Justice Department Seeks to Forfeit Beverly Hills Mansion Purchased with Proceeds of Scheme to Defraud U.S. Military and Bribe an Iraqi Official

 

The Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California seeking the forfeiture of a mansion located in Beverly Hills, California, alleged to have been purchased and renovated with approximately $30 million in proceeds of a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), pay bribes to an official of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and violate U.S. money laundering laws.

As alleged in the complaint, from 2016 through 2020, a Virginia-based defense contractor and others engaged in a corrupt scheme to obtain more than $700 million from DLA for fuel deliveries to the U.S. military during Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S. campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The Erbil International Airport (EIA) located in Kurdistan, where Kurdish Peshmerga forces provided internal security and controlled entry to the facility, served as a critical delivery point for fuel used by the U.S. military in Iraq and Syria during the campaign.

The complaint alleges that officers of the contractor agreed to pay General Mansour Barzani, a senior Peshmerga official, a bribe of $0.25 per liter for exclusive access to deliver jet fuel in Kurdistan for the U.S. military and coalition forces and received hundreds of millions of dollars under DLA contracts. During the same period, the contractor’s competitors were blocked from accessing EIA for jet fuel deliveries on behalf of DLA, and DLA issued one-time-buy contracts to the contractor often at noncompetitive and greatly inflated prices.

According to the civil forfeiture complaint, funds that the contractor received from DLA as a result of the scheme were transferred to NYJD Trust No.1, a trust established in Virginia for the private benefit of Barzani. In 2018, approximately $30 million of those funds were transferred from Barzani’s trust to purchase the Beverly Hills mansion as well as the renovation and improvement of the property from 2019 to 2022.

This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation.  

Deputy Chief Michael B. Redmann and Senior Trial Attorney Steven Parker of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) are handling the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided significant support.

The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.

MNF’s International Unit investigates and prosecutes cross-border money laundering schemes involving transnational criminal organizations, cartels, foreign official corruption and related money laundering affecting the U.S. financial system and prosecutes criminal cases and civil forfeiture matters to recover the proceeds of those crimes.

A civil complaint is merely an allegation. The government has the burden of establishing the assets are subject to forfeiture by a preponderance of the evidence.

QUEENS MAN CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ABUSING 6-YEAR OLD IN JAMAICA DEPARTMENT STORE

 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Angel Farias was charged with sexual abuse and other crimes for touching a 6-year-old girl in a department store. Farias encountered the child, with whom he had no previous interaction, on April 16 and allegedly touched her genitals twice including once as the two were in the store’s toy aisle.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, this defendant preyed on a young girl and subjected her to sexual abuse while she should have been safely browsing a toy aisle. No child should have to endure this. Thank you to the brave victim for coming forward and our partners at the NYPD for quickly apprehending the defendant.”

Farias, 71, of Jamaica, was arraigned last night on charges of sexual abuse in the first degree, forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child. Queens Criminal Court Judge Anthony Battisti ordered the defendant to return to court April 24. If convicted, Farias faces up to seven years in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges, on April 16, between approximately 3:30 and 4 p.m., Farias encountered a 6-year-old girl at Marshalls on Jamaica Avenue in Jamaica. On two occasions, including in the store’s toy aisle, Farias touched the child on her genitals.

The defendant was apprehended at his home on Monday.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Trisha Wallace of the New York City Police Department’s Queens Child Abuse Squad.

Bronx River Art Center - BRAC This Weekend: Workshops, Film & More

 

This Weekend At Bronx River Art Center

From art workshops to film screenings to tai chi lessons,

check out what's happening this Earth Day weekend at BRAC!

Finally Friday

Connecting with Nature with Andrès Senra

Friday at 4pm - FREE EVENT

Join us for a hands-on, immersive workshop series that blends mindfulness, nature exploration, and creative expression. In this first session, participants will be introduced to the group, build a sense of trust, and begin connecting more deeply with their environment through guided activities.

