News from June 2021


Jacksonville Man Sentenced To Five Years In Prison For Identity Theft And Fraud Activities

News Release: Jacksonville, Florida U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Charles Cornelius Smith (35, Jacksonville) to five years in federal prison for aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The court also ordered Smith to pay restitution to the victims he had defrauded.


6 Defendants Charged With Laundering Millions Of Dollars In Proceeds Derived From Romance Scams

News Release: The Defendants Used Shell Companies to Launder Over $3.5 Million in Funds from Victims of Romance Fraud Schemes


Jacksonville Woman Pleads Guilty To Aggravated Identity Theft And Fraud Charges

News Release: Jacksonville, Florida Zipporan Carmel Peters (32, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Peters faces up to 30 years in federal prison on the conspiracy to commit bank fraud charge, a 2-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft charge, and payment of restitution to the victims she and her co-defendant, Charles Cornelius Smith, defrauded. A sentencing date has not yet been set.


East Stroudsburg Man Sentenced To 18 Months Imprisonment For Numerous Acts Of Passing Counterfeit Currency

News Release: SCRANTON The United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on June 3, 2021, William Daquan Battle, age 28, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 18 months imprisonment followed by a 2-year term of supervised release, for passing counterfeit United States currency on numerous occasions.


Traverse County Farmer Sentenced For Fraud Scheme Against Cenex Harvest States

News Release: MINNEAPOLIS A Traverse County man was sentenced today to four years of probation, local community confinement, and $416,389 in restitution, for his role in a wire fraud scheme.


Alleged Gang Member Charged by Miami Federal Grand Jury with Possession of a Cache of Sophisticated Firearms, including Two Switch Enabled Fully Automatic Machine Guns

News Release: Miami, Florida -- A prior convicted felon from Miami with alleged ties to the national Bloods gang and the local 77 Street gang has been indicted by a South Florida grand jury on federal firearms charges, including illegal possession of machine guns.


Matthew R. Stohler Named Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office

News Release: Washington Matthew R. Stohler has been named special agent in charge (SAIC) of the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office. Mr. Stohler was most recently appointed in May 2020 as the deputy assistant director of the Office of Human Resources.


Patrick J. Freaney Named Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service New York Field Office

News Release: New York Patrick J. Freaney has been named special agent in charge (SAIC) of the U.S. Secret Service New York Field Office. With more than 20 years of experience with the Secret Service, Mr. Freaney most recently served as the deputy special agent in charge (DSAIC) of the New York Field Office and its four subordinate offices.


Two Dominican Republic Citizens Plead Guilty to Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Scheme

News Release: EL PASO Wilver Jose Polanco-Alvarez, a 26-year-old Dominican Republic citizen residing in Miami, and Jose Eduardo Gomez Salas, a 25-year-old Dominican Republic citizen residing in New York, admitted in federal court today to using stolen personal identification information to obtain high-end electronic devices such as cell phones, laptop computers, tablets and watches.


Baker City Man Pleads Guilty in Covid-Relief Fraud Scheme

News Release: PORTLAND, Ore.A Baker City, Oregon man pleaded guilty today for fraudulently converting loans intended to help small business during the COVID-19 pandemic to his personal use.


Buckhannon man admits to drug and counterfeit charges

News Release: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA Garry William Moran, II, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, has admitted to drug and counterfeit charges, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.


Union County Man Admits Offering Bribes to Postal Service Employees

News Release: NEWARK, N.J. A Union County, Jersey, man today admitted offering bribes to a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee to steal check books and credit cards from the mail, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.


Secret Service investigation results in Dayton residents charged in identity & financial fraud scheme

News Release: DAYTON, Ohio A U.S. Secret Service investigation has led to federal charges related to identify fraud, aggravated identity theft, theft of U.S. mail, Social Security fraud, and access device fraud for two Daytonians.


Additional Co-Conspirators Charged in Prescription Diversion Scheme

News Release: Miami, Florida A South Florida grand jury has charged five additional defendants for their alleged roles in a sophisticated scheme to purchase and distribute millions of dollars in diverted pharmaceutical drugs. A total of 14 defendants have now been charged in this case (19-cr-20674).


Augusta woman sentenced, ordered to pay restitution for CARES Act fraud

News Release: Defendant fabricated business information to claim losses due to pandemic


Trotwood woman sentenced to prison for accepting Social Security payments, COVID-19 stimulus money on behalf of deceased brother

News Release: DAYTON, Ohio Karen Lamb, 61, of Trotwood, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to six months in prison followed by six months in home detention for stealing Social Security benefits and COVID-19 stimulus money in the name of her deceased brother. Lamb was also ordered to repay the money she stole.


Disbarred Columbus Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud

News Release: COLUMBUS, Ga. A former Columbus-based attorney has pleaded guilty to mail fraud after a U.S. Secret Service investigation revealed he had stolen a settlement fee from two clients in a personal injury case.


Former KUMC Employee Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling $556,000

News Release: KANSAS CITY, KAN. Michael Tae Kim Ahlers, 50, of Lenexa, Kansas, was sentenced to two years in prison after stealing more than $556,000 from his former employer, the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC), as well as from KUMC Research Institute and from KU Endowment. In February, Ahlers pleaded ...


Secret Service Announces Most Wanted Fugitives

News Release: Washington, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Secret Service relaunched its Most Wanted Fugitives page on the agencys website. Featuring the latest available information on these wanted fugitives, the website encourages the public to submit any relevant information they may have to mostwanted@usss.dhs.gov.


New Orleans Man Selling Bitcoin Charged with Operating Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business

News Release: NEW ORLEANS U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced thatMICHAEL YUSKO, III, age 46, a resident of New Orleans, was charged yesterday in a bill of information with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1960.