Eastern District of New York

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Dimitriy Nezhinskiy was sentenced by United States District Judge William F. Kuntz II to 46 months in prison for conspiring to receive stolen property that had been transported in interstate commerce.  In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Judge Kuntz ordered the defendant forfeit $2,500,000 and restitution will be determined at a later date.  The defendant and his co-defendant Juan Villar pled guilty in July 2025.  Villar was sentenced in February 2026 to 46 months’ incarceration along with restitution and forfeiture. 

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) announced the sentence.

“Dimitriy Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar used the cover of their Diamond District store to encourage, coordinate, and profit from theft groups conducting burglaries nationwide,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The defendants tried to make a quick buck by buying stolen valuables from transnational criminals, and in doing so, bought themselves lengthy prison sentences.”

“Dimitriy Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar facilitated the sale of stolen goods obtained from criminals for profit. The goods stolen came from across the United States, impacting victims nationwide. The FBI and its partners have worked diligently to bring charges against these two individuals for their unlawful activity,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

“What started with criminals trying to commit burglaries in Nassau County, has now ended in multiple arrests and guilty pleas; including these defendants,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder.  “When you try and buy stolen goods that were taken from hard working people, we will work with our great partners to find you, and hold you accountable. Today, that accountability came.”

“For years, the defendant participated in a large-scale transnational operation of brazen burglaries,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “This international pipeline targeted residential homes and commercial vendors to receive and purchase stolen property, contributing to dangerous criminal activities.  Thanks to the work of our detectives, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, we have shut down this enterprise, and this sentencing ensures those responsible are being held accountable.”

Nezhinskiy and Villar regularly served as “fences” for burglary crews from South America, who traveled around the United States, including the Eastern District of New York, committing burglaries, typically targeting wealthier neighborhoods in Nassau County and elsewhere or jewelry vendors, and stealing luxury accessories. According to court filings and statements Nezhinskiy made at his earlier guilty plea, between approximately 2020 and 2025, he conspired with Villar and others to receive and purchase stolen property, including jewelry, watches, handbags, and assorted luxury items that had been stolen and transported into New York.  Nezhinskiy and Villar’s operation, which consisted of purchasing stolen property from these crews for cash, provided an essential market for the stolen goods, perpetuating the dangerous criminal activities of the burglary and theft crews composed largely of foreign nationals. Evidence linked Nezhinskiy and Villar to residential and commercial burglaries around the country, including burglaries from at least one professional athlete.

The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division and the Office’s General Crimes Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Michael R. Maffei, Katherine P. Onyshko, and Sean M. Sherman are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Special Assistant United States Attorney Marsalla M. King with respect to forfeiture matters.

The Defendants:

DIMITRIY NEZHINSKIY
Age:  44
North Bergen, New Jersey

JUAN VILLAR
Age:  48
Queens, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-40 (WFK)

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Jaquell Blackwell was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment for committing three armed carjackings.  On December 18, 2025, another defendant, Abdoul Azika, was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment for his participation in a carjacking with Blackwell and two other armed carjackings.  Both proceedings were held before United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentencings.

“For more than a year, the defendants and their co-conspirators engaged in a pattern of armed carjackings targeting hardworking New Yorkers,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Their sentencings demonstrate that our Office will not tolerate gang violence and will bring these criminals to justice.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Nassau County Police Department and the Garden City Police Department for their work on the case.

“The defendants repeatedly terrorized and harmed unsuspecting New Yorkers during a series of armed carjackings. The FBI's Safe Streets Task Force continues to protect our communities from senseless gang violence,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

Azika and Blackwell were members of the violent “5zzly” crew of the Bronx-based Blood Hounds Brims gang that has engaged in a string of armed carjackings and robberies across New York City and on Long Island.  Both gang members pleaded guilty to a carjacking in the early morning hours of March 19, 2023, during which they snuck up on a vehicle parked in a residential neighborhood in Garden City, opened the doors of a vehicle, pointed a knife and a gun at the driver’s face, and told him to “get the f--- out of the car.”  The driver complied and the defendants stole the vehicle.

In connection with his guilty plea, Azika also admitted to committing two additional armed carjackings on June 5, 2022. During the first of those carjackings, which happened in South Farmingdale, Azika and his co-conspirators pulled the victim out of his vehicle at gunpoint, beat him, and stole his vehicle. During the second carjacking in Massapequa, Azika and his co-conspirators entered the victim’s vehicle, brandished a gun, assaulted the victim, pulled him out of his vehicle, and stole the vehicle.

In connection with his guilty plea, Blackwell also admitted to committing armed carjackings on June 26, 2022, and June 7, 2023.  During the June 2022 carjacking, which happened in Garden City, Blackwell and his co-conspirators got into the victim’s vehicle at gunpoint, pulled him out of the vehicle and beat him, and then put him back in and drove him around to ATMs while forcing him to try to withdraw funds.  At one point during the ride, one of the co-conspirators said they should “just shoot” the victim because they “don’t need him.”  During the June 2023 carjacking, which happened in Elmont, Blackwell and his co-conspirators opened the victim’s door, grabbed the victim and threw him to the ground, punched and kicked the victim, and then stole his vehicle.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States  Attorneys Rebecca M. Schuman and Kamil R. Ammari are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendants:

ABDOUL AZIKA
Age:  21
Bronx, New York

JAQUELL BLACKWELL
Age:  21
Bronx, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 24-CR-483, 25-CR-194 (DLI)

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, James Wellesley, also known as “Andrew Fuller” and “Andrew Templar,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen to 10 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a scheme to defraud over 140 victims around the world of over $97 million.  As part of the sentence, Judge Chen ordered Wellesley to pay $1 million in forfeiture and postponed the imposition of restitution until a later date.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.

“Unlike a fine vintage that improves over time, the defendant will spend years in prison to reflect on his fraudulent wine scheme.  James Wellesley preyed on investors around the globe to induce them to invest tens of millions of dollars on lies,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s sentence sends a message to fraudsters that that our Office will prosecute you to the full extent of the law.”

“James Wellesley swindled nearly $100 million from investors by pretending to be an executive broker for fine wine collections. Wellesley spoiled the reputation of a prestigious industry as well as his clients’ trust. The FBI continues to stem fraudulent schemes that steal from the wallets of victims,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

From at least June 2017 and continuing through February of 2019, Wellesley posed as the Chief Financial Officer and Operations Manager of Bordeaux Cellars.  Wellesley, along with his co-conspirator Stephen Burton, solicited investors at, among other places, investor conferences held in the United States and overseas.  Wellesley and Burton claimed to investors that Bordeaux Cellars brokered loans between investors and high-net-worth wine collectors that would be fully collateralized by high-value collections of wine.  They promised that investors would receive regular interest payments from the borrowers, and that Bordeaux Cellars would keep custody of the wine, securing the loans while the loans were outstanding.  These representations were lies:  the “high-net-worth wine collectors” did not actually exist, and Bordeaux Cellars did not maintain custody of the wine purportedly securing the loans.  Instead, Wellesley and Burton used incoming loan proceeds to make fraudulent interest payments to investors and for their own personal expenses.

From June 2017 to December 2018, victims who had invested in Bordeaux Cellars received supposed interest payments and many victims rolled over their principal investments to new loans at the end of the loan terms.  However, the supposed interest payments that victims received were not sourced from lenders paying interest on the loans, but rather were sourced from new investment funds fraudulently obtained by Bordeaux Cellars, in a classic Ponzi-like scheme.  Of the over $97 million solicited from victims, Bordeaux Cellars paid back only approximately $14 million before their Ponzi scheme unraveled, leaving victims with losses of over $83 million.

Burton pleaded guilty in July 2025 to wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy and is currently awaiting sentencing.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Weintraub is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire S. Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Section, Paralegal Specialists Liam McNett and Erika Ellis, and Anne Pings and Amanda J. Chadwick of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.     

The Defendant:

JAMES WELLESLEY
Age: 59
London, United Kingdom

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-79 (PKC)

Alain Bibliowicz Mitrani, a resident of Miami, Florida and a citizen of France and Colombia, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon in federal court in Brooklyn to 12 years in prison for his role in a sprawling money laundering and fraud operation.  The defendant was convicted by a federal jury in December 2025 of conspiracies to commit money laundering, bank fraud, and unlicensed money transmitting in connection with his scheme to launder more than $300 million, including for persons affiliated with cartels and other transnational criminal organizations engaged in drug trafficking, such as the Sinaloa Cartel.  The Court also imposed a $330 million forfeiture money judgment against Bibliowicz.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the sentence.

“As punishment for laundering hundreds of millions of dollars for drug cartels and drug traffickers, a crime that shocks the conscience, the defendant will deservedly spend a significant portion of the rest of his life in prison,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “This prosecution is an example of how the Office is meeting the Administration’s goal of totally eliminating drug cartels and drug trafficking organizations by targeting and stopping their cash money lifeblood.”

Mr. Nocella thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, for their assistance.

“Today’s sentence strikes at the heart of a criminal enterprise that funneled hundreds of millions of illicit funds into the hands of drug cartels and traffickers,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.  “Money laundering operations, such as Bibliowicz's, are the lifeblood of transnational criminal organizations, enabling them to expand their reach and inflict harm across borders. This case underscores the effectiveness of our investigative efforts and the resolve of law enforcement to disrupt criminal networks at every level. Together with our partners, HSI New York is committed to tracking illicit financial flows, exposing those who profit from crime, and ensuring they face justice.”

“Individuals like Bibliowicz Mitrani, who willingly launder money, enable billion‑dollar criminal enterprises to operate in the shadows. He moved millions in illicit cash for criminal organizations and cartels, hiding his conduct behind a sham technology company. His laundering fees funded a lavish lifestyle of luxury travel, high‑end jewelry, and a multimillion‑dollar home. With today’s sentence, that life of luxury is over—and the only thing he’ll be laundering now are his clothes,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis

As proven at trial, from approximately 2020 to 2024, the defendant led a scheme to launder more than $300 million, much of which represented drug proceeds belonging to drug cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel and other transnational criminal organizations.  The defendant was a co-owner and chief executive of a company called Treebu, which purported to be a legitimate technology business.  In reality, Treebu’s public-facing operations were a cover for an elaborate multi-million-dollar money laundering enterprise based in Florida and Colombia.

Cartels and other transnational criminal organizations that engage in drug trafficking operate vast criminal enterprises that generate significant revenue globally by trafficking illicit narcotics.  Because these organizations generate billions of dollars in illicit revenue annually from trafficked narcotics, they must find ways to repatriate these proceeds back to their home countries to fund their ongoing enterprises.  In many cases, drug trafficking organizations rely on separate money laundering operations, such as Treebu, to repatriate their funds.  In exchange, money laundering organizations and their associates, like the defendant, earn a significant commission for taking on the risk of laundering illicit proceeds for these criminal organizations.

The defendant established shell companies that were used to open bank accounts used to transmit the illegal proceeds to obscure the source of the funds.  To protect the scheme from detection, the defendant lied to U.S. financial institutions about the purpose and activities of these companies, and he failed to register as a money transmitting business as required under state and federal law.  In total, financial records show that the defendant and his organization laundered more than $300 million.

The defendant used his profits from this scheme for personal expenses and to fund his lavish lifestyle, including to purchase expensive jewelry from Van Cleef & Arpels, make payments towards his approximately $4 million Miami mansion, and fund luxury travel, including more than $16,000 on luxury hotel stays abroad in April 2023.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Amir, Lorena Michelen, and David Berman are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Zoubida Bicane.

The Defendant:

ALAIN BIBLIOWICZ MITRANI
Age: 51
Miami, Florida

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-39 (CBA)

Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Animashaun Adebo, also known as “Kazeem” and “Kazeem Animashaun,” pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for his role in a series of fraudulent business email compromise (BEC) and related romance schemes that resulted in more than $50 million in losses by individuals and small businesses located within the Eastern District of New York and throughout the United States.  The defendant and his co-conspirators misappropriated victim funds and laundered them through shell company accounts in the United States and abroad, sometimes using unsuspecting middlemen to further obscure the fraudulent source of the funds.   

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, New York Field Office (USSS), announced the plea.

“The defendant and his network of criminal associates perpetrated sophisticated frauds targeting victims here in Brooklyn and throughout the country,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Schemes like these cause enormous hardship and financial losses to victims every year.  Our Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize prosecuting these online criminal actors and getting victims their hard-earned money back.”

“The staggering number of monetary losses this defendant and his network of thieves inflicted on innocent, hardworking, and good people caused significant financial hardship and distress.  Let this sentence send a message to other cyber-criminals out there: You won’t get away with your crimes forever.  We will track you down.  And there will be significant consequences for your criminal misdeeds,” stated USSS Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool. “I am proud of the work the U.S. Secret Service did in this case, and I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and our other law enforcement partners for their diligence in bringing justice to the innocent victims hurt by this criminal network.”

A BEC scheme is a form of cyber-enabled financial fraud.  In a typical BEC scheme, a malicious actor compromises legitimate business email accounts through computer intrusion techniques or social engineering and uses those accounts to cause the unauthorized transfer of funds. Techniques for perpetrating these schemes include identity theft, spoofing of emails and websites and the use of malware.  Confidence fraud is another form of cyber-enabled financial fraud.  In a typical confidence fraud, a malicious actor befriends and gains the confidence of another individual through online communications and uses that confidence to cause the transfer of funds for unauthorized purposes.  A romance scheme is a type of confidence fraud wherein the perpetrator adopts a fictitious online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust.  The perpetrator then uses the illusion of a romantic relationship to cause the transfer of funds for unauthorized purposes.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, the defendant and his co-conspirators orchestrated a series of fraudulent BEC schemes and related romance schemes and laundered and received proceeds from the fraudulent schemes. As one part of the BEC schemes, victim-individuals involved in real estate transactions received fraudulent emails purporting to be from legitimate parties to those transactions.  The emails instructed them to wire funds they believed to be related to the real estate transactions to specified bank accounts. The fraudulent email accounts that contacted the victims closely resembled, but were slightly different from, the email addresses of the legitimate parties to the transaction (a process known as “spoofing”).

As another part of the BEC schemes, employees of victim-companies received fraudulent emails purporting to be from legitimate vendors or other business partners of those companies directing them to transfer funds to specified bank accounts.  The employees were also defrauded through email spoofing and received fraudulent emails from accounts that closely resembled, but were slightly different from, the email addresses of the legitimate vendors and business partners.

In each case, after the victims executed the wires in accordance with the fraudulent instructions, the transferred funds were misappropriated from the victims and sent to and through accounts controlled by the defendant and his co-conspirators.  The defendant further laundered illicit proceeds through the purchase of luxury watches and through an illegal money exchange operation run by his co-defendant Idowu Ademoroti, who was previously convicted and sentenced to a term of incarceration for his role in the scheme.  Adebo ultimately received fraudulent proceeds in corporate bank accounts located in Nigeria.

A third defendant, Nelson Ojeriakhi, also a Nigerian national, was arrested in Paris, France and extradited to the United States in July 2025.  Ojeriakhi pleaded guilty in November 2025 and is pending sentencing.  A fourth defendant, Noguan Marvellous Eboigbe, also a Nigerian national, remains at large.   

The case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Reich and Daniel J. Marcus are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Liam McNett and Chelsea Guzman. 

The Defendants:

ANIMASHAUN ADEBO (also known as “Kazeem” and “Kazeem Animashaun”)
Age: 40
Chicago, Illinois

IDOWU ADEMOROTI
Age: 33
Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Atlanta, Georgia

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-239 (PKC)

NOGUAN MARVELLOUS EBOIGBE (also known as “Randall Olson,” “Martin Roberto” and “Carlos Eduardo”)
Age: 45
Lagos, Nigeria

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-240 (PKC)

NELSON OJERIAKHI (also known as “Ojeey Mami” and “Oba Millie”)
Age: 32
Lagos, Nigeria

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-188 (PKC)

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Carmine G. Agnello was sentenced by United States District Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury to 15 months in prison for defrauding the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) of approximately $1.1 million in loans awarded under the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.  Agnello was also ordered to pay restitution to the SBA in the amount of $1,268,302, serve two years of supervised release, and perform 100 hours of community service.  Agnello pleaded guilty in September 2024 to wire fraud in connection with the scheme.   

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS) announced the sentence.

“During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the defendant shamefully lined his own pockets with government and taxpayers’ dollars which he must repay as part of today’s sentence,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our Office will continue to investigate and bring to justice those criminals who stole funds that were intended to assist legitimate businesses and their employees during a time of crisis.”

“Mr. Agnello defrauded a program designed to assist businesses and employees during the pandemic,” stated USPIS Inspector in Charge Larco-Ward.  “This investigation showcases the results that postal inspectors strive to achieve in collaboration with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York.”

Congress created the EIDL as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  Enacted on March 29, 2020, the CARES Act provided emergency financial assistance in connection with economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the EIDLP, which provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters.

As set forth in court filings and on the record during the defendant’s plea and sentencing hearings, between April 2020 and November 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Agnello fraudulently applied for, and received, at least three EIDLP loans totaling approximately $1.1 million, which he submitted on behalf of Crown Auto Parts & Recycling, LLC (Crown), a Jamaica, Queens-based business that he operated.  In an effort to receive loans to which he was not entitled, Agnello submitted false information to the SBA about the number of employees who worked for Crown, as well as about the intended use of the loan proceeds.  Instead of using the funds for Crown, Agnello diverted them for his personal use, including by investing approximately $420,000 in a cryptocurrency business.

The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder.

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

The Defendant:

CARMINE G. AGNELLO
Age: 39
Smithtown, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-366 (NJC)

A fifth superseding indictment was filed yesterday in federal court in Brooklyn against Jobanis de Jesus Avila Villadiego, also known as “Chiquito” and “Chiquito Malo,” which added new charges of narcoterrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and providing or attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.  Avila Villadiego was previously charged in multiple superseding indictments with operating a continuing criminal enterprise, international cocaine trafficking, and using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, as well as other drug-related crimes, through his continuing leadership of the Clan del Golfo (CDG), one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world.  The fifth superseding indictment extends the end-dates of the continuing criminal enterprise and multiple conspiracies from October 2021 to April 2026.  Avila Villadiego remains at large.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Frank A. Tarentino, III, Associate Chief of Operations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Northeast Region (DEA); and Michael Alfonso, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), announced the charges.

“As alleged, Avila Villadiego presides over a vast narcotics empire that floods the United States with cocaine and serves as a financial lifeline for a designated foreign terrorist organization.  This prosecution is about more than just seizing drugs; it is about destroying terrorist organizations while simultaneously stopping the flow of deadly drugs and associated violence into the United States,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “For the Clan del Golfo, narcotics trafficking and terrorism are two sides of the same coin of instability.  This fifth superseding indictment demonstrates that we will continue to pursue Avila Villadiego until he is brought to justice before the American legal system.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the New York offices of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  He also acknowledged the significant assistance provided by the Bogota offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as the Justice Department’s National Security Division, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, the Colombian Attorney General’s Office, and Colombian law enforcement authorities.

“Avila Villadiego allegedly runs a designated foreign terrorist organization responsible for trafficking thousands of kilograms of illicit narcotics into the United States.  The FBI and our law enforcement partners on the NY Homeland Security Task Force are determined to defend the nation by stomping out these terrorist groups and holding accountable their leaders, regardless of where they’re hiding,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

“Today’s superseding indictment against “Chiquito Malo”, the leader of the Clan Del Golfo, a Colombian drug cartel and terrorist organization, further exposes the ruthless violence, terror, and destruction these criminal networks inflict on our communities,” stated DEA Northeast Regional Associate Chief of Operations Tarentino.  “Chiquito Malo” led one of the largest cocaine distribution networks in the world, leaving a trail of terror is his path. This is not just drug trafficking, this is narcoterrorism driven by greed, power, and complete disregard for human life.  Let there be no mistake: those who lead these organizations are responsible for the poison flooding our streets, the violence in our neighborhoods, and the lives lost to addiction and overdose. The DEA, alongside our federal, state, and international partners, will continue to target, dismantle, and hold these individuals and organizations accountable, no matter where they operate in the world.  The DEA will not stop, nor will we slow down.  This is our global pursuit mindset; Protecting our communities and saving lives.”

“These new charges against Jobanis de Jesus Avila Villadiego, the leader of Colombia’s largest transnational criminal organization and a designated foreign terrorist organization, underscore the scale and brutality of a group that fields thousands of armed members, exerts military control over Colombian territory, and, as alleged in court filings, moves multi-ton cocaine shipments ultimately destined for the United States.  Under Avila Villadiego’s command, Clan del Golfo uses murders, kidnappings, and other violence to protect its profits and attack law enforcement, posing a grave drug trafficking and national security threat to our country and our global counterparts.  HSI New York and our Homeland Security Task Force partners will relentlessly pursue Avila Villadiego and his criminal network, wherever they operate and wherever the evidence leads,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.

According to court filings, Avila Villadiego is the principal leader of the CDG, Colombia’s largest and most influential cartel.  The CDG is one of the most violent and powerful criminal organizations in Colombia, and it is one of the largest distributors of cocaine in the world.  With as many as 6,000 members at its peak, the CDG exercises military control over a vast territory in the Urabá region of Antioquia, Colombia, one of the most lucrative drug trafficking areas within Colombia due to its proximity to the Colombia-Panama border and the Caribbean and Pacific coasts.  Clad in military uniforms, CDG members employ military tactics and weapons to reinforce their power and incite wars and violence against rival drug traffickers, paramilitary organizations, and Colombian law enforcement authorities who threaten the CDG’s control.

The prior principal leader of the CDG, Dairo Antonio Úsuga David, also known as “Otoniel,” was arrested in October 2021 and extradited to the Eastern District of New York in May 2022.  In January 2023, Úsuga David pleaded guilty to operating a continuing criminal enterprise; in August 2023, he was sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment.  Avila Villadiego, who previously served as a senior commander of the CDG under Úsuga David, rose to power as the principal leader of the CDG following Úsuga David’s arrest.

The CDG, with Avila Villadiego as its principal leader, has continued to be involved in multi-ton shipments of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico and Central America for ultimate importation into the United States. Throughout CDG controlled territory in Colombia, the cartel coordinates production, purchase, and transfer of shipments of cocaine and imposes a “tax” on any drug traffickers operating in these regions.  Specifically, the CDG charges a set fee for every kilogram of cocaine that is manufactured, stored, or transported through areas controlled by the CDG.  Profits from narcotics trafficking are reinvested into the cartel to support its activities.