Together, we’ll practice breathing and listening exercises, take a slow sensory walk to observe the natural world, and reflect through journaling and sketching. The session will also include a collaborative art activity using collected natural materials like leaves, bark, and stones to create texture rubbings and a shared “mood drawing.”

This workshop is designed to support focus, creativity, and well-being while encouraging participants to slow down and engage with their surroundings in meaningful ways. No prior experience or art materials needed, just come ready to explore, reflect, and create.

RSVP for this free experience combining art and nature

RSVP for Art Workshop

Social Saturday

ReelAbilities Film Festival Presents:

Dream Touch Believe



Saturday at 3pm - Tickets: $5 for Kids | $10 for Adult

Join us for a special screening of Dream Touch Believe as part of the ReelAbilities Film Festival — celebrating stories that expand the narrative around disability, creativity, and lived experience.

This powerful film invites audiences into a deeply human story rooted in imagination, resilience, and possibility. Following the screening, stay for a conversation that continues the dialogue and reflects on the themes explored in the film.

Event Details:

Saturday April 25, 2026 

Screening @ 3pm | Doors Open at 2:30pm

Bronx River Art Center 1087 E Tremont Ave Bronx, NY 10460

Reserve your spot and be part of an evening centered on storytelling, access, and community.

Purchase Tickets for Film Screening

Chronicles of Grace: Exploring the Aging Body

Tai Chi Workshop & Closing Reception

Saturday at 5:30pm - FREE EVENT

Join us for the closing reception of Chronicles of Grace: Exploring the Aging Body. This group art exhibition honors and exalts the aging process as one marked by dignity, agency, and beauty. Through an array of mediums such as photography, painting, mixed media, and installation, the featured artists —ranging from ages 40 to 85, represent diverse cultural backgrounds and identities— explore the complexities of aging, addressing topics such as menopause, greying, mortality, and the physical, mental, and emotional changes that accompany age.

As part of the closing reception, visitors will be able to partake in a Tai Chi workshop led by one of the show's featured artists, Aiki. With over 20 years of experience teaching the Chinese martial art, Aiki will guide participants in an activity that imbues practitioners with better balance, flexibility, and a sense of relaxation regardless of where they land in the aging process.

Tai Chi workshop attendees should wear comfortable clothes & shoes. All levels and ages welcome. Chairs will be provided and music will be played throughout the session.

RSVP for Tai Chi Workshop & Closing Reception

Last Call for Class Discounts

Let your creative spirit bloom this spring! Registration for BRAC's Spring 2026 Art Classes is ongoing, with courses in painting, ceramics, drawing, and more! Visit our education page for more information, including dates, descriptions, and pricing.

This Sunday is the last day for qualifying Bronx ZIP codes to get a 35% discount on Spring 2026 classes. Email education@bronxriverart.org with your ZIP code and class of interest to apply!

Visit Our Education Page

Mexican Illegal Alien Faces Federal Charges for Trafficking Methamphetamine

 

Edgar Zamarron-Cobos, an illegal alien from Mexico, faces federal charges after law enforcement seized over 130 pounds of methamphetamine from his vehicle.  Zamarron-Cobos was arrested after he fled from troopers and crashed into innocent motorists at a DeKalb County intersection. 

“Fleeing from law enforcement with a large quantity of methamphetamine is a blatant disregard for public safety,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The actions in this case endangered motorists and bystanders alike. We remain committed to holding individuals accountable and protecting the communities we serve.”

“This defendant, who is illegally in our country, allegedly sought to traffic over 130 pounds of deadly methamphetamine and purportedly injured innocent bystanders as he tried to flee from law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to hold drug traffickers accountable in federal court – where there is no opportunity for parole – in order to keep our communities safe.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On April 15, 2026, as part of an ongoing investigation, DEA agents observed an individual allegedly place three large black trash bags into the rear cargo area of a Jeep at a fast-food restaurant in Decatur, Georgia.  Zamarron-Cobos exited the restaurant and drove away in the Jeep.  Shortly thereafter, the Georgia State Patrol attempted to stop the Jeep.  

