Weekly News from State Senator Gustavo Rivera!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Happy Mother’s Day! Senator Rivera and his team want to send all the love and infinite gratitude to all the amazing moms and mom figures in his district and across New York.

May your day be filled with joy, warmth, and recognition for everything you do, not only this Sunday but every day!

SENATOR RIVERA HOLDS NEW HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING

This week, Senator Rivera held his sixth Health Committee meeting of the year. All 23 bills on the agenda passed including his:

 Primary Care Investment Act 

 bill to establish the office of the State Medical Indemnity Fund Ombudsman to help the most medically fragile children and their families get the care they need



 bill to establish an emergency insulin program

SENATOR RIVERA’S SODIUM WARNING BILL PASSES THE SENATE 

This week, Senator Rivera’s bill to require chain restaurants to label menu items with high sodium content (S.428A) passed the State Senate. Senator Rivera strongly believes that New Yorkers need to make informed decisions about their food when dining out with their families so they can make healthy choices for themselves.

Senator Rivera also joined the Center for Science and Public Interest, colleagues and other advocacy groups in Albany to call on the Legislature to pass a number of proposals to ensure greater food safety and transparency for New Yorkers like his sodium warning bill as well as his Sweet Truth Act (S.427). 

This week, Senator Rivera was honored to recognize Ms. Carrie Cuthbertson as his 2026 Woman of Distinction for Senate District 33. Ms. Cuthbertson is an active board member of Community Board 5. She has transformed the Bean Morris Garden in Fordham Heights into a space for healing and community. Her community service is boundless. Senator Rivera is incredibly thankful to Ms. Cuthberston for her tireless commitment to our community. 

SENATOR RIVERA IN THE COMMUNITY 

SENATOR RIVERA JOINS TEACH-IN ON THE NEW YORK HEALTH ACT 

Last weekend, Senator Rivera traveled to Brooklyn to join a well attended teach-in on the New York Health Act organized by Councilmember Shahana Hanif and the Cross Union Retirees Organizing Committee.

During the teach-in, Senator Rivera, alongside a panel of experts and longtime NY Health Act champion and former Assemblymember Richard Gottfried, went through the basics of the bill, and spoke at length about how the NY Health Act would protect New Yorkers from the rising costs of healthcare in the United States, how New York State would pay for a single payer system, and the actions we can take to convince legislators to pass this very important bill.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS & RESOURCES

FRIDAY 5/8 TO SUNDAY 5/10: JOIN THE HANDS OFF BRONX COMMUNITY WEEKEND!

DON'T LOSE YOUR SNAP BENEFITS

New SNAP Work Requirements: What You Need to Know

New federal rules are changing SNAP work requirements for some New Yorkers. Starting this year, certain adults may need to work, attend job training, or volunteer to keep their benefits.

You may be affected if you are:

● Between ages 18–64

● Not living with a child under 14

● Not exempt due to a health condition or other reason



If these rules apply to you, you may need to take action each month to avoid losing your SNAP benefits.



Check your status and learn what to do: on.nyc.gov/snap.

JOB OPPORTUNITY WITH THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)'s Division of Environmental Health/Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation is actively recruiting qualified candidates for the high-priority vacancy of Public Health Inspector, Level I (Multiple Vacancies Available).

Candidates in possession of the minimum qualification requirements of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, including or supplemented by 30 semester credits in the physical and/or biological sciences, i.e., biology, botany, chemistry, geology, physics, or physiology are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information about this job opening and application, click link here.

In addition, DOHMH will hold an in-person hiring event in the second week of June. All interested candidates must immediately engage in the following three (3) steps:

 

1) Immediately complete the survey enclosed in this link https://nycdohmh.surveymonkey.com/r/TFVFXX7 by uploading your resume and unofficial school transcript for review by Hiring Managers.

