Russian National Living in Florida Convicted for Scheme to Illegally Export Aircraft Parts from the United States to Russia

 

A Florida resident and Russian national, Alexander Mamonov, 62, was convicted on all charges following a jury trial related to a scheme to illegally export aircraft parts from the United States to Russia and the state-owned Russian airline, PJSC Aeroflot. 

“This guilty verdict – on all counts – shows the United States government’s resolute commitment to upholding our export-control laws and to prosecuting those who violate them,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division and our U.S. Attorney’s Offices and law enforcement partners will continue to safeguard U.S.-controlled items from being exported unlawfully.”

“Mamonov illegally exported nearly one million dollars of aviation parts to Russia by lying to U.S. suppliers about their destination, and this conviction on all counts holds him accountable,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The FBI and its partners will continue to prioritize the enforcement of export laws and sanctions to defend the homeland. Let this verdict serve as a warning to anyone considering smuggling U.S. technology to our adversaries.”

“Russia cannot evade American sanctions and export controls by routing its purchases through South Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “You cannot put a fake destination on a shipping label and make American export laws disappear. This defendant conspired to secretly funnel nearly $1 million in American aircraft parts to Russia and Aeroflot, then used false destinations and financial transactions to conceal what he was doing. A federal jury held him accountable on every count. We will continue to aggressively pursue those who use our district, our financial system, or American businesses to undermine U.S. national security.” 

Mamonov was convicted in the Southern District of Florida of 12 counts related to that scheme, including conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), illegal export of items subject to ECRA, conspiracy to commit smuggling, smuggling of goods, submitting false or misleading export information, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen M. Williams scheduled sentencing for Nov. 20.

The defendant was charged by indictment in April 2025, alongside Ignat Vakorin of Russia. Vakorin remains a fugitive in wanted status.

Following Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce increased restrictions on exports to Russia and issued a temporary denial order barring Aeroflot from receiving U.S.-origin goods. According to court documents and testimony, Mamonov is a former Aeroflot employee who relocated from Russia to South Florida. After the U.S. Department of Commerce increased restrictions on Russian exports, Mamonov conspired with Vakorin to acquire and illegally ship over $900,000 in aircraft parts to Russia and to Aeroflot. Mamonov and Vakorin misled U.S. suppliers into believing the parts were being sent to other destinations, such as the United Arab Emirates and China.

This case was investigated by the FBI Miami Field Office with assistance from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. 

Wave Hill Weekly Events (Aug 27 – Sep 3) | Take a Stroll Down Garden Paths

 

Stormy weather and a warm sunbeam contrast, showing us two sides of a summer in the city. Admire these fast-paced changes in the slow-growing gardens of the grounds. As you give yourself the time to study the seasonal shifts in nature, notice how they find a balance in creating a picturesque scene, with beaded jewels delicately sitting upon rich green leaves, and a splash of sunshine illuminating paths that guide us to the places we’re meant to be, here at Wave Hill.

Nature & Wellness

Garden Highlights Walk

Sun, Aug 30, 1:00PM – 1:30PM 

Free with admission to the grounds    

Registration not required.

Join a knowledgeable Wave Hill Garden Guide for a leisurely stroll in the gardens. Topics vary by season and the expertise of the Guide; each walk varies with the Guide leading it.

Art

Tarik Jeremiah Brown: Hush Harbor

Augt 29  –  Oct 11 | All Day 

Free with admission to the grounds     

Registration not required.

In the site-responsive exhibition Hush Harbor, Tarik Jeremiah Brown transforms the Sunroom into a contemporary, antebellum hush harbor—a secret gathering place of refuge and worship rooted in Black American histories of survival and faith. The work engages the harbor as both a literal and symbolic site of arrival, protection, and possibilty.

Dots and Loops: Jen Chen-su Huang, Rita Maas, and Audra Wolowiec

Jul 21 — Jan 3 | All Day 

Free with admission to the grounds     

Registration not required.

