Eastern District of Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Michael Jefferson, 43, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 360 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson for the sexual abuse of a Federal Detention Center (“FDC”) inmate under his authority and violation of that inmate’s civil rights.

The defendant was charged by indictment in May of last year and pleaded guilty in December to one count of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse of a ward, and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.

As detailed in court filings and statements, in the early morning hours of July 6, 2024, Jefferson, while on duty as a correctional officer at the FDC Philadelphia, entered the cell of an inmate and forcibly sexually assaulted the inmate, resulting in bodily injury to the victim.

While acting under color of law, Jefferson willfully deprived the victim of her right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, a right secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, which includes the right to be free from sexual abuse by a correctional officer.

This case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, with the assistance of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Claiborne Bisio.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jeffrey Hill, 27, of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 32 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for illegal gun possession.

The defendant was charged by information with possession of a firearm by a felon and pleaded guilty in January of this year, waiving prosecution by indictment.

As detailed in court filings and statements, Berks County Probation officers went to Hill’s residence in January of 2025 for a routine probation visit. When the defendant opened the door and saw the officers, he appeared nervous. Once inside the residence, one of the probation officers observed two metal pins, the type used to assemble a handgun, in a bag on a dresser.

After receiving supervisory approval, the probation officers conducted a search of the residence, recovering two 12-gauge shotguns, a privately manufactured AR-15-style rifle, and a privately manufactured 9mm handgun loaded with 15 rounds of hollow point ammunition.

Officers also discovered various types of ammunition; a ballistic vest; multiple loaded magazines; gun parts, including a trigger assembly, two handgun frames, metal threaded cylinders, a slide lock, and grip; and tools commonly used to manufacture homemade firearms.

Hill had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition.

This case was investigated by the Sinking Spring Police Department, Berks County Probation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Kulik.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard DiStefano, 66, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to one day in prison, to be followed by three years’ supervised release, and $1.6 million in restitution by United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage for stealing valuable coins from a safe deposit box.

DiStefano, who was an attorney, was charged by information with bank larceny and pleaded guilty in September of last year.

As detailed in court filings and statements, starting in July of 2017 and going through February 25, 2021, DiStefano stole precious coins that were being stored in a safety deposit box at a Wells Fargo branch on the 100 block of South Broad Street.

In June of 2024, the FBI was notified that this theft had occurred. Subsequently, the FBI was able to obtain records showing that the defendant was the last person to have access to the safety deposit box.

In September of 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at DiStefano’s address. During the execution of the search warrant, the defendant admitted to stealing the coins. The investigation showed that, over the course of years, he had removed the coins from the safety deposit box and sold the coins at various auction houses. The coins’ appraised value was just over $1.6 million.

This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Grenell and Ruth Mandelbaum.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Khala Hardy, 24, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 85 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro for a March 2024 armed carjacking.

The defendant and co-conspirator Nyeem Williamson, 23, also of Philadelphia, were charged by indictment in October 2024 with conspiracy to commit a carjacking, carjacking, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Hardy pleaded guilty last July. Williamson pleaded guilty this March and is scheduled to be sentenced in August.

As detailed in court filings and statements, on the night of March 15, 2024, Hardy and Williamson targeted a female driver (“Victim 1”) who was dropping off a friend in South Philadelphia. Hardy approached on the driver’s side of the vehicle, opened the driver door, pointed a gun at Victim 1, and directed her to “get out and give me your keys.”

Victim 1 exited her Toyota and Hardy took her place behind the wheel. Once Williamson was inside the vehicle, the defendant drove off. Shortly after the carjacking, Hardy instructed Williamson on how to disable the Toyota’s GPS system and cameras to avoid detection by law enforcement, as documented in their group chat messages.

Three days after the carjacking, Williamson was arrested by the Philadelphia Police Department (“PPD”) and charged locally. Following Williamson’s arrest, the defendant instructed others who had communicated with him to delete their text messages. Hardy subsequently provided a voluntary statement to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), in which she admitted to her involvement in the gunpoint carjacking.

This case was investigated by the PPD and ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha A. Arena.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Larry Leonard, 62, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge John M. Younge to charges of conspiracy to transport and sell stolen goods in interstate commerce, interstate transportation of stolen property, and three counts of money laundering.

The defendant was charged by indictment in December 2024, arising from the theft and resale of millions of dollars of stolen goods that he received, trafficked, and sold through pawn shops he operated and controlled: Society Hill Loan and K&A Money Loan Pawnbrokers, both in Philadelphia, and Lou’s Jewelry and Pawnshop in Wilmington, Delaware.

As detailed in court filings and statements, starting in 2019 and lasting through 2023, Larry Leonard purchased from drug addicts and professional thieves millions of dollars’ worth of expensive items, including high-end electronics, power tools, electric toothbrushes, and vacuums – all stolen from big-box retail stores such as Walmart, Home Depot, Rite Aid, and Target. Leonard, and co-conspirators working at his direction, paid the thieves a fraction of the retail value of the stolen goods – in cash – and then sold those items on eBay for profit.

From November 2019 through December 2023, Leonard and his co-conspirators sold more than $19 million in stolen merchandise via the eBay storefront “societyhillloan,” shipping the stolen merchandise from Society Hill Loan in Philadelphia to customers across the country. In addition to the more than $19 million in eBay sales, millions of dollars of stolen items, primarily high-end electronics, were sold directly to third-party individual wholesalers.

Leonard used the fraud proceeds to afford himself and his wife a lavish lifestyle, which included overseas trips, concerts, sporting events, and luxury items.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25 and faces a maximum possible term of 45 years’ imprisonment.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Delaware State Police, and the Philadelphia Police Department. Law enforcement also received assistance from Walmart, Home Depot, Best Buy, Target, Dollar Tree, Lowe’s, ACME, Bose, Rite Aid, CVS, and Harbor Freight Tools. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew T. Newcomer, S. Chandler Harris, and Eric Gill.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jonathan Lim, 42, of Wallingford, Pennsylvania, was sentenced this week to 18 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and $214,155 in restitution by United States District Judge Michael M. Baylson for bank fraud and embezzlement.

The defendant was charged with those offenses by indictment in September 2024 and pleaded guilty in November of last year.

As detailed in court filings and statements, while Lim was a manager of a bank branch in Downingtown, Pa., he took over responsibility for the regular administration of the branch’s automated teller machine (“ATM”), which required accessing the ATM’s interior. From about August 2019 through November 2019, on multiple occasions, the defendant stole cash from the ATM and repeatedly falsified records to hide his crimes.

The defendant resigned from the bank on November 24, 2019, and the ATM and branch were audited two days later. Auditors discovered that the ATM had a shortfall of more than $178,000 and the defendant’s cash box was short by $36,000. In all, Lim embezzled approximately $214,000 from the bank branch and spent the majority of the money gambling.

This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia's Newtown Square Resident Agency, with assistance from the Federal Reserve, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alisa Shver and S. Chandler Harris.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that four defendants: Saahir Irby, 28, and Tauheed Tucker, 24, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Cory Scott, 26, of Ardmore, Pa., and Alexander Telewoda, 26, of Clifton Heights, Pa., have entered pleas of guilty before United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson on charges of conspiracy to steal government funds, theft of government funds, and mail theft.

As detailed in court filings and statements, between June 2023 and September 2024, Irby and Tucker, while working as United States Postal Service (“USPS”) mail processing clerks, stole thousands of envelopes containing U.S. Treasury checks from mail sorting machines at the USPS Philadelphia Processing and Distribution Center. Irby and Tucker removed the checks from the USPS facility and sold them to defendants Scott and Telewoda, who then advertised the stolen checks for resale on the cloud-based instant messaging application Telegram. Upon receiving payment from interested buyers, Scott and Telewoda mailed the stolen Treasury checks to buyers around the country who attempted to cash the stolen checks.

Over the course of the scheme, Irby and Tucker sold Scott and Telewoda thousands of stolen Treasury checks whose face value exceeded $84 million. Scott’s and Telewoda’s customers successfully negotiated approximately $11 million worth of these stolen Treasury checks at financial institutions. A grand jury returned a superseding indictment against the four defendants in May 2025; Irby was previously charged with — and has pleaded guilty to — a separate instance of mail theft involving another batch of Treasury checks that he stole and sold to an unnamed individual in August 2024.

Irby, Tucker, and Telewoda are scheduled to be sentenced in August, and Scott in September. Irby faces a maximum possible term of 25 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine, while the remaining defendants each face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, with substantial assistance from the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, the Lower Merion Township Police Department, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three foreign nationals convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced this month.

Demer Ramirez-Diaz, aka Demer Neftali Ramirez Diaz, 38, a Guatemalan national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release for illegal reentry. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.

Ramirez-Diaz has been removed from the U.S. four times prior: in June 2009, February 2012, and July 2012, following arrests by the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona and New Mexico, and in February 2022, after having served a six-month sentence for a previous illegal reentry conviction in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

In September of last year, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) officer who recognized Ramirez-Diaz from his previous arrest and prosecution in this district saw the defendant walking down the street in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. The officer approached, identified himself, and took Ramirez-Diaz into custody without incident.

Ramirez-Diaz was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in October and pleaded guilty in November.

Ubdulio Santiago-Morales, 32, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone to time served, approximately three months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.

Santiago-Morales first entered the country unlawfully in August 2011, was quickly encountered by immigration officers, and voluntarily returned to Mexico the following day. He was subsequently removed from the U.S. twice: in July 2012 and in January 2015.

In April of last year, the defendant was arrested by local police in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and charged with DUI and related violations. He was released on bond in that case and informed that he must return to court for his preliminary hearing on July 11, 2025. The defendant failed to appear on July 11 and remained a fugitive for six months.

ICE took Santiago-Morales into custody in January of this year on a federal criminal complaint and warrant. He was charged by information with illegal reentry in February and pleaded guilty in March, waiving prosecution by indictment.

Efrain Villegas Lopez, 35, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Catherine Henry to time served, approximately three months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.

Lopez had previously been removed from the U.S. in June 2012, following his arrest by the U.S. Border Patrol in Texas.

In January of this year, ICE became aware that the defendant had been arrested by the Lower Providence Township Police Department. Lopez was arrested on a federal criminal complaint that month, charged by information with illegal reentry in February, and pleaded guilty in April, waiving prosecution by indictment.

These cases are 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 cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Andrew Jenemann, Nancy Potts, and Robert Schopf.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that charges have been filed against a juvenile[1] following a rash of swatting calls aimed at universities and other institutions in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere in August 2025.

A “swatting call” is a hoax call made to emergency services typically reporting an immediate threat to human life. The goal of the caller is to draw a response from law enforcement—and specifically a special weapons and tactics (“SWAT”) team—to the victim’s location. In the most egregious cases, the party responsible reports a crime of violence or an impending crime of violence to have heavily armed law enforcement dispatched to apprehend the victim of the call. Perpetrators frequently place swatting calls to harass rivals or to raise their profile within their online communities by demonstrating a willingness to cause havoc and terrorize unsuspecting victims.

The defendant in this case was a self-identified member of the cybercriminal group “Purgatory.” The defendant selected the victim institutions at random and was not affiliated with any of those institutions.

