Friday, November 19, 2021

BRONX MAN INDICTED FOR DEFRAUDING MORE THAN $35,000 FROM STATE COMPENSATION BENEFITS

 

Defendant Worked Second Job While Claiming He Was Disabled

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced a Bronx man has been indicted on Grand Larceny, Insurance Fraud, and additional charges for falsely claiming he was fully disabled and unable to work at his state job so he could collect more than $35,000 in worker’s compensation. 
 
 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant allegedly continued working an increased number of hours at his second job while collecting compensation for being unable to work for the state. He took advantage of a system in place that helps New Yorkers who truly need it, and now he will be held accountable.” 
 
 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, James Garner, 49, from the Soundview section of the Bronx, was arraigned today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Efrain Alvarado on third degree Grand Larceny, third-degree Insurance Fraud, Penalty for Fraudulent Practice, five counts of first-degree Falsifying Business Records, five counts of second-degree Falsifying Business Records, five counts of first-degree Offering a False Instrument for Filing, and first-degree Perjury. He is due back in court on February 22, 2022.

 According to the investigation, between July 19, 2019 and July 31, 2020, the defendant allegedly defrauded New York State of workers’ compensation benefits of more than $35,000. Garner was a full-time employee at the Office of Mental Health at the New York City Children’s Center working as a mental health therapy aide. He was injured on the job in 2019. For about a year he claimed he was fully disabled and swore under oath he was not working. The investigation found he was able to work and was working increased hours at his part-time job.

 An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

Attorney General James Leads Coalition in Fight to Preserve and Fortify DACA

 

Coalition of AGs Highlight Critical Contributions of Hundreds of Thousands of Dreamers to Public Health Efforts, Economies, and Communities Across the Country

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today continued her fight to protect hundreds of thousands of Dreamers across New York and the rest of the nation. Co-leading a coalition of 24 attorneys general, Attorney General James sent a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in support of the federal government’s efforts to preserve and fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. In the comment letter, the coalition highlights the critical contributions of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers to broader public health efforts, to economies, and to communities across the country, and urges the federal government to finalize regulations strengthening DACA — ensuring that states can continue to benefit from the policy, as well as providing relief to all the Dreamers who fear deportation. Since 2012, DACA has protected approximately 825,000 individuals who grew up in this country — most of whom have known no home other than the United States — from deportation and permitted them to work here.

“Home is here for hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who know no other home but the United States,” said Attorney General James. “America is where these young people have gone to school, where they have worked, where they have paid taxes, where they have raised families, and where they have continued to be vital members of our communities. And during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s where they have put their lives on the line to protect and save others. In the past, our coalition has stood up against inhumane and immoral threats of deportation, but the federal government now has the opportunity to step up and finally strengthen DACA going forward. Our Dreamers deserve to know that they are valued, that they are loved, and that we will always fight to protect them. Si se puede!”

DACA is an Obama era policy that has allowed hundreds of thousands of young people to live, study, and work in the United States, and to become stable and even more productive members of their communities, without fear that they could be arrested and placed in deportation proceedings at any moment or forcibly separated from their families and communities. DACA has enabled grantees to enroll in colleges and universities, complete their education, start businesses that help improve the U.S. economy, and give back to communities as teachers, medical professionals, engineers, and entrepreneurs — all on the books. These contributions have been especially evident as the deadly coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began to sweep through the nation and thousands of DACA recipients have served on the frontlines as essential workers. As of April 2020, an estimated 27,000 health care workers and support staff depend on DACA for their authorization to work in the United States, including nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physician assistants, home health aides, technicians, and others. DACA has also advanced public health and societal interests by giving its recipients the opportunity to procure employer-provided health insurance, which has been particularly critical as states fight COVID-19.

In today’s the comment letter, the coalition asserts, among other things, that:

  • DACA has public safety and public health benefits for states,
  • States benefit economically from DACA and DACA recipients,
  • DACA and DACA recipients are important to states’ higher education institutions,
  • States have adopted laws, regulations, and programs in reliance on DACA, and
  • Opponents of DACA are unable to substantiate any alleged harms.

After former President Donald Trump broke the promises made to Dreamers by ordering his administration to change the DACA policy in 2017, a prolonged legal battle began in September 2017 that made its way through multiple courts before landing at the U.S. Supreme Court in November 2019. In June 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump Administration’s attempt to cancel the DACA policy was unlawful.