The CDG also engages in acts of violence and terrorism, including murders, assaults, kidnappings of law enforcement officers, and assassinations.  On December 17, 2025, the United States Secretary of State designated CDG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Secretary of State also designated CDG as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224 on December 17, 2025.  The CDG remains a designated FTO to date.

Undeterred by the designation, Avila Villadiego has continued to lead the CDG post-designation, and to carry out criminal acts including the provision of material support to the CDG.

The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.  The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.  Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.  HSTF New York comprises agents and officers from HSI; the DEA; FBI; the New York City Police Department; IRS Criminal Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and U.S. Secret Service, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York leading this prosecution.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Lorena Michelen, Katherine Onyshko, and Rebecca Urquiola are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

JOBANIS DE JESUS AVILA VILLADIEGO (also known as “Chiquito” and “Chiquito Malo”)
Age: 49
Uraba, Colombia

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CR-625 (S-5) (DLI)

Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, a ten-count indictment was unsealed charging Puthugramam “Harish” Chidambaran, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of iLearningEngines, Inc. (iLearning), and Sayyed Farhan Ali “Farhan” Naqvi, iLearning’s former Chief Financial Officer, with running a continuing financial crimes enterprise, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud.  The charges arise from the defendants’ years-long scheme to defraud retail and institutional investors in iLearning, a technology company that claimed to provide artificial intelligence (AI)-driven business automation solutions, and to obtain financing for iLearning through materially false and misleading statements about the company’s financial performance.  Chidambaran was arrested this morning in Potomac, Maryland, and will appear this afternoon in federal court in the District of Maryland.  Naqvi was arrested this morning in San Jose, California, and will appear this afternoon in federal court in the Northern District of California.  Both defendants will appear in federal court in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the charges.

“As alleged, the defendants exploited investor excitement over the AI boom and presented a rosy financial outlook to investors and lenders that was built on lies.  While the defendants pitched iLearning as a way to revolutionize training and education through AI, the truly artificial part of the defendants’ story was iLearning’s customers and revenues,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our Office is committed to protecting investors and holding accountable corporate executives who undermine the integrity of our financial markets for personal gain.”

As alleged in the indictment, iLearning was a Bethesda, Maryland-based technology company founded in 2010 by Chidambaran.  iLearning marketed itself as “an out-of-the-box AI platform that empowers customers to ‘productize’ their institutional knowledge and generate and infuse insights in the flow-of-work to drive mission critical business outcomes.”  iLearning claimed to earn revenue primarily by selling licenses for its platforms to customers, and the company reported rapidly growing revenues that reached $421 million in 2023.

In April 2024, iLearning became a publicly traded company.  In connection with its going-public transaction, iLearning also obtained $40 million in loan proceeds from the New York City branch of a financial institution.  Shortly thereafter, iLearning obtained an additional $20 million in loan proceeds from another New York City branch of a financial institution.  Following its going-public transaction, iLearning’s shares began trading on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol “AILE,” and the company quickly achieved a market capitalization of approximately $1.5 billion.

Unbeknownst to investors and lenders, however, iLearning fabricated virtually all its customer relationships and revenues.  As alleged in the indictment, the defendants inflated iLearning’s revenues through an intricate web of sham contracts with purported customers—often purportedly worth tens of millions of dollars per year.  The agreements were often signed by iLearning employees or family members of iLearning employees posing as senior executives of the purported customers.  The defendants and others at iLearning then created fake information about those purported customers, including, for example, creating a website for a shell entity, to deceive investors and lenders into believing that iLearning’s customers were real.  In other cases, the defendants convinced friends and associates of iLearning executives to enter into sham contracts with iLearning and to lie to iLearning’s auditor, potential investors, and lenders on iLearning’s behalf.

To make it appear as though iLearning was generating revenues from its sham contracts, the defendants “round tripped” money that iLearning received from lenders and investors—sending those funds to purported customers, who, in turn, would send that money back to iLearning.  For example, at Chidambaran’s direction, an associate of Chidambaran, who previously worked as an iLearning vice president, incorporated and opened bank accounts in the names of several purported iLearning customers.  Over the course of several years, the defendants transmitted millions of dollars from iLearning to an account controlled by this individual.  This individual then sent those funds to other accounts he controlled in the names of other entities, before ultimately sending the money back to iLearning. The aggregate value of these round-trip transactions exceeded $144 million.

In August 2024, an investment research firm issued a report alleging that iLearning had materially misrepresented its revenue, including by attributing a significant portion of its reported income to undisclosed related-party transactions.  Following the publication of that report, iLearning’s stock price declined precipitously, erasing a substantial portion of its market value.  When questioned about the contents of the short-seller report, the defendants repeatedly lied to their investors and lenders about the nature of iLearning’s relationship with its largest customers—including by repeatedly denying that its largest purported customer was actually an entity controlled by the defendants and others at iLearning—and directed representatives of their purported customers to lie on their behalf.  iLearning ultimately filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the District of Delaware in December 2024, and the proceedings were later converted to a Chapter 7 liquidation in 2025, marking the collapse of the company.

Prior to iLearning’s collapse, both Chidambaran and Naqvi profited handsomely from their scheme.  In connection with iLearning’s going-public transaction, Chidambaran received more than $500 million worth of iLearning common stock and subsequently received approximately $12.5 million in iLearning restricted stock units.  Likewise, Naqvi was awarded iLearning common stock worth approximately $11.2 million, and iLearning paid out nearly $4.5 million in cash to cover his tax liabilities.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of the continuing financial crimes enterprise charge, the defendants each face a mandatory minimum term of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum term of life.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Dugan and Kamil R. Ammari, along with Paralegal Specialist Timothy Migliaro.

The Defendants:

PUTHUGRAMAM CHIDAMBARAN
Age: 57
Potomac, Maryland

SAYYED FARHAN ALI NAQVI
Age: 44
Houston, Texas

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-97 (LDH)

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Charles Powell, also known as “Payback,” and Musah Coward, also known as “General Mecka,” “Red” and “General Red,” were sentenced by United States District Judge Eric Komitee for the firearm-related murder of Rodney Maxwell, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy and Hobbs Act robbery. Powell and Coward were sentenced to 42 years’ imprisonment and 45 years’ imprisonment respectively.  Co-defendant Brian Castro, also known as “Morenaje,” was previously sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment by Judge Komitee in December 2025.  The defendants were convicted in January 2025 following a three-week trial.  As part of their sentences, the defendants were also ordered to pay restitution, including in the amount of $26,730 to Maxwell’s daughter.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentences.

“This was a senseless, premediated, and brutal act of gun violence that took the life of a security guard who was simply doing his job,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s sentencings severely punish the defendants for this cold-blooded killing, and will protect the community from them for many years. It is my sincere hope these sentencings will bring some relief to the family of the victim.”

"These defendants brutally murdered a security guard, a father of three children, during an armed robbery.  May today’s significant sentences reflect the FBI Safe Streets Task Force’s commitment to working with our local law enforcement partners to crush violent crime and protect New Yorkers from senseless violence," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

“The defendants in this case orchestrated an armed robbery that resulted in one man’s death and three other victims being shot,” stated NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch.  “They showed a complete disregard for human life, and these sentencings reflect the severity and shocking brutality of their crimes.  I thank the NYPD detectives, our partners at the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their hard work to deliver justice in this case.”

As proven at trial, Powell, Castro and Coward planned and carried out an armed robbery of an illegal gambling location in Brownsville on October 7, 2020.  Coward drove the co-defendants from New Jersey, and Powell and Castro entered the location while Coward waited outside in the car.  During the robbery, Powell and Castro each shot Rodney Maxwell, the father of three children, who had been providing security for the location and was also a longtime employee at Bellevue Hospital.  Castro shot Maxwell once at close range in the back with a 9-millimeter pistol and Powell also shot him once at close range in the chest with a .380 caliber pistol.  Maxwell later died from his gunshot wounds.  Powell also fired into a crowd of individuals at the location as they desperately attempted to escape the violence.  Three additional victims were shot that evening, all of whom survived their wounds.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Andy Palacio, Megan Larkin and Raffaela Belizaire are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Intelligence Research Specialist Ashley Hinkson and former Paralegal Specialist Teddy Rader.

The Defendants:

CHARLES POWELL (also known as “Payback”)
Age:  28
Newark, New Jersey

BRIAN CASTRO (also known as “Morenaje”)
Age:  25
Paterson, New Jersey

MUSAH COWARD (also known as “General Mecka,” “Red” and “General Red”)
Age:  34
Paterson, New Jersey

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-572 (EK)

Today, Michael Johnson, also known as “Wise,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert in federal court in Central Islip to 22 years’ imprisonment for sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking, and interstate prostitution.  Johnson and his co-conspirators operated a sex trafficking business out of the Sayville Motor Lodge, a motel located near Sunrise Highway on Long Island.  Johnson was convicted of these crimes following a two-week jury trial in October 2025.  Restitution for the victim will be determined at a later date.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the sentence.

“Today’s sentence reflects the profound harm caused by sex trafficking—a crime that strips victims of their autonomy, dignity, and safety,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Michael Johnson and his co-conspirators preyed on vulnerable women and treated them as commodities for profit.  This outcome sends a clear message that such exploitation will be met with serious consequences, and it is my hope that it brings a measure of justice to the victims who endured these abuses.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance with the case.

“Michael Johnson trafficked multiple women into sexual slavery to profit off their bodies, while maintaining their subservience through social isolation, physical abuse and threats of death, and addictive drugs.  For years, Johnson demonstrated extreme depravity as he physically and emotionally traumatized numerous women to satisfy his own greedy desires.  May today’s conviction not only provide his victims a glimmer of comfort but also reflect the FBI’s commitment to protecting all vulnerable victims from sexual predators seeking to exploit them for financial gain,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

"Johnson took advantage of vulnerable women, using violence and drugs to control and exploit his victims, forcing them into sex trafficking for his own financial gain," stated Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. "This case serves as a warning to anyone who seeks to manipulate or abuse others — justice will find you. This sentence represents not only accountability, but also a recognition of the courage and strength of the victims who came forward. I commend the dedicated efforts of our detectives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York."

The Sayville Motor Lodge was a property at the center of a sex trafficking conspiracy based on Long Island.  In November 2022, an indictment was unsealed in the Eastern District of New York charging Johnson, Timothy Bullen, motel owners Narendarakuma Dadarwala and his wife Shardaben Dadarwala, their son Jigar Dadarwala, Ashokbhai Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. d/b/a Sayville Motor Lodge with sex trafficking conspiracy.  The Dadarwalas, Patel and Himanshu were also charged with managing a drug premises, and Narendarakuma Dadarwala was charged with distribution of proceeds of prostitution and narcotics businesses.  In September 2025, a superseding indictment charged Johnson with three additional counts of sex trafficking. 

As proven at trial, from approximately 2014 to 2022, Johnson, a pimp, conspired with others to further his sex trafficking business out of the Sayville Motor Lodge.  Johnson forcibly sex trafficked multiple women, some of whom were addicted to drugs, and compelled them to commit commercial sex acts through a combination of force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion.  Johnson controlled the victims by confiscating all the proceeds they earned from commercial sex acts; posting advertisements for them on various websites and setting the rates they would charge; using drugs — by both giving and withholding drugs — to induce them to stay and continue performing sex acts; isolating them from others; and physically, mentally, and emotionally abusing them.  The women Johnson trafficked observed his close relationship with the Dadarwalas, and how the Dadarwalas facilitated and protected Johnson’s illegal activities.

Johnson instilled fear in the women he trafficked through physical violence and rape.  Several victims testified that Johnson anally raped them and carried a gun at all times.

Co-defendants Narendarakuma Dadarwala and Shardaben Dadarwala pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy in April 2025, and co-defendant Patel pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy in September 2025.  All three defendants are awaiting sentencing.  The case remains pending against co-defendants Timothy Bullen and Jigar Dadarwala. 

In connection with the November 2022 indictment and the arrests of Johnson and his co-conspirators, the United States seized the Sayville Motor Lodge. In October 2023, the United States facilitated the sale of the Sayville Motor Lodge to a company that was partially owned by a principal of a neighboring business with longstanding ties to the community.  A portion of the proceeds of the sale were earmarked for forfeiture to the United States government, which enabled the Office to seek compensation for the victims of the charged conduct through the Department of Justice’s remission procedures.

The government’s case is being handled by the Long Island Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Catherine M. Mirabile and Samantha S. Alessi are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Adam Bernard, Lead Legal Administrative Specialist Kerry Ucci, Legal Assistant Katherine Szewczyk, and Victim Witness Specialist Stephanie Marroquin.

The Defendant:

MICHAEL JOHNSON (also known as “Wise”)
Age:  37
Selbyville, Delaware

Defendants Previously Convicted:

NARENDARAKUMA DADARWALA (also known as “Naren,” “Pa” and “Dad”)
Age:  79
Sayville, Long Island

SHARDABEN DADARWALA (also known as “Sharda,” “Ma” and “Mom”)
Age: 72
Sayville, Long Island

ASHOKBHAI PATEL (also known as “BG”)
Age: 61
Omaha, Nebraska

Defendants Pending Trial:

TIMOTHY BULLEN (also known as “Trouble,” “T” and “Tiervoni”)
Age:  38
Bay Shore, Long Island

JIGAR DADARWALA (also known as “Cobra”)
Age: 47 
Sayville, Long Island

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-494 (S-1) (JS)

Earlier today, Kevaughn Wellington and Ky-Mani Straker, each former United States Postal Service (USPS) employees, were sentenced by United States District Judge Diane Gujarati to prison for their participation in a fraudulent scheme through which they sold, for their own financial gain, United States Treasury checks issued by the United States Department of the Treasury.  Wellington and others stole the Treasury checks from the USPS mail facility located at John F. Kennedy International Airport (the JFK Mail Facility), where the defendants were previously employed. 

Wellington was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to forfeit $100,000, and Straker was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to forfeit $57,945.56.  The defendants were further ordered to pay $405,696.98 in restitution.  The defendants each previously pleaded guilty to stealing government funds and conspiring to steal government funds.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York (USPIS); Matthew M. Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge, United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office (USPS-OIG); Michael L.J. Carpenter, Special Agent in Charge, United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, New York Field Office (USSS), announced the sentences.

“The former postal workers abused their positions of trust at the JFK Mail Facility to fraudulently obtain Treasury checks intended for the well-being of hard-working individuals to whom the funds were owed, and kept the proceeds for themselves,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our Office is committed to holding accountable individuals who use taxpayer funds to line their own pockets, and today they paid the price for their greed and disregard of the law.” 

“The defendants abused their position as USPS employees and turned their employment into a multimillion-dollar criminal enterprise to steal from innocent American taxpayers. Today’s sentence makes it very clear that postal inspectors will investigate and bring to justice anyone who takes advantage of the U.S. Mail,” stated USPIS Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward.

“The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity throughout the Postal Service and its workforce. The special agents of the USPS OIG will vigorously investigate those who choose to steal U.S Mail and defraud the American public. The sentence imposed on the defendants will serve as a reminder that there are severe consequences when individuals commit crimes targeting the U.S Mail. The USPS OIG is thankful for the great longstanding relationships we have developed with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to combat mail theft,” stated USPS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Modafferi.

“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) aggressively investigates individuals who attempt to exploit U.S Treasury refund checks meant for hard working taxpayers for their own private gain,” stated TIGTA Special Agent in Charge Carpenter. “TIGTA's mission is to protect the integrity of our nation's tax administration system.  We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who violate federal laws are prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.”

“These defendants undermined the public’s trust in our mail system by stealing more than $4 million in Treasury checks meant for people who were expecting those funds,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “We rely on the integrity of the postal network, and today’s sentencing holds these fraudsters accountable for their illegal and selfish acts.  Because of the work of our investigators, law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, we have dismantled this fraudulent operation.”

“The defendants' brazen selfishness not only violated the public trust, but directly harmed the citizens they were supposed to serve by illegally siphoning funds -- resources those people were relying on -- for their own personal gain,” stated USSS Special Agent in Charge McCool.  “The U.S. Secret Service is committed to preserving this nation’s financial integrity and was proud to have had a role in holding these defendants accountable. I commend the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the New York Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and our many other law enforcement partners for bringing justice in this case.”

From approximately June 2021 through August 2023, the defendants engaged in a scheme to steal and sell Treasury checks mailed for distribution through the JFK Mail Facility.  Wellington, who was employed at the facility as a mail clerk, worked with others to steal parcels containing Treasury checks.  Then, together with Straker and others, Wellington sold the stolen Treasury checks for a portion of the face value of each check.  As part of the scheme, Wellington stole—and conspired with Straker to sell—over 125 Treasury checks valued at more than $4 million, including checks intended to be individuals’ Social Security benefits, COVID relief and tax refunds.  In addition to selling stolen Treasury checks, Straker falsely endorsed and deposited stolen Treasury checks into a bank account and withdrew the proceeds for his own financial gain. Law enforcement uncovered over 350 videos and images from Wellington’s phone depicting Treasury checks that were not addressed to him or Straker.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs and General Crimes Sections.  Assistant United States Attorney Elias Laris in in charge of the prosecution.

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

The Defendants:

KEVAUGHN WELLINGTON
Age: 33
Jamaica, New York

KY-MANI STRAKER
Age: 26
Orange, New Jersey

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-275 (DG)

Philip Schuler was arraigned in federal court in Central Islip this morning on a seven-count indictment charging him with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and child pornography charges.  Schuler, who was an adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College at the time of the charged conduct, was arrested on a complaint in January 2026. Today’s proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge James M. Wicks who ordered the defendant detained pending trial.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.

“As alleged, the defendant spent months communicating with an FBI undercover agent who purported to be a 13-year-old female child, during which the defendant repeatedly expressed his interest and willingness to have a sexual relationship with her,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our Office will vigorously prosecute sexual predators who target children to ensure they are held accountable and protect vulnerable members of the community from these depraved individuals.”

“Philip Schuler allegedly sent explicit photos and messages to a supposed teenage girl before planning to sexually abuse her in person. This alleged attempt revealed the defendant’s disturbing desire to repeatedly groom and exploit a vulnerable child. The FBI continues to protect minors from online sexual predators looking to fulfill their twisted wants,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

As set forth in court filings, beginning in October 2025, acting on a tip from the Decoy Project, lnc., a non-profit organization dedicated to identifying and reporting online predators, a member of the FBI acting in an undercover capacity (the FBI UA) and posing as a 13-year-old girl named “Chloe,” began communicating with Schuler on the social media platform Discord. During these almost daily communications, Schuler engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the FBI UA, including those in which the defendant talked about taking her virginity; masturbated during a video call; and sent her a photograph of his penis.  On January 7, 2026, Schuler arranged to meet the FBI UA at Edward W. Cahill Memorial Park in Valley Stream, where upon his arrival, he was arrested by FBI agents.  Schuler possessed a key to a motel room that he had rented earlier in the day so that he and the FBI UA could be alone.  Law enforcement recovered spermicide, gifts for the FBI UA, and a laptop computer, among other items, from inside the motel room.   A subsequent Court-authorized search of Schuler’s electronics uncovered approximately 400 images and videos of child sexual abuse material.   

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of the charges, Schuler faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison.

The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Special Assistant United States Attorney James P. Scahill is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

PHILIP SCHULER
Age: 53
Port Jefferson, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-77 (SJB)

Earlier today, a federal jury in Central Islip convicted Akeem Chambers, also known as “Luca,” Jonathan Vazquez, also known as “Chulo” and “Clutch,” and Jerell Shaw, also known as “Rells” and “Rells Fargo,” on 52 counts of a third superseding indictment charging them variously with racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, assault, murder conspiracy, kidnapping, robbery, robbery conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, mortgage fraud conspiracy, and money laundering.  The defendants are members of Crips sets known as the “Insane Crip Gang,” or “ICG,” based on Long Island, and the “Rollin 60s,” based in Brooklyn.  The verdicts followed an 11-week trial before United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack.  When sentenced, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Patrick Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), Anne Donnelly, District Attorney, Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict.

“With today’s convictions, a clear message has been sent to those who perpetuate the cycle of gang violence on Long Island, in Brooklyn, and throughout our district: you will be prosecuted, and you will be held accountable.  Our Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to work tirelessly to eradicate the gang violence that terrorizes our communities,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The defendants and their co-conspirators used force and violence against rivals, terrorized surrounding neighborhoods, stole from government programs intended to provide services to the public, and enriched themselves through the illicit proceeds of their criminal activity.  Today’s verdict ensures that these individuals have been held responsible for their crimes.  This outcome is the result of the outstanding work of law enforcement agents and detectives who, alongside our prosecutors, brought this comprehensive investigation to a successful conclusion. Our Office will continue working tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to advance the Administration’s mandate to Take Back America by dismantling and eradicating lawless, violent gangs like the Insane Crips and make our communities safer.” 

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI’s Long Island Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the Nassau County Police Department’s Homicide Squad and Gang Investigation Squad for their tireless efforts to bring these defendants to justice.  Mr. Nocella also thanked the Hempstead Village Police Department for its efforts in the widespread investigation.

“These three Crips gang members are responsible for a litany of crimes across Long Island. Their collective tyranny ranged from public gunfights and multiple murders to exploiting government relief programs – all to protect the gang’s reputation and increase its illicit revenue stream. Today’s guilty verdict marks a significant milestone in the FBI Long Island Safe Streets Task Force’s unwavering fight against criminal enterprises flooding our streets with violence,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

“These gang members committed heinous acts of violence, including the attempted murder of two Nassau County Police Officers.  This case highlights the risks that our officers face every single day, when they put on the uniform to protect the residents of Nassau County.  These individuals committed dangerous crimes including robbery and murder, that they are finally being held accountable for.  Working with our law enforcement partners, we will stop at nothing to pursue individuals who harm our communities.  I commend our investigators and our partners for their dedication and efforts on this case,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder.
                        