Dots and Loops brings together the work of multidisciplinary artists, Jen Chen-su Huang, Rita Maas, and Audra Wolowiec, who take up the musical score as a visual and conceptual framework to investigate questions around language, legibility, and perspective. Working site-specifically, the artists in Dots and Loops engage with themes relating to the natural world, presentness, and interpretation. 

Family

Family Art Project: Rolling Out the Landscape

Sun, Aug 30, 10:00AM – 1:00PM

Free with admission to the grounds

Registration not required. 

Experience Wave Hill’s seasonal landscape through sketching and painting. Then, transform your scenic art into a scroll that can be unfurled whenever you wish.  At 11:30am families can enjoy a storytime program in the Gund Theater. All ages welcome.

Special Events

Afternoon Tea 

Tue, Sep 1, 11:00AM – 2:00PM    

7-day Advanced Registration required 

Enjoy delicious tea sandwiches and delectable pastries with a specialty tea selection every Tuesday and Thursday with seatings at 11AM or 2PM. Served on the Kate French Terrace or in our quaint Tea Room at historic Wave Hill House, Afternoon Teas are provided by our exclusive partner Great Performances whose menu uses local and seasonal ingredients, inspired from their own organic farm, Katchkie Farm.

HOURS STARTING MARCH 15: 10AM–4:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday  

Shuttle Service free from Subway and Metro-North, Saturday–Sunday

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.

Senator Julia Salazar - Tuesday: Free Guidance for Tenants

 

ICE Lodges Detainer for Illegal Alien Arrested After Hit-and-Run that Injured Child in Pennsylvania

 

This illegal alien was RELEASED into the country by the Biden Administration, and was issued a driver’s license by J.B. Pritzker’s Illinois

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer asking officials in Pennsylvania to not release an illegal alien who has been charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and other crimes after a hit-and-run that injured a pre-teen boy in Washington County.

According to local reporting, the incident occurred on August 23 in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. A young boy was crossing the street when a speeding vehicle struck him and then fled the scene. Some time later, the suspect, Yorgelis Alexandra Matos-Bravo, an illegal alien from Venezuela, returned to the scene after she had reportedly been convinced to do so by her brothers, and she admitted to hitting the child. Authorities said that the boy is expected to survive his injuries.

Yorgelis Alexandra Matos-Bravo

Charleroi Regional Police arrested Matos-Bravo and charged her with aggravated assault – victim less than 13, recklessly endangering another person, accident involving damage to a vehicle or property, disorderly conduct, reckless driving, careless driving, and speeding. ICE lodged a detainer with the Washington County Jail on August 26. Investigators found that she had been issued a driver’s license by the state of Illinois.

“This criminal illegal alien now faces SEVEN charges after a hit-and-run that injured a young child in Pennsylvania. She would not have been in our country in the first place if it weren’t for the Biden Administration’s open borders, and she wouldn’t have been on our roads if it weren’t for J.B. Pritzker’s sanctuary Illinois issuing her a driver’s license,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “This was a completely avoidable crime that was enabled by the reckless, America Last policies of sanctuary politicians. ICE has lodged a detainer asking officials in Washington County to cooperate with us and make sure this criminal is never released onto our streets again. I’m praying for the boy’s speedy recovery.”

Matos-Bravo illegally entered the United States through Texas in July 2022. She was then RELEASED into the country by the Biden Administration.

Federal Jury Convicts Panama City Man in Meth Bust

 

Calvin Leon Jackson, 40, was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. John Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the verdict. 

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, and this successful prosecution by my office, this criminal will be held accountable for peddling poisonous drugs in our community. The citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and with more aggressive prosecutions of criminals like this defendant that is exactly what my office will deliver.”

Trial testimony and court records revealed that, on June 28, 2026, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in which Jackson and his co-conspirator were passengers. During the stop, a drug canine alerted to the vehicle. During a subsequent search, officers discovered a large vacuum sealed package containing a white crystalline substance under the front seat where Jackson’s co-conspirator had been sitting. Subsequent forensic testing confirmed the white crystalline substance was 448 grams of methamphetamine with an approximate purity of 97%, amounting to 434.5 grams of pure meth.