After the Supreme Court ruled, the policy was supposed to resume, but the Trump Administration announced that new DACA applications would not be granted. In August 2020, Attorney General James co-led a coalition of 17 attorneys general in a lawsuit that sought to vacate, as unlawful, a memo from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that sought to make changes to DACA. In November 2020, a federal district court issued an order granting Attorney General James’ request for partial summary judgment. And, in December 2020, that same federal court issued a remedial order granting Attorney General James’ request for DHS to reopen DACA to first-time applicants, restore protections to a two-year period instead of one year, and make Advanced Parole available to DACA recipients again without restrictions.

On January 20, 2021 — on his first day in office — President Joe Biden signed an executive order rescinding the Trump Administration policy that threatened these Dreamers with deportation.

Joining Attorney General James in filing the comment letter are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

Governor Kathy Hochul Statement on CDC Approval of COVID-19 Booster for All Adults

Vaccine needles

"Today, boosters for all adults cleared the final round of federal review by health experts and doctors. This is great news as we enter the holiday season and gather indoors with friends and family. 

"Boosters can help provide additional protection, especially for those over the age of 50 and others with underlying conditions. With 80 percent of New York State adults fully vaccinated, getting the booster is another important way to protect ourselves and our loved ones, as well as washing our hands and wearing a mask. 

"We know the recent increase in the spread of COVID across regions of New York State is happening due to lower vaccination rates in those areas. Getting more New Yorkers vaccinated, including children aged 5 and older, remains the best way to help turn the tide in our fight against COVID-19.

"So, if you are unvaccinated, get vaccinated. If you have kids, get them vaccinated. And if you have been vaccinated, get the booster. It's widely available, free and safe. Let's do this, New York." 


GET INVOLVED: CITY ISSUES PUBLIC SURVEY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SCHEDULE FOR PERMANENT OPEN RESTAURANTS PROGRAM

 

Robust public engagement process will evaluate successes and improvements needed for Open Restaurants program; draft guidelines for permanent program out in March 2022 

  

The de Blasio administration announced next steps for the public to participate in the creation of easy-to-use design rules to that will guide the coming citywide permanent Open Restaurants program. This public engagement process is a collaboration between the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of City Planning (DCP). A short guide outlining the coming citywide program is available here. 

 

“The incredible success of outdoor dining shows how we can reimagine our streetscape to better serve our neighborhoods,” said DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman. “We have learned so much about how to make this overwhelmingly popular program even better, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. We’re thrilled to start this robust conversation with the public to craft guidelines that will increase accessibility, safety and address concerns such as noise, hours of operation and sanitation.” 

 

“While helping us to recover from a devastating pandemic, the coming citywide Open Restaurants program is a key to helping us build healthier and safer shared streets, and stronger and vibrant communities. Don’t sit on the sidelines. Fill out the survey and get involved in designing rules that will shape the look and feel of outdoor dining in New York City,” said DCP Director Anita Laremont, who also serves as Chair of the City Planning Commission. 

 

A survey for members of the public is available here. We urge all New Yorkers to consider responding by Dec. 31. 

 

A schedule of in-person and virtual public events, set for this fall and winter, is available here and will be listed on NYC Engage. 

 

Credited with saving over 100,000 restaurants jobs during the pandemic and increasing the number of restaurants with outdoor dining – from 1,200 in February 2020 to 11,000 now – the emergency Open Restaurants program introduced novel questions about how to best integrate roadway dining setups into the complex environment of New York City streets. 

  

Earlier this week, the City Planning Commission voted to remove inequitable zoning rules that limited al fresco dining to some parts of New York City. In response to public input, the new zoning rules, which must still be approved by the City Council, will not go into effect until the Permanent Open Restaurants program, including all safety and design guidelines, are reviewed by the public and final. Alongside rigorous public input, the permanent program will be guided by coming legislation by the New York City Council.  

 

This citywide public engagement process for the coming design rules for sidewalk and roadway setups aims to promote accessibility, ensure guidelines are clear and enforceable, and address quality-of-life issues such as trash and noise. DCP and DOT intend to release a first report on design of the coming program in March 2022. Read more about the process here. After that, DCP and DOT will begin a second series of public engagement and outreach sessions to develop the final rules.  The permanent program is expected to be in place by 2023.  

 

Survey  

The survey, which is posted on DOT’s website, solicits information from New Yorkers, those in the restaurant business and their neighbors, about what they see as the pros and cons of Open Restaurants, and to share their thoughts on how to improve on the emergency program. Public input via the survey will shape the coming design rules. The deadline for survey responses is Dec. 31.   

