the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Della Sentilles of the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice.

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for attempting to bribe a witness to steal a gun from a car that was in the custody of the Camden County Police Department, pending the execution of a search warrant, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Saidah A. Davis, aka “Sacha,” 42, of Woodlynne, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court to an indictment charging her with witness tampering. 

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Davis admitted that on April 16, 2021, she and codefendant Anthony D. Parker, aka “Papa Smurf,” 38, of Camden, went to the home of an individual who she knew worked at a Camden tow lot that impounded vehicles that were seized by the Camden County Police Department for criminal investigations. Davis, an acquaintance of a relative of the tow lot employee, explained that Parker had a problem, and she asked the employee if he could help Parker. Parker said that his vehicle had been seized by the police pending a search warrant application, and that there was a gun and cash inside the vehicle. Parker offered the tow lot employee $2,000 to break into the vehicle and remove the gun and cash. The tow lot employee refused the bribe, and Davis took the employee’s phone number and said, “we’ll be in touch.”

Parker was convicted of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and is scheduled to be sentenced July 12, 2022.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Davis to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay; and officers of the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez; with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. 

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Harberg of the Criminal Division in Camden.

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, resident today admitted conspiring to fraudulently obtain 30 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) totaling more than $3 million, and to laundering the proceeds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Rhonda Thomas, 38, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to an information charging her with one count of bank fraud conspiracy and one count of money laundering.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. The CARES Act also authorized the Small Business Administration to provide EIDL of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses that were experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To obtain a PPP or EIDL loan, a qualifying small business was required to apply and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and expenses. In addition, businesses generally had to provide supporting documentation.

In 2020 and 2021, Thomas submitted at least 10 PPP application and three EIDL applications for companies she controlled. She represented to the lenders that her companies had employees and payroll expenses that they did not have. In fact, many of her companies were nominal businesses with no employees or payroll expenses.

Thomas also conspired with other purported business owners to submit at least 20 fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications. She prepared and submitted these loan applications, which falsely stated the number of employees, payroll, and expenses of the businesses.

Thomas forged tax forms and altered bank statements that she submitted to the lenders as part of the loan applications.

Based on Thomas’s misrepresentations, lenders approved approximately 30 PPP and EIDL loans and disbursed more than $3.1 million in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses to Thomas and her conspirators. Thomas personally received more than $330,000 from lenders based on the fraudulent loan applications for her companies and received kickbacks of more than $700,000 from other business owners for her role in preparing and submitting fraudulent loan applications.

Thomas used the fraudulently obtained PPP and EIDL loan proceeds to pay for personal expenses. In March 2022, Thomas withdrew approximately $60,000 of the loan proceeds in cash at a credit union in Camden County.

The charge of bank fraud conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. The count of money laundering is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. As part of her guilty plea, Thomas agreed to make restitution in the full amounts of the PPP and EIDL loans. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 1, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Regional Office; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott; special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden and Senior Litigation Counsel Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Division in Camden.

NEWARK, N.J. – Two New York men were charged today with conspiring to distribute approximately 110 kilograms of cocaine as part of an international drug trafficking organization, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Eddie Velez-Pena, 33, of Yonkers, New York, and Robin Medina-Fabian, 38, of the Bronx, New York, are charged by complaint with conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine. The defendants are scheduled to appear by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor. 

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On or June 25, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance of a tractor-trailer driven by Velez-Pena and believed to contain narcotics for distribution. They observed the tractor-trailer drive through New Jersey and stop for a period of time in Hampton, New Jersey.  Velez-Pena drove through New Jersey to the border of Yonkers and the Bronx, New York, where he met with Medina-Fabian. Velez-Pena transferred multiple duffle bags from his tractor-trailer to Medina-Fabian, who then placed them in the SUV. 

Law enforcement officers then conducted a stop of Medina-Fabian’s SUV and observed in plain view several duffel bags matching those provided by Velez-Pena. Subsequent to receiving consent to search the SUV from Medina-Fabian, law enforcement recovered several duffle bags containing approximately 110 kilograms of cocaine and drug ledger sheets.

The count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, with the investigation leading to the charges.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The New York OCDETF Strike Force is housed at the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; the New York City Police Department; the New York State Police; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; the U. S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the U.S. Marshals Service; New York National Guard; U.S. Coast Guard; Port Washington Police Department; and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny Chung of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.

The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man made his initial court appearance today on charges of possession of fentanyl and heroin with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Dawan A. Brown, aka “DB,” 36, of Cliffside Park, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and at least 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He appeared by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward Kiel and was detained.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Law enforcement officers learned that Brown packages and distributes large amounts of heroin from an apartment in a building located in Harrison, New Jersey.  On June 14, 2022, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at this apartment and at Brown’s residence. From the apartment in Harrison, officers recovered approximately two kilograms of narcotics, suspected to contain amounts of heroin and fentanyl; drug paraphernalia, including a ledger, a safe, scales, a coffee and spice grinder, ink pads, stamps, Ziplock bags, vacuum bags and a vacuum bag sealer machine, razor blades, glassine envelopes and strainers; and approximately $44,000 that was contained within the safe, along with some of the suspected heroin and fentanyl. From the residence in Cliffside Park, officers recovered approximately $169,000, five cell phones, safety deposit keys, and various jewelry including diamond necklaces, gold watches, and a gold ring.

The narcotics offense carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a fine of $10 million.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine in Newark; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; Harrison Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ronald Cuney; and Cliffside Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief Marc Marano, with the investigation leading to the charge.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Narcotics/Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Frazer of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit, in Newark.

The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

TRENTON, N.J. – A Paraguayan man today admitted his role in facilitating an international money laundering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Rodrigo Alvarenga Paredes, 35, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. Paredes previously was charged by complaint with co-defendants Cynthia Tarrago-Diaz and Raimundo Va with conspiracy to commit money laundering. Alvarenga made his initial appearance before Chief Judge Wolfson today and pleaded guilty to the information. He was released pending sentencing.