Jackson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and up to a maximum of life imprisonment. He also faces a minimum of five years of supervised release up to a maximum of life on supervised release. 

The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Panama City Beach Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol.

Walmart Agrees to Pay $50 Million for Illegally Filling Unlawful Opioid Prescriptions

 

The Justice Department, together with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced a $50 million settlement with Walmart Inc. (Walmart) to resolve allegations that Walmart pharmacies illegally filled thousands of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).     

“This settlement proves this Department is committed to putting Americans’ flourishing first,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “Congress enacted laws to promote responsibility and accountability for companies who dispense controlled substances to protect Americans. This Department will never shy away from vigorously enforcing pharmacies’ obligations to comply with those protections, ensuring that potential profits never justify aiding our Nation’s opioid epidemic.”

“This $50 million settlement makes clear that pharmacies have a responsibility to identify and prevent the unlawful dispensing of controlled substances,” said DEA Assistant Administrator Cheri Oz. “Filling illegitimate opioid prescriptions puts patients and communities at risk and undermines the safeguards designed to prevent the diversion and misuse of potentially addictive medications. This settlement addresses past conduct while establishing clear compliance obligations designed to strengthen safeguards and help prevent these failures from happening again.”

The government’s complaint — filed on Dec. 22, 2020, and amended in 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware — alleged that since June 26, 2013, Walmart filled invalid prescriptions through the knowing actions of individuals on its compliance team and the knowing actions of its pharmacists. The United States alleged that members of Walmart’s compliance team knew that certain prescribers were operating as “pill mills” but filled invalid prescriptions written by those prescribers anyway. Members of the compliance team allegedly knew of the prescribers’ egregious conduct because Walmart’s own pharmacists reported the conduct to Walmart’s corporate compliance team, including through thousands of “refusal-to-fill” forms. The compliance team, however, prioritized other goals over CSA compliance. As one director on the compliance team acknowledged in an email, rather than analyzing the refusal-to-fill reports, the compliance team viewed “[d]riving sales and patient awareness,” as “a far better use of our Market Directors and Market manger’s time.”

Walmart pharmacists also allegedly filled prescriptions they knew were invalid. The pharmacists knew these prescriptions were invalid because they were either written by a known “pill mill” prescriber or the prescriptions had obvious red flags such as dangerous combinations of opioids, “cocktails” of opioids and non-opioids, excessively repeated fills of high-dosages of often-abused opioids, or repeated requests for early fills of often-abused controlled substances.   

In addition to the monetary payment announced today, Walmart has entered into a memorandum of agreement with DEA to address its future obligations in dispensing controlled substances. This agreement requires Walmart to establish a hotline for both employees and patients to report suspected illegal dispensing of controlled substances, proactively monitor the dispensing patterns of its pharmacies to identify and address potentially illegal dispensing, and establish a process to evaluate prescribers suspected of illegal prescribing.

The United States is represented in this matter by attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Division Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch (Trial Attorneys Katherine Ho, Kathleen Brunson, and Meredith Reiter), as well as from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Delaware (Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dylan Steinberg and Elizabeth Vieya), Eastern District of North Carolina (Andrew Kasper), Middle District of Florida (Carolyn Tapie), Eastern District of New York (Elliot Schachner).  Former Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch Investigator Amanda Graf provided support for this matter.

Additional information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at https://www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.

Governor Hochul Grants Clemency to Six Individuals

Continues To Fulfill Commitment To Grant Clemency on a Rolling Basis

Builds on Governor’s Efforts To Reform Clemency Process, Including Convening an Advisory Panel of Impartial Experts, Dedicating Additional Staff Resources and Increasing Communication With Applicants

Since Taking Office, Governor Hochul Has Issued a Total of 145 Grants of Clemency

Governor Kathy Hochul granted clemency in the form of a pardon to six individuals. This action recognizes people who have demonstrated remorse, exemplified rehabilitation and displayed a commitment to improving themselves and their communities. After implementing procedural reforms to strengthen the clemency process, Governor Hochul has made a total of 145 grants of clemency during her time in office, which include 125 pardons and 20 commutations.

