📅 Jul 10, 2020

Morning Digest

From: DOJ Digests

To: Rendon DOJ Alert Desk

Department of Justice Morning News Digest July 10, 2020 08:00 AM EDT TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Washington & DOJ Schedule 2. Network Evening News Lineup 3. Morning Headlines 4. US Department of Justice News 5. COVID-19 6. Federal Law Enforcement Agencies 7. National Security 8. Immigration & Border Security 9. US Supreme Court 10. Criminal Law 11. Civil Law 12. Civil Rights 13. Antitrust 14. Environment 15. Tax 16. Criminal Justice/Corrections 17. Native American Affairs 18. Marijua

Department of Justice Morning News Digest July 10, 2020 08:00 AM EDT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Washington & DOJ Schedule

2. Network Evening News Lineup

3. Morning Headlines

4. US Department of Justice News

5. COVID-19

6. Federal Law Enforcement Agencies

7. National Security

8. Immigration & Border Security

9. US Supreme Court

10. Criminal Law

11. Civil Law

12. Civil Rights

13. Antitrust

14. Environment

15. Tax

16. Criminal Justice/Corrections

17. Native American Affairs

18. Marijuana Legalization

19. Opioid Crisis

20. Administration

21. Congress

WASHINGTON & DOJ SCHEDULE: JULY 10, 2020

DOJ

• No scheduled events.

NETWORK EVENING NEWS LINEUP: JULY 9, 2020

ABC: World News Tonight with David Muir CBS: Evening News with Norah O'Donnell NBC: Nightly News with Lester Holt

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• The United States has broken another coronavirus record reporting 60,565 new confirmed cases in 24 hours. Deaths from the virus also climbed by more than 800 for the third day in a row, pushing the national total past 133,000. America's three biggest states, California, Florida and Texas, are all reporting their largest single-day death toll since the pandemic began. Meanwhile, the UN has announced a review of the global health agency's response to the pandemic, which will be led by former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. [ABC CBS NBC]

• The Supreme Court made a statement on the limits of presidential power, ruling that New York prosecutor Cy Vance can see Trump's tax returns saying the president cannot block the release of his financial records. [ABC CBS NBC]

• Michael Cohen, President Trump's onetime lawyer and fixer, was taken back into custody on Thursday for failing to follow the rules of his home confinement. [ABC CBS]

• New audio has emerged from the investigation into the death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot at home by police during the execution of a no-knock warrant. Newly released interviews with police and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who spoke to authorities hours after he survived the encounter that killed Taylor at their home on March 13 reinforce that the couple had no idea who was attempting to break into the apartment that night. [ABC CBS]

• Transcripts from all of the present officers' body cameras captured chilling pleas from George Floyd in his final moments. The transcripts revealed that Floyd said the word "please" nearly five dozen times to the officers charged with aiding and abetting his murder. [ABC]

• Another 1.3 million U.S. workers filed for unemployment insurance last week, the Department of Labor said Thursday. While the new jobless claims have leveled off some since peaking at 6.9 million in late March, they remain at historically high levels -- and have been in the millions each week for over three months. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, the record for weekly unemployment filings was 695,000 in 1982. [ABC]

• Former Vice President Joe Biden tore into President Donald Trump Thursday on the incumbent's signature issue, the economy, seeking to cast him as a divisive and incompetent leader while unveiling the first major plank of his economic recovery plan. [ABC]

• The US Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a large swath of eastern Oklahoma remains a Native American reservation, a decision that could cast doubt on hundreds of convictions and possibly limit law enforcement actions in the area. The justices — in a 5-4 ruling — decided in a case involving Native American Jimcy McGirt that the site of a rape should have been considered part of a reservation based on the historical claim of the Muscogee, or Creek, Nation, making it out of bounds to state authorities. [ABC]

• Glass vial shortage could delay deployment of coronavirus vaccine, Even if a coronavirus vaccine is proven safe and effective, there are concerns that a global shortage of glass for vaccine vials could delay mass production. [CBS]

• Hospitals across the country struggling to obtain masks, gowns and gloves, forcing health care workers to reuse PPE, in a resurgence of the shortage faced at the beginning of the pandemic. [NBC]

• As coronavirus cases surge across the country, teachers and parents are worried about sending kids back to school this fall even as months of virtual learning have taken their toll. [NBC]

MORNING HEADLINES

• "Coronavirus Live Updates: U.S. Nears 60,000 New Cases a Day" [NYT, WaPo WSJ]

• "Trump's angry reaction to court underscores political risk" [WaPo NYT]

• "World Health Organization acknowledges that coronavirus can linger in the air" [LAT]

• "U.S. Stock Futures Slip Amid Flight to Government Bonds" [WSJ]

US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE NEWS

KAIT-ABC (Jonesboro, AR): "Attorney General Barr visits Arkansas, discusses criminal justice," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 9:52 PM (EDT)

Attorney General William Barr paid a visit to the Natural State Thursday, saying the support of local and state law enforcement plays a huge role in the overall issue of criminal justice. According to content partner KARK, the Attorney General was in Little Rock to attend a Federal and Local Law Enforcement Roundtable, plus met

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with Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Sen. Tom Cotton and Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge among others. [Continue Reading] See also: KTHV-CBS (Little Rock. AR)

Bloomberg: "Barr Says Probe Trump Sought of FBI May Yield Results in Summer,"Chris Strohm, July 09, 2020, 4:38 PM

A criminal investigation into whether FBI officials acted improperly while probing Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and his associates may produce some results by the end of summer, Attorney General William Barr said. [Continue Reading]

ABC: "Attorney General William Barr defends Justice Department against claims of politicization," Pierre Thomas, Lucien Bruggeman, Jack Date, Alexander Mallin, Luke Barr, July 09, 2020, 4:09 PM Attorney General William Barr offered a forceful defense of the Justice Department's independence on Wednesday amid criticism that its work has been leveraged as a political tool for President Donald Trump. "Where independence is most important and, in fact, essential is in the administration of criminal justice -- the decisions to charge people or not charge people," Barr said in an exclusive interview with ABC News. Continue Reading]

ABC: "Unfair policing of African Americans a 'widespread phenomenon,' Attorney General Barr says," Pierre Thomas, Lucien Bruggeman, Jack Date, Alexander Mallin, Luke Barr, July 09, 2020, 4:02 PM Unfair policing of African Americans a 'widespread phenomenon,' Attorney General Barr says The nation's top law enforcement officer sat down for an ABC News exclusive. Amid nationwide unrest and frustration with law enforcement, Attorney General William Barr on Wednesday acknowledged that communities of color are often policed differently from white ones, calling the unfairness a "widespread phenomenon." [Continue Reading]

ABC: "AG Barr announces new initiative 'Operation Legend' to tackle violent crime," Alexander Mallin, July 09, 2020, 3:35 PM

AG Barr announces new initiative 'Operation Legend' to tackle violent crime Law enforcement officials will first be dispatched to to Kansas City, Missouri. In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Attorney General William Barr announced the creation of a new nationwide law enforcement initiative -- dubbed 'Operation Legend' -- intended to send federal resources to states and cities seeing a recent surge in violent crime. [Continue Reading] See also: KMGH-ABC (Denver CO) KSHB-NBC (Kansas City MO) Salon WTVD-ABC (Durham NC)

COVID-19

Law360: "Syrian Doc Sues To Keep Treating COVID-19 Patients In US," Craig Clough, July 09, 2020, 8:39 PM

A Syrian medical doctor filed suit in D.C. federal court on Thursday challenging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's purported delay in processing his waiver request for an extension of his J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa, which he says he is requesting to continue treating COVID-19 patients. [Continue Reading]

Princeton Daily Clarion (Princeton, IN): "Fort Branch women charged with wire fraud," Andrea Howe, July 09, 2020, 5:00 PM

U.S. Attorney Josh J. Minkler reported the arrest Thursday of Rose Ann Azzarello, 60, and Andrea Renee Pytlinski, 38, both of Fort Branch, on wire fraud charges alleged to stem from COVID-19 check scams. "With any crisis, comes criminals looking for the opportunity to cash in for their own benefit. The coronavirus health crisis has not been immune from their fraudulent schemes" said Minkler. [Continue Reading]

WVTF-NPR (VI): "Coronavirus Outbreak, Two Hospitalized, at ICE Facility in Farmville," Mallory Noe-Payne, July 09, 2020, 4:00 PM An outbreak of COVID-19 at an ICE detention facility in Central Virginia has advocates worried. More than 100 people detained there have now tested positive for the virus. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not reported any deaths at the facility in Farmville, but they do say two people have been hospitalized for respiratory issues. [Continue Reading]

Las Vegas Review-Journal (Las Vegas, NV): "ICE detainees bear brunt of COVID-19 spike in Nye County jails," Rio Lacanlale, July 09, 2020, 3:56 PM (EDT) Immigration detainees have been the hardest hit by a recent COVID-19 outbreak within the inmate population at the Nye County Detention Center in Pahrump, according to county and federal data. [Continue Reading]

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FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

KOTV-CBS (Tulsa, OK): "DEA Agents Combat Meth Threat In Oklahoma Through Operation Crystal Shield," Bonnie Campo, July 09, 2020, 9:43 PM

Skilled at hiding in plain sight, agents with the Drug Enforcement Agency are on high alert. They said key

players, connected to various Mexican cartels, are doing big business in our state. "Nearly 100 percent of all

methamphetamine that arrives here in Oklahoma is smuggled across our southwest border from Mexico," said

John Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration. [Continue Reading]

Dothan Eagle (Dothan, AL): "DEA charges pharmacist in Wednesday's raid," Michele W. Forehan, July 09, 2020, 9:00 PM

A Dothan pharmacist has been charged by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration after a raid at his business Wednesday, culminating a lengthy investigation by federal agents and Dothan police. Allen Strickland, who owns Allen's Pharmacy at 1518 W. Main St., was arrested late Wednesday and charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. [Continue Reading] See also: WTVY-CBS/MyNetworkTV (Dothan, AL)

KRQE-CBS/Fox (Albuquerque, NM): "FBI looking for bank robber who escaped in convertible in northwest Albuquerque; FBI offers $5,000 reward," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 8:46 PM The FBI says a man made his escape in a convertible after robbing an Albuquerque bank Thursday morning. They say he showed a handgun and demanded money from a teller at Bank of the West inside the Smith's on 4th near Montano around 10:20 a.m. He left in a white Ford Mustang convertible with no license plates. [Continue Reading]

Patch (Salem, NH): "Human Remains Found In Methuen By FBI Evidence Response Team," Jeffrey Hastings, July 09, 2020, 6:59 PM

The FBI Evidence Response team using excavating equipment has been search an area of Milk Street for human remains for three days. Sources have confirmed to Patch that human remains were found at the site Thursday afternoon. Multiple sources have confirmed the remains they were looking for are that of a man from Manchester. [Continue Reading] See also: Boston Globe MassLive WBZ-CBS (Boston MA) WHDH (Boston MA)

WOI-ABC (Des Moines, IA): [VIDEO] "FBI, DOJ investigating noose found at Facebook Data Center," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 6:51 PM

The FBI and the Department of Justice are assisting the Altoona Police Department in investigating a noose found last month at the Facebook Data Center. [Watch]

KRDO-AM (Colorado Springs, CO): "FBI, CBI return to Suzanne Morphew's home after two months of disappearance," Zachary Aedo, July 09, 2020, 5:17 PM

After two months since her disappearance, state and federal investigators retumed to the home of Suzanne Morphew in Chaffee County on Thursday. Authorities said they searched the area again for any new information related to the 49-year-old woman's disappearance. [Continue Reading]

WWBT-NBC (Richmond, VA): "ATF offers $5K reward for information about GRTC Pulse bus fire,"

Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 5:01 PM The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible for setting a GRTC Pulse bus on fire. The bus was set on fire on May 30 during protests that turned violent in downtown Richmond. Continue Reading]

WITI-Fox (Milwaukee, WI): "MPD seeks information regarding homicide of 16-year-old girl; FBI offers $5,000 reward," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 3:52 PM

The Milwaukee Police Department on Thursday, July 9 requested the public's help gathering information about the homicide of 16-year-old Qunyonce Louis-Moore. Police said Louise-Moore was shot and killed in an alley near 8th and Keefe on Tuesday night, June 30 around 10:30 p.m. She was walking in the alley when shots were fired and she was subsequently struck. [Continue Reading]

KHQA-CBS/ABC (Hannibal, MO): "65K reward being offered in Hannibal Farm and Home Supply firearm burglary," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 3:30 PM

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The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hannibal Police Department announced Thursday a reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the June 26th theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Hannibal. In the early moming hours of Friday, June 26th, two unknown suspects broke into Farm and Home Supply, located at 2959 Palmyra Road, stealing several firearms. [Continue Reading]

KTTV-Fox (Los Angeles, CA): "Robert Fuller's death ruled a suicide after 'thorough' investigation overseen by state, FBI," Kelli Johnson, July 09, 2020, 3:00 PM

After what officials said was a "thorough investigation" conducted in collaboration with the California Department of Justice and FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on Thursday announced Robert Fuller's death has been ruled a suicide. [Continue Reading] See also: Forbes KTLA-CW (Los Angeles CA) Newsweek

NATIONAL SECURITY

Politico: "A top terrorism fighter's dire warning," Betsy Woodruff Swan, July 09, 2020, 10:03 PM America's intelligence agencies risk slipping back into dangerous pre-9/11 habits, a recently departed top counterterrorism official is warning in his first public remarks on the matter. Russell Travers, the former head of the U.S. government's hub for analysis of counterterrorism intelligence, was so alarmed that he shared his concerns with the intelligence community's top internal watchdog in his final weeks on the job. Continue Reading]

Law360: "FBI Agent Grilled On Russian Officials' Integrity In Hack Trial," Zachary Aedo, July 09, 2020, 9:37 PM

Counsel for a Russian national on trial in Califomia federal court over 2012 cyberattacks on Linkedln and Dropbox tore into an FBI agent who investigated the data breaches on Thursday, cross-examining the agent about the reliability of evidence provided by Russian authorities before resting his case without calling witnesses. Cross-examining the FBI agent who investigated 32-year-old Moscow resident Yevgeniy Nikulin's alleged connection to the data breaches that exposed over 100 million users' data, Nikulin's attomey highlighted uncertainties and questions left unanswered by the FBI's yearslong investigation. [Continue Reading]

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY

BuzzFeed: "The Trump Administration Told A Judge ICE Should Not Release Parents And Children Who've Been Detained Together," Hamed Aleaziz and Adolfo Flores, July 10, 2020, 2:14 AM The US government told a federal judge late Thursday that immigrant families should not be released from custody more than a week after children were ordered released from ICE detention centers across the country, setting up scenarios in which they could be separated. [Continue Reading]

KFOX-Fox (El Paso, TX): "Border Patrol agent runs over migrant near Ysleta port of entry," Erika Esquivel, July 09, 2020, 11:00 PM

Officials with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed Thursday a Border Patrol agent ran over a migrant who was allegedly avoiding Border Patrol. The incident happened July 1 around 9 p.m. when agents working at the Ysleta port of entry were searching for a group of three undocumented migrants who were allegedly trying to enter the U.S. illegally. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Calif. Blasts ICE's New Int, Student Attendance Policy In Suit," Lauren Berg, July 09, 2020, 8:53 PM

California became the first state on Thursday to lodge a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's new requirement that international students whose universities go fully online during the pandemic leave the U.S. or risk deportation. [Continue Reading] See also: CNN LAT

West Central Tribune (Wilmar, MN): "University of Minnesota joins schools challenging federal government's visa restrictions," Andee Erickson, July 09, 2020, 7:00 PM

After U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced policy changes that would prevent international students from living in the country if they're only enrolled in online classes, University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel announced Thursday, July 9 the system is joining an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit that challenges the federal government. [Continue Reading] See also: WABI-CBS/CW+ (Bangor ME) WBAY-ABC

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(Green Bay, WI), WBUR (Boston, MA), WEAU-NBC (Eau Claire, WI), WFXR-Fox (Roanoke, VI), WIVT-ABC (Binghamton, NY), WHP-CBS (Harrisburg, PA), WOWK-CBS (Huntington, WV)

KVEO-NBC (Brownsville, TX): "Over 20 pounds of cocaine seized at Falfurria checkpoint," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 4:51 PM

Border Patrol agents seized over 20 pounds of cocaine worth more than $678,000 at Falfurrias checkpoint. In a statement issued Thursday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says Falfurrias agents working at the checkpoint made an inspection on a tractor-trailer following a K-9 alert. Agents then discovered that the refrigerated trailer had more than 20 pounds of cocaine in a hidden compartment. [Continue Reading]

Fox: "ICE deports illegal immigrant linked to El Salvador terror groups," Bradford Betz, July 09, 2020, 4:00 PM

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Wednesday deported an illegal immigrant who was wanted in El Salvador on charges of terrorism and leading terrorist organizations. Saul Alberto Benavides, 35, was flown on a charter flight coordinated by ICE's Air Operations Unit from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston to San Salvador, El Salvador, the agency said in a press release. [Continue Reading]

NBC: "99 members of Congress demand withdrawal of restrictions on international students," Daniella Silva, July 09, 2020, 2:59 PM

Nearly 100 members of Congress are demanding the Trump administration stop a policy that would strip intemational students of their visas if their coursework is entirely online when classes resume in the fall, according to a letter shared exclusively with NBC News on Thursday. [Continue Reading]

US SUPREME COURT

NPR: [AUDIO] "Chief Justice John Roberts' Major Role In The Recent Supreme Court Term," Nina Totenberg, July 09, 2020, 4:58 PM

Chief Justice John Roberts has had a momentous term in which he played perhaps the most influential role of any chief justice in close to a century. [Listen]

Law360: "Justices Told PTAB Constitutional Issues Persist Post-Arthrex," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 11:58 PM

Duke University has told the U.S. Supreme Court that Patent Trial and Appeal Board judges remain unconstitutionally appointed and that the Federal Circuit is sidestepping Arthrex when it denies remands to parties that don't raise appointments clause challenges in their opening briefs. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "High Court Sends Birth Control Coverage Cases To 9th Circ.," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 10:53 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday undid a Ninth Circuit injunction that blocked a pair of Trump administration rules making it easier for employers to skirt the Affordable Care Act's contraception mandate, a day after the justices upheld the regulations in a similar case. [Continue Reading]

Law360: [ANALYSIS] "Civil Rights Attys Fear Religious Turn At High Court," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 10:14 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Trump v. Pennsylvania could devastate American workers who use birth control in the short term while chipping away at nondiscrimination protections in the long term, civil rights advocates say. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "High Court Takes Up Christian Students' Free Speech Suit," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 10:11 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court breathed new life Thursday into two former students' case alleging Georgia Gwinnett College stifled their free speech rights to speak on campus about their Christian faith, saying it would review an Eleventh Circuit decision affirming dismissal after the school changed disputed policies. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "High Court Won't Pick Up Charter's Bid To Overturn TCPA," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 9:42 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday declined to take up Charter Communications' challenge to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act's autodialer restrictions, after a divided high court earlier this week upheld the statute's

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sweeping ban on robocalls but stomped on an exemption for government-backed debt collectors. Continue Reading]

The Recorder: "SCOTUS Poised to Define Banned Technology in Facebook TCPA Case," Alaina Lancaster, July 09, 2020, 6:28 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to provide a crucial definition related to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act that could refine the scope of the law. [Continue Reading]

Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, FL): "U.S. Supreme Court asked to allow former felons to vote, despite fines and fees, while case continues," Dara Kam, July 09, 2020, 5:05 PM

Plaintiffs in a Florida voting-rights case have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to vacate an appeals-court decision that would prevent hundreds of thousands of felons from registering and voting in next month's primary elections and could keep them from casting ballots in November. [Continue Reading] See also: AP

NYT: [EDITORIAL] "The Supreme Court Lets Trump Run Out the Clock," Editorial Board, July 09, 2020, 5:00 PM

In two major cases on Thursday, the Supreme Court rejected President Trump's attempt to avoid all legal scrutiny of his financial records and reaffirmed the principle that undergirds any democratic society: No one, not even the president, is above the law. [Continue Reading]

WaPo: "Supreme Court says much of eastern Oklahoma remains Indian land," Ann E. Marimow, July 09, 2020, 4:58 PM

The Supreme Court said Thursday that a large swath of eastern Oklahoma remains an American Indian reservation, a decision with potential implications for nearly 2 million residents and one of the most significant victories for tribal rights in years. The land at issue contains much of Tulsa, the state's second-largest city. The question for the court was whether Congress officially eliminated the Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation when Oklahoma became a state in 1907. [Continue Reading] See also: AP Bloomberg Law CNN Financial Times Law360 New York Daily News NYT New York Post VOA

NPR: [AUDIO] "Presidents Don't Have Absolute Immunity," Scott Detrow, Ayesha Rascoe, Carrie Johnson, July 09, 2020, 4:41 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected President Trump's claim that he is "categorically immune" from having his pre-presidential financial records investigated by a New York grand jury. But in a second decision on the House's request for similar information, the court questioned the breadth of congressional authority. Americans, almost certainly, will not see the president's taxes before Election Day. [Listen] See also: ABC CNN Financial Times The Hill LAT, NPR-1 NYT, Politico USA Today WaPo WSJ

WaPo: [EDITORIAL] "The court rejects Trump's imperious arguments on subpoenas, but it doesn't go far enough," Editorial Board, July 09, 2020, 3:27 PM

Several times in the Supreme Court's now-concluded 2019-2020 term, the justices stopped short of giving one side a complete victory on a hot-button issue. They did so again Thursday, the last day of the term, when the question was whether subpoenas for President Trump's financial records — one from Manhattan's district attorney, four from Congress — were enforceable. [Continue Reading]

CRIMINAL LAW

WDVM (Hagerstown, MD): "Philadelphia man faces 20 years in prison after distributing opioids in Berkeley County," Katie Rhee, July 09, 2020, 11:29 PM