Recently, swatting calls have become an increasingly common crime. Swatting calls waste valuable resources for local police departments and first responders who are responsible for responding to the calls believing there is an actual and immediate threat. The perpetrators are often part of online cybercriminal communities and believe that they will not be caught or punished. They are wrong. Federal law enforcement will investigate and prosecute these crimes regardless of who commits them or where they reside.

The FBI and the prosecutors in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are legally mandated to identify and inform victims of the federal crimes they investigate. Victim institutions who were subjected to the conduct that underlies the charges in this case will be provided with a method for contacting the FBI.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Radnor Township Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, and Upper Merion Police Department, and assisted by dozens of state, local, and university police departments, ambulance companies, fire companies, and other first responders in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and across the country.

The charges and allegations are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

[1] This press release pertains to the federal prosecution of a juvenile.

Please note that, under the Juvenile Delinquency Act, the entire proceeding is subject to the limitations set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 5038, which forbid disclosure of the identity of the juvenile, as well as information and records related to the juvenile proceedings, to anyone except the court, the prosecuting authorities, the juvenile’s counsel, and others specifically authorized to receive such records.

More information on confidentiality requirements in federal juvenile prosecutions can be found here.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Wilson Rosario, aka “Joshua,” 36, a Dominican national who had been illegally residing in Allentown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, 10 years’ supervised release, a $3,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for possessing and distributing significant quantities of fentanyl.

The defendant was charged by indictment in May 2025 and pleaded guilty in January of this year to drug distribution conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a protected location — specifically, an Allentown elementary school and playground.

“After entering the United States illegally, the defendant wasted no time in acquiring bulk quantities of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He stored tens of thousands of doses of this deadly drug steps from an elementary school — and peddled that fentanyl to as many people as he could, profiting off the misery of addiction. Wilson Rosario has endangered countless Pennsylvanians and repeatedly insulted the rule of law. Today’s sentence will keep him behind bars for over a decade, right where he belongs.”

“This investigation and prosecution stopped an upper-level drug trafficker who was storing his poisonous products within walking distance of an elementary school and public park,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “I commend our partners for collaboration that removes another predatory trafficker from the community.”

As detailed in court filings and statements, from April 2023 to August 2023, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (“BNI”) worked with a confidential source to arrange multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from the defendant.

On August 26, 2023, BNI agents executed a state search warrant at a residence on the 800 block of West Chew Street in Allentown, which Rosario used to store and package fentanyl. During their search of this location, which is approximately 100 feet from a city elementary school and playground, agents seized nearly 300 grams of suspected fentanyl, a hydraulic press, respirator, digital scales, and other paraphernalia consistent with preparing fentanyl for distribution.

The same day, agents secured a search warrant for another location used by Rosario on the 1300 block of West Chew Street, approximately 300 feet from Allentown’s Franklin Park. In that apartment, investigators recovered more than four kilograms of suspected fentanyl, Narcan, a respirator, and empty vacuum seal bags.

Subsequent testing of the suspected fentanyl recovered at the search warrant locations was performed by the Pennsylvania State Police Forensic Laboratory. Testing concluded that approximately 4,272.76 grams contained fentanyl or a mixture containing xylazine and fentanyl. Combined with the 62.17 grams of fentanyl recovered from the four controlled purchases conducted by law enforcement in this case, the total amount of fentanyl that the defendant is responsible for in this case is 4,334.93 grams.

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 case was investigated by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Schopf.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Malik Hudson, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 15 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment by United States District Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone for failing to keep his sex offender registration up to date. In addition, Judge Beetlestone imposed a consecutive sentence of four months’ imprisonment and a concurrent sentence of 10 years of supervised release for Hudson’s violation of the terms of his supervised release.

The defendant pleaded guilty in November 2018 to sex trafficking of a minor and was sentenced in September 2019 to 72 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Both Hudson’s guilty plea agreement and the sentencing judgment advised the defendant of his requirements under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), including the need to “update his registrations not later than three business days after any change of name, residence, employment, or student status.” The defendant confirmed that he understood these obligations.

Hudson was released from Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) custody on September 27, 2024, and began his term of supervised release. He then immediately absconded, never reporting to the U.S. Probation Office as required. The defendant’s assigned probation officer repeatedly tried to contact and locate the defendant, to no avail.

In addition to failing to report to the Probation Office, the defendant failed to update his sex offender registration, as required by law.

On October 8, 2024, the Probation Office filed a violation of supervised release (“VOSR”) petition against the defendant. Hudson was apprehended in June 2025, after being caught stealing items from a Philadelphia store.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Castilla Geiger.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two area men have been sentenced to prison by United States District Judge Karen S. Marston for conspiring to steal dozens of vehicles, including cars, tractors, and backhoes, from rental companies, dealerships, and home improvement stores.

Tariq Bennett, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 39 months’ incarceration, three years’ supervised release, $502,070.13 in restitution, and a special assessment of $2,600.

Syheed Goodman, 37, of Upper Darby, Pa., was sentenced to 39 months’ incarceration and three years’ supervised release, $939,295.48 in restitution, and a special assessment of $2,700.

The defendants were charged by superseding indictment in June 2024 and pleaded guilty last year to more than two dozen counts apiece, including conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and transportation of a stolen vehicle.

As detailed in court filings and statements, from at least October 2021 through October 2023, Bennett, Goodman, and third co-conspirator engaged in a conspiracy to steal dozens of vehicles. To effectuate the scheme, the defendants test-drove, rented, and/or fraudulently purchased the vehicles. They then failed to return the vehicles they had rented or taken for test drives, or failed to make any payments for the vehicles they had fraudulently purchased.

As part of the conspiracy to obtain the vehicles, the defendants presented fabricated driver’s licenses bearing either the personal identifying information of third-party victims, which they had purchased online, or the personal identifying information of fictitious individuals. The defendants then sold the vehicles and equipment to other individuals. In some instances, the defendants transported the stolen vehicles across state lines to facilitate the sales to third parties.

In all, the defendants stole at least 46 vehicles from businesses in and around Pennsylvania.

This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Organized Crime Task Force, Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, Abington Police Department, Bensalem Township Police Department, Plymouth Township Police Department, and Springfield Township Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Claiborne Bisio.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Legend Hall, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 138 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and $7,400 in restitution by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez for committing two armed carjackings.

Hall was charged by superseding indictment in April of last year, in connection with a September 2024 carjacking in West Philadelphia, and charged separately by information with an October 2024 carjacking in Upper Darby, Pa.

In July of last year, Hall entered a plea of guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Jose R. Arteaga to two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

As described in the superseding indictment and other public filings, on September 17, 2024, Victim #1 parked on the 300 block of 62nd Street in Philadelphia and reported being immediately approached by three males, later identified by investigators as Hall and co-defendants Kristian Jackson, 20, also of Philadelphia, and Jalaal Claitt, 20, of Atlanta, Georgia.

One of the defendants asked Victim #1 to drive them somewhere. When Victim #1 refused, two of the males took out handguns and told Victim #1 to get out of the car. The three males then got into Victim #1’s black Chevy Malibu and drove off with Victim #1’s iPhone 14 and approximately $500 that was in the car.

As further detailed in court filings, on October 1, 2024, Hall, Claitt, and others placed an order for a pizza delivery at Slices and Moore in Upper Darby. When the delivery driver (Victim #2) attempted to make the delivery, the defendant and others pointed guns at him and took Victim #2’s wallet, phone, car keys, the proceeds of the pizza shop, and the rest of the money that Victim #2 had on him at the time. Hall and the others then jumped into Victim #2’s vehicle and fled the area.

Co-defendant Jackson pleaded guilty to the West Philadelphia carjacking and was sentenced in February to eight and half years in prison. Co-defendant Claitt pleaded guilty to both the West Philadelphia and Upper Darby carjackings and is scheduled to be sentenced in July.

This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Upper Darby Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert E. Eckert and Samantha A. Arena.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Dante Shackleford, 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer on one count of Hobbs Act robbery, three counts of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in January, along with Mujahid Davis, 24, also of Philadelphia.

As detailed in case filings and admitted to by the defendant, Shackleford, with others, participated in the following crimes:

• the July 15, 2025, attempted robbery of a Brinks truck in Philadelphia
• the July 22, 2025, attempted robbery of a Brinks truck in Elkins Park, Pa.
• the August 12, 2025, robbery of a Brinks truck in Elkins Park, Pa.
• the October 3, 2025, attempted robbery of a Brinks truck in Philadelphia

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11 and faces a maximum possible term of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of seven years’ imprisonment, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $1,500,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Eckert and Kwambina Coker.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Anthony Greene, aka “Maino” and “Von,” 37, of Trooper, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with two counts each of manufacture of child pornography; use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor, and attempt to entice a minor, to engage in sexual conduct; and receipt of child pornography, and one count each of possession of child pornography and possession of a firearm by a felon.

The defendant is scheduled to appear in federal court on Friday for an arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott W. Reid.

The indictment alleges that from March to June 2025, Greene used social media platforms to sexually exploit several minors, who ranged in age from 13 to 17. In some instances, the defendant used these platforms to persuade the minors to self-produce sexually explicit images or videos of themselves. In other instances, he encouraged them to transmit sexually explicit images of minors. The indictment further alleges that he possessed child pornography and possessed a firearm as a felon.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigative Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda McCool and Meghan A. Farley.

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

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that John Douglas Burch, 56, of Los Angeles, California, was convicted late yesterday at trial of all charges against him: use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in prostitution, and two counts of traveling for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

The defendant was charged with those offenses by indictment in January 2024, arising from a nearly decade-long scheme to sexually exploit children online and “train” them to be his “sex slaves.”

This “training” included, among other things, the requirement that the girls listen to explicit audio recordings, watch violent pornography, create pornographic images and videos and transmit the content to Burch over the internet, and have sexual encounters and commercial sex with adult strangers, which Burch would encourage and promote.

As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, Burch caused a minor female (Minor 1), starting when she was 14 years old and continuing until she was 17, to produce and transmit over the internet numerous sexually explicit videos and images depicting Minor 1 engaged in sex acts.

Burch also directed Minor 1 to engage in commercial sex acts with various men in Pennsylvania and caused Minor 1 to create visual depictions of the sex acts and send them to Burch, as proof that Minor 1 engaged in the conduct.

As further proven, between 2014 to 2015, Burch twice traveled from California to Pennsylvania and sexually assaulted Minor 1 at a Montgomery County hotel.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25 and faces a maximum possible term of life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum term, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a $1,000,000 fine, and mandatory restitution.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Anthony Carissimi.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Ali Chandler, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 210 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $60,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez for two violent home invasion robberies targeting business owners and employees.

Chandler and co-defendant Abdullah Hartage were charged by superseding indictment in October 2022. Both pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to commit robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and two counts of committing or threatening physical violence in furtherance of a plan or purpose to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery. Hartage was sentenced in January to 18 years in prison.

As detailed in court filings and statements, on November 13, 2021, Chandler, Hartage, and others met at their intended victims’ area business and waited outside until closing time, when the owners and their adult daughter left. The robbers, who had conducted prior surveillance to determine where the family lived, then drove to the residence, arriving before the victims.

