Canadian Man Pleads Guilty to Destruction of an Energy Facility

 

Cameron Monte Smith, a citizen of Canada, pleaded guilty to one count of destruction of an energy facility charged in the District of North Dakota and one count of destruction of an energy facility charged in the District of South Dakota.

Smith admitted to damaging the Wheelock substation, located near Ray, North Dakota, in an amount exceeding $100,000, in May 2023. The Wheelock substation is operated by Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

Smith also admitted to damaging a transformer and pumpstation of the Keystone Pipeline located near Carpenter, South Dakota, in an amount exceeding $100,000, in July 2022.

Smith damaged the Wheelock substation and the Keystone Pipeline equipment by firing multiple rounds from a high-power rifle into the equipment resulting in disruption of electric services to the North Dakota customers and resulting in disruption of the Keystone Pipeline in South Dakota.

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Smith faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch, U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider for the District of North Dakota, U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota and Special Agent in Charge Travis S. Riddle of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) St. Paul Field Division made the announcement. 

The FBI and ATF are investigating the case.

Former CIA Officer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Espionage

 

Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, 71, of Honolulu, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer, was sentenced to conspiring to gather and deliver national defense information to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

Ma was arrested in August 2020, after admitting to an undercover FBI employee that he had facilitated the provision of classified information to intelligence officers employed by the PRC’s Shanghai State Security Bureau (SSSB).

According to court documents, Ma worked for the CIA from 1982 until 1989. His blood relative (identified as co-conspirator #1 or CC #1 in court documents), who is deceased, also worked for the CIA from 1967 until 1983. As CIA officers, both men held Top Secret security clearances that granted them access to sensitive and classified CIA information, and both signed nondisclosure agreements.

As Ma admitted in the plea agreement, in March 2001, over a decade after he resigned from the CIA, Ma was contacted by SSSB intelligence officers, who asked Ma to arrange a meeting between CC #1 and the SSSB. Ma convinced CC #1 to agree, and both Ma and CC #1 met with SSSB intelligence officers in a Hong Kong hotel room for three days. During the meetings, CC #1 provided the SSSB with a large volume of classified U.S. national defense information in return for $50,000 in cash. Ma and CC #1 also agreed to continue to assist the SSSB.

In March 2003, while living in Hawaii, Ma applied for a job as a contract linguist in the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office. The FBI, aware of Ma’s ties to PRC intelligence, hired Ma as part of a ruse to monitor and investigate his activities and contacts with the SSSB. Ma worked part time at an offsite location for the FBI from August 2004 until October 2012.

As detailed in the plea agreement, in February 2006, Ma was tasked by the SSSB with asking CC #1 to identify four individuals of interest to the SSSB from photographs. Ma convinced CC #1 to provide the identities of at least two of the individuals, whose identities were and remain classified U.S. national defense information.

Ma confessed that he knowingly and willfully conspired with CC #1 and SSSB intelligence officers to communicate and transmit information that he knew would be used to injure the United States or to advantage the PRC.

In court documents and at today’s sentencing hearing, the government noted that Ma was convicted of a years-long conspiracy to commit espionage, a serious breach of national security that caused the government to expend substantial investigative resources. The government also noted that Ma’s role in the conspiracy was to facilitate the exchange of information between CC #1 and the SSSB, which consisted of classified CIA information that CC #1 had obtained between 1967 and 1983.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Ma must cooperate with the United States for the rest of his life, including by submitting to debriefings by U.S. government agencies. At the sentencing hearing, government counsel told the court that Ma has been cooperative and has taken part in multiple interview sessions with government agents.

Ma has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors for the District of Hawaii and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI's National Security Branch made the announcement.

The FBI’s Honolulu and Los Angeles Field Offices investigated the case.

Texas Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Over $16 Million Consumer Electronics Fraud Conspiracy

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that OLUSEUN MARTINS OMOLE, a/k/a “Seun Omole,” was sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman for participating in a large-scale fraud conspiracy involving more than $16 million in consumer electronics and other goods that were fraudulently obtained from thousands of victims in the U.S. and elsewhere.  OMOLE previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker. 

