https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/a-review-of-the-fy22-state-department-budget-request
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Central District of California
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 24, 2021
Two Postal Service Employees Plead Guilty to Using EDD Debit Cards to Illegally Purchase Thousands of Dollars in Postal Money Orders
LOS ANGELES – Two United States Postal Service (USPS) employees pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges accusing them of unlawfully buying and cashing tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of Postal money orders with unemployment benefits fraudulently obtained with false claims of COVID-related job losses.
Christian Jeremyah James, 31, of South Los Angeles, who worked in the Culver City Main Post Office, and Armand Caleb Legardy, 32, of Inglewood, who worked in the La Tijera Post Office on Crenshaw Boulevard in South Los Angeles, each pleaded guilty in separate hearings to one count of use of unauthorized access devices.
According to their plea agreements, from August 2020 to February 2021, James and Legardy used debit cards that the California Employment Development Department (EDD) had issued to other people for unemployment insurance benefits – cards that were obtained by other unidentified individuals using stolen identities and false information.
James and Legardy admitted they used the EDD-issued debit cards in other people’s names to purchase or cash money orders from the USPS and to withdraw thousands of dollars in cash from bank ATMs. The defendants also admitted that they deposited multiple fraudulently purchased Postal money orders directly into their own bank accounts.
Between September 3 and September 19, 2020, James deposited more than $27,000 worth of USPS money orders into his bank account, according to his plea agreement. Legardy deposited more than $10,000 in USPS money orders that had been illegally purchased with California EDD cards in other people’s names, his plea agreement states.
James admitted to knowingly using at least eight EDD debit cards in other people’s names and causing a loss of approximately $142,652. Legardy admitted to illegally using nine EDD cards and causing a loss of approximately $160,879.
United States District Judge George H. Wu has scheduled sentencing hearings of October 7 for James and September 30 for Legardy, at which time each defendant will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the California Employment Development Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles E. Pell of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting these cases.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/two-postal-service-employees-plead-guilty-using-edd-debit-cards-illegally-purchase
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Nevada
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 24, 2021
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty To Attempting To Steal Trade Secrets From Nevada Defense Company
RENO, Nev. – A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today to attempting to steal trade secrets belonging to his employer, a Nevada-based defense contractor.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, Peter James Cariani, 58, of Boston, was employed as a systems engineer by Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). On April 7, 2015, without authority to do so, Cariani downloaded tens of thousands of electronic files from SNC’s computer network. The files contained trade secret information related to SNC’s Radar Enhanced Vision System: a unique onboard aircraft radar sensing system that displays digital images of the ground for pilots flying in zero-visibility conditions. Cariani transferred the files to a personal external hard drive, and later transmitted information derived from the files to others for potential economic benefit. When entering his guilty plea, Cariani admitted that he knowingly downloaded trade secret information from SNC’s network and he knew his actions would harm SNC. An investigation was initiated by the FBI’s Reno branch after SNC detected (and reported) that an unauthorized electronic device had been used to download files from its computer network.
“Theft of trade secret information is a federal crime and economically destructive, depriving companies of the fruits of their creativity,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada. “Our office will continue to work closely with the FBI and Nevada businesses to hold accountable anyone trying to steal trade secret information from the innovative companies in our district, and to protect their sensitive business and technical information.”
“This case reminds all of our business partners of the need to be vigilant to prevent the insider threat from robbing them of their success,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI. “The FBI stands ready to protect businesses from those who would profit from stealing trade secrets as this case clearly shows.”
Cariani pleaded guilty to one count of attempted theft of trade secrets. U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks scheduled a sentencing hearing for August 31, 2021.
Cariani faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Reno Resident Agency of the Las Vegas Division of the FBI with assistance from the FBI's Boston Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Myhre and Randolph St. Clair are prosecuting the case.
A private sector entity that is a victim of a cyber incident can receive assistance from government agencies, which are prepared to investigate the incident, mitigate its consequences, and help prevent future incidents. Federal Government agencies work together to leverage their collective response expertise, apply their knowledge of cyber threats, preserve key evidence, and use their combined authorities and capabilities to minimize asset vulnerability and bring malicious actors to justice. Private sector entities are encouraged to report a cyber incident to the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324) or file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/massachusetts-man-pleads-guilty-attempting-steal-trade-secrets-nevada-defense-company
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 24, 2021
Former NGO Procurement Official Sentenced to Prison for Bribery
A former non-governmental organization (NGO) official was sentenced today to 40 months in prison for paying bribes to NGO officers in exchange for sensitive procurement information related to NGO contracts funded in part by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to court documents, from January 2011 through December 2016, Ernest Halilov, 43, a citizen of Turkmenistan, coordinated a bid-rigging scheme to bid on contracts procured by NGOs and funded by USAID, to support the agency’s response to various humanitarian crises. These contracts were for the procurement of food and supplies that would ultimately be provided to those affected by various humanitarian crises, including refugees displaced by the conflict in Syria. Specifically, Halilov bribed two NGO officers in order to obtain confidential procurement information, such as bid evaluation information, specifications and internal vendor rankings. In turn, Halilov would provide this information to his preferred companies in exchange for kickbacks, ensuring that the companies had an advantage over other bidders, thus increasing their ability to win NGO-procured contracts. Halilov also admitted that he instructed a witness to lie to law enforcement agents and destroy emails related to the investigation.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia; and Acting Inspector General Thomas J. Ullom for the USAID Office of Inspector General (OIG) made the announcement.
USAID-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Laura Connelly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scotland Morris of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical investigative assistance in securing Halilov’s extradition from Ukraine. The Department of Justice also appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by authorities in the Ukraine.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-ngo-procurement-official-sentenced-prison-bribery