When the victims opened their garage and parked inside, the four perpetrators, armed with handguns, stormed in. One of the gunmen struck the 61-year-old male victim several times in the head, causing injuries, and forced him to the ground. Another gunman forced the business owners’ daughter to the ground at gunpoint, and yet another perpetrator forced the 65-year-old female victim from the garage into the home at gunpoint, striking her several times in the head and causing injuries. After the home’s security alarm sounded, the perpetrators fled, taking the daughter’s backpack, which contained her credit/debit cards and ID.

In the next robbery, committed on December 4, 2021, Chandler, Hartage, and others targeted an employee of an area store. They had spent weeks casing the store, following the victim home and identifying her house. On the night of the robbery, the perpetrators again arrived ahead of the victim. Within minutes of the victim arriving home, three armed men broke in, one telling her “I know where you work.”

The 68-year-old victim was zip-tied to a chair and pistol whipped in the face, causing head injuries, including a gash requiring stitches and a concussion. The perpetrators made off with a safe containing cash, coins, and jewelry.

This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Montgomery Township Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Doherty.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard Adamsky, 66, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 90 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert for child pornography offenses. Judge Pappert also ordered Adamsky to pay a $30,000 fine, $38,000 in victim restitution, a $10,000 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act assessment, and a $20,000 assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act.

The defendant was charged by indictment in September of last year and pleaded guilty in December to one count of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

At the time of his arrest, Adamsky was a 7th and 8th grade teacher at Nativity of Our Lord grade school in Warminster, Pa., and had taught there for 38 years.

As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Adamsky knowingly received a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct on or about June 15, 2024. Additionally, he possessed two computers and two flash drives containing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These depictions included prepubescent minors and minors under 12 years of age.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency, the Warminster Township Police Department, Upper Merion Township Police Department, and Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maureen McCartney.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Arthur Thompson, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted this afternoon at trial of possession of a firearm by a felon.

The defendant was charged by indictment in July of last year.

As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on October 18, 2023, investigators with the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF) carried out an operation to locate Thompson, who was the subject of an active arrest warrant. Investigators conducting surveillance on the 3000 block of North Percy Street in Philadelphia saw two people, who they believed were the defendant and his girlfriend, in a parked car, which drove away from that location a few hours later.

GVTF members maintained constant visual surveillance of the vehicle, which subsequently pulled over to drop off the female passenger. After the male drove off, investigators relayed its location and path of travel to Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) Highway Patrol officers, who initiated a vehicle stop. After the male driver was removed from the vehicle and positively identified as Arthur Thompson, the PPD officers arrested him on the active warrant.

GVTF investigators obtained and executed a search warrant on the vehicle, recovering a loaded 9mm handgun. Thompson had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition.

This is the defendant’s second trial and gun conviction in less than two weeks. On March 31, in a separate case, a federal jury found Thompson guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.

He is scheduled to be sentenced for both gun convictions on July 8 and faces a maximum possible sentence on each charge of 15 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Gun Violence Task Force, and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Samantha A. Arena.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Matthew James Addy, 47, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, entered pleas of guilty today before United States District Judge John M. Gallagher on 13 counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, arising from schemes through which the defendant defrauded investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The defendant was charged by indictment in October of last year.

As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Addy held himself out as a wealthy and successful businessman, entrepreneur, and investor, to induce investors and potential investors to make investments and loans to him.

From approximately January 2020 to July 2022, Addy made misrepresentations to investors and prospective investors about both his personal financial position, falsely claiming a significant net worth, and his business and entrepreneurial experience, mischaracterizing the financial results of the purported consulting business that he claimed to operate, “the Yarah Group.”

As the defendant admitted, he induced one victim (“Victim 1”) to hire him to operate Victim l’s business (“Company 1”), and to make multiple loans to, and investments in, “the Yarah Group,” which Addy falsely claimed was based in Beverly Hills, California, and worth approximately $200 million.

Further, Addy applied for and received loans in the name of Victim 1’s other business, without the knowledge or consent of Victim 1, giving the lenders Victim 1’s identifying information, signing in the name of Victim 1, and listing Victim 1 as the guarantor of the loans. Addy then failed to repay these loans.

In all, Addy defrauded Victim 1 of approximately $722,496.

As Addy also admitted, from about April 2023 to June 2023, he schemed to defraud a second victim (“Victim 2”), whom he had met and socialized with. Addy claimed to Victim 2 that he was a diamond dealer and had made his first million dollars by the time he turned 30 years old.

Addy induced Victim 2 to make a short-term loan to a contractor through Addy’s purported company “Yarah Holdings PLC,” promising that if Victim 2 funded approximately $25,000 of a bridge loan, “Yarah Holdings PLC” would repay Victim 2 $30,000 a short time later.

Instead of a bridge loan to a contractor, Addy spent Victim 2’s money, $25,000, for unauthorized purposes, including his own personal benefit, and, despite having signed a promissory note, did not repay Victim 2.

Separately, Addy defrauded a federal credit union headquartered in Pennsylvania, depositing a check in the amount of approximately $8,500, drawn on Company 1’s bank account, into his own account. The same day, across two transactions, Addy withdrew the face value of the check in cash.

A few days later, the credit union received notice that the check had been returned due to insufficient funds. When called by the credit union’s fraud investigator on a recorded line, Addy made false statements about the bounced check he had deposited. Addy never repaid the credit union for the approximately $8,500 that he had taken by fraud.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 294 years in prison; three years of supervised release; and restitution of $755,995.

This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Capital Area Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Joseph M. Moore, 43, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Mark A. Kearney to one day in custody, one year of home detention, three years of supervised release, $200,000 in forfeiture, and a $7,200 fine for owning and running a longtime illegal gambling operation.

Moore and co-defendant James P. DeAngelo, 45, also of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty in October of last year to a one-count information charging them with conducting illegal gambling business. DeAngelo is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30.

As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendants, from approximately January 2017 to February 2025, Moore, who was a Philadelphia probation officer, owned and conducted the sports wagering business (the “Moore Gambling Business”), and DeAngelo, who was a Philadelphia police officer, worked closely with him.

The Moore Gambling Business allowed individuals to place various types of bets on sporting events, including wagers on the outcome of individual games, and wagers involving “block pools” and other sports gambling pools.

The entry fee for these pools was as much as $500, which would generate thousands of dollars for the winners. Winners paid Moore approximately 10% of their winnings as a “tip” or fee for participating in the pool. For ordinary bets on sporting events, bettors paid a fee to Moore that was included in the cost of the bet.

DeAngelo partnered with Moore and engaged another individual who provided access to an overseas gambling website that, for a fee, allowed a bettor to establish an account with the Moore Gambling Business and place bets on the overseas website.

Moore paid DeAngelo a percentage of the losses suffered by bettors, as much as 20%, as a fee for DeAngelo’s role in the Moore Gambling Business. DeAngelo also accepted wagers on individual sporting events from gamblers. In some of those cases, he acted as the “bookmaker” on those bets, and in other cases, directed gamblers to Moore and the Moore Gambling Business.

During the years of its operation, the Moore Gambling Business served hundreds of bettors who, in total, wagered hundreds of thousands of dollars on sporting events.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jonathan Barach, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 37 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release by United States District Judge Mia Roberts Perez, in connection with a fraudulent loan scheme in which he raised millions of dollars from individuals and businesses, supposedly for short-term real estate financing opportunities, when no such projects existed. Judge Perez also ordered Barach to pay a forfeiture judgment of $1,496,928.99, victim restitution in the amount of $1,496,928.99, and a $200 special assessment. The Court issued judgment after hearing live testimony from multiple victims of Barach’s crimes who described the enduring financial, emotional, and mental impact that Barach’s theft had on themselves and their families.

The defendant was charged by information in August of last year and pleaded guilty in September to one count of wire fraud and one count of making an illegal monetary transaction.

As detailed in court filings, Barach served as a licensed residential real estate agent and the co-founder and principal agent for The Barach Group, LLC, a Philadelphia-based real estate team, and formed a second company, TBG Real Estate, LLC, also based in the city.

In addition to offering traditional residential real estate services, between July 2017 and April 2021, Barach used the Barach Group and TBG Real Estate to fraudulently solicit and raise approximately $3.1 million from 19 individuals and businesses for purported, but, in reality, non-existent, short-term real estate investments in Philadelphia.

Barach raised these funds through a series of material misrepresentations, including by falsely stating that the money would be used to provide bridge loans to builders and contractors looking to purchase and flip distressed real estate properties or to complete renovation projects. However, there were no real estate projects, no financing opportunities existed, and Barach knew the newly raised capital would be used for his own purposes and debts. In fact, not a single dollar was invested in real estate.

Instead, Barach typically transferred victim funds to his personal bank accounts, withdrew large sums of cash, made assorted personal expenditures — including a 4.7 carat diamond ring purchased for more than $46,000, designer clothing from Louis Vuitton, and expensive front-end seats at sporting events — and made five- and six-figure deposits at casinos and sportsbook operations.

Barach manipulated and victimized people he knew personally, and many victims trusted him with their retirement accounts, children’s educational funds, and life savings. Although he paid back some of his earlier lenders with a portion of the funding secured from later lenders, over $1.49 million of the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds remain unpaid.

This case was investigated by the FDIC Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the FBI, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Terri Marinari and Samuel Dalke.

Today, the Department of Justice and the FBI announced a court-authorized technical operation to neutralize the U.S. portion of a network of small office/home office (SOHO) routers compromised by a unit within Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU) Military Unit 26165, also known as APT28, Sofacy Group, Forest Blizzard, Pawn Storm, Fancy Bear, and Sednit. The unit used the routers to facilitate malicious Domain Name System (DNS) hijacking operations against worldwide targets of intelligence interest to the Russian government, including individuals in the military, government, and critical infrastructure sectors.

Since at least 2024, GRU actors have exploited known vulnerabilities to steal credentials for thousands of TP-Link routers worldwide. The actors then accessed many of these compromised routers without authorization and manipulated their settings to redirect DNS requests to GRU-controlled servers - i.e., malicious DNS resolvers. GRU actors were indiscriminate in their initial targeting and manipulation of routers. The actors then implemented an automated filtering process to determine which DNS requests were of interest and warranted interception. For select targets, the GRU’s DNS resolvers provided fraudulent DNS records for specific domains that mimicked legitimate services – including Microsoft Outlook Web Access – to facilitate Actor-in-the-Middle attacks against encrypted victim network traffic. In doing so, the GRU actors harvested unencrypted passwords, authentication tokens, emails, and other sensitive information from devices on the same network as the compromised TP-Link routers.

“The GRU’s predatory use of networks in American homes and businesses for its malicious cyber operations remains a serious and persistent threat,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “NSD will continue to use every tool at our disposal to detect such intrusions and expel hostile foreign actors from our Nation’s networks.”

“Russian military intelligence once again hijacked Americans’ hardware to commandeer critical data,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “In the face of continued aggression by our nation-state adversaries, the U.S. government will respond just as aggressively. Working with the FBI — and our partners around the world — we are committed to disrupting and exposing such threats to our nation’s cybersecurity.”