According to documents filed in this and other cases and statements made in court:

From March 2018 to November 2019, Alvarenga was the owner and operator of a money exchange business in the Republic of Paraguay, which was not licensed or registered to operate as a money transmitting business under the laws of the United States or the state of New Jersey. Until January 2019, Tarrago was a member of Paraguay’s Congress, and in late 2019 had publicly announced her intention to run for mayor of the capital district of Asunción. The investigation revealed that Tarrago and her husband, Va, agreed to accept at least $2 million in United States currency from two individuals who represented themselves to be narcotics traffickers, believing the money to be proceeds of unlawful narcotics trafficking. Tarrago and Va agreed to launder the funds through an international network of accounts in order to disguise the unlawful source of the proceeds.

Tarrago and Va traveled to New Jersey and Florida on multiple occasions and accepted approximately $800,000 in United States currency from the purported drug traffickers, and caused those funds to be transmitted through Alvarenga’s money exchange business; using his unlicensed business, Alvarenga then caused those funds to be transmitted through accounts located in multiple countries and ultimately caused the funds to be transferred back to an account maintained by the purported drug traffickers. To disguise the illicit source of the funds, Tarrago, Va, and Alvarenga coordinated to generate fraudulent invoices that stated legitimate business reasons for the transfers of the laundered funds.

Unbeknownst to Tarrago and Va, the currency that they accepted from the purported drug traffickers was not actually illicit drug proceeds, but was provided by two undercover FBI agents as part of an undercover investigation of the money laundering network. Alvarenga, operating through the auspices of his money-exchange company in Paraguay, facilitated Tarrago’s and Va’s money laundering by causing the undercover funds to be transmitted through his money exchange business and back to the FBI undercover account, knowing that the transactions violated United States laws and regulations.

The unlicensed money transmitting count to which Alvarenga pleaded guilty carries a statutory maximum potential penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum fine of the greater of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense; or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense whichever is greatest. Tarrago and Va each were sentenced to terms of imprisonment of 33 months. Alvarenga’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 9, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance in the case.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Joseph Gribko of the Criminal Division in Trenton and J. Brendan Day, Attorney in Charge of the Trenton Branch Office of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

NEWARK, N.J. – Three men and one woman were arrested today for participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak by bribing Amtrak employees to allow people to submit fraudulent claims to the Amtrak health insurance plan, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Muhammad Mirza, 50, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey; Devon Burt, 49, of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania; and Hallum Gelzer, 43, of East Orange, New Jersey, were charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in Newark federal court. Punson Figueroa, aka “Susie Figueroa,” 55, of Long Island City, New York, was charged in the same complaint with 15 counts of health care fraud. The defendants appeared by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III and were released on $200,000 unsecured bond.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2019 to the present, Mirza, Figueroa, Gelzer, Burt, and others recruited Amtrak employees – primarily from New Jersey and New York – to participate in the scheme through the offer of cash payments, in exchange for the employees agreeing to allow Mirza, Figueroa, and others to use their patient and insurance information to submit fraudulent claims. Mirza, Figueroa, and others benefitted from this scheme by receiving payments from the Amtrak health care plan for services that were never provided or that were medically unnecessary. Gelzer, Burt, and others benefitted from this scheme by receiving cash payments from providers in return for allowing those providers to use their personal and insurance information to submit fraudulent claims and in return for recruiting others to participate in the scheme.

On June 17, 2021, an undercover law enforcement agent posing as an Amtrak employee met with Figueroa at Figueroa’s office in New York. Figueroa instructed the undercover agent to sign his name about 30 times for services received and instructed the undercover agent not to date the signatures. Figueroa stated to the undercover agent that the undercover agent had good insurance, and that Amtrak has very good benefits. Figueroa submitted or caused to be submitted false claims to Amtrak’s health care plan indicating that the undercover agent had visited providers at least seven times in May 2021, purportedly receiving acupuncture and physical therapy services.

The undercover agent visited Figueroa’s office on only one other occasion, on July 29, 2021. At this meeting, which was recorded on audio and video, Figueroa handed the undercover agent an envelope filled with $1,000. Figueroa continued to use the undercover agent’s personal and insurance information to submit fraudulent claims to the Amtrak health care plan, for a total of 73 claims. As a result of these fraudulent claims, the Amtrak health care plan paid $31,840.

In total, the Amtrak health care plan has paid at least approximately $9 million as a result of claims associated with providers connected to the health care fraud scheme.

The conspiracy and health care fraud charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters; special agents of the  Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Greenberg; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division; and the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Samuel Dotson, with the investigation, leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark and Daniel V. Shapiro, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Rhode Island man was convicted for his role in a bank fraud conspiracy that targeted financial institutions in southern New Jersey, southeastern Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Olayinka Peter Olaseinde, 42, of Providence, Rhode Island, was convicted on June 21, 2022, of one count of bank fraud conspiracy and three counts of bank fraud following a five-day bench trial before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

Olaseinde was part of a Nigerian-based, multi-layered criminal organization that engaged in a bank fraud conspiracy in several states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Rhode Island, from June 2016 to March 2020. Members of the group acquired business checks that were stolen from the United States mail, altered the payee on the checks to a fraudulent name and deposited the checks into bank accounts that had been opened with counterfeit foreign passport documents and counterfeit U.S. visas that matched the names on the altered checks.  Members of the group also opened credit card and bank accounts using stolen personal information of real victims, took cash advances on these fraudulent credit card accounts, and deposited fraudulent checks into these identity theft bank accounts. After the banks credited all or a portion of the funds to the accounts, the defendants withdrew the funds from ATMs or purchased money orders, using debit cards associated with the fraudulent accounts.

Olaseinde’s role in the conspiracy included making deposits of stolen and altered, or otherwise fraudulent, checks into several of these accounts and making purchases and withdrawing funds from the accounts.

Each of the four counts on which he was convicted carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 27, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bellmawr Office, Philadelphia Division Office, and Washington, D.C., Division Office, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, Philadelphia Division, and Inspector in Charge Charles B. Wickersham, Washington Division Office; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Cherry Hill Office, and Newark Division Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina; HSI  Philadelphia Division Office, under the Direction of Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; HSI Maryland Division Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso, Baltimore, Maryland; HSI Rhode Island Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Millhollin, Boston Division Office; and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), under the direction of R. Mike Escott, Resident Agent in Charge, Philadelphia Resident Office, with the investigation leading to the conviction.