“These convictions end a reign of terror across Nassau County,” stated Nassau County District Attorney Donnelly.  “From targeted robberies and the senseless killings of innocent lives to the brazen attempted murder of two Nassau County police officers, these defendants showed a chilling disregard for human life. This verdict is a powerful message to the gangs that think they can operate with impunity across Long Island. We remain committed to working with our federal and local law enforcement partners to dismantle these violent enterprises and seek justice for the victims and their families.”

“These Crips members committed a series of violent crimes – from murder and kidnapping to stealing federal relief meant for vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “The NYPD is intensely focused on taking down gangs, removing guns from our streets, and keeping communities safe. Thanks to the work of our NYPD investigators, alongside our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, these violent criminals have been convicted and will be held accountable.”

Racketeering and Violent Crimes

Chambers, Vazquez, and Shaw were each convicted of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy for their participation in the Crips criminal enterprise.  In connection with the racketeering charges, they were also found guilty of participating in multiple acts of violence committed on behalf of the Crips, including murder, attempted murder, robbery, and kidnapping.

Chambers, who dubbed himself “Luca Da Shoota,” was convicted for his role in eleven shootings and three homicides between 2020 and 2022, including the August 2020 murder of Thiasia Williams in Hempstead, New York, the September 2021 murder of James Diamond in Freeport, New York, and the March 2022 murder of Malik Delima in Brooklyn, New York.  In August 2020, Chambers, along with fellow Crips members and associates, carried out a drive-by shooting targeting a party on Martin Luther King Drive in Hempstead that was attended by members of a rival gang.  Chambers and an associate each opened fire with 9mm handguns, discharging at least eight rounds into a crowd of partygoers.  Their gunfire struck and killed Thiasia Williams, an innocent bystander who was seated in her car outside the party waiting to pick up a friend. Chambers was also convicted of assaulting another innocent female bystander, who sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to her leg. 

Chambers also was convicted of the January 3, 2021 attempted murder and assault of a victim in Rockville Centre, New York.  Acting on a mistaken belief that he was a rival gang member, Chambers opened fire on the victim and his brother as they were driving home on Peninsula Boulevard.  The victim was struck by gunfire and, as a result of the shooting, was left paralyzed.

Chambers was also convicted for his role in the 2021 robbery and murder of James Diamond in Freeport, New York.  On September 10, 2021, Chambers and his co-conspirators planned to rob Diamond and another individual of a large sum of cash.  During the attempted robbery, Chambers and another individual, both armed with firearms, confronted Diamond at gunpoint.  In the course of the robbery, Chambers’ co-conspirator shot and killed Diamond. 

Chambers and Shaw were convicted of murder and conspiracy to commit murder for their roles in the March 2022 killing of Malik Delima, a Rollin’ 60s gang member and rival of Shaw from Brooklyn.  Shaw, who was involved in an internal gang power struggle with Delima, enlisted Chambers to shoot and kill Delima.  On March 10, 2022, Chambers, using a car provided by Shaw, drove from Shaw’s residence and tracked Delima to his apartment in Brooklyn. When Delima exited his residence, Chambers shot Delima 11 times, killing him.

Vazquez was convicted of murder for his role in the November 19, 2016 shooting death of 19 year-old Joecephus Vanable in Hempstead, New York.  Vanable, a rival of ICG in Hempstead, was shot and killed outside his girlfriend’s residence while speaking with his girlfriend and sister.  Vazquez provided the firearm used in the murder and accompanied the shooter to carry out the killing.  In the wake of Vanable’s murder, members of ICG repeatedly glorified the killing, including by posting numerous videos depicting Vazquez, Chambers, and others desecrating Vanable’s grave and by posting rap songs that referenced Vanable’s death to taunt rivals.

Vazquez was convicted of the attempted murder of two Nassau County police officers on March 1, 2022.  When the officers attempted to stop a vehicle matching the description of one used in a robbery two weeks earlier, Vazquez opened fire at the officers’ vehicle, striking its hood.  Vazquez then fled on foot and again attempted to fire at the officers.   In addition, Vazquez was convicted of the February 16, 2022 gunpoint robbery of a woman in Levittown, New York, the same robbery that led officers to attempt the vehicle stop on March 1.   

Chambers was convicted of committing seven shootings, involving the attempted murder or assault of rival gang members in 2020 and 2022, as well as several counts of illegal possession, brandishing and discharge of firearms.

Vazquez and Chambers were convicted of committing four shootings together, involving the attempted murder or assault of rival gang members in 2021 and 2022, as well as several counts of illegal possession, brandishing and discharge of firearms.

Shaw was convicted for his role in orchestrating the December 1, 2021 kidnapping and robbery of a woman in Bloomfield, New Jersey.  Shaw recruited fellow Rollin’ 60s member Delima, as well as two additional Crips members, to kidnap the victim in order to gain access to her apartment and steal luxury items, including Birkin handbags, watches, and jewelry.  Shaw enlisted ICG Crips gang members to assist in re-selling the stolen goods. After Shaw failed to pay Delima and his associates their share of the proceeds, an internal power struggle developed between Shaw and Delima.  As a result of that conflict, Shaw enlisted Chambers to murder Delima several weeks later, for which Shaw was also convicted.

Government Program Fraud and Related Financial Crimes

Chambers, Vazquez and Shaw were each convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their participation in a wide array of fraud schemes carried out by the Crips, targeting state and federal relief programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The defendants and their fellow Crips used stolen identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in multiple states, including California and Arizona. They then used the proceeds to purchase high-value assets, including expensive jewelry and luxury goods.  The evidence at trial established that Shaw, who referred to himself as “Rells Fargo,” alone defrauded the California Employment Development Department for over $2 million from 2020 to 2021.   

Shaw was convicted of laundering the proceeds of the fraud schemes by transferring thousands of dollars per day between various bank accounts and by wiring funds to his business account under the guise of legitimate business transactions.  Shaw used these illicit proceeds to obtain a mortgage and purchase a $1.2 million home in New Jersey.

* * * * *

These convictions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide.  This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners.  It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Central Operations and Regional Enforcement (CORE) Region 28, located in New York, is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEAJ, US Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP), the US Marshals Service SDNY, the US Marshals Service EDNY, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), US Postal Inspection Service, US Coast Guard, US Federal Probation SDNY, US Federal Probation EDNY, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), the United States Secret Service, the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.

The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Maffei, Andrew P. Wenzel, Kaitlin C. McTague and Samantha S. Alessi prosecuted the case with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Michael Compitello and Lead Legal Administrative Specialist Kerry Ucci, as well as investigators and special agents from EDNY’s Criminal Investigations Unit. 

The Defendants: AKEEM CHAMBERS (also known as “Luca” and “Luca da Shoota”)
Age:  24
Uniondale, New York

JONATHAN VAZQUEZ (also known as “Clutch” and “Chulo”)
Age:  24
Hempstead, New York

JERELL SHAW (also known as “Rells” and “Rells Fargo”)
Age:  34
Millstone Township, New Jersey

E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 23-CR-157 (S-3) (JMA)

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Catalina Corona pleaded guilty to wire fraud after stealing nearly $10 million from her employers, an elderly married couple from Long Island, New York.  The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis.  When sentenced, Corona faces a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, as well as restitution and fines.    

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.

“Today’s guilty plea means the defendant has been held accountable for a calculated scheme that siphoned nearly $10 million from the very employers who trusted her,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our Office will continue to pursue those who exploit positions of trust for personal gain and ensure they face the consequences for their deception and fraud.”

“Catalina Corona stole nearly $10 million from an elderly couple who entrusted her with their care to fund her lavish shopping habits.  The FBI is committed to holding accountable individuals who abuse positions of trust out of selfish greed,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

As set forth in court filings, between approximately 2017 and 2024, while working as a personal assistant to an elderly married couple (the Victims), Corona repeatedly deposited hundreds of checks written out to cash—made payable to herself—from the Victims’ bank accounts without their knowledge or consent. In total, Corona stole nearly $10 million, which she used to pay her credit card bills and to purchase luxury items from Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Gucci and other high-end brands.  Many of these transactions took place in Queens and on Long Island.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section.  Assistant United States  Attorney Rebecca M. Urquiola is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

CATALINA CORONA
Age: 62
Corona, Queens

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-78 (NGG)

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Jakhi McCray pleaded guilty to committing arson of 10 New York City Police Department (NYPD) vehicles and one trailer in Brooklyn, New York.  The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Seth D. Eichenholtz.  When sentenced, McCray faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment, as well as a fine and restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court.   

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Division (ATF), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, NYPD, announced the guilty plea.

“The defendant’s actions were not only dangerous, but they were also a direct attack on public safety and the rule of law,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “By deliberately setting fire to multiple police vehicles in the pre-dawn hours, the defendant put at risk the lives of first responders and residents asleep in their beds nearby, and ultimately, strained resources meant to protect the community.  Today’s guilty plea ensures accountability and sends a clear message that acts of violence and destruction against law enforcement will be met with serious consequences.”

“This defendant’s actions—setting fire to multiple NYPD vehicles and causing significant damage—demonstrates a blatant disregard for public safety and the rule of law. Arson is not a form of protest—it is a dangerous crime that puts lives at risk,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo.  “The swift work of the ATF New York Arson and Explosives Task Force, comprised of ATF, NYPD, and FDNY personnel, underscores the strength of our coordinated response to violent crime. We remain committed to working alongside our partners to protect our communities and ensure those who commit violent acts are brought to justice.”

As detailed in court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, on June 12, 2025, McCray scaled a fence into a secure, private lot on DeKalb Avenue between Wilson Avenue and Central Avenue in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn that housed NYPD vehicles, and intentionally set on fire 10 NYPD vehicles and one trailer. Shortly thereafter, an NYPD officer assigned to inspect the lot saw the fire and observed McCray escaping through a hole in the fence.  McCray ultimately self-surrendered on July 21, 2025.  NYPD estimates the arson caused over $800,000 in damages.  The arson was committed two days before protests were scheduled to be conducted over the June 14-15, 2025 weekend, compromising NYPD resources to protect and secure the public.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca M. Urquiola is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

JAKHI MCCRAY
Age: 22
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-68 (ENV) 

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Jose Douglass Castellano, also known as “Chino,” a high-ranking member of the 18th Street gang, was sentenced by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to more than 35 years’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy in connection with his participation in the October 25, 2017 murder of 20-year-old Jonathan Figueroa in Saugerties, New York. Castellano is the third and final gang leader to be sentenced under a seventh superseding indictment in connection with a sprawling racketeering conspiracy that also involved the September 12, 2016 murder of 15-year-old Joshua Guzman in Hempstead, New York; the February 2, 2018 murder of 20-year-old Oscar Antonio Blanco Hernandez in Queens; and multiple shootings and other gang activity.  Junior Zelaya Canales, also known as “Terco,” a Queens-based regional gang leader, and Walter Fernando Alfaro Pineda, also known as “Clever,” a Texas-based national gang leader, were each sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment in February and March 2026, respectively.  Co-defendants Yanki Misael Cruz Mateo, also known as “Doggy” and “Wino,” Israel Mendiola Flores, also known as “Chapito,” Yoni Alexander Sierra, also known as “Arc Angel” and “Wasson,” Jose Jimenez Chacon, also known as “Little One,” Carolina Cruz, also known as “La Fiera,” and Eric Chavez, also known as “Lunatico,” were also previously sentenced.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the sentences.

“The defendants were high-ranking members of an international criminal organization fueled by violence and fear that left a wake of sorrow and destruction in its path,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “These significant sentences send the message that our Office will never waiver in its efforts to eradicate the scourge of gang violence.  It is my sincere hope that the justice meted out provides a measure of comfort and closure for the victims of these senseless crimes.  The arrest, prosecution, and incarceration for decades of violent gang members achieves the goal of the Administration’s Operation Take Back America: protecting our communities from those individuals like these defendants who cause the greatest harm.”

Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, the New York State Police, the Kingston Police Department, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Nassau County Police Department, the Hempstead Police Department, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for their assistance during the investigation.

“For years, these three high-ranking 18th Street gang members plagued our community with senseless violence, death, and tragedy without any consideration for public safety. May today’s significant sentences highlight the shared determination of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to dismantle a notorious international gang’s hierarchy, and offer a small sense of closure to the victims of their unthinkable actions,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

According to court filings and proceedings, 18th Street is a well-known and well-established international criminal organization and violent street gang with members and associates residing throughout New York State including Queens and Long Island, and elsewhere throughout the United States including Houston, Texas.  18th Street members regularly engage in murder, attempted murder, assault, extortion, illegal drug and firearms trafficking, false identification document production, witness tampering, and money laundering.

The defendants and their co-conspirators committed multiple acts of violence to promote and enhance the prestige and reputation of the gang, and to maintain and increase their own membership and status in the gang, including the following:

September 12, 2016 Murder of Joshua Guzman

In September 2016, Zelaya Canales, then the regional leader of the Shatto Park Locos Sureños (“SPLS”) sect of 18th Street, ordered that Guzman be killed, in part, because the gang perceived Guzman to have been disrespectful towards 18th Street gang members.  In the evening of September 11, 2016, Zelaya Canales dispatched two lower-level gang members to Long Island to lure Guzman out and murder him as part of a demonstration of their allegiance to 18th Street.  On September 12, 2016 at approximately 1:03 a.m., the Hempstead Police Department received a ShotSpotter notification of gunshots fired near the intersection of Linden Avenue and Laurel Avenue in Hempstead, New York.  A Hempstead Police Department officer and members of Nassau Police Department responded to the location and discovered the body of 15-year-old Guzman near the curb. Guzman was shot once in the back of the head and pronounced dead at the crime scene.  Following the murder, Zelaya Canales arranged and agreed with Alfaro Pineda to send one of the perpetrators to Texas to thwart his apprehension.

July 9, 2017 Attempted Murder of Rival Gang Members

On July 9, 2017, at approximately 10:35 p.m., NYPD officers responded to the Woodside section of Queens, New York, after numerous calls were made to 9-1-1 concerning multiple gunshots.  Multiple witnesses reported hearing gunshots and seeing approximately three to four men run towards Woodhaven Boulevard.  After a canvas of the area, police officers recovered nine 9-millimeter shell casings among other evidence.  Zelaya Canales led the shootout with assistance from at least two additional 18th Street gang members over a territorial dispute with a rival gang.

NYPD subsequently went to Zelaya Canales’s apartment in Queens to execute two arrest warrants unrelated to the shooting.  During the execution of the warrants, NYPD ultimately recovered a 9-millimeter Ruger with a defaced serial number, 4 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition, 56 rounds of .357 magnum ammunition, 34 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition and 23 rounds of .38 ammunition.  Subsequent forensic ballistics examination revealed that the Zelaya Canales’s 9-mm Ruger was the same weapon that fired the 9-millimeter shell casings found at the crime scene of the July 9, 2017 shootout in Woodhaven.

September 20, 2017 Assault of John Doe

On September 20, 2017, Chavez, together with another 18th Street gang member, approached John Doe on the street and shot him because they believed he was a member of the rival gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).  John Doe survived and was treated for a gunshot wound at a local hospital.

October 25, 2017 Murder of Jonathan Figueroa

By October 2017, gang members in New York suspected Jonathan Figueroa, a fellow 18th Street gang member, of cooperating with law enforcement in connection with the investigation of the murder of Joshua Guzman.  Senior gang members, including Castellano, sought Alfaro Pineda’s authorization to murder Figueroa.  Alfaro Pineda’s authorization was sought because Alfaro Pineda had initiated Figueroa into 18th Street in Houston, Texas, and because murdering a fellow gang member required approval from a senior member of the gang, such as Alfaro Pineda.  With Alfaro Pineda’s authorization, Castellano activated gang members based in Kingston, New York, and directed them to coordinate with Queens-based gang members to see to Figueroa’s execution.  Gang members in Kingston then began digging a grave in Turkey Point State Forest in anticipation of Figueroa’s arrival.

In the late-night hours of October 24, 2017, Cruz Mateo lured and travelled with Figueroa from Queens to Kingston, New York. Upon their arrival in Kingston, they were met by Flores and other 18th Street members and associates who, into the early morning hours of October 25, 2017, brought Figueroa to Turkey Point State Forest, brutally stabbed him to death and buried him in the makeshift grave. Cruz Mateo ordered the murder to be video-recorded—capturing multiple 18th Street members and associates repeatedly stabbing Figueroa, slashing his throat, amputating his ear, and dragging his body.  In the video, Cruz Mateo stated that Figueroa was being murdered for “being a rat.”  Cruz-Mateo then sent the video to other 18th Street members as a warning to other gang members who disrespected the gang or may cooperate with law enforcement.  Figueroa, whose body was discovered in February 2018 by the FBI, along with state and local law enforcement authorities, in a five-foot deep grave in Turkey Point, sustained more than 100 stab wounds including at least one stab wound to the head that appears to have fractured his skull, and a slash to his throat that ruptured his trachea.

February 2, 2018 Murder of Oscar Antonio Blanco Hernandez

On February 2, 2018, several gang members killed Blanco Hernandez because they believed he was a member of the rival MS-13 gang.  Chacon had met Blanco Hernandez weeks earlier through their mutual employer, a New Jersey-based house painting company.  On the morning of the murder, Cruz and Chacon picked up Blanco Hernandez at his home in New Jersey under the guise of going to smoke marijuana as friends.  Cruz and Chacon drove Blanco Hernandez to Queens where they met 18th Street gang members including Cruz Mateo and Sierra who entered the rear passenger seat of Cruz’s car on opposite sides, sandwiching Blanco Hernandez between them. Cruz drove Chacon, Cruz-Mateo, Sierra and the victim about 1.6 miles away to a quiet residential neighborhood.  Cruz-Mateo, Sierra and Blanco-Hernandez got out of the car and started walking eastbound, while Cruz and Chacon stayed behind with the car.  After walking for a few minutes, Cruz-Mateo drew a .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun and shot Blanco-Hernandez in the back of the head, killing him instantly.  Blanco Hernandez’s body was discovered on a residential street in the Jamaica Hills section of Queens.  He sustained three gunshot wounds: two gunshots to the torso and one to the head.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Jonathan P. Lax, Erin Reid, Adam Amir and Rebecca Urquiola are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Tareva Torres.

These convictions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide.  This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners.  It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Central Operations and Regional Enforcement (CORE) Region 28, located in New York, is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEAJ, US Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP), the US Marshals Service SDNY, the US Marshals Service EDNY, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), US Postal Inspection Service, US Coast Guard, US Federal Probation SDNY, US Federal Probation EDNY, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), the United States Secret Service, the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.

The Defendants:

WALTER FERNANDO ALFARO PINEDA, also known as “Clever”
Age: 46
Houston, Texas
(Sentenced to 480 months’ imprisonment on 3/16/26)

JUNIOR ZELAYA-CANALES, also known as “Terco”
Age: 29
Jamaica, New York
(Sentenced to 480 months’ imprisonment on 2/20/26)

JOSE DOUGLAS CASTELLANO, also known as “Chino”
Age: 27
Brooklyn, New York
(Sentenced to 425 months’ imprisonment on 4/7/26)

Co-Defendants Previously Sentenced:

YANKI MISAEL CRUZ MATEO, also known as “Yenki Misael Cruz Mateo,” “Yankee Mateo,” “Doggy,” and “Wino”
Age: 26
Jamaica, New York
(Sentenced to 540 months’ imprisonment on 1/14/25)

ISRAEL MEDIOLA FLORES, also known as “Chapito” and “Sinaloa”
Age: 31
Kingston, New York
(Sentenced to 425 months’ imprisonment on 5/16/23)

YONI ALEXANDER SIERRA, also known as “Arca,” “Arc Angel,” and “Wasson”
Age: 27
Jamaica, New York
(Sentenced to 204 months’ imprisonment on 1/10/25)

JOSE JIMENEZ CHACON, also known as “Little One”
Age: 27
New Brunswick, New Jersey
(Sentenced to 269 months’ imprisonment on 11/12/24)

CAROLINA CRUZ, also known as “La Fiera”
Age: 32
Elizabeth, New Jersey
(Sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment on 2/11/25)

ERIC CHAVEZ, also known as “Lunatico”
Age: 27
Jamaica, New York
(Sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment on 5/13/25)

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-139 (S-7) (LDH)

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today the appointment of Catherine Mirabile as Chief of the Long Island Division and Chief of the Criminal Section of the Long Island Division.  Additionally, Megan Farrell has been appointed as a Deputy Chief of the Long Island Criminal Section, joining current Deputy Chiefs Justina Geraci and Michael Maffei.

Catherine Mirabile

Ms. Mirabile joined the Office in 2002 and originally served in the Civil Division, including as Chief of the Employment Practice and as an Acting Deputy Chief of the Civil Division.  Since 2012, she has served in the Criminal Division’s General Crimes (GC), Public Integrity, and Long Island Criminal Sections (LI).  Among other supervisory roles, she was Deputy Chief of LI and Senior Litigation Counsel in the Criminal Division.  Ms. Mirabile is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School and received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.  After law school, she served as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the New York City Law Department. 

During her time in the Office, Ms. Mirabile has led the investigation and prosecution of several significant public corruption cases, including: a Nassau County Executive; a leader of the Suffolk County Conservative Party who was also a Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office Correction Officer; a former New York City Police Department officer charged with plotting the murder for hire of her estranged husband and her boyfriend’s daughter; and a criminal defense attorney who defrauded a minor estate beneficiary of an inheritance. 

Ms. Mirabile has also prosecuted several significant fraud cases, including: a case involving a defendant who was convicted at trial of healthcare fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme that defrauded insurance companies of more than $700 million and resulted in one of the largest restitution and forfeiture orders in a healthcare fraud case nationwide; and a prosecution in which the defendants engaged in a scheme to induce victims to invest in a series of web-based companies that purportedly traded in Bitcoin. 

Ms. Mirabile is also a member of the team that has prosecuted several other significant cases on Long Island, including: a case involving violent sex trafficking out of the Sayville Motor Lodge; and a case against a drug dealer who distributed heroin laced with fentanyl that caused the death of a young Long Island man.