“Operation Masquerade demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to identifying, exposing, and disrupting the Russian government's efforts to compromise American devices, steal sensitive information, and target critical infrastructure,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of FBI’s Cyber Division. “GRU actors compromised routers in the US and around the world, hijacking them to conduct espionage. Given the scale of this threat, sounding the alarm wasn't enough. The FBI conducted a court-authorized operation to harden compromised routers across the United States. We urge all router owners to take the remediation steps outlined today, because defending our networks requires all of us. The FBI will continue to use its authorities to identify and impose costs on state-sponsored actors who target the American people.”

“Operation Masquerade – led by FBI Boston – is the latest example of how we’re defending our homeland from Russia’s GRU which weaponized routers owned by unsuspecting Americans in more than 23 states to steal sensitive government, military, and critical infrastructure information,” said Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI’s Boston Field Office. “The FBI utilized cutting edge technology and leveraged our private sector and international partners to unmask this malicious activity and remediate routers. Now we’re asking everyone who has a router to secure it, update its firmware, and replace it if needed. By working together, we can guard against nefarious nation state actors trying to compromise our national security.”

As described in court documents unsealed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the FBI developed a series of commands to send to compromised routers in the United States, designed to collect evidence regarding the GRU actors’ activity, reset DNS settings (i.e., remove GRU DNS resolvers and force routers to obtain legitimate DNS resolvers from their Internet Service Providers (ISP)), and to otherwise prevent the GRU actors from exploiting the original means of unauthorized access.

As described in court documents, the government extensively tested the operation on firmware and hardware for affected TP-Link routers. Other than stymieing the GRU’s ability to access the routers, the operation did not impact the routers’ normal functionality or collect the legitimate users’ content information.

The court-authorized steps to remediate compromised routers can be reversed by legitimate users at any time through factory resets with hardware reset buttons. Legitimate users can also reverse changes by logging into web management pages and restoring desired settings (e.g., factory default settings).

To better protect themselves, all users of SOHO devices are encouraged to conduct the following remediation steps:

1. Replace End-of-Life and End-of-Support routers;
2. Upgrade to the latest available firmware;
3. Verify the authenticity of DNS resolvers listed in router settings; and
4. Review and implement firewall rules to prevent the unwanted exposure of remote management services.

Users are encouraged to navigate to the official TP-Link website and review documentation for their affected routers in the download center to learn more about proper configurations. Users should also ensure their routers are operating the latest firmware and review the End-of-Life product lists to determine if their routers should be replaced. Additional remediation guidance is provided in a separate PSA.

The FBI is working with ISPs to provide notice of the operation to users of SOHO routers covered by the court’s authorization. If you believe you have a compromised router, please contact your local FBI field office or file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

The FBI Boston and Philadelphia Field Offices and Cyber Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section led the disruption effort. Black Lotus Labs® at Lumen and Microsoft Threat Intelligence provided valuable technical contributions to this announcement. MIT Lincoln Laboratory provided valuable assistance with testing and validation.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf, the Department of Justice, and the FBI today announced a court-authorized technical operation to neutralize the U.S. portion of a network of small office/home office (SOHO) routers compromised by a unit within Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU) Military Unit 26165, also known as APT28, Sofacy Group, Forest Blizzard, Pawn Storm, Fancy Bear, and Sednit. The unit used the routers to facilitate malicious Domain Name System (DNS) hijacking operations against worldwide targets of intelligence interest to the Russian government, including individuals in the military, government, and critical infrastructure sectors.

Since at least 2024, GRU actors have exploited known vulnerabilities to steal credentials for thousands of TP-Link routers worldwide. The actors then accessed many of these compromised routers without authorization and manipulated their settings to redirect DNS requests to GRU-controlled servers - i.e., malicious DNS resolvers. GRU actors were indiscriminate in their initial targeting and manipulation of routers. The actors then implemented an automated filtering process to determine which DNS requests were of interest and warranted interception. For select targets, the GRU’s DNS resolvers provided fraudulent DNS records for specific domains that mimicked legitimate services — including Microsoft Outlook Web Access — to facilitate Actor-in-the-Middle attacks against encrypted victim network traffic. In doing so, the GRU actors harvested unencrypted passwords, authentication tokens, emails, and other sensitive information from devices on the same network as the compromised TP-Link routers.

“Russian military intelligence once again hijacked Americans’ hardware to commandeer critical data,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “In the face of continued aggression by our nation-state adversaries, the U.S. government will respond just as aggressively. Working with the FBI — and our partners around the world — we are committed to disrupting and exposing such threats to our nation’s cybersecurity.”

“The GRU’s predatory use of networks in American homes and businesses for its malicious cyber operations remains a serious and persistent threat,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “NSD will continue to use every tool at our disposal to detect such intrusions and expel hostile foreign actors from our Nation’s networks.”

“Operation Masquerade — led by FBI Boston — is the latest example of how we’re defending our homeland from Russia’s GRU, which weaponized routers owned by unsuspecting Americans in more than 23 states to steal sensitive government, military, and critical infrastructure information,” said Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks, of the FBI’s Boston Field Office. “The FBI utilized cutting edge technology and leveraged our private sector and international partners to unmask this malicious activity and remediate routers. Now we’re asking everyone who has a router to secure it, update its firmware, and replace it if needed. By working together, we can guard against nefarious nation state actors trying to compromise our national security.”

“Operation Masquerade demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to identifying, exposing, and disrupting the Russian government's efforts to compromise American devices, steal sensitive information, and target critical infrastructure,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of FBI’s Cyber Division. “GRU actors compromised routers in the US and around the world, hijacking them to conduct espionage. Given the scale of this threat, sounding the alarm wasn't enough. The FBI conducted a court-authorized operation to harden compromised routers across the United States. We urge all router owners to take the remediation steps outlined today, because defending our networks requires all of us. The FBI will continue to use its authorities to identify and impose costs on state-sponsored actors who target the American people.”

As described in court documents unsealed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the FBI developed a series of commands to send to compromised routers in the United States, designed to collect evidence regarding the GRU actors’ activity, reset DNS settings (i.e., remove GRU DNS resolvers and force routers to obtain legitimate DNS resolvers from their Internet Service Providers (ISPs)), and to otherwise prevent the GRU actors from exploiting the original means of unauthorized access.

As described in court documents, the government extensively tested the operation on firmware and hardware for affected TP-Link routers. Other than stymieing the GRU’s ability to access the routers, the operation did not impact the routers’ normal functionality or collect the legitimate users’ content information.

The court-authorized steps to remediate compromised routers can be reversed by legitimate users at any time through factory resets with hardware reset buttons. Legitimate users can also reverse changes by logging into web management pages and restoring desired settings (e.g., factory default settings).

To better protect themselves, all users of SOHO devices are encouraged to conduct the following remediation steps:

1. Replace End-of-Life and End-of-Support routers;
2. Upgrade to the latest available firmware;
3. Verify the authenticity of DNS resolvers listed in router settings; and
4. Review and implement firewall rules to prevent the unwanted exposure of remote management services.

Users are encouraged to navigate to the official TP-Link website and review documentation for their affected routers in the download center to learn more about proper configurations. Users should also ensure their routers are operating the latest firmware and review the End-of-Life product lists to determine if their routers should be replaced. Additional remediation guidance is provided in a separate PSA.

The FBI is working with ISPs to provide notice of the operation to users of SOHO routers covered by the court’s authorization. If you believe you have a compromised router, please contact your local FBI field office or file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

The FBI Boston and Philadelphia Field Offices and Cyber Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the DOJ National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section led the disruption effort. Black Lotus Labs® at Lumen and Microsoft Threat Intelligence provided valuable technical contributions to this announcement. MIT Lincoln Laboratory provided valuable assistance with testing and validation.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Xin Guang Guo, 48, of Plymouth, North Carolina, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III on two counts of using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire.

The defendant was arrested on a criminal complaint and warrant in October of last year and charged by indictment the same month, arising from his effort to pay another individual $30,000 to kill two people residing in the Philadelphia area.

As detailed in court filings, on September 30, 2025, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) received information that the defendant wanted to contract a hitman to murder his former business partner and business partner’s paramour (“Person-1” and “Person-2”).

Investigators received copies of text messages written by the defendant, whom they were able to identify as Xin Guang Guo, detailing his plan and providing identifying information about Person-1 and Person-2.

In subsequent phone calls monitored by the ATF, Guo discussed the terms of the contract, in which he would pay $15,000 for each murder. Guo also arranged to meet an individual he thought was the hitman in Philadelphia on October 6, so Guo could give him $2,500 to buy a gun.

At the October 6 meeting, the defendant gave the $2,500 to an ATF undercover officer and requested photographic proof that Person-1 and Person-2 had been murdered before he would pay the remaining balance. The agreement was made, Guo departed in his vehicle, and shortly thereafter was arrested by the ATF without incident.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a maximum possible term of 20 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McCool.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jimmy King, 50, Jermaine King, 51, and Mahmud Sheppard, 28, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were charged by superseding indictment with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and firearms offenses.

The superseding indictment alleges that, between January 2024 and July 2025, the three men operated a drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) responsible for distributing over 500 pounds of methamphetamine throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding region.

As further alleged, Jimmy King routinely traveled to California where he sourced bulk quantities of methamphetamine, which he shipped back to Philadelphia using fake names and addresses. With the assistance of Jermaine King and Sheppard, Jimmy King diverted these packages and then distributed the methamphetamine to customers.

FBI agents surveilled the trio for months as they obtained and distributed methamphetamine. On July 23, 2025, agents served a search warrant on Jimmy King’s residence, where they located approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine and two firearms.

If convicted, each of the defendants faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Stram and Christopher E. Parisi.

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

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

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two defendants have been charged in separate Lehigh Valley-area drug cases just unsealed.

Richie Rivera, 33, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

The indictment alleges that, on or about February 24, 2026, in Berks County, Pa., the defendant was found in possession of approximately 1.24 kilograms of heroin, approximately 435 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl, medetomidine, and xylazine, approximately 711 grams of cocaine, and approximately 206 grams of methamphetamine.

The indictment further alleges that, prior to possessing these narcotics, Rivera was convicted in October 2023 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.

This case was investigated by the Reading Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rosalynda M. Michetti.

Samuel Paulino, 51, of Union City, New Jersey, was charged by indictment with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.

The indictment alleges that on or about March 2, 2026, in Northampton County, Pa., the defendant was found in possession of approximately four kilograms of heroin and approximately six kilograms of cocaine.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.

This case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Schopf.

These cases are 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 charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Arthur Thompson, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted late yesterday afternoon at trial of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.

As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on December 20, 2022, two Philadelphia police officers saw the defendant commit a traffic violation and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Thompson stopped his car, got out, tossed a loaded firearm, and ran away from the officers. After a brief foot chase, the defendant was detained and later charged locally with firearms violations.

Thompson was federally indicted in January of last year and then charged by superseding indictment in December. He had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Gun Violence Task Force, and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Tracie J. Gaydos.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two foreign nationals convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced to prison this month.

Jorge Adalberto Dejesus Rondon, aka Jorge Garcia, Henry Matos, and Edwin Carrillo, 38, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gerald A. McHugh to 40 months in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.