Five other conspirators have pleaded guilty; one of them has been sentenced by Judge Hillman and the others are awaiting sentencing. Charges against six other defendants remain pending.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Askin and Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

The charges and allegations contained in the pending complaints and indictments against the conspirators are merely accusations, and the defendants in those cases are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

NEWARK, N.J. – The former head of corporate communications for a biopharmaceutical company today admitted her role in an insider trading scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Lauren S. Wood, 33, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging her with securities fraud. Stemming from the same alleged conduct, Usama Malik, also of Washington, D.C., was previously charged in a three-count indictment with insider trading, securities fraud, and securities fraud conspiracy.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2018 through October 2020, Malik was the chief financial officer (CFO) of a New Jersey-based biopharmaceutical company listed on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. On April 6, 2020, the company publicly announced for the first time that its breast cancer drug – an antibody-based drug designed to treat certain breast cancer patients who had very limited treatment options beyond chemotherapy – had proven effective in pre-market clinical trials. In October 2020, another biopharmaceutical company acquired the company for which Malik worked for approximately $21 billion.

Malik was among the first, and one of the few, employees who received the material non-public information about the breast cancer drug before the public announcement. Within minutes of obtaining that information, Malik passed it along to Wood, who lived with Malik at the time and was formerly employed by the same company. Before April 6, 2020, and within hours of receiving the insider information from Malik, Wood placed an order for approximately 7,000 shares of the company’s stock, despite the fact that during the same time period the company’s stock was downgraded by financial experts. After the company announced that its cancer drug had proven effective in pre-market clinical trials, its stock price increased. After selling her shares, Wood more than doubled her investment, realizing gross profits of $213,618.

The securities fraud charge to which Wood pleaded guilty carries a potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine.  Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 21, 2022.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also filed a civil complaint on Dec. 1, 2021 based on the same conduct.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the SEC Enforcement Division, under the leadership of Director Gurbir S. Grewal, and the FBI, in the District of Columbia and the Eastern District of Virginia, for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Haber, Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit.

The charges and allegations against Malik are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for his role in a fentanyl conspiracy, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Jaqua Clayton, aka “Quay,” 23, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty via videoconference before U.S. district Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On March 26, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Clayton’s residence and recovered a loaded .40 caliber Taurus semi-automatic handgun loaded with 10 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition, and approximately $51,000 in cash. Clayton admitted that he had agreed with another individual to keep Clayton’s narcotics supply inside of the other individual’s apartment to avoid detection from law enforcement. Law enforcement officers obtained and executed a search warrant for the individual’s apartment in March 2021. The search revealed 2,116 glassine envelopes of fentanyl, as well as five plastic bags of unpackaged fentanyl, the total aggregate weight of which exceeded 400 grams. During the search, Clayton arrived and approached the entrance of the apartment. When he observed law enforcement, he fled from the area. Clayton has a prior felony conviction.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Clayton to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

This investigation was part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassye Cole of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.

TRENTON, N.J. – A Hanahan, South Carolina, woman was sentenced to 28 months in prison for defrauding the government of hundreds of thousands of dollars in Social Security and Medicare benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Martha Aguilar, 60, formerly of Middletown, New Jersey, and Allentown, Pennsylvania, previously pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in Trenton federal court to Count Three of a superseding indictment charging her with Social Security Fraud. Chief Judge Wolfson imposed the sentence by videoconference on June 15, 2022.  

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From November 2004 to September 2016, Aguilar collected $136,879 in Social Security benefits and $644,605 in Medicare benefits that she was not entitled to receive. Aguilar indicated on forms to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that she was completely disabled and unable to work, but continued working as a paralegal. Aguilar also fraudulently applied for and received temporary disability from the state of New Jersey totaling $13,622, and unemployment benefits from the state of New Jersey totaling $103,738, which she concealed from the SSA. In all, Aguilar fraudulently failed to report to SSA $488,870 in benefits and income. 

In addition to the prison term, Judge Wolfson sentenced Aguilar to two years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $781,484.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Office of the Inspector General, Social Security Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott; the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region, under the direction of Assistant Special Agent in Charge Debbi Mayer; and N.J. Department of Labor & Workforce Development, Division of Fraud Prevention & Risk Management-Special Investigations Unit, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Meriah Russell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role as the leader of a Trenton drug-trafficking organization responsible for the distribution of heroin in the Trenton area, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Robert M. Gbanapolor, 35, of Trenton, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to a superseding indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin; one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin; and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute a detectable amount of heroin. 

Ten other members of this drug trafficking conspiracy have previously pleaded guilty in this case.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:

From June 2018 through May 2019, Gbanapolor and others engaged in a heroin trafficking conspiracy in the areas of Stuyvesant, Hoffman, and Highland avenues in Trenton, as well as in the area of Barbary Road in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Gbanapolor obtained regular bulk supplies of heroin from Duane Paulino-Escalera, whom Gbanapolor referred to as “Papi.”  Gbanapolor, in turn, distributed this heroin for profit to other members of the drug-trafficking organization, who distributed the heroin in and around Trenton. Paulino-Escalera pleaded guilty in January 2020 and was sentenced on May 7, 2021, to five years in prison.

The counts to which Gbanapolor pleaded guilty carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison on each of Counts One and Three, and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison on Count Two. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 19, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, Camden Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; and task force officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Steve Wilson, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked detectives and officers of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Christine A. Hoffman; detectives and officers of the Gloucester Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Harkins; members of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; detectives and officers of the Bordentown Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Pesce; and special agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric A. Boden and Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.

NEWARK, N.J. – The Justice Department announced an agreement today with Jackson Township, New Jersey, and the Jackson Planning Board to settle allegations that they violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA) when they passed and applied a series of discriminatory zoning ordinances that intentionally targeted the Orthodox Jewish community by prohibiting religious schools and associated dormitories. 

The proposed consent order, which was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and must still be approved by the court, would resolve a lawsuit the United States filed in May 2020 alleging that the Jackson Township and the Jackson Planning Board passed zoning ordinances that broadly prohibited religious schools and banned schools with dormitories, both of which are important to providing religious education within the Orthodox Jewish community. The complaint alleged that the intent of the ordinances was to prevent Orthodox Jewish schools from opening in the township and thereby dissuade members of that community from living in or moving to Jackson. 