Megan Farrell

Ms. Farrell joined the Office in February 2018 and has served in GC, LI, and the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights (HTCR) Section.  Ms. Farrell most recently served as Deputy Chief of HTCR and previously served as an Acting Deputy Chief in GC and the Organized Crimes and Gangs Section.  From 2021 to 2025, she was a Project Safe Child Coordinator and developed outreach programs for middle-school students, speaking to thousands of children and parents about internet safety.  Ms. Farrell graduated from Boston College and received her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. Following law school, Ms. Farrell was a Public Fellow, serving as a misdemeanor Assistant District Attorney at the King’s County District Attorney’s Office for one year.  From 2010 until 2018, Ms. Farrell was an associate at Clifford Chance US LLP.

During her time in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Farrell has prosecuted significant organized crime, gang, sex trafficking, and child exploitation cases.  Ms. Farrell was part of a team that secured the convictions of two MS-13 defendants to racketeering and other charges in connection with eight murders.  Ms. Farrell was also a member of the team that secured the convictions of three high-ranking MS-13 gang members on racketeering charges in connection with nine murders.  In another case, Ms. Farrell was part of the team that secured a sentence of 50 years after the defendant, an MS-13 gang associate, was convicted in April 2022, following a four-week trial, of racketeering, including predicate acts of murder, conspiracy to murder rival gang members, and obstruction of justice and murder in aid-of racketeering, in connection with luring four young men to their violent deaths by more than a dozen gang members and associates in a park in 2017.  Additionally, Ms. Farrell is leading the team currently prosecuting seven MS-13 members, including two national leaders, charged with two murders committed on Long Island.  Ms. Farrell secured the conviction of a Bloods gang member who was sentenced to 23 years in prison for sex trafficking of minors, and she led the trial team that secured a defendant’s conviction for sex trafficking of two victims.  Ms. Farrell is a member of the team currently prosecuting the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch and two other individuals charged with sex trafficking and interstate prostitution.

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Vincent Camarda, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of A.G. Morgan Financial Advisors, LLC (AGM), pleaded guilty to securities fraud and investment advisor fraud.  The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury.  When sentenced, Camarda faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, as well as restitution of at least $160,022,836.81 and forfeiture of $6,639,498.17.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the guilty plea.

“We will aggressively prosecute investment advisors who betray their clients’ trust and commit crimes for their own financial gain,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “This defendant used a series of lies to lure clients, including elderly and other vulnerable individuals, into investing with him, all while enriching himself. Today’s guilty plea is an important step toward holding the defendant accountable for the substantial harm he has caused.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), New York Regional Office, for their work on the case.

“CEO Vincent Camarda repeatedly deceived trusting clients to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars to finance extravagant purchases.  The FBI is committed to protecting investors from executives who abuse their authority to line their own pockets,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, the defendant Vincent Camarda was the Chairman and CEO of AGM.  At the time of his fraud, Camarda had worked in the securities industry for approximately 30 years.  He was a registered investment adviser with the SEC and also held licenses as a registered representative with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).  In or about and between January 2017 and December 2024, Camarda, together with others, established several investment funds under AGM (the “Camarda Funds”).  He then engaged in a scheme to defraud his victims – clients that he owed a fiduciary duty to – in several ways.  

 First, Camarda solicited funds from the victims by making material misrepresentations, both in private placement memorandums and orally, regarding the investment of their funds.  For example, he made materially false representations regarding the risk profile of the investments.  Camarda falsely represented, in sum and substance, that investments in the Camarda Funds were “safe” or “low-risk,” when, in fact, they were not.  Camarda also misrepresented the diversification of the investments to induce the victims to invest.  These misrepresentations were designed to mislead investors into believing that their investments were safer than they actually were.  In addition, Camarda failed to disclose material conflicts of interest in connection with the investments made through the Camarda Funds.  For example, although Camarda invested the victims’ funds in a single mining business, Camarda never disclosed to the victims that he received compensation from that business.  Likewise, although Camarda invested the victims’ funds in a single food service business, Camarda did not disclose to the victims that he had a familial relationship with an individual involved in the business’s operation or that he served as the President of that business.

Separately, Camarda also misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars of the victims’ investments in the Camarda Funds and for his personal benefit.  Rather than investing those funds as promised, Camarda diverted them to himself through wire transfers.  Among other things, Camarda used these stolen funds to pay for personal expenses and luxury items, including plastic surgery, travel, jewelry and luxury goods.  For example, one victim wired over $700,000 to Camarda, who then, after investing approximately $370,000 in the high-risk mining operation, misappropriated the other approximately $400,000 for himself, using the money to, among other things, pay off personal credit card bills.

The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States  Attorney Adam R. Toporovsky is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Janelle Robinson.

The Defendant:

VINCENT CAMARDA
Age:  62
Amityville, NY

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-51

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Bhavesh Lathiya pleaded guilty today to distributing and smuggling fentanyl precursor chemicals to the United States.  Lathiya was the leader and founder of Raxuter Chemicals, a company based in Surat, India, that illegally sold and smuggled more than 50 pounds of chemicals commonly used to manufacture fentanyl.  This guilty plea marks the first felony conviction of an India-based supplier of fentanyl precursor chemicals.  Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen. When sentenced, Lathiya faces up to 40 years’ imprisonment. 

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), announced the guilty plea.

“The defendant admitted supplying the essential ingredients to make fentanyl, knowing just what they would be used for,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our Office is committed to targeting every link in the fentanyl supply chain.  We will continue to vigorously prosecute these purveyors of poison, both here and abroad, who are responsible for fueling our nation’s opioid epidemic without any regard for the extreme harm they are causing.  The Administration, mindful that fentanyl is the leading cause of death for American ages 18 to 45, has prioritized protecting our communities from this lethal scourge.” 

Mr. Nocella thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance.

“Fentanyl has devastated countless families and communities across our country. Homeland Security Investigations is using every available resource to dismantle the drug trafficking networks that smuggle this poison into our country. Today’s landmark plea demonstrates HSI’s unwavering commitment to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling the fentanyl supply chain at every level, both at home and abroad. HSI and its partners will continue to pursue those responsible and will hold the individuals and organizations driving this crisis accountable,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.

Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat currently facing the United States.  It is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.  Fentanyl is designated as a Schedule II controlled substance and various precursor chemicals that are used to produce fentanyl are included on the schedule’s List I and List II.

As set forth in court filings, Lathiya supplied precursor chemicals to the United States and Mexico, among other places, despite knowing they would be used to manufacture fentanyl.  Lathiya and his company also sent their chemical products to the United States and Mexico using international mail and package carriers.  The chemicals distributed by the defendant included all the materials necessary to manufacture fentanyl via the most common pathways.  To prevent detection and interception of chemical products at the borders, the defendant employed deceptive and fraudulent practices, such as mislabeling packages and falsifying customs forms. 

For example, on or about June 29, 2024, a package shipped by Raxuter Chemicals was delivered to an address in the Eastern District of New York.  The package had a false manifest that listed its contents as Vitamin C.  In truth, the contents were a List I chemical, 1-boc-4-piperidone, an unlawfully imported fentanyl precursor.

On October 2, 2024 and October 15, 2024, Lathiya appeared on a video call to discuss sale of fentanyl precursor chemicals with an HSI undercover officer.  After being told by the undercover officer that his “clients in Mexico were very happy with the quality of what you sent me” and with “the yield they got of the final product,” Lathiya agreed to sell 20 kilograms of 1-boc-4-piperidone, which is a List I chemical used in fentanyl synthesis.  Lathiya also proposed mislabeling the chemical as an antacid.  The undercover officer replied and asked if it would be easier to ship the product to Mexico, stating “This is a very controversial product … Because like you said it’s banned and in Mexico I think it could be easier but there’s so much pressure on them because of fentanyl.”  On or about November 23, 2024, Raxuter Chemicals and Lathiya shipped approximately 20 kilograms of 1-boc-4-piperidone to the Eastern District of New York.  The package was mislabeled as an antacid. 

Mexican drug trafficking organizations, including but not limited to the Sinaloa Cartel, have increasingly availed themselves of the fentanyl precursors developed and distributed by companies like the one owned by the defendant, including in India and China.  This guilty plea follows the Office’s pathbreaking indictments of three Chinese chemical companies and three employees in United States v. Anhui Rencheng Technology Co. (Rencheng) Ltd et al and United States v. Hefei GSK Trade Co. Ltd, et al, charging them with similar offenses, including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute a List I chemical, distribution of a List I chemical, and customs fraud conspiracy.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.  The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.  Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.  HSTF New York comprises agents and officers from HSI; the FBI; DEA; the New York City Police Department; IRS Criminal Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Secret Service; with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York leading this prosecution.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Amir, William P. Campos, Chand Edwards-Balfour, and Katherine P. Onyshko are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Cleon Thomas and Zoubida Bicane.

The Defendant:

BHAVESH ranCHHODBHAI LATHIYA (also known as “Bhavesh Patel,” “Bhavesh Bhai” and “Bhavesh Lathia”)
Age: 37
Surat, Gujarat, India

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-525 (S-2) (PKC)

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Amaury Guzmán, a member of the Trinitarios street gang, pleaded guilty to multiple carjacking and firearm offenses, including the murder of the victim of an attempted carjacking committed in Queens, New York.  The proceeding was held before United States Chief District Judge Margo K. Brodie.  Trinitarios gang member and co-defendant Jonathan Guzman previously pleaded guilty to some of the charges, including the murder, in July 2025.  When sentenced, Guzmán faces a sentencing range of 35 to 40 years’ imprisonment.  Rodríguez faces a sentencing range of 32 to 40 years’ imprisonment. 

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty pleas.

“Guzmán and Rodríguez caused fear and chaos through armed carjackings, robberies, and ruthless shootings.  Today’s outcome is the result of relentless work by our Office and law enforcement partners and further demonstrates the goals of the Administration’s Operation Take Back America to protect our communities from violent criminals,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. 

Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for their work on the case. 

“Over the span of four months, these two gang members subjected our community to a series of carjackings, senseless shootings, and cold-blooded murder.  Alongside our law enforcement partners, the FBI’s Metro Safe Streets Task Force has prioritized crushing violent crime by targeting gangs and their violence,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

According to court filings and the guilty plea proceeding, between November 2022 and February 2023, Guzmán and Rodríguez variously participated in a string of violent crimes.

November 2022 Attempted Robbery and Shooting

On November 19, 2022, Guzmán and others conspired to rob a marijuana dealer in Queens.  Guzmán set up a fake marijuana deal and approached the dealer’s car after he arrived at an agreed-upon location.  Guzmán approached the dealer’s car and as the dealer and his passenger tried to flee, Guzmán fired into the car, shooting the passenger in the shoulder.  The passenger survived but underwent extensive surgery to remove a bullet from his neck.

November 2022 Attempted Carjacking and Murder

The next day, on November 20, 2022, Guzmán, Rodríguez, and a co-conspirator used a stolen Mercedes Benz to approach an individual’s BMW sports coupe parked on a sidewalk in Queens.  Rodríguez approached the victim at gunpoint and fired in his direction as he attempted to flee.  The victim was shot once in the back, quickly lost control of his car, which then flipped over onto a sidewalk.  He died from the gunshot wound shortly thereafter.

November 2022 Armed Carjacking

Two days later, on November 22, 2022, Guzmán, Rodríguez, and others once again used the stolen Mercedes Benz to approach a victim who had recently parked his BMW X5 on a residential block in Queens.  The crew attacked the victim at gunpoint and stole the keys to his BMW X5. They then fled in the stolen Mercedes Benz and in the victim’s BMW X5, only to crash into each other minutes later after speeding away from the carjacking.  A ghost gun was recovered from the wrecked Mercedes Benz, which ballistically matched the earlier two shootings.   

December 2022 Attempted Carjacking and Shooting

Several weeks later, on December 12, 2022, Guzmán and others approached the driver of a Range Rover who was parked on a residential block in Queens, intending to carjack him.  As the victim attempted to flee the carjacking, a member of Guzmán’s crew fired a shot into the Range Rover, which lodged in the center console after narrowly missing the victim.

February 2023 Armed Carjacking

Less than two months later, on February 1, 2023, Guzmán and others used a stolen Dodge Charger to carjack the owner of a Ford Mustang who was parked on a residential block in Queens.  Guzmán and a co-conspirator tackled the victim to the ground as he tried to run from them, stole his keys, and bashed the victim in the head with their guns. Lacerations to the victim’s head required hospitalization.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Andy Palacio is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendants:

AMAURY GUZMÁN
Age: 26
Brooklyn, New York

JONATHAN RODRIGUEZ
Age: 24
Queens, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-107 (S-3) (MKB)

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Jean Ronald Tirelus and Roberto Samedy for embezzling more than $1.3 million from a Brooklyn-based non-profit organization that provided home care services and operated homeless shelters in New York City.  Tirelus was the former chairman of the organization’s board of directors, and Samedy was the executive director of the organization. In addition, the indictment charged Tirelus, Samedy, Edouardo St. Fort and Miguel Jorge for their roles in a related scheme in which Tirelus and Samedy steered business to companies controlled by St. Fort and Jorge in exchange for bribes and kickbacks. Tirelus and Samedy were each charged with wire fraud, embezzlement, and bribery-related offenses, and conspiracy to commit the same, as well as money laundering conspiracy.  St. Fort and Jorge were charged with federal program bribery and related charges.  Tirelus, Samedy and Jorge are being arraigned this afternoon before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.  St. Fort was arrested in Boston, Massachusetts and will be arraigned in Eastern District of New York at a later date.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher Ryan, Acting Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI); and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the arrests and indictment.

“As alleged, the defendants used their leadership positions to loot public funds from an organization devoted to serving vulnerable New Yorkers,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Rooting out corruption is a priority for our Office, and we will hold accountable anyone who exploits charitable trust for private gain.”

“As charged, these defendants devised a scheme that siphoned more than $1.3 million from a publicly-funded nonprofit that provided home health care services and received City homeless shelter contracts.  Two of the defendants were leaders at the nonprofit who capitalized on the City’s urgent need for homeless shelter providers by allegedly steering business to favored vendors in exchange for bribes and kickbacks, according to the indictment.  Those who exploit the City’s need for homeless shelters endanger the very programs meant to help unhoused people.  I thank the City Department of Social Services for originally referring issues related to this nonprofit to DOI; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Easten District of New York and the FBI for their partnership on this investigation and their commitment to protect precious tax dollars,” stated Acting DOI Commissioner Ryan.

"Jean Tirelus and Roberto Samedy allegedly stole more than $1.3 million from their nonprofit through fabricated investment opportunities, while separately steering contracts to other co-defendants. Tirelus and Samedy allegedly abused their executive positions to selfishly enrich themselves at the expense of vulnerable citizens and taxpayer dollars. The FBI is committed to protecting charitable organizations and public funds from illicit corruption and greed," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

As set forth in court filings, the charges arise from an investigation of a Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization that provided home care services to elderly New Yorkers and individuals with acute medical needs and also operated homeless shelters (the Public Interest Organization, which operated two charitable entities known as Nonprofit #1 and Nonprofit #2).  The Public Interest Organization received millions of dollars in Medicaid payments and has been awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from New York City.

As a result of their leadership positions at the Public Interest Organization, Tirelus and Samedy exercised significant control over its operations and finances. Between August 2020 and January 2024, Tirelus and Samedy exploited their positions, stealing more than $1.3 million from the Public Interest Organization through several forms of embezzlement and fraud.  For example, in May 2023, Tirelus and Samedy fraudulently induced the board of directors to authorize an $800,000 payment that went to a shell company controlled by Tirelus.  Tirelus and Samedy falsely advised the board of directors that the Public Interest Organization had been approached by a bank regarding a joint venture to invest in affordable housing.  After the board approved a proposal authorizing the Public Interest Organization to invest, Tirelus and Samedy caused Nonprofit #1 to wire $800,000 to a bank account controlled by Tirelus, who diverted the funds to the benefit of himself and Samedy.

Separately, St. Fort and Jorge controlled several vendor companies that provided private security services, facilities maintenance, and furniture to homeless shelters operated by the Public Interest Organization.  Between February 2023 and January 2024, Tirelus and Samedy steered millions of dollars of the Public Interest Organization’s business towards the companies controlled by St. Fort and Jorge in return for bribes and kickbacks.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Tirelus and Samedy each face up to 20 years in prison, and St. Fort and Jorge face each face up to 10 years in prison.

The government’s case is being handled by the Public Integrity Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Laura Zuckerwise and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Daniel Arakawa.

The Defendants:

RONALD JEAN TIRELUS
Age: 50
Brooklyn, New York

ROBERTO SAMEDY
Age: 50
Brooklyn, New York

EDOUARDO ST. FORT
Age: 47
Taunton, Massachusetts

MIGUEL JORGE
Age: 52
College Point, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-69 (RER)

Nicole Daedone, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of OneTaste, Inc. (OneTaste), a sexual wellness education company founded in San Francisco, California, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Diane Gujarati in federal court in Brooklyn to nine years in prison for her role in a forced labor conspiracy.  Also today, Rachel Cherwitz, OneTaste’s former Head of Sales, was sentenced by Judge Gujarati to 78 months in prison for her role in the scheme. Daedone and Cherwitz were convicted by a federal jury in June 2025 of forced labor conspiracy following a five-week trial.  The Court also imposed a $12 million forfeiture money judgment against Daedone, and awarded $887,877.64 in restitution to seven victims of Daedone and Cherwitz.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentences.

“This case exposed a decade-long scheme in which the defendants used psychological, emotional, and financial coercion to control their victims and extract labor and services for their own benefit,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The jury’s verdict and today’s sentences demonstrate that coercion can take many forms—and that those who exploit others through such means will face serious consequences.  Coercion disguised as wellness or empowerment is still exploitation and it is a crime that causes harm to vulnerable victims.  The defendants’ combination of forced labor with sexual exploitation caused trauma to the victims in ways that extend beyond lost wages or long hours.”

“For decades, Nicole Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz preyed on vulnerable women, coercing them into a calculated forced labor conspiracy. These defendants subjected their victims to repeated psychological manipulation and sexual abuse to obtain unpaid or underpaid labor and services for their personal and financial benefit. The FBI is committed to holding accountable those who traffic in human labor and exploit others for profit. We thank the victims for their courage in coming forward,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

OneTaste was a privately held company co-founded by Daedone in 2004.  Its principal place of business was San Francisco, California, and it operated at various locations within New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, and London.  OneTaste promoted itself as a sexually focused wellness education company that offered hands-on classes on “orgasmic mediation” (OM), which involved stroking a woman’s genitals for 15 minutes.  OneTaste generated revenue by providing courses, coaching, OM events, and less-publicized courses in other sexual practices in exchange for a fee. 

From approximately 2006 through May 2018, Daedone and Cherwitz orchestrated a scheme to obtain the labor and services of multiple young women who had turned to OneTaste seeking healing and spiritual growth by coercing them to perform labor, including sexual labor, for the defendants’ benefit.  OneTaste advertised that its courses and teachings could heal past sexual trauma and dysfunction.  In reality, Daedone and Cherwitz used abusive and manipulative tactics designed to control OneTaste members by making them emotionally and psychologically dependent on OneTaste, including encouraging them to incur debt by opening lines of credit to finance the expensive courses, subjecting them to constant surveillance in communal homes, collecting sensitive information about their prior trauma and sexual histories, depriving them of sleep, and subjecting them to sexual abuse.

Once they had secured the loyalty and indebtedness of certain OneTaste members, Daedone and Cherwitz engaged in exploitative labor practices.  They directed OneTaste members to work long hours—often seven days per week—with little or no compensation.  This work included manual labor and the provision of sexual services.  For example, Daedone and Cherwitz coerced their victims to engage in sexual acts with OneTaste’s then-current and prospective investors, clients, and employees for the company’s financial benefit.  Three witnesses testified at trial about how they were coerced into becoming “handlers” for OneTaste’s initial investor, who was also Daedone’s boyfriend, which required them to live with him, perform sex acts at his direction, and provide domestic labor for him.  Multiple other witnesses testified that they were coerced under threat of termination, demotion, ostracism, and financial and spiritual ruin by Daedone and Cherwitz into performing various sex acts with OneTaste’s potential clients and investors.

In 2017, Daedone sold OneTaste—a company built on the backs of coerced and unpaid or substantially underpaid labor—for $12 million.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Kayla Bensing, Kaitlin T. Farrell, Nina C. Gupta, and Sean Michael Fern are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Liam McNett and Marlane Bosler.

The Defendants:

NICOLE DAEDONE
Age:  58
New York, New York

RACHEL CHERWITZ
Age:  45
New York, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-146 (DG)

Today, Italian national Manfred Gruber pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit export control violations. Gruber illegally exported ammunition worth over $540,000 from the United States to Kyrgyzstan, via companies that the defendant and his co-conspirator controlled in Italy. After reaching Kyrgyzstan, most of this ammunition was subsequently reexported to Russia. Today’s proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl for the Eastern District of New York. In January 2026, Sergei Zharnovnikov, a Kyrgyzstan-based co-conspirator of the defendant, was sentenced to 39 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to violating the Export Control Reform Act.

“Gruber’s crimes helped sustain a bloody war that has claimed countless lives,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “NSD is committed to holding accountable those illegally funneling weapons and ammunition to Russia’s war machine.”

“Manfred Gruber put many lives at risk by illegally supplying Russia with hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of American-made, military-grade ammunition to advance its war in Ukraine,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates the serious consequences of violating U.S. export controls and the FBI’s commitment to holding accountable those who illegally fuel our foreign adversaries’ war efforts. We will continue working with our partners across law enforcement and the private sector to safeguard our national security by keeping American-made military supplies out of the hands of hostile nation-states.”

“The defendant used multiple companies to hide his scheme to send military‑grade ammunition to Kyrgyzstan, before it was reexported to Russia to support its war effort,” stated United States Attorney Joseph Nocella for the Eastern District of New York. “I commend our partners at the FBI and the Department of Commerce for uncovering this deadly scheme and swiftly bringing Gruber to justice.”

“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates our commitment, in concert with our partners, to aggressively enforce America’s export control laws," said Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement David Peters.

As set forth in court filings, Gruber is Director of Sales for Italian Company-1, a large wholesale distributor of firearms and ammunition. Gruber served as a key member of an international ammunition procurement network for Russia during its war against Ukraine, purchasing ammunition from the United States and reexporting it to Kyrgyzstan in violation of DOC licenses issued to Italian Company-1, which required that the ammunition stay in Italy. Gruber did not apply for, obtain, or possess a license to export or reexport ammunition to Kyrgyzstan.