Dejesus had previously been removed from the U.S. three times: in February 2011, following his conviction and sentencing on drug charges in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas; in June 2015, after serving the sentence imposed for his first illegal reentry conviction in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and in August 2019, after serving sentences for illegal reentry in the Southern District of Texas and violating his supervised release in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

After Dejesus eluded an attempted arrest in April of last year, law enforcement officers located and arrested him in June in a Philadelphia residence.

The defendant was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in July and pleaded guilty in November.

Warlin DeJesus Arnaud-Salcedo, 41, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Costello to 14 months in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.

Arnaud-Salcedo had previously been removed from the U.S. in May 2016.

In May of last year, ICE encountered the defendant on the 6100 block of Hegerman Street in Philadelphia, while searching for other individuals. He provided identification and was permitted to leave the area. Shortly thereafter, ICE personnel determined that Arnaud-Salcedo had reentered the country illegally. They located and took him into custody the following day.

Arnaud-Salcedo was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in June of last year and pleaded guilty in October.

These cases are 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 cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Dubnoff and Mark Sendek.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Harry Dallas, 44, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted today at trial of manufacturing child pornography, specifically, videorecording himself engaged in sex acts with an underage girl.

In June 2023, in Center City, Dallas, then 40 years old, encountered a runaway teenager, who had been reported missing from her home state for several weeks. The evidence at trial established that the 15-year-old girl had no money or shelter, a situation that Dallas used to his advantage. Dallas drove the minor to his home in Northeast Philadelphia, where he sexually abused her over the course of several days and filmed videos of himself and the minor engaged in various sex acts. He also took photos of her, including one that depicted the girl while fully nude and asleep.

Dallas used a cellphone to film the videos and take the explicit photos. In 2024, FBI Philadelphia executed a search warrant on Dallas’ cloud-based account, which revealed the videos and images Dallas had taken of the minor in June 2023.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8 and faces a maximum possible term of 90 years in prison.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Amanda McCool.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Mujahid Davis, 24, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer on two counts of Hobbs Act robbery (Counts One and Five), attempted Hobbs Act robbery (Counts Three and Seven), and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence (Count Six).

The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in January, along with Dante Shackleford, 26, also of Philadelphia.

As detailed in case filings and admitted to by the defendant, Davis, with others, participated in the following crimes:

• the July 2, 2025, robbery of a Brinks truck in Philadelphia
• the July 15, 2025, attempted robbery of a Brinks truck in Philadelphia
• the August 12, 2025, robbery of a Brinks truck in Elkins Park, Pa.
• the October 3, 2025, attempted robbery of a Brinks truck in Philadelphia

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on August 4 and faces a maximum possible term of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum of seven years’ imprisonment, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $1,500,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Eckert and Kwambina Coker.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Harshpreet Singh, 25, an Indian national illegally in the U.S., entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Catherine Henry to possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States.

The defendant was charged by indictment in October of last year.

As detailed in court filings, on August 28, 2024, at approximately 1:17 a.m., Pennsylvania State Police troopers and Bethel Township Police Department officers responded to a Bethel, Pennsylvania, residence for a report of a shooting incident relating to a home invasion. At the same time, Berks County police dispatch advised officers of a call for a gunshot victim at a gas station less than half a mile away from the residence.

Officers found A.S., charged elsewhere, inside of a vehicle at the gas pumps with a gunshot wound to the torso, with the defendant and a co-defendant also in the vehicle.

After A.S. was transported to the hospital for treatment, police officers canvassed the area around the gas station and discovered two firearms in a gravel lot across the street: a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 12 live rounds of ammunition; and a privately manufactured firearm bearing no serial number, loaded with 17 live rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Another firearm, a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 13 live rounds of ammunition, was located in the yard of the residence that had reported the home invasion.

Forensic testing on the three guns subsequently found a DNA profile consistent with a mixture of four contributors, with Harshpreet Singh included as a potential contributor to this mixture profile.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces a maximum possible term of 15 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

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 case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Bethel Township (Berks County) Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rosalynda M. Michetti.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Amara Dukuly, 44, of Woodlyn, Pennsylvania, a former immigration officer employed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge John M. Younge to aiding and abetting the bribery of a public official in exchange for an official act.

As detailed in court filings, from approximately 2015 to his arrest in June 2025, Dukuly used his status as a USCIS employee to solicit bribes from individuals, in exchange for promises to help them obtain assistance with their immigration status.

On April 4, 2025, Dukuly received a $6,000 bribe from an individual to help with the removal of “terrorist” references from the individual's immigration file. Dukuly promised the individual that after the “terrorist” references were removed, his file would be “clean.”

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14 and faces a maximum possible term of 15 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anita Eve and Robert Livermore.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Ardavan Alamoutinia, 33, of Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez on one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, 10 counts of mail fraud, one count of theft of government money, and one count of aggravated identity theft, arising from a scheme to fraudulently obtain emergency funds meant for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The defendant and co-defendant Aryanah Davison, 26, of Harrisburg, Pa., were charged by indictment in May 2023, with Davison pleading guilty to her role in the scheme in January of last year.

As detailed in court filings, Alamoutinia and Davison used stolen identities to file over 500 fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (“PUA”). These 500-plus fraudulent applications were filed using at least 375 identities of current or former employees of Company 1, Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”) which a co-conspirator had stolen and transferred to Davison.  

After receiving the PII, Alamoutinia and Davison filed, or caused to be filed, the fraudulent PUA applications in 27 different states, resulting in a loss to the government of at least $2,886,876.

The two co-defendants converted at least $2,500,000 of the fraudulent proceeds in this case, spending them, in part, on a luxury sports vehicle and hundreds of thousands of dollars of cryptocurrency.

Alamoutinia is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces a maximum possible term of 232 years’ imprisonment. Davison will be sentenced at a later date; she also faces a maximum possible term of 232 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney S. Chandler Harris.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Chihean Jones, aka “Cha,” 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge for two commercial robberies in the city and the murder of a gas station attendant during one of those robberies. Judge Hodge sentenced Jones to life in prison for the murder and 20 years each for the robberies, to be served concurrently.

Jones was charged by second superseding indictment in January 2024 with two counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), murder in the course of using and carrying a firearm, and using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. In November of last year, a federal jury found him guilty on all counts.

As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on August 22, 2022, the defendant drove two other men to a cell phone store on the 100 block of East Olney Avenue. While Jones waited in his Chevrolet Suburban, the two others went inside the store, forced their way into a back room, and stole multiple cell phones. The three men then fled the scene in the defendant’s Suburban.

Then, on January 17, 2023, Jones, accompanied by his girlfriend and two other men, drove the Suburban to a gas station on the 7100 block of Torresdale Avenue, which the group intended to rob. They planned to wait for the gas station attendant to leave the store to smoke a cigarette, at which point the defendant would approach with his .45-caliber pistol. The two men accompanying Jones would zip-tie the attendant and force him back into the station to open the safe.

When the attendant failed to exit, however, the group sent the defendant’s girlfriend into the store to see what was happening and to determine if the men could kick in the door to the register area. After she reported back, the three men entered the store. Immediately upon entering, Jones pushed his pistol under the protective glass and shot the attendant in the back as the attendant tried to run away. Jones and the two men ransacked the store and stole the attendant’s wallet, as he lay dying on the floor.

“The defendant shot an unarmed man in the back because it was easier than chasing after him,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He and his crew then pawed through the victim’s pockets, as he lay dying. In the face of such senseless violence and casual cruelty, this life sentence is richly deserved. We are all safer with Chihean Jones behind bars.”

“Chihean Jones committed a horrific and cowardly act when he shot and killed an innocent victim simply trying to make a living,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “In partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the ATF Philadelphia Field Division will continue to work tirelessly to ensure justice for the victims and to make our communities safer from dangerous criminals like Jones.”

This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Parisi and Amanda McCool.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Karelys Colon Sevilla, 29, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today to 34 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge for transporting nearly 15 pounds of cocaine to Philadelphia in a checked bag on a commercial flight.

The defendant was charged by indictment in May 2024 with one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and pleaded guilty in October of last year.

As detailed in court filings, on February 13, 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) received information that Colon was flying from Puerto Rico, via Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, to the Philadelphia International Airport (“PHL”) and possibly concealing narcotics in her checked luggage.

After HSI confirmed that Colon was indeed a ticketed passenger set to arrive at PHL, investigators sought and received from the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas an anticipatory search warrant for the defendant’s luggage, contingent on an alert from a Police K-9 on the luggage.

Following the arrival of Colon’s plane to PHL, Pennsylvania State Police K-9 Ivan was instructed by his handler to examine every piece of checked luggage from that flight. K-9 Ivan only alerted to the presence of narcotics on one piece of luggage, a blue-gray soft-sided bag bearing a tag with the defendant’s name and flight information.

Pursuant to the search warrant and the K-9’s alert, investigators then opened the bag and recovered approximately 6.8 kilograms of a white substance, which testing later showed was cocaine.

This case was investigated by HSI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, and Pennsylvania State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Castilla Geiger.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Vernon Baker, 41, of Linden, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 25 months’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release by United States District Judge Anita B. Brody for sexually assaulting the woman seated next to him on a flight into Philadelphia.

The defendant was charged by indictment in January of last year with one count of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft and pleaded guilty in December.

As detailed in court filings, on October 30, 2024, aboard a commercial flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia, Baker made sexual advances toward the female passenger sitting next to him.

After the victim refused his advances, Baker took out his penis and forcibly tried to get the victim to touch him. He then grabbed her breast over her clothing and untied her pants. Traumatized and shaken, the victim rushed to the back of the cabin where she reported this assault to flight attendants.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Philadelphia Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh Davison and Special Assistant United States Attorney Meagan Gordon.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Michael Nixon, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted at trial of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, arising from his gunpoint robbery of a pharmacy located on the 2900 block of North 5th Street in Philadelphia’s Kensington section.

As proven at trial, on December 22, 2021, at approximately 5:44 p.m., Nixon forced Victim #1, a pharmacy employee, back into the store, as Victim #1 was attempting to get to their car. Once inside the pharmacy, Nixon demanded access to the store’s controlled substances safe and told Victim #1 to put the narcotics from the safe into plastic bags. As Victim #1 did so, Nixon pointed a black firearm at them and urged them to hurry up. Once the defendant had the bottles of drugs, he exited the store, ran to a waiting blue Dodge Charger, and got into a passenger seat.

Nearby Philadelphia Police Department (“PPD”) Narcotics Strike Force (“NSF”) officers observed Nixon flee the store and enter the vehicle. At that time, the NSF officers attempted to stop the Charger, but the vehicle sped off and led police on a high-speed pursuit through the city. During the vehicle pursuit, PPD officers observed what appeared to be medicine bottles being thrown from the vehicle.

Following a minor vehicle accident at the 3100 block of Janney Street in Philadelphia, both Nixon and the driver of the vehicle were taken into police custody.

PPD officers went back to the route of travel and recovered multiple bottles of controlled substances, specifically alprazolam tablets and one partially broken bottle containing methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets, which matched the substances stolen from the pharmacy.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8 and faces a maximum possible term of life in prison.

This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Stram and Justin Oshana. 

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Christopher Knight, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond on five counts of depriving individuals of their civil rights under color of law and two counts of falsifying records.

