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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Readout of Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With U.K. Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace
APRIL 20, 2021
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and his U.K. counterpart, Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace, met in London April 15, 2021, to reaffirm the unbreakable bond of the U.S.-U.K. strategic partnership.
The leaders discussed numerous issues impacting transatlantic security, including Russia’s build-up of forces along Ukraine’s border and in occupied Crimea. The leaders echoed NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg’s call for Russia to de-escalate the situation and end its military build-up.
The leaders also discussed the decision to bring a responsible and orderly end to the war in Afghanistan, and expressed a commitment for continued support to the Afghan Security Forces. Secretary Austin pledged to continue consultations going forward, and thanked the U.K. for its unwavering commitment, leadership and sacrifice in Afghanistan.
Secretary Wallace thanked the Defense Department for its input into the U.K.’s recently published Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, or Integrated Review.
Secretary Austin noted that the U.K. is our closest and most capable Ally and looks forward to working closely together on the development of the next National Defense Strategy.
Both leaders noted that the U.S. and the U.K. share a unique and vital relationship that is the foundation of our combined efforts to protect shared security and meet global challenges.
The Secretaries concluded the meeting by signing a Joint Statement which recognizes the benefits of past collaboration and commits both departments to further cooperation on future strategy development.
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Two Senior Managers in Italy Charged with Conspiracy to Cheat U.S. Emissions Tests and Defraud U.S. Consumers
An indictment was unsealed today in the Eastern District of Michigan charging two Italian nationals, along with a previously charged co-conspirator, for their alleged role in a conspiracy to defraud U.S. regulators and customers by making false and misleading statements about the emissions controls and fuel efficiency of more than 100,000 diesel vehicles sold in the United States by FCA US LLC.
According to court documents, Sergio Pasini, 43, of Ferrera, Italy, and Gianluca Sabbioni, 55, of Sala Bolognese, Italy, two senior diesel managers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Italy S.p.A. (FCA Italy), a wholly owned subsidiary of Stellantis N.V. — along with a previously charged co-conspirator, Emanuele Palma, 42, of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan — were responsible for developing and calibrating the 3.0-liter diesel engine used in certain FCA diesel vehicles. Their responsibilities included calibrating several software features in the vehicles’ emissions control systems to meet emissions standards for nitrogen oxides (NOx), a family of poisonous gases that are formed when diesel fuels are burned at high temperatures, while also achieving best-in-class fuel efficiency targets set by FCA US LLC.
The superseding indictment alleges that Palma, Pasini, Sabbioni, and their co-conspirators, purposely calibrated the emissions control functions to produce lower NOx emissions under conditions when the subject vehicles would be undergoing testing on the federal test procedures or driving “cycles,” and higher NOx emissions under conditions when the subject vehicles would be driven in the real world. Palma, Pasini, Sabbioni, and their co-conspirators allegedly referred to the manner in which they manipulated one method of emissions control as “cycle beating.” As alleged, by calibrating the emissions control functions on the subject vehicles to produce lower NOx emissions while the vehicles were on the driving “cycle,” and higher NOx emissions when the vehicles were off the driving “cycle,” or “off cycle,” the three defendants purposely misled FCA’s regulators by making it appear that the subject vehicles were producing less NOx emissions than they were, i.e., in real world driving conditions. Palma, Pasini, and Sabbioni also allegedly made and caused others to make false and misleading representations to FCA’s regulators about the emissions control functions of the subject vehicles in order to ensure that FCA obtained regulatory approval to sell the subject vehicles in the United States.
The superseding indictment also alleges that Palma, Pasini, and Sabbioni employed “cycle beating” to achieve best-in-class fuel efficiency and make the subject vehicles more attractive to FCA’s potential customers, i.e., by increasing fuel economy and reducing the frequency of a required emissions control system service interval. The superseding indictment alleges that the co-conspirators understood their “cycle beating” calibration would harm consumers who purchased the vehicle, leading them to acknowledge that “there will always be the unlucky customer who will have the misfortune of using our loser cal[ibration].”
Pasini and Sabbioni are each charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and six counts of violating the Clean Air Act. If convicted, Pasini and Sabbioni each face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy count to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act, up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy count to commit wire fraud, and up to two years in prison for each count of violating the Clean Air Act. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Palma is charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of violating the Clean Air Act, and two counts of making false statements to representatives of the FBI and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID). If convicted, Palma faces up to five years in prison on the conspiracy count to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act, up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy count to commit wire fraud, up to two years in prison for each count of violating the Clean Air Act, and up to five years in prison for each count of making false statements. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Statement by NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright and President Derek Mitchell, on the Passing of Former NDI Chairman Walter Mondale
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Tuesday, April 20, 2021
NDI’s Board of Directors and global team are deeply saddened by the loss of Former Vice President Walter Mondale, an incomparable public servant and champion of democracy. Along with millions of grateful Americans and countless others around the world, we remember his leadership on civil rights in the U.S. Senate, his remarkable partnership with President Carter which redefined the role of Vice President, and his distinguished diplomatic service as America’s Ambassador to Japan.
NDI was incredibly fortunate to benefit from Walter Mondale’s visionary leadership, first as "honorary Chairman" immediately after his run for the presidency in 1984, and then as full Chairman of the Board from 1986 to 1993. Mondale presided over a crucial period of growth and transformation and helped build the organization into what it is today. He was key to establishing NDI's international reputation, speaking at international political party meetings and chairing conferences in Israel, Costa Rica and Botswana. He led a delegation to Argentina at a moment of great tension in that country after a failed coup attempt against the elected President. Perhaps most importantly, he was a friend, mentor, and role model to his fellow board members and the institute’s staff, past and present.