“RLUIPA and the Fair Housing Act protect the rights of religious communities to worship and obtain housing in communities free from discrimination and unequal treatment,” Philip R. Sellinger, United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, said. “This office remains steadfast in its commitment to enforce the nation’s civil rights laws, and as the proposed consent order demonstrates, we will continue to take steps to protect the civil rights of the Orthodox Jewish community and all communities throughout this district.”

“Zoning restrictions that intentionally target religious communities have no place in our society,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “Federal civil rights laws provide strong protections to ensure that religious communities are treated equally and not subjected to discrimination because of their beliefs. This resolution reaffirms that members of the Orthodox Jewish community — as with people of all faiths – are welcome in our communities and have the right to practice their religion free of discrimination.”

The complaint alleges that in 2017, Jackson Township enacted two ordinances that banned dormitories and severely restricted where religious schools could locate. These ordinances were enacted in response to the growth of the Orthodox Jewish community in Jackson and surrounding areas and amid public comments arguing that the ordinances should be enacted to prevent the Orthodox Jewish community from living in or moving to Jackson. Township councilmembers voted unanimously to enact the ordinances.

The consent order requires Jackson Township to repeal the remaining active discriminatory ordinance and replace it with an ordinance that will allow religious elementary and secondary schools, religious higher learning institutions, and religious residential schools.  The consent order also requires that the new zoning ordinance treat religious schools equally with non-religious institutions that operate in the township. The consent order requires the township to train its officials and employees on the requirements of RLUIPA and the FHA, establish a procedure for receiving and resolving RLUIPA and FHA complaints, pay a civil penalty of $45,000, and pay $150,000 into a settlement fund from which aggrieved persons can seek payment.

Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions, or discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, and familial status, may contact the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at 1-833-591-0291, or the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Hotline at (855) 281-3339  Individuals may also submit a complaint through the Civil Rights Division’s complaint portal or through the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Horan Florio, Senior Civil Rights Counsel in the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division, and Trial Attorneys Ryan G. Lee and David K. Gardner, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was convicted today on weapons and drug charges, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Teriek Edwards, 44, of Newark, was convicted on two counts of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon; one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and oxycodone; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of his possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and oxycodone, following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

On May 25, 2018, members of the East Orange Police Department attempted to stop Edwards as part of an ongoing investigation. Upon being approached by law enforcement officers, Edwards fled, and a struggle ensued. Edwards was arrested and law enforcement officers recovered heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, and other illegal narcotics from his pants pockets, as well as a 9mm firearm loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition. A federal complaint was filed against Edwards and a federal arrest warrant was issued. 

On Aug. 22, 2018, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force arrested Edwards on that federal arrest warrant, at which time they recovered a second handgun – a 9mm firearm loaded with eight rounds of ammunition.

The possession of a firearm charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The drug trafficking charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. The possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000.  Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; members of East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis Bindi; members of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director Brian O’Hara; deputy marshals and task force officers with the U.S. Marshals Service in the District of New Jersey, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.; and special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracey Agnew and Samantha C. Fasanello of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division.

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, woman today admitted stealing approximately 700 checks and money orders from her employer and failing to pay taxes on the income, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Lori Andrews, 61, Voorhees, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an information charging her with one count of interstate transportation of stolen property and one count of income tax evasion. 

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Andrews worked in the property management office of an apartment building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tenants paid their rent and other expenses to the property management office. From January 2011 to October 2018, Andrews stole 697 checks and money orders totaling $2.67 million her employer, drove them from Philadelphia to New Jersey, and deposited those checks and money orders into a nominee bank account that she opened using a fake Social Security number. Andrews admitted that she used the money to pay personal expenses.

Andrews also admitted that for tax years 2011 through 2015, she did not report the stolen income on her income tax returns or pay income taxes on that income. Andrews admitted that she did not file income tax returns for years 2016 through 2018 and failed to pay income taxes on her income and stolen funds.

The interstate transportation of stolen property charge to which Andrews pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison; the income tax evasion charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years. Both counts carry a potential fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 27, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins and Postal Inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Postal Inspector Damon E. Wood of the Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney's Office Civil Rights Division in Camden.

CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, tax preparer was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for using false information to increase her clients’ tax refunds and filing her own false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Michele Griffin, 42, of Galloway, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Rodriguez to Count 11 of an indictment charging her with aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false income tax return. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Griffin prepared multiple fraudulent tax returns on behalf of her clients by falsifying their education expenses, dependent care expenses, business income, dependent information, and unemployment income. As a result, her clients’ returns requested higher tax credits and higher refunds than the clients were entitled to receive. Griffin prepared 19 false tax returns on behalf of six clients for tax years 2013 through 2016 and filed three false tax returns for herself for tax years 2013 through 2015. She admitting causing a tax loss of approximately $135,000.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Griffin to one year of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of 135,063.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for his role in a Passaic County cocaine distribution conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. 

Victor Pimentel, 46, of Parsippany, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:

Pimentel was part of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in and around Passaic County. A search of Pimentel’s residence revealed over 20 kilograms of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and $322,000 in cash.  

In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Pimentel to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. 

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan M. Peck of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man who was previously convicted of several felonies was sentenced to 144 months in prison for possessing and intending to distribute cocaine and oxycodone and for illegally possessing a handgun in furtherance of his drug distribution, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Arthur Forman, 39, of Plainfield, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to a superseding information charging him with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and oxycodone, possession of a firearm in the course of committing that narcotics offense, and being a previously convicted felon in possession of a handgun. Judge Hayden imposed the sentence on June 9, 2022, in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

During an encounter with the Plainfield Police Department on Oct. 13, 2017, Forman resisted arrest by choking a Plainfield detective. While trying to evade capture, Forman transferred a bag containing the cocaine and firearm to a family member, who attempted to dispose of the bag and its contents by throwing it out a window. During a subsequent search of Forman’s bedroom, Plainfield police officers found numerous oxycodone pills and paraphernalia used to grind pills and package drugs for sale. Forman was previously convicted of multiple felonies under New Jersey state law, including a 2016 conviction in Union County, New Jersey for resisting arrest and eluding the police.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; the Plainfield Police Department, under the leadership of Police Director Lisa Burgess; and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Haber and Deputy Chief Desiree Grace of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden man admitted his role as a shift supervisor of a drug trafficking organization and conspiring to distribute over one kilogram of heroin, over 280 grams of crack, and unspecified amounts of cocaine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Christopher Vasquez, 31, of Camden, pleaded guilty on June 9, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to his role as a shift supervisor and manager in a drug trafficking conspiracy that was based on the 400-500 block of Pine Street in Camden.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court

Vazquez admitted that he operated as a “shift manager” in the drug-trafficking organization, supervising and directing the street-level sellers who were involved in distributing controlled substances to customers. From January 2018 to Nov. 28, 2018, he met with conspirators who were involved in the scheme and discussed the operations and management of the drug trafficking organization. He also provided drugs to street-level sellers.