However, Zamarron-Cobos fled from law enforcement, drove in opposing lanes of traffic, and ultimately wrecked the Jeep at the intersection of Covington Highway and I-285, after striking several occupied vehicles and causing injuries to the occupants.  During a search of the Jeep, law enforcement located approximately 130 pounds of methamphetamine in the three large black trash bags.  The investigation further revealed that Zamarron-Cobos is a citizen of Mexico who is illegally present in the United States.

On April 17, 2026, Edgar Zamarron-Cobos, 30, from Mexico, was named in a criminal complaint charging him with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.  Zamarron-Cobos is currently in the custody of the DeKalb County Jail but is expected to appear in federal court before the end of this week.

Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia State Patrol.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonell L. Lucca is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Coast Guard Rescues Four From Vessel Trapped in Ice for Over 24 Hours in Alaska

 

The rescuing USCG helicopter aircrew worked through the night and flew more than 800 miles in near-zero visibility through mountainous terrain, blowing snow, and icing conditions

A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) helicopter aircrew flew more than 800 miles in near-zero visibility through mountainous terrain, blowing snow, and icing conditions to rescue three adults and one child from an 18-foot vessel trapped on an ice floe near Chefornak, Alaska, Sunday.

“Amid hazardous weather and challenging terrain, this helicopter crew showcased exceptional teamwork, steadfast determination, and bravery in carrying out this successful mission to safely rescue these four individuals,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Their lifesaving efforts are a testament to the Coast Guard’s motto: Semper Paratus, always ready. We are proud of the patriots who serve in the U.S. Coast Guard and continue their important work despite the Democrats’ reckless DHS shutdown.”

Shortly before 4:30 p.m. Saturday, watchstanders at the Coast Guard Arctic District command center received a report from Alaska State Troopers that a group of four people on a subsistence seal hunting expedition required assistance after being trapped on the ice for over 24 hours.

Despite freeing the vessel from the ice overnight in an attempt to reach a shore party that had come from the village with snow machines, the hunting party was unable to reach the shore party due to moving ice.

Coast Guard watchstanders directed the launch of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew and an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak to respond. Following fuel stops in King Salmon and Bethel, the helicopter aircrew arrived on scene at approximately 5 a.m. Sunday.

The hunting party had three forms of communication on board, including satellite-based communications, which helped the Coast Guard’s ability to locate and rescue them. All four people were safely rescued with no reported injuries and transported back to the village of Chefornak.

Perry Man Indicted for Gun & Drug Crimes

 

Deontae David Bernard Watkins, 43, of Perry, Fla., has been indicted in federal court for two counts of possession with intent to distribute multiple illegal drugs, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.

Watkins appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for June 2, 2026, at 8:30 am before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Tallahassee, Florida.

Watkins faces a minimum mandatory prison sentence of 10 years’, and up to life, imprisonment on the drug possession counts, and a consecutive five years’ imprisonment for carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime. He also faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment if convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon.

The case is being jointly investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Perry Police Department, and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

D.A. Bragg Announces Guilty Plea Of Chief Marketing Officer For Embezzling Nearly $6 Million

 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. today announced the guilty plea of MICHAEL COLLINS, 61, for embezzling nearly $6 million from two companies where he worked as a marketing executive between March 2016 and April 2024. COLLINS pleaded guilty in New York State Supreme Court to one count each of Grand Larceny in the First Degree and Grand Larceny in the Second Degree. He is expected to be sentenced on June 22, 2026, to 3-9 years in prison with judgement orders for the victim companies.

“Michael Collins exploited these companies for his own personal gain. He took millions for himself and made extravagant purchases, including luxury items and international travel. Our businesses and marketplaces cannot function properly when this type of fraud occurs, and we will continue to root out such brazen schemes,” said District Attorney Bragg.