2) Indicate your availability for the hiring event in the second week of June:

• Event Schedule:
• Session 1:
• Registration: 8:45 AM – 9:30 AM
• Presentation, Writing Sample, and PHS Talk: 9:30 AM (boardroom)
• Interviews: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Session 2:
• Registration: 1 – 1:30 PM
• Presentation, Writing Sample, and PHS Talk: 1:30 PM (boardroom)
• Interviews: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

 

3) Register for our Career Information Session on Thursday 6/4/26 between 10:30AM – 12:00PM. Registration Link: https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/297f7625-cb0a-4b59-99b5-1cd43bcad56d@69c73202-5c6f-48f1-a1ac-e1b0ef826a1e

 

Candidates who complete all three steps as described above and meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position will be sent a follow-up email invite for our upcoming In-Person Food Safety & Community Sanitation Hiring Event!

In the interim, should you require additional information about this job opportunity, please do not hesitate to contact bfscsrecruitment@health.nyc.gov or Recruit@health.nyc.gov.

APPLY TO NYC SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES COMMERCIAL REVITALIZATION GRANTS!

Applications for NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commercial Revitilization Grants are now open! These grants offer funding to help Community Based Organizations (CBOs) across the city to enact programs and delivery servicess to increase foot traffic on commercial corridors, enhance the public realm, and build organizational management and leadership capacity.

 

Grants include but are not limited to:

• Merchant Organizing Grant: Funding to support projects that aim to form new merchants associations or revitalize existing ones.
• BID Development Grants: Funding for the staffing, planning, and implementation of a Business Improvement District (BID) formation or expansion proposal
• Small BID Support Grants: Funding to support smaller BIDs address issues of resource access and equity across the city
• Avenue NYC Commercial Revitalization Grants: Funding to CBOs conduct carry out a Commercial Needs Assessment (CDNA) and programs targeting commercial districts in LMI communities.
• Public Realm Grant: Funding for CBOs to design, produce, and install creative streetscape improvement projects on commercial corridors such as lighting, public art, or wayfinding.

Upcoming info sessions:

• Avenue NYC Commercial Revitalization Grant  (Info session on 04/30 at 10:00 AM).
• Funding to CBOs conduct carry out a Commercial Needs Assessment (CDNA) and programs targeting commercial districts in LMI communities.
• Public Realm Grant (Info session on 05/05 at 3:00 PM).
• Funding for CBOs to design, produce, and install creative streetscape improvement projects on commercial corridors such as lighting, public art, or wayfinding.



To learn more, please visit our application site to see the list of grants and and share with CBOs in your district. Feel free to post the link or the application site. 

FEMA Review Council Releases Final Report

 

The President’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council released its Final Report, marking a major milestone in the Administration’s ongoing efforts to strengthen FEMA’s mission, operations, and accountability. The Council, established by President Trump, conducted a thorough review of FEMA’s capabilities, challenges, and opportunities for reform.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, FEMA is committed to getting resources directly to the communities and people who need them most,” said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “FEMA is not the first responder, but rather a force multiplier standing shoulder to shoulder with states, tribes, and local governments to ensure rapid and effective recovery. We are driving ahead, transforming FEMA into a streamlined, mission-focused agency that delivers results. Our readiness is stronger than ever, and we are prepared to meet any challenge that comes our way.”

Appointed by President Donald J. Trump, the FEMA Review Council is comprised of senior leaders and disaster response experts from across the nation, including Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and representatives from state and local governments, emergency management, and law enforcement. The Council’s mandate is to advise the President on FEMA’s ability to capably and impartially address disasters, and to recommend changes that best serve the national interest.

Independent of the Council’s work, the Trump Administration has already implemented reforms and improvements to FEMA. Despite a cumulative lapse in DHS funding for more than 100 days, Secretary Mullin’s leadership has driven significant enhancements to FEMA operations, fiscal transparency, fraud prevention, and readiness, resulting in an organization that is leaner, faster, and laser-focused on delivering value to taxpayers and supporting state, local, tribal, and territorial partners before, during, and after disasters.