Eighteen other members of the drug-trafficking conspiracy previously have pleaded guilty in this case.

The count to which Vasquez pleaded guilty carries a mandatory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for scheduled for Oct. 13, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabe Rodriguez; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of  Acting Chief Larry Robb; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.

This case is being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

TRENTON, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man already under felony indictment was charged with conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking and unlawful transportation of firearms in interstate commerce following law enforcement’s seizure of 11 firearms, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Dominic Maloney, 19, of Bordentown, New Jersey, was arrested on June 8, 2022, in Salem County, New Jersey, and charged in a three-count criminal complaint with conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking; unlawful transportation of firearms in interstate commerce while under felony indictment; and unlawful transportation of firearms obtained in another state into Maloney’s state of residence. Maloney made his initial appearance today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois H. Goodman and was detained.

According to the criminal complaint and statements made in court:

On Feb. 22, 2022, Maloney was indicted in Mercer County, New Jersey, Superior Court on felony charges of unlawful possession of a handgun; possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose; aggravated assault; and making terroristic threats. As a result of the pending felony indictment, federal law prohibits Maloney from transporting firearms in interstate commerce. Maloney maintained and used an identified Instagram account. Law enforcement review of that account and an associate’s Instagram account indicated that, as of June 1, 2022, Maloney was in the state of Georgia to obtain firearms and intended to transport those firearms to New Jersey to distribute them to others for profit. On June 8, 2022, law enforcement officers identified a silver 2007 Nissan Armada driving northbound on Interstate 95 in Maryland. Maloney was a passenger, along with three other occupants. Officers stopped the vehicle on Interstate 295 in New Jersey. A search of the vehicle recovered 11 firearms from the trunk, including eight semiautomatic pistols, one semiautomatic rifle, and two shotguns. 

The conspiracy count and the two unlawful transportation counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. He also thanked special agents of ATF, Philadelphia Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew P. Varisco; special agents of ATF, Wilmington Field Office, Baltimore Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby; special agents of the ATF, Washington Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson; special agents of the ATF, Savannah Field Office, Atlanta Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ben Gibbons; troopers of the New Jersey State Police Trafficking Central, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, and troopers of the Pennsylvania State Police, under the direction of Col. Robert Evanchick, for their assistance with the investigation.

In July 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched five cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. Leveraging existing resources, the regional strike forces will better ensure sustained and focused coordination across jurisdictions and help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into five key market regions: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region and Washington, D.C. According to gun trace data, a significant number of firearms recovered in the New York/northern New Jersey area originate from outside the area. The strike force will help ensure sustained and focused coordination between law enforcement and prosecutors in the New York/ New Jersey area with their counterparts in those other locations.

The government is represented by J. Brendan Day, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Office.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

CAMDEN, N.J. – Two Burlington County women with businesses in Riverside, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were arrested today and charged with operating an illegal unlicensed check cashing operation that cashed over $175 million in checks and failed to file Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) on their customers, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Luciana Machado, 42, of Riverside, and Juliana Gomes-Souza, 45, of Cinnaminson, Jersey, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to fail to file CTRs and operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Machado and Gomes-Souza are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio later today.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in Court:

Since at least 2018, Machado and Gomes-Souza have operated two businesses – Via Brazil I in Riverside and Via Brazil II in Philadelphia – as a criminal enterprise that has allowed their customers to cash over $175 million in checks without generating CTRs or financial records identifying their customers. This facilitates the customers’ ability to pay off-the-books employees and laborers in cash and avoid payroll and income taxes. 

The charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine $250,000, or twice the gross financial gain derived or twice the loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; postal inspectors of the U.S. States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William Walker; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca; agents of the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation, under the direction of Executive Director Chadd W. Lackey; officers with the Cinnaminson Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard Calabrese; and officers with the Riverside Police Department under the direction of Chief H. David Jaensch. He also thanked the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw, for its assistance in the case.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Malagold of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division. 

The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

NEWARK, N.J. – A federal jury convicted an Essex County, New Jersey, man for his role in the knifepoint robbery of a Harrison, New Jersey, taxi company, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Alfuquan Turner, 46, of Newark was convicted on June 7, 2022, of Hobbs Act robbery following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

On Sept. 23, 2019, Turner walked into the Harrison Cab Company armed with a knife and covering his face with a plastic bag. He demanded money from the cab company’s dispatcher. After the victim informed Turner that there was no money in her office, Turner continued his threats and demands. Ultimately, after Turner attempted to stab the victim and the victim fought back, Turner took the victim’s cell phone and attempted to leave. When the victim tried to get her phone back, Turner hit her in the face, pushed her to the ground, and asked her if she wanted to die. Turner then choked the victim until she lost consciousness, after which he stole her jewelry, cell phone, and other items.

The count of Hobbs Act robbery is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 25, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine in Newark; investigators of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey under the direction of Superintendent Edward Cetnar; officers of the Harrison Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Strumolo; and investigators of the N.J. Transit Police Department, under the direction of Chief Christopher Trucillo, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sophie E. Reiter.

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man today admitted selling $2.7 million worth of pesticides he claimed were registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as being effective against coronavirus, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, announced.

Paul Andrecola, 63, of Maple Shade, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of knowingly distributing or selling an unregistered pesticide in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), one count of wire fraud, and one count of presenting false claims to the United States.