 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For approximately five years, Oluseun Martins Omole used his satellite communications business as a front to receive more than 23,000 laptops, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, and other consumer goods.  These items—worth more than $16 million—were bought and sent by thousands of victims nationwide who were defrauded by Omole and his associates.  Omole’s fraud devastated victims: some had to take out loans, others fell into debt or declared bankruptcy, and some even attempted suicide.  Today’s sentence sends the message that a lengthy prison sentence will await those who participate in these destructive fraud schemes.”  

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and Complaint, the plea agreement, and other public filings and statements made in court:

From at least in or about February 2018 through at least in or about March 2023, OMOLE participated in a criminal enterprise (the “Enterprise”) that scammed thousands of victims in the U.S. and elsewhere of more than $16 million in consumer electronics, including smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, and tablets, among other items.  The scams included romance scams, in which Enterprise members sent electronic communications to victims pretending to be interested in a romantic relationship, gained the victim’s trust and affection, and took advantage of that goodwill to induce the victim into sending consumer electronics and other money or property to OMOLE; online marketplace scams, in which Enterprise members contacted victims who were selling consumer electronics on online marketplaces, falsely represented to the victim that the Enterprise members had bought and paid for the consumer electronics, and instructed the victim to send the consumer electronics to OMOLE; and employment scams, in which Enterprise members posted phony job positions online, falsely informed unwitting victims that they were hired for the non-existent positions, and instructing the victim to send electronics to OMOLE under the guise that those electronics were needed for the non-existent position (together, the “Fraudulent Electronics Scams”).

During the relevant time period, OMOLE owned and operated a Texas-based business corporation named Tobylink Impressions, Inc. (“Tobylink”), which purported to be a distributor, re-seller, and supplier of satellite communications equipment.  In reality, however, Tobylink was a front through which OMOLE received more than 23,000 fraudulently obtained laptops, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, and other consumer goods sent by thousands of victims nationwide, which OMOLE then repackaged and shipped in bulk to other members of the Enterprise located in Nigeria.  From February 2018 to October 2021, OMOLE received items from victims at a storage unit in Richmond, Texas, and from August 2021 to March 2023, OMOLE received items from victims at a warehouse in Sugar Land, Texas. 

In total, OMOLE charged his co-conspirators at least approximately $623,894.50 in duty fees and weight-based shipping fees in exchange for receiving and shipping more than $16 million in fraudulently obtained consumer electronics and other consumer goods.  OMOLE and his co‑conspirators’ actions victimized thousands of innocent people and caused substantial financial and emotional harm to those victims.  For example, among the victims were: a victim who lost more than $350,000 and had to take out a $200,000 loan on her house that she was only $6,000 away from paying off; a victim who lost more than $75,000 and needed to file for bankruptcy; a victim who incurred more than $18,000 in credit card debt, had his credit score negatively affected, began suffering health issues, and considered committing suicide; and a victim who lost more than $220,000, had her cats taken away by county authorities due to the financial harm, and attempted suicide on two occasions. 

If you believe you are a victim of the Fraudulent Electronics Scams and that you may be entitled to restitution, you may visit the following website: http://fbi.gov/TobylinkFraudVictims or contact the following email address: TobylinkFraudVictims@fbi.gov.  Any responses should be received by no later than December 1, 2024. 

In addition to the prison term, OMOLE, 58, of Sugar Land, Texas, was sentenced to three years of supervised release, ordered to forfeit $623,894.50 and various consumer electronics and other goods seized by law enforcement, and ordered to make restitution in an amount to be determined. 

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Mr. Williams also thanked Homeland Security Investigations for its assistance with the investigation. 

Attorney General James Calls on Congress to Require Social Media Warning Labels

 

AG James Co-Leads Coalition of 42 Attorneys General in Letter to Congress Supporting the Surgeon General’s Recommendation for Warnings on Social Media Platforms

New York Attorney General Letitia James co-led a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general in urging Congress to implement warning labels on social media platforms as called for by the United States Surgeon General. A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional authorization, would serve as a regular reminder of social media’s significant mental health harms for adolescents. This letter is part of Attorney General James’ ongoing leadership in the effort to protect children from emerging technologies, particularly addictive algorithms employed by social media companies. 

