Two Men Indicted for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's New Jersey Field Division, Towanda R. Thorne-James, and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Robert Frazier, announced two men, including a Mexican national, were arraigned after being indicted for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy to transport a large quantity of cocaine into New Jersey.

Oscar Salvador Pelayo-Guzman, 55, a Mexican national, and most recently of Missouri, and Michael Brandon Araiza, 27, of California were charged in a one-count Indictment with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. They were arraigned on September 10, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Jamel K. Semper in Newark federal court. Both entered pleas of not guilty. 

Two other defendants charged in the drug distribution conspiracy, Jose Manuel Amaya Villarreal and Reymond Alex Avina Samaniego, both of California, previously entered guilty pleas before Judge Semper to separate Informations charging them with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Villarreal was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment on August 7, 2026; sentencing for Samaniego is scheduled for November 9, 2026.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Pelayo-Guzman is associated with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel operating in Mexico and a principal member of a Kansas City-based drug trafficking organization involved in the international and interstate transportation and distribution of narcotics. Beginning in January 2025, Pelayo-Guzman, Araiza, Villarreal, and Samaniego conspired to transport large quantities of cocaine to New Jersey. Specifically, Pelayo-Guzman and Araiza traveled to New Jersey in April 2025 and arranged for a shipment of approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine to be delivered to Newark, New Jersey from California via a truck driven by Villarreal and Samaniego. After delivering the approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine in exchange for over $300,000 in cash, law enforcement officers arrested Villarreal and Samaniego. Pelayo-Guzman and Araiza were arrested shortly afterwards.

The charge in the Indictment carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. 

U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James, with the investigation leading to the Indictment. He also thanked the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy; IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark; the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer; the Asbury Park Police Department, under the direction of Police Director John B. Hayes; the Newark Department of Public Safety, Newark Police Division, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda; the Middletown Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police R. Craig Weber; the Lakewood Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Gregory H. Meyer; the Neptune Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Anthony Gualario; the Ocean Gate Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Kuchta; and the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Philip Corbisiero, for their assistance in the investigation. 

DHS Issues Statement After Biden-Released Illegal Alien Kills Woman in California

 

Authorities said that the suspect had been stalking the victim for months

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after an illegal alien released into the country by the Biden Administration shot and killed a woman in California.

According to local reporting, the incident took place on September 8 at a shopping center in Sacramento. The victim, a 38-year-old woman, was approached at her car by the culprit, Rohit Rohit, an illegal alien from India. When she tried to run away, Rohit chased her down, pulled out a gun, and shot her multiple times. After she had fallen to the ground, he shot her again in the head at close range before fleeing in his vehicle.

When police caught up to Rohit, he slammed on his brakes before being found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Rohit Rohit

Local reports detailed how Rohit had stalked the victim in the past. Authorities said that he had stalked her since January 2026, when the victim found an Apple AirTag under the hood of her car. Later, he deflated the woman’s vehicle tires and followed her to work so he could pretend to offer her help. At one point, he allegedly obtained a copy of her apartment key so he could enter her home while she slept. Even after she got a restraining order against Rohit in May, he continued to stalk her as recently as July.

“This illegal alien from India harassed, stalked, and then killed a 38-year-old woman in California, and then took his own life when police caught up to him,” said a DHS Spokesperson. “This tragedy would have been completely avoided if it weren’t for the Biden Administration RELEASING this killer into our country. Sanctuary politicians must put an end to reckless policies that play Russian roulette with American lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and her family.”

Rohit illegally entered the United States through Arizona in August 2023, and was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol. He was then RELEASED into the country by the Biden Administration.

Illinois Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Wire Fraud Conspiracy

 

Defendant Sought More than $4.6M in Fraudulent Refunds from IRS

An Illinois woman was sentenced to 27 months in prison for her role in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain tax refunds by submitting false tax returns and fictitious financial instruments to the IRS. 

“Monika Skinger engaged in a wide-ranging tax fraud scheme that flooded the IRS with fictitious financial instruments, including fraudulent checks,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Skinger attempted to take millions in refunds she had no right to receive. As we did in this case, the Department of Justice will continue to unmask fraudulent actors and swiftly bring them to justice.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, Monika Skinger conspired with others to submit false individual and trust tax returns that claimed millions in refunds they were not entitled to receive. To induce the IRS to accept the false refund claims, Skinger personally submitted at least 16 fictitious financial instruments — such as checks, money orders, and payment vouchers — on behalf of herself and others. She also filed at least four false individual income tax returns for herself and at least two false trust tax returns. In total, Skinger sought $4.6 million in refunds from the IRS and received more than $1.2 million in fraudulent proceeds. 