The defendant was charged by indictment in May of last year.

As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, while working as a prison guard at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, Knight pepper-sprayed five subdued victims in a matter of months.

On January 8, 2023, Knight blasted his first victim with pepper spray while the victim was lying face down on the ground with his hands behind his back. Knight then continued to spray the victim, striking him during the handcuffing process and after he was handcuffed.

Two days later, Knight pepper-sprayed another handcuffed victim while the victim was being escorted down a hallway by another guard. Later that day, Knight struck his third victim with spray while the victim was returning to his cell, and Knight continued to pepper-spray this victim after he was handcuffed.

On March 20, 2023, Knight attacked his fourth victim, blasting the victim with spray while the victim was writing on a piece of paper and not posing a threat. Knight continued to spray this victim while he was lying on the ground in pain. Then, on March 24, 2023, Knight attacked his fifth victim, striking the victim with spray, even though he was lying face down on the ground.

Knight falsified multiple use-of-force reports by knowingly omitting key details of his attacks when describing his own actions.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a maximum possible term of 90 years’ imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the FBI, with substantial assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Priya DeSouza and Michael Miller.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that five Philadelphia men were convicted today at trial of conspiring to commit armed carjackings in and around Philadelphia and sell the stolen cars to buyers, who would then ship the vehicles to Africa for resale.

The defendants[1] were charged by superseding indictment in July 2024.

Mikal McCracken, aka “Kal,” 24, was convicted this afternoon of counts related to carjacking resulting in death, where he and three others carjacked and killed a former marine in February of 2022. He was also convicted of counts related to his participation in a conspiracy, with two others, to murder a potential witness in February of 2022. McCracken was also convicted for offenses related to an additional 20 armed attempted or completed carjackings. Those 20 armed carjackings included five where victims were shot or shot at. One of the victims was carjacked and shot on two separate occasions a month apart.

Amin Muse, aka “Miyn” and “Miyns,” 24, was convicted of counts related to carjacking resulting in death, where he and three others carjacked and killed the former marine. He was also convicted of counts related to his participation in the conspiracy, with two others, to murder the potential witness. Muse was also convicted for offenses related to an additional eight armed attempted or completed carjackings. Those 20 armed carjackings included one where the victim was shot at.

Aleem Abdul-Hakim, aka “Fatleem,” 23, was convicted of counts related to carjacking resulting in death, where he and three others carjacked and killed the former marine. Abdul-Hakim was also convicted of offenses related to an additional five armed attempted or completed carjackings.

Dean Fosque, aka “30,” 28, was convicted of offenses related to nine armed carjackings, which included three shootings, where one of those three victims was hit.

Kavon Coleman, aka “Ski,” 23, was convicted of offenses related to four armed attempted or completed carjackings, which included one shooting where the victim of the attempted carjacking was shot — and that victim had been a previous victim of this conspiracy.

As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, between October 2021 and October 2022, groups of rotating carjackers, including McCracken, Muse, Abdul-Hakim, Fosque, Coleman, and others, committed dozens of gunpoint carjackings, often carrying out multiple carjackings in one night. Many of these crimes occurred in Southwest and Northeast Philadelphia, and there were also carjackings in the surrounding suburbs, including Yeadon, Millbourne, Lower Southampton, and King of Prussia.

The carjackers used firearms and often assaulted their victims, sometimes by shooting them. In addition to cars, they also took personal identification, credit cards, and money from their victims. In several cases, conspirators then used the stolen identification materials to commit fraud crimes.

In all, the conspiracy involved approximately 60 carjackings, 29 of which were charged in the superseding indictment, including the carjacking which resulted in the murder of the victim, and the second murder of the potential witness. The charges included numerous shootings, including four shootings that left the victims (one of whom had been carjacked and shot on two different occasions) seriously injured.

The first murder occurred on February 6, 2022, when McCracken, Muse, and Abdul-Hakim, along with Jonathan Akubu, charged elsewhere, carjacked Victim 1, and shot and killed him in the process.

In their haste to flee the scene in Victim 1’s car, which was already running, the carjackers failed to take Victim 1’s key fob, which they would need to continue operating the stolen car after it was eventually shut off. Accordingly, they enlisted the help of a locksmith (Victim 2) to make them a new key for the car.

Shortly after the key was made, the police located and recovered Victim 1’s vehicle. Members of the conspiracy—McCracken, Muse, and Akubu, charged elsewhere, feared that law enforcement would identify the locksmith through forensics, because he touched the car while making the replacement key. The three believed that the locksmith would then cooperate with law enforcement investigating the killing, so they murdered Victim 2 on February 12, 2022, to prevent him from betraying them.

The investigation revealed that the carjackers, who usually operated in smaller groups of two to four, had been responsible for numerous carjackings dating as far back as October of 2021. Several carjacked cars were discovered in shipping containers bound for countries abroad.

“These defendants ran one of the most extensive and terrible carjacking rings in American history that terrorized and, in some cases killed, its victims. When viewed by the sheer scale and volume of violent robberies, this prosecution represents perhaps the most successful carjacking prosecution in the history of the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “That campaign of dread is done. The streets we walk and drive on are now safer thanks to the fantastic work of the FBI and all of our law enforcement partners on the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force.”

“These convictions should send a clear message: those who commit brazen, violent crimes targeting our community will be identified, pursued, and held accountable,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “At the center of this case, and every crime, are the victims. These convictions are a testament to our relentless pursuit of justice — for the victims who lost their lives, for the loved ones they left behind, and for the survivors among us, each permanently altered by these senseless acts of violence. This investigation was driven by the expertise, intelligence, and resources of the FBI's Violent Crime Task Force. Partnership remains a force multiplier in our work and our success — no single agency alone can take on such complex violent crimes. We continue to see meaningful progress across our city in reducing violent crime, and while our work is not done, today reflects our shared commitment to a safer city for everyone who calls Philadelphia home.”

“This case represented some of the very worst of what we saw during the rise of violent carjackings: calculated, coordinated, and completely indifferent to human life,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “These individuals didn’t just steal cars — they terrorized neighborhoods, took innocent lives, and attempted to silence witnesses to cover their crimes. Thanks to the relentless work of the Philadelphia Police Department and our federal partners, this violent crew has been dismantled and held accountable. Let this be clear: if you bring this level of violence to our city, we will bring the full weight of law enforcement down on you. At the same time, we are seeing real progress: violent crime, including carjackings, continues to trend down because of the dedication of our officers and the strength of these partnerships. This is what the work looks like, and we are not slowing down.”

“Our Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force has been a game changer, as this case again demonstrates,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Through the teamwork of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crime Unit, the FBI, the Philadelphia Police Department, and our ATF Special Agents, we have brought these dangerous criminals to justice. As summer approaches, these convictions should be a deterrent to those who think they can terrorize this city.”

The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and face maximum possible terms of life in prison.

This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force, comprising the FBI, Philadelphia Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with significant assistance from the Philadelphia offices of Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations, which helped investigate and uncover carjacked cars meant to be exported overseas. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph LaBar and Katherine Shulman. 

[1] Co-defendants Amadou Moussa and Davon Squire were also charged in the superseding indictment and will be tried separately.

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney David Metcalf announced today that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has entered a consent judgment against Segal Arts, LLC, and its sole owner and manager, Irina Segal. In its complaint against Segal and her business, the United States alleges that they violated the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729–3733, by submitting or causing the submission of claims for payment to Medicare for one-on-one occupational therapy services that were not provided. Instead of the medically necessary one-on-one therapeutic exercise described in Segal Arts’ Medicare billing, Segal Arts provided group arts-and-crafts sessions to Medicare beneficiaries at assisted living and similar facilities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

“This investigation and its resolution by consent judgment reflect our ongoing focus on pursuing individuals who defraud Medicare, especially when occupational therapy providers in the Medicare program should be providing medically necessary services to our older adult populations,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf.

“Civil enforcement is an important component in safeguarding the integrity of the Medicare program,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Regional Office for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This agreement demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that Medicare program dollars are only paid for services that were actually provided to patients.”

Among other things, the complaint alleges that, even after Segal was interviewed and educated by HHS-OIG agents about the individual, skilled therapy requirements associated with the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code used in the billing, Segal Arts failed to repay to the Medicare program the amounts it had reimbursed for non-covered, group art sessions. The consent judgment requires Segal to repay $200,000, based on her ability to pay.

The allegations are described in detail in the complaint. The case is captioned United States of America v. Segal Arts, LLC, Civil No. 26-1693 (E.D. Pa.).

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca S. Melley and litigative consultant Priscilla Brandon.   

All claims in the complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Frank Hamilton, 55, of Simi Valley, California, who previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy affecting a financial institution, was sentenced to 66 months in prison, two years’ supervised release, and restitution of $6,093,024.90 by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone yesterday for loan fraud conspiracy, in which Hamilton and his co-schemers defrauded multiple banks, other lenders, and the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) out of millions of dollars in loans that were either funded or guaranteed by the SBA.

As detailed in case filings and admitted to by the defendant, prior to the pandemic, Hamilton and his conspirators started filing fraudulent applications for SBA 7(a) loans, which are loans funded by banks and other lenders and partially guaranteed by the SBA. During the pandemic, Hamilton and his co-conspirators transitioned to Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”), which were funded by the SBA, and Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans, which were funded by banks and other lenders but fully guaranteed by the SBA. PPP loans were also eligible for forgiveness if a large percentage of the loan was used to pay employees, as the goal of that program was to enable businesses to continue to pay their employees during the pandemic despite the loss of a company’s business due to the pandemic.

To obtain these loans, Hamilton advised his conspirators how to submit false loan applications and helped them generate fake documents, including false tax returns, to support the false applications. In addition, Hamilton assisted conspirators in obtaining “shelf companies,” that is, companies that had been created by a vendor who registered a non-functioning business in a state, paid all required fees for several years, and then sold the company “off the shelf” so that it could be used by individuals who needs to make it appear that they had a company that had been in business for a significant length of time.

Hamilton also helped conspirators open bank accounts and obtain websites and email addresses for those non-functioning companies. Moreover, he sometimes even joined his conspirators on phone interviews with lenders. To conceal the scheme and give the fraudulent submissions more legitimacy, Hamilton often used names of conspirators or their non-functional companies in the applications and back-up documents of other conspirators as employees or vendors of the non-functioning companies.

In addition to assisting others to apply for fraudulent loans, Hamilton applied for fraudulent loans for one of his own minimally-functioning companies, as well as three shelf companies that he owned. As a result of this sophisticated fraud, the conspirators applied for loans totaling approximately $9 million, of which approximately $7,088,010 was funded.

As part of their plan, the conspirators turned over a majority of their proceeds to Hamilton so that he could invest the funds for them and return money to them in installments sufficient to make their loan payments plus a small sum for their personal use.

Some conspiracy members made payment on their loans for at least a short period of time. Many did not, as Hamilton did return some money to his co-conspirators, instead keeping most of the money for himself. Despite Hamilton’s receipt of more than a million dollars of loans for Hamilton’s own companies, and his receipt of the majority of the millions of dollars of his co-conspirators’ loans, Hamilton did not make a single payment on any of his own loans. As a result, the vast majority of loans went into default, resulting in more than $7 million in losses to the SBA.

