News Releases and Statements
News Releases and Statements
Pedro "Pete" Benevides, 45, of Astatula, forfeited property including several bank accounts containing approximately $40 million in cash and two exotic sports cars: a 2008 Lamborghini Murcielago and a 2009 Audi R8.
Damion Bryan Barrett, 28, was extradited from Jamaica in February based on charges that he committed fraud as part of an international lottery scheme against elderly victims in the United States.
Jermaine Smith, 34, of East Orange, New Jersey, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon. Smith pleaded guilty in October 2014 to one count of participating in a racketeer influenced corrupt organization.
Eduardo A. Herrera, 54, owner of Best for Less Collision Center in El Paso, was also ordered to forfeit his business property valued at $411,000, and cash seized from four business bank accounts totaling $15,451.05. Herrera’s sentence also included a $1 million money judgment.
Timothy Prejean, 42, of Carencro, admitted in his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik that he accepted numerous cash payments from James Panos, the former owner and manager of Desperado’s Cabaret, during the years he served as a liaison officer for the Carencro Police Department responsible for enforcing local ordinances at the establishment.
"We applaud the State Department's decision to feature these fugitives in the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program," said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Sarah R. Saldaña. "Members of this group likely thought they could escape detection and elude justice by hiding in cyberspace. We want to prove them wrong."
Farhan Ali Abu Siam, 42, and Mohammed Abuawada, 26, both of Philadelphia, were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud against the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as the federal food stamp program.
Raul Oropeza Lopez, 47, and Ana Maria Oropeza, 41, both of Delano, were arrested Tuesday. They are named in a 10-count indictment accusing them of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Both defendants have been released on bond. Their next court appearance is scheduled for May 4.
Pablo Zarate Juarez is the former Instituto Tamaulipeco De Vivienda Y Urbanismo (ITAVU) director in the State of Tamaulipas, Mexico. The criminal indictment, returned Wednesday, is a result of the efforts of the OCDETF investigation.
Daniel Pagano, 61, admitted to being the leader in a racketeering conspiracy that spanned nearly five years. He is scheduled to be sentenced July 10, 2015.
After a two-week jury trial, a Manhattan jury found Mahabubuz Zaman guilty on Nov. 12, 2014, of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit identification document fraud, and use of a false passport.
Dinu Horvat, 28, was convicted on four counts of a superseding indictment – conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to possess 15 or more counterfeit access devices, and conspiracy to possess access device-making equipment – following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court. The jury deliberated about two hours before returning the verdict.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) today named Banca Privada d'Andorra (BPA) as a foreign financial institution of primary money laundering concern pursuant to Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act (Section 311) and issued a related Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). This finding and NPRM are based on information indicating that, for several years, high-level managers at BPA have knowingly facilitated transactions on behalf of third-party money launderers acting on behalf of transnational criminal organizations.
Since 2005, HSI and the DIAN have worked closely in conducting trade-based money laundering and customs fraud investigations. HSI is the only U.S. law enforcement agency to exchange trade data with Colombia to investigate these types of crimes.
On Thursday, March 5, CNBC aired an episode of American Greed, highlighting the story of Jordan Belfort, the former stock broker and inspiration behind the 2013 film “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
“Former Korean President Chun violated the trust of the people of Korea,” said Director Saldaña. “The results in this case reflect the outstanding international cooperation that exists between U.S. law enforcement and the government of Korea.”
Special agents, investigators and attorneys gathered in Mexico City for a three-day law enforcement symposium to collaborate and share information on current money laundering trends. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Attaché Office in Mexico City and the Department of State’s (DOS) Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) hosted the symposium that ended Thursday.
Ambassador Mamet signed a proclamation memorializing the partnership between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Southern Cone of the Americas Attaché Office and the AFIP. The establishment of the TTU will enhance the detection of trade-based money laundering and commercial fraud violations.
Damion Bryan Barrett, 28, was charged in a 38-count indictment with conspiracy and 37 counts of wire fraud and committing these offenses via telemarketing. Barrett is the first Jamaican citizen to be extradited from that country to the United States based on charges of defrauding Americans in connection with a lottery scheme.
The charges against Darius X. Johnson are the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Inspector General for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Johnson made an initial appearance Wednesday in Atlanta federal court.
Maxim Chukharez, 29, of Costa Rica, was primarily responsible for maintaining Liberty Reserve’s technological infrastructure and for implementing systems designed to create the false appearance that Liberty Reserve had an effective anti-money laundering program.
David Tung, 72, formerly of Hillsborough, California, and his company, Concord Farms, Inc., are charged in an indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. The charges stem from a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Oscar J. Aguilar, 38, a Mexican citizen legally residing in Brownsville, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen, to 168 months in federal prison. Aguilar was further ordered to pay a $1,893,170 money judgment which represented the proceeds of drug smuggling that were laundered in the scheme.
Patty Cordoba, 42, of Crystal Lake, Illinois, and seven others were arrested and each charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States by obtaining payment after filing false claims for tax refunds, and at least one count of mail fraud.
More than $5 million in cash and assets were seized during the investigation of large-scale drug trafficker Ronald Belciano, age 42, of Newtown Square (formerly Villanova), Pennsylvania.
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