“Paul Andrecola’s scheme profited on the fears of the American people during the height of concerns about transmission of COVID-19,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “Our office is dedicated to protecting public health and prosecuting to the full extent of the law those who commit such egregious criminal acts.”

“Andrecola not only cheated dozens of people out of millions of dollars, but also endangered the health of those who relied on his fraudulent virucidal products,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting such crimes to the fullest extent possible.”

“This announcement represents the largest pandemic fraud case related to the sale of unregistered pesticides charged nationwide,” Special Agent in Charge Tyler Amon of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in New Jersey said. “This case underscores EPA’s commitment with our law enforcement partners to hold violators accountable when they undercut the level playing field used by law abiding companies to ensure the integrity and safety of their products.” 

"The EPA Office of Inspector General is pleased to have contributed to this investigation by focusing on falsified records purporting to have been produced by the EPA," Special Agent in Charge Nic Evans of EPA's Office of Inspector General said.

According to documents filed in this case, and statements made in court:

FIFRA regulates the distribution, sale, and use of pesticides to ensure that pesticides sold in the United States are safe, effective, and bear labeling containing true and accurate information. The EPA is responsible for regulating the manufacture, labeling, and distribution of all pesticides shipped or received in interstate commerce.

Under FIFRA, all pesticides must be registered with the EPA before the pesticide can be sold or distributed, and no person may distribute or sell a pesticide that has not been registered with the EPA. Before pesticide products can legally make claims that they can kill a particular pathogen, such as SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus), the claim must be authorized by EPA based on a review of data. In March 2020, at the beginning of the global pandemic, the EPA created a list of EPA-registered products that it deemed to be effective against coronavirus, titled “List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2.” The EPA has continued to update this list since its creation.

Andrecola, who controls two companies and is employed by a third company, all based in in Mount Laurel, manufactured various disinfectant products, including liquids and wipes, under the brand name “GCLEAN.” GCLEAN products were unregistered pesticides under FIFRA and none of the products were on EPA’s List N. Andrecola placed another company’s EPA registration numbers on his company’s products and falsely marketed that his products were EPA-approved to kill coronavirus by creating numerous false documents to support his claims.  Andrecola, or others at his behest, would provide this falsified documentation to potential customers representing that various sanitizer and wipe products in the names GCLEAN or GC200 were EPA-registered products List N to persuade them to purchase the unregistered pesticide products.  

From March 2020 through May 2021, Andrecola used these fraudulent representations to make more than 150 sales of unregistered pesticides for a profit of more than $2.7 million. The purchasers of these unregistered pesticides included a police department in Delaware, a fire department in Virginia, a medical clinic in Georgia, a janitorial supply company in New York, a school district in Wisconsin, and numerous U.S. Government agencies, including the U.S. Marshal’s Service, Moody Air Force Base, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the National Forest Service.   

The count of illegal sale of an unregistered pesticide carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of one year, and a fine of up to $25,000. The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and the count of false claims against the United States is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both the charges of wire fraud and false claims against the United States are each also subject to fines of $250,000, twice the gross profits to Andrecola, or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 11, 2022.

As part of the plea agreement, Andrecola agreed to forfeit $2.74 million – the proceeds from the sale of the illegal product, and to make full restitution for all losses resulting from his commission of the charged crimes.   

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. EPA Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amon with the investigation leading to today’s plea. He also thanks the U.S. EPA Office of the Inspector General Eastern Region under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Nicolas Evans; Homeland Security Investigations Newark Field Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina; Defense Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick Hegarty; Naval Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Wiest; and the Mount Laurel Police Department under the direction of Chief Stephen Riedener, for their assistance in this investigation.

The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason P. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Economic Crimes Unit in Newark and Trial Attorneys Adam C. Cullman and Matthew D. Evans of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice.

CAMDEN, N.J. – A manager of a Camden drug-trafficking organization today admitted conspiring to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, more than 280 grams of crack cocaine, and unspecified quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Juan Figueroa, 24, of Camden, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to an indictment charging him with conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute: one kilogram or more of heroin, 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, fentanyl and cocaine.

Seventeen other members of the drug-trafficking conspiracy previously have pleaded guilty in this case. The charges against one other defendant, Christopher Vasquez, remain pending, and he is scheduled to go on trial beginning July 18, 2022.

Figueroa admitted that he acted as a manager of the drug trafficking organization based in the area of the 400-500 block of Pine Street in Camden. He also acted as a “runner,” supervising and directing others involved in distributing controlled substances. He provided drugs to his conspirators and collected drug proceeds from them.

The count to which Figueroa pleaded guilty carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of a lifetime in prison, and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 11, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabe Rodriguez; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Larry Robb; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.

This case is being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

The charges and allegations that remain pending against Vasquez are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Defense counsel for Juan Figueroa: Michael Riley Esq., Mount Holly, New Jersey

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden man was sentenced today to 100 months in prison for conspiring to distribute large amounts of heroin, cocaine, and crack in the city of Camden, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Paul Salcedo, 31, of Camden, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute one hundred grams or more of heroin as well as quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

A total of 19 defendants were arrested in late 2018 on drug-trafficking charges based on the FBI’s investigation of a drug-trafficking organization that ran the open-air narcotics trade on the 400-500 block of Pine Street in Camden for several months in 2018. The organization included street-level sellers who worked various shifts selling drugs to customers and collecting drug proceeds. These street-level sellers were supervised by shift managers, who in turn were supervised by higher-level “runners” like Salcedo, who supplied the sellers with pre-packaged heroin, some of which was mixed with fentanyl, as well as cocaine and crack cocaine. The runners also collected drug proceeds from the shift managers and provided those proceeds to higher-level members of the conspiracy.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Salcedo to four years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of  Acting Chief of Police Larry Robb; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.

This case is being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Aliabadi and Patrick C. Askin of the U. S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

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Defense counsel: Troy A. Archie Esq., Cinnaminson, New Jersey

NEWARK, N.J. – A dual New York and Florida resident was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling over $6.8 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Gregory J. Blotnick, 35, of Florida, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence by videoconference today.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From April 2020 through March 2021, Blotnick submitted 21 fraudulent PPP loan applications to 13 lenders on behalf of nine purported businesses that Blotnick controlled.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.

The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1 percent. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.