Former President and CEO of Failed Oklahoma Bank Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud

 

Danny Seibel, the former president and Chief Executive Officer of the now-defunct First National Bank of Lindsay (FNBL), pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.

According to court documents, Seibel, 55, of Lindsay, Oklahoma, was an executive at FNBL from in or around February 2007 until his termination in September 2024. Seibel caused FNBL to issue loans to certain customers, many of whom were his personal friends and neighbors, that the borrowers never repaid. Seibel then manipulated the bank’s records and falsified various bank reports to falsely overstate the performance of the loans, including by using new loans or transfers of the bank’s own funds to cover overdrafts of outstanding loans. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) appointed a receiver for the bank in October 2024.

Seibel pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. He faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma; Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph Melle of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Altemus of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Korey Brinkman of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) made the announcement.

FDIC-OIG, FBI, IRS-CI, and FHFA-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Mark Goldberg, Elysa Q. Wan, and J. Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and Jackson D. Eldridge for the Western District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.

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 Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.

Public Company CEO And Chairman Convicted Of Fraud

 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that BRADLEY HEPPNER, the former chairman of GWG Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded company, was found guilty by a jury following a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.  HEPPNER was convicted of securities fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, and false statements to auditors in connection with a scheme to fraudulently extract more than $150 million from GWG.

“A unanimous jury has found former public company CEO and Chairman Bradley Heppner guilty of fraudulently extracting $150 million,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “Heppner used shell companies to hide his scheme.  When his house of cards began to collapse, he did not come clean.  Instead, he doubled down by falsifying emails and backdating documents to lie to the auditors, directors, and the SEC. Our world-leading capital markets are built on trust and transparency.  The honesty and candor of C-Suite executives is essential, and this action should send a message: C-Suite executives who breach the public trust will be pursued by the SDNY’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force and our dedicated partners at FBI, vigorously.  That is what investors and the American people want and deserve.”

As established during the trial:

Between 2018 and 2021, HEPPNER, as chairman of GWG Holdings, Inc.—a Nasdaq-listed financial services company that raised capital through bonds sold predominantly to retail investors and retirees—executed a scheme to fraudulently divert GWG funds to his own benefit through a shell company he controlled, the Highland Consolidated Limited Partnership (“HCLP”).

To effectuate the scheme, HEPPNER fabricated a $141 million debt that Beneficient, a subsidiary of GWG that HEPPNER had founded, purportedly owed to HCLP. Under the guise of repaying that debt, HEPPNER told the board of directors of GWG that it was necessary to transfer millions of dollars to Beneficient.  When a special committee of GWG’s board inquired about who controlled HCLP and would receive the debt payments, HEPPNER falsely represented that HCLP was independent and disclaimed any personal financial interest in payments made on the purported debt.  Those representations were false.  HCLP was controlled by HEPPNER, and when GWG authorized payments to satisfy what it believed were arm’s-length obligations to a third-party lender, those funds flowed through multiple corporate entities and ultimately into HEPPNER’s personal accounts.  HEPPNER used the proceeds for personal expenses, including renovating his Dallas mansion and purchasing a private jet travel and jewelry.

To conceal the scheme, HEPPNER made false and misleading statements and caused the preparation of backdated and fraudulent documents to deceive auditors in connection with their assessment of whether HCLP was independent of HEPPNER.  After GWG received a subpoena from the SEC, HEPPNER also falsified the minutes of an October 2019 board meeting, adding language to create the false appearance that he had previously disclosed to Beneficient his history of borrowing funds from HCLP, and caused the falsified minutes to be transmitted to the SEC.

HEPPNER, 60, of Dallas, Texas, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Rakoff on October 7, 2026.  He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each of the counts of securities fraud, wire fraud, and false statements to auditors, and a maximum of five years in prison on the conspiracy count. 