For example, U.S. Company-1, headquartered in Nebraska, had a license to lawfully export ammunition to Italian Company-1, but the ammunition could not be reexported out of Italy. In violation of the license, Gruber, using a cutout company, Italian Company‑2, reexported U.S. Company-1 ammunition to Zharnovnikov, an arms dealer from Kyrgyzstan who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate export controls by sending U.S.-made firearms and ammunition to Russia. A contract found on Zharnovnikov’s phone indicated that he had contracted with a Russian company for ammunition manufactured by U.S. Company-1.   

In addition, U.S. Company-2, headquartered in Tennessee, had a license to lawfully export ammunition to Italian Company‑1, but the ammunition could not be reexported out of Italy. Gruber exported the ammunition from U.S. Company-2 to Italy, and then reexported the U.S. Company-2 ammunition from Italy to Kyrgyzstan.

Gruber was aware that U.S. law prohibited the reexport of U.S. ammunition without further licenses, which he did not obtain. To help the unlawful export scheme succeed, the defendant took steps to disguise the true destination of the ammunition. In encrypted messages on or about September 23, 2023, Gruber exchanged the following messages with an unapprehended co-conspirator:

Co-Conspirator:     

Approximately 100,000 [U.S. Company-1 bullets]

What delivery time do we have?

***

Gruber:                      

🤣🤣🤣they give me an answer in a few days... you have to give them everything at once?  I ask because of the possible destination....  They caught the Slovenian [U.S. Company-1] distributor who had triangulated with Russia... FBI International

Co-Conspirator:        

No, this request is from an Armenian customer.

We can even split up the shipment

Gruber:

I’d say that would be better, so it goes unnoticed. 😉

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Ellen H. Sise, Tara B. McGrath, and Adam Amir for the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, with assistance from Litigation Analysts Rebecca Roth and Matthew Jennings. 

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Italian national Manfred Gruber pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit export control violations.  Gruber illegally exported ammunition worth over $540,000 from the United States to Kyrgyzstan, via companies that the defendant and his co-conspirator controlled in Italy.  After reaching Kyrgyzstan, most of this ammunition was subsequently reexported to Russia.  Today’s proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl. In January 2026, Sergei Zharnovnikov, a Kyrgyzstan-based co-conspirator of the defendant, was sentenced to 39 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to violating the Export Control Reform Act.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and David Peters, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), announced the charges.

“The defendant used multiple companies to hide his scheme to send military‑grade ammunition to Kyrgyzstan, before it was reexported to Russia to support its war effort,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “I commend our partners at the FBI and the Department of Commerce for uncovering this deadly scheme and swiftly bringing the defendant to justice.”

“Gruber’s crimes helped sustain a bloody war that has claimed countless lives,” stated Assistant Attorney General for National Security Eisenberg.  “NSD is committed to holding accountable those illegally funneling weapons and ammunition to Russia’s war machine.”

“Manfred Gruber facilitated an international network to unlawfully supply American-made ammunition to Russia during its war against Ukraine. Gruber exploited licensing caveats and ignored export restrictions to support an adversarial nation’s military campaign. The FBI continues to hold accountable any individual who utilizes U.S. companies or armaments to further a foreign country’s wartime agenda,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates our commitment, in concert with our partners, to aggressively enforce America’s export control laws," stated DOC Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Peters. 

As set forth in court filings, Gruber is Director of Sales for Italian Company-1, a large wholesale distributor of firearms and ammunition.  Gruber served as a key member of an international ammunition procurement network for Russia during its war against Ukraine, purchasing ammunition from the United States and reexporting it to Kyrgyzstan in violation of DOC licenses issued to Italian Company-1, which required that the ammunition stay in Italy. Gruber did not apply for, obtain, or possess a license to export or reexport ammunition to Kyrgyzstan.

For example, U.S. Company-1, headquartered in Nebraska, had a license to lawfully export ammunition to Italian Company-1, but the ammunition could not be reexported out of Italy.  In violation of the license, Gruber, using a cutout company, Italian Company‑2, reexported U.S. Company-1 ammunition to Zharnovnikov, an arms dealer from Kyrgyzstan who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate export controls by sending U.S.-made firearms and ammunition to Russia.  A contract found on Zharnovnikov’s phone indicated that he had contracted with a Russian company for ammunition manufactured by U.S. Company-1. 

In addition, U.S. Company-2, headquartered in Tennessee, had a license to lawfully export ammunition to Italian Company‑1, but the ammunition could not be reexported out of Italy.  Gruber exported the ammunition from U.S. Company-2 to Italy, and then reexported the U.S. Company-2 ammunition from Italy to Kyrgyzstan.

Gruber was aware that U.S. law prohibited the reexport of U.S. ammunition without further licenses, which he did not obtain.  To help the unlawful export scheme succeed, the defendant took steps to disguise the true destination of the ammunition.  In encrypted messages on or about September 23, 2023, Gruber exchanged the following messages with a co-conspirator:

Co-Conspirator:     Approximately 100,000 [U.S. Company-1 bullets]

                                   What delivery time do we have?

                                   ***

Gruber:                    🤣🤣🤣they give me an answer in a few days... you have to give them everything at once? I ask because of the possible destination....  They caught the Slovenian [U.S. Company-1] distributor who had triangulated with Russia... FBI International

Co-Conspirator:     No, this request is from an Armenian customer.

                                   We can even split up the shipment

Gruber:                     I’d say that would be better, so it goes unnoticed. 😉

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Ellen H. Sise, Tara B. McGrath, and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, with assistance from Litigation Analysts Rebecca Roth and Matthew Jennings.

The Defendant:

MANFRED GRUBER
Age: 61
Ora, Italy

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-61 (HG)

This afternoon, in federal court in Brooklyn, Elkin Armando Alomia Quiñones, Luis Alberto Arboleda Escobar, Diego Luis Obregon Aguirre, Edwin Obregon Castro, Juan Matias Obregon Castro, Rodrigo Obregon Saavedra and Narjel Paredes, all citizens of Colombia, will be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho on an indictment charging them with violations of the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act and international cocaine distribution conspiracy.  The seven defendants were extradited yesterday to the Eastern District of New York from Colombia where they were previously arrested in March 2025.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, Associate Chief of Operations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Northeast Region, and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York) announced the extraditions.

“As alleged, the defendants are members of a Colombian transnational maritime drug trafficking organization who sought to clandestinely traffic tons of cocaine on semi-submersible vessels to Mexico, ultimately for distribution in the United States,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “With these arrests and extraditions, the defendants’ smuggling scheme has been sunk and holding them accountable in a U.S. courtroom demonstrates the Administration’s resolve through Operation Take Back America and the Homeland Security Task Force to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from these evildoers.”

Mr. Nocella praised the outstanding investigative work of DEA New York’s Task Force, DEA Bogota and HSI New York’s Homeland Security Task Force Cartel Investigations Group.  Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to Colombia’s Cuerpo Técnico de Investigación, the Colombian Navy, DEA Puerto Rico, DEA Madrid, HSI Bogota and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico for their substantial assistance.  The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá provided significant assistance in this matter.

“The extradition of these seven individuals underscores DEA’s global pursuit to identify and target those responsible for trafficking illicit narcotics destined for the United States,” stated DEA Northeast Regional Associate Chief of Operations Tarentino.  “Using submersible vessels in a calculated attempt to evade law enforcement doesn’t make you invisible! Whether you attempt to hide beneath the surface or above, the DEA, alongside our domestic and international partners, will relentlessly pursue and defeat those drug trafficking organizations threatening our communities and killing Americans.”

“Today, seven alleged drug smugglers are facing charges in the United Stated after years of unchecked cocaine trafficking.​ Homeland Security Investigations’ international footprint gives us the ability to track bad actors back to the source and, through our partnerships, bring them to justice,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.  “These drugs have done untold damage to millions of families across the country. HSI works alongside our law enforcement partners every day to dismantle drug trafficking organizations and stop the flow of dangerous drugs into our communities.”

According to the indictment and court filings, the defendants were members of an international drug trafficking organization (DTO) which conspired to traffic more than five tons of cocaine in self-propelled semi-submersible vessels, like submarines, launched from the Pacific coast of Colombia towards areas controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. The drug trafficking organization conducted a sophisticated maritime drug distribution operation, managing each step of the process.  First, members of the conspiracy found investors to finance multi-ton cocaine loads and to finance the construction of semi-submersible vessels.  Next, members of the conspiracy built semi-submersible vessels capable of carrying thousands of kilograms of cocaine.  The trafficking organization also hired crew members to fill the semi-submersible vessels with cocaine and then transport the cocaine to Mexico.  Members of the conspiracy also conducted countersurveillance on the high seas by strategically positioning fishing vessels on the same routes as the semi-submersible vessels.  These countersurveillance ships attempted to spot military and law enforcement ships that might intercept the semi-submersible vessels.

On June 27 2023, the Colombian Navy seized approximately 2,312 kilograms of cocaine from a DTO semi-submersible vessel near the Colombian Pacific coast, which, based on a coordinate chart located aboard the vessel, was en route to Mexico (pictured below).

On October 7, 2023, the Colombian Navy seized approximately 3,300 kilograms of cocaine from another DTO semi-submersible vessel near the Colombian Pacific coast, which was en route to Mexico (pictured below).

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

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.  The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.  Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.  HSTF New York comprises agents and officers from HSI; the FBI; DEA; the New York City Police Department; IRS Criminal Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Secret Service; with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York leading this prosecution.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Lorena Michelen and Katherine P. Onyshko are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendants:

ELKIN ARMANDO ALOMIA QUINONES
Age: 40
Colombia

LUIS ALBERTO ARBOLEDA ESCOBAR
Age: 53
Colombia

DIEGO LUIS OBREGON AGUIRRE
Age: 47
Colombia

EDWIN OBREGON CASTRO
Age: 41
Colombia

JUAN MATIAS OBREGON CASTRO
Age: 49
Colombia

RODRIGO OBREGON SAAVENDRA
Age: 69
Colombia

NARJEL PAREDES
Age: 56
Colombia

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-462 (EK)

Darnell Jones, also known as “EJ,” was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry in federal court in Brooklyn to 145 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. During the height of the COVID‑19 pandemic, from March 2020 through August 2021, Jones used stolen personal identifying information to fraudulently obtain more than $800,000 from federally funded unemployment insurance programs established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  As part of the sentence, Jones was ordered to pay $838,120 in restitution to the New York State Department of Labor.  In addition, as part of his April 2025 guilty plea, Jones admitted to obtaining personal identifying information, including bank account information, between May 2021 and October 2024, to commit wire fraud with an intended loss of more than $2.7 million.   

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.

“Today’s sentence demonstrates that those who defraud innocent victims and pilfer federal funds to support violent gangs will face severe punishment,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “To successfully dismantle violent gangs who terrorize our neighborhoods and communities, it is essential that we cut off their sources of income, including from fraud schemes like the one perpetrated by the defendant here.” 

Mr. Nocella also thanked the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General and the New York State Department of Labor, Office of Special Investigations for their assistance on the case.

“Darnell Jones, a Ninedee gang member, stole more than $800,000 intended for unemployment benefit recipients to fund the enterprise’s illicit operations and firearms procurement. Jones manipulated financial programs designed to support vulnerable New Yorkers during a global pandemic just to unlawfully facilitate the gang’s criminal activity. Alongside our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to stem any source of revenue supporting the viability of gangs plaguing our communities,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

“Darnell Jones stole more than $800,000 in federal funds meant to help vulnerable New Yorkers during a global pandemic and used those funds to bankroll a violent gang,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: anyone who steals from the government will face real consequences, and the NYPD will aggressively pursue anyone who seeks to defraud and victimize others. I am grateful to the NYPD investigators, the FBI, and the prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their pursuit of justice in this case.”
            
As set forth in court filings in connection with sentencing, Jones is a member of the Ninedee Gang, a violent criminal enterprise operating out of the Louis H. Pink Houses in East New York, Brooklyn.  Ninedee Gang members were affiliated with the “5” and “6” Pink Houses apartment buildings and engaged in gang-related violence within and outside of the New York City Housing Authority complex.  The Ninedee Gang protected its turf through violence, made money by selling drugs and committing fraud, and sought to silence those they perceived to be working with law enforcement. 

Jones led the Ninedee Gang’s fraud schemes, also known as “scamming,” and worked with other members to earn money for the gang through check fraud, postal money order fraud, and unemployment benefits fraud. For example, beginning in approximately November 2020, Jones sent a co-conspirator text messages containing the names of 10 New York residents in order to obtain personally identifiable information (PII) for those individuals without their knowledge.  The co-conspirator sent Jones the requested individuals’ dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license numbers. In exchange, Jones paid the co-conspirator with cryptocurrency.  Subsequently, Jones submitted fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York State Department of Labor using the stolen PII.  As set forth in court filings and as established at the trial of Ninedee Gang leader Maliek Miller, text messages in 2020 showed that Jones coordinated with fellow Ninedee Gang member Kevin Wint about pooling their money to purchase “glicks” or “plates,” which are references to firearms. Notably, in August 2021, law enforcement agents recovered two firearms, which were outfitted with laser sights, in a residence shared by Jones and Wint.

Eight Ninedee Gang members have been prosecuted for their gang-affiliated crimes, which included the prosecution of seven Ninedee members for their roles in the July 2020 murder in-aid-of-racketeering of Shatavia Walls.  Seven Ninedee defendants have pleaded guilty and an eighth, Maliek Miller, was convicted at trial in June 2024 and faces a mandatory life sentence. 

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Emily J. Dean and Irisa Chen are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Elizabeth Reed and Marlane Bosler.

The Defendant:

DARNELL JONES (also known as “EJ”)
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-369 (DLI)

Defendant Convicted at Trial:

MALIEK MILLER
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New York

Defendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:

QUINTIN GREEN (also known as “Wild Child”)
Age: 25
Brooklyn, New York

JOE SANTANA (also known as “Baby Joe”)
Age: 21
Brooklyn, New York

Chayanne fernandez (also known as “White Boy”)
Age: 25
Brooklyn, New York

KEVIN WINT (also known as “Kev G”)
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New York

SHAKUR BEY (also known as “Speedy”)
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-331 (LDH)

RAQUEL DUNTON (aka “Rah”)
Age: 39
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No 24-CR-344 (LDH)

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Murielle Misczak with wire fraud and money laundering in connection with her employment at a Brooklyn daycare (the Daycare).  Misczak was the director of the Daycare, which provided childcare and preschool to children.  Over the course of approximately four years, Misczak embezzled more than $2.75 million by directing parents to send tuition payments to unapproved accounts she controlled and transferring the funds to her personal bank accounts.  Misczak was arrested today and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charges.

“As alleged, Misczak abused her position of authority and betrayed the trust of her employer and daycare families by stealing millions in tuition to fund her own extravagant personal lifestyle,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our Office will vigorously prosecute corrupt individuals like the defendant who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of services for children.”

“Murielle Misczak allegedly stole millions of dollars from parents whose tuition payments were unknowingly funding personal lavish purchases. As the daycare’s former director, Misczak’s alleged embezzlement violated the trust placed in her by her employer and clients. The FBI is dedicated to disrupting corrupt schemes that defraud our city’s families for selfish gain, especially those exploiting childcare services,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

As set forth in court filings, Misczak was hired by the Daycare in 2013 as Program Coordinator and was later promoted to Director in 2020.  Starting in January 2022 and continuing through October 2025, Misczak stole more than $2.75 million in tuition payments by directing them to be paid into accounts she controlled and then transferring those payments into her own accounts. Misczak hid her theft from the Daycare by deleting and altering information in the Daycare’s accounting systems.  Misczak spent over $600,000 in stolen funds on travel and entertainment, including over $350,000 on tickets to professional wrestling events, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury goods and various personal expenses such as food delivery and ride sharing services.

The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charges, Misczak faces up to 20 years in prison.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Shannon C. Jones and Sophia M. Suarez are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Melina Piatti-Chayan.

The Defendant:

MURIELLE MISCZAK
Age: 43
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-65 (NGG)

Today a federal jury in Brooklyn returned a guilty verdict against Herberth Rodríguez, also known as “Kepa,” and Elias Martínez Villanueva, also known as “Rebelde,” both members of the transnational street gang 18th Street, on all counts of a fourth superseding indictment charging them with murder in-aid-of racketeering and related firearms offenses for their participation in the November 1, 2020 murder of Diego Vanegas Vásquez.  Rodriguez was additionally convicted of racketeering and the attempted murder of Juan Valdéz in-aid-of racketeering, as well as narcotics trafficking and unlawful possession of ammunition.  Martinez Villanueva was additionally convicted of illegally re-entering the United States.  The verdict followed a three-week trial before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz II.  When sentenced, both defendants face a mandatory term of life imprisonment.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department, announced the verdict.

“In committing the murder of Diego Vanegas Vásquez and other acts of brazen gang violence, the defendants terrorized a community in and around Roosevelt Avenue in Queens that they claimed was their territory,” stated U.S. Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s verdict proves how wrong and misguided they are.  It is the rule of law that controls and protects our communities. Our Office, together with our law enforcement partners, remains focused on dismantling violent gangs like 18th Street.  I can state with confidence that the neighborhoods of Jackson Heights and Corona are safer with these defendants effectively removed from society and no longer free to perpetrate crimes.”   

Mr. Nocella also thanked United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General for their assistance.

“Herberth Rodriguez and Elias Villanueva – members of a notorious foreign terrorist organization (FTO), the 18th Street gang – committed a senseless murder out of retaliation and terrorized the community with brazen public gun fights,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.  “Alongside our law enforcement partners, the FBI continues to eradicate the violence plaguing our streets and threatening the lives of innocent bystanders by attacking these FTOs head-on.”

“These convictions send a clear message: The NYPD will stop at nothing to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable street gangs that terrorize our communities with senseless gun violence,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “For too long, the 18th Street crew turned neighborhoods in Queens into their own deadly battleground against rivals, placing innocent New Yorkers at risk. But thanks to a thorough investigation led by NYPD detectives and a strong prosecution, our streets are now safer. I thank our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their support in taking down this ruthless organization and bringing its members to justice.”

As proved at trial, the defendants were members of 18th Street, a violent gang that engaged in murder, robbery, extortion, production of fraudulent identification documents, and narcotics trafficking.  As a member of 18th Street, Rodriguez sold large quantities of cocaine, the proceeds of which the gang used to purchase firearms and support incarcerated gang members.  The evidence also showed that 18th Street sold cocaine and marijuana, peddled fake IDs, such as fake Social Security cards and fake green cards, and extorted brothel owners by requiring them to pay money to the gang for the gang's permission to run their brothels.

Murder of Diego Vanegas Vásquez

In the early morning hours of November 1, 2020, the defendants shot and killed Vanegas Vásquez who they believed was a member of the rival MS-13 gang, in Jackson Heights, Queens.  On the night of the murder, Vanegas Vásquez was a passenger in the back of a taxi. The defendants, riding on a motorbike, pulled alongside the taxi at a red light.  Rodríguez fired approximately six shots at Vásquez, killing him.  After the murder, Rodríguez bragged about killing Vásquez to other members of 18th Street in text messages.

Attempted Murder of Juan Valdéz

On October 10, 2020, Rodríguez set out to kill Juan Valdéz, who he believed had disrespected 18th Street.  Earlier that day, Valdéz had a physical altercation with an 18th Street member in the vicinity of Roosevelt Avenue and 83rd Street.  After the fight, Valdéz got into his car and attempted to leave the area.  An 18th Street associate who saw the fight then signaled to members of the gang in the area to respond.  After hearing the signal, Rodríguez grabbed a gun that the gang kept hidden beneath a flower stand outside of a bodega on 83rd Street and ran towards the vicinity of the fight.  Rodríguez opened fire on Valdéz’s vehicle, but missed Valdéz as he drove away.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andy Palacio, Megan Larkin, Lauren Bowman, and Brachah Goykadosh are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Wesley Roberts.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The Defendants:

HERBERTH RODRIGUEZ (also known as “Kepa”)
Age: 33
Queens, New York

ELIAS MARTINEZ VILLANEUVA (also known as “Rebelde”)
Age: 40
Queens, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-548 (WFK)

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging  James Johnson, a current employee of the United States Bureau of Prisons (BOP), with sexual abuse, sexual abuse of a ward, and making false statements to federal law enforcement officers, all arising from the defendant’s sexual abuse of an inmate he was responsible for guarding while working as a correctional officer at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York (MDC). Johnson was arrested earlier today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Office (FBI); and Ryan T. Geach, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) announced the arrest and charges.

“As alleged, Johnson leveraged his position as a correctional officer to take advantage of a man he was supposed to be protecting in his capacity as a prison guard and used his access to gratify his own sexual desires,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our Office is steadfast in its commitment to root out corruption and abuse within federal prisons, especially when that abuse is perpetrated at the hands of guards and jeopardizes the safety and security of the institution and the inmates.”

Mr. Nocella thanked the New York State Police for its assistance with the investigation.

“The alleged sexual abuse of an inmate by a federal correctional officer is a grave betrayal of public trust and will not be tolerated,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.  “Federal correctional officers are sworn to protect, not prey upon, those in their care.  No one is above the law and we will continue to work tirelessly to hold accountable those who violate the rights of federal inmates.”

“The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will continue to aggressively investigate allegations of sexual abuse by federal Correctional Officers and, with our partners, bring these perpetrators to justice,” stated DOJ OIG Special Agent in Charge Geach.

As alleged in court documents, in May 2025, Johnson was employed by the BOP as a correctional officer and mentor coordinator at the MDC.  On at least two occasions during that month, Johnson ordered an inmate at the MDC (John Doe) to accompany him from John Doe’s assigned unit to other locations at the MDC where the defendant sexually abused him.  The evidence of this sexual abuse included DNA evidence secured through a court ordered search warrant.

Further, Johnson took steps to conceal his actions and lied to federal agents during an interview about his conduct. Specifically, when asked if he had ever engaged in any sexual acts with inmates, Johnson answered unequivocally that he had not.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charges, Johnson faces up to life in prison.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights and Public Integrity Sections. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan E. Farrell and Turner Buford are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Johnson Peow.