A step towards improving the opioid crisis in West Virginia after a Philadelphia man admitted to heroin and fentanyl distribution today. 45 year old Richard Gaines pled guilty to one count of "Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Fentanyl." This comes after Gaines admitted to having the opioids in Berkeley County in June of 2017. [Continue Reading]

KIII-ABC (Corpus Christi, TX): "Driver in deadly Robstown crash in June 2019 sentenced to federal prison," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 11:15 PM

A Mexican citizen convicted of attempting to smuggling 18 undocumented immigrants across the border has been sentenced to federal prison. 31-year old Ivan Puga Moreno has been sentenced to 10 years. He will then be deported once time has been served. [Continue Reading]

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KGTV-ABC (San Diego, CA): "San Diego man sentenced for ID theft that took millions from military members," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 11:00 PM

A San Diego man was sentenced Thursday to nearly four years in federal prison for his role in a scheme that took millions of dollars from U.S. servicemembers by utilizing stolen identity information. Trorice Crawford, 33, pleaded guilty last December to one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments for his part in facilitating the thefts of funds from thousands of military members' bank accounts. [Continue Reading]

The Citizens' Voice (Wilkes-Barre, PA): "W-B woman pleads guilty to straw purchases of guns," Eric Mark, July 09, 2020, 11:00 PM

A Wilkes-Barre woman pleaded guilty this week to making false statements in connection with firearms purchases, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Laquanna Bacote, 25, entered a guilty plea in federal court on Tuesday, the Justice Department said, in a news release. In October 2019, a grand jury indicted Bacote on charges of conspiring to make false statements to acquire firearms and making false statements to acquire firearms. [Continue Reading]

The Hour (Norwalk, CT): "New Haven woman pleads guilty to federal drug charge," Tara O'Neill, July 09, 2020, 10:17 PM

A city woman pleaded guilty Thursday, admitting her role in conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, according to federal authorities. Jenna Defelice, 35, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances. That offense carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. [Continue Reading]

NJ.com: "Alleged mobster headed back to prison for dealing drugs, packing heat, feds say," Kevin Shea, July 09, 2020, 9:51 PM

A federal judge sent an Ocean County man to prison Thursday for the second time in four years for basically the same criminal scheme - dealing cocaine. Mario Galli III, 28, of Toms River, an associate of the DeCavalcante crime family, was sentenced to 76 months in federal prison (four years and four months) for two crimes, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possessing a firearm during a drug crime, the New Jersey U.S. Attorney's Office announced. [Continue Reading] See also: Daily Voice

WRGB-CBS (Schenectady, NY): "Queens man gets 70 months for trafficking heroin, other drugs in the Capital Region," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 9:30 PM

The United States Department of Justice announced the sentencing of a man from Queens, who was arrested in 2018 for selling drugs in the Capital Region. According to police, 38-year-old Eric Soto traveled from New York City to the Capital Region on three occasions for the purpose of distributing both heroin and oxycodone at various locations in Albany County, including in Colonie, Guilderland and Watervliet. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Feds Indict 4 In Alleged $34M Pharma Kickback Scheme," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 8:54 PM A federal grand jury has indicted four men allegedly behind a $34 million scheme by a now-shuttered ScripsAmerica subsidiary pharmacy based in New Jersey that paid kickbacks to marketers in the form of referral fees, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday. [Continue Reading] See also: Courier Times (Bucks County PA)

KPTV-Fox (Portland, OR): "Oregon men, including dad who left kids to inject meth, sentenced in separate cases for illegal gun possession," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 8:00 PM Three Oregon men have been sentenced in separate cases for illegally possessing firearms, including one man convicted of killing another man for spending the night with his girlfriend, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Mitch Bryan Schoonover, 37, of Portland, Isaiah Holt, 32, also of Portland, and Jay Rodney Ferdig, 44, of Salem, are convicted felons. They were sentenced this month to time federal prison in separate cases, ranging from 18 months to 37 months. [Continue Reading]

WMTV-NBC (Madison, WI): "Madison man sentenced to 20 years for producing child pornography," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 7:35 PM

25-year-old Jeremy Schenck is set to spend 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to the production of child pornography, according to a statement from U.S Attorney Scott C. Blader Thursday morning. The statement says Schenck's investigation began back in Dec. of 2018 after a social worker from Dane County Human Services contacted MPD. The social worker contacted MPD after a victim reported they were sexually abused by Schenck. [Continue Reading]

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Law360: "Romanian Programmer Cops To Role In $722M Crypto Fraud," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 7:34 PM

A Romanian man pled guilty Thursday to plotting to sell unregistered securities in connection with his role in a $722 million cryptocurrency mining scheme known as the BitClub Network, New Jersey's top federal prosecutor announced. [Continue Reading]

BuzzFeed: "A Mail Carrier Took People's Absentee Ballot Requests And Switched Their Party To Republican," David Mack, July 09, 2020, 7:30 PM

A West Virginia mail carrier is facing prison time after admitting he attempted election fraud by changing the party registrations of people who had requested absentee ballots for the state's June primary, officials announced Thursday. Thomas Cooper, 47, of Dry Fork signed an agreement in which he pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to defraud the residents of West Virginia of a fair election and one count of injury to the mail. [Continue Reading] See also: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Pittsburgh PA) WCHS-ABC (Charleston WV)

Register-Herald (Beckley, WV): "Whitesville man sentenced for child pornography," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 7:00 PM

A Whitesville man was sentenced to federal prison for his second child pornography offense and possessing a firearm despite being a convicted felon, United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced. Daniel Runion was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison for possession of child pornography and being a felon in possession of a firearm. [Continue Reading]

Washington Times: "OSU researcher with ties to Chinese Talent Plan charged with grant fraud," Jeff Mordock, July 09, 2020, 7:00 PM

A professor with ties to a controversial group that the Trump administration has accused of stealing U.S. intellectual property was charged with grant fraud, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday. Song Guo

Zheng, 57, a rheumatology professor and researcher at the Ohio State University, was arrested in late May, the Justice Department said. [Continue Reading] See also: Bloomberg Bloomberg Law Columbus Dispatch (Columbus OH) Daily Beast WSYX-ABC (Columbia OH)

KUSA-NBC (Denver, CO): "Colorado man pleads guilty to possessing more than 10,500 child porn files," Amanda Kesting, July 09, 2020, 7:00 PM (EDT)

A man has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography after investigators found an organized collection of more than 10,500 child porn images and videos in his home, the District Attorney for the 17th Judicial District said Thursday. Colorado's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force began investigating Jason Van Hoesen, 46, in December 2018. [Continue Reading]

WDSU-NBC (New Orleans, LA): "Another indicted in failed First NBC Bank investigation," Chris Slaughter, July 09, 2020, 7:00 PM

Another indictment was handed down in the large, ongoing federal investigation into the failure of the First NBC

bank. A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Metairie businessman Warren G Treme with

conspiracy to commit bank fraud. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Fashion Mogul Wants 52 Women Cut From Sex Trafficking Suit," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 6:48 PM

Canadian fashion executive Peter J. Nygard and his companies urged a New York federal judge on Wednesday to dismiss the claims of 52 of the 57 women accusing him of sex trafficking and rape, saying the allegations lack any connection to New York. [Continue Reading]

Daily Voice: "NJ Feds: COVID Couldn't Slow Doc, Wife In Multi-Million Dollar Bribery Scam," Jerry DeMarco, July 09, 2020, 6:37 PM

The coronavirus pandemic hardly fazed a Rockland doctor who with his wife continued to collect bribes and kickbacks in exchange for ordering millions of dollars in genetic tests, federal authorities said Thursday. Yitzachok "Barry" Kurtzer, 60, of Monsey operated an office in Scranton, PA, as did another physician, Lee Besen, 64, of Waverly, PA, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Craig Carpenito said. [Continue Reading]

WJXT- CW (Jacksonville, FL): "Putnam County man accused of sex trafficking of children," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 5:00 PM

Federal prosecutors said a 33-year-old Pomona Park man tried soliciting at least three children to engage in sex for money, according to an indictment released Thursday by the U.S. Attorney's Office. A grand jury charged

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Edward Alan Hardin with two counts of sex trafficking children and four counts of using a cellular phone to entice children to engage in unlawful sex acts. [Continue Reading]

Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, MO): "Feds say St. Louis man admitted leading major drug ring," Robert Patrick, July 09, 2020, 5:00 PM

A St. Louis man pleaded guilty Thursday to a drug conspiracy charge and admitted running a major drug ring that brought fentanyl, cocaine and heroin to the region, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Guy R. Goolsby, 44, now faces 10 years to life in prison after admitting that he and others used couriers and vehicles with secret compartments to ship drugs from Mexico to a home in Spanish Lake via Texas and Florida, prosecutors said. Goolsby admitted as part of his plea to conspiring to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine, over one kilogram of heroin, and over 400 grams of fentanyl from March 11, 2018, to March 12, 2019, they said. Continue Reading]

WSJ: "Judge Appeals Order to Dismiss Charges Against Michael Flynn," Byron Tau, July 09, 2020, 4:56 PM

A federal judge asked for a full appeals court to review an order telling him to dismiss the case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn. U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan on Thursday asked the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review a decision that ordered him to drop the charges after the government sought a dismissal. [Continue Reading] See also: Axios CNBC CNN New York Post NYT, Politico Washington Examiner Washington Times

WBBJ-ABC/CBS (Jackson, TN): "Benton County man sentenced after standoff, car chase,"

Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 4:00 PM Shannon Pettigrew, 35, was convicted of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of ammunition as a convicted felon, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's office. The release says deputies with the Benton County Sheriff's Office initially responded to a 911 call which indicated a man had threatened to kill his girlfriend. [Continue Reading]

Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Atlanta, GA): "Clarke County woman pleads guilty to selling meth after trafficking investigation," Shaddi Abusaid, July 09, 2020, 3:00 PM A Clarke County woman who was one of 68 people charged in a monthslong drug trafficking investigation has pleaded guilty in federal court, authorities said. Latasha Bishop, 33, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of distributing methamphetamine, prosecutors said. She faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and four years of supervised release. [Continue Reading]

Freight Waves ( Chattanooga, TN): "Breaking: Charges dropped against trucker in $20M marijuana bust at US-Canada border," Nate Tabak, July 09, 2020, 3:00 PM A U.S. federal judge has dismissed the criminal case against a truck driver accused of attempting to smuggle $20 million of marijuana from Canada to the United States. U.S. Magistrate Jeremiah McCarthy dismissed the case against Prajbot Nagra, 26, during a hearing Thursday afternoon in Buffalo, New York, at the request of a federal prosecutor. [Continue Reading]

KHOU-CBS (Houston, TX): "Suspect in shooting at El Paso Walmart faces new charges related to death of hospitalized victim," Lisa Carter, July 09, 2020, 2:33 PM A federal grand jury in El Paso on Thursday returned a superseding indictment against the suspect in the 2019 shooting at an El Paso Walmart that killed 23 people and injured 23 others. Patrick Wood Crusius, 21, has been indicted with a new hate crime and firearm charges stemming from the death of a hospitalized shooting victim. [Continue Reading]

WKBT-CBS (La Crosse, WI): "La Crosse man facing federal drug, gun charges," Deb Brazil, July 09, 2020, 2:19 PM

A La Crosse man is facing federal charges related to drug and gun crimes. The indictment alleges that Joshua Kletzke, 37, of La Crosse, on June 9, 2020, possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and also possessed a loaded .357 Magnum pistol. [Continue Reading]

CIVIL LAW

Law360: "Don't Trim Ripple Suit, Investors Urge Calif. Judge," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 11:24 PM

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Purchasers of the digital currency XRP who claim it's an unregistered security on Wednesday urged a California federal judge to let their full suit go forward against the currency's maker Ripple Labs Inc., saying they'd clearly explained in their complaint why they contend that the company lied. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "CFPB Settlement Would Reduce $3.8M Sanction To Just $22K," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 10:43 PM

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has asked a federal court to sign off on a settlement with a student loan debt-relief company that would see a proposed $3.8 million sanction reduced to just $22,000 if the defunct company and its principals can pay that amount in 10 days. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Champion Petfoods Wins Toss Of False Ad Suit," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 9:59 PM A Wisconsin federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a proposed class action claiming Champion Petfoods deceptively marketed its products, saying that it would be "extraordinary" to hold the company accountable for trace amounts of bisphenol A in its dog food. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "9th Circ. Kicks Costco PAGA Seating Suit Back To State Court," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 9:53 PM

The Ninth Circuit ruled Thursday that a lower court erred by removing a Costco worker's Private Attorneys General Act lawsuit over unprovided seating to federal court, rejecting Costco's arguments that labeling a complaint as a "class action" is enough to meet removal requirements under the Class Action Fairness Act. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Ex-Wawa Workers Ink $22M Deal To End ERISA Class Action," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 9:49 PM

A certified class of ex-Wawa workers urged a Pennsylvania federal judge Thursday to give preliminary approval to a $21.6 million settlement to end their Employee Retirement Income Security Act suit accusing the convenience store chain of forcing them to divest from the employee stock ownership plan. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Insurer Needn't Cover Trucking Co. In Human Trafficking Suit," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 9:07 PM

A Pennsylvania federal judge told Landmark American Insurance Co. it doesn't need to pay defense costs in a migrant worker's suit accusing its policyholder, a trucking company, of human trafficking and workplace mistreatment, holding that the allegations in the underlying suit aren't covered under the insurer's policy. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "JPMorgan Gets III. Futures Spoofing Suits Shipped To NY," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 7:15 PM

An Illinois federal judge on Thursday sent to the Southern District of New York two proposed class actions accusing JPMorgan Chase of using an illegal trading strategy called spoofing to manipulate the futures markets since 2009. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Jones Day Must Hand Over Nationwide Associate Pay Data," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 7:07 PM

A D.C. federal judge on Thursday told Jones Day that it must surrender nationwide associate salary data to female attorneys behind a pay discrimination proposed class action, after the firm argued the discovery request was overbroad and should be limited to certain states and offices. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Liberty Mutual Workers Fight Bid To Nix Suit Over 401(k) Plan," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 6:22 PM

A group of Liberty Mutual workers and retirees have urged a Massachusetts federal judge not to toss their proposed class action claiming their retirement plan lost millions to excessive fees and poorly performing funds, saying they adequately alleged the company dropped the ball with the plan. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Acreage Subsidiary To Pay $250K Fine To Mass. Pot Board," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 6:13 PM

Massachusetts' Cannabis Control Commission voted Thursday to approve a settlement with an Acreage Holdings subsidiary, under which the company will pay a $250,000 fine for failing to disclose its parent company's controlling relationship with two medical marijuana licensees. [Continue Reading]

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Law360: "Migrant Workers Say They Were Fired Over Housing Protests," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 5:34 PM

A group of migrant workers has sued an Atlanta construction firm in Georgia federal court, alleging they were fired after protesting company requirements that they pay "excessive" rent to live in crowded housing prone to overheating. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Mass. Pot Board Fines Cos. $550K Over Pesticide Violations," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 5:06 PM

Massachusetts cannabis regulators approved settlements with 4Front Ventures and another marijuana company Thursday over the use of improper pesticides on their plants, leveling a combined $550,000 in fines against the companies. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Weinstein Co. Floats $47M Ch. 11 Deal For Victims, Creditors," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 4:51 PM

Attorneys for Harvey Weinstein's bankrupt former studio outlined a tentative $46.8 million agreement Thursday to settle victim and bankruptcy creditor claims against the convicted sexual predator in Delaware bankruptcy court and New York federal court. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Walgreens Wants Insurers' Overcharging Suit Tossed," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 4:50 PM Walgreens asked an Illinois federal judge on Wednesday to toss a "misguided" fraud suit accusing it of intentionally overcharging private insurers for prescription drugs, saying the case can't move forward without the pharmacy benefit managers that act as intermediaries in insurers' transactions with pharmacies. Continue Reading]

Law360: "Pomerantz Nabs Lead Role In Cannabis Stock-Drop Suit," Lauren Berg, July 09, 2020, 4:30 PM A New York federal judge on Thursday appointed Pomerantz LLP as lead counsel to represent iAnthus Capital Holdings Inc. investors over claims the cannabis company tried to use the coronavirus pandemic to explain away a missed $4.4 million interest payment, after four firms vied for the position. [Continue Reading]

Bloomberg Law: "Kik's Alleged $100 Million ICO Draws N.Y. Judge's Scrutiny," Andrew Ramonas, July 09, 2020, 4:15 PM

Kik Interactive Inc.'s digital token sale came under scrutiny in a New York court, when a judge pressed the app maker if it followed securities laws in what the SEC said was an illegal $100 million initial coin offering. Judge Alvin Hellerstein of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York asked Kik to explain why its token called Kin wasn't a security during oral argument in a case over the sale Thursday. [Continue Reading]

Law 360: "Williams-Sonoma Wants Thread-Count Suit In Arbitration," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 4:09 PM

Williams -SonomaInc. is asking a California federal court to send to arbitration a proposed class action alleging the company misled consumers about the thread count of its bedding, saying the proposed class representative agreed to arbitration when she made her purchases as recently as the day before she joined the suit. In a motion filed Wednesday, Williams-Sonoma told the court that Elizabeth Perlin, who was added in the suit's eighth amended complaint in June, made more than 150 purchases, and each time was warned that making the purchase meant agreeing to the site's terms and conditions. [Continue Reading]

Bloomberg Law: "Sephora, Retail Equation Misused Customer Data, Lawsuit Alleges," Julia Weng, July 09, 2020, 3:57 PM

Sephora USA Inc. allegedly shared customer data without permission to determine shoppers' likelihood of fraudulently returning product purchases, according to a proposed class action in California. Sephora's data sharing with The Retail Equation Inc. led to a "risk score" that resulted in the cosmetics retailer denying valid returns, the suit filed July 7 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California claims. Continue Reading]

CIVIL RIGHTS

Reuters: "U.S. Civil Rights Groups Protest 'Out-Of-Touch' Justice Department Police Commission,"

Sarah N. Lynch, July 09, 2020, 6:13 PM Prominent U.S. civil rights groups are refusing to appear before a Justice Department law enforcement commission set up to recommend ways to increase respect for police and reduce crime, calling it out of touch with public anger over policing. The Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of

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Justice was established in January, before the latest wave of mass protests over police use of force against Black Americans set off by the May killing of George Floyd. [Continue Reading]

Kansas City Star (Kansas City, KS): "Four former Jackson County guards sentenced in 2015 beating that exposed jail problems," Katie Bernard, July 09, 2020, 7:21 PM

Four former Jackson County corrections officers were each sentenced to at least two years in prison Thursday for civil rights violations in a 2015 beating that drew attention to poor conditions at the Jackson County Detention Center sparking conversations about building a new facility. The sentences were announced in a news release from the Department of Justice. [Continue Reading]

WIBW-CBS (Topeka, KS): "Civil rights settlement agreement promises to transform foster care system," Sarah Motter, July 09, 2020, 5:55 PM

A new federal civil rights settlement agreement has promised to transform Kansas' foster care system and end years of victimization and trauma for its children. Kansas Appleseed says officials and attorneys advocating for the rights of over 7,000 children in the Kansas foster care system agreed to a settlement plan to transform an overburdened, mismanaged and dangerous foster care system that has victimized and traumatized Kansas children for years. [Continue Reading]

ANTITRUST

Law360: "3 Firms Fight To Lead Class In Juul-Altria Antitrust Suits," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 10:59 PM

Hausfeld, Berman Tabacco and the Joseph Saveri Law Firm have filed competing bids requesting a Califomia federal judge name them lead counsel for a group of consumers who accuse e-cigarette maker Juul and former rival Altria of violating antitrust laws by conspiring to reduce the variety of products on the market. Continue Reading]

Law360: "Judge OKs Poultry Co., Buyers' $3M Deal In Price-Fix Suit," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 8:55 PM

An Illinois federal judge gave his preliminary approval to a $2.95 million settlement on Thursday between poultry producer Amick Farms LLC and a group of indirect buyers as part of multidistrict litigation over an alleged price-fixing conspiracy for chicken. [Continue Reading]

Politico: "California investigating Google for potential antitrust violations," Leah Nylen, July 09, 2020, 8:33 PM

California has opened its own antitrust probe into Google, intensifying the pressure on the search giant already in the middle of investigations by the Justice Department and a host of other states, according to three people with knowledge of the inquiry. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "DOJ Backs Solar Energy Customers In Rate Row At 9th Circ.," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 7:14 PM

The U.S. Department of Justice has thrown its support behind a challenge to rates imposed by an Arizona utility on customers that supply some of their own power through solar panels, urging the Ninth Circuit to revive an antitrust case from consumers targeting the rates. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Facebook Dodges App Makers' Antitrust Suit, For Now," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 7:14 PM Facebook has dodged a suit by a handful of tech companies alleging the social media giant intentionally set out to destroy app developers it deemed potential rivals, though the California federal judge who tossed the case said the companies could come back with a retooled complaint. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "DOJ Blasts Chinese Cos.' Immunity Arguments In CRT Appeal," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 6:00 PM

The federal government told the Ninth Circuit that a pair of Chinese electronics companies should face claims in multidistrict litigation for conspiring to fix the price of cathode ray tubes because neither is entitled to sovereign immunity. [Continue Reading]

ENVIRONMENT

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Law360: "Ohio Mineral Owners Say Exxon, Cos. Drilled Too Deep For Oil," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 9:24 PM

An ExxonMobil unit and other companies clearly violated oil and gas production contracts by drilling into geologic areas they had no right accessing, a proposed class of mineral rights owners seeking partial summary judgment has told an Ohio federal court. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "No Injury In EPA Disclosure Delay On Virus Policy, Court Says," Michael Phillls, July 09, 2020, 8:31 PM

A New York federal judge has ruled that environmental groups can't show they were injured by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's allegedly delayed response to a request for more disclosure around a move to temporarily suspend some compliance obligations during the novel coronavirus crisis. [Continue Reading]