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Three Men Indicted for the Armed Hijacking of a Delivery Truck Loaded With Apple Products at the Americana Manhasset Mall on Long Island

 

The Defendants are Alleged to Have Stolen More Than $1.2 Million in Apple Merchandise During the Heist

A three-count indictment was unsealed charging defendants Alan Christhofer Cedeno-Ferrer, Michael Mejia-Nunez and Ennait Alexis Sirett-Padilla with Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property. 

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) announced the charges.

“As alleged, these defendants committed a violent and brazen daytime robbery that terrorized the victims and endangered the public at one of the most popular shopping centers on Long Island,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our Office will continue its relentless pursuit of violent criminals who prey on innocent victims and put our communities in harms way for their own financial gain.”

“The defendants allegedly held two innocent employees at gunpoint before hijacking and robbing their delivery truck out of selfish greed. The FBI remains in lockstep with our local law enforcement partners to stop violent criminals from wreaking havoc on our communities,” announced FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

“These individuals came into Nassau County and committed a robbery with weapons that put people in fear. We didn’t stop pursuing them until they were brought to justice. County Executive Bruce Blakeman and I have zero tolerance for criminal activity here in Nassau County.  Thanks to our great partners in the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, these defendants have been indicted and will now have to answer for their crimes.” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder.

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, the Bergen County, New Jersey, Prosecutor’s Office, and the New York City Police Department for their assistance on the case.

As set forth in court filings, at approximately 8:00 a.m. on January 3, 2026, the defendants, working with others, hijacked a delivery truck that was parked outside of the Apple Store at the Americana Manhasset mall, as two workers were preparing to deliver Apple products to the store.  The contents of the truck included more than $1.2 million worth of MacBook laptop computers, iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and various accessories.  Three men approached the delivery workers armed with handguns, forced one of the workers into the back of the delivery truck and zip tied his hands.  They ordered the other victim into the driver’s seat to drive the truck.  The victim driver was directed to a secluded parking area behind an office building located on Northern Boulevard in Manhasset, New York, and was then ordered into the back of the truck with the first victim, where his hands were also zip tied.  A Home Depot box truck, rented by Cedeno-Ferrer using a fake Pennsylvania driver’s license, pulled into the parking area and backed up to the rear of the delivery truck so the cargo sections were aligned.  The men moved all of the Apple merchandise from the delivery truck to the Home Depot truck.  Once finished, they closed the cargo door to the delivery truck with the victims inside and left the location.  One of the victims was able to free himself and call 911.

The stolen merchandise was then taken to New Jersey and brought to a self-storage facility in Paterson, New Jersey. Upon arrival, as caught by surveillance cameras, Mejia-Nunez and Sirett-Padilla rented a storage unit that was used to facilitate transferring the stolen Apple goods from the Home Depot truck to a U-Haul truck and another vehicle being driven by a coconspirator.  The Home Depot truck was abandoned in the Bronx and located by law enforcement on January 5, 2026.  Cedeno-Ferrer’s fingerprints were found on a copy of the rental agreement that was recovered from inside the Home Depot truck.     

The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of the charges, the defendants face up to 30 years’ imprisonment.

Mayor Mamdani Announces Investigation into Psychiatric Evaluation and Discharge Following Tragic Chelsea Killing

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today announced an immediate investigation into NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue’s handling of a psychiatric evaluation connected to the fatal assault of 76-year-old Ross Falzone in Chelsea on Thursday, alongside a broader review of psychiatric evaluation and discharge protocols across the public hospital system.  

  

“I am horrified by the killing of Ross Falzone and the circumstances that led to it. I extend my condolences to his loved ones,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “New Yorkers deserve answers. That is why I’ve directed NYC Health + Hospitals to conduct both an immediate investigation on what steps should have been taken to prevent this tragedy and a comprehensive review of their psychiatric evaluation and discharge protocols.”  