Skinger pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Amanda Brailsford for the District of Idaho ordered Skinger to serve three years of supervised release and pay $303,672.44 in restitution to the United States.

Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Bart Davis for the District of Idaho made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. 

Trial Attorney David F. Scollan of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

Hedge Fund Founder Charged With Scheme To Misrepresent Fund Performance To Investors

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and the Inspector in Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), Ketty Larco-Ward, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging VUK VUKOVIC, founder of the hedge fund Oraclum Capital LLC (“Oraclum”) and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of the Orca Bason Fund, L.P. (the “Orca Bason Fund” or the “Fund”), with securities fraud and wire fraud. VUKOVIC was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis.  

“We will continue working with our committed law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use deception to put investors’ money at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “As alleged, Vuk Vukovic attracted investors to his fund and lulled them into keeping their money invested by reporting high rates of return that were not real. Investors deserve honest and accurate information when deciding where to put their hard-earned money.”

“Vuk Vukovic allegedly used interstate commerce to carry out a deceptive scheme involving the purchase and sale of securities,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr.  “These allegations represent a serious breach of market integrity, and the FBI remains committed to enforcing securities laws to protect investors.” 

“When individuals allegedly mislead investors and defraud them, the consequences extend far beyond their immediate crimes—they threaten the economic stability and livelihoods of American citizens,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward. “While investing always carries inherent risk, a breach of trust adds an unacceptable layer of deception. Postal Inspectors remain steadfast in holding accountable anyone who violates protective laws and compromises that trust. We urge the public to recognize the red flags of fraud, resist high-pressure tactics, and carefully assess every investment opportunity before acting.”

As alleged in the Complaint unsealed in Manhattan federal court:(1)

Oraclum is a New York-based hedge fund that operates and manages the Orca Bason Fund.  The Orca Bason Fund purports to make investment decisions “using wisdom of crowds and a network analysis of social media bubbles to predict where markets will end up.”  Since at least 2024, however, VUKOVIC has engaged in a scheme to obtain investor money by misrepresenting the Orca Bason Fund’s returns to investors. VUKOVIC’s misrepresentations include: sending false monthly account statements to investors that show their investment in the Orca Bason Fund earning greater returns than it actually did; and sending falsified brokerage account statements to a potential investor reflecting a higher net asset value and greater returns than actually existed. 

VUKOVIC, 38, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

 The maximum 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. McDonald praised the outstanding work of the FBI and the USPIS. Mr. McDonald further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  

This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Maggie Lynaugh and Kyle Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint 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 Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitutes only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Office of the New York State Comptroller DiNapoli - This Week: Remembering the Loss and Legacy of September 11

 

Remembering the Loss and Legacy of September 11

The Transformation of Lower Manhattan: 25 Years Later

Lower Manhattan has undergone a profound transformation in the 25 years since the terror attacks on September 11, 2001. According to a new report released by Comptroller DiNapoli, the area around Ground Zero has undergone an extraordinary evolution, doubling its residential population since 2000 and transforming into a bustling 24-hour neighborhood fueled by a diversified business community, major public transit investments, and a booming tourism sector. “Twenty-five years ago, it was impossible to imagine the neighborhoods around Ground Zero looking like they do today,” DiNapoli said, praising the incredible effort and investment that spurred the community’s rebirth.

A companion report highlights how the National September 11 Memorial & Museum honors the nearly 3,000 people who were killed, supports those affected by 9/11-related illnesses, and educates visitors from around the world.

As New York and America reflect on 25 years since the 9/11 attacks and mourn the nearly 3,000 men, women and children killed that day, Lower Manhattan continues to evolve. Today it is a vibrant, growing part of the city, with new retail corridors, businesses that have shifted from finance to business services and leisure and hospitality, and a booming residential community.

Learn More

Founder And Former CEO Of Artificial Intelligence Company Pleads Guilty To Securities Fraud

 

Ilit Raz Pleads Guilty in Connection With Scheme to Obtain $27 Million in Investments by Misrepresenting Her Company’s Customers and Revenue

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced that ILIT RAZ, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Joonko Diversity, Inc. (“Joonko”), pled guilty to securities fraud for her role in a scheme to defraud investors and mislead them about core aspects of the company she founded, including the identity and quantity of Joonko’s customers and Joonko’s revenue. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. 