The Hill: "EPA proposes tighter emissions standards for industrial boilers after court order," Rachel Frazin, July 09, 2020, 4:41 PM

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing some tighter emissions limits for industrial boilers, a piece of equipment used to heat water or produce steam for industrial purposes, which emit various types of pollution. The Thursday proposal follows two court decisions, one in 2016 and one in 2018, compelling the agency to take additional actions on its boiler standards. [Continue Reading]

TAX

Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL): "Highwood butcher Dominic Poeta accused of illegal sports gambling, filing false federal tax return," Rosemary Soobal, July 09, 2020, 3:33 PM

The owner of a Highwood meat and Italian food market is facing federal charges of illegal sports bookmaking and filing a false federal income tax return, federal officials announced Thursday. From 2014 to 2018, 63-year-old Dominic Poeta, "unlawfully operated a business that provided sports betting and wagering services, both domestically and abroad," according to a criminal information filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Continue Reading]

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/CORRECTIONS

NPR: [AUDIO] "Federal Government Will Resume Executions," Carrie Johnson , July 10, 2020, 4:58 AM Federal executions are scheduled to resume after nearly 20 years. Three inmates are scheduled to be put to death at a prison in Indiana. [Listen]

CNN: "Michael Cohen taken into custody for violating terms of his early release from prison," Mark Morales and Paul LeBlanc, July 09, 2020, 11:25 PM

President Donald Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen has been taken into custody for violating terms of his early release from prison, his attorney Jeffrey Levine told reporters Thursday afternoon. Levine said Cohen had been ordered to appear at the federal court in downtown Manhattan to convert his furlough to home confinement but was detained after failing to agree to the terms of the federal location monitoring for the Southern District of New York. He was put in custody in a lower Manhattan correctional facility. Continue Reading] See also: ABC BuzzFeed CBS Courthouse News Service Law360 NBC New York Daily News NPR NYT The Philadelphia Inquirer WaPo WION WSJ

Law360: "In Reversal, DOJ Opposes Roger Stone's Prison Delay Bid," Khorri Atkinson, July 09, 2020, 8:18 PM

The U.S. Department of Justice in a sudden reversal said Thursday it no longer supports longtime GOP operative Roger Stone's bid to delay the start of his 40 months prison sentence by two months due to the coronavirus pandemic. [Continue Reading] See also: CNN

WTHI-CBS (Terre Haute, IN): "As federal executions are set to resume in Terre Haute, here's what the process involves," Unattributed July 09, 2020, 5:52 PM

The government has three federal prisoners set to be executed in Terre Haute next week. The last one happened in 2003. At that time, the government used a three-drug cocktail for lethal injections. We talked with the Death Penalty Information Center ahead of these executions. [Continue Reading]

ABC: "Ghislaine Maxwell given paper clothes at correctional center to avoid suicide attempt: Sources," Luke Barr and Mark Osborne, July 09, 2020, 5:04 PM Ghislaine Maxwell, the recently arrested confidant of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was given paper clothes upon checking into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, over fears that she might take her own life, two federal law enforcement sources confirm to ABC News. [Continue Reading]

NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS

WJMN-CBS (Escanaba, MI): "Department of Justice appoints MI's first missing, murdered Indigenous persons coordinator," Brianna MacLean, July 09, 2020, 8:11 PM Back in November of 2019, Attorney General William Barr launched a national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative was introduced to "develop protocols for a more coordinated law enforcement response to missing Indigenous peoples cases." [Continue Reading]

Law360: "HHS Urges DC Circ. To Nix Tribe's $1.1M Funding Award," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 2:41 PM The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has urged the D.C. Circuit to overturn a lower court decision that ordered the Indian Health Service to pay the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe the full $1.1 million in recurring funding it requested to fund certain health programs under a federal funding agreement. [Continue Reading]

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

Marijuana Moment: "Kansas City Lawmakers Vote To Remove All Local Penalties For Marijuana Possession," Tom Angell, July 09, 2020, 7:30 PM

The Kansas City, Missouri City Council voted on Thursday to approve an ordinance ending all penalties for

marijuana possession under the municipality's local laws. Mayor Quinton Lucas (D) and four local lawmakers

filed the cannabis measure last month, which repeals a provision of the Code of Ordinances stipulating that

possession of 35 grams or less of marijuana carries a $25 fine and more than 35 grams is punishable by a $500

fine. [Continue Reading] See also: KBIA-NPR (Columbia MO) WDAF-Fox (Kansas City MO)

Law360: "7th Circ. Says Ind. Smokable Hemp Ban Injunction Too Broad," Unattributed, July 09, 2020, 5:59 PM

The Seventh Circuit has vacated an injunction that blocked Indiana from enforcing certain smokable hemp regulations, saying the order "swept too broadly" and that a more narrowly tailored measure might pass muster. In a mixed ruling, a three-judge panel found Wednesday that a group of Indiana-based hemp and CBD sellers and wholesalers "may have been entitled to block certain aspects" of Indiana Senate-Enrolled Act 516 after arguing the businesses be at risk of irreparable harm from criminal actions brought against them. Continue Reading]

OPIOID CRISIS

Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, OH): "Under a challenge of constitutionality, the future of Casey's Law is cloaked and uncertain," Terry DeMio and Sarah Haselhorst, July 09, 2020, 9:29 PM Northern Kentucky in 2004 had little sympathy for people grappling with addiction. The crisis wasn't a crisis yet. Unless you had a loved one in the throes of addiction. The epidemic wasn't an epidemic. Not until 2012. In the court's eyes, heroin users were looked at as criminals. [Continue Reading]

Boston Herald: "Zero deaths at underground supervised injection site helps Massachusetts effort to open facilities: Advocates," Rick Sobey, July 09, 2020, 7:41 PM Zero people dying at an underground supervised injection site in the U.S. is "compelling" data that should boost the local push for these sites to open in Massachusetts, advocates tell the Herald. There were 10,514 injections and 33 opioid-involved overdoses from 2014 to 2019 inside that unsanctioned supervised injection facility in an undisclosed U.S. city, according to a report this week in The New England Journal of Medicine. Continue Reading] See also: HealthDay News UPI

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ADMINISTRATION

Politico: "Trump poised to run out political clock on emoluments suits," Josh Gerstein, July 09, 2020, 11:34 PM

A key lawsuit over spending by foreign entities at President Donald Trump's businesses appears likely to remain on hold until the fall, effectively blocking what appeared to be the best vehicle for the president's critics to demand details of such spending in advance of the November election. A federal appeals court Thursday extended a stay on fact-finding in the lawsuit so the Justice Department can ask the Supreme Court to order dismissal of the suit, filed in 2017 by the State of Maryland and the Washington, D.C., government. Continue Reading] See also: Law360

CONGRESS

NYT: "Congress Presses Military Leaders on Suspected Russian Bounties," Charlie Savage and Eric Schmitt, July 09, 2020, 7:00 PM

The top American military officer delivered the Pentagon's strongest public expression of concern to date on Thursday about the C.I.A.'s assessment that Russia offered bounties to Afghan militants for killing American troops, even as former top intelligence and military leaders questioned the Trump administration's inaction. [Continue Reading]

WaPo: "The plot thickens on Attorney General William Barr's removal of a prosecutor who probed Trump," Aaron Blake, July 09, 2020, 3:43 PM

A few weeks ago, bizarre scenes erupted within the Justice Department. Attorney General William P. Barr announced that U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman — a man who had launched investigations of President Trump's allies and secured a guilty plea from Michael Cohen that implicated the president himself — had resigned. Then Berman denied it. [Continue Reading] See also: The Hill, WSJ

END

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📅 Jul 7, 2020

Morning Digest

From: DOJ Digests

To: Rendon DOJ Alert Desk

Department of Justice Morning News Digest July 7, 2020 08:00 AM EDT TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Washington & DOJ Schedule 2. Network Evening News Lineup 3. Morning Headlines 4. COVID-19 5. Federal Law Enforcement Agencies 6. National Security 7. Immigration & Border Security 8. US Supreme Court 9. Criminal Law 10. Civil Law 11. Civil Rights 12. Antitrust 13. Environment 14. Tax 15. Criminal Justice/Corrections 16. Native American Affairs 17. Marijuana Legalization 18. Opioid Crisis

Department of Justice
Morning News Digest
July 7, 2020
08:00 AM EDT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Washington & DOJ Schedule

2. Network Evening News Lineup

3. Morning Headlines

4. COVID-19

5. Federal Law Enforcement Agencies

6. National Security

7. Immigration & Border Security

8. US Supreme Court

9. Criminal Law

10. Civil Law

11. Civil Rights

12. Antitrust

13. Environment

14. Tax

15. Criminal Justice/Corrections

16. Native American Affairs

17. Marijuana Legalization

18. Opioid Crisis

19. Congress

WASHINGTON & DOJ SCHEDULE: JULY 7, 2020

DOJ

• No scheduled events.

NETWORK EVENING NEWS LINEUP: JULY 6, 2020

ABC: World News Tonight with David Muir

CBS: Evening News with Norah O'Donnell

NBC: Nightly News with Lester Holt

• Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said Monday the status of the coronavirus pandemic in the US is "really not good" as new cases surge across the country. His comments come as coronavirus cases continue to soar in the US -- with at least 32 states

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reporting higher rates of new cases this week compared to the last, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Nearly 3 million Americans have been infected with the virus and more than 129,000 have died. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced she has tested positive for the coronavirus. [ABC CBS NBC]

• Florida added more than 6,300 new coronavirus cases Monday, as the state's virus-related death toll rose by nearly 50. The new COVID-19 cases brought the state's total to 206,000, according to figures released by the Florida Department of Health. More than 200 scientists have called for the World Health Organization and others to acknowledge that the coronavirus can spread in the air — a change that could alter some of the current measures being taken to stop the pandemic. [ABC CBS NBC NBC-1]

• President Trump demanded Monday an apology from Bubba Wallace, NASCAR's only African American driver, after the FBI determined last month that he was not a target of a hate crime when a noose was found in his garage stall before a race. [ABC CBS NBC]

• At least six children were killed in shootings across the country over the holiday weekend, sparking calls from officials to end the gun violence plaguing their communities. The children, ages 6 to 14, were all shot and killed while doing everyday things -- riding in mom's car, walking in a mall, and playing in a yard with their cousins. [ABC CBS NBC]

• Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime companion of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein accused of facilitating his sexual abuse of teenage girls, has been transferred to a federal detention center in Brooklyn ahead of an arraignment and bail hearing that may come next week. [ABC CBS]

• A Texas woman charged in the disappearance and death of U.S. Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood appeared in court Monday morning, federal officials said. Cecily Aguilar, a Killeen, Texas, resident who was charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence last week, appeared virtually in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske, officials said. [ABC]

• The white woman who falsely claimed she was threatened by a black birdwatcher who asked her to leash her dog in Manhattan's Central Park was charged Monday with filing a false report, the Manhattan district attorney said. [NBC]

MORNING HEADLINES

• "Coronavirus Live Updates: Testing Demand in U.S. Soars, Creating a New Crisis" [NYT, WaPo WSJ]

• "Relief loans benefited well-connected firms that didn't mention saving jobs" [WaPo WSJ]

• "Google, Facebook and Twitter Suspend Review of Hong Kong Requests for User Data" [WSJ NYT]

COVID-19

WaPo: "States mandate masks, begin to shut down again, as coronavirus cases soar and hospitalizations rise," Joshua Partlow, Nick Miroff, July 06, 2020, 06:07 PM The pandemic map of the United States burned bright red Monday, with the number of new coronavirus infections during the first six days of July nearing 300,000 as more states and cities moved to reimpose shutdown orders. After an Independence Day weekend that attracted large crowds to fireworks displays and produced scenes of Americans drinking and partying without masks, health officials warned of hospitals running out of space and infection spreading rampantly. Continue Reading]

CBS: [VIDEO] "Judge orders ICE to release migrant children, citing coronavirus," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 3:00 PM

A federal judge has ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release children the agency is holding with their parents or legal guardians, citing the risk of coronavirus at detention

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facilities for migrant families. CBS news immigration reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez joins CBSN to discuss the impact of the ruling. [Watch]

FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

KOKH-Fox (Oklahoma City, OK): "FBI: Man wanted for robbery of First United Bank in Oklahoma City," Destiny Washington, July 06, 2020, 11:45 PM

The FBI is seeking information to identify the man responsible for the robbery of a First United Bank located in Oklahoma City. On Monday, July 06, 2020, at 4:12 p.m., the suspect entered the location and made a demand for money from bank employees via a note. [Continue Reading] See also: KFOR-NBC (Oklahoma City OK)

The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH): "Federal agents arrest 2 suspects in homicides Cleveland,

East Cleveland," Cliff Pinckard, July 06, 2020, 11:30 PM Suspects in two recent shooting deaths in Cleveland and East Cleveland were taken into custody on Monday, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Kenneth Woods, 29, was arrested Monday afternoon at a hotel in Strongsville. Marshals say he was wanted by East Cleveland police on a charge of aggravated murder in connection with the June 24 shooting death of Jason Taylor, 40. Authorities say Woods shot Taylor during an argument at a residence on the 14300 block of Scioto Avenue. Continue Reading]

Alabama News Network: "US Marshals: Suspect Charged with Murder of Ke'Aira Battle,"

Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 10:58 PM

According to the US Marshals, James Burton Dunn was taken into custody Monday morning and charged with Capital Murder in the death of Ke'Aira Battle. On Friday, June 19, authorities found Battle's body outside of Elmore Community Hospital. An investigation determined she died from a gunshot wound. [Continue Reading]

WKYC-NBC (Cleveland, OH): "US Marshals arrest two men wanted for separate murders," Nick

Camino, July 06, 2020, 10:47 PM Late Monday afternoon the US Marshals announced a pair of arrests made by the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force in connection to two separate aggravated murders. Kenneth Woods, 29 and Sean Hoskin, 38 were both taken into custody by the US Marshals. [Continue Reading]

KGTV-ABC (San Diego, CA): "FBI seeking information to help rescue child victims," Zac Self, July 06, 2020, 7:51 PM

The San Diego FBI is asking for information on an image, which it says may help lead to the identification and rescue of child victims. One of the images shared to the FBI's Twitter page shows a piece of clothing that appears to depict a cartoon character on a broomstick. [Continue Reading]

KUSA-NBC (Denver, CO): "The FBI and Aurora Police need help identifying the 'Double Dipper' bandit," Melissa Reeves, July 06, 2020, 6:45 PM The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Aurora Police Department (APD) are asking for the public's help to identify the "Double Dipper" bandit who is suspected in five bank robberies, at three different bank branches in Aurora. The Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force and APD need the public's help to identify the man pictured above after giving him the nickname after he wore a surgical mask when he robbed the banks. [Continue Reading] See also: KMGH-ABC (Denver CO)

WVTM-NBC (Birmingham, AL): "The FBI has reported seeing a spike in fraudulent unemployment claims using stolen IDs," Kelsey Bradshaw, July 06, 2020, 6:19 PM

The FBI reported on Monday that it has seen a spike in fraudulent unemployment claims related to the pandemic, according to a news release. The perpetrators are using stolen personal identifiable information (PII) to submit the claims online, and it's happened in several states. [Continue Reading]

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KSWO-ABC (Lawton, OK): "U.S. Marshals make arrest in 11-year-old Grady County cold case," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 3:01 PM

A Grady County cold case from 2009 is one step closer to being closed. According to authorities, a suspect wanted for first-degree rape with a weapon, forcible sodomy and three counts of lewd molestation was arrested in Las Cruces, New Mexico. [Continue Reading]

NATIONAL SECURITY

Fox: "West Virginia woman convicted in plot to offer top-secret NSA info to Russia," Bradford Betz, July 06, 2020, 10:00 PM

A West Virginia woman who worked on assignments with the National Security Agency while serving in the Air Force planned to give the Russian government top-secret information from the agency, prosecutors said on Monday. Elizabeth Jo Shirley, 46, pleaded guilty to one count each of willful retention of national defense information and international parental kidnapping, the U.S. Justice Department said in a news release. [Continue Reading] See also: Herald-Mail Media (Martinsburg WV) The Hill KOB-NBC (Albuquerque NM) WDVM (Hagerstown MD)

WaPo: "Man romantically linked to Russian spy is sentenced to 7 years in fraud case," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 6:23 PM

A former conservative operative who was once romantically linked to a Russian agent was sentenced Monday to seven years in federal prison in South Dakota. Paul Erickson pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering as part of fraudulent investment schemes he operated for many years, the Argus Leader reported. [Continue Reading] See also: Argus Leader (Sioux Falls SD) KELO-AM (Sioux Falls SD)

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY

WAVE-NBC (Louisville, KY): "More than $350 thousand in counterfeit belts seized by US

Customs in Louisville," Dustin Vogt, July 07, 2020, 12:00 AM U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted two packages in Louisville with counterfeit belts worth more than $350,000. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a news release stating that the two packages arriving at the Express Consignment Operations mailing facility in Louisville June 30 contained 648 counterfeit belts. The packages were sent from Hong Kong heading to a residence in New York. The CBP intercepted the packages as they noticed the shipment came from a verified counterfeit source. [Continue Reading] See also: WDRB-Fox (Louisville KY)

Fox: "Maryland jail defies ICE to release accused rapist," Shawn M. Carter, July 06, 2020, 9:00 PM

An accused rapist was released from custody in Montgomery County, Md., despite a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold the suspect until further notice. Police arrested Rene Atilio Ramos-Hernandez on the rape warrant June 18 before he was released June 23. ICE had prior requested to be notified if Ramos-Hernandez were to be released and asked Montgomery County officials to hold him until he could be picked up. [Continue Reading] See also: Washington Times

KSWB-Fox (San Diego, CA): "Deportations, expulsions through Baja California down 35% in 2020," Salvador Rivera, July 06, 2020, 8:42 PM (EDT)

Repatriations of Mexican Nationals through Baja California are down 35% when compared to the same time period in 2019 according to Mexico's National Institute of Migration. Last year at this time, more than 27,000 people had been sent back from the United States through the cities of Mexicali or Tijuana. So far this year, the number is about 17,500. According to Customs and Border Protection,

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overall apprehensions are down in just about every sector and demographic along the U.S.-Mexico border. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Bids Seeking Win In FOIA Suit Against CBP Rejected," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 6:54 PM

A District of Columbia federal judge has rejected bids by both the federal government and a reporters' committee for an end to litigation over access to documents related to an incident in which the government sought to unmask an anonymous Twitter account critical of the Trump administration's immigration policies. [Continue Reading]

NYT: "Appeals Court Strikes Down Trump Administration's Asylum Ban," Miriam Jordan, July 06, 2020, 6:00 PM

A federal appeals court on Monday struck down President Trump's policy that barred most migrants from seeking asylum in the United States if they had passed through another country, concluding that the government did "virtually nothing" to make sure that another country is "a safe option" for those fleeing persecution. A three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco affirmed the decision of a federal judge who ruled last year that the so-called third-country transit rule was unlawful, with one judge calling it "perhaps the most significant change to American asylum in a generation." [Continue Reading] See also: The Recorder

Law360: "House Dems Float Cuts To ICE, Block Of Border Wall Funding," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 5:08 PM

House Democrats on Monday released their draft homeland security spending bill, which sets up a congressional showdown with its calls for the slashing of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's detention capacity and a bar on transferring defense funding to the border wall. [Continue Reading] See also: Washington Times

WSJ: "New Rules Detail How Foreign Students Can—and Can't—Take Classes at U.S. Colleges This Fall," Melissa Korn, July 06, 2020, 4:24 PM

International students can't take all their classes online if their college offers a mix of on-campus and remote classes, according to new guidelines from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as Harvard University and others laid out their plans for the fall. The guidance issued Monday by ICE's Student and Exchange Visitor Program varies depending on whether a school is offering classes entirely online, in person or a mix of the two. The eagerly awaited plans include a host of different instructions that will allow some students on campus, keep others learning remotely and make it impossible for still others to return to the U.S. [Continue Reading] See also: AP, Axios, Bloomberg, BuzzFeed, The Hill, KCAL-CBS (Los Angeles, CA), KOLO-ABC (Reno, NV), KRON (San Francisco, CA), Law360, MassLive (Boston, MA), The Olympian (WA), Politico, UPI, WaPo, WBAL-NBC (Baltimore, MD), WPMI-NBC (Mobile, AL), WRBL-CBS (Columbus, GA), WRCB-NBC (Chattanooga, TN).