  

Mayor Mamdani directed NYC H+H to conduct a root cause analysis and a full internal review of NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Hospital’s psychiatric evaluation procedures, with a particular focus on protocols related to psychosis, crisis assessment and discharge decisions.  

  

The Mayor took the additional step of asking the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the handling of this specific psychiatric evaluation, as well as a broader review of similar cases at Bellevue, to determine whether existing protocols were followed and identify any gaps in the system.   

  

In response to his request, effective immediately, NYSDOH agreed to launch a full-scale review of NYC H+H psychiatric evaluation and discharge procedures to ensure appropriate safeguards and protocols are in place and being followed. State officials will remain on-site throughout the investigation and work with hospital leadership to establish any necessary corrective actions.    

  

According to preliminary New York City Police Department (NYPD) information, the alleged assailant — a 32-year-old-man — was brought on Thursday afternoon by NYPD officers to Bellevue hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. The individual remained at the hospital for approximately one hour before being discharged. Roughly five hours later, he allegedly pushed Falzone down a flight of stairs in Chelsea. The suspect is now in police custody.   

Justice Department Moves to Denaturalize 12 Individuals for Concealing Terrorist Support, War Crimes, Espionage, Sexual Abuse, and More

 

The Department of Justice announced today that it filed denaturalization actions in various U.S. district courts against 12 individuals accused of serious offenses—including providing material support to a terrorist group, committing war crimes, and sexually abusing a minor.

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized U.S. citizen’s citizenship may be revoked, and certificate of naturalization canceled, if the naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.

“Individuals implicated in committing fraud, heinous crimes such as sexual abuse, or expressing support for terrorism should never have been naturalized as United States citizens,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Trump administration is taking action to correct these egregious violations of our immigration system. Those who intentionally concealed their criminal histories or misrepresented themselves during the naturalization process will face the fullest extent of the law.”

“This Department of Justice continues to file denaturalization actions at record speeds to restore integrity in our naturalization process,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The disturbing criminal histories confirm these individuals should have never received the privilege of U.S. citizenship.  We remain committed to leveraging every tool available under the law to pursue those who obtain their U.S. citizenship unlawfully.”

1. Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri (Age 48/Iraq): On Friday, May 8, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice and the United States Attorney for the District of Arizona filed a civil denaturalization complaint in the United States District Court in Phoenix, Arizona, against Ali Yousif Ahmed, a native of Iraq.  Ahmed entered the United States in 2009 based on a claim that he and his family were attacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists in Iraq.  In 2019, the Republic of Iraq requested that the United States extradite Ahmed to Iraq to face criminal charges for the premediated murder of two Iraqi police officers in 2006.  Iraq claims that Ahmed murdered the police officers as a leader in the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization.  Upon further investigation, United States learned that, in 2015, Ahmed illegally procured his naturalization, which warrants his denaturalization, because he lied under oath about his criminal and family history when he sought admission to the United States and naturalized as a U.S. citizen.
2. Oscar Alberto Pelaez (Age 75/Colombia): The United States has also brought a denaturalization action against Oscar Alberto Pelaez, a Colombian Roman Catholic priest, who, from 1998 to 2000, sexually abused a child on multiple occasions from the time that child was 14 until he was 17 years old.  In 2002, Mr. Pelaez pleaded guilty to and was convicted of thirteen counts of sexual assault against a child, including two counts of oral copulation with a person under eighteen years of age, and two counts of sodomy of a person under eighteen years of age. Mr. Pelaez lied about the commission of these crimes in connection with his naturalization application. The United States has brought four claims against Mr. Pelaez seeking his denaturalization, including claims that he lacked the good moral character to become a U.S. citizen and that he knowingly lied to immigration authorities.
3. Khalid Ouazzani (Age 48/Morocco): When Khalid Ouazzani, a native of Morocco, applied for U.S. citizenship in 2005 and again when he naturalized in 2006, he swore to his attachment to the principles of the Constitution of the United States. Those oaths were false because as early as 2003, Kahlid was planning—with two men later convicted of trying to bomb the New York Stock exchange—ways to support Al‑Qaida. By 2007, just one year after he naturalized, he sent Al‑Qaida tens of thousands of dollars in financial support with money that he had fraudulently obtained, and in 2008, he took an oath of allegiance to that terrorist organization. In May 2010, Ouazzani pleaded guilty to bank fraud, money laundering, and providing material support to Al-Qaida. The denaturalization complaint filed against Ouazzani alleges that he gave false testimony during his naturalization proceedings about his attachment to the Constitution and because his affiliation and membership with Al-Qaida within five years of his naturalization constitutes prima facie evidence that when he naturalized, he lacked the requisite attachment to the Constitution.
4. Salah Osman Ahmed (Age 43/Somalia): Ahmed was not attached to the principles of the U.S. Constitution when he naturalized in 2007. Just months after he naturalized, Ahmed began providing material support to terrorists. Ahmed traveled to Somalia to fight and kill Ethiopians and joined the terrorist group al-Shabaab. On July 28, 2009, in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, he pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339A(a). Ahmed joined al-Shabaab, and his membership of, or affiliation with al-Shabaab within five years of naturalization would have precluded him from citizenship. Ahmed procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts or willful misrepresentation, for joining al-Shabaab shortly after his naturalization.
5. Baboucarr Mboob (Age 58/Gambia): On November 11, 1994, Baboucarr Mboob, a native of The Gambia, while serving as a military police officer in the Gambian army, participated, along with fifteen other soldiers, in the execution of six officers following the orders from his commanding officer who believed the victims were plotting a counter-coup against then President Yahya Jammeh – all  without giving their victims the benefit of a trial. Mboob concealed his involvement in war crimes and acts of persecution throughout his immigration and naturalization proceedings after entering the United States 2002, naturalizing as a U.S. citizen in 2011. But, in testimony before a hearing of The Gambian Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC) held on April 9, 2019, Mr. Mboob admitted to executing his six fellow officers. The Unites States is seeking to revoke his certificate of naturalization because he obtained his U.S. citizenship illegally by concealing material fact and willfully misrepresented his military background.
6. Kevin Robin Suarez (Age 31/Bolivia): Beginning in May 2016, and continuing for ten months after his January 2017 naturalization, Kevin Robin Suarez engaged in a conspiracy to purchase firearms through straw purchasers for the eventual exportation of the firearms to Bolivia and other Latin American countries. Working with his sister, Suarez solicited individuals to purchase firearms on their behalf from licensed federal firearms dealers and provided those firearms to Suarez’s father. These firearms were part of a larger network of gun trafficking from South Florida to Bolivia by Bolivian nationals in the United States. Once in Bolivia, the guns were often sent to drug trafficking organizations in Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru, fueling drug violence there. Suarez pled guilty to conspiracy to cause false statements to be made to federally-licensed firearms dealers, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 and 18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(1)(A), in February 2020.  Suarez illegally procured his naturalization as a United States citizen because his crime precluded the required good moral character to naturalize. Also, SUAREZ falsely testified under oath and misrepresented and concealed facts that were material to determining his naturalization eligibility.