The Defendant:

JAMES JOHNSON
Age: 36
New York, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-060 (RER)

Yesterday, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Joshua Nass, an attorney licensed to practice in New York, with attempted Hobbs Act extortion for enlisting an individual to threaten and force a former client and his son into paying Nass $500,000.  Nass was arrested yesterday and will make his initial appearance today before United States Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charge.

“As alleged, Nass plotted the violent extortion of one of his own clients and hired an individual to ‘do anything and everything” to force the client’s son to pay for services,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “It will always be a priority of our Office to hold accountable those abusing a position of trust by violating the laws and oaths they have been sworn to support.”

“Rather than honestly representing his client, Joshua Nass allegedly chose to shake him down by hiring an enforcer to extort payment. The FBI prioritizes crushing violent crimes offenses and extortion schemes,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

As alleged in court filings, starting in early January 2026, Nass recruited an individual (Individual) to force a former client (John Doe 1) and his son (John Doe 2) to pay Nass $500,000 that Nass claimed he was owed for services he purportedly rendered on behalf of John Doe 1.  Nass provided the Individual with a phone number and addresses associated with John Doe 2, and Nass instructed the Individual to visit John Doe 2 at his home in an effort to intimidate John Doe 2 into paying Nass.  Nass paid the Individual $3,000 in cash in exchange for Individual’s efforts to force John Doe 2 to pay Nass. Additionally, Nass told the Individual to “do anything and everything” to force John Doe 2 to pay the defendant.

Between January 2026 and March 2026, Nass contacted the Individual several times to plan meetings and discuss methods by which the Individual could extort payment by John Does 1 and 2 of the debt purportedly owed to Nass.  Nass and the Individual discussed the Individual physically assaulting John Doe 2, or forcing John Doe 2 into a car with masked men and threatening him to make someone in John Doe 2’s family pay Nass.  On one occasion, Nass told the Individual that, if John Doe 2 rebuffed an attempt to pay, the Individual could not be a “human being” with John Doe 2.  Nass agreed to pay the Individual at least $15,000 for his continued efforts at extorting John Does 1 and 2, with a $5,000 up-front payment and the remainder after John Doe 2 paid Nass.       

The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Nass faces up to 20 years in prison.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Victor Zapana, Anna L. Karamigios and Kamil R. Ammari are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Danielle Barber.

The Defendant:

JOSHUA NASS
Age: 34
Charleston, South Carolina

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-MJ-54

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, a 12-count indictment was unsealed charging Tyrone Stylistic Crooks with multiple counts of sex trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors, and transportation for prostitution.  The charges in the indictment stem from Crooks’s sex trafficking of five victims, including three minor girls who were between the ages of 14 and 17 years old at the time of the alleged crimes.  In addition to producing sexually exploitative images and videos of the minors, Crooks allegedly manipulated his victims to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial benefit using fraud, physical violence, and sexual violence.  Crooks was arrested yesterday and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lee G. Dunst.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Stefanie Roddy, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Office (FBI), and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, FBI, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charges.

“As alleged, the defendant preyed on vulnerable members of the community, subjecting his victims to threats, violence, and manipulation so that he could sell their bodies for his own profit,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s arrest demonstrates our Office’s unwavering commitment to aggressively prosecute sex traffickers, especially when minors are involved.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey; the Boston Police Department; FBI Boston Field Office; the New Jersey State Police Human Trafficking Unit; the Suffolk County Police Department; and the New York City Police Department for their contributions to the case.

“Cases like this remind us that children in our communities are still being exploited by traffickers who see them as commodities rather than young people with futures,” stated FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Roddy.  “Our priority is identifying victims, protecting them, and holding those responsible fully accountable.  If someone sees a young person who may be in danger or under someone else’s control, we urge them to report it to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. A single call could help protect a child from ongoing abuse.”

“Tyrone Crooks allegedly threatened, assaulted, and forced three minors to engage in sexual acts and produce sexually explicit content for his own personal gain. Through his alleged trafficking of these young girls, they were subjected to significant cruelty and unthinkable sexual abuse.  “The FBI continues to coordinate with our federal and local law enforcement partners to apprehend sexual predators and traffickers targeting vulnerable victims, especially children,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

As set forth in court filings, since at least 2021 to the present, Crooks has operated as a “pimp” and trafficked victims across various locations in Brooklyn, Queens, and on Long Island, including in Westbury, Woodbury, Hicksville, Melville, Bethpage, and Huntington.  Of the five victims that the defendant is presently charged with trafficking, three were minors who came from out of state to work for Crooks doing prostitution in New York. 

Crooks enticed these victims using text and other online communications and paid for their travel.  Crooks promoted and managed his prostitution business over the internet, including posting sexually exploitative photos that he produced of these minor victims to further his trafficking business.  In addition to recruiting minors, the defendant used them to create sexually explicit images and videos, which he then posted on the internet in advertisements. In one message on January 27, 2025, the defendant said to a minor, “Do your make up for pics . . . And I got baby oil for the pics no diddy lol.”  A search of the defendant’s iCloud account revealed multiple images of child pornography from that same date, including one video where a male believed to be the defendant is pouring baby oil on a naked child, who is dancing.  Crooks set the prices for commercial sex acts, arranged prostitution “dates” for his victims and controlled the money made during those “dates,” and pursued his victims for money that he claimed they owed him for hotel rooms and other related expenses.  Crooks also demanded that his victims engage in sex acts with him, and told at least one victim in text messages that she was not allowed to say “no” to him.  Crooks physically assaulted multiple victims, including one who was pregnant at the time. After the victim texted the defendant that he “hurt [her] baby” and questioned “[yo]u thought punching in the stomach was a good idea[.] Could have been anywhere but [you] chose my stomach,” Crooks blamed the victim, texting, “You moved your arm not my fault.”

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of sex trafficking using force, fraud or coercion, Crooks faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life.  If convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison.  If convicted of trafficking a minor, Crooks faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.

The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section and Long Island Criminal Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Megan E. Farrell and Molly N. Delaney are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

TYRONE STYLISTIC CROOKS
Age: 33
St. Albans, Queens

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-55 (GRB)

Yesterday and today in federal court in Brooklyn, defendants Ramiro Gutierrez and Tito Martinez Alvarenga were sentenced to 55 years and 48 years in prison, respectively, for their participation in the murders of Abel Mosso in 2019 and Victor Alvarenga in 2018.  Both Gutierrez and Tito Martinez Alvarenga pleaded guilty to these crimes in January 2025.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentences.

“In committing these terrible murders, these defendants and MS-13 put entire communities at risk, including innocent commuters,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “They will spend decades in prison for their crimes, and our Office and our law enforcement partners will keep working to ensure that any gang member who does not learn from their example is similarly held accountable.”

Mr. Nocella also thanked the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for their valuable coordination with the investigation.

"MS-13 members Ramiro Gutierrez and Tito Martinez Alvarenga, murdered two victims to satisfy a kill order by their leadership and retaliate against a perceived rival. These brazen displays of cold-blooded ruthlessness demonstrate the gang's propensity to repeatedly endanger the lives of our communities' residents. May today's sentencing highlight the FBI's sustained collaboration with our law enforcement partners to eradicate senseless gang violence plaguing our neighborhoods," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

“The defendants’ ruthless actions as MS-13 members — including orchestrating the shooting of Victor Alvarenga, and the cold-blooded killing of Abel Mosso on a busy subway platform — have not only led to the loss of innocent lives but also spread fear, trauma, and devastation throughout our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.  “These horrific crimes underscore the urgent need for continued coordinated law enforcement action to confront gang violence.  HSI New York, together with our partners, will leave no stone unturned in protecting New Yorkers and holding those responsible fully accountable.”

“As part of a vicious, ruthless international gang, these two defendants terrorized innocent people for years,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Now, they will pay for their crimes with lengthy prison sentences.  The NYPD will continue to pursue justice against anyone who threatens our communities, and New York City is a safer place today with these two convicted murderers behind bars.  I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their continued partnership, and all the NYPD investigators who worked to hold these violent criminals accountable.”

Murder of Victor Alvarenga

In the early morning hours of November 4, 2018, MS-13 members shot and killed Victor Alvarenga near his home in Flushing, Queens.  As proven at the trial of four co-defendants, Edenilson Velasquez Larin, a national MS-13 leader, gave the order to kill Alvarenga, and the murder was overseen by Jose Espinoza Sanchez.  On the night of the murder, Gutierrez, Tito Martinez Alvarenga, Espinoza Sanchez and two other MS-13 members waited for Alvarenga near his home.  When Alvarenga arrived home, MS-13 members shot him multiple times.  Tito Martinez Alvarenga had called Alvarenga multiple times prior to the murder, and to conceal his involvement, Tito Martinez Alvarenga took Alvarenga’s phone from Alvarenga as Alvarenga lay dying.  Gutierrez served as the getaway driver and helped plan the murder.

Murder of Abel Mosso

As also proven at the trial of four co-defendants, in the early afternoon of February 3, 2019, Gutierrez, Tito Martinez Alvarenga and Victor Lopez followed Mosso, whom they believed to be a member of the rival 18th Street gang, onto the 7 train at the Main Street station in Flushing, Queens.  Lopez and Tito Martinez Alvarenga assaulted Mosso inside a subway car and then dragged him out onto the platform at the 90th Street station in Jackson Heights, Queens.  The defendants pulled out a gun, but Mosso wrestled it away.  One of the defendants shouted in Spanish, “Nobody get involved, we’re MS-13, we’re going to kill him.”  Gutierrez then grabbed the gun from Mosso and shot him multiple times in the head, killing him.

These sentencings are the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13.  MS-13’s leadership was based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States.  Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York.  A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults.  Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 75 murders in the district and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by our law enforcement partners including HSI and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI and NYPD.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel, Anna L. Karamigios and Kamil Ammari are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Timothy Migliaro and Danielle Barber.

The Defendants:

RAMIRO GUTIERREZ (also known as “Cara de Malo”)
Age:  31
Flushing, New York

TITO MARTINEZ ALVARENGA (also known as “Imprudente”)
Age:  24
Flushing, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-228 (S-3) (LDH)

Yesterday, in federal court in Brooklyn, Maynor Perez Baten, a national of Guatemala, was convicted of illegal reentry into the United States having previously been deported after a conviction for an aggravated felony.  In November 2022, Perez Baten was found in the Eastern District of New York without the consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for readmission. The verdict was returned after a two-day trial before United States District Judge Ramon E. Reyes.  When sentenced, Perez Baten faces up to 20 years in prison.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), announced the verdict.

“With today’s verdict, the defendant has been held accountable for brazenly re-entering the United States after he was deported for a serious felony conviction, the attempted rape of a child, and then endangering the community once again by driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The defendant clearly has no respect for the laws of our nation and will be returned to Guatemala after completing his sentence.”

“Maynor Perez Baten's attempted rape of a child and his subsequent decision to illegally re-enter the United States highlight his flagrant and repeated disregard for the criminal justice system,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.  “His choice to return after removal, without authorization and despite his depraved felony record, demonstrates a brazen contempt for community safety and the rule of law that protects it.  I commend personnel from HSI New York and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York for their unyielding commitment to identifying, investigating, and arresting violent offenders who pose a threat to those we are sworn to serve."

According to court filings, Perez Baten illegally entered the United States in 2009.  In May 2011, he was arrested on a felony charge of first-degree rape.  The victim was 12 years old.  In October 2011, Perez Baten was convicted of attempted rape in the first degree and sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment.  The defendant was released from New York State custody in April 2014 and deported to Guatemala.  Perez Baten later returned to the United States illegally a second time, after which he was arrested by members of the New York City Police Department for driving while intoxicated in Staten Island.  In April 2024, he was indicted for illegal reentry by a grand jury in the Eastern District of New York.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Vincent Chiappini is in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Cleon Thomas.

The Defendant:

MAYNOR PEREZ BATEN
Age: 36
Staten Island, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-130 (RER)

Earlier today, a three-count indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Justin McMillan and Justin Colon, two former New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers, with felony conspiracy against rights and willfully depriving an individual of her constitutional rights while acting under color of law, in connection with an incident that occurred while they were on duty in the 115th Precinct in Queens, New York in July 2024.  The defendants were arrested today and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Cross-Goldenberg.  They resigned from the NYPD in March 2025.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department, announced the charges.

“As alleged, the defendants’ response to a 311 complaint about prostitution on their beat was to commit multiple criminal acts that shock the conscience and violated the civil rights of a vulnerable victim,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Upholding the integrity of law enforcement and holding accountable those who violate their sworn duty will always be a priority of our Office.  These defendants will be vigorously prosecuted because the community and their former colleagues in the NYPD deserve nothing less.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Queens District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in the matter.

“Former NYPD officers Justin McMillan and Justin Colon allegedly failed to appropriately respond to a non-emergency call and instead used their official authority to commit a series of criminal acts, violating the rights of a vulnerable individual,” stated FBI Assistant Director Barnacle.  “In doing so, they allegedly betrayed their sworn commitment to serve and abused the power entrusted to them while on duty. While the overwhelming majority of NYPD officers uphold the highest standards of integrity and honor, the FBI will continue to hold accountable those who tarnish the badge.”

“We hold our police officers to the highest standards and have zero tolerance for misconduct of any kind," stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “The alleged actions taken by Justin McMillan and Justin Colon are despicable and a complete violation of the public's trust in the NYPD.  Let me be perfectly clear: Any officer who violates their oath will be investigated, exposed, and held fully accountable.  That standard will never change.  I want to thank the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau and the U.S. Attorney's Office for their work on this investigation.”

As alleged in court documents, McMillan and Colon were police officers on duty in the 115th Precinct on July 19, 2024, when they responded to a 311-call related to prostitution inside a residential building on 89th Street near Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights, Queens.  When the officers arrived at the location, they shut off their body-worn cameras and stole a key to the entrance door from a woman who had just exited the premises.  Without reporting the contact, the officers then proceeded with their foot patrol duties.

Approximately eight hours later, at about 4:50 a.m. on July 20, 2024, the defendants returned to the location, unlocked the entrance door with the stolen key and found a woman engaged in sex with a customer. The customer fled, leaving the victim naked and alone in the dark with the defendants.  While Colon kept watch, McMillan stole money from the woman’s purse and groped her bare breast and buttock.  The victim fled, and the officers returned to their patrol and ultimately to their stationhouse.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charges, McMillan and Colon face up to ten years in prison.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Erin Reid is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendants:

JUSTIN MCMILLAN
Age: 26
Atlantic Beach, Long Island

JUSTIN COLON
Age: 24
Long Island City, Queens

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-49 (FB)

Jimmy Francois, also known as “Bentley Bugz,” will be arraigned this afternoon, in federal court in Brooklyn, on a six-count indictment charging him with the sex trafficking of a minor using force, fraud, and coercion; coercing and enticing a minor; sexually exploiting a child; and interstate prostitution.  The charges in the indictment arise from the defendant sex trafficking a 16-year-old minor victim (Jane Doe) using force, fraud, and coercion, including physically assaulting the victim and intimidating the victim using threats and by physically assaulting other women in her presence.  Francois also created sexually explicit images of Jane Doe, some of which were posted online in prostitution advertisements.  Francois was arrested on January 29 in Miami, Florida, and transported in custody to the Eastern District of New York earlier this week by the United States Marshals Service.  Today’s proceeding will be held before United States Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), and Frank Russo, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, New York (CBP), announced the arrest and charges.

“As alleged, the defendant preyed on a vulnerable child and sold her body for his own profit, while subjecting her to physical violence and threats,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “With today’s arrest, Francois is being held to account for his cruel and depraved crimes. Our Office will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of sex trafficking that threatens the safety of our communities.”

“As alleged, the defendant’s exploitation and trafficking of an innocent teenager — across state lines and over the course of months — can only be described as depravity in its most vile form. He hid his dark life of threats and abuse behind a facade of power and luxury. Together with our law enforcement partners, HSI New York is wholeheartedly focused on protecting victims as we relentlessly pursue those who dehumanize and debase them for their own selfish gain and satisfaction,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.

“This case began with the vigilance of our CBP officers, who recognized indicators of possible exploitation and took action,” stated CBP Director of Field Operations Russo.  “From that first encounter, our Task Force Officers worked tirelessly with Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and state and local law enforcement across multiple states to help identify, locate, and apprehend the defendant. Their determination and close collaboration with our partners were critical to bringing this alleged trafficker into custody and protecting a vulnerable child from further harm.”

As alleged in court filings, between June 2024 and August 2024, Francois sex trafficked Jane Doe throughout multiple states, including in Queens, New York, and forced her to engage in commercial sex with multiple clients per day.  Francois took sexually explicit photographs of Jane Doe and posted commercial sex advertisements of the victim online during that time period.  Law enforcement also recovered a video in which Francois assaulted Jane Doe and made demeaning, and threatening statements to her, including stating in sum and substance and in part, (i) “You learned and understand that me and you are not equal”; (ii) “You speak when you’re spoken to”; (iii) “I’mma violate you... you gonna have broken bones... in your hotel room. No hospital, no nothing”; (iv) “I will personally break your bones.”

The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Francois faces a minimum term of 15 years in prison, and up to life imprisonment.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Rachel A. Bennek and Molly Delaney are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

JIMMY FRANCOIS
Age: 37
Elmont, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-11 (DLI)

Today, a federal jury convicted Asif Merchant, also known as “Asif Raza Merchant,” of murder for hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Merchant was a trained operative of the Iranian government’s global terrorist force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Merchant admitted at trial that the IRGC sent him to the United States to arrange for political assassinations and steal documents, but law enforcement foiled the plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant arrived in the United States in April of 2024, met with purported hitmen in June—who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers in New York—and was placed under arrest before leaving the country in July of 2024. Merchant faces up to life in prison.

“This man landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump — instead, he was met with the might of American law enforcement,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will remain ever-vigilant to protect Americans, prosecute terrorists, and halt acts of terrorism before they happen.”

“Merchant tried to hire someone to kill a politician or a U.S. government official, but the FBI and our partners stopped that deadly plot,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This was not the first attempt by Iran to harm our citizens on U.S. soil; the other efforts also failed. Let this verdict serve as a reminder that the FBI is committed to detecting such threats and preventing acts of violence, and we will hold accountable anyone who tries to interfere with our democratic system.”

“Merchant, a trained Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps operative, entered the United States intending to commit acts of terror, and ultimately, to facilitate the assassination of U.S. government officials, including President Trump,” said Assistant Attorney General for National security John A. Eisenberg.  “Merchant’s plot struck at the heart of our democracy and our commitment to the rule of law. NSD remains committed to defending our Nation from the pernicious threat of terrorism.”

“Iran’s terrorist regime sent Asif Merchant here to sow mayhem and murder,” stated United States Attorney Nocella for the Eastern District of New York.  “Thanks to the vigilance of our law enforcement partners, his scheme ended in failure.  Today, with Merchant’s conviction, that failure is complete.  This Office will always remain vigilant in our mission to protect the United States from foreign terrorist adversaries. ”

As set forth in trial exhibits and testimony, including the defendant’s own testimony, Merchant began working for the IRGC in Pakistan in late 2022 or early 2023, when he received training in tradecraft, including countersurveillance.  Later in 2023, he was sent to the United States to look for potential IRGC recruits who could stay behind in the United States.  Merchant testified that he knew that the IRGC was a designated terrorist organization.  Throughout this period, Merchant repeatedly traveled to Iran to meet with his IRGC handler.

Merchant testified that in 2024, he was sent back to the United States with a new mission:  to recruit “Mafia” members to steal documents, stage a protest, and arrange  the murder of one of three specific U.S. government officials and politicians.  To that end, Merchant contacted an acquaintance in New York who he thought could help him with his scheme.  That person, Nadeem Ali, instead reported Merchant’s conduct to law enforcement and became a confidential source.

In early June, Merchant met Ali in New York and explained his assassination plot.  Merchant told Ali that he had an ongoing opportunity for him and then made a “finger gun” motion with his hand, indicating that the opportunity was related to a killing.  Merchant further stated that the intended victims would be “targeted here,” in the United States. Merchant instructed Ali to arrange meetings with individuals whom Merchant could hire to carry out these actions.  Merchant explained that his plot involved multiple criminal schemes: (1) stealing documents or USB drives from a target’s home; (2) planning a protest; and (3) killing a politician or government official.

At that meeting, Merchant began planning potential assassination scenarios and quizzed Ali on how he would kill a target in the various scenarios.  Specifically, Merchant asked Ali to explain how the target would die in different scenarios.  Merchant told Ali that there would be “security [] all around” the person.

Merchant stated that the assassination would occur after he left the United States and he would communicate with Ali from overseas using code words.  Ali asked whether Merchant had spoken to the unidentified “party” back home with whom Merchant was working. Merchant responded that he had and that the party back home told him to “finalize” the plan and leave the United States.  Merchant would later testify that the “party” was his IRGC handler.

In mid-June, Merchant met with the purported hitmen, who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers (the UCs) in New York. Merchant advised the UCs that he was looking for three services from them: theft of documents, arranging protests at political rallies and for them to kill a “political person.” Merchant stated that the hitmen would receive instructions on who to kill after Merchant had departed the United States.

Throughout this period, Merchant performed internet searches for the locations of political rallies and sent reports back to his IRGC handler regarding security protocols at rallies.

Merchant then began arranging means to obtain $5,000 in cash to pay the UCs as an advance payment for the assassination, which he eventually received with assistance from an individual overseas.  On June 21, Merchant met with the UCs in New York and paid them the $5,000 advance.  After Merchant paid the $5,000 to the UCs, one of the UCs stated, “now we’re bonded,” to which Merchant responded “yes.”  The UC then stated “Now we know we’re going forward. We’re doing this,” to which Merchant responded “Yes, absolutely.”

Merchant subsequently made flight arrangements and planned to leave the United States on Friday, July 12, 2024. On that day, law enforcement agents placed Merchant under arrest before he could leave the country.  

The FBI’s Field Offices in Dallas, Houston, Tampa, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago and Albany for partnered in the investigation of this case.  The New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection assisted with the investigation.

The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section for the Eastern District of New York.  Assistant United States Attorneys Sara K. Winik, Nina Gupta and Gilbert Rein for the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Deputy Chief Paul Casey and Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.