KGBT-CBS (Harlingen, TX): "CBP officers confiscate $88K in cocaine at Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 3:55 PM

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge seized a load of suspected cocaine valued at approximately $88,400. hidden within a 2010 Dodge Caliber. The seizure took place on Sunday, at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge when a 23-year-old male Mexican citizen applied for entry into the United States. The vehicle was referred to CBP secondary for further examination. [Continue Reading]

WaPo: "All six suspects in Montgomery County MS -13slaying were 'unlawfully present' in the U.S., immigration officials say," Dan Morse, July 06, 2020, 3:48 PM

All six suspects in the ambush-style homicide of a Maryland house painter were "unlawfully present" in the United States and linked to the MS-13street gang, federal immigration officials said Monday. The most recent suspect, Jose Luis Lainez-Martinez, 26, was arrested late last month by detectives in

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Montgomery County. He is accused of being one of two shooters in the May 26 slaying of Francisco Medrano-Campos, 29, outside the victim's apartment in Wheaton. [Continue Reading]

US SUPREME COURT

San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA): [EDITORIAL] "Supreme Court upholds voters' will in Electoral College ruling," Editorial Board, July 07, 2020, 7:00 AM (EDT)

The Electoral College is a seriously flawed system for electing a president, but as long as it exists, its concept should be followed. In a unanimous ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court has taken a significant step in preventing manipulation of the system by stating that the electors chosen by the states must vote in accordance with their states' vote. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Sanofi Urges High Court To Expand Arthrex To All," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 11:21 PM

Sanofi-Aventis has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on its patent row with Mylan, arguing in a recent petition that the Federal Circuit's decision that the structure of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board is unconstitutional should now apply to all companies, even those that didn't raise the underlying constitutional issue in their briefs. [Continue Reading]

Law360: [ANALYSIS] "The CFPB Survived The High Court, But Will All Of Its Rules?," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 10:42 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision settling the long-standing debate around the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's structure may have opened a Pandora's box for pending litigation and past rulemaking. [Continue Reading]

AP: "US Supreme Court deals blow to Keystone oil pipeline project," Matthew Brown, July 06, 2020, 9:00 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court handed another setback to the Kone XL oil sands pipeline from Canada on Monday by keeping in place a lower court ruling that blocked a key environmental permit for the project. Canadian company TC Energy needs the permit to continue building the long-disputed pipeline across U.S. rivers and streams. Without it, the project that has been heavily promoted by President Donald Trump faces more delay just as work on it had finally begun this year following years of courtroom battles. [Continue Reading] See also: CNN K0C0-ABC (Oklahoma City OK) Law360 NYT, WSJ

WaPo: "Supreme Court says a state may require presidential electors to support its popular-vote winner," Robert Barnes, July 06, 2020, 6:07 PM

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that a state may require presidential electors to support the winner of its popular vote and punish or replace those who don't, settling a disputed issue in advance of this fall's election. Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the court as it considered for the first time the issue of "faithless electors" and whether the Constitution sees members of the Electoral College — whose votes ultimately elect the president — as representing the intent of the state's voters or as independent thinkers. [Continue Reading] See also: CNN The Hill WHTC (Holland MI) WSJ

Bloomberg Law: "Robocall ban upheld, broadened by Supreme Court in free-speech case," Greg Stohr, July 06, 2020, 3:48 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court broadened the federal ban on robocalls to mobile phones, eliminating an exception that had existed for government-debt collection while leaving the rest of the law intact. In a splintered ruling, the court said the 2015 exception, which allowed robocalls if made to recoup debt owed to or guaranteed by the federal government, violated the Constitution's guarantee of free speech. Writing the court's controlling opinion, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the exception "favors speech made for collecting government debt over political and other speech." [Continue Reading] See also: Law360 WaPo WSJ

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CRIMINAL LAW

AP: "2 New Jersey Men Charged In $10M Bank Fraud Scheme," Steve Wolford, July 06, 2020, 9:14 PM

Two New Jersey men have been charged in Maryland with participating in a bank fraud scheme that led to more than $10 million in losses from hundreds of credit and debit card transactions, authorities said Monday. Federal prosecutors in Baltimore said the fraud involved 76 businesses, including two associated with Dogar Singh, 67, of Carteret, New Jersey; and Rehan Afridi, 36, of West Deptford, New Jersey. [Continue Reading] See also: Law360

Patch (Evergreen Park, IL): "Felon Who Shot Into Murdered Palos Heights Man's Grave Sentenced," Lorraine Swanson, July 06, 2020, 8:28 PM

A man who shot into the open grave of a murdered Palos Heights man in 2017 was sentenced to 15 years in a federal prison. Elston Stevenson, 57, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr., sentenced Stevenson July 1, in federal court in Chicago. [Continue Reading] See also: WBBM-CBS (Chicago IL) WMAQ-NBC (Chicago IL)

The Oregonian (Portland, OR): "Federal courthouse door shattered, fireworks exploded inside and at least 7 people arrested through weekend unrest, complaints say," Maxine Bernstein, July 06, 2020, 10:00 PM

A "wrestling match" ensued last Thursday night between federal officers inside the Mark O. Hatfield courthouse downtown and a handful of demonstrators tugging on the front glass door before it shattered, followed by fireworks thrown into the building, according to an affidavit filed in court Monday. Rowan M. Olsen, 19, faces allegations of failing to obey a lawful order, disorderly conduct and creating a hazard on federal property. He pressed his body against the door to keep it shut in an attempt to prevent officers from leaving the building, according to the affidavit. [Continue Reading]

New York Post: "Man accused of smuggling ancient Egyptian artifacts through JFK in dirty suitcase," Bradford Betz, July 06, 2020, 5:42 PM

A Brooklyn man was indicted for allegedly trying to smuggle hundreds of Egyptian artifacts stuffed inside dirty suitcases through JFK Airport — including some nearly 4,000-year-old relics, federal prosecutors announced Monday. Ashraf Omar Eldarir, 47, was caught at the Queens airport in January allegedly carrying three suitcases filled with 590 antiquities covered in foam and bubble wrap, federal prosecutors said. [Continue Reading]

KCRG-ABC (Cedar Rapids, IA): "Dubuque couple sentenced after stealing over $200,000 from elderly mother," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 5:40 PM

Two people from Dubuque will be spending time in prison after pleading guilty to fraud charges in connection to money taken from one of the person's mother. H. David Derby, 66, and Patti Lynn Derby, 52, a married couple from Dubuque, were sentenced to federal prison on Monday, July 06. H. David will serve 26 months, while Patti will serve 24 months. There is no opportunity for parole in the federal prison system. [Continue Reading]

The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, FL): "Veteran sentenced for shooting two at VA Medical Center," Jane Musgrave, July 06, 2020, 5:21 PM

A double-amputee was sentenced to 25 years in prison for opening fire at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Riviera Beach last year but may only serve a fraction of that term. Larry Ray Bon, who shot two people and terrorized others during his February 2019 rampage, will be held in a federal prison that can give him the mental-health treatment he needs, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra ordered. [Continue Reading]

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USA Today: "Texas woman tied to slaying of Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen appears in court," Kelsey Bradshaw, July 06, 2020, 5:48 PM

A Texas woman charged in the disappearance and death of U.S. Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood appeared in court Monday morning, federal officials said. Cecily Aguilar, a Killeen, Texas, resident who was charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence last week, appeared virtually in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske, officials said. [Continue Reading] See also: NBC

WVNS-CBS/Fox (Lewisburg, WV): "Lashmeet man sentenced for sex crimes," Douglas Fritz, July 06, 2020, 5:07 PM

A sentencing hearing was held on Monday, July 06, 2020 for a man who tried to have sex with a minor. Joshua Kevin Laxton, 29, of Lashmeet was sentenced on a charge of Travel in Interstate Commerce to Engage is Illicit Sexual Activity with a Minor. He will serve 57 months in a federal prison followed by 15 years of supervised release. [Continue Reading] See also: WVVA-NBC/CW (Bluefield WV)

New York Post: "American Airlines mechanic accused of smuggling cocaine in hidden aircraft compartment," Rebecca Rosenberg, July 06, 2020, 4:58 PM

An American Airlines mechanic used his position to help smuggle nearly 12 kilos of cocaine bricks from Jamaica hidden in a mechanical compartment beneath a plane, according to Brooklyn federal prosecutors. Paul Belloisi, 52, of Hicksville, New York, pleaded not guilty via telephone conference Monday in Central Islip federal court on a three-count indictment, charging him with conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, conspiracy to import cocaine and importation of cocaine. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Judge Hangs Up On 'Varsity Blues' FaceTime Dismissal Bid," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 4:54 PM

"Varsity Blues" prosecutors won't have to answer why a FaceTime call between a parent charged in the case and the scheme's mastermind was not recorded or memorialized, a federal judge said Monday in an order that also denied the parent's request to reconsider his motion to dismiss. U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton said John Wilson, the founder of a private equity company and real estate firm, would have to wait until the college admissions case goes to trial to question federal investigators about a canceled meeting and a FaceTime call between him and William "Rick" Singer in September 2018 that[...] [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Avenatti's Freedom Extended Ahead Of Calif. Embezzling Trial," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 4:47 PM

The California federal judge overseeing Michael Avenatti's December embezzlement trial extended his temporary release from a Manhattan prison following his conviction for extorting Nike, giving him 60 more days of freedom Monday despite federal prosecutors' concerns that the embattled attorney violated bail conditions. During a teleconference status hearing in the embezzlement case against Avenatti, U.S. District Judge James Selna extended the attorney's supervised release another two months after it's set to expire July 24, saying he could alter that decision if it's discovered Avenatti violated his bail conditions by accessing the internet while assisting his counsel with the discovery process[....] [Continue Reading]

Mlive (Grand Rapids, MI): "Woman accused of helping to hide body of Fort Hood soldier has Jackson ties," Marie Weidmayer, July 06, 2020, 4:47 PM

A woman arrested and charged for allegedly helping hide a body in Texas once lived in Jackson, Michigan, records show. Cecily Aguilar, 22, is charged with a felony count of mutilating and destroying to impede an investigation, court records from July 06 in the United State District Court Western District of Texas show. [Continue Reading]

Bridgewater Courier News (Bridgewater, NJ): "3 Middlesex County residents charged in $3.5M bank fraud conspiracy," Rebecca Rosenberg, July 06, 2020, 4:02 PM

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Three Middlesex County residents are among seven people charged for their alleged roles in a $3.5 million conspiracy to commit bank fraud in New Jersey and five other states over a two-year period. Ali Abbas, 38, of Carteret, Habib Majid, 34, of North Brunswick, and Naveed Arif, 42, of the Port Reading section of Woodbridge, were arrested Monday along with Awaise Dar, 32, of Dearborn, Michigan, and Erm Ayaz, 36, of Bayside, New York, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said in a news release. Continue Reading]

The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA): "Gun conviction puts Honduran man in federal prison for 12 months," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 3:14 PM

A Honduran citizen has been sentenced to a year in prison for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Michael J. Juneau sentenced Erick Bautista Irias-Zepeda, 22, to serve 12 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty of the charges on Jan. 16 and will be subject to deportation upon his release. [Continue Reading]

AP: "4 ex-prison guards sentenced in Louisiana inmate beating," Janet McConnaughey, July 06, 2020, 2:35 PM

Four former officers at Louisiana's maximum-security prison have been sentenced for their parts in punching, kicking and stomping a handcuffed and shackled inmate and in plotting a cover-up. The convicted ringleader, who yanked the inmate's leg chain to send him facedown onto concrete, got more than nine years. The lightest sentence was probation for a guard who stood by as others beat the inmate in January 2014 and then agreed to say he kneed the inmate to get him under control after the man spat on and fought with him. [Continue Reading]

CIVIL LAW

Law360: "6th Circ. Says Ordering GM, Fiat CEOs To Meet Goes Too Far," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 11:49 PM

The Sixth Circuit on Monday said a Michigan federal judge can't require General Motors' CEO to negotiate an end to the automaker's claims that Fiat Chrysler bribed union officials in a scheme that disadvantaged rival carmakers, although the court also rejected GM's request to reassign the case to another judge. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "After High Court's Liu Ruling, Calif. Co. Seeks SEC Relief," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 11:06 PM

A health care company and its partial owners asked a California federal judge to review a $5.4 million disgorgement order they face in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission suit, arguing the U.S.

Supreme Court's recent Liu decision might mean they should be on the hook for only half that amount. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Receiver Accused Of Holding Up SEC Deal In Ponzi Suit," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 10:47 PM

Defendants in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission suit over an alleged $30 million Ponzi scheme told a Florida federal court Monday that a receiver for companies involved in the case is holding up their settlement with the government, but the receiver said he is just trying to do his job. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "NY Judge Leaves McKinsey Critic Stuck In Dismissal 'Trap'," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 10:09 PM

Turnaround pro Jay Alix remains stuck in a "finality trap" that may prevent him from appealing a New York federal judge's dismissal of RICO claims against McKinsey & Co., as the judge said Monday that Alix didn't deserve a way out of a trap he himself laid. [Continue Reading]

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Law360: "Client Was Wrong To Screenshot Zoom Deposition, Atty Says," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 10:08 PM

An attorney representing construction workers alleging unpaid overtime asked a New York federal court Monday to go easy on a client who shared screenshots of a Zoom deposition while promising to "hook up" a fellow worker if he sought to join the suit. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Md. Hospital Chain Hit With Proposed ERISA Class Action," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 9:47 PM

A former MedStar Health Inc. employee hit the hospital chain with a proposed ERISA class action in Maryland federal court Monday, alleging the company's retirement plan made bad investments and hid the risk from workers. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Wells Fargo Says N-Word 'Unfortunate,' But Bias Suit Must Go," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 9:45 PM

Wells Fargo urged a Florida federal judge Monday to toss a real estate attorney's discrimination lawsuit claiming he was prevented from opening a business account when a then-branch manager called him the N-word, arguing that the alleged incident is "unfortunate," but he's not entitled to any relief. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Banker Says Cowen Fired Him For Objecting To Oligarch," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 7:24 PM

A former Cowen and Co. LLC banker said Monday that he was fired after raising concerns about the company's prospective business relationship with a Russian oligarch rumored to be involved in money laundering and arms dealing, according to a suit filed in New York federal court. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Investors Can Seek Discovery In Honduras Expropriation Fight," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 5:11 PM

A Florida federal judge on Monday dismissed Honduras' assertion that a magistrate judge erred in allowing a group of nearly 100 U.S. real estate investors to seek discovery on Honduras' sovereign immunity defense to claims that it expropriated their development. U.S. District Judge Thomas R Barber said the court did not misapply relevant statutes or case law in May, when it allowed the investors to seek discovery on 12 topics to confirm if Honduras qualifies for a takings exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "US Bank Customer Wants Fee Suit Out Of Arbitration," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 5:01 PM

A U.S. Bank customer leading a proposed class action over bank fees has asked a California federal judge to reconsider her decision to move the suit to arbitration, arguing the judge used legal reasoning the Ninth Circuit rejected in recent cases. In her July 2 motion for reconsideration, customer Reyna McGovern asked District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo to rethink her previous ruling that the bank could enforce an arbitration clause McGovern agreed to, saying that at the time of Judge Bencivengo's ruling, California law was unsettled, but recent Ninth Circuit decisions made it clear that her arguments against arbitration should prevail. [Continue Reading]

CIVIL RIGHTS

Law360: "8th Circ. Adopts Supreme Court's Broad Title VII Standard," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 9:43 PM

The Eighth Circuit on Monday officially scrapped its longstanding precedent that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act doesn't bar discrimination against gay workers to square with the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision last month that the federal workplace protections cover sexual orientation and gender identity bias. [Continue Reading]

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The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA): "Former Angola prison guard sentenced to almost 10 years for beating handcuffed inmate," Lea Skene, July 06, 2020, 3:00 PM

A former Angola guard has been sentenced to almost 10 years in prison for brutally beating a handcuffed and shackled inmate in 2014 — leaving him with extensive injuries including a dislocated shoulder and collapsed lung — and then conspiring to cover up the assault. Daniel Davis, 43, was convicted in two separate trials, the most recent this past January. In announcing the sentence, officials with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Louisiana referred to Davis as "the ringleader of the beating and cover up" but noted he didn't act alone. [Continue Reading]

Bloomberg Law: "Florida Retailer to Pay $100,000 to Settle Immigrant Bias Claims," Genevieve Douglas, July 06, 2020, 1:59 PM

A Miami-based distributor of promotional products will pay $100,000 to settle U.S. Justice Department allegations that it discriminated against immigrant workers when verifying their eligibility for employment. The DOJ alleged Bel USA LLC, operating as DiscountMugs, discriminated against non-U.S. citizens by routinely requiring them to provide specific immigration documents, such as permanent resident cards, when verifying their work authorization. U.S citizens weren't asked to produce comparable proof of employment eligibility. [Continue Reading]

ANTITRUST

Law360: "Food Packaging Co. Asks 8th Circ. To Rehear Antitrust Suit," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 8:47 PM

A company that makes packaging for microwavable food has asked the Eighth Circuit for a rehearing after the court refused to revive its suit accusing a larger rival of monopolizing the market through sham patent litigation and illegal sales practices. [Continue Reading]

Law360: [ANALYSIS] "Assessing The New DOJ, FTC Vertical Merger Guidelines," Unattributed,

July 06, 2020, 7:49 PM

On June 30, the U. S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission released their vertical merger guidelines. We expecta commentary on the guidelines to follow in the next few weeks or so. Overall, the guidelines recognize that "vertical mergers often benefit consumers"[3] and set forth nonexhaustive ways in which non horizontal mergers may substantially lessen competition. The three primary theories described are foreclosure and raising rivals' costs, access to competitively sensitive information, and facilitating collusion. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Electronics Co. Can't Duck Price-Fix Suit Over US Notice," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 7:48 PM

A Texas federal judge refused Sunday to cut a Japanese electronics company from a suit accusing tech firms of jacking up the cost of licensing their mobile technology patents, finding the company had been properly served with the complaint through its U.S. subsidiary. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "How Cannabis Cos. Can Address Enhanced Antitrust Scrutiny," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 7:24 PM

Cannabis companies have a lot on their plate: growing their business in a new industry and staying on the right side of state regulators, for starters. To that list, cannabis companies need to add considering the antitrust implications of their business. That is especially true for companies preparing to merge, in light of the bombshell testimony of a U. S. Department of Justice whistleblower who claimed that Attorney General William Barr has targeted cannabis industry mergers for heightened scrutiny that may not be warranted on traditional antitrust grounds. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "T-Mobile Keeping 11K Boost Subscribers In Sprint Merger," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 5:35 PM

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The U. S. Department of Justice has told a D. C. federal court it allowed T-Mobile to keep about 11,000 subscribers from Sprint's prepaid mobile business that were supposed to be divested to Dish Network as a concession to T-Mobile and Sprint's $56 billion merger. [Continue Reading]

Fortune: "The DOJ may bring an antitrust suit against Google. But are Americans ready to break up Big Tech?," Lance Lambert, July 06, 2020, 4:00 PM

Our mission to help you navigate the new normal is fueled by subscribers. To enjoy unlimited access to our journalism, subscribe today. Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet (Google), and Facebook are the five most valuable public companies in the world. [Continue Reading]

ENVIRONMENT

Law360: "Feds Say Cleanup Plan Overrides Contaminated-Water Suits," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 9:03 PM

The federal government on Monday asked a California federal court to let it out of lawsuits brought by two water districts alleging the government and chemical companies have contaminated local drinking water with a toxic chemical, arguing that cleanup efforts are already underway. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Fiat Chrysler, Bosch Rip Opt-Out Plaintiffs' EcoDiesel Claims," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 6:46 PM

Fiat Chrysler and Bosch have asked a federal judge to reject an attempt by consumers in California, Florida and Texas to collect a "windfall" after opting out of a $307 million settlement in multidistrict litigation accusing the companies of rigging diesel vehicles with emissions-cheating devices. Continue Reading]

Law360: "EPA Accused Of Wrongly Going Virtual For Coal Ash Hearing," Clark Mindock, July 06, 2020, 6:35 PM

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency broke the law when it refused to hold an in-person hearing in January regarding proposed changes to a coal ash rule, environmental groups told a D.C. federal court on Monday. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "10th Circ. Sides With Sierra Club Over Utah Coal Plant Permit," Unattributed, July 06,

2020, 6:27 PM

The Tenth Circuit has ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cannot ignore its obligation to enforce the Clean Air Act, pointing to its failure to pursue pollution controls on a Berkshire Hathaway-affiliated coal plant in Utah. [Continue Reading]

NYT: "Dakota Access Pipeline to Shut Down Pending Review, Federal Judge Rules," Jacey Fortin and Lisa Friedman, July 06, 2020, 5:03 PM

The Dakota Access Pipeline, an oil route from North Dakota to Illinois that has inspired intense protests and legal battles, must shut down pending an environmental review and be emptied of oil by Aug. 5, a district court ruled on Monday. The decision, which could be subject to appeal, is a victory for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other Native American and environmental groups who have fought the project for years, and a significant defeat for President Trump, who has sought to keep the Dakota Access Pipeline alive. [Continue Reading] See also: Law360 Newsweek Politico

TAX

Law360: "NY Drivers Rip Uber's Arbitration Bid In Pay Practices Suit," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 9:34 PM

New York drivers told a federal judge that Uber shouldn't be allowed to wield its arbitration provision to deprive them of their day in court, insisting Uber must face claims it shortchanged drivers' fares by

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deducting ride-hailing taxes as well as inflated service fees. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Attys Accused Of Fraud In Hawking Easement Tax Scheme," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 6:51 PM

Georgia-based attorneys, accountants and appraisers conspired to defraud hundreds, if not thousands, of individual investors by marketing syndicated conservation easement schemes they knew wouldn't pass muster with the IRS, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court. Continue Reading]

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/CORRECTIONS

New York Post: "Prison officials want to ensure Ghislaine Maxwell doesn't meet same fate as Epstein," Larry Celona and Ben Feuerherd, July 06, 2020, 10:33 PM Accused Jeffrey Epstein madam Ghislaine Maxwell was quietly transferred on Monday from New Hampshire to a Brooklyn federal prison where she'll await trial pending a bail hearing. Maxwell, who was arrested in a million-dollar rural mansion last week, was moved by US Marshals to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park on Monday morning, the Bureau of Prisons said in a statement. [Continue Reading] See also: Politico USA Today, WaPo

NBC: [PODCAST] "Into Resuming Federal Executions," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 7:54 PM On July 13th, Daniel Lewis Lee is set to be the first prisoner executed by the federal government in 17 years. Executions have decreased on the federal and state level since their height in the 1990s, and for the first time in decades, a majority of Americans support life imprisonment over the death penalty. But Attorney General Bill Barr announced last month that four inmates would be scheduled for execution in rapid succession starting next week. [Listen]

NBC: "Roger Stone lawyers ask appeals court to delay start of his prison sentence," Pete Williams, July 06, 2020, 7:18 PM

Roger Stone is asking a federal appeals court to delay the date when he has to report to prison to begin serving his 40-month sentence. A federal judge last week granted him a short delay, to July 14 after Stone cited coronavirus concerns. But late Monday Stone's lawyers asked the D.C. Court of Appeals to delay his reporting date to Sept. 3. [Continue Reading] See also: Law360 Politico