7. Abduvosit Razikov (Age 46/Uzbekistan): In 2005, Abduvosit Razikov, a native of Uzbekistan, paid a U.S. citizen to enter into a sham marriage with him so that he could procure permanent residency in the United States. Then, in 2007, Razikov paid another U.S. citizen to enter into a sham marriage with Razikov’s actual romantic partner so she could enter the United States from Uzbekistan. In 2010, Razikov divorced his U.S. citizen “wife,” and in 2012, he naturalized. Months later, Razikov engaged in a third sham marriage, this time marrying another Uzbekistani woman (not his own romantic partner) so she could obtain immigration benefits. The denaturalization complaint filed against Razikov alleges that he never lawfully acquired the permanent resident status required to naturalize because of his sham marriage and immigration fraud, that his unlawful acts and false testimony about those acts precluded him from establishing the good moral character required for naturalization, and that he obtained his naturalization by concealment or willful misrepresentation of materials facts.
8. Abdallah Osman Sheikh (Age 28/Kenya): Abdallah Osman Sheikh, a resident of Fairdale, Kentucky, unlawfully procured his naturalization and obtained his naturalization by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation. Specifically, in July 2019, before he naturalized, but while he was in the Marines, Sheikh possessed indecent digital images of two minor individuals and posted an indecent digital image of one of them to his social media account. Those crimes and his efforts to hide those crimes from the government throughout his naturalization proceedings warrant Sheikh’s denaturalization pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1451(a). In addition, Sheikh naturalized based on his military service, but received an other than honorable discharge (for misconduct) from the U.S. Marines after failing to serve honorably for five years, warranting his denaturalization under 8 U.S.C. § 1440(c).
9. Debashis Ghosh (Age 62/India): Before Debashis Ghosh naturalized, he conspired to defraud investors of $2.5 million intended for the construction of an aircraft maintenance facility.  After naturalizing, Ghosh, a native of India, continued the fraudulent scheme, misrepresenting the location and safekeeping of the investor funding.  But in his 2012 naturalization application and interview, Ghosh claimed that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not arrested.  The denaturalization complaint against Ghosh alleges that he is subject to denaturalization because during the period in which he was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character, he committed a crime involving moral turpitude, committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on his moral character, and falsely testified about his crime.  Additionally, Ghosh willfully misrepresented the material fact of his crime during his naturalization proceedings.
10. Pin He (Age 53/China): After he was ordered removed under the name Chun Di He in 1992, Pin He applied for an immigration benefit the very next year under a different identity. That application was granted, and in 2007, Mr. He obtained permanent residence. In 2013, Defendant naturalized under the identity and immigration history of Pin He, without ever disclosing his prior removal order under the Chun Di He. Because Mr. He obtained his citizenship after concealing his prior identity and misrepresenting his eligibility for citizenship, the United States is seeking to revoke his certificate of naturalization.
11. George Oyakhire (Age 66/Nigeria): Mr. Oyakhire naturalized under a false identity.  Mr. Oyakhire, who was born in Nigeria, first entered the United States on October 18, 1986, using a visa issued in his true name, George Ofuan Oyakhire.  Approximately two years later, on September 2, 1988, Mr. Oyakhire obtained temporary resident status using a false name, “Oliver Bennett Oyakhire,” and a false date of birth.  On December 1, 1990, Mr. Oyakhire adjusted his status to that of a lawful permanent resident using the false Oliver Bennett Oyakhire identity.  On September 12, 1995, again using the false Oliver Bennett Oyakhire identity, Mr. Oyakhire filed an application for naturalization, which was approved on March 22, 1996.  On April 22, 1996, Mr. Oyakhire became a naturalized citizen, under the false name Oliver Bennett Oyakhire.
12. Victor Manuel Rocha (Age 75/Colombia): Mr. Rocha is a native of Colombia who was convicted of serving as an unregistered agent for the Republic of Cuba. The U.S. seeks an order revoking Rocha’s naturalization based on his admission in criminal proceedings that he began spying for Cuba in 1973 before he naturalized in 1978. When he applied for naturalization, Rocha represented under penalty of perjury that he had not committed crimes for which he had not been arrested; he was not affiliated with the Communist Party of Cuba; he had not advocated, believed in, or knowingly supported and furthered the interests of Communism; and he believed in the U.S. Constitution and the form of government of the U.S. None of these were true.

These cases were prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from USCIS, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Arizona, Southern District of Florida, Eastern District of California, District of Minnesota, Middle District of Florida, Western District of Kentucky, District of Columbia, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Southern District of Iowa, and Northern District of Illinois.

The claims made in the complaints are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.