BROOKLYN, NY – A federal jury today convicted Asif Merchant, also known as “Asif Raza Merchant,” of murder for hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries.  Merchant was a trained operative of the Iranian government’s global terrorist force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”). He admitted at trial that in 2024 the IRGC sent him to the United States to arrange for political assassinations, but law enforcement foiled the plot before any attack could be carried out.  Merchant arrived in the United States in April of 2024, met with purported hitmen in June—who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers in New York—and was placed under arrest before leaving the country in July of 2024.   Merchant faces up to life in prison.

Pamela Bondi, United States Attorney General; Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict.

“This man landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump — instead, he was met with the might of American law enforcement,” said Attorney General Bondi.  “The Department of Justice will remain ever-vigilant to protect Americans, prosecute terrorists, and halt acts of terrorism before they happen.”

“Iran’s terrorist regime sent Asif Merchant here to sow mayhem and murder,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Thanks to the vigilance of our law enforcement partners, his scheme ended in failure.  Today, with Merchant’s conviction, that failure is complete.  Our Office will always remain vigilant in our mission to protect the United States from foreign terrorist adversaries.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI’s Field Offices in Dallas, Houston, Tampa, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago and Albany for their partnership on this case.  Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, the New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance.

“At the direction of the Iranian regime, Asif Merchant plotted to assassinate a United States politician or government official on American soil,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.  “This foiled scheme motivated by vengeance for U.S. actions against the Iranian regime sought to strike at the heart of our democracy.  May today's conviction illustrate the FBI's resolute commitment to protect the homeland from the Iranian regime's craven efforts to wage terror on the American people.”

As set forth in trial exhibits and testimony, including the defendant’s own testimony, Merchant began working for the IRGC in late 2022 or early 2023, when he received training in intelligence tradecraft, including countersurveillance. Later in 2023, he was sent to the United States to look for potential IRGC recruits in the United States.  Merchant testified that he knew that the IRGC was a designated terrorist organization.  Throughout this period, Merchant repeatedly traveled to Iran to meet with his IRGC handler.

Merchant testified that in 2024, he was sent back to the United States with a new mission:  to recruit hitmen to arrange the murder of one of three specific U.S. government officials and politicians.  Merchant admitted that he was tasked by the IRGC to kill a U.S. government official or politician to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani.  To that end, Merchant contacted an acquaintance in New York who he thought could help him with his scheme.  That person instead reported Merchant’s conduct to law enforcement and became a confidential source (the CS).

In early June, Merchant met the CS in New York and explained his assassination plot.  Merchant told the CS that he had an ongoing opportunity for him and then made a “finger gun” motion with his hand, indicating that the opportunity was related to a killing.  Merchant further stated that the intended victims would be “targeted here,” in the United States.  Merchant instructed the CS to arrange meetings with individuals whom Merchant could hire to carry out these actions. 

At that meeting, Merchant began planning potential assassination scenarios and quizzed the CS on how he would kill a target in the various scenarios.  Specifically, Merchant asked the CS to explain how the target would die in different scenarios.  Merchant told the CS that there would be “security [] all around” the person.

Merchant stated that the assassination would occur after he left the United States and he would communicate with the CS from overseas using code words.  The CS asked whether Merchant had spoken to the unidentified “party” back home with whom Merchant was working.  Merchant responded that he had and that the party back home told him to “finalize” the plan and leave the United States.  Merchant would later testify that the “party” was his IRGC handler.

In mid-June, Merchant met with the purported hitmen, who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers (the UCs) in New York.  Merchant advised the UCs that he was looking for three services from them: theft of documents, arranging protests at political rallies and for them to kill a “political person” in the United States.  Merchant stated that the hitmen would receive instructions on who to kill after Merchant had departed the United States.  Targets could include President Donald J. Trump, President Joseph Biden, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, and the defendant stated he understood the target would be Trump.

Throughout this period, Merchant performed internet searches for the locations of political rallies and sent a report back to his IRGC handler regarding security protocols at rallies.

Merchant then began arranging means to obtain $5,000 in cash to pay the UCs as an advance payment for the assassination, which he eventually received with assistance from an individual overseas.  On June 21, Merchant met with the UCs in New York and paid them the $5,000 advance.  After Merchant paid the $5,000 to the UCs, one of the UCs stated, “now we’re bonded,” to which Merchant responded “yes.”  The UC then stated “Now we know we’re going forward. We’re doing this,” to which Merchant responded “Yes, absolutely.”

Merchant subsequently made flight arrangements and planned to leave the United States on Friday, July 12, 2024.  On that day, law enforcement agents placed Merchant under arrest before he could leave the country. 

The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Sara K. Winik, Nina C. Gupta and Gilbert Rein are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Deputy Chief Paul Casey and former Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.

The Defendant:

ASIF MERCHANT (also known as “Asif Raza Merchant”)
Age: 48
Karachi, Pakistan; Tehran, Iran

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-362 (EK)

Earlier today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Brandon Nudelman on all three counts of a second superseding indictment charging him with firearms trafficking conspiracy, firearms trafficking, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.  The charges relate to the defendant’s participation in a scheme to manufacture and sell untraceable ghost guns in Staten Island and Pennsylvania.  The verdict followed a six-day trial before United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly.  When sentenced, the defendant faces up to 30 years in prison.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Division (ATF), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the verdict.

“Brandon Nudelman was the money man behind a ghost gun factory printing lethal weapons in Staten Island,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The defendant and his co-conspirators manufactured and sold guns and converted machineguns at marked up prices to people who should not have them.  Law enforcement then thwarted the defendant’s effort to cover up his crimes.  Today’s verdict is an important victory in our Office’s work to hold accountable those who seek to profit from the scourge of 3D-printed guns and underscores the Department of Justice’s commitment to reducing gun violence.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the United States Secret Service and the NYPD Intelligence Division’s Major Case Team and Intelligence Analytical Team for their work on the case.

“This conviction shows that individuals who finance and support illegal firearms trafficking will be held accountable. The defendant helped facilitate a dangerous scheme involving privately made firearms and machine gun conversion devices, distributing weapons outside lawful channels,” stated ATF New York Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo.  “ATF NY remains committed to disrupting illegal firearms trafficking and reducing violent gun crime. Thanks to the collaboration of ATF’s Crime Gun Enforcement Team (C-GET), NYPD Intelligence Division’s Major Case Intelligence Team, the United States Secret Service New York Field Division’s Digital Forensic Laboratory, ATF Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Together, we will continue working to protect the public and keep our communities safe.”

“Today’s guilty verdict is yet another example of how the NYPD is working to remove dangerous weapons from the hands of criminals and keep communities across New York City safe,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “The defendant illegally manufactured and trafficked ghost guns – weapons that are just as dangerous as traditional firearms and only exist to evade law enforcement. NYPD detectives worked tirelessly to investigate and shut this dangerous operation down, and I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s office and our other partners for their work on this case.”

As proven at trial, between approximately January 2023 and September 2023, Brandon Nudelman conspired with others to illegally manufacture and traffic firearms.  Co-conspirators Ronnie Mershon, Michael Daddea, and Justin Nudelman, who is the defendant’s brother, used so called “Polymer 80” kits and 3D printers and parts sourced from online retailers to assemble privately made and untraceable firearms, commonly called “ghost guns.”  These 3D-printed firearms included at least nine devices called “auto sears” or “switches” which convert semi-automatic guns into fully automatic weapons and are considered machine guns under federal law.  The defendants made the untraceable ghost guns that they assembled available for sale without obtaining a license or otherwise notifying government authorities.  On September 7, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Justin Nudelman’s residence and recovered multiple homemade firearms, nine switches, 3D printers, and over 100 rounds of ammunition.  The evidence at trial included videos showing the defendant and co-conspirators firing weapons equipped with these machinegun conversion devices.

On September 7, 2023, following the search at Justin Nudelman’s residence, law enforcement officers sought to seize Justin Nudelman’s phone pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant.  The defendant conspired with Justin Nudelman to conceal the phone and render its contents inaccessible to law enforcement by deleting messages and cracking the phone in multiple places.

All three of Brandon Nudelman’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.  Justin Nudelman pleaded guilty to gun trafficking conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct justice in January 2026.  Ronnie Mershon pleaded guilty to gun trafficking conspiracy and unlawfully possessing a machinegun in December 2025.  In December 2025, Michael Daddea pleaded guilty to gun trafficking conspiracy.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  As part of the program, U.S. Attorney’s Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is currently partnering with the SCPD, the NYPD, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ATF, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration in its PSN mission.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section.   Trial Attorney Arun Bodapati and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Rackear are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist David Harrison.

The Defendant: BRANDON NUDELMAN
Age: 33
Staten Island, New York

The Defendants Previously Convicted:

JUSTIN NUDELMAN
Age: 31
Staten Island, New York

RONNIE MERSHON
Age: 28
Staten Island, New York

MICHAEL DADDEA
Age: 30
Tampa, Florida

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-437(S-2) (AMD)

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today a Settlement Agreement with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to resolve allegations that NYCHA violates Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) by discriminating against people who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the “services, programs, or activities of a public entity.” NYCHA — a public housing authority which provides affordable housing to low- and moderate-income New Yorkers throughout New York City — is a “public entity.”   To comply with Title II, public entities such as NYCHA must ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to programs, services and activities, and that communications with individuals with disabilities is as effective as communications with individuals without disabilities, including through the provision of auxiliary aids and services and accessible features.

The United States investigated after receiving complaints from NYCHA tenants and housing applicants. The complainants alleged that NYCHA fails to provide Qualified Interpreters upon request and instead requires deaf or hard of hearing individuals to provide their own interpreters, who in some instances have been minors. The complaints also alleged that NYCHA does not provide deaf or hard of hearing individuals with appropriate auxiliary aids and services including accessible devices such as visual doorbells and fire alarms.  The United States also investigated claims that NYCHA does not have consistent and reliable mechanisms for deaf or hard of hearing individuals to communicate with NYCHA employees to, among other things, request and receive auxiliary aids and services.  The United States’ investigation included interviews with complainants and other NYCHA tenants, interviews and discussions with personnel and administrators at NYCHA, and review of NYCHA records. 

Accessible Features:

Accessible Features means devices and appliances that provide accessibility, including, but not limited to, visible alarm appliances for fire and smoke detection, visual alerting devices at the dwelling unit’s primary entrance, and deactivation controls.

Auxiliary Aids and Services:

Auxiliary aids and services includes qualified interpreters on-site or through video remote interpreting services; notetakers; real-time computer-aided transcription services; written materials; exchange of written notes; telephone handset amplifiers; assistive listening devices; telephones compatible with hearing aids; closed caption decoders; open and closed captioning, including real-time captioning; voice, text and video‑based telecommunications products and systems, including text telephones, videophones, and captioned telephones, or equally effective telecommunications devices; videotext displays; accessible electronic and information technology; or other effective methods of making aurally delivered information available to deaf or hard of hearing individuals.

Under the terms of the settlement, NYCHA has agreed to take appropriate steps to ensure effective communication with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, including by creating signs and videos in American Sign Language to make deaf and hard of hearing individuals aware that free auxiliary aids and services, including qualified sign language interpretation services and accessible devices such as visual doorbells, are available.  Additionally, NYCHA will update its forms to allow deaf or hard of hearing individuals to request such services.   Employees of NYCHA who interact regularly with tenants or applicants will also receive training in effective communication and ADA compliance.

“The ADA requires NYCHA to communicate effectively and provide auxiliary aids and services to people who are deaf or hard of hearing,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s settlement ensures that individual with disabilities receive appropriate services.  Our Office will continue to enforce the ADA and its protections against discrimination for people with disabilities.”

Mr. Nocella thanked the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division for its support.

This matter has been handled by Assistant United States Attorney Marika M. Lyons and the former Chief of the Office’s Civil Division Civil Rights Section Michael J. Goldberger.

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, the defendants Raymond John Pirrello, Jr. and Joseph Passalaqua pleaded guilty to all three counts of an indictment charging them with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  Co-defendant Robert Cassino pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy on February 18, 2026.  The proceedings were held before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto.   When sentenced, Pirrello and Passalaqua face a maximum sentence of 45 years’ imprisonment and Cassino will face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the guilty pleas.

“For years, the defendants brazenly lied to investors all over the country about the fees associated with their investments,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The defendants diverted millions of dollars in undisclosed mark-up fees to pay themselves and their coconspirators.  Our Office will vigorously prosecute those who lie to innocent investors and deprive them of their hard-earned money to benefit themselves.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), New York Regional Office for their work on the case.

As detailed in the superseding indictment and other court filings, Pirrello, Passalaqua, Cassino and their coconspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud investors and prospective investors in securities offered by the company Late Stage Management, LLC (Late Stage).  Late Stage was a New Jersey-based manager of investment funds that offered investors “no fee” opportunities to invest in “Pre IPO” stocks, i.e., shares of stock in companies that anticipated an initial public offering (IPO) in the near term.  Late Stage worked with several sales offices throughout New Jersey, New York and Florida to market the investments, including Prior2IPO and Pre IPO Marketing, Inc.

Pirello, also known as “Ray John,” held no official title at Late Stage or any of the sales offices, but worked as a partner to the leadership of Late Stage.  Due to his long disciplinary history with multiple regulators, which included a permanent bar issued against him by the SEC, Pirrello intentionally kept his name out of Late Stage’s business, purposefully withholding his identity from relevant documents and representations made to investors regarding the firm’s leadership.  Passalaqua worked alongside Pirrello at Prior2IPO as the Chief Executive Officer. Cassino led operations at Pre IPO Marketing, Inc.  Pirrello and his co-conspirators directed the heads of the sales offices on how to market Late Stage to investors. 

Pirrello, Passalaqua, Cassino and the other heads of the other sales offices then made material misrepresentations and omissions to investors and potential investors in Late Stage relating to, among other things, the existence and amount of fees paid by investors in stock offered by Late Stage and how the defendants would be compensated. For example, they claimed that the only time Late Stage profited was on exit, when the company made its IPO or sold to a larger company, in which case it would be entitled to a 20% share of the investor’s profits.  In reality, however, Late Stage charged fees in the form of upfront markups ranging from 10-100% of each investment.  The upfront revenue generated by the inclusion of these markups was then used to pay the principals of Late Stage, including Pirrello, Passalaqua, Cassino and the employees of the sales offices.  In total, between approximately March 2019 and July 2022, sales offices working on behalf of Late Stage raised approximately $528 million from investors and diverted approximately $88 million in undisclosed upfront markups.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Jessica K. Weigel and James R. Simmons are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Melina Piatti-Chayan and Liam McNett. 

The Defendants:

RAYMOND JOHN PIRRELLO, Jr. (also known as “Ray John”)
Age: 49
Sparta, New Jersey

JOSEPH PASSALAQUA
Age: 37
Sparta, New Jersey

ROBERT CASSINO
Age: 63
Long Beach, New York

Co-Defendant Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:

JOSEPH RIVERA
Age: 45
Elmont, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-499 (KAM)

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Dr. Roya Jafari-Hassad was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 7 years’ imprisonment for prescribing oxycodone pills without a legitimate medical purpose and fraudulently billing insurance providers for procedures which were never performed.  In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Brown imposed a fine of $150,000, and ordered Jafari-Hassad to pay restitution in the amount of $152,765.  The defendant was convicted at trial in December 2024 of eight counts of prescribing oxycodone pills without a legitimate medical purpose.  The defendant subsequently pleaded guilty to health care fraud in April 2025.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, Associate Chief of Operations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Northeast Region, and Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General’s Office of Investigations, New York Region (HHS-OIG), announced the sentence. 

“Dr. Jafari-Hassad used her medical practice to deal drugs, a disgraceful betrayal of her doctor’s oath to do no harm,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s sentence holds her accountable for capitalizing on her patients’ dangerous opioid addictions to enrich herself.  A jail term and serious financial penalties should serve as a warning to other healthcare professionals, that when they unlawfully prioritize profit over patient well-being, they will be brought to justice.”

United States Attorney Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the Suffolk County Police Department for their assistance in this case.

“Today’s sentencing is a significant step for the DEA and our law enforcement partners pursuit of those health care professionals who exacerbate the ongoing healthcare crisis by prescribing dangerous and addictive opioids just for profit” stated DEA Associate Chief of Operations Tarentino.  “Dr Jafari-Hassad knew the harmful effects opioids could have on her patients and yet she chose to jeopardize their health by turning her medical office into a modern-day pill mill.”  

“The illegal prescribing practices for which this doctor was convicted and sentenced, were especially egregious and contributed to fueling the opioid epidemic,” stated HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Gruchacz.  “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure health care providers involved in schemes that threaten patient safety are held accountable.”

As proved at trial and set forth in court filings, the defendant was a licensed physician who provided medical services to patients from offices located in Great Neck, Forest Hills, Queens and Manhattan, New York.  From approximately January 2019 through May 2022, the defendant charged her patients hundreds of dollars in cash in exchange for monthly prescriptions of oxycodone – a potent, highly addictive and frequently abused controlled substance – with no legitimate medical purpose.  At times, the defendant provided these prescriptions to patients without even seeing them for an appointment; rather, their payment information would be obtained, and their prescription immediately refilled. The defendant made an estimated hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, solely from these payments.  She also submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and private benefit programs for medical services that were not rendered, and charged insurance companies – and was, in turn, paid for – services that she did not provide.   

The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles P. Kelly and Katherine Onyshko are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder and Victim-Witness Specialist Stephanie Marroquin.

The Defendant:

ROYA JAFARI-HASSAD
Age: 59
Bayside, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-545 (S-2) (GRB)

BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Dan Sohail with intentionally damaging religious property, specifically the global headquarters for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement (Chabad Headquarters) in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.  Sohail was taken into federal custody earlier today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the charge.

“As alleged, the defendant’s conduct—driving his vehicle back and forth into an entrance of the synagogue five times— caused damage to a sacred religious institution,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our Office will not tolerate conduct that endangers the safety of that community or any of our diverse communities.  We will continue to protect religious gathering spaces to ensure worshippers are free to safely congregate.” 

“Americans should be free to practice their faith without fearing defacement of their sacred places,” said Assistant Attorney General Dhillon.  “The Department of Justice will not tolerate attacks on houses of worship, and will vigorously prosecute those who carry them out.”

“Dan Sohail allegedly rammed his vehicle five times into the Chabad Headquarters during a packed memorial service.  Sohail allegedly jeopardized dozens of lives and damaged one of our city’s sacred synagogues.  The FBI and the NYPD will continue to protect our community’s religious institutions to ensure a safe place for all worshippers,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

“Every New Yorker deserves to live in a safe city where they can practice their faith freely and without fear," stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “The Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn is a sacred place for many Jews in New York City and around the world, and the purposeful destruction of this property is unacceptable. We will always work to ensure that those who violate the law are held accountable, and I thank our NYPD investigators, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's office for working swiftly to pursue justice in this case.”

As alleged in the complaint, on the evening of January 28, 2026, Sohail drove to the Chabad Headquarters located on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York.  The Chabad Headquarters was hosting an event that evening which was attended by dozens of people, marking the anniversary of the death of the movement’s leader.  When Sohail arrived at the side entrance of the building, he exited his vehicle and moved barriers that were set up to protect the building, which includes a synagogue and religious gathering spaces. After gesturing for various congregants to move away, Sohail returned to his vehicle and drove his car into the building’s side entrance.  He then reversed his vehicle and accelerated into the entrance four additional times. The impact knocked the entrance door off its hinges.  No one was injured in the incident.

The charge in the complaint is an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of the charge, Sohail faces up to three years in prison.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights and General Crimes Sections.  Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Silverberg and Brachah Goykadosh are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Marlane Bosler.

The Defendant:

DAN SOHAIL
Age: 36
Carteret, New Jersey

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-MJ-41

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Dan Sohail with intentionally damaging religious property, specifically the global headquarters for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement (Chabad Headquarters) in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Sohail was taken into federal custody earlier today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky.

“Americans should be free to practice their faith without fearing defacement of their sacred places,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The Department of Justice will not tolerate attacks on houses of worship, and will vigorously prosecute those who carry them out.”  

“As alleged, the defendant’s conduct — driving his vehicle back and forth into an entrance of the synagogue five times — caused damage to a sacred religious institution,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Nocella for the Eastern District of New York. “Our Office will not tolerate conduct that endangers the safety of that community or any of our diverse communities. We will continue to protect religious gathering spaces to ensure worshippers are free to safely congregate.”                      

“Dan Sohail allegedly rammed his vehicle five times into the Chabad Headquarters during a packed memorial service,” said Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle of the FBI New York Field Office. “Sohail allegedly jeopardized dozens of lives and damaged one of our city’s sacred synagogues. The FBI and the NYPD will continue to protect our community’s religious institutions to ensure a safe place for all worshippers.”

“Every New Yorker deserves to live in a safe city where they can practice their faith freely and without fear,” said Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch of the New York Police Department. “The Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn is a sacred place for many Jews in New York City and around the world, and the purposeful destruction of this property is unacceptable. We will always work to ensure that those who violate the law are held accountable, and I thank our NYPD investigators, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's office for working swiftly to pursue justice in this case.”

As alleged in the complaint, on the evening of Jan. 28, Sohail drove to the Chabad Headquarters located on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York. The Chabad Headquarters was hosting an event that evening which was attended by dozens of people, marking the anniversary of the death of the movement’s leader. When Sohail arrived at the side entrance of the building, he exited his vehicle and moved barriers that were set up to protect the building, which includes a synagogue and religious gathering spaces. After gesturing for various congregants to move away, Sohail returned to his vehicle and drove his car into the building’s side entrance. He then reversed his vehicle and accelerated into the entrance four additional times. The impact knocked the entrance door off its hinges. No one was injured in the incident.

The charge in the complaint is an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charge, Sohail faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights and General Crimes Sections. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Silverberg and Brachah Goykadosh are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Marlane Bosler.

Earlier today, at the federal court in Central Islip, Sherry Xue Li was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 108 months in prison for money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to defraud the United States by obstructing the Federal Election Commission’s (FEC) administration of campaign finance laws.  Li orchestrated a nearly decade-long scheme to defraud investors out of more than $30 million through a fictitious development project.  As part of the scheme, Li and her co-defendant Lianbo Wang falsely promised those investors that their investments would guarantee them lawful permanent resident status in the United States.  Li and Wang also sold foreign investors access to U.S. politicians at fundraisers by collecting foreign-sourced funds from them and unlawfully contributing those funds to U.S. political campaigns and committees.  As part of the sentence, Li was ordered to forfeit $31.5 million, as well as property at three locations, and to make restitution to her victims in the same amount.  In 2024, Wang pleaded guilty to engaging in unlawful monetary transactions and conspiracy to defraud the United States, and was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. Li pleaded guilty in July 2025. 