On Blotnick’s fraudulent PPP applications, which sought a total of approximately $6.8 million in total loans, Blotnick falsified various information to the lenders including the number of employees, the federal tax returns for his purported businesses, and payroll documentation. Blotnick obtained approximately $4.6 million in PPP funds and then misused the loan proceeds, including by transferring the funds to brokerage accounts from which he placed more than approximately $3 million in losing stock trades.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Blotnick to two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $4,577,631.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak; special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott; special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca in New York; and special agents of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stephen Donnelly, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Government Fraud Unit in Newark and Trial Attorney Cory E. Jacobs of the Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Market Integrity and Major Frauds Unit.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Defense counsel: Adam Kaufmann Esq and Jason Berland Esq, New York.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Georgia man pleaded guilty today for his role in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud and receive kickbacks in connection with fraudulent testing claims for COVID-19 and cancer genetic screenings, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Erik Santos, 52, of Braselton, Georgia pleaded guilty to a two-count Information charging him with, in count one, conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute, and, in count two, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Santos owned and operated a company that conducted business with medical testing companies. From September 2019 through March 2020, Santos and others agreed to engage in a scheme to provide medical testing companies with qualified patient leads and tests for medically unnecessary cancer genetic screening tests for Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for kickbacks of approximately $1,000 to $1,500 for each test that resulted in a reimbursement from Medicare. Santos entered into a sham contract and utilized sham invoices to make it appear that he was being paid for legitimate services and to conceal his fraudulent kickback scheme. During the course of the scheme, Santos received kickbacks of approximately $33,250 for cancer genetic screening tests. Santos’s scheme aimed to submit more than $1.1 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare.

In March 2020, at a time when many individuals reported difficulty obtaining Covid-19 tests, Santos and others agreed to extend their scheme to also incorporate those tests, along with significantly more expensive and medically unnecessary respiratory pathogen panel tests. Specifically, Santos and his co-conspirators agreed that Santos would be paid kickbacks for each Covid-19 test submitted to a laboratory, provided that those tests were bundled with significantly more expense respiratory pathogen panel tests, which did not treat or identify Covid-19, and regardless of the medical necessity of either test. Santos agreed to use sham contracts and sham invoices to conceal this portion of the scheme as well.

The count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum potential punishment of 10 years in prison. The count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both offenses are also punishable by a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine in Newark; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick Hegarty; the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the ongoing investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Sherman of the Criminal Division in Newark.

Defense counsel: James Smith

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man with a prior child exploitation conviction was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

James Tierney, 57, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. Senior District Judge Robert B. Kugler to one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Kugler imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

In August 2020, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Tierney’s residence after receiving information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an online cloud account accessed from Tierney’s residence had uploaded images of child sexual abuse. While executing the search warrant, agents recovered Tierney’s cell phone, which contained multiple videos and images of child sexual abuse. Tierney admitted to agents that he used the cell phone and cloud account for possessing images of child sexual abuse.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Tierney to five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Cherry Hill Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crimes Unit, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. 

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey B. Bender of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Camden.

Defense counsel: Maggie Moy Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Camden

NEWARK, N.J. – A Maryland man was indicted on money laundering charges related to money obtained through unlawful computer intrusions that targeted a New Jersey-based employee benefit and payroll management company, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Oladapo Sunday Ogunbiyi, 40, of Greenbelt, Maryland, is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of money laundering, and two counts of engaging in transactions in property derived from criminal activity. Ogunbiyi appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois H. Goodman in Trenton federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Ogunbiyi conspired with others to launder funds obtained through an unlawful computer fraud scheme in which they obtained unauthorized access to a 401k account held for the benefit of a person at the New Jersey company. They then added a bank account belonging to another individual to the victim’s 401k account without the victim’s knowledge or authorization. This account was designated as the account to receive withdrawals from the victim’s 401k account. Thereafter, $246,390 was transferred to the bank account belonging to account that had been added without the victim’s knowledge or consent.

Ogunbiyi and others directed that the fraud proceeds be converted into cashier’s checks, which were provided to Ogunbiyi. He then deposited the cashier’s checks into bank accounts under his control and withdrew the funds in a series of ATM and counter withdrawals designed to conceal the source of the money, which he used for personal expenditures.

The counts of money laundering and money laundering conspiracy carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. The counts of engaging in transactions in property derived from criminal activity carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, including the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Messenger in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Torntore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Cybercrime Unit.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

NEWARK, N.J. – The former administrative manager of a carpenters’ union pension fund today admitted embezzling approximately $140,000 and making false statements on a required report to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. 

George R. Laufenberg, 72, of Wall Township, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin R. McNulty in Newark federal court to two counts of an indictment charging him with embezzling approximately $140,000 in pension benefits (Count One) and making false statements to the DOL (Count Five).

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Laufenberg was the administrative manager of the Northeast Carpenters Pension Fund, which was subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Laufenberg was a fiduciary and participant in the pension fund. He admitted stealing $140,000 that was paid to him under a deferred compensation agreement to which he was not entitled. Laufenberg also admitted that he made false statements in a form required under ERISA that he filed to the Department of Labor on behalf of the pension fund.

The maximum penalty for each count is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 6, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the DOL Employee Benefit Security Administration, under the supervision of Thomas Licetti, Regional Director; special agents of the DOL Office of the Inspector General, under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; and agents of the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, under the supervision of Inspector General John Gay, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel V. Grady O’Malley of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall R. Randolph of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.  

NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for his role in a Passaic County cocaine distribution conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Kiuny Perez, 44, of Rockaway Township, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to a criminal information charging him with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:

The defendant was part of a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of cocaine in and around Passaic County. In November 2017, law enforcement officers observed Perez and a co-defendant meet at a location in Passaic and exchange a package containing cocaine. Law enforcement officers stopped Perez’s vehicle and found cocaine in a hidden compartment underneath the dashboard. Law enforcement officers also discovered $297,350 in cash in Perez’s residence.  

In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Perez to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan M. Peck of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

CAMDEN, N.J. – An Indian national was indicted for immigration documents fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Rohit Kumar, 30, of West Bengal, India, is charged with six counts of submitting false and fraudulent immigration documents and six counts of committing aggravated identity theft. 