 

Outreach Schedule  

Five Borough Board Meetings 

DCP & DOT will present to each of the five Borough Boards (made up of the Borough Presidents and Community Board chairs in all five boroughs) in December and January. The agencies will share an overview of the permanent Open Restaurants design guidelines process and goals and solicit feedback from the Borough Board members. The public is encouraged to join the meetings, either in person or online. A zoom link will be made available and publicized. The dates are available here. 

 

Virtual Public Roundtables  

DOT and DCP will host a series of four virtual roundtables that are open to the public, where any New Yorker can share their thoughts on the permanent Open Restaurants program. The first two roundtables will take place on Jan. 11, 2022, from noon to 1:30 pm and Jan. 12, 2022, from 6 to 7:30 pm.  

 

Virtual Topic-Based Roundtables 

Alfresco NYC - RPA, Design Trust, and Tri-State Transportation Campaign in coordination with DOT & DCT will host a series of virtual roundtables to bring together a range of stakeholders from the hospitality industry, design professions, and transit and accessibility advocates, to provide an in-depth look at major issues to be addressed by the permanent program. Details to follow. 

   

This public engagement announcement comes after the City Planning Commission’s vote on Nov. 15 in favor of the Open Restaurants zoning text amendment that aims to remove geographic restrictions on where sidewalk cafes can be located within New York City. The text amendment was modified to only go into effect after the permanent program guidelines are in place. It now moves on to the City Council for a public hearing and vote. 

Real Estate Businessman And Lawyer Arrested In Connection With Campaign Finance Scheme

 

 Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Daniel G. Cort, Acting Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging GERALD MIGDOL with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to misrepresent and conceal the sources of political campaign contributions.  MIGDOL was arrested this morning and will be presented before United States Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang later today.  The case is assigned to United States District Judge J. Paul Oetken.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy, and campaign finance regulations are one way communities seek to ensure everyone plays by the same rules.  As alleged, Gerald Migdol and others tried to divert taxpayer dollars from New York City’s matching funds program to a particular candidate based on fraudulent campaign contributions.  My Office remains vigilant against such attempts to defraud the public.”

FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “Public programs, such as the one Migdol allegedly defrauded, exist to provide support for New Yorkers who want to represent their city in elections, but find themselves without the means to do so. Illegally subverting the requirements to be eligible for these funds so that the candidate of your choice receives more than their fair share is a federal offense, as highlighted by today’s charges.”

Acting DOI Commissioner Daniel G. Cort said: “Obtaining fraudulent donations for a political candidate that will ultimately be used to secure matching funds undermines the fair and honest public financing of elections. DOI thanks its partners on this matter, the office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment and information in the public record[1]:

From at least in or about October 2019, through at least in or about January 2021, GERALD MIGDOL orchestrated and participated in a scheme to misrepresent and conceal sources of contributions made during the 2021 election cycle to the campaign of a candidate for New York City Comptroller (“Candidate-1”), fraudulently attempting to procure public funds for Candidate-1 from the campaign finance program overseen by the New York City Campaign Finance Board (“CFB”).  That campaign finance program included, among other things, a “matching funds program” that provided eligible candidates with public funds based on the number and amount of certain donor contributions.  According to the CFB, “[b]y matching their contributions with public funds, the [p]rogram empowers New Yorkers in every neighborhood to make their voices heard in city elections” and “[b]y encouraging candidates to raise small-dollar contributions from average New Yorkers, the program increases engagement between voters and those who seek to represent them.”[2]

Candidates running for the office of New York City Comptroller were eligible to participate in the matching funds program if they met certain criteria, and eligible candidates could receive up to approximately $3.4 million in public matching funds based on qualifying contributions.  Candidate-1 filed a certification with the CFB in or about September 2019, becoming a candidate for the office of the New York City Comptroller and opting in to the CFB’s matching funds program.  Thereafter, MIGDOL and others conspired to obtain fraudulent contributions for Candidate-1 that would be used, among other things, to seek public matching funds from the CFB.  A number of those contributions were “nominee contributions,” in which money was given to Candidate-1’s campaign under one contributor’s name, but in reality the money for the contribution came from, or was reimbursed by, another person.  Other contributions obtained at MIGDOL’s direction were fraudulently made in the names of individuals who, in fact, had never authorized those contributions.

Through these and other efforts, MIGDOL and others involved in the scheme procured nominee and other fraudulent contributions for Candidate-1’s campaign, which in turn were submitted to the CFB by Candidate-1’s campaign in connection with requests for at least tens of thousands of dollars in additional public matching funds.