“As Governor, I remain committed to reforming the clemency process and ensuring each application is thoroughly reviewed and individuals receive timely notifications regarding their case status,” Governor Hochul said. “Today, I am granting clemency to six individuals who have displayed positive changes in their lives and will dedicate themselves to bettering their communities — they earned their second chance through rehabilitation and can now establish their futures once again.”

The Governor's Office has taken a number of steps to improve transparency and communication in the clemency process. The Executive Clemency Bureau has implemented a policy of sending regular letters to individuals with clemency applications, informing them of their case status, and providing information about how to submit supplemental information in support of their applications. The Governor's Office also launched an updated online web hub to assist clemency applicants with the application process; this hub includes template clemency application forms to provide prospective applicants with improved guidance about what information to include when they apply.

The Governor also convened a Clemency Advisory Panel composed of impartial experts to assist in advising the Governor on clemency applications. Following recommendations from the Clemency Advisory Panel, Governor Hochul is granting clemency in the form of a pardon to six individuals.

Pardons

Individuals receiving a pardon today have lived crime-free lives for a significant period of time and have made positive contributions to their communities. All pardon recipients continue to be negatively impacted by their criminal conviction(s) despite having successfully served their sentence(s) many years ago. The Governor’s pardons will help alleviate these burdens.

Sae Joon Park, 57, was convicted of Bail Jumping in the Second Degree in 2009 and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree in 2007.

Kile Jackson, 54, was convicted of Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree in 1992.

Angela Walder-Tuckett, 62, was convicted of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree in 1989.

Heriberto Atiles, 61, was convicted of Criminal Possession of a Loaded Firearm in the Third Degree in 1986.

Keisy Guerrero Mariano, 38, was convicted of Assault in the Second Degree in 2015.

Paul Koopman, 62, was convicted of Driving While Intoxicated in 1995.

 

NYS Office of the Comptroller - DiNapoli: Millions in State Tax Checkoff Donations for Worthy Causes Remain Unused

 

Less Than Half of the Funds Reported Spending in SFY 2026

State taxpayers supported worthy causes with contributions to the state’s personal income tax checkoff programs, but too much money is sitting idle instead of helping nonprofit organizations or research and other efforts. A new analysis from State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli found that while some of New York’s tax checkoff funds reported increased spending in State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026, over half had no spending at all, an ongoing issue that DiNapoli has highlighted for more than a decade.   

“New Yorkers have generously given their hard-earned dollars to income tax checkoffs,” DiNapoli said. “It is unacceptable this money is unspent. The agencies responsible for managing these funds must ensure contributions are put to good use.”

For tax year 2024, two new checkoffs were added, the Diabetes Research and Education Fund and the Cure Child Cancer and Research Fund, increasing the total number of Personal Income Tax (PIT) checkoffs to 36. Through SFY 2025, the most recent year for which checkoff contribution data is available, total annual contributions grew to $3.8 million, up from $2.6 million in SFY 2024.

28 of the 36 funds rely primarily on taxpayer donations through the checkoffs. Although disbursements made from these PIT-supported funds increased from $3.7 million in SFY 2025 to $4.5 million in SFY 2026, only 13 of the 28 eligible funds made any disbursements, only a slight improvement from previous years.

With disbursements lagging contributions, the balances in many funds have steadily increased over time. In SFY 2026, fund balances associated with the 28 PIT checkoff funds totaled $17.5 million, up from $16.7 million in SFY 2025.

The Gift for Food Banks Fund and the Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention Fund were among those with the highest fund balances, at $1.1 million and $2.3 million, respectively. Neither fund had any disbursements since SFY 2024. In contrast, more than $1.2 million was spent from the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund in SFY 2026, reducing its balance by nearly 91% from the prior year, to $130,641.  

DiNapoli urged state agencies to improve compliance with reporting requirements to provide greater clarity on why spending from the PIT checkoff funds may be delayed and to redouble their efforts to ensure funds are spent promptly.  

Analysis

Personal Income Tax Checkoffs: Disbursements Increasing but Fund Balances Still High

Related Reports

2024 Tax Checkoff Donations Report