We will forever be guided by his abiding commitment to democratic values and human rights, and we will always draw strength from his brilliant example of public service as a way to advance the promise of democracy for all.
We send our deepest condolences to the entire Mondale family as we reflect on the vast contributions he made to our organization and the cause of freedom worldwide.
MEDIA CONTACT
Jerry Hartz
Director of Government Relations and Communications
1 (202) 728-5500
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Four Philadelphians Charged With Sex Trafficking of Minors
The defendants allegedly advertised the minors online and harbored them in area hotels and properties
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that John Adams, 41, Mercedes Hampton-Devero, 28, Malachai Kendall, 20, and Chukuw Ossai, 31, all of Philadelphia, PA, were arrested and charged in two separate Indictments with sex trafficking of minors. Kendall was also charged with both production and distribution of child pornography, and Adams was also charged with tampering with evidence in a federal investigation.
According to publicly filed court documents, Adams, whose self-professed nickname was “Captain Save-A-Hoe,” along with co-defendants Hampton-Devero and Kendall, trafficked two minors during approximately three weeks in January of 2020 from multiple locations in Philadelphia. The defendants allegedly used their cell phones to post advertisements of the victims on a website which is known to be used for advertising sexual services for a fee, directed the minors to participate in commercial sex acts, and took a portion of the proceeds on each occasion. During this time, Kendall also allegedly used his cell phone to record one of the minors performing oral sex on him and then sent the video to the minor victim. Also according to court documents, Adams and Kendall each coerced the minors into having sex with them on multiple occasions, and Hampton-Devero instructed one of the minor victims to record commercial sex acts on her cell phone for Devero to post online to attract more sex buyers. When the minors were rescued and Adams learned he was under investigation by the FBI, he allegedly wiped his cell phone clean of all incriminating evidence.
In a separate Indictment, Ossai is charged with the sex trafficking of a minor in late January 2020. According to public filings, Ossai trafficked one minor, took her to a lingerie store where he picked out lingerie for her, posted an advertisement of her on a website used to advertise sexual services for a fee, and harbored her in a hotel room in Lester, PA. As charged, Ossai drove the minor victim to a housing project in Philadelphia for her to engage in a commercial sex act, and he attempted to have sex with her himself. The minor was rescued from Ossai’s vehicle after he was pulled over in Tinicum Township.
“The crimes alleged in these Indictments will have a devastating and long-lasting impact on these minor victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “We will continue to work collectively with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these destructive crimes against vulnerable children.”
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.
These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Tinicum Township Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department, and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erica Kivitz.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/four-philadelphians-charged-sex-trafficking-minors
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Southern District of Ohio
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Hospital researcher sentenced to prison for conspiring to steal trade secrets, sell to China
Defendant will pay more than $2.6 million in restitution
press_release.pdf
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Dublin, Ohio man was sentenced to 33 months in prison for conspiring to steal exosome-related trade secrets concerning the research, identification and treatment of a range of pediatric medical conditions.
Yu Zhou, 51, pleaded guilty in December 2020 to stealing scientific trade secrets related to exosomes and exosome isolation from Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Research Institute for his own personal financial gain. Zhou also conspired to commit wire fraud.
“Yu Zhou sought to exploit U.S. taxpayer dollars intended to fund critical, life-saving research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital through the whole-sale theft of their trade secrets,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Zhou’s greed was encouraged and enabled by a series of Chinese Government programs which incentivize thievery in an attempt to supplement China’s own research and development goals on the back of American ingenuity and investment. This successful prosecution should serve as a warning to anyone who seeks to profit from pilfering hard-earned U.S. trade secrets.”
“Yu Zhou willingly took part in the Chinese Government’s long-term efforts to steal American intellectual property,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel for the Southern District of Ohio. “Zhou and his wife executed a scheme over the course of several years to set up businesses in China, steal American research, and profit from doing so. The couple deserves the time it received in federal prison.”
According to court documents, Zhou and his co-conspirator and wife, Li Chen, 48, worked in separate medical research labs at the Research Institute for 10 years each (Zhou from 2007 until 2017 and Chen from 2008 until 2018). They pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal at least five trade secrets related to exosome research from Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Chen was sentenced in February to 30 months in prison for her role in the scheme.
Exosomes play a key role in the research, identification and treatment of a range of medical conditions, including necrotizing enterocolitis (a condition found in premature babies), liver fibrosis and liver cancer.
Court documents detail that Zhou and Chen conspired to steal and then monetize one of the trade secrets by creating and selling exosome “isolation kits.” Zhou’s research at Nationwide Children’s included a novel isolation method in which exosomes could be isolated from samples as small as one drop of blood. This method was vital to the research being conducted in Zhou’s lab – because necrotizing enterocolitis is a condition found primarily in premature babies, only small amounts of fluid can safely be taken from them.
Zhou and Chen started a company in China to sell the kits.
The defendants received benefits from the Chinese government, including the State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Zhou and Chen were also part of application processes related to multiple Chinese government programs, including talent plans, a method used by China to transfer foreign research and technology to the Chinese government.
As part of their convictions, the couple will forfeit approximately $1.45 million, 500,000 shares of common stock of Avalon GloboCare Corp. and 400 shares of common stock of GenExosome Technologies Inc. They were also ordered to pay $2.6 million in restitution.
Chen and Zhou were arrested in California in July 2019 and their case was unsealed in August 2019 when they appeared in federal court in Columbus.
Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel for the Southern District of Ohio; Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the National Security Division; and Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman of the FBI's Cincinnati Division announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison.
National Security Division Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie, Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall, Peter K. Glenn-Applegate, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Michael Marous are representing the United States in this case.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/pr/hospital-researcher-sentenced-prison-conspiring-steal-trade-secrets-sell-china