MIGDOL, 71, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.  The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress, and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and DOI.  This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jarrod L. Schaeffer, David Abramowitz, Tara La Morte, and Alison Moe are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

[2] https://www.nyccfb.info/program/benefits.

Governor Hochul Announces Availability of $2 Million to Boost Addiction Services in Fight Against Opioid Crisis

 

Providers Can Receive up to $200,000 to Establish Mobile Medication Units to Provide Addiction Medicine Services

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State has secured $2 million in federal funding through the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant program to aid addiction service providers in the fight against the opioid crisis. The funding will be used to establish Mobile Medication Units (MMUs) to dispense medications to treat substance use disorder, including methadone and buprenorphine. This follows the rules issued by the federal DEA to allow these units to be operated by existing Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) Providers. These will be the first MMUs in New York State.

"Fighting the opioid crisis is a personal battle for me, and we will continue to do all that we can to boost resources and services for those struggling with addiction," Governor Hochul said. "These first-of-their-kind Mobile Medication Units in New York State will bring this important service directly to New Yorkers in need and allow them to receive critical services to support them on their road to recovery." 

Providers that currently operate OASAS-certified OTP programs are eligible to receive funding and will be awarded up to $200,000 to be used to purchase and retrofit an MMU. These mobile units will offer services that include admission assessments and medication induction, medication administration and observation, toxicology tests, and other medical services. 

These mobile units can help people facing barriers to treatment, including geographic proximity to OTP facilities and transportation issues, and increase the availability of medication assisted treatment for addiction. They will supplement already existing mobile services throughout New York State offered by other OASAS-certified providers, including assessment, counseling, medications other than methadone for addiction treatment, telepractice, and transportation services.

Funding will be awarded through an RFA process administered by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS). The RFA is available to view here

Applications are due on December 6th.

44 Days and Counting

 


Things could be worse. I could be sitting in the White House now like this guy.



Thursday, November 18, 2021

U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Two Iranian Nationals For Cyber-Enabled Disinformation And Threat Campaign Designed To Interfere With The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election

 

Conspirators Crafted Unique Messaging Themes For Each Side of the U.S. Political Spectrum to Capitalize on the Perceived Fears of the Targeted Audiences

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Bryan Vorndran, the Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Division (“FBI”), and Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging Iranian citizens and residents Seyyed Mohammad Hosein and MUSA KAZEMI (سید محمد حسین موسی کاظمی), a/k/a “Mohammad Hosein Musa Kazem,” a/k/a “Hosein Zamani,” and SAJJAD KASHIAN (سجاد کاشیان), a/k/a “Kiarash Nabavi,”for their involvement in a cyber-enabled campaign to intimidate and influence American voters, and otherwise undermine voter confidence and sow discord, in connection with the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.  As part of this campaign, the conspirators obtained confidential United States voter information from at least one state election website, sent threatening email messages to intimidate voters, created and disseminated a video containing disinformation pertaining to purported but non-existent voting vulnerabilities, attempted to access, without authorization, several states’ voting-related websites, and successfully gained unauthorized access to a U.S. media company’s computer network that, if not for successful FBI and victim company efforts to mitigate, would have provided the conspirators another vehicle for further disseminating false claims after the election.  The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “As alleged, Kazemi and Kashian were part of a coordinated conspiracy in which Iranian hackers sought to undermine faith and confidence in the U.S. Presidential elections.  Working with others, Kazemi and Kashian accessed voter information from at least one state’s voter database, threatened U.S. voters via email, and even disseminated a fictitious video that purported to depict actors fabricating overseas ballots.  The United States will never tolerate any foreign actors’ attempts to undermine our free and democratic elections.  As a result of the charges unsealed today, and the concurrent efforts of our U.S. government partners, Kazemi and Kashian will forever look over their shoulders as we strive to bring them to justice.”

Assistant Director of the FBI’s Cyber Division Bryan Vorndran.said:  “The FBI remains committed to countering malicious cyber activity targeting our democratic process. Working rapidly with our private sector and U.S. government partners and ahead of the election, we were able to disrupt and mitigate this malicious activity – and then to enable today’s joint, sequenced operations against the adversary. Today’s announcement shows what we can accomplish as a community and a country when we work together, and the FBI will continue to do its part to keep our democracy safe.”

Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen said:  “The Department is committed to using all tools at its disposal, including criminal charges, to expose and disrupt malign foreign influence efforts and bring the responsible actors to justice. The indictment reveals that Iranian actors sought to sow discord by targeting Republicans with messages claiming voter fraud, and Democrats with ‘false flag’ threats from the Proud Boys.  Its detailed allegations provide unadulterated facts that will help further inoculate the U.S. public, regardless of political affiliation, from future tailored and targeted disinformation campaigns.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:

The 2020 Election Interference Campaign

Starting in approximately August 2020, and proceeding until November 2020, KAZEMI, KASHIAN, and other co-conspirators began a coordinated, four-stage campaign to undermine faith and confidence in the 2020 Presidential Election (the “Election Interference Campaign”) and otherwise sow discord within U.S. society.  The campaign had four components:

  1. In September and October 2020, members of the conspiracy conducted reconnaissance on, and attempted to compromise, approximately eleven state voter websites, including state voter registration websites and state voter information websites.  Those efforts resulted in the successful exploitation of a misconfigured computer system of a particular U.S. state (“State-1”), and the resulting unauthorized downloading of more than 100,000 State-1 voters’ information.
  2. In October 2020, members of the conspiracy, claiming to be a “group of Proud Boys volunteers,” sent Facebook messages and emails (the “False Election Messages”) to Republican Senators, Republican members of Congress, individuals associated with the Presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump, White House advisors, and members of the media.  The False Election Messages claimed that the Democratic Party was planning to exploit “serious security vulnerabilities” in state voter registration websites to “edit mail-in ballots or even register non-existent voters.”  The False Election Messages were accompanied by a video (the “False Election Video”) which purported, via simulated intrusions and the use of State-1 voter data, to depict an individual affiliated with the Proud Boys hacking into state voter websites and using stolen voter information to create fraudulent absentee ballots through the Federal Voting Assistance Program (“FVAP”) for military and overseas voters.[2] 
  3. Also in October 2020, the conspirators engaged in an online voter intimidation campaign involving the dissemination of a threatening message (the “Voter Threat Emails”), purporting to be from the Proud Boys, to tens of thousands of registered voters, including some voters whose information the conspiracy had obtained from State-1’s website.  The emails were sent to registered Democrats, and threatened the recipients with physical injury if they did not change their party affiliation and vote for President Trump.
  4. On November 4, 2020, the day after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, the conspirators sought to leverage earlier September and October 2020 intrusions into an American media company’s (“Media Company-1”) computer networks.  Specifically, on that day, the conspirators attempted to use stolen credentials to again access Media Company-1’s network, which would have provided them another vehicle for further disseminating false claims concerning the election through conspirator-modified or created content.  However, because of an earlier FBI victim notification, Media Company-1 had by that time mitigated the conspirators’ unauthorized access and these log-in attempts failed.

 

Background on Kazemi and Kashian

SEYYED MOHAMMAD HOSEIN MUSA KAZEMI and SAJJAD KASHIAN are experienced Iran-based computer hackers that worked as contractors for an Iran-based company called Eeleyanet Gostar, now known as Emennet Pasargad.  Eeleyanet Gostar purported to provide cybersecurity services within Iran.  Among other things, Eeleyanet Gostar is known to have provided services to the Iranian Government, including to the Guardian Council.

As part of his role in the Election Interference Campaign, KAZEMI compromised computer servers that were used to send the Voter Threat Emails, prepared such emails, and compromised the systems of Media Company-1.  KASHIAN’s role was to manage the conspirators’ computer infrastructure used to carry out the Voter Threat Email campaign, and to purchase social media accounts in furtherance of the Election Interference Campaign.

KAZEMI, 24, and KASHIAN, 27, are both charged with one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of voter intimidation, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison; and one count of transmission of interstate threats, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  KAZEMI is additionally charged with one count of unauthorized computer intrusion, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of computer fraud: knowingly damaging a protected computer, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the assigned judge.

Concurrent with the unsealing of the indictment, the Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) designated Emennet Pasargad, KAZEMI, KASHIAN, and four other Iranian nationals comprising Emennet Pasargad leadership pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13848, “Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election.”  Additionally, the Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on or about the KAZEMI and KASHIAN’s activities.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, including the work of the Cleveland FBI Field Office and the FBI Cyber Division.    

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.        

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

[2]  In actuality, the computer intrusions depicted in the False Election Video were simulated intrusions created by members of the conspiracy using their own server and data obtained during the State-1 exploitation.  Further, the FVAP could not actually be leveraged in the manner implied by the False Election Video.