“Fraud in the startup space hurts investors and makes it more difficult for other enterprising businesses to raise money,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “Ilit Raz lied to investors about key aspects of her startup company, Joonko Diversity, Inc., and fabricated documents to support those lies, to obtain $27 million in investments. Her now-bankrupt company left victim investors with millions of dollars in losses.”

“The guilty plea makes clear that defrauding investors and misrepresenting essential facts about a company will not be tolerated,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “By admitting to her role in the scheme, Ilit Raz has acknowledged the seriousness of her actions and the harm caused to investors. Victims deserve justice, and the FBI will continue to work to ensure they receive it.” 

According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment and other public filings in this case:

Joonko was a company that purported to offer an artificial intelligence-based product designed to help prospective employers identify and hire job candidates from diverse backgrounds. To induce prospective and existing Joonko investors to invest approximately $27 million in funding rounds in 2021 and 2022, RAZ made false claims regarding central aspects of Joonko’s business, including falsely representing how many customers Joonko had at the time, and falsely representing the identity of those customers. For example, RAZ falsely represented that Joonko’s customers included some of the world’s largest companies, including a credit card company, sports apparel brand, online travel company, and luxury fashion brand. In truth and in fact, and as RAZ knew, these companies were never Joonko customers. In addition to overstating the number of customers that Joonko had and the identity of those customers, RAZ also made false representations about Joonko’s actual and anticipated revenues.

After RAZ made false and misleading statements regarding Joonko’s customers and revenue, several investors who received those statements invested in a series of funding rounds with Joonko. Specifically, on or about June 1, 2021, several investors, including venture capital firms, invested a total of approximately $10 million in a Series A round with Joonko. On or about June 2, 2022, several investors, including venture capital firms, invested a total of approximately $17 million in a Series B round with Joonko.

In or about 2023, a Joonko investor (“Investor-1”) became suspicious about Joonko’s performance and requested certain information from Joonko, including bank statements. In response, on or about April 3, 2023, RAZ emailed Investor-1 a purported Joonko bank statement, which depicted that the company had an average balance of over $5,000,000. In truth and in fact, and as RAZ well knew, the bank records that RAZ emailed to Investor-1 were forged, and the actual bank records showed that Joonko’s true account balance was millions of dollars lower. Less than a week later, on or about April 8, 2023, RAZ emailed Investor-1 a set of purported purchase orders for Joonko customers. RAZ knew that many of the purchase orders she emailed to Investor-1 were fictitious, contained forged signatures, and were executed on behalf of purported customers that had no business relationship with Joonko.

RAZ, 40, an Israeli citizen, pled guilty to securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

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

Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. McDonald also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 

This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. 

Department of Justice Removes Alien Terrorist in First Use of United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court

 

Afghan Alien Supported Her Family’s Plans for Election-Day Shooting

In the first-ever case before the United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC), Nazira Haji Zada, 47, an Afghan national previously residing in Fort Worth, Texas, was removed from the United States after conceding that she is an alien terrorist. As the matriarch in her family, she supported a plot to commit an ISIS-inspired mass shooting on Election Day in 2024 for which her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, were previously arrested and convicted. The ATRC issued an order of removal on Aug. 20 that was unsealed earlier today following her return to her country of origin. This was the first case ever brought before the ATRC, which Congress established decades ago, and which no previous administration had used. Zada is now permanently inadmissible to the United States.

The application to remove Zada, certified by Attorney General Todd Blanche, was filed on July 15, and Zada appeared in open court for the first time on July 30. ATRC Chief Judge Joan N. Ericksen presided over that hearing and later signed the removal order. In compliance with the ATRC statute, the government used classified information to establish that Zada is an alien terrorist. Additionally, the government provided Zada and her lawyers, two federal public defenders, with approximately half a terabyte of documents supporting the government’s case. With her lawyers, Zada conceded that she is an alien terrorist and waived appeal of the removal order, terminating her previous status.

“This landmark case, resulting in the prompt removal of this alien terrorist to her country of origin, is a win for national security and the rule of law,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Those who support and condone terrorism should not be living in the United States, and this first-ever case before the ATRC shows how the Department will use every tool at its disposal to protect our country.”