WTHI-CBS (Terre Haute, IN): "Three executions set for Terre Haute's federal prison next week - here's what they were convicted of doing," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 5:31 PM Federal executions take place in Terre Haute, and it has been 17-years since the last one. That is set to change next week. There are three executions set for July and a fourth one set for August. [Continue Reading]

WTHI-CBS (Terre Haute, IN): "Department of Justice and Bureau of Prisons set guidelines for demonstrators at Terre Haute's federal prison ahead of executions," Unattributed, July 06,

2020, 4:06 PM

The Department of Justice and the Bureau of Prisons have released guidance for demonstrators the days of the executions at Terre Haute's federal prison. Those who support capital punishment will meet at Voorhees Park on 1st Street. Those against will meet at the fairgrounds on U.S. 41. Processing for the demonstrators starts at 4:00 a.m. No one will be processed after 5:30 a.m. [Continue Reading]

NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS

Law360: Tribes Say Alaska Native Cos. Must Wait For COVID Funds," Andrew Westney, July 06, 2020, 10:09 PM

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Several federally recognized tribes have pressed a D.C. federal judge to block the Treasury Department from sending Alaska Native corporations part of $8 billion in COVID-19 relief, saying the court's recent decision in favor of the companies recognized that there are tough questions to be dealt with on appeal and that the language of the relief law backs the tribes. [Continue Reading]

KELO-AM (Sioux Falls, SD): "Native American tribe finds itself on lockdown," Jacey Fortin and Lisa Friedman, July 06, 2020, 9:01 PM

The Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety announced on Facebook that The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation would be on lockdown for the next 72 hours. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Tribal Sovereignty Not Violated By Fed. Court, 9th Circ. Says," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 8:45 PM

The Ninth Circuit on Monday upheld a ruling that a Blackfeet Nation member can be prevented from living in the Montana town where the tribe's headquarters are located as a term of his release for drug offenses, saying that condition didn't infringe on the tribe's sovereignty. [Continue Reading]

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

Marijuana Moment: "Feds Hire Hazmat Firm For Marijuana Eradication Training," Ben Adlin, July 06, 2020, 4:30 PM

The U.S. Forest Service will spend nearly $50,000 to hire a hazardous materials consulting firm to train employees how to safely remove marijuana grown on public lands under a newly awarded government contract. The agency says the training is needed to protect employees, some of whom reportedly have been taken to emergency rooms after being exposed to hazardous chemicals while clearing marijuana plants in years past. [Continue Reading]

Law360: "Va. Lawmakers Eye Pot Legalization Amid Racial Justice Push," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 5:32 PM

Top state lawmakers in Virginia have called for full legalization of marijuana shortly after the state's decriminalization law went into effect, saying a regulated commercial market should be the next step in redressing racial inequality in the criminal justice system. The state's marijuana decriminalization law, which took effect Wednesday and removes criminal penalties for possession of the drug under one ounce, also directs various state agencies to join up and study legalization, with a report due in November. [Continue Reading]

OPIOID CRISIS

WACH-Fox (Columbia, SC): "Nevada officials blame COVID-19 lockdown for surge in opioid abuse," Steve Wolford, July 06, 2020, 8:02 PM

U.S. Attorney for the Nevada District, Nicholas Trutanich, along with Dan Neill, the Drug Enforcement Agency's Assistant Special Agent in Charge, has long been involved in the local battle against opioid abuse, addiction, and deaths. But, any progress their agencies have made in recent months suffered a setback in March in the form of the COVID-19-related economic shutdown. During that time, they've seen a spike in opioid overdoses, deaths, and prosecutions. [Continue Reading]

The Hill: [OPINION] "Preventing the opioid epidemic from getting worse requires attacking it at the source," Rep. David Trone (D-Md.), July 06, 2020, 4:30 PM

Experts are predicting, and we are beginning to see, a significant uptick in opioid use disorder and overdoses as a result of the health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19. We know that stress and isolation are significant contributors to the onset of opioid use disorder, and we also know that the reduced access to substance use disorder and mental health treatment spurred by the pandemic will make this crisis worse. [Continue Reading]

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Law360: "Pharmacies Can't Slip Opioid Nuisance Claims, Counties Say," Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 3:24 PM

Two Ohio counties urged a federal judge to shut down requests by pharmacy chains to toss claims that they created a public nuisance by failing to monitor suspicious opioid orders that helped fuel an epidemic of painkiller addiction, saying the state's public nuisance law fits their claims. Continue Reading]

AP: "Jonathan Sackler, co-owner of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, dies at 65,"

Unattributed, July 06, 2020, 3:24 PM

Jonathan Sackler, one of the owners of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, has died, the company confirmed. Sackler died June 30, according to a court filing. He was 65 and the cause of death was cancer. He was the son of Raymond Sackler, one the brothers who bought drug company Purdue Frederick in 1952, and served as an executive and board member for the company that was later renamed Purdue Pharma. [Continue Reading] See also: Guardian The Hill

CONGRESS

Reuters: "Small-government advocates, lobbyists tap $660 billion U.S. pandemic-aid fund," Andy Sullivan, July 06, 2020, 5:51 PM As Congress signed off on trillions of dollars in coronavirus aid, the small-government group Citizens Against Government Waste urged lawmakers to oppose bailouts for U.S. states, broadcasters, unemployed people and other recipients. The group also secured at least $150,000 in government funds for itself, records released on Monday show. [Continue Reading] See also: Bloomberg, Politico WaPo WSJ

Washington Examiner: "Jim Jordan asks former US attorney to counter Mueller prosecutor's 'double-hearsay statements'," Jerry Dunleavy, July 06, 2020, 4:55 PM

The top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee is seeking a "firsthand recollection" from the former acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia about the sentencing of longtime Trump associate Roger Stone. [Continue Reading]

Fox: "'SAD' if no 'deep state' prosecutions before elections; Durham should produce findings, Grassley says," Gregg Ret, July 06, 2020, 4:00 PM

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley on Monday said it was "SAD" that Attorney General William Barr might wait until after Election Day to initiate prosecutions related to U.S. Attorney John Durham's ongoing probe into FBI and CIA misconduct. Barr told Fox News last month that Americans be able to recognize "some" of the names under investigation in Durham's probe, and that he is "very troubled" by "what has been called to" his attention so far. Among other issues, Durham is reviewing whether federal agencies abused their surveillance powers to pursue figures associated with the Trump campaign. [Continue Reading]

END

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📅 Mar 3, 2021 REDACTED

RE: (EXTERNAL EMAIL) - RE: RESPONSE: SETTLEMENT

From: FBI Buffalo

To whom it may concern, The FBIis not a first responder. If you are reporting a matter that involves being threatened or is healthrelated, please contact your local authorities or dial 911in an emergency. Please forward the following complaint at the following link: https://tips.fbi.goaq. Thank You, FBI Buffalo

To whom it may concern,

The FBIis not a first responder. If you are reporting a matter that involves being threatened or is healthrelated, please contact your local authorities or dial 911in an emergency.

Please forward the following complaint at the following link: https://tips.fbi.goaq.

Thank You,

FBI Buffalo

📅 Apr 23, 2021 REDACTED

Re: Capitol Police Attack April 2, 2021: Noah Green Death

From: Conteet, Robert (MPD)

Please direct your request to the US Capitol Police Department regarding your inquiry. Robert J. Contee, Ill Acting Chief of Police Metropolitan Police Department (202)727.4218

Please direct your request to the US Capitol Police Department regarding your inquiry.

Robert J. Contee, Ill
Acting Chief of Police
Metropolitan Police Department
(202)727.4218

📅 May 13, 2021 REDACTED

RE: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - Jeffrey Epstein & Chislaine Maxwell:

From: buffalo@FBI.GOV

To whom it may concern, Please forward the following complaint at the following link: https://tips.fbi.gov/. Thank You, FBI Buffalo

To whom it may concern,

Please forward the following complaint at the following link: https://tips.fbi.gov/.

Thank You,

FBI Buffalo

📅 May 20, 2021

RE: Investigation:

From: Redacted

To: FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate, FBI Director Christopher Wray, US Attorney General Merrick Garland

Dear FBI Director Wray and Deputy Director Abbate: Could you respond today to my March 26, 2021 and thousands of other letters, emails, faxes, phone calls and documents I sent you, the White House, the Congress, the NY Attorney Generals and others on my 9 false arrests and imprisonments and my attempted murder by the use of 11 drugs?

Dear FBI Director Wray and Deputy Director Abbate:

Could you respond today to my March 26, 2021 and thousands of other letters, emails, faxes, phone calls and documents I sent you, the White House, the Congress, the NY Attorney Generals and others on my 9 false arrests and imprisonments and my attempted murder by the use of 11 drugs?

📅 Jul 15, 2019 REDACTED

SDNY NEWS CLIPS 7/15/2019

From: Biase, Nicholas (USANYS)

SDNY News Clips Monday, July 15, 2019 EFTA00064799 Contents Public Corruption Epstein Person Trump Org. Securities and Commodities Fraud Montroll Complex Frauds and Cybercrime DMX Matters of Interest Most Migrants at Border With Mexico Would Be Denied Asylum Protections Under New Trump Rule Public Corruption Epstein What We Learned From Jeffrey Epstein's Bail Hearing New York Magazine By Adam Raymond 7/15/19 A federal judge on Monday delayed a decision on bail for Jeffrey Epstein, who i

SDNY News Clips
Monday, July 15, 2019

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Contents
Public Corruption
Epstein
Person

Trump Org.
Securities and Commodities Fraud
Montroll

Complex Frauds and Cybercrime
DMX
Matters of Interest
Most Migrants at Border With Mexico Would Be Denied Asylum Protections Under New Trump Rule

Public Corruption

Epstein

What We Learned From Jeffrey Epstein's Bail Hearing

New York Magazine
By Adam Raymond
7/15/19

A federal judge on Monday delayed a decision on bail for Jeffrey Epstein, who is locked up at the Metropolitan Correctional Center following his arrest last week on sex-trafficking charges. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman said he will deliver his decision Thursday.

Epstein's lawyers argued that the 66-year-old should be allowed to await trial at his $77 million Manhattan mansion. He offered the home itself and his private jet as collateral for his bond. His lawyers also said he'd de-register his jet, hand over his passport, and agree to electronic monitoring.

But prosecutors were not interesting in granting Epstein the privilege of going home. They argued that Epstein is both a flight risk and a danger to the community. We'll find out Thursday if Judge Berman agrees. In the meantime, here's everything we learned at Monday's hearing:

Police found some eyebrow-raising things in Epstein's house.

Shortly after the FBI raided Epstein's Upper East Side mansion just over a week ago, the public learned about some of what they found, including nude photos of what appeared to be his underage victims. At Monday's hearing, prosecutors revealed more.

FBI agents found "piles of cash," a haul of diamonds, and, most interestingly, a decades-old passport listing Epstein's place of residence as Saudi Arabia. The passport, whose issuing country was not clear, had Epstein's picture on it but a different name.

We learned a little about Epstein's finances.

The mystery of Epstein's wealth unraveled a tiny bit Monday when prosecutors reveled that they had seen evidence that Epstein is worth at least $500 million. Records show he has one bank account with $110 million in it.

Still, the broader picture of Epstein's finances is incredibly murky. "How much money does he have? Where is it? ... How much of it is in diamonds or art?" U.S. Attorney | asked the court. Judge Berman said he was unsatisfied with the financial documents that Epstein's lawyers filed. "Respectfully, I don't think the financial summary" is sufficient, he said, according to reporter Adam Klasfeld. "For one it's an unverified... unaudited, and not very detailed either."

"It seems to me there has to be a fuller financial picture to know what would be appropriate," Berman added.

More accusers are coming forward.

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Prosecutors told the court that new accusers have come forward to claim that Epstein abused them while they were underage. Rossmiller, who did not reveal how many new accusers there were, said the case is "already significantly stronger and getting stronger every single day."

Two women who said they were girls when Epstein abused them were at the hearing Monday. They both spoke to the court.

"Your honor, my name is and I was sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein at the age of 14. He is a scary person to have walking the street," said who claimed Epstein abused her in Palm Beach.

"I was 16 years old when I had the misfortune of meeting Mr. Epstein here in New York," said. She told Berman that she does not think Epstein should receive bail.

Jeffrey Epstein had cash, diamonds and a foreign passport stashed in safe, prosecutors say

NBC News
By Tom Winter and David Li
7/15/19

Agents unearthed a "pile of cash, diamonds" and "a passport from a foreign country" in a safe belonging to Jeffrey Epstein, prosecutors told a judge Monday during a bail hearing for the wealthy financier and accused sex trafficker.

Federal authorities are arguing for Epstein to be denied bail and to remain behind bars until he's tried for sex-crime charges in acts allegedly involving underage girls.

"Just this morning, the government became aware of a safe that contained a pile of cash, diamonds, a passport from a foreign country with a picture of the defendant under another name," Assistant U.S. Attorney told U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.

The judge seemed surprised by the passport revelation and asked Rossmiller: "Say that again?"

"The passport was issued in the name of a foreign country, it was issued in the 1980s, it is expired, it shows a picture of Jeffrey Epstein, and another name," Rossmiller said, adding the passport showed Epstein's residence as Saudi Arabia.

Earlier in the two-hour-long hearing, Berman said he would not rule on Epstein's bail request until Thursday.

Image: Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photo taken for the NY Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry

U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry in 2017. New York State Division of Criminal Justice via Reuters

Two women testified they were victims of Epstein and asked that he remain jailed.

"I was 16 years old when I had the misfortune of meeting Mr. Epstein here in New York," said adding she was there to voice her support for the prosection's move to keep Epstein locked up.

When Berman asked if she was sexually abused, the witness responded: "He was inappropriate with me. I would prefer not to get into the details at this time."

Another woman, said she was sexually abused by Epstein.

"Hi your honor, my name is | and I was sexually assaulted by Jeffrey Epstein at the age of 14," she told the court.

who said she was "sexually assaulted by Jeffrey Epstein at the age of 14" also asked he not be released before trial.

"He is a scary person to have walking the street," she said.

Epstein wore blue jailhouse scrubs with a purple t-shirt during the hearing. He wrote and passed notes to his defense lawyers.

"He's going to defend this case," Epstein's lawyer Martin Weinberg said.

Epstein, 66, was arrested July 6 at a New Jersey airport after arriving from Paris and accused of sex trafficking and conspiracy. He faces up to 45 years in prison on allegations that he sexually abused dozens of underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida between 2002 and 2005.

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Epstein is also accused of paying his victims to recruit others, allowing him to build a vast network of girls to exploit. He has pleaded not guilty.

His arrest camemore than a decade after he signed a controversial non-prosecution deal in 2008 that allowed him to dodge a federal indictment alleging he abused several underage girls.

Epstein ultimately pleaded guilty to state charges of soliciting minors for prostitution, and served a 13-month sentence in a Florida county jail. He was forced to register as a sex offender under that deal.

Since the wealthy financier was nabbed off his private plane at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, he's been locked up at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City. He's pleaded not guilty to the two-count indictment.

Federal agents conducting a search of his lavish Upper East Side townhouse found "an extraordinary volume of photographs of nude and partially-nude young women or girls," prosecutors say in court papers.

Federal prosecutors have said Epstein poses an "extraordinary risk of flight" given his exorbitant wealth, private planes and international ties.

On Friday, they said Epstein needs to be kept locked up because he has a history of seeking to "influence" possible co- conspirators.

He wired $350,000 to a pair of possible co-conspirators just days after the publication of a newspaper story alleging he sexually abused dozens of underage girls, according to prosecutors. They said the payments were made last November after the bombshell Miami Herald story came out about his crimes and favorable plea bargain, demonstrating his alleged willingness to tamper with witnesses.

"This course of action, and in particular its timing, suggests the defendant was attempting to further influence co- conspirators who might provide information against him in light of the recently re-emerging allegations," the prosecutors wrote in court papers arguing against Epstein's bail.

In their court papers, Epstein's lawyers proposed that his bond be secured by a mortgage on his Manhattan mansion, valued at $77 million. They say his private jet can be pledged as collateral.

Epstein's arrest shed renewed light on the deal he struck in 2008 with local and federal prosecutors in south Florida. The U.S. attorney in Miami at the time was Alex Acosta, who went on to become labor secretary for President Donald Trump.

During a lengthy press conference last Tuesday, Acosta defended the deal, saying it was the best prosecutors could do at the time. Acosta resigned Friday.

Prosecutors have said Epstein has long made a habit of bringing in teenage girls he paid for "massages" at his West Palm Beach, Florida, estate in the early 2000s.

Jeffrey Epstein's Safe Had 'Piles of Cash' and a Fake Passport, Prosecutors Say

The New York Times
By Benjamin Weiser and Ali Watkins
7/15/19

Investigators discovered a safe in Jeffrey Epstein's Manhattan mansion that held "piles of cash," diamonds and an expired passport from a foreign country which had what appeared to be Mr. Epstein's photo, but was registered to a fake name and listed his residence as Saudi Arabia.

Prosecutors revealed the safe's contents as they argued in Federal District Court in Manhattan that Mr. Epstein should be denied bail before his sex-trafficking and conspiracy trial because he was a flight risk and a danger to the community. He is accused of abusing dozens of underage girls at his residences in New York City and Palm Beach, Fla.

Two women who say they were sexually abused by Mr. Epstein also spoke at the hearing, urging Judge Richard M. Berman to deny him bail.

"He's a scary person to have walking the streets," said one of Mr. Epstein's accusers, who said she was assaulted at age 14.

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Judge Berman said he would not rule until Thursday about whether Mr. Epstein should be granted bail while he awaits trial.

Mr. Epstein had proposed in court papers that he be allowed to remain under house arrest in his $56 million mansion on the Upper East Side, and pay for 24-hour security guards who would ensure he did not flee.

His attorneys say Mr. Epstein has been law-abiding for more than a decade.

"He didn't re-engage in this activity," one of his lawyers, Martin Weinberg, told the judge on Monday, adding, "It's not like he's an out-of-control rapist."

But prosecutors, citing what they called Mr. Epstein's "yearslong scheme to sexually abuse underage girls" and his fortune of at least $500 million, have argued that Mr. Epstein would pose a danger to the community and might flee the country if granted bond.

The government had also said Mr. Epstein might try to obstruct justice if he were given bail. Prosecutors said that last year he wired $350,000 to two people who were potential witnesses against him at a trial.

Mr. Epstein's lawyers said on Monday that the payment could have been "an act of generosity" to Mr. Epstein's associates, and that government lawyers were unable to prove otherwise.

Mr. Epstein, 66, who faces up to 45 years in prison if convicted on the charges, has been held since his July 6 arrest in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Lower Manhattan, a highly secure jail that has housed accused terrorists, mobsters and, recently, the Mexican drug lord El Chapo.

In 2008, Mr. Epstein pleaded guilty to two state charges in Florida as part of a secret deal with federal prosecutors to satisfy a potential indictment on similar charges. He ended up serving a 13-month sentence in a local jail and avoided federal prosecution.

That deal was brokered by R. Alexander Acosta, a former United States attorney in Miami who resigned last week as President Trump's Labor Secretary after public outrage over the Epstein agreement reached a fever pitch.

On Monday, defense lawyers for Mr. Epstein listed four additional Justice Department officials - two of whom now hold high-level government positions - who approved Mr. Epstein's deal at the time.

Beyond Mr. Acosta, the agreement not to prosecute Mr. Epstein was approved by then the deputy attorney general, and who at the time led the Justice Department's criminal division. Both have since departed the government for private practice.

According to Mr. Epstein's lawyers, the deal was also cleared by and who were both senior officials in the Justice Department.

Ms. [Redacted] is currently [Redacted] for the Department of the Treasury, and Mr. [Redacted] serves as [Redacted] for the Department of Homeland Security.

At the time, Mr. Epstein's lawyers said, government officials acknowledged federal interest in the case but upheld Mr. Acosta's authority to negotiate the deal.

Keep Jeffrey Epstein in Jail, Alleged Victims Say, as Feds Find Cash, Diamonds

Yahoo News

By Bob Van Voris, Chris Dolmetsch, and Patricia Hurtado

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7/15/19

As two alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein urged a judge to keep him locked up, prosecutors said they had found piles of cash, dozens of diamonds and an expired foreign passport, with Epstein's picture and a different name, in a safe in his Manhattan mansion.

"He's a scary person to have walking the street," who claims Epstein sexually abused her at 14, said at his bail hearing Monday in Manhattan. She asked U.S. District Judge Richard Berman to deny bail to the 66-year-old money manager and keep him locked up "for the safety of any other girls who are going through what I'm going through."

Epstein, arrested in New Jersey on July 6 after stepping off his private jet from Paris and charged with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy, will learn on Thursday morning whether he will return to his home or to the jail he now shares with Paul Manafort and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Epstein, who has pleaded not guilty, is accused of molesting girls from 2002 to 2005 and could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.

"He was inappropriate with me,"|| told the judge, trembling as she spoke and accompanied by her lawyer, David Boies. "I'd prefer not to go into the details of that at this time."

Boies represents three women who say Epstein molested them when they were girls.

What About Madoff?

Epstein's lawyers said their client was being prosecuted a second time for acts that ended in 2005 and were resolved in a non-prosecution agreement in 2007. Since then, they argued, Epstein had engaged in "14 years of self-discipline," hadn't broken the law and had complied with all the requirements of his sex-offender status. They noted that other prominent defendants, including Bernard Madoff, had been released on bail and appeared in court.

Prosecutors, pointing to Epstein's wealth, told Berman no conditions would ensure his appearance and that the bail terms he has proposed -- a "substantial" bond, a GPS ankle bracelet and confinement to his home under watch by a "trustee" -- would establish a "gilded cage" from which he could still pay off or intimidate witnesses, as they claim he has as recently as December.