“Young people across our country are struggling, and these addictive social media algorithms are only making this mental health crisis worse,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “New York has led the nation in our efforts to protect kids from online harm, but everyone needs to know the risk associated with these social media platforms. The Surgeon General’s recommendation is a strong first step in that direction, and I hope warning labels will be implemented swiftly to raise more awareness about this issue.”

In a letter to Congress, Attorney General James and the coalition echoed United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s June 2024 call for a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, noting that such a warning would both highlight the inherent risks of social media, while also complementing ongoing efforts to spur research and investments in the oversight of platforms. 

In light of social media platforms’ unwillingness to fix the problem on their own, the 42 attorneys general underscored the need for federal action to combat the growing mental health crisis. The coalition also urged Congress to consider further measures to protect children from the potential harms of social media, recognizing the recent Senate passage of the Kids Online Safety Act. 

Attorney General James has been a national leader in the fight to protect Americans, especially young adults, online and to address concerns with social media companies. In June 2024, nation-leading legislation advanced by Attorney General James to combat addictive social media feeds and protect kids online was signed into law in New York. In March 2024, Attorney General James led a bipartisan coalition of 41 attorneys general in urging Meta to address the rise of Facebook and Instagram account takeovers by scammers and frauds. In October 2023, Attorney General James and a bipartisan coalition of 32 attorneys general filed a federal lawsuit against Meta for harming young people’s mental health and contributing to the youth mental health crisis. In October 2022, Attorney General James investigated and released a report on the role online platforms played in the Buffalo mass shooting. In May 2021, Attorney General James joined a bipartisan coalition of 44 attorneys general urging Facebook to abandon plans to launch a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13. 

Attorney General James co-led this letter alongside the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oregon, and Tennessee. Also signing the letter are the attorneys general of Alabama, American Samoa, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Support 9/11 Victims

 

Legislation S.7586A/A.8131A Permits Accidental Death Benefits To Be Awarded to the Beneficiary of Anthony Varvaro

Legislation S.8411/A.8868 Deems an Application Filed With the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System by the Widow of Paul C. Adam as Timely Filed

Legislation S.9251A/A.10021A Designates a Portion of the State Highway System as the Captain Christopher J. Garrow Memorial Bridge

Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to support 9/11 victims in New York City. Legislation S.7586A/A.8131A authorizes former Port Authority police officer Anthony Varvaro, a member of the New York State Local Police and Fire Retirement System, to be deemed to have died as the natural and proximate cause of an accident sustained in the performance of duty. Officer Varvaro died in a car accident on September 11, 2022, while traveling to a September 11th memorial ceremony in Manhattan. Legislation S.8411/A.8868 authorizes an application by Lieutenant Paul Adam’s widow, without being time barred, for conversion of his disability retirement benefit to an accidental death benefit for victims of the 2001 World Trade Center disaster on his behalf. Legislation S.9251A/A.10021A renames the bridge on State Route 9 crossing the Ausable River in Peru (Clinton County) as the “Captain Christopher J. Garrow Memorial Bridge.” 

"We will never forget the horrors of the 9/11 terrorist attacks — and each year, we must honor the memories of the fallen heroes who put their lives on the line for their fellow New Yorkers," Governor Hochul said. “This legislation will ensure these victims are remembered and their families are supported.”

Legislation S.7586A/A.8131A authorizes former Port Authority police officer Anthony Varvaro, a member of the NYS Local Police and Fire Retirement System, to be deemed to have died as the natural and proximate cause of an accident sustained in the performance of duty. Officer Varvaro died in a car accident on September 11, 2022, while traveling to a September 11th memorial ceremony in Manhattan.

Legislation S.8411/A.8868 authorizes an application by Lieutenant Adam’s widow, without being time barred, for conversion of his disability retirement benefit to an accidental death benefit for victims of the 2001 World Trade Center disaster on his behalf. Lieutenant Adam was deployed as an officer to Ground Zero and developed a sustained illness due to his service.