“This is a historic and vitally important step in our work to protect the U.S. homeland from terrorism,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “An individual who supported a plot by ISIS-sympathizing family members to commit an attack in America has paid the price for that. She came to our country, betrayed it, and has now lost the right to live here and enjoy our democratic freedoms. This FBI and our Justice Department partners will protect the American people from the threat of terrorism, using all means necessary.”

“From the moment President Trump took office, he made clear that his Administration would put the safety and security of the American people first,” said Secretary Markwayne Mullin of the Department of Homeland Security. “The President’s direction to use the Alien Terrorist Removal Court to expel Nazira Haji Zada, an Afghan national who plotted with members of her family to carry out an ISIS-inspired attack on American soil, delivers on that promise. Thanks to the President’s leadership and the coordinated efforts the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice and State, Nazira Haji Zada’s final order of removal is now FINAL. Those who plot acts of terrorism against the United States have no place in our country. We will find them, and we will use every lawful tool available to remove them.”

“Zada supported her sons’ terrorist plot to attack the United States while she enjoyed the privilege of residing here as a resident alien,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “She abused our Nation’s hospitality and represented a clear threat to our national security. The United States is a safer place now that her sons are in custody and she has been deported.”

“Those who support terrorism against the American people will face the consequences,” said State Department Spokesman Tommy Pigott. “We will secure our borders, and we will use every tool to stop those who intend us harm from entering or remaining at-large in our country. Under the leadership of President Trump, the State Department, alongside the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, will always work tirelessly to ensure the safety of our people and the security of our nation.” 

Tawhedi and Abdullah Haji Zada were arrested on Oct. 7, 2024, after purchasing firearms and ammunition to be used in an Election Day terrorist attack from an undercover FBI employee. Nazira’s son Abdullah, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, entered his guilty plea as an adult and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. As part of the plea agreement, Abdullah stipulated to the entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States to Afghanistan following his term of incarceration. Abdullah acknowledged that the order of removal would terminate his lawful permanent resident status, and waived his right to appeal the conviction except in limited circumstances or seek any form of appeal or relief from his removal and deportation, including but not limited to, seeking asylum. Tawhedi, 28, pled guilty to two terrorism-related offenses: conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive firearms and ammunition in furtherance of a federal crime of terrorism on June 13, 2025, and is awaiting sentencing. 

According to court documents, Tawhedi admitted that between June 2024 and October 2024, he conspired with at least one other individual to purchase two AK-47 rifles, 500 rounds of ammunition, and 10 magazines, with the intent to carry out a mass-casualty attack on or around Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, on behalf of ISIS. According to a criminal complaint affidavit filed in the case, Tawhedi communicated with an ISIS facilitator about his plan to purchase firearms for use in the terror plot, including asking the individual whether 500 rounds of ammunition would be sufficient.

According to the criminal complaint, to raise funds for their attack, in 2024, the family started selling off their property, including furniture, computers, a mobile phone, and the family’s two vehicles. Zada signed a contract to sell the family house. The family also purchased one-way airfare for travel to Kabul, Afghanistan shortly before Election Day 2024 for its members, including for Zada and other minor children but not Abdullah and Tawhedi. 

The ATRC is a specialized federal court, which Congress established in 1996. The court has jurisdiction to swiftly remove alien terrorists from the United States when the government establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that an alien is a terrorist. See Title 8 of the United States Code, Sections 1227(a)(4)(B), 1531(1), and 1534(g). It is run and staffed by U.S. federal district court judges confirmed to the judiciary pursuant to Article III of the Constitution and then appointed to the ATRC by the Chief Justice of the United States. See Title 8 of the United States Code, Sections 1531 to 1537. 

The court allows the government to use classified information where disclosing that information to the public would pose risks to national security. The statutory provisions that establish the court provide paid counsel to the aliens if necessary and also permit either party to appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. 

This removal proceeding reflects the coordinated efforts of multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Permits Filed for 802 Westchester Avenue in Woodstock, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a four-story mixed-use building at 802 Westchester Avenue in Woodstock, The Bronx. Located between Prospect Avenue and Union Avenue, the lot is just south of the Prospect Avenue subway station, served by the 2 and 5 trains. Remzi Kurbogaj of R&A Remodeling LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 52-foot-tall development will yield 7,599 square feet, with 6,373 square feet designated for residential space and 1,226 square feet for commercial space. The building will have 12 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 531 square feet. The masonry-based structure will also have a cellar and a 20-foot-long rear yard.

Chad Firmstone of C2B Architects PC is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the lot is vacant. An estimated completion date has not been announced.