Arguing that Epstein is a flight risk, Assistant U.S. Attorney | said that in addition to the trove of cash and diamonds FBI agents found were works of art he hadn't accounted for in a one-page financial disclosure he filed with the court. Berman called the disclosure "cursory," saying that it "does not fully assist me" in deciding whether to free Epstein on bail or remand him to the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

Berman seemed skeptical of arguments that Epstein must be released to adequately prepare a defense. The judge said other prominent defendants had been able to consult their lawyers while detained and noted that the charges in this case typically don't allow for bail. He said he would rule Thursday morning at 9:30 on Epstein's request to remain confined to his Manhattan mansion.

Witness Tampering?

Prosecutors said Epstein had made two payments totaling $350,000 two days after the Miami Herald published a series on his alleged crimes in November. Epstein's lawyer Martin Weinberg said there had been no effort to derail any investigation and that these were merely payments to a former employee and a friend.

"This is not witness tampering simply because the Miami Herald wrote an article," Weinberg said.

Boies told Berman he had a civil suit pending against Epstein at the time and that after the fund manager made the payments, witnesses who had been cooperating suddenly no longer spoke to him. Boies then stood alongside who approached the courtroom podium and stopped about five feet from Epstein to speak.

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"I was 16 years old when I had the misfortune of meeting Jeffrey Epstein in New York," New Mexico. I want to voice my support that he not be set free."

said. "He later flew me to

Trove of Photos

Noting that Weinberg had argued that his client's wealth had been an "incentive" to many women to claim to be victims, she said instead it had made it harder to come forward against Epstein and his team of lawyers.

"It's the opposite," she said. "His wealth and privilege would often make it more difficult."

She disputed Weinberg's argument that Epstein had engaged in "self-discipline" after winning the non-prosecution agreement, noting that FBI agents said they had turned up hundreds and perhaps thousands of pictures of nude women and girls at his home.

"The victims in these photos are continuing to be victimized," said.

Epstein is worth more than $500 million, earns more than $10 million a year and has used his wealth to pay off and intimidate witnesses, prosecutors said in a court filing Friday, citing records obtained from a financial institution, which wasn't named.

That filing followed one on Thursday in which Epstein's lawyers argued for their client's release. In addition to the bond and GPS bracelet, they told Berman that Epstein would ground his private jet and consent to extradition from any country he might run to. If necessary, they said, he would hire armed guards to watch him 24 hours a day.

The case is U.S. v. Epstein, 19-cr-00490, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

How the Epstein fortune may be up for grabs

The Washington Post
By Peter Whoriskey and Abha Bhattarai
7/15/19

It's not just his freedom that's at stake. It's his fortune.

The criminal prosecution of New York moneyman Jeffrey Epstein on charges of sex trafficking and the lawsuits stemming from it could dwindle his financial empire to nothing, attorneys with knowledge of the case said.

While much of the legal sparring that began with an indictment last week has focused on questions of Epstein's freedom, a secondary struggle may determine how much money Epstein has - and what he will owe and to whom when it's all over.

Whether Epstein is a billionaire, as he has been routinely described, is difficult to know. None of the known paper trail establishes a fortune of that magnitude. But by most accounts he has substantial wealth, and the legal assault upon it has begun.

Jeffrey Epstein was charged July 8 with sex trafficking crimes and pleaded not guilty. The Post's Kimberly Kindy breaks down the charges. (Video: Allie Caren/Photo: Osman Malik/The Washington Post)

During a hearing Monday in a New York federal courtroom, prosecutors and Epstein's attorneys made arguments before U.S. District Judge Richard Berman about whether Epstein should be released pending trial and, if so, what the conditions of release should be. Berman said during the hearing he plans to make a ruling Thursday and that a pre-trial services report recommends Epstein be detained, according to multiple news reports.

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Epstein resolved a similar investigation years ago by striking a plea deal with prosecutors under which he spent 13 months in jail. The deal has been criticized as too lenient and on Friday, the prosecutor who approved it, Alexander Acosta, announced he was stepping down as U.S. labor secretary.

In addition to seeking prison time for Epstein, federal prosecutors have signaled they will aim for the forfeiture of his $60 million New York home. Under federal law, properties such as his $13 million Palm Beach home, his properties in the Virgin Islands, his jets and a $12 million New Mexico ranch may be vulnerable to similar claims.

His defense attorneys and related expenses are likely to cost him tens of millions more.

And finally, lawsuits from the alleged victims of which there are scores - could run over a billion, experts said. In all, these expenses could overtake his wealth.

"With aggressive lawyering for the victims, Mr. Epstein's realistic financial exposure for criminal restitution in federal court is likely to exceed $500 million, and the exposure in state court to exceed a billion," said Paul Cassell, a University of Utah law professor, a former federal judge and a lawyer for one of Epstein's alleged victims. "It's easy to foresee 160 victims in this case and possibly more."

Prosecutors in New York reportedly have said there could be hundreds of victims around the country, and the Miami Herald says it has identified as many as 80 alleged victims. Some already have sued and entered legal settlements with Epstein. In announcing the recent indictment, the Justice Department said Epstein had "a vast network of underage victims."

Those victims may be entitled to collect money from Epstein for their economic losses, such as the expense of therapy, for their pain and suffering, and for punitive damages.

But it is his collection of real estate that is likely to be the first casualties in his legal war. Under federal statutes, prosecutors can seek the forfeiture of any properties where the sex trafficking may have taken place.

In order for the government to take a property in such cases, there has to be "some nexus between the property and the offense," said Stefan Cassella a former federal prosecutor and expert on asset forfeiture and money-laundering law.

The indictment unsealed last week charges that the offenses occurred at Epstein's New York and Palm Beach homes, suggesting that only those properties would be subject to forfeiture.

But if evidence shows that his jets or other residences were also involved, those also could be lost, Cassella said. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported last week that the New Mexico attorney general, Hector Balderas, is investigating whether Epstein committed any crimes in that state, where he owns a place called the Zorro Ranch.

Finally, beyond the financial penalties that could be exacted by federal prosecutors and the scores of alleged victims, are the substantial bills run up by his own legal team.

The team already is rich in celebrity. It has included Alan Dershowitz, the noted constitutional law professor, and Kenneth W. Starr, who investigated president Bill Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

"In a big time criminal prosecution, a defendant can easily spend millions and in some cases tens of millions of dollars through trial," said Matthew L. Schwartz, a white collar defense attorney and a former federal prosecutor who worked on the Bernard Madoff case.

Against all those potential legal liabilities stands Epstein's mysterious fortune, the magnitude of which is difficult to discern.

In fact, little is known about how Epstein, 66, the son of a Coney Island parks department worker, acquired his riches. While he is often described as a billionaire in media profiles, there is little in the public record, aside from his real estate,

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to substantiate the claim.

In a 2013 civil court filing in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, Epstein responded to a question about his net worth without giving an exact figure. "I have already indicated my willingness to stipulate to a net worth in excess of one hundred million dollars," he wrote.

In the same court filing, he described himself as "self-employed and philanthropist," but said he could not provide answers "to questions relating to my financial history and condition" without waiving his constitutional rights.

Other court filings have suggested his holdings do not measure up to the billionaire claims, either.

One of the central questions around Epstein's financial operation concerned who, exactly, was investing with him. It was widely reported that his firm refused to take on clients with less than $1 billion to invest. But who were these billionaire clients? Only one was known: Les Wexner, the founder of L Brands, a retail empire that includes Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works.

Yet in June 2002, Epstein's investment firm, Financial Trust Company, reported having only $88 million in paid-in capital from shareholders, according to a recently unearthed court filing.

It's possible, of course, that his money sits in some other company. Epstein is linked to other companies whose assets are unknown. Another company, known as Southern Trust, shares the same address as Financial Trust Company, in St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. (The financial advantage of the Caribbean location may be substantial: Companies there can reap tax breaks of as much as 90 percent on corporate and personal income taxes.)

But while seeking tax breaks on a Caribbean island may be the hallmark of a high-living plutocrat, many who have searched his record for clues to his wealth harbor doubts about the billionaire claims. Among them is Thomas Volscho, a sociology professor at the College of Staten Island - CUNY, who has been researching a book about Epstein. He unearthed the 2002 financial statement from Epstein's investment firm.

"I don't think he's a billionaire," Volscho said last week. "His wealth is possibly above $200 million."

Whatever the outcomes of these investigations, the long-standing riddles posed by Epstein's fortune could be answered in the near future, as various parties who believe Epstein is in their debt - the federal government, alleged victims and defense attorneys seek to collect.

"Hiding money is difficult," said Stephen Harbeck, former president and chief executive of Securities Investor Protection, a federally chartered agency in Washington that safeguards brokerage accounts. "You can trace where the money came in and where it went out. Money goes through banks, and banks are required to make extraordinarily careful records."

Person

Basketball corruption could upstage SEC Media Days

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S

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„Per a new report from CNN. the president's oldest son has again evaded indictment by federal prosecutors for his role in.

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📅 Jan 10, 2020 REDACTED

SDNY News Clips -- Friday, January 10, 2020

From: Nicholas Biase

SDNY News Clips Friday, January 10, 2020 EFTA00064817 Contents Public Corruption Parnas Avenatti Epstein Civil Brimelow Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Padilla Terrorism and International Narcotics Virgil Griffith Matters of Interest Weinstein Brunner Test Public Corruption Parnas How Lev Parnas' iPhone 11Could Blow Up Trump's Senate Impeachment Trial | Vice

SDNY News Clips
Friday, January 10, 2020

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Contents
Public Corruption
Parnas
Avenatti
Epstein
Civil
Brimelow
Complex Frauds and Cybercrime
Padilla
Terrorism and International Narcotics
Virgil Griffith
Matters of Interest
Weinstein
Brunner Test

Public Corruption

Parnas

How Lev Parnas' iPhone 11Could Blow Up Trump's Senate Impeachment Trial

| Vice |
|-|
| By Greg Walters |
| 1/10/2020 |
| Lev Parnas has a story to tell Congress about the time he and President Trump's attorney went hunting for dirt on former |
| Vice President Joe Biden in Ukraine. |
| And he's already begun showing House Democrats the hard evidence to back it up. |
| Parnas' files, including the contents of his iPhone 11, are being delivered to Congress — perhaps just days before Trump's<br />impeachment trial kicks off in the Senate. And that could spell trouble for Trump, who's insisted he doesn't know the |
| Ukrainian-born businessman now facing criminal charges for allegedly making illegal donations to GOP campaigns on<br />behalf of foreign interests. |
| Parnas' iPhone and other files could make things downright awkward for Trump by offering up fresh, documentary<br />evidence that Parnas' links to Trumpworld were a lot closer than Trump has been willing to admit. Photos of Parnas posing<br />cheerfully with the president and other high-ranking Republicans have already spilled out in public. And there's no telling<br />what else Parnas has on that iPhone. |
| Parnas recently began sharing new files with the House Intelligence Committee in response to a Congressional subpoena<br />issued York-based in October, after the judge in his Manhattan criminal case granted him permission last Friday, Parnas' New<br />attorney, Joe Bondy, told VICE News earlier this week. |
| Impeachment investigators haven't yet said whether they'll ask Parnas, who has pleaded not guilty to the criminal<br />charges, to actually show up on Capitol Hill and tell his story. But his documents and iPhone data could buttress his<br />version of events if that happens, Bondy told the judge in a recent court filing. |
| "Review of these materials is essential to the Committee's ability to corroborate the strength of Mr. Parnas's potential<br />testimony;' Bondy wrote. |
| Videos and photographs of Parnas posing with Trump, Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, and top-ranking GOP<br />officials have already caused a stir, and prompted questions about how close Parnas really was to all those major GOP<br />players. |
| Bondy has suggestively tweeted some of those out himself, while publicly pressing members of Congress to invite his<br />client to appear with the hashtag, #LetLevSpeak. |

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Parnas already reportedly handed over a batch of videos and photographs that include Trump and Giuliani, along with other documents, to House impeachment investigators back in November.

But the new batch includes materials that were seized by federal investigators at the time of his arrest in October, and have been held tightly by prosecutors as potential evidence until last week.

On Monday, Bondy tweeted a photograph of Parnas posing next to GOP House Minority Leader, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, adding: "call the witness."

McCarthy has acknowledged receiving a donation from Parnas, but said this week he doesn't actually know the guy, and couldn't remember where they met. And as soon as he realized where the money came from, he passed it on to "charity," McCarthy said.

The next day, Tuesday, Bondy tweeted out a picture of Parnas with both McCarthy and Vice President Mike Pence.

Parnas left behind a trail of evidence documenting his close relationship with Giuliani, including on a private Instagram account uncovered by The Wall Street Journal in October around the time of his arrest.

On Insta, Parnas lounged on a private jet with Giuliani, flaunted a signed thank-you note from Trump, and posed with Trump's son Don Jr. and Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis.

Now, the question becomes what else the new documents and iPhone data might reveal about his ties to high-ranking figures in Trump's Washington, and about his role assisting in Giuliani's search for damaging information about Biden in Ukraine — topics of keen interest to Democrats in Congress who support Trump's impeachment and removal from office.

Prosecutors have accused Parnas of engaging in a scheme with an unnamed Ukrainian official to oust the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, a move Giuliani also advocated. Yovanovitch's removal last spring became a key moment in House Democrats' impeachment investigation against Trump.

The House voted in December to impeach Trump for abusing his power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate Biden. The case will next be considered by the Senate, in a trial that's been delayed amid a dispute over whether to admit new witnesses and fresh evidence. That might include former National Security Advisor John Bolton, who has said he would testify if the GOP-controlled Senate actually subpoenas him.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has held up forwarding the impeachment articles to the Senate, saying she wants to see rules established that will ensure Trump gets a fair trial. On Friday, however, she told her House colleagues to get ready to hold a vote that would kickstart the Senate trial "next week."

Avenatti

Nike Texts Said to Mock FBI Emerge in Avenatti Extortion Case

Bloomberg
By Erik Larson
1/10/2020

Celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti said that recently unearthed text messages in which he says Nike Inc. executives mock the Federal Bureau of Investigation justify forcing their testimony at his trial for allegedly extorting millions of dollars from the company.

Avenatti is facing federal charges that he demanded Nike pay him as much as $25 million or he would hold a damaging press conference announcing allegations that the company made illegal payments to youth basketball players. The texts would show that Nike wasn't serious about aiding the government in its probe of the allegations, Avenatti argued in a court filing Thursday.

Avenatti claims the company tried to incriminate him before he could blow the whistle on it.

Avenatti, who gained a national profile after suing President Donald Trump on behalf of porn star Stormy Daniels, claims Nike wasn't fully cooperating with the federal probe, which previously led to convictions of a former Adidas AG executive, assistant college basketball coaches and others.

"Nike's contempt for the government's investigation of its conduct is readily apparent from documents viewed by the defense for the first time just yesterday;' Avenatti's lawyer Scott Srebnick said in the filing. "For instance, right in the

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middle of the FBI investigation, on April 11, 2018, two of the subpoenaed Nike executives were sending each other texts cursing at the FBI and pejoratively ridiculing the investigation."

"Nike was motivated to (belatedly) self-report to those same prosecutors and point the finger elsewhere in order to curry favor with them," according to the filing.

U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe is weighing Avenatti's request to subpoena the executives before his trial, which starts Jan. 21 in Manhattan.

The government has marked the texts confidential.

Nike said in a statement that it "will not respond to the allegations of an individual facing federal charges of fraud and extortion. Nike will continue its cooperation with the government's investigation into grassroots basketball and the related extortion case."

Avenatti claims Nike tried to "curry favor" with the U.S. attorney's office by letting its lawyers wear wires and secretly take video of Nike's settlement talks with him. In the talks, the California-based lawyer allegedly demanded that he be paid to conduct an internal probe at Nike to root out what he called corrupt payments to elite youth basketball players.

Beaverton, Oregon-based Nike, the world's biggest sports apparel and footwear maker, argued in an earlier court filing that the testimony of its executives would be irrelevant because they don't have knowledge of Avenatti's alleged attempt at extortion.

The U.S. alleges Avenatti tried to extort Nike by telling the company's lawyers at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP that he would hold a damaging press conference announcing the allegations if they didn't pay his client, a coach for such players, $1.5 million and hire him to conduct the internal probe of Nike. The press conference could knock $1 billion off Nike's market value, Avenatti allegedly said at the time.

Avenatti argues the real wrongdoing was happening at Nike, and that his demand in settlement talks that he be hired to conduct an investigation wasn't unreasonable given the company's alleged conduct. Nike's lawyers appeared to be amenable to the idea and readily discussed how much it might cost, according to Avenatti's filing.

Avenatti claims Nike failed to produce critical documents to the government "until it became apparent" that his client was about to blow the whistle on the company.

The case is U.S. v. Avenatti, 19-cr-00373, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

Epstein

Jeffrey Epstein Gave $850,000 to M.I.T., and Administrators Knew

NY Times
By Tiffany Hsu, David Yaffe-Bellany and Marc Tracy
1/10/2020

The convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein donated a total of $850,000 to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and top administrators were aware of the gifts for years, according to a report released on Friday by a law firm hired by the university to investigate its ties to the disgraced financier.

The firm, Goodwin Procter, found that Mr. Epstein made 10 donations from 2002 to 2017, and also visited the school nine times from 2013 to 2017. The school said last year that it had received roughly $800,000 over the past two decades from Mr. Epstein, who killed himself in his Manhattan jail cell in August while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

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The university placed Seth Lloyd, a mechanical engineering professor who previously acknowledged a relationship with Mr. Epstein, on paid leave after the report found that he "purposefully failed" to inform M.I.T. of multiple donations from Mr. Epstein, including a $60,000 gift that was deposited into a personal bank account and not reported to the school.

Mr. Lloyd did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The report found that three current and former M.I.T. administrators learned of Mr. Epstein's donations to the Media Lab in 2013, but "in the absence of any M.I.T. policy regarding controversial gifts," other donations were approved under "an informal framework" that the administrators developed.

The report said senior administrators had made "significant mistakes of judgment" in accepting donations from Mr. Epstein after his 2008 conviction on sex charges in involving a minor in Florida, but had not breached any university policy. The university did not announce any disciplinary action for the administrators.

"We must fix what needs fixing and improve what needs improving," L. Rafael Reif, M.I.T.'s president, said in a statement.

Mr. Reif acknowledged last year that he had signed a letter thanking Mr. Epstein for a donation in 2012, four years after the financier's plea. The 61-page report cleared Mr. Reif of wrongdoing, saying that he was unaware that the school's prestigious Media Lab was accepting donations and "had no role in approving" the funds, according to the university.

After Mr. Epstein was charged with sex trafficking in July, the Media Lab became ensnared in the public reckoning over the vast network of academic, business and political leaders who rubbed shoulders with the financier or accepted money from him.

The lab's director, Joichi Ito, acknowledged raising $1.7 million from Mr. Epstein for the lab and his own outside investment funds. The disclosure created an uproar at the Media Lab, a program that prides itself on its contrarian culture.

Mr. Ito, a master networker who had raised at least $50 million for the Media Lab, resigned from the center in September. He also stepped down from The New York Times Company's board of directors, as well as several other boards and a visiting professorship at Harvard.

Internal emails demonstrated how Mr. Ito and other Media Lab officials took steps to conceal the lab's relationship with Mr. Epstein. In one 2014 email, Mr. Ito wrote that a $2 million gift from the Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates had been "directed by Jeffrey Epstein." In a subsequent email, another official at the lab wrote that "for gift recording purposes, we will not be mentioning Jeffrey's name as the impetus for this gift."

Mr. Gates denied that Mr. Epstein had directed grant-making on his behalf, and the firm's report said Mr. Gates's representatives had flatly denied that Mr. Gates had donated at Mr. Epstein's behest.

In another email exchange, Mr. Ito discussed how Mr. Epstein was helping to connect the lab to Leon Black, the founder of Apollo Global Management, a prominent private equity firm. One email indicated that Mr. Black had given the lab $4 million by wire transfer.

The report said Mr. Black had acknowledged donating to charities affiliated with Mr. Epstein, but that he had not specifically addressed whether he had given to M.I.T. or whether Mr. Epstein had asked him to donate.

A representative for Mr. Black said he could not immediately be reached for comment.

Civil

Brimelow

Anti-immigration author sues NYT over 'white nationalist' label

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Politico
By Josh Gerstein
1/9/2020

Peter Brimelow, an anti-immigration activist who hosts a website that has published the writings of white supremacists, is suing The New York Times for $5 million for labeling him an "open white nationalist" in an article last year.

The characterization of Brimelow that triggered the libel lawsuit appeared in a Jan. 15, 2019 article by Times political reporter Trip Gabriel that offered a chronology of racist and inflammatory comments by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa).

The story mentioned Brimelow in passing while noting that the two men appeared on a panel together at the 2012 Conservative Political Action Conference.

The suit says that after Brimelow complained about the description of him, the Times performed a "stealth edit" on the online version of the story, removing the word "open" but still branding him as a white nationalist.

Brimelow rejects that label, preferring to be called a "civic nationalist."

The Times never printed a correction or clarification in the online or print version of the paper, and refused to publish his letters challenging the original description, according to the suit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

"We stand by the story and will vigorously defend," Times spokeswoman Eileen Murphy said.

Brimelow's court complaint also contends that the Times aggravated the impact of its initial statement by adding a link to what he calls a "smear piece" in which the Southern Poverty Law Center described him as a "white nationalist" and suggested he harbors white supremacist views.

The Alabama-based watchdog group is not named as a defendant in the suit, but much of Brimelow's complaint is devoted to complaints — common in conservative circles — that the center's research is unreliable, politically biased and a thinly disguised fundraising ploy.

Brimelow, a British-born naturalized U.S. citizen who lives in Connecticut, runs the anti-immigration website VDare.com and formerly worked as an editor for Forbes magazine and a columnist for National Review. He acknowledged in his letter to the Times that his VDare website published articles written by "those who aim to defend the interests of whites," but he said the site has carried a wide range of authors who favor immigration restrictions.