This case was investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Judy Smith and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Varun Trivedi. 

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced the filing of a complaint under the False Claims Act in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. This is the latest action in the national investigation into the scheme of improper billing using the RST-Sanexas neoGEN-series electric stimulation device. Federal healthcare programs do not reimburse for electrical nerve stimulation treatments furnished in outpatient clinics to treat pain, nor do they cover vitamin injections used in conjunction with such treatments. As detailed below, this District and others have pursued and settled various False Claims Act cases against electrical stimulation providers, recovering millions.

The complaint is against Drs. Michael Glickert and Joseph Novof of St. Louis, Missouri, as well as their integrated chiropractic clinic, The Vanguard Clinic LLC, and Sanexas device distributorship, Fleur de Lis, LLC, alleging violations of the False Claims Act. As alleged in the complaint, Glickert is a chiropractor who helped develop the scheme for billing Sanexas treatment and vitamin injections to insurance and promoted that scheme nationwide. Novof is an emergency room physician who served as Medical Director for Vanguard, as well as two other Sanexas clinics, and distributed Sanexas devices nationwide.

Beginning in late 2018, Glickert promoted Sanexas treatment and vitamin injections as reimbursable by Medicare and provided coding instructions. But the United States alleges that Glickert knew that billing Medicare could be considered fraudulent. And despite later admitting in a federal complaint that their billing of Sanexas treatment and vitamin injections was not covered by Medicare, Glickert continued to bill Medicare. Meanwhile, Novof falsely certified that vitamin injections were medically necessary, despite not even knowing the ingredients in those injections.

“Our office continues to lead the national charge to hold alleged fraudsters accountable for improper Sanexas billing,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We will continue working closely with our partners at CMS’s Center for Program Integrity, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and sister U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country to pursue any other providers who inappropriately billed for these devices and caused false claims to be submitted.”

The ongoing national effort to identify and combat electrical stimulation billing fraud is a collaboration between this District, the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (“CMS”) Center for Program Integrity, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), other federal healthcare programs, state partners, and sister U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country.

The cases in this District have been investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. They have been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Wolfish and Civil Chief Gregory B. David.

Prior DOJ press releases related to the Sanexas national initiative include:

• https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/two-doctors-and-their-medical-practice-pay-more-181000-resolve-false-claims-act
• https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/us-attorney-announces-two-additional-civil-settlements-part-national-effort-combat
• https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/us-attorney-announces-additional-civil-settlement-chiropractor-and-his-practice-part
• https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/rst-sanexas-inc-and-its-owners-agree-pay-15-million-resolve-allegations-they-caused

The investigation and pursuit of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud, including in the healthcare technology arena. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The claims above are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Clift Seferlis, 55, of Garrett Park, Maryland, was sentenced this afternoon by United States District Judge Mark A. Kearney to 37 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $40,000 fine, and a $2,200 special assessment for mailing threatening communications targeting Jewish institutions and organizations.

In November of last year, Seferlis pleaded guilty to 17 counts of mailing threatening communications and eight counts of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs, arising from threats sent to Jewish organizations and entities.

As detailed in court filings, from at least March 2024 through at least June 2025, the defendant used the United States mail to send at least 40 letters and two postcards to more than 25 Jewish institutions and organizations, including synagogues, Jewish museums, community centers, schools, nonprofit organizations, and a Jewish delicatessen, located in multiple jurisdictions. Many of these written communications threatened to destroy physical buildings and/or injure individuals.

The threatening communications were intended to intimidate recipients and interfere with congregants and others in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs.

“Threats directed at religious institutions are attacks not just on those communities but on the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Individuals who attempt to intimidate or terrorize others because of their faith will face the full force of federal law.”

“This case serves as a stark reminder that members of our community can still face threats because of their beliefs,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “No one should have to live in fear because of who they are or what they believe. The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting every member of our community and holding those who seek to intimidate or harm others fully accountable.”

This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia, with assistance from FBI Baltimore, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montgomery County (Md.) Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland’s Greenbelt office. The Anti-Defamation League, Secure Community Network, and Delaware Valley Intelligence Center also provided assistance with this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dubnoff for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Chinedu Ekuma, 45, of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, two years of supervised release, a $10,000 fine, and $1,751,968 in restitution by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher yesterday for carrying out a scheme that defrauded victims of nearly $2 million through various internet scams.

The defendant was charged by information and pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in November of last year.

As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from about August 2020 through March 2023, Ekuma was part of a scheme to defraud victims and to obtain money and property of these victims by materially false pretenses, representations, and promises. The victims were individuals and businesses that intended to make payments to businesses and individuals for personal and/or business reasons. Several of the victims were led to believe their money was being used for investment opportunities (which turned out to be nonexistent) and several more were victims of romance/friendship scams. 

Ekuma owned entities called Intelaris Solutions, LLC (“Intelaris Solutions”) and Verge Capital (“Verge Capital”), and opened several bank accounts in the name of these entities.

He and others caused the fraud victims to send payments to the Intelaris Solutions and Verge Capital bank accounts, by falsely representing to the victims that those accounts were associated with the businesses and individuals who the victims intended to pay, when, in fact, the Intelaris Solutions and Verge Capital bank accounts were controlled by Ekuma, and Intelaris Solutions and Verge Capital had no legitimate relationship with any of the victims. After the fraud proceeds were received into the Intelaris Solutions and Verge Capital bank accounts, Ekuma transferred most of the fraud proceeds to other co-schemers and retained other amounts of the fraud proceeds for himself.

As part of the scheme, the defendant and co-schemers created, or caused the creation of, fraudulent documentation that falsely represented that Intelaris Solutions and Verge Capital were entitled to payments from the victims.

In total, the scheme resulted in victims losing over $1.75 million and attempted to cause an additional approximately $650,000 in losses.

This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis A. Weber. 

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Tyrek Byrd, 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe to 15 years in prison for his role in a violent home invasion robbery targeting a local business owner and his family.

In September 2025, a federal jury convicted Byrd of conspiring to commit armed home invasion robberies, Hobbs Act robbery, and using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

As proven at trial, in December 2019, Byrd and two co‑conspirators carried out a violent home invasion robbery targeting business owners whom they believed kept large amounts of cash at their homes. The conspirators researched their victims and businesses and used a GPS tracking device to determine where the victims lived before carrying out the robberies.

On the night of December 31, 2019, Byrd and two accomplices confronted the owner of a Delaware County nail salon as the victim returned to the business. The robbers forced the victim inside, zip‑tied his wrists, covered his mouth with duct tape, and beat him while demanding money.

The men then forced the victim to take them to his home, where they encountered the victim’s wife, children, and nanny. Inside the residence, the robbers zip‑tied the family members, ransacked the home, and continued assaulting the victim while demanding cash. During the ordeal, the assailants threatened the family and stated that they had been watching the victims for weeks.

After terrorizing the family for approximately 40 minutes, the robbers fled with thousands of dollars in business proceeds, jewelry, and other valuables.

Byrd’s coconspirator, Shaquan Brown, was previously sentenced to more than 22 years’ in prison for his role in this and other robberies. Another coconspirator, Willie Singletary, received a sentence of 17 years’ imprisonment for this role in the conspiracy.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives the Haverford Police Department, Uwchlan Township Police Department, with assistance from the FBI and the Montgomery County Criminal Investigation Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Carissimi, Brian Doherty, and J. Jeanette Kang.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Phillis Fugah, 25, of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Timothy J. Savage to ten years and one day in prison and five years of supervised release for carjacking and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.

The defendant previously pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in connection with an August 29, 2024 armed carjacking and shooting in Upper Darby.

As detailed in court filings and admitted by the defendant, Fugah and a male accomplice approached a Honda Pilot parked on the 7100 block of West Chester Pike, where a man sat in the vehicle with his two young children while waiting for his wife. The accomplice opened the passenger-side door but fled the scene.

Fugah then opened the driver’s side door, got behind the wheel, and pointed a gun at the victim while demanding money. The victim’s five-year-old son exited the vehicle through the front passenger door and ran to the sidewalk. The victim exited the rear driver’s side door and attempted to stop the defendant, telling her that his infant child remained inside the vehicle.

During the struggle, Fugah raised the firearm and shot at the victim, with the bullet partially shattering the driver’s-side window and striking the victim’s baseball cap, narrowly missing his head. A fragment of the bullet also struck the window of an occupied SEPTA bus across the street, passing over the heads of several passengers.

Fugah then fled in the Honda Pilot with the infant still inside the vehicle. The SUV was located a short distance away, and the child was recovered unharmed.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and the Upper Darby Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Doherty and Special Assistant United States Attorney Sandra Urban.

Aetna Inc., a national insurer incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $117,700,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting or failing to withdraw inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis codes for its Medicare Advantage Plan enrollees in order to increase its payments from Medicare.

Under the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare beneficiaries may opt out of traditional Medicare and enroll in private health plans offered by insurance companies known as Medicare Advantage Organizations, or MAOs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays MAOs a fixed monthly amount adjusted for various risk factors that affect expected health expenditures for the beneficiary. In general, CMS pays MAOs more for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs. To make these “risk adjustments,” CMS collects medical diagnosis codes from the MAOs.

The United States alleges that Aetna submitted inaccurate and untruthful patient diagnosis data to CMS in order to inflate the risk adjustment payments it received from CMS, failed to withdraw the inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis data and repay CMS, and falsely certified in writing to CMS that the data was accurate and truthful. The settlement announced today resolves these allegations.

“The government pays private insurers over $530 billion each year to care for Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable insurers that knowingly submit inaccurate or unsupported diagnoses to improperly inflate reimbursement.”

“The government pays Medicare Advantage Organizations to facilitate vital healthcare to our seniors and other vulnerable citizens. When corporations or individuals threaten the Medicare Advantage program by diverting those limited government resources through fraud, waste, or abuse, we will continue to pursue all available remedies against them,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

“Medicare Advantage relies on accurate reporting and attempts to manipulate the system undermine both the program’s integrity and the beneficiaries it serves,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Today’s settlement makes clear that no company is beyond accountability, no matter how large or well known. Those who seek to exploit Medicare Advantage should expect to be identified and held responsible, and HHS‑OIG will continue to protect taxpayer funds and the integrity of this vital program.”

The United States contends that, for payment year 2015, Aetna operated a “chart review” program in which it paid diagnosis coders to review medical records (also known as “charts”) and identify all medical conditions that the charts supported. Aetna relied on the results of those chart reviews to submit additional diagnosis codes to CMS to obtain additional payments. However, Aetna’s chart reviews did not substantiate some diagnosis codes previously reported by Aetna to CMS. Aetna did not delete or withdraw those diagnosis codes, which would have required Aetna to reimburse CMS. The United States alleges that Aetna used the results of its chart reviews to identify instances where Aetna could seek additional payments from CMS while ignoring those same results when they indicated Aetna was overpaid.