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York); and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York) announced the sentence. 

“Li orchestrated an elaborate fraud to steal tens of millions of dollars from more than 150 victims around the world,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “She peddled false promises and outright lies to her many investors and stuffed her pockets while they suffered devastating losses.  Meanwhile, she sought to obstruct the operation of free and fair elections in our country and sold access to the democratic process to the highest bidder.  Today she faces justice for her cynical schemes.  Our Office will stop at nothing to hold fraudsters to account and to keep America’s elections free from unlawful foreign influence.”  

“By defrauding over 150 victims out of $30 million and facilitating illegal contributions to U.S. political campaigns, Sherry Li put personal profit above the law and public trust.  Li’s sentencing today underscores HSI New York’s and federal law enforcement’s shared commitment to hold accountable those who orchestrate international schemes designed to undermine our immigration and financial systems.  No matter how elaborate or deceptive the tactics used by fraudsters, we remain steadfast in protecting individuals and organizations from those who seek to abuse the safeguards established by our laws,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.

“Li turned the American dream into a fraud driven nightmare—stripping investors of their savings while spending their money on luxury trips.  Not one EB 5 or stock investor saw the promised return. With today’s sentencing and more than $30 million forfeiture order, Li will now answer for the damage she caused,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.

The Scheme to Defraud Investors

Li and Wang defrauded investors in a fictitious development project in Sullivan County, New York called the Thompson Education Center (the TEC Project) out of more than $30 million. Many of the victims were foreign nationals located in the People’s Republic of China who were persuaded to invest in the project by the defendants’ false assurances that their $500,000 investments would guarantee them lawful permanent residence in the United States through the EB-5 investment visa program administered by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  The defendants falsely represented the progress they were making on the project and its support from government officials.  The defendants distributed promotional materials that contained photographs of Li with prominent U.S. politicians to falsely convey government support for the project.

Li and Wang siphoned off the money they fraudulently obtained from investors by transferring the funds through bank accounts held in the names of various companies that Li had created. Once the funds were in those accounts, Li and Wang used the funds to pay for personal expenses including clothing, jewelry, housing, vacation travel, upscale dining, and political contributions to prominent politicians.  The portion of the invested capital Li and Wang actually spent on the TEC Project was used merely to create and perpetuate the fiction that the TEC Project was a viable development project that was actually under construction.  For example, Li and Wang hired contractors, engineers, and other professionals to create architectural drawings and plans and perform minor work on or around the development site, which Li and Wang showed to potential investors to mislead them into believing the TEC Project had a realistic probability of completion and of delivering the returns on investment that the co-conspirators promised their investors.

Ultimately, more than 150 investors invested at least $31.5 million in the TEC Project, including approximately $16.5 million from EB-5 investors who were promised green cards in return for their investments, and approximately $15 million from stock investors who were promised that an initial public offering (IPO) would take place.  No EB-5 investor in the TEC Project ever received a temporary or permanent green card and the TEC Project did not have an IPO or list on any stock exchange.

Selling Access to U.S. Politicians

In furtherance of their scheme, Li and Wang also acted as “straw donors” for foreign nationals to unlawfully contribute to campaigns supporting U.S. politicians and political committees. Li and Wang promised foreign nationals access to U.S. political events and politicians in exchange for a fee. Li and Wang used the money they received from foreign nationals to fund political contributions and falsely identified themselves and other U.S. citizens as the contributors of the funds, in violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) and FEC regulations. In some cases, Li and Wang used TEC Project investors’ investment funds to make the political contributions which they used to gain access to the political events, where Li and Wang took photographs with elected officials.  Li and Wang would then use the photographs as a marketing tool in soliciting investments from foreign nationals in the TEC Project.   

For example, Li and Wang charged 12 foreign nationals $93,000 per person for admission to a June 28, 2017 fundraising event with the then-President of the United States.  Li and Wang used the funds that they collected from the foreign nationals to unlawfully make $600,000 in political contributions in their own names—$270,500 from Li and $329,500 from Wang—to the joint fundraising committee hosting the fundraiser.  At the time they made these contributions, they were the largest contributors to the joint fundraising committee, which was unaware of their fraudulent conduct. Li, Wang, and their foreign national guests attended the fundraiser and took photographs with the then-President of the United States.  Li and Wang later used a photograph of Li and the President taken at the fundraiser to solicit investments in the TEC Project.

* * * * *

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime and Public Integrity Sections.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Andrew D. Reich and Meredith A. Arfa are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Magdalena St. Surin and Rebecca Roth. Assistant United States Attorney Claire S. Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Section is handling forfeiture matters.

The Defendant:

SHERRY XUE LI
Age: 54
Oyster Bay, New York

The Defendant Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:

LIANBO WANG 
Age: 49
Oyster Bay, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-484 (GRB)

Earlier today, a five-count superseding indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn that includes new racketeering charges relating to defendants Kwyme Waddell and Paolo Alfarobarber, who, along with co-defendant Joel Myrie, are alleged to be members of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples (GD).  The superseding indictment charges both Waddell and Alfarobarber with racketeering conspiracy including predicate acts of murder, robbery, fraud, and narcotics trafficking.  Waddell is charged with the murder of Franklin McPherson in September 2012 and Alfarobarber is charged with the murder of Armani Thomas in November 2015.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica Tisch, Commissioner, New York Police Department (NYPD) announced the charges and arrests.

“Today’s superseding indictment charging two murderers demonstrates our Office’s commitment to seek justices for all victims, regardless of how long it takes,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “We intend to eradicate street gangs and hold their members accountable for senseless acts of gun violence that endanger our communities.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force for their outstanding work and assistance in this investigation and prosecution.

As alleged in the superseding indictment and in court filings, GD is a violent gang that engages in murder, robbery, narcotics trafficking, fraud, and counterfeiting.  GD members elevate their statuses in the gang by engaging in these types of criminal activities.  Specifically, GD members are known to engage in violent acts against rival gang members to enhance their reputation in the gang.  Waddell and Alfarobarber were previously charged with their alleged participation in a drive-by shooting on Father’s Day in 2022 in a rival gang neighborhood during which a victim was shot and injured.

The superseding indictment charges Kwyme Waddell for the murder of Franklin McPherson on September 25, 2012, Waddell’s birthday.  Waddell shot and killed McPherson while McPherson was sitting on his front porch outside of his home in East Flatbush, New York.  The superseding indictment also charges Paolo Alfarobarber with the murder of Armani Thomas on November 10, 2015, while Thomas was hanging out in the stairwell of his apartment building located in Brooklyn, New York.

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

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Dana Rehnquist, Sophia Suarez, Daniel Marcus, and Rebecca Urquiola are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Elizabeth Reed.

The Defendants:

KWYME WADDELL
Age: 34
Brooklyn, New York

PAOLO ALFAROBARBER
Age: 34
Bridgeport, Connecticut

JOEL MYRIE
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-351

Today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Oscar Flores-Mejia, also known as “Chamuco,” an associate of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, was sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment for the murder of 17-year-old Andy Peralta. Co-defendants Juan Amaya-Ramirez, also known as “Cadaver,” and Leyla Carranza were previously sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment and 22 years’ imprisonment, respectively, for their participation in the murder.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), announced the sentences.

“The senselessness of this murder is matched only by its brutality,” said United States Attorney Nocella.  “The defendants lured Andy Peralta to a secluded part of Kissena Park where they beat him mercilessly before Amaya-Ramirez choked him to death and Flores-Mejia hacked at him with a knife.  The murder of this teenager is a chilling reminder of MS-13’s callous disregard for human life.  Bringing those who commit violent crimes to justice is one of our Office’s highest priorities.”

Mr. Nocella also thanked the New York City Police Department for its work on the case.

“MS-13’s pattern of savagery, depravity and instilling terror in our communities while treating human life as expendable will not be tolerated,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.  “May today’s sentencing send a clear message: those who commit murder and gang violence for a foreign terrorist organization like MS-13 will be held accountable.  The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to dismantling all dangerous organizations and protecting our neighborhoods.”

“MS-13’s violence is methodical, premeditated, and ruthless —its depravity laid bare in the horrific and senseless murder of Andy Peralta in Kissena Park, NY.  No prison sentence can ever restore what was stolen from his family, who are forced to endure the lifelong trauma of such unimaginable brutality,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “HSI New York and our law enforcement partners stand resolute in our mission to dismantle MS-13 and protect our communities from further acts of unspeakable violence.”

As proved at a hearing in connection with Leyla Carranza’s sentencing, the defendants sought to murder Peralta because they believed he was associated with 18th Street, a rival gang of MS-13.  Flores-Mejia found a video online that depicted Peralta, who the defendants did not know, briefly flashing a sign associated with the 18th Street gang. Flores-Mejia then recruited a 16-year-old boy to help kill Peralta.  Amaya-Ramirez’s then-girlfriend Carranza was recruited to befriend Peralta and lure him to his death in the park.

The day of the murder, Carranza messaged Peralta and took him to a predetermined location in Kissena Park in Flushing where Amaya-Ramirez, Flores-Mejia and their 16-year-old accomplice were waiting. Flores-Mejia had brought a knife and black winter gloves to use in the attack. When Peralta arrived, Flores-Mejia gave a signal, and the men attacked Peralta, beating him until they were exhausted. Amaya-Ramirez then began strangling Peralta while Flores-Mejia stomped on his head. Peralta begged for his life and called out for his mother and father.  Flores-Mejia put dirt in his mouth to silence him and Amaya-Ramirez choked him to death.  Flores-Mejia stabbed Peralta in the back and slashed his tattoo of his girlfriend’s name.

The men took a photograph posing over Peralta’s body in which they flashed MS-13 hand signs.  They stole Peralta’s money and dragged him to a small body of water, where he was found the following day.

Today’s sentencing is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of MS-13.  MS-13’s leadership was based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States.  Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York.  A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders, and assaults.  Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 45 murders in the district and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders.  These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by our law enforcement partners including HSI and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI and NYPD.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime & Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel, Anna L. Karamigios and Kamil R. Ammari are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendants:

JUAN AMAYA-RAMIREZ
Age: 28
Fresh Meadows, Queens

OSCAR FLORES-MEJIA
Age: 26
Elmhurst, Queens

LEYLA CARRANZA
Age: 25
Richmond, Virginia

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-228 (LDH)

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Renee Hoberman, also known as “Rina,” a licensed social worker, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 84 months’ imprisonment for receipt and distribution of child pornography.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), and Patrick Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department, announced the sentence.

“Today, Renee Hoberman was sentenced for distributing sordid images and videos depicting the horrific sexual abuse of the most innocent and vulnerable members of our society: infants and children,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The defendant’s access to children has come to an end.  Our Office will relentlessly pursue child predators and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

"The absolute depravity of Renee Hoberman's crimes, committed while she was entrusted as a mental health counselor for children, represents a staggering betrayal of the public trust and a horrific violation of innocent lives,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.  “I hope the defendant's sentencing delivers a measure of justice to the Long Island community and offers hope for healing to her traumatized victims, who deserve to know that their suffering has not gone unanswered.  HSI New York and our partners relentlessly investigated this case, and we remain unyielding in our commitment to protect vulnerable communities from predators in every form."

As set forth in court filings and on the record at the plea and sentencing proceedings in this case, Hoberman used encrypted social media messaging applications to upload, receive, and trade digital videos and images depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including several videos depicting infants six months to one year of age, frantically screaming while being physically restrained and raped by adult males.  The defendant also engaged in multiple online “chats” concerning child sexual molestation.  In these chats, the defendant, posing as the father of several minor children, claimed to have sex with the children and punish them by getting naked, stripping the children naked, and spanking them while the other children watched.  The defendant invited another user to visit “his” family in New York to spank and sexually abuse the children.  In addition, the defendant described sexually abusing “his” children and their friends, and then uploaded and sent two videos containing child sexual abuse material, claiming that these videos depicted the defendant’s own children.

During the same time period that Hoberman was distributing child sexual abuse material online, she was also working as a mental health counselor for children and adolescents.  The defendant was arrested on October 23, 2024, and pleaded guilty on June 18, 2025.  She has been incarcerated since her arrest. 

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Section.  Assistant United States  Attorney Kaitlin McTague is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Janelle Robinson.

The Defendant:

RENEE HOBERMAN, also known as “Rina”
Age:  38
Plainview, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-463 (JS)

Earlier today, a five-count indictment was partially unsealed in the Eastern District of New York charging five defendants with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and two counts of false impersonation of an officer or employee of the United States.  Three of the defendants, Daniela Alejandra Sanchez Ramirez, Jhoan Sebastian Sanchez Ramirez, and Alexandra Patricia Sanchez Ramirez, were arrested this afternoon at Newark Liberty International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Colombia with one-way tickets.  Marlyn Yulitza Salazar Pineda was arrested at a restaurant in New Jersey.  A fifth defendant is not in U.S. custody.  Daniela and Jhoan Ramirez, and Marlyn Pineda are immigration parolees, and Alexandra Ramirez is in the U.S. on a tourist visa. Daniela, Jhoan, and Alexandra Ramirez are siblings.  The four defendants who were arrested will be arraigned tomorrow morning at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Cross-Goldenberg.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D, Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General, and Ryan Hill, Acting Special Agent in Charge, United States Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, New York Field Office (CBP-OPR), announced the arrests and charges.

“As alleged, the defendants undermined the integrity of our immigration system by impersonating judges, law enforcement officers, and lawyers, and targeting vulnerable members of our community who sought to hire attorneys to help them navigate sensitive legal issues,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The defendants brazenly stole their victims’ money and deceived them by sending fictious documents and holding sham court proceedings. I commend our Office’s prosecution team and the law enforcement agents whose hard work has disrupted this elaborate and outrageous scheme.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Fraud Detection, and National Security Directorate; the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; Executive Office for Immigration Review-Office of the General Counsel’s Fraud & Abuse Prevention Program; and the New York State Office for New Americans.

“We denounce those who would prey upon people trying to work through the immigration system,” stated DHS Inspector General Cuffari.  “We will hold accountable anyone who commits fraud or impersonates government officials.  We appreciate all our law enforcements partners that worked to expose this scheme and bring these individuals to justice.”

“The Office of Professional Responsibility in coordination with our other federal partners at DHS OIG, CBP Office of Field Operations (OFO), HSI, and DSS were able to stop an illegal scheme impacting hundreds of potential victims and generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit proceeds, which were being remitted to Colombia, the Foreign Terrorist Organization’s base of operations,” stated CPB-OPR Acting Special Agent in Charge Hill. “Impersonating immigration attorneys and U.S. government officials, including CBP and USCIS officers, and U.S. Embassy personnel, to profit on the fear of others is repulsive.  These criminals will now face severe consequences for their horrific actions.”

As set forth in the indictment and other court filings, the defendants and their co-conspirators portrayed themselves as immigration lawyers and operated a fictitious immigration law firm that they called “CM Bufete De Abogados Consultoria Migratoria.”  After soliciting prospective “clients,” primarily on Facebook, the defendants and their co-conspirators charged their victims fees ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars for nonexistent legal advice and services. None of the defendants or their identified co-conspirators were attorneys admitted or licensed to practice law in any jurisdiction in the United States.

After receiving victim funds, the defendants and their co-conspirators pretended as if they were actually representing their “clients.”  They transmitted documents that appeared to be official because they included symbols of agencies of the United States government.  Some of these documents referenced the victims’ actual cases pending in immigration court and/or reflected that the victims’ pending cases had been successfully resolved.  In reality, none of these were legitimate documents issued by any United States government agency.

The defendants and their co-conspirators also facilitated sham immigration proceedings, including asylum interviews and court appearances, in which the victims participated via videoconference.  In certain of these fictitious proceedings, the defendants and their co-conspirators impersonated immigration judges, agents from CBP and USCIS, and immigration lawyers.  They wore judicial robes and law enforcement uniforms and appeared in front of backgrounds that resembled courtrooms and government offices, with agency seals and flags.  During these videoconferences, the impersonators asked the victims sensitive personal questions and requested the victims’ personal identifying information.

At times, the defendants and their co-conspirators falsely represented that these sham proceedings had resolved the victims’ pending immigration cases.  As a result, victims missed their actual appearances in immigration court, which resulted in at least one victim being ordered deported who mistakenly believed her immigration issues were resolved. The order was later reversed.

In total, the investigation has identified over $100,000 in fraudulent transactions transmitted by victims to the defendants and other individuals associated with the fake CM Bufete De Abogados Consultoria Migratoria law firm.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  Each defendant faces up to 20 years of imprisonment if convicted.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Section.  Assistant United States  Attorney James R. Simmons is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Special Agent Egbert Simon from EDNY’s Criminal Investigations Unit, Paralegal Specialist Adam Bernard, and Legal Assistant Danielle Rompel. 

The Arrested Defendants:

DANIELA ALEJANDRA SANCHEZ RAMIREZ
Age: 25
Ibagué, Colombia and Green Brook, New Jersey

MARLYN YULITZA SALAZAR PINEDA
Age: 24
Ibagué, Colombia and North Plainfield, New Jersey

JHOAN SEBASTIAN SANCHEZ RAMIREZ
Age: 29
Ibagué, Colombia and Green Brook, New Jersey

ALEXANDRA PATRICIA SANCHEZ RAMIREZ
Age: 38
Ibagué, Colombia

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-37 (SJB)

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, John Bolden pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud scheme.  At the time of the offense, Bolden was a detective with the New York City Police Department (NYPD).  Today’s proceeding was held before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. Bolden’s co-defendants—Anthony Carreira, another former NYPD detective, and Christian McKenzie—previously pleaded guilty. When sentenced, the defendants each face up to 30 years in prison.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the guilty pleas.

“The Paycheck Protection program was created to keep small businesses afloat during an unprecedented national emergency,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “John Bolden, who swore to uphold the law as a police officer, instead shamefully broke the law and exploited the COVID-19 pandemic for personal gain.  This Office remains committed to protecting taxpayer-funded programs and prosecuting those who steal from them.”   

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Suffolk County Police Department; the Small Business Administration’s Office of the Inspector General; the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Office of the Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General; and the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau for their assistance on the case.

“Former NYPD Detective John Bolden abused his sworn oath to protect his community by submitting fraudulent loan applications to unlawfully receive paycheck protection program funds,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.  “While the cadre of NYPD detectives remains dedicated to their promise to selflessly serve, the FBI will not tolerate any public servant who exploits federal programs and taxpayer dollars to line their own pockets.”

Congress created the PPP in 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.  As set forth in court filings, Bolden and Carreira, both of whom at the time served as NYPD detectives, owned partnership interests in a franchise location for a tax preparation business.  Between May 2020 and October 2022, Bolden engaged in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by working with his clients to fraudulently obtain PPP funds.  Bolden sought to obtain, and in many cases did obtain, PPP funds for himself, his co-defendants and more than 65 individuals by helping submit online loan applications that contained materially false and fraudulent information. One of those loan applications belonged to Carreira, who knowingly submitted false documentation to obtain PPP funds.  McKenzie, Bolden’s cousin, also fraudulently obtained a PPP loan and steered other applicants to Bolden in exchange for fraudulent PPP proceeds.  As part of the scheme, Bolden prepared fictitious Internal Revenue Service Form Schedule C documentation, which accompanied the loan applications and contained false information about his, his co-defendants’ and his clients’ places of employment, gross income, and net income.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Andrew D. Grubin and Eric Silverberg are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Johnson Peow.

The Defendants:

JOHN BOLDEN
Age:  47
Valley Stream, NY

ANTHONY CARRIERA
Age:  43
Staten Island, NY

CHRISTIAN MCKENZIE
Age:  48
Wheatley Heights, NY

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-361 (DG)

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Rafael Hernandez, also known as “Cap” and “Ralphy,” and Joibel Perez, also known as “J.P.,” with multiple crimes relating to the February 26, 2021 murder of Akil Kornegay in Queens, New York.  The defendants were arrested this morning and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Seth D. Eichenholtz.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and indictment.

“As alleged, the defendants chose to escalate a drug dispute to a deadly act of retaliation,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Such flagrant violence in our communities will not be tolerated and I commend the FBI Special Agents, NYPD detectives, and our prosecutors for their resolve and hard work resulting in today’s arrests.  Our Office is committed to preventing the loss of life due to drug and gun crimes.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force, the NYPD Queens South Homicide Squad, the 102nd Precinct Detective Squad, and the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for their work on the case.

“Rafael Hernandez and Joibel Perez allegedly murdered a customer of their drug trafficking operation over a debt dispute,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.   “Their drug distribution and retaliatory violence endangered nearby residents.  Working alongside our law enforcement partners, the FBI remains dedicated to crushing violent crime by dismantling criminal enterprises and holding those who terrorize our communities accountable.”

As alleged in court filings, Hernandez and Perez operated a lucrative drug trafficking business, distributing marijuana out of the Taylor Street-Wythe Avenue Housing Development in Brooklyn.  A dispute over a drug debt arose between the defendants and Kornegay, who was their customer.  Text messages sent by Hernandez to Kornegay reflect demands for payment, or “bread,” and accuse Kornegay of “ducking” the defendants and “playing kid games.”  As the dispute escalated, Kornegay robbed the defendants of drugs, money, and other items.  In retaliation for that robbery, in the early morning hours of February 26, 2021, the defendants stalked Kornegay, following him as he drove through a Queens neighborhood.  They pulled alongside Kornegay when he stopped at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard and fired multiple shots into the vehicle. Kornegay sustained multiple gunshot wounds and crashed his vehicle into a pole, and died as a result.

The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of narcotics conspiracy, possessing, brandishing and discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and causing Kornegay’s death through the use of a firearm, the defendants face a maximum term of life in prison.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Lindsey Oken and Andy Palacio are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendants:

RAFAEL HERNANDEZ (also known as “Cap” and “Ralphy”)
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New York

JOIBEL PEREZ (also known as “J.P.”)
Age: 25
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-020 (HG)