Legislation S.8411/A.8868 authorizes an application by Lieutenant Adam’s widow, without being time barred, for conversion of his disability retirement benefit to an accidental death benefit for victims of the 2001 World Trade Center disaster on his behalf. Lieutenant Adam was deployed as an officer to Ground Zero and developed a sustained illness due to his service.

The Bronx Tourism Council - Tour De Bronx 2024

Tour de Bronx is on Sunday, October 6th from 10 am to 5  pm! This is the 30th anniversary of the annual bike tour so  we are going all out – in addition to the ride, participants and  volunteers can also anticipate a lot of other exciting new  features to this event! And don't forget: The first 1,000 participants to sign up  early check-in get a free t-shirt! Click the button below or  go to ilovethebronx.com to register for the ride! Register Here

 

Senate Health Chair Gustavo Rivera and Assembly Member Jessica González Rojas Introduce Legislation to Eliminate the Cost of Asthma Inhalers

 

“Asthma Alley” Rep Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas and Senate Health Chair and Bronx Senator Gustavo Rivera Introduce Legislation to Eliminate the Cost of Asthma Inhalers

Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas and State Senator Gustavo Rivera have introduced new legislation, S9906/A10692, which would eliminate deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or any other cost-sharing requirements for asthma inhalers. According to the New York State Department of Health, in New York alone more than 1.4 million adults have asthma. The issue is prevalent among children as well. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that in 2021, New York State had an estimated 315,000 children with asthma, which was about 8.9% of children in the state.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2022 more than 20 million adults and over 4.5 million children were living with asthma. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has found that asthma kills about 10 people every day, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) kills about 390 people every day and is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Asthma and COPD also place a strain on our healthcare system. Per the CDC, each year, asthma is responsible for more than 1.7 million emergency department visits and over $50 billion in healthcare costs.

But these realities have done nothing to reduce the cost of asthma inhalers with the price of each life-saving device being as high as $640 a month in some instances.

González-Rojas, who sits on the Assembly’s Health and Environmental Conservation Committees introduced the legislation because of its significance to her district as well. Astoria in Queens County has been infamously known as “asthma alley” for its high rates of hospitalizations due to the condition. The issue disproportionately impacts young people of color. 

Rivera represents the northwest Bronx, where almost every census tract has been designated a disadvantaged community by the Climate Justice Working Group. In January 2023, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) released the Asthma Burden in NYC Report that showed the Bronx had a substantially higher asthma mortality rate than other NYC boroughs as well as the highest pediatric emergency department visit rates among NYC.

Minnesota, Washington, and New Jersey have passed legislation capping the cost of asthma inhalers. 

“A KFF poll this year found that 55% of adults are very or somewhat worried about affording their prescription drug costs. Inhalers for asthma are not only life-saving devices but also essential medicines. We must do everything we can to ensure that over one million New Yorkers, including children, who have asthma can access this crucial healthcare tool. As a representative of Astoria, also known as 'Asthma Alley,' I am proud to introduce this bill with Senator Rivera and urge the legislature to pass it and the Governor to sign it into law. It should not be so costly to breathe.” said Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas.

"Our state must use every tool we have to address the serious asthma crisis that disproportionately affects children in the Bronx and other parts of New York impacted by environmental and economic injustice. I'm proud to introduce legislation with Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas that recognizes how imperative it is to remove the financial barriers to life-saving inhalers," said State Senator Gustavo Rivera. "No parent should have to spend hundreds of dollars for an inhaler that can save their child's life."

“Untreated asthma unnecessarily compromises the health of thousands of New Yorkers—especially communities of color or who have low-incomes,” said Elisabeth R. Benjamin, Vice President of Health Initiatives at the Community Service Society of New York and a co-founder of Health Care for All New York. “This smart bill will ensure that insurance cost-sharing is never a barrier to accessing life-sustaining inhalers for those who need it. It’s time to stop being penny-wise and pound foolish when it comes to respiratory disease in New York.”  