Brimelow's 1995 book about the dangers of unchecked immigration, "Alien Nation," served as rallying cry for those who support a crackdown on immigration and prompted reviews in such outlets as the Times. His writings also appear to have had some influence among White House officials devising President Donald Trump's immigration policies.

Complex Frauds and Cybercrime

Padilla

Rockland County man pleads guilty to defrauding investors

Mid Hudson News
By Mid Hudson News
1/10/2020

A Haverstraw man pled guilty in federal court on Thursday to defrauding victims of more than $900,000 by soliciting investments in a sham financial firm based on misrepresentations and fraudulent documents.

It was alleged that Jorge Padilla, 33, orchestrated a scheme to solicit investments in a sham family investment office, Dunatos Capital.

Padilla, a financial professional registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, worked throughout the period at issue for large financial institutions.

He was charged with targeting Argentina-based victim-investors who had been clients of one of those institutions, claiming he had gone to work for Dunatos Capital, purportedly a family office managing tens of millions of dollars in investments.

He made false representations in order to solicit investments for the sham firm. After victims transferred funds as per his instructions, Padilla prepared and sent fraudulent statements about how the funds were invested.

He pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries up to 20 years in federal prison.

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Terrorism and International Narcotics
Virgil Griffith

Ethereum Developer Virgil Griffith Indicted Over North Korea Event Appearance

CoinDesk
By Daniel Palmer
1/9/2020

In a court document filed in the Southern District of New York on Jan. 7, Griffith is charged by a grand jury with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Griffith was released on bail on Jan. 9, Inner City Press reported.

A DOJ spokesperson previously told CoinDesk that Griffith's release had been delayed until he could satisfy his bail conditions.

The defendant and others had conspired to breach the prohibitions of the act when Griffith provided services to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea without obtaining approval from the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control, according to the indictment. The developer is also alleged to have attempted to evade U.S. legal requirements during his actions.

The document adds that one or more of the alleged co-conspirators is expected to be brought to New York and arrested.

Griffith was arrested on Thanksgiving for allegedly attending a cryptocurrency conference hosted by the North Korean government and sharing his expertise in using cryptocurrency.

According to a complaint brought against Griffith on Nov. 21, he had sought approval to attend the conference, which was denied. He then traveled to the conference anyway.

"Despite receiving warnings not to go, Griffith allegedly traveled to one of the United States' foremost adversaries, North Korea, where he taught his audience how to use blockchain technology to evade sanctions," John Demers, an assistant attorney general for national security, said at the time.

After the indictment was released, prosecutors requested that Griffith be sent to his parents in Alabama immediately after being released on bond, rather than be allowed to stay in a New York hotel room until his arraignment. They also asked that Griffith not be allowed to keep his passport card while traveling, claiming that this "poses a serious risk" that he may flee the country in a letter.

Griffith's attorneys, Brian Klein and Sean Buckley, responded that they disagreed with the government's characterizations and "were very surprised" by the letter. It was not immediately clear whether Griffith will be allowed to remain in New York through his arraignment.

"Virgil should not have been indicted. We are going to vigorously contest the charge and look forward to getting all the facts in front of the jury at trial," said Klein in response to the indictment.

If found guilty, Griffith faces up to 20 years in jail. The U.S. Attorney's Office also wants Griffith to forfeit any property or money obtained for his appearance in North Korea.

Griffith had served as the head of special projects for the Ethereum Foundation but has been suspended since his arrest, according to a previous report.

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Matters of Interest
Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein's lawyer, judge clash in court; Charlize Theron named as potential witness

USA Today
By Patrick Ryan and Maria Puente
1/10/2020

The first week of Harvey Weinstein's sex-crimes trial is coming to a close, and Friday kicked off with a heated courtroom exchange between the judge and a member of Weinstein's legal team, and news that A-list actress Charlize Theron may be called as a witness.

Attorney Arthur Aidala filed a motion suggesting potential jurors are unable to speak freely in the screening process given the media attention surrounding the case.

"Most people do not speak in front of international media," he told Judge James Burke. "In order for citizens to be as honest and forthright as possible, we ask that jury selection be done in private."

Burke replied: "That's against the law! I'll read this, but I'm generally familiar with this form of the law... I'm disagreeing with you on virtually every level."

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi also objected. "Now they want each person to be (interviewed) in private? I don't think there's any precedent for doing that."

In the motion, which USA TODAY obtained early Friday afternoon, Aidala says that Weinstein's defense has reviewed some of the potential jurors' questionnaires and believes many are unfairly biased against the ex-producer.

Reading them, "we have learned that (1) some jurors have not been candid in their responses; (2) at least one juror has expressed an ulterior financial motive for serving on Mr. Weinstein's trial and that he would find him guilty; (3) a number of jurors have been victims of or had exposure to sexual assault or domestic violence; and (4) nearly all jurors have heard about this case," Aidala writes.

Burke told the court he would rule on the motion after giving it a read later in the afternoon or over the weekend.

Weinstein's legal team has had little success persuading Burke to rule in their favor. Throughout the week, his defense filed motions to have Burke excused from the case and accusers' attorney Gloria Allred barred from the courtroom. The legal team also requested the trial be adjourned following new sex-crime charges filed in Los Angeles. All of the motions were denied.

The trial hit another snag Thursday when prosecutor Illuzzi suffered a medical emergency — she had something in her eye, according to the district attorney's office — and was forced to leave court before the third round of jury pre-selection.

On Friday, she told the judge she was feeling "much, much better."

Jury screening resumed Friday with 108 new potential jurors, although only 30 to 40 people moved on in the jury selection process, according to a media pool report. Many people said they could not be fair and impartial toward Weinstein, while one man said that he had worked with one of Weinstein's charities in the past and would be "uncomfortable" if chosen for the jury.

Others said that they could be fair and impartial, despite having met or worked with members of Weinstein's defense and Theron, who's listed as a potential witness in the trial. "Like a Boss" actress Salma Hayek was also named as a potential witness.

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As jury pre-selection wrapped late Friday morning, about 60 women wearing all black gathered for a protest outside the courthouse, according to the media pool report. "It's not my fault, not where I was, not how I dressed," they chanted several times. "And the rapist was you!"

The jury selection process will continue next week, and opening statements are targeted to begin Jan. 22.

Weinstein, 67, is accused of five sex crimes in New York involving encounters with two women. The embattled movie mogul was charged in May 2018, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has been free on $1 million bail (recently raised to $5 million). He has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.

If convicted, he could receive a life sentence.

Earlier this week, he was charged in Los Angeles with four sex crimes. Weinstein is accused of raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in separate incidents over two days in February 2013. A trial in that case is not likely to occur until after the New York case is resolved.

Rosenberg

Bankruptcy case could make it easier to erase student debt

Times Union
By Rachel Silberstein
1/9/2020

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge on Wednesday authored a stunning decision that may make it easier for student loan borrowers to file for bankruptcy.

Cecelia G. Morris, chief bankruptcy judge for the Southern District of New York, ruled in favor of Kevin Jared Rosenberg, who sought to erase more than $220,000 in loans accumulated during his undergraduate and law school years. Morris argued in the sharply worded document that courts have misapplied "the Brunner test," a three-pronged standard for determining whether college debt poses an "undue hardship" on the borrower, which is notoriously difficult to pass. "Brunner has received a lot of criticism for creating too high of a burden for most bankruptcy petitioners to meet ... The harsh results that often are associated with Brunner are actually the result of cases interpreting Brunner," Morris wrote.

The question of whether student loan borrowers can file for bankruptcy has been debated in federal courts for decades. In the 1970s, Congress exempted federal student loans from discharge in bankruptcy — except in extreme circumstances — amid concerns that some were exploiting the system to avoid repayment. In 2005, the exemption was expanded to private college loans as well. However, there are different views on what constitutes an "undue burden."

Critics say that the 32-year-old Brunner criteria, which originated in the Southern District of New York and has since been adopted by federal circuit courts in other states, has been interpreted too narrowly, deterring most former college students from seeking loan forgiveness.

In the last few years, bankruptcy lawyers all over the country have been challenging the exemption, seeking new avenues for borrowers to find relief from crippling student debt, but few have been successful.

Morris' decision is likely to be appealed by loan service providers, but if it is affirmed by the higher court, it could have a rippling impact in other parts of the nation, according to Peter Frank, a bankruptcy lawyer from Kingston.

"All of us have been discouraged from attempting to discharge student loans because it appeared that the law was a wall too high to climb for most debtors other than those with severe disabilities," Frank said. "If the district court affirms Chief Morris' order, there will be a lot more filers for bankruptcy all over the country."

According to the Brunner standard, to have college debt discharged in a bankruptcy proceeding, borrowers must demonstrate that making loan payments would prevent them from maintaining an acceptable living standard. They also

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must show that their financial condition is likely to last for most of the remaining loan period and prove that they made a "good faith" effort to repay the loans.

Morris, in her ruling, illustrated how many cases have added punitive standards to the Brunner test not contained in the original decision.

"Those retributive dicta were then applied and reapplied so frequently in the context of Brunner that they have subsumed the actual language of the Brunner test. They have become a quasi-standard of mythic proportions so much so that most people ... believe it impossible to discharge student loans," Morris wrote. "This Court will not participate in perpetuating these myths."

Nicholas Biase

Public Affairs

United States Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office I Southern District of New York

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📅 Apr 19, 2021 REDACTED

A question

From: Levin, Sharon Cohen

Are there any efforts by SDNY or DOJ to recover funds on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein's victims? I know there is a fund through the Attorney General of the US Virgin Islands who sued the Epstein estate in January 2020 (after Epstein's death). Are there also asset forfeiture/restitution efforts in the SDNY, such as through the Maxwell prosecution? Thanks for any information you can provide. - Sharon Sharon Cohen Levin Sullivan & Cromwell LLP | [REDACTED] New York, NY 10004-2498 This e-mail is se

Are there any efforts by SDNY or DOJ to recover funds on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein's victims? I know there is a fund through the Attorney General of the US Virgin Islands who sued the Epstein estate in January 2020 (after Epstein's death). Are there also asset forfeiture/restitution efforts in the SDNY, such as through the Maxwell prosecution?

Thanks for any information you can provide.

- Sharon

Sharon Cohen Levin
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP | [REDACTED]
New York, NY 10004-2498

This e-mail is sent by a law firm and contains information that may be privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete the e-mail and notify us immediately.

📅 Apr 20, 2021 REDACTED

FW: A question

From: [REDACTED]

See below - is there anything we've said publicly about this that I can share? Co-Chief, Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit Asset Forfeiture Coordinator United States Attorney's Office Southern District of New York

See below - is there anything we've said publicly about this that I can share?

Co-Chief, Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit

Asset Forfeiture Coordinator

United States Attorney's Office

Southern District of New York

📅 Jun 23, 2020 REDACTED

Fw: Formal appeal for preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix

From: Chris Dilorio

Ms Norberg, I am in receipt of the SEC OWB correspondence allowing me more time to respond to the preliminary denial of my award application for the Oppenheimer 2015 covered action. This e mail was the last 1 I sent to your office related to my appeal. It will serve as the basis of my appeal. Including the attachments of my 2013 TCR submitted with Berger Montague to the SEC. I will also forward correspondence from 2012 and following detailing my extensive correspondence with Robin Traxler at FIN

Ms Norberg,
I am in receipt of the SEC OWB correspondence allowing me more time to respond to the preliminary denial of my award application for the Oppenheimer 2015 covered action. This e mail was the last 1 I sent to your office related to my appeal. It will serve as the basis of my appeal. Including the attachments of my 2013 TCR submitted with Berger Montague to the SEC. I will also forward correspondence from 2012 and following detailing my extensive correspondence with Robin Traxler at FINRA as well as Sean McKessy in the OWB. Even though, I have previously forwarded your office as well as the SEC IG office the exact same corroborating evidence. My response to you will be lengthy and detailed. However, given that it took your office FIVE YEARS to send me a preliminary denial notice, that is understandable and in fact a result of YOUR lengthy delay in notifying me. ALL of my response pertains to the denial appeal at hand. In 2011, I filed my first Whistleblower complaint with the SEC. Detailing a massive fraud on the public directly implicating dozens of entities. The center of my claims: Knight/KCG/VIRT: collectively NITE and the Swiss banking giant UBS:UBSS. By far, NITE was and still is today the largest MM/executing BD in the OTCM space. I was shocked to find the Swiss banking Giant UBSS was trading many of the same stocks as NITE and to the extent they were. This came on the heels of the FINRA UBSS Reg SHO complaint where the extent of the UBSS activity "threatened to undermine the integrity of our markets" while the SEC analysis of this activity was simply a case of "sloppy record keeping". My experience as an Institutional Sales trader: executing multi million share equity trades for the largest institutions in the world like Fidelity and Putnam. In addition, as a Research Sales person: analyzing financial statements and making investment recommendations formed the basis of my expertise. In fact, the SEC OWB has paid out awards for information just like mine. In August of 2011, I informed the SEC that NITE was insolvent having reported just $105 mil in working capital at June 30, 2011. AND, for the resaons cited in my TCR detailing massive accounting fraud as a direct result of illegal naked shorting/self clearing/reverse splits/cusip changes etc. The SEC had a choice: investigate these extremely serious allegations and shut down this massive fraud on the public OR cover up their failure and allow this massive fraud on the public to continue. Unfortunately for the American public the SEC is mandated to protect, the SEC chose the latter. As a direct result, ALL of the activity detailed by me in this TCR and other TCR's filed with the SEC as well as 9 years of additional correspondence with the SEC, this is very much an ongoing, massive scheme. One that the SEC actively facilitates. Countless losses have been incurred as a result. NITE as I detailed is in a constant state of insolvency. The SEC has time and again intentionally misled the investing public that there is no abusive naked shorting. NITE is still in business TODAY.
The core business at NITE is and always has been: abusive naked shorting OTCM shells to facilitate money laundering. Not DMM, FCM, reverse mortgages, or even HFT. This illegal business is EXTREMELY profitable and

📅 Jun 23, 2020 REDACTED

Fw: Formal appeal for preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix

From: Chris Dilorio

Ms Norberg, I am in receipt of the SEC OWB correspondence allowing me more time to respond to the preliminary denial of my award application for the Oppenheimer 2015 covered action. This e mail was the last 1 I sent to your office related to my appeal. It will serve as the basis of my appeal. Including the attachments of my 2013 TCR submitted with Berger Montague to the SEC. I will also forward correspondence from 2012 and following detailing my extensive correspondence with Robin Traxler at FIN

Ms Norberg,
I am in receipt of the SEC OWB correspondence allowing me more time to respond to the preliminary denial of my award application for the Oppenheimer 2015 covered action. This e mail was the last 1 I sent to your office related to my appeal. It will serve as the basis of my appeal. Including the attachments of my 2013 TCR submitted with Berger Montague to the SEC. I will also forward correspondence from 2012 and following detailing my extensive correspondence with Robin Traxler at FINRA as well as Sean McKessy in the OWB. Even though, I have previously forwarded your office as well as the SEC IG office the exact same corroborating evidence. My response to you will be lengthy and detailed. However, given that it took your office FIVE YEARS to send me a preliminary denial notice, that is understandable and in fact a result of YOUR lengthy delay in notifying me. ALL of my response pertains to the denial appeal at hand. In 2011, I filed my first Whistleblower complaint with the SEC. Detailing a massive fraud on the public directly implicating dozens of entities. The center of my claims: Knight/KCG/VIRT: collectively NITE and the Swiss banking giant UBS:UBSS. By far, NITE was and still is today the largest MM/executing BD in the OTCM space. I was shocked to find the Swiss banking Giant UBSS was trading many of the same stocks as NITE and to the extent they were. This came on the heels of the FINRA UBSS Reg SHO complaint where the extent of the UBSS activity "threatened to undermine the integrity of our markets" while the SEC analysis of this activity was simply a case of "sloppy record keeping". My experience as an Institutional Sales trader: executing multi million share equity trades for the largest institutions in the world like Fidelity and Putnam. In addition, as a Research Sales person: analyzing financial statements and making investment recommendations formed the basis of my expertise. In fact, the SEC OWB has paid out awards for information just like mine. In August of 2011, I informed the SEC that NITE was insolvent having reported just $105 mil in working capital at June 30, 2011. AND, for the resaons cited in my TCR detailing massive accounting fraud as a direct result of illegal naked shorting/self clearing/reverse splits/cusip changes etc. The SEC had a choice: investigate these extremely serious allegations and shut down this massive fraud on the public OR cover up their failure and allow this massive fraud on the public to continue. Unfortunately for the American public the SEC is mandated to protect, the SEC chose the latter. As a direct result, ALL of the activity detailed by me in this TCR and other TCR's filed with the SEC as well as 9 years of additional correspondence with the SEC, this is very much an ongoing, massive scheme. One that the SEC actively facilitates. Countless losses have been incurred as a result. NITE as I detailed is in a constant state of insolvency. The SEC has time and again intentionally misled the investing public that there is no abusive naked shorting. NITE is still in business TODAY.
The core business at NITE is and always has been: abusive naked shorting OTCM shells to facilitate money laundering. Not DMM, FCM, reverse mortgages, or even HFT. This illegal business is EXTREMELY profitable and

📅 Jun 23, 2020 REDACTED

Fw: Formal appeal for preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix

From: Chris Dilorio

small typos/corrections: Mirror trade activity peaked in 1H2014 not 2H2014 and this coincides with OTCM astronomical share volume data in 1Q2014 and 2Q2014 that were expunged from KCG 10Q SEC filings. Not 2Q2014 and 3Q2014 SEC reviewed 10Q's as I previously stated corrected below Chris

small typos/corrections:
Mirror trade activity peaked in 1H2014 not 2H2014 and this coincides with OTCM astronomical share volume data in 1Q2014 and 2Q2014 that were expunged from KCG 10Q SEC filings. Not 2Q2014 and 3Q2014 SEC reviewed 10Q's as I previously stated corrected below
Chris

📅 Jun 30, 2020 REDACTED

Fw: Formal appeal for preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix

From: Chris Dilorio

Janey, please add the following info to my appeal of your preliminary denial of my Opco award. More evidence the SEC is using/has used my information to both bring complaints and protect/obstruct complaints. Again, you, McKessy, Hoecker have been in possession of my 2013 TCR filed with Berger for several years. In addition to hundreds of e mails continuing into 2020 showing irrefutable and overwhelming evidence to support my allegations. Highlighted in my attached TCR and related to my Opco Awar

Janey,
please add the following info to my appeal of your preliminary denial of my Opco award.
More evidence the SEC is using/has used my information to both bring complaints and protect/obstruct complaints. Again, you, McKessy, Hoecker have been in possession of my 2013 TCR filed with Berger for several years. In addition to hundreds of e mails continuing into 2020 showing irrefutable and overwhelming evidence to support my allegations.
Highlighted in my attached TCR and related to my Opco Award application: Joshie Sason/Hanover/Magna: CGFIA, IMDS,NewLead,FreeSeas, PRTH etc etc etc. The SEC Sason/NewLead complaint is also my information as I filed separate but related NewLead, and FreeSeas TCR's with your office. The SEC complaint: Sason assignments: bogus notes. NO SHIT? Really? detailed by me. In addition to Bag Man Sason/Hanover/Magna, I detailed the illegal activity of Bag Man Justin Keener/JMJ in my 2013 TCR. Keener was the customer in the FINRA World Trade Financial complaint.
https://www.finra.org/media-center/news-releases/2013/finra-fines-three-firms-900000-inadequate-anti-
money-laundering
EFTA00064885
FINRA Fines Three Firms $900,000 for Inadequate Anti-Money Laundering Programs I FINRA.org
WASHINGTON - The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today that it has fined three firms a total of 5900,000 for failing to establish and implement adequate anti-money laundering (AML) programs and other supervisory systems to detect suspicious transactions.
www.finra.org
Related to the billions of OTCM money laundering shells traded through World Trade, the BD SRO FINRA requested information from Keener related to his assignments and acquisition of bogus convertible notes including bank statements to prove the notes weren't bogus. Keener told FINRA to 'F Off" https://www.finra.org/sites/default/files/OHODecision/p182993 0 0.pdf
FINANCIAL INDUSTRY REGULATORY AUTHORITY OFFICE OF HEARING
OFFICERS
5 distributions of securities in violation of Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933. Tr. 158, 179-180.6 On September 22, 2011, FINRA staff served a request on Keener, pursuant to FINRA
www.finra.org
FINRA barred Keener/JMJ in 2013 as a "Bad Actor" The SEC was certainly aware of the FINRA action hups://www.sec.gov/litigation/opinions/2012/34-68014.pdf
As recently as 2019 Bag Man Keener/JMJ was involved in ANOTHER money laundering shell called Blink Charging fka New Image Concepts
https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?
action=getcompany&CIK=0001429764&owner=exclude&count=40&hidefilings=0
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1429764/000114420419004046/0001144204-19-004046-index.htm
EDGAR Filing Documents for 0001144204-19-004046
Blink Charging Co. (Subject) CIK: 0001429764 (see all company filings) IRS No.: 030608147 I State of Incorp.:NV I Fiscal Year End: 1231 Type: SC 13G/A I Act: 34 ...
www.sec.gov
New Image Concepts was detailed by the SEC in their Jaclin et al "Shell factory" complaint in 2016. PRIOR to Keener involvement. https://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/2016/comp-pr2016-86.pdf
EFTA00064886
Case No. 2:16-cv-03250
123456789 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Case 2:16-cv-03250 Document 1 Filed 05/12/16 Page 1 of 45 Page ID #:1 AMY JANE LONGO, Cal ...
www.sec.gov
But Keener not the only 1 involved who knew New Concept was a money laundering shell.
CEO of Blink is Michael Farkas. SEC knows him well from his Skyway Communications days.
The SEC revoked the registration of Farkas/Skyway in 2007
https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?
action=getcompany&CIK=0001128723&owner=exclude&count=40&hidefilings=0
The CFO of Blink is Jonathan New. Formerly CFO of the AQR/Crede: Milken money laundering/Transaction laundering blank check shell: Cazador/Arco: Net Element
A director of Blink is a guy named Donald Engel who worked at Drexel with Milken.
New Concepts was HQ'd in Santa Monica: Milken
But it gets better
the Jaclin shell factory also linked to Honig,Stetson,Alpha Cap, Frost as well
http://www.teribuhl.com/2019/08/06/honigs-shell-factory-attorney-gregg-jaclin-barred-as-sec-lawyer/
The image is a placeholder icon for an image file.
Honig's Shell Factory Attorney Gregg Jaclin Barred as SEC lawyer - TERI BUHL
Your Voice. High Times Admits SEC Filing is Wrong: Stormy Simon off the Board - L.A. Cannabis News on Text messages show Cannabis investors Defrancesco & Serruya allegedly Colluded with Clarus Securities' Christodoulis in Multiple Stocks; High Times Admits SEC Filing is Wrong: Stormy Simon off the Board -
www.teribuhl.com
Where the SEC said multi billionaire Frost risked ALL to make a few million. NO, Frost,Alpha (also in my attached TCR), Stetson, Honig were LAUNDERING. Frost bought Ladenburg from Milken flunkie Icahn AFTER Icahn rolled Gruntal int Ladenburg. Gruntal: Icahn,Sater,SAC,Feinberg et al: Milken
The SEC intentionally omitted a Honig/Stetson shell from this complaint:
Millenium Bio/Inergetics
linked to Trump Cleveland fundraiser and healthcare fraud felon: Brian Colleran In typical SEC "cover up", revoked the Millenium/Inergetics registration in 2019. https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar? action=getcompany&CIK=0000072170&owner=exclude&count=40&hidefilings=0
Finally,
SEVEN F'n Years AFTER FINRA barred (not exactly) Keener/JMJ and my Berger TCR filed with your office Laney, The SEC is going after Keener/JMJ related to my information AGAIN 17.5 BILLION shares of money laundering penny stocks.
EFTA00064887
https://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/2020/Ir24779.htm
Justin W. Keener d/b/a JMJ Financial (Release No. LR-24779; Mar. 24, 2020)
SEC Charges Unregistered Penny Stock Dealer Litigation Release No. 24779 / March 24, 2020 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Justin W. Keener d/b/a JMJ Financial, No. 20-cv-21254 (S.D. Fla. March 24, 2020)
www.sec.gov
WHO was/were executing BD's/MM's in these billions of shares of worthless Keener/JMJ money laundering shells????
What are odds that bogus note/worthless certs/assignments Sason/Magna would be involved with bogus notes/worthless certs/assignments Keener/JMJ in money laundering shells like IMDS and CGFIA etc) AND CGFIA was detailed by me to the SEC/FINRA AND CGFIA was 1 of the shells in the FINRA Opco AML complaint AND where NITE and UBSS traded billions of shares of CGFIA
AND where NITE and UBSS traded billions of shares of IMDS also
Now, what are the odds of all of that?
All you have to do is read my attached TCR Laney.
Cheers!
Christopher J Dilorio
Whistleblower