As admitted in the defendant’s guilty plea, between March 8, 2016, and April 28, 2024, COLLINS embezzled $5,915,712 from two of his employers. First, he stole nearly $5 million while employed as the Chief Marketing Officer of a financial education company. In 2022, COLLINS left that company without the theft being detected and later became the Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer for an education-technology company, where he stole nearly $1 million. 

COLLINS used the same embezzlement scheme at both companies. He created and controlled two fictitious marketing consulting companies, Quattro Quadrati LLC and Regiondrivers LLC, which he incorporated in New York. To make them appear legitimate, he obtained multiple email addresses, phone numbers, websites, and bank accounts for each. COLLINS then used his position as a marketing executive to purportedly hire Quattro Quadrati and Regiondrivers as marketing vendors and consultants and submitted invoices for non-existent work which his employers paid. He submitted 144 fraudulent invoices to the financial education company and five invoices to the education-technology company. 

To hide the theft, COLLINS created presidents and employees of the Quattro Quadrati and Regiondrivers and registered email accounts to those names. He corresponded with those fictitious email addresses and forwarded those conversations to other employees at his workplaces, in some instances forwarding invoices for payment as well. COLLINS also asked the service he used to incorporate Quattro Quadrati and Regiondrivers if his identity could be “shielded or masked from anyone looking at the two entities through online services or research.” 

COLLINS transferred the funds from the Quattro Quadrati LLC and Regiondrivers LLC bank accounts directly to his personal bank accounts and used the stolen funds for executive club memberships, luxury brands, fine dining, and extensive travel and lodging, including over 150 flight tickets purchased during this period. He also used the stolen funds to pay for a $150,000 engagement ring from a boutique jewelry store purchased directly from a Quattro Quadrati bank account. 

FUGITIVE AND CODEFENDANT EXTRADITED TO FACE BURGLARY CHARGES AFTER FLEEING TO PANAMA

  

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Juan Acevedo was arraigned and remanded today on grand jury indictment charges of escape, criminal contempt and criminal mischief for fleeing the country days after his criminal court arraignment on burglary charges for allegedly breaking into homes in December 2025 and February 2026. The defendant was charged previously in a separate indictment for allegedly stealing cash, jewelry and designer handbags during three home burglaries on a single day last year.

Acevedo allegedly cut off his court-ordered ankle monitor on March 9, 2026. Following a month-long investigation into the defendant’s whereabouts, Acevedo was apprehended on April 1, 2026, in Panama at the request of the United States. He and a codefendant were extradited to New York yesterday.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, this defendant cut off his ankle monitor and left the country after being indicted for invading the sanctity of people’s homes over and over again. He blatantly defied the criminal justice system and we were relentless in returning him to this borough to be held accountable for his actions. I thank the members of my Career Criminal/Major Crimes Bureau and Extradition Unit, as well as our law enforcement partners in the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigations for ensuring the defendant’s return. A codefendant has also been brought back to face burglary indictment charges. Both defendants have been remanded without bail.”

Acevedo, 30, of College Point, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with escape in the second degree, criminal contempt in the second degree and criminal mischief in the fourth degree. He was also arraigned on an indictment charging him with burglary in the second degree, grand larceny in the third degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, burglary in the second degree and grand larceny in the second degree for the December 2025 and February 2026 incidents.

Supreme Court Justice David Kirschner remanded the defendant and ordered him to return to court May 27. If convicted, Acevedo faces up to 79 years in prison.

Codefendant Jeison Figueroa Nomesqui, 33, of Flushing, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with burglary in the second degree, grand larceny in the second degree, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree, reckless driving, failing to make a lawful U-turn, operating a vehicle at unreasonable speed and operating a motor vehicle without a license. Supreme Court Justice David Kirschner remanded the defendant and ordered him to return to court May 27. If convicted, Nomesqui faces up to 15 years in prison.