The settlement also resolves further allegations that, for payment years 2018 to 2023, Aetna knowingly submitted or failed to delete or withdraw inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis codes for morbid obesity to increase the payments it received from CMS for beneficiaries enrolled in its MA plans. The medical records for individuals diagnosed as morbidly obese typically include one or more Body Mass Index (BMI) recordings. Aetna submitted or failed to delete inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis codes for morbid obesity for individuals whose recorded BMI was inconsistent with a diagnosis of morbid obesity, and these codes increased the payments made by CMS.

The civil settlement related to morbid obesity resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Mary Melette Thomas v. Aetna Inc., et. al., number 24-cv-339 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, a former Aetna risk-adjustment coding auditor, to receive a $2,012,500 share of the settlement amount.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, in conjunction with HHS-OIG.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Nelson Wagner and Edward Crooke and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Carr and Gregory B. in den Berken, and Civil Chief Gregory David, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced today that Aetna Inc., a national insurer incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $117,700,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting or failing to withdraw inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis codes for its Medicare Advantage Plan enrollees in order to increase its payments from Medicare.

“The government pays Medicare Advantage Organizations to facilitate vital healthcare to our seniors and other vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “When corporations or individuals threaten the Medicare Advantage program by diverting those limited government resources through fraud, waste, or abuse, we will continue to pursue all available remedies against them.” 

Under the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare beneficiaries may opt out of traditional Medicare and enroll in private health plans offered by insurance companies known as Medicare Advantage Organizations, or MAOs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays MAOs a fixed monthly amount for each enrolled Medicare beneficiary. CMS adjusts these monthly payments to account for various “risk” factors that affect expected health expenditures for the beneficiary. In general, CMS pays MAOs more for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs. To make these “risk adjustments,” CMS collects medical diagnosis codes from the MAOs.

Aetna owns and operates MAOs that offer MA plans to beneficiaries across the country. The United States alleges that Aetna submitted inaccurate and untruthful patient diagnosis data to CMS in order to inflate the payments it received from CMS, failed to withdraw the inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis data and repay CMS, and falsely certified in writing to CMS that the data was accurate and truthful. The settlement announced today resolves these allegations.

The United States contends that, for payment year 2015, Aetna operated a “chart review” program, under which it retrieved medical records (also known as “charts”) from healthcare providers documenting services provided to Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Aetna’s MA plans. Aetna retained diagnosis coders to review those charts to identify all medical conditions that the charts supported and to assign the beneficiaries diagnosis codes for those conditions. Aetna relied on the results of those chart reviews to submit additional diagnosis codes to CMS that the healthcare providers had not reported for the beneficiaries to obtain additional payments from CMS. According to the United States, Aetna’s chart reviews did not substantiate some diagnosis codes reported by providers that had previously been submitted by Aetna to CMS. Aetna did not delete or withdraw these inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis codes, however, which would have required Aetna to reimburse CMS. The United States alleges that Aetna used the results of its chart reviews to identify instances where Aetna could seek additional payments from CMS while improperly failing to use those same results when they provided information about instances where Aetna was overpaid. $106,200,000 of the settlement amount resolves those allegations.

The remaining $11,500,000 of the aggregate settlement amount resolves further allegations that, for payment years 2018 to 2023, Aetna obtained increased payments from CMS by knowingly submitting or failing to delete inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis codes for morbid obesity for individuals whose recorded BMI was inconsistent with a diagnosis of morbid obesity. The settlement related to morbid-obesity codes resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The settlement provides for the whistleblower, a former Aetna risk-adjustment coding auditor, to receive a $2,012,500 share of the settlement amount. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Mary Melette Thomasv. Aetna Inc., et. al., No. 24-cv-339 (E.D. Pa.).

“The government pays private insurers over $530 billion each year to care for Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department's Civil Division.  “We will continue to hold accountable insurers that knowingly submit inaccurate or unsupported diagnoses to improperly inflate reimbursement.”

“Medicare Advantage relies on accurate reporting and attempts to manipulate the system undermine both the program’s integrity and the beneficiaries it serves,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Today’s settlement makes clear that no company is beyond accountability, no matter how large or well known. Those who seek to exploit Medicare Advantage should expect to be identified and held responsible, and HHS‑OIG will continue to protect taxpayer funds and the integrity of this vital program.”

The matter was handled in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Carr and Gregory B. in den Berken, former auditor George Niedzwicki, and litigative consultant Lauren M. Cordrey, along with Civil Fraud Section attorney Nelson Wagner and Assistant Director, Edward C. Crooke. HHS-OIG assisted the investigation.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/ or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three individuals were convicted today at trial in connection with a racketeering conspiracy encompassing multiple fraud schemes.

The defendants, charged in a 42-count indictment in January 2023, have been convicted as follows:

Dr. Bhaskar Savani, age 60, of Ambler, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of conspiring to violate the RICO law; one count of conspiring to commit visa fraud; one count of visa fraud; one count of conspiring to obstruct justice; one count of conspiring to commit healthcare fraud; eleven counts of healthcare fraud; one count of conspiring to engage in money laundering; twelve counts of money laundering; one count of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service; one count of wire fraud as to a false tax return; and one count of conspiring to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Arun Savani, age 58, of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of conspiring to violate the RICO law; one count of conspiring to commit visa fraud; one count of visa fraud; one count of conspiring to obstruct justice; one count of conspiring to commit healthcare fraud; eleven counts of healthcare fraud; one count of conspiring to engage in money laundering; twelve counts of money laundering; one count of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service; and one count of wire fraud as to a false tax return.

Aleksandra Radomiak, a/k/a “Ola”, age 48, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of conspiring to violate the RICO law; one count of conspiring to commit healthcare fraud; and one count of healthcare fraud.

As proven at trial, the brothers Bhaskar Savani and Arun Savani built a complex criminal enterprise (the “Savani Group”) that amassed millions of dollars through multiple fraud schemes. Defendant Bhaskar Savani was a dentist by training. Defendant Arun Savani generally controlled the finances of the Savani Group. Through their criminal enterprise, Bhaskar and Arun Savani orchestrated long-running schemes to enrich themselves, including through:

• A visa fraud scheme to file false H-1B visa applications and petitions with the U.S. Department of Labor and U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to exploit a workforce comprised of foreign nationals, mostly from India, who were dependent on the Savani Group and forced to kickback wages and fees to the Savani Group.
• A health care fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain Medicaid contracts and fraudulently bill Medicaid using nominee business owners after Savani Group dental practices were terminated from Medicaid insurance contracts. The Savani Group defrauded Medicaid of more than $30 million through the scheme.
• A health care fraud scheme to submit false bills to Medicaid using another dentist’s National Provider Identifier (NPI) on dates when the other dentist was physically outside of the United States and for dental services performed by uncredentialed dentists.
• A money laundering scheme to transfer and conceal health care fraud proceeds from the nominee-owned dental practices through a complex web of Savani group corporate entities’ bank accounts that ultimately benefited the Savani brothers and their associated corporate entities.
• A tax and wire fraud scheme involving false business expenses and the failure to report some taxable payroll to fraudulently decrease the amount of personal and payroll taxes due and owing. Through the scheme the Savani brothers and their companies failed to pay taxes on approximately $1.6 million of unreported personal income and $1.1 million of their employees’ unreported income. They failed to pay personal and payroll taxes and fraudulently expensed through their businesses, among other personal expenses, college tuition payments, personal property taxes, and pool and lawn maintenance costs for their personal homes.
• A mail fraud scheme and Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) conspiracy to place prototype dental implants, labeled “Not For Human Use,” not cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in human patients without their knowledge or consent.

The defendants will be sentenced in July 2026. Bhaskar and Arun Savani, respectively, face a statutory maximum sentence of 420 years’ imprisonment and 415 years’ imprisonment, along with fines. Defendant Aleksandra Radomiak also faces a substantial sentence, with up to 40 years’ imprisonment and fines.

“This sprawling investigation and prosecution meant untangling a complex web of fraudulent billing practices and sham medical entities,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Our office worked with numerous state and federal partner agencies to unravel and prove the multiple healthcare fraud schemes at the heart of this operation. It’s gratifying to dismantle this crooked enterprise and hold those responsible to account. Fraud and abuse cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars a year and rob the healthcare system of vital resources.”

“This significant prosecution exemplifies the commitment of the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer-funded programs from fraudsters and corrupt healthcare professionals who seek their own personal enrichment by bilking government programs and then laundering their ill gotten gains,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva. “The Criminal Division, and all of our partners including the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, will continue using every law enforcement tool available to identify, disrupt and dismantle organized fraud and those who corruptly manipulate the worker visa and Medicaid programs. Fraudsters and money launderers like Bhaskar and Arun Savani and their associates who do so will pay a heavy price.”

“This conviction demonstrates the critical importance of partnerships across law enforcement agencies when confronting complex financial and organized criminal activity,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI Philadelphia. “By leveraging our collective expertise and resources, we were able to expose and dismantle a racketeering enterprise built on deception and fraud. The FBI, working closely alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, will continue to pursue those who exploit others for personal profit and bring them to justice.”

“Today’s verdict sends a clear message: those who corrupt the Medicaid program for personal gain—no matter how elaborate their schemes—will be held fully accountable,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “The Savani Enterprise exploited vulnerable patients, manipulated government programs, and siphoned taxpayer dollars for their own benefit. HHS‑OIG, alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners, remains unwavering in our commitment to protect the integrity of Medicaid and to defend the public’s trust in our healthcare system.”

“The defendants orchestrated a years‑long scheme to defraud Medicaid, evade taxes, and launder millions of dollars through a complex network of companies and accounts,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office.  “These crimes do not just enrich wrongdoers, they drain vital public resources and erode trust in government programs.  These convictions make clear that those who defraud the government will be held accountable.  IRS‑CI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle financial fraud schemes and protect the public.”

“Today’s convictions send a clear message that those who build criminal enterprises on the backs of vulnerable patients, exploited workers, and U.S. taxpayers will be held to account,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia, Eric McLoughlin, “For years, the Savani Group manipulated our immigration system, corrupted healthcare programs, and laundered their illicit proceeds through a maze of shell companies and accounts. This investigation and resulting prosecution reflect the strength of our partnerships with federal and state agencies and our shared commitment to dismantling complex fraud schemes wherever they take root.”

“Visa fraud undermines our legal immigration system and often victimizes those seeking legitimate opportunities in the United States,” said Anthony Tortora, Resident Agent in Charge at the DSS Philadelphia Resident Office. “The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to investigating these schemes and protecting the integrity of the visa process. This conviction sends a clear message that such fraud will not be tolerated.”

“The FDA’s approval process exists to protect patients from untested medical devices,” said Fernando McMillan, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “These defendants deliberately circumvented that safeguard by implanting unapproved dental devices into unsuspecting patients. The FDA will not tolerate such disregard for public safety and federal law.”

“Today’s verdict holds the defendants accountable for their criminal conduct. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is unwavering in its commitment to protect the integrity of the Foreign Labor Certification programs. When bad actors exploit vulnerable workers or attempt to game the system, we investigate, we expose, and we hold them accountable,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “We will continue working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure these programs serve legitimate labor needs — not criminal enterprises. Fraud will not be tolerated. Accountability is not optional.”

This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony D. Scicchitano, Paul Shapiro, and J. Andrew Jenemann, and Department of Justice Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section Attorneys Kenneth P. Kaplan and Chelsea R. Rooney.