📅 Jun 30, 2020 REDACTED

Fw: Formal appeal for preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix

From: Chris Dilorio

Janey, the purpose of your 5 years in the waiting PRELIMINARY denial of my OpCo Award application could not be any more clear: run the clock out and protect NITE,UBSS,Magna et al while denying me rightful compensation. But, As I have repeatedly told you, Hoecker, your colleagues: the last overt act of this vast conspiracy has not yet occurred: NITE/VIRT is insolvent today 6/30/2020 as a direct result of the SEC facilitated fraud on the public which is and always has been the core business at NIT

Janey,
the purpose of your 5 years in the waiting PRELIMINARY denial of my OpCo Award application could not be any more clear: run the clock out and protect NITE,UBSS,Magna et al while denying me rightful compensation. But, As I have repeatedly told you, Hoecker, your colleagues: the last overt act of this vast conspiracy has not yet occurred:
NITE/VIRT is insolvent today 6/30/2020 as a direct result of the SEC facilitated fraud on the public which is and always has been the core business at NITE/VIRT: Abusive naked shorting publicly traded shells to facilitate money laundering. The public is STILL at risk. The SEC has facilitated NITE intentionally misleading the public as to the true nature of its business. The SEC still facilitates this massive fraud on the public while it intentionally misleads the public there is no naked shorting because the SEC authorized the DTCC to create the illegal, shadow clear mechanism Obligation Warehouse (OW) so NITE's criminal activity can continue and it can circumvent close out REQUIREMENTS of Rule 204 of Reg SHO. ALL very much ongoing in June 2020 as a direct result of the SEC (OWB/Hoecker/Enforcement etc etc) criminal obstruction and ACTIVE facilitation of the criminal enterprise known as Knight/KCG/VIRT: NITE.
Clayton never disclosed his Sull Crom/Fishman/NITE conflicts. He must step down from the SEC IMMEDIATELY until a criminal investigation can be concluded. NITE must be halted IMMEDIATELY as it still poses a monumental risk to the investing public. FINRA should go back to being a cheerleader as it is just another enabler of this criminal activity. It has NO business enforcing SECURITIES LAWS. It should not be overseeing the OTCM. FINRA fines are a joke and not meant to be a deterrent. INTENTIONALLY siding with criminals over the investing public the SEC is mandated to protect. The cesspool known as the OTCM MUST be shut down. It exists
EFTA00064884
SOLEY for the purpose of facilitating a massive fraud on the public. The OW must be shut down IMMEDIATELY so the public can see just how pervasive naked short selling: MANIPULATION really is. EVERYONE at the SEC who has had contact with my information MUST resign/be terminated IMMEDIATELY. ALL of the AQR blank check shells must be shut down IMMEDIATELY as they pose a serious national security risk. AQR MUST be shut down IMMEDIATELY.
Certainly not exhaustive BUT a good start
Cheers!
Christopher J Dilorio
Whistleblower

📅 Jul 7, 2020 REDACTED

Fw: Formal appeal for preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix

From: Chris Dilorio

Janey, MORE EXTRAORDINARY SEC corruption and criminal obstruction designed to protect criminals and screw whistleblowers like me. Despite my very generous 4 day offer to produce the entire record which is the basis of my award application/denial/appeal AND REQUIRED by the statute I have referenced: 240.21F-12 "Materials that may form the basis of an award determination and that may comprise the record on appeal", The several hundred e mails I have sent you, Hoecker et al MUST be part of this rec

Janey,
MORE EXTRAORDINARY SEC corruption and criminal obstruction designed to protect criminals and screw whistleblowers like me. Despite my very generous 4 day offer to produce the entire record which is the basis of my award application/denial/appeal AND REQUIRED by the statute I have referenced: 240.21F-12 "Materials that may form the basis of an award determination and that may comprise the record on appeal", The several hundred e mails I have sent you, Hoecker et al MUST be part of this record. Janey, you failed to produce this record. As I made clear: my 6/23/2020 emails to you Hoecker, SEC commissioners were merely re re re sent previously sent e mails: the record. Further, my 6/23/2020 e mail: Formal appeal for preliminary denial covered action 2015-016 Knight Capital & Appendix was merely a summary of several hundred e mails sent to you, Hoecker et al. These e mails SHOULD be the record. You failed to produce the record. Which begs the question: WHAT "record" was used to determine the SEC preliminary denial exactly IF the SEC can't produce the record? The preliminary denial was completely fabricated and must be reversed. But, it doesn't end there: per my 6/23/2020 summary based on several hundred e mails sent to the SEC, the RECORD of EXTRAORDINARY corrupt obstruction designed to protect criminals and screw whistleblowers is not confined to Opco,NITE,UBSS,Sason,Keener etc etc etc. I have filed 2 TCR's with the OWB related to the money laundering/transaction
laundering/Putin/Rakishev/Trump/Kushner/Alfa/Crede/Peizer/Milken/Hapoalim/SBNY/CardWorks/ESQ/WireCa rd/AQR etc etc etc fraud known as Net Element. For YEARS the SEC has been in possession of not just my TCR's but HUNDREDS of e mails supporting my TCR's comprising the extensive record. Here again, the SEC is covering up a MASSIVE fraud perpetrated on the public and well within even the grossly corrupt SEC ability to shut down the fraud IF they had used my information to execute its mandate to do so. Instead, the SEC obstructed a thorough investigation. Per my previous e mails: the record: NETE claimed to be a payment processing entity. Claiming further to process BILLIONS of dollars worth of transactions every year. Its subsidiary Pay Online is linked to the massive fraud Wire Card. How's the SEC Wire Card investigation coming along? For years, based on my extensive financials research and other research, I pleaded and pleaded with the SEC to shut down this massive fraud. They did not. email after email. Year after year I wrote the SEC "NETE is a money laundering/transaction laundering fraud". Rather than shut it down, the SEC with the help of NASDAQ allowed fraud public offerings by Crede/Peizer/Milken related entities: Esousa and Cobblestone and a reverse split so NETE could keep its NASDAQ listing. The balance sheet has been grossly insolvent for years: goodwill. ALL of my allegations were confirmed when NETE decided to "unlock value in its payment processing" business by doing a reverse merger with a CA EV "manufacturer" started by a musician. This fraud transaction is quite common in money laundering shell land dominated by NITE/VIRT. The SEC cover up of criminal activity while screwing whistleblowers:ME: The "payment processing business" is to be "sold". Related of course was the SEC cover up of criminal activity while screwing whistleblowers: ME: The Goldman/Sull Cromm advised purchase by ALLY of CardWorks: Merrick Bank: NETE and then the recent unwinding of this fraud transaction. No doubt the brain child of Chair Clayton and his Sull Cromm colleague Jared Fishman who has played a key role in keeping the criminal entity NITE/VIRT up and running.
NETE/Mullen: "here glitchy glitchy" cover up. But, who the hell would EVER touch the massive fraud: NETE? Only another fraud: Mullen.
Mullen doesn't "manufacture" ANYTHING. Mullen is simply a car dealership.
EFTA00064882
The K50 EV is manufactured in China by Ctiantu a subsidiary of CH-Auto. Qiantu/CH have a production facility in China. There will be no Mullen "production" of EV vehicles in Washington or anywhere else in the US. But, the SEC facilitated fraud doesn't end at protecting criminals and screwing whistleblowers: ME. Per my TCR attached, there is a well orchestrated eco system of fraud. Including "issuer/bag man funded research" that facilitates P&D. In fact, on 11/8/2018 the SEC brought a complaint against an entity I cited in 1 of my emails to the SEC: the record: known as SeeThroughEquity
https://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/2018/comp-pr2018-259.pdf
Seethruequity, LLC, Ajay Tandon, and Amit Tandon
THE DEFENDANTS 6. SeeThruEquity, LLC is a Delaware limited liability company that was co-founded in 2011 by brothers Ajay Tandon and Amit Tandon.
www.sec.gov
SeeThroughEquity was engaged in a Pump and Dump promotion of NETE in April and August 2018 https://www.netelement.com/press-releases/release-content/1062906#.XwRXEOWSnIV
- **Entity:** SeeThruEquity
- **Action:** Issued an update on Net Element, Inc.
- **Date:** April 10, 2018
- **Net Element, Inc. Ticker:** NETE (NASDAQ)
- **Note availability:** NETE April 2018 Update Note
- **Website:** www.netelement.com
https://www.netelement.com/press-releases/release-content/10734671#.XwRXGuWSnIV
**Key Information:**

* **Company:** Net Element, Inc. (Nasdaq CM: NETE)
* **Issuing Firm:** SeeThruEquity
* **Action:** Issued an update on Net Element, Inc.
* **Date of Update:** August 6, 2018
* **Note Title:** NETE August 2018 Update Note
* **SeeThruEquity Focus:** Smallcap and microcap public companies
* **Net Element Description:** A global financial entity.
So, the SEC SeeThroughEquity complaint acknowledges the fraud associated with NETE. Well orchestrated. This P&D campaign was part of the 2 fraud offerings : Esousa and Cobblestone: I alerted the SEC to. Who PAID for the SeeThrough P&D? Crede/Peizer/Esousa/Cobblestone?
The cherry on top of the SEC corrupt obstruction: NETE was still in business in 2020 to receive taxpayer Cares Act money.
A summary of the record.
EFTA00064883
Janey, Hoecker et al,
Please update my Net Element and AQR TCR's
Cheers!
Christopher J Dilorio
Whistleblower
Not just irony but a massive fraud on the

📅 Jul 8, 2020 REDACTED

Fw: Formal appeal for preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix

From: Chris Dilorio

Janey, Hoecker et al, Is Trump prolific Bag Man Jonathan Farkas related to Bag Man Michael Farkas: Skyway largest shareholder: REVOKED https://www.hollywood reporter.com/rambling-reporter/inside-hamptons-fundraisers-netted-trump-12m- election-1230690 **Article Title:** Inside the Hamptons Fundraisers That Netted Trump $12M for Re-election **Source:** Hollywood Reporter **Key Information:** * President Donald Trump's trip to the Hamptons on Friday raised $12 million for his re-election campaign

Janey, Hoecker et al,
Is Trump prolific Bag Man Jonathan Farkas related to Bag Man Michael Farkas: Skyway largest shareholder: REVOKED
https://www.hollywood reporter.com/rambling-reporter/inside-hamptons-fundraisers-netted-trump-12m-
election-1230690
**Article Title:** Inside the Hamptons Fundraisers That Netted Trump $12M for Re-election
**Source:** Hollywood Reporter
**Key Information:**
*   President Donald Trump's trip to the Hamptons on Friday raised $12 million for his re-election campaign.
*   Republican allies quickly declared the event a success.
*   Associated URL: www.hollywoodreporter.com
Now Michael Farkas is CEO of Jaclin money laundering shell New Image Concepts/Blink charging How did Farkas (Michael) escape the SkyWay SEC complaint? https://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/2009/comp20960.pdf
Would explain the Milken/Drexel flunkie Engel on the BLNK BoD as well.
Also explains why the grossly corrupt SEC let Bag Man JMJ/Keener up and running in 2020 and the
Crede/Milken/Putin etc NETE CFO New now CFO at BLNK
Some BLNK/Trump/rinsing. With help from "issuer/bag man funded research" Zacks aka Seethroughequities 2.0. Rusian money?
Cheers!
Christopher J Dilorio
Whistleblower

📅 Jul 13, 2020 REDACTED

Fw: Formal appeal for preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix

From: Chris Dilorio

subject: Fw: Formal appeal tor preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix Janey, Hoecker, Jay et al still MORE SEC attempts to cover up illegal activity at the expense of the public it is mandated to protect. The SEC latest Rule change proposal https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2020-152 EFTA00064879 SEC.gov I SEC Proposes Amendments to Update Form 13F for Institutional Investment Managers; Amend Reporting Threshold to Reflect Today's Equities Markets The Secur

subject: Fw: Formal appeal tor preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix
Janey, Hoecker, Jay et al still MORE SEC attempts to cover up illegal activity at the expense of the public it is mandated to protect. The SEC latest Rule change proposal https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2020-152
EFTA00064879
SEC.gov I SEC Proposes Amendments to Update Form 13F for Institutional Investment Managers; Amend Reporting Threshold to Reflect Today's Equities Markets
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it has proposed to amend Form 13F to update the reporting threshold for institutional investment managers and make other targeted changes.
www.sec.gov
Will exempt 90% of current 13F filers from future equity holdings disclosures. WHO does that benefit? Certainly not the public the SEC is mandated to protect. LESS transparency still for the likes of Keener,Sason,Asher/Kramer,IBC,Ironridge/Coulston,Alpha,Dutchess,Crede, etc etc etc Costs to file: pocket change https://www.netacn.com/Service.aspx?id=dLfmwmZHCkOsIL-sP3V8Dw
Form 13F EDGAR Filing Agent Service :: Advisor Consultant Network
ACN will compile your 13F Report and act as your Filing Agent in order to submit the report to EDGAR. Send us your Holdings List, we compile the Form 13F Report and send you a Proof for your review and approval. Upon your approval we will submit the report to EDGAR. You will receive an email notification as will ACN that the report has been accepted.
www.netacn.com
So, WHY does the SEC want LESS transparencyfor the investing public it is mandated to protect? The SEC is bought and paid for by criminals.
Cheers!
Christopher J Dilorio
Whistleblower

📅 Jul 14, 2020 REDACTED

Fw: Formal appeal for preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix

From: Chris Dilorio

MORE SEC corruption/obstruction ANOTHER Jaclin money laundering shell: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1449527/000121390008002174/fs1_prcomplete.htm YESDtc Holdings fka PR Complete https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?CIK=1449527 MORE related entities to my claims: Bill Scigliano: Chairman BoD Scigliano was also a Director at Oleg Firer's revoked but still very much up and running in MA: Acies Corp. Acies was incorporated by His Eminence with a NY address of 14 Wall Street: Rovt: All

MORE SEC corruption/obstruction
ANOTHER Jaclin money laundering shell:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1449527/000121390008002174/fs1_prcomplete.htm
YESDtc Holdings fka PR Complete
https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?CIK=1449527
MORE related entities to my claims:
Bill Scigliano: Chairman BoD Scigliano was also a Director at Oleg Firer's revoked but still very much up and running in MA: Acies Corp. Acies was incorporated by His Eminence with a NY address of 14 Wall Street: Rovt: Allied Wallet: WireCard. Jaclin and Oleg related entities/people: Money laundering shells. Is the grossly corrupt SEC regretting their Jaclin complaint which was a cover up for much larger criminal activity: MY CLAIMS? But there's more. The SEC also brought "more coverup than complaint" In Frost,Honig,Alpha,Stetson et al. The SEC Knows who else was involved in the Jaclin money laundering shell PRComplete/YESDtc: Barry Honig/GRQ
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1449527/000152153612000023/0001521536-12-000023-index.htm
So, Jaclin money laundering Shells and Honig too? Gee, maybe Bag Men Honig, Keener, Scigliano etc KNEW these were money laundering shells?
Who was the executing BD/MM converting all these billions of worthless Jaclin,Ironridge,JMJ,Farkas,Honig etc etc certs into real money? The SEC response: "penny stock trading fairies". NOPE: NITE How is it possible that there is NO reference to AML in ANY of these SEC complaints? Because the SEC outsourced BD compliance with the BSA to industry advocate FINRA. DUH
Then, there's the Jaclin money laundering shell New lmage/BLNK. Gee, wonder if Farkas of money laundering shell Skyway, JMJ/Keener: money laundering shells in my claims, Engel: Drexel, Jonathan New NETE CFO, etc knew BLNK was/is a money laundering shell too.
His Eminence Firer is a prolific Bag Man. I've been telling the SEC that for years. Janey, update my NETE and AQR TCR's. You know, for the record. Several entities in my TCR's linked to Jaclin's shell factory. Including NITE.
I've asked this many times Janey,Jay,Hoecker et al:
EFTA00064878
WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE NITE COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT DO EXACTLY?
Other than looking the other way while they naked short publicly traded shells to facilitate money laundering that is

Cheers!
Christopher J Dilorio
Whistleblower

📅 Jul 14, 2020 REDACTED

Fw: Formal appeal for preliminary denial covered action 2015-016/ Knight Capital TCR & Appendix

From: Chris Dilorio

OH JOHNNY! https://www.reuters.com/article/bc-finreg-fbi-laundering-private-equity-idUSKCN24F1TP The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is concerned about money laundering risks in the private equity and hedge fund industries. A leaked document indicates that these firms, part of a nearly $10-trillion industry, are allegedly being used for large-scale money laundering. Janey, Even though you admit not distributing my information within the SEC, I was busy distributing it myself to others

OH JOHNNY!
https://www.reuters.com/article/bc-finreg-fbi-laundering-private-equity-idUSKCN24F1TP
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is concerned about money laundering risks in the private equity and hedge fund industries. A leaked document indicates that these firms, part of a nearly $10-trillion industry, are allegedly being used for large-scale money laundering.
Janey,
Even though you admit not distributing my information within the SEC, I was busy distributing it myself to others.
Carl baby, I'm afraid this means your first "investigation" of my complaints to you wasn't exactly "thorough" as I've been saying for years.
Shall I point out the pages for you?
Blackstone wanted to buy NITE but only AFTER theirSEC/JEF et al orchestrated August 1 2012 "glitch" "luckiest f'ers" on the Street
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/blackstone-dodged-a-bullet-with-knight-capital-2012-8
This is not a chart.

**Key Information:**

* **Headline:** Blackstone Almost Bought Knight Capital Before Its Stock Collapsed
* **Event:** A trading glitch caused Knight Capital Group's shares to drop from over $10.30 to nearly $2.50.
* **Implication:** Blackstone, which had considered buying Knight Capital, is relieved as the deal did not proceed.
* **Source:** businessinsider.com.au
From my TCR you admit never distributing Janey
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-wealth-summit-ubs-blackstone-idUSTRE6A055020101101
EFTA00064876
This image is a placeholder icon indicating that an image or chart should be displayed. It does not contain any chart data or key information to extract.
UBS brokerage's McCann sees more
Blackstone ties - Reuters
UBS , rebuilding a brokerage hard-hit by the financial crisis, lately has been mingling in some good company: Blackstone Group LLP.
www.reuters.com
The UBS award application I sent to Janey TEN TIMES from a commercial fax machine: ALSO MY INFORMATION
https://www.sec.gov/enforce/34-84828-s
SEC.gov I SEC Charges UBS Financial Services Inc. with Anti-Money Laundering Violations
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING File No. 3-18931. December 17, 2018 - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced settled charges against broker-dealer UBS Financial Services Inc. for failing to report suspicious transactions in customer accounts. UBS agreed to pay a $5 million civil penalty to resolve the SEC's charges, and separately agreed to pay $10 million to the U.S. Treasury ...
www.sec.gov
y'all are gonna be FAMOUSI
Cheers!
Christopher J Dilorio
Whistleblower