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Kumar worked for several years in India for one of the largest information technology companies in the world. This IT company contracted with an electric utility company that was based in New Jersey and owned and operated nuclear power facilities at multiple locations, including in southern New Jersey. Under the contract, the IT company supplied services to the New Jersey company, including through the use of foreign national workers from India who worked in specialized occupations.

Kumar helped to arrange for Indian national workers to enter the United States under the H-1B visa program and then work at the New Jersey company. Some of these Indian national workers were stationed at a nuclear power plant in southern New Jersey, while other foreign workers were stationed at the company’s other locations in and around New Jersey. 

On several occasions in 2017 and 2018, Kumar created and presented false and fraudulent documents to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service in support of the H-1B visa applications of the Indian national workers. The documents purported to contain the authorized signature of a contracting manager at the New Jersey electric utility company, but the contracting manager never signed or authorized a signature on these documents.

Each count of immigration documents fraud is punishable by a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, as well as a maximum fine of $250,000. Each count of aggravated identity theft is punishable by sentence of two years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other term imposed, as well as a maximum fine of $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Aliabadi and Jason M. Richardson in Camden.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man today admitted conspiring to commit bank fraud and accepting bribes, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Kurt Phelps, 53, of Flanders, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of bank bribery. Three of Phelps’ conspirators previously pleaded guilty in connection with the fraud scheme.    

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2013 through 2019, Phelps and his conspirators carried out a scheme to defraud Phelps’ employer, a bank. They obtained millions of dollars of credit from the bank for Starnet Business Solutions Inc. a now defunct New Jersey-based printing company where Phelps’ conspirators worked. Phelps’ conspirators paid him large cash bribes in connection with the fraud scheme

In 2013, Starnet received a line of credit from the bank after providing materially false financial information. The bank not only allowed Starnet to maintain the line of credit, at various times it increased the line of credit. By 2018, the line of credit was worth approximately $8 million, and Starnet has not repaid it

Phelps was aware that financial information Starnet provided to the bank for the line of credit was materially false, and coached Starnet on how to defraud the bank. Phelps would review draft financial information for Starnet and provide feedback on how his conspirators should falsify the information before submission. Phelps also worked to ensure that the bank did not detect the fraud scheme by helping Starnet avoid audits and other quality control measures employed by the bank. 

Phelps solicited large cash bribes – tens of thousands of dollars at a time – from Starnet in connection with the fraud scheme. Phelps’ conspirators pooled cash to pay Phelps bribe payments. Over the course of the conspiracy, Phelps accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash bribes. 

The conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank bribery charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 3, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Messenger in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Suchorsky of the Economic Crimes Unit.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for her participation in a multi-year embezzlement scheme and to subscribing to a false personal income tax return, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Ruby Baroni, 55, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals to an information charging her with one count of wire fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. Judge Neals imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Between October 2010 and August 2016, Baroni held an accounting position at a New Jersey guided-tour company. In that capacity, Baroni had authority to cut checks against the company’s bank accounts. During that period, Baroni and Estela Laluf, a manager at the company, devised a scheme to embezzle funds from the company. Laluf would direct Baroni to cut company checks to actual company employees and contractors, which did not reflect any actual work or services done by those individuals. Baroni would then cash these checks, and Laluf and Baroni would then convert the resulting funds to their personal use. In this way, Laluf and Baroni embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company. Baroni then fraudulently omitted the proceeds from the embezzlement scheme from her tax year 2016 tax return. Laluf pleaded guilty before Judge Neals to a separate information related to the scheme on Sept. 20, 2021, and was sentenced on April 25, 2022, to 27 months in prison.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Neals sentenced Baroni to two years of supervised release and ordered her to pay $295,297 in restitution.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division, and special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombly of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

CAMDEN, N.J. – Three men were charged by indictment with conspiring to defraud five victims out of approximately $3.25 million through an investment fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Malcolm Dean Hampton II, 62, formerly of California and now of Quinlan, Texas, William Joseph Kuzma 60, of Billings, Montana, and Michael Russell Davis 56, formerly of New York and now overseas, are each charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Hampton and Kuzma appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden federal court and were released on $150,000 bond each. Davis remains at large.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

During 2017, the conspirators advertised an investment opportunity in Standby Letters of Credit (SBLC), which are essentially a guaranty of payment by a bank or financial institution. The investments were offered through Hampton’s company, 5 Star Investments LLC. Kuzma handled inquiries from potential investors, and forwarded investment contracts via email to potential investors. The contracts were deliberately vague and confusing, and contained false and fraudulent statements, including promising “guaranteed” returns which were unrealistic and which no investor had achieved, and promising to return the investor’s monies if the SBLC’s were not created. Davis was identified as the “asset manager,” and investors were instructed to wire their investment monies to a bank account in the name of Davis’ company, Jet Exclusive Aviation LLC.

From from March through May 2017, five investors entered into contracts with Hampton, Kuzma and Davis, and wired approximately $3.25 million to Davis’ account. The defendants did not invest the monies as promised, but rather converted them for their own use. Within days of the first victim’s “investment” money going into Davis’ account, Davis began transferring money to his other bank accounts, and also to an account held in Hampton’s relative’s name. Hampton thereafter transferred some of the proceeds to Kuzma. In response to complaints by the victims, the defendants continued to falsely assure the victims that the investments were moving forward, and later that the victims would get their monies back. That did not happen. Instead, Hampton, Kuzma and Davis spent the victims’ money on personal expenses, cars, and travel, and also transferred money to other bank accounts controlled by themselves or their family members.

The count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Messenger in Newark, with the investigation leading to the indictment.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana V. Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

NEWARK, N.J. – An Eastchester, New York, man has been charged with the transportation and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Androsky Lugo, 52, is charged by criminal complaint with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance by videoconference this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From August 2019 to September 2021, Lugo stored multiple electronic devices with a coworker at the New Jersey office where he worked. One of the devices was subsequently discovered to contain a voluminous collection of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse. The investigation also revealed that Lugo transported child pornography, on a different electronic device, from New York into New Jersey on multiple dates in July 2020.

The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of $250,000. The charge of transportation of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and fine of $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Westchester County, New York, District Attorney's Office for its assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.