Community Healthcare Network's President and CEO, Robert M. Hayes said "Asthma is a public health crisis in New York City, especially in the neighborhoods hardest hit by toxic air pollution. Easy access to inhalers is essential to the lives and health of New York’s children and adults."

Seven Members and Associates of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples Charged in Connection with Drive-By Shooting Committed on Father's Day 2022 and Related Firearms Offenses

 

Charges Part of Ongoing Effort to Dismantle the Gang in Brooklyn

A four-count indictment was unsealed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York charging Kwyme Waddell, Paolo Alfarobarber, Rahim Frank, Mikey Jemison, Sebastian Jocelyn, Joel Myrie and Jahi Nimmons with violent crimes in-aid-of racketeering — including murder conspiracy and attempted murder — and related firearms offenses.  As alleged, the defendants are members and associates of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples (GD), and specifically of GD subset No Love City (NLC).    

Defendants Alfarobarber, Frank, Jemison, Jocelyn, and Nimmons were arrested in Brooklyn and Bridgeport, Connecticut and were arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.  Defendant Waddell was already in federal custody on a prior charge of being a felon-in-possession of ammunition after a March 2022 shooting and will be arraigned at a later date.  Myrie is still at large.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the charges and arrests.

“We allege that, rather than celebrating families on Father’s Day, the defendants terrorized Brooklyn residents by spraying bullets onto a residential street with total disregard for human life,” stated U.S. Attorney Peace. “My Office will continue to use all tools available to dismantle violent gangs, like the Folk National Gangster Disciples, and hold their members accountable for the havoc they cause to our communities.”

Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division for their work and assistance in this investigation and prosecution.

“Seven members and associates of Folk Nation Gangster Disciples allegedly conspired to orchestrate the attempted murder of a rival member by firing two firearms into a crowded neighborhood street. Their alleged actions fueled a decade-long rivalry and posed an extreme threat to the innocent bystanders celebrating Father’s Day. With our law enforcement partners, the FBI remains dedicated to investigating and apprehending all gangs who utilize gun violence to satisfy territorial disputes and threaten the safety of our communities,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Curtis.

“Targeting and tearing down gangs, as well as preventing the violence associated with their illegal activities, remains a top priority for the NYPD,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I commend the tireless efforts of our Gun Violence Suppression Division and express gratitude to all of our law enforcement partners for their unwavering dedication to our shared mission of public safety.”

As alleged in the indictment and other court documents, on June 19, 2022 – which was Father’s Day – the defendants engaged in a drive-by shooting during which a 28-year-old victim was shot and injured.  NLC leaders Waddell and Alfarobarber jumped into a stolen Dodge Charger with younger gang members Jocelyn and Myrie.  The foursome drove to Canarsie in a three-car convoy with Frank, Jemison and Nimmons to continue a decade’s long feud with rivals in the area.  After identifying a group of people on residential East 94th Street between Avenues L and K, the defendants shot multiple times into the group on the sidewalk using two firearms, striking the victim, who survived his injuries after being hospitalized.

The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This indictment is part of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York’s focus on dismantling the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples (GD), under which the Office has brought numerous prosecutions against members and associates of GD in coordination with federal and state law enforcement partners, including United States v. Britton, No. 23-CR-406 (LDH) (GD leader charged with false statements and obstruction); United States v. Zeigler, No. 23-CR-114 (MKB) (GD member charged with firearm possession in connection with a shooting); United States v. Oluwagbenga Agoro, No. 21-CR-166 (WFK) (relating to a March 14, 2021 use of threatened use of force in furtherance of a plan to commit extortion); United States v. Powell, No. 21-CR-205 (LDH) (GD member charged with firearm possession in connection with a shooting); United States v. Cummings, No. 21-CR-406 (CBA) (GD associate charged with possessing multiple firearms on multiple separate occasions); United States v. Apollon, No. 21-CR-636 (DG) (GD member charged with robbery of vehicles from parking garage where parking attendant was permanently injured); and United States v. Brown, No. 20-CR-293 (WFK) (eleven GD defendants charged with racketeering offenses for seven gang-related shootings in 2020).

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Merrick Garland has enhanced PSN as part of the Department’s focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.