DA Katz said that according to the indictment and investigation, Acevedo – acting in concert with two others who have not been apprehended – rented a Porsche and drove to three residences on March 5, 2025.

At approximately 11:45 a.m., Acevedo allegedly broke into a home on Springfield Boulevard in Bayside. Acevedo and his crew stole $9,800 in designer handbags and cash. When the police responded, they found a winter hat in the immediate vicinity of the home. DNA later retrieved from the hat matched the defendant.

At approximately 3:51 p.m., Acevedo allegedly hopped a fence and broke into a home on 219th Street in Queens Village. The crew stole designer handbags, jewelry and money valued at $30,200.

At approximately 5:40 p.m., Acevedo and others broke into a home on Boelsen Crescent in Rego Park. They stole jewelry valued at $1,500.

Unbeknownst to Acevedo, the rented Porsche had a GPS tracker from the rental company that linked the defendant’s whereabouts to all three residences at the time of the crimes.

Following a long-term investigation into the burglaries, Acevedo was arrested and arraigned on December 5, 2025, on indictment charges of burglary in the second degree, burglary in the third degree, grand larceny in the third degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree and grand larceny in the fourth degree. The court ordered supervised release with electronic monitoring as part of his pre-trial release conditions.

Acevedo was outfitted with an ankle monitor on February 25, 2026.

Following Acevedo’s December indictment, the Queens District Attorney’s office continued their investigation into additional burglaries and determined that Acevedo allegedly burglarized more homes in December 2025 and February 2026.

According to the second indictment, on December 29, 2025, at approximately 6:40 p.m., Acevedo and two others broke into a home on 166th Street in East Flushing and stole jewelry valued at $20,000. The jewelry was sold at an exchange in Manhattan the next day.

On February 16, 2026, at approximately 7:48 p.m., Acevedo and two others broke into a home on 229th Street in Oakland Gardens using a collapsible ladder and stole $100,000 in cash and jewelry. Codefendant Nomesqui was present at the scene and allegedly acted as the getaway driver.

On March 6, 2026, Acevedo was arraigned in criminal court on charges stemming from the December 29, 2025, and February 16, 2026, incidents. The Queens District Attorney’s Office argued for remand, but the court ordered continued electronic monitoring.

On March 7, pursuant to the investigation into the February 16 incident, officers attempted to pull over Nomesqui at the intersection of Cross Bay Boulevard and 107th Avenue. Nomesqui allegedly made an illegal U-turn, sped past the posted speed limit and swerved in and out of lanes without signaling to evade the officers. He was finally pulled over and arrested for the February 16 burglary as well as the vehicle infractions on the scene and driving with a suspended license. At Nomesqui’s arraignment, the court ordered supervised release with a return date of April 22.

On March 9, two days after Acevedo was released with continued electronic monitoring upon arraignment, law enforcement officials received an alert that Acevedo’s ankle monitor strap had been cut and the last known location was near the Grand Central Parkway. Members of the NYPD immediately attempted to locate the defendant but were only able to find the cut bracelet at the last known location. A bench warrant was issued for Acevedo’s arrest.

The Queens District Attorney’s office, in partnership with the NYPD’s Queens North Burglary Task Force, Queens Warrant Squad and federal law enforcement partners, submitted multiple search warrants and subpoenas in an attempt to locate Acevedo.

Following a month-long investigation, Acevedo was apprehended on April 1, 2026, at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City after presenting a forged Colombian passport before boarding a flight to Bogota, Colombia. Codefendant Nomesqui was at the scene and apprehended along with Acevedo.

The District Attorney’s Extraditions Unit, led by Section Chief Timothy McGrath, worked with our federal and local law enforcement partners to secure the defendants’ return to New York.

The District Attorney extends her gratitude to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attache Office (LEGAT) in Panama and the FBI/NYPD New York Joint Major Theft Task Force for working with the Government of Panama to secure the arrests and extraditions.