11 June 2012 - Media release
Italy’s fight against mafia a blueprint against transnational organized crime, INTERPOL Chief tells Palermo meeting
PALERMO, Italy ‒ INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble has said that global efforts against transnational organized crime can learn from the effective international police cooperation and national resolve which underpin Italy’s on-going struggle against the mafia.
Speaking at the Third Experts Meeting (11-13 June) of the Digest of Organized Crime Cases project, Mr Noble said the initiative provided an important ‘toolbox’ which assisted countries in implementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, signed in Palermo in 2000, by providing them with key best practices in investigative and prosecutorial techniques, as well as in law enforcement cooperation.
At the meeting attended by Italian Senate President Renato Schifani, Italian Interior Minister Anna Maria Cancellieri, President of the Regional Assembly of Sicily Francesco Cascio, Prefect Antonio Manganelli, Chief of the Italian Police and Director General of Public Security of Italy, Director John Sandage of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and members of the Experts’ Group, Mr Noble paid tribute to judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, as well as to the eight Italian police officers and Giovanni Falcone’s wife, Francesca Morvillo, who were killed in Palermo bombings 20 years ago at the hands of the Cosa Nostra.
With tens of thousands of individuals holding public mandates ‒ ministers, members of parliament, police officers and judges ‒ but also journalists, writers, professors and countless ordinary citizens having found the courage to stand up against the Mafia, Mr Noble said: “By demonstrating that its institutions and people are standing as one in facing the Mafia, Italy is setting an example for the world against organized crime.”
Mr Noble recalled how Felicia Impastato dedicated her life to successfully bringing her son’s murderers to justice, as well as President Napolitano’s visit to Sicily this year to celebrate a State funeral for Placido Rizzotto, a trade union leader who was assassinated in 1948 by the Cosa Nostra but whose body was only recently identified.
The Head of INTERPOL said that besides institutions and individuals, international law enforcement and judicial cooperation was equally crucial in successfully combatting organized crime, and that this is precisely what INTERPOL strives to accomplish within the international law enforcement community.
Prefect Manganelli stressed the importance of cooperation between INTERPOL’s 190 member countries and said Italy’s cooperation with INTERPOL had been ‘especially close’ in the aftermath of the Italian judges’ assassinations.
“Today’s fight against organized crime means not just arresting criminals but also seizing their assets, and in this area INTERPOL’s global network has offered strong support to Italy. In 2011 alone, Italy confiscated properties, money and other assets belonging to the mafia worth some 9 billion Euros. In this respect Italy will be proud to see the Digest become an invaluable resource to the law enforcement community worldwide,” added Prefect Manganelli.
Mr Noble cited how recently, INTERPOL had contributed to the arrest of one of Italy’s most wanted criminals, Vito Roberto Palazzolo, who had been sentenced in Palermo to nine years in prison for external collusion with the Mafia. Palazzolo, who was the subject of an INTERPOL internationally-wanted persons Red Notice, was arrested in Bangkok on 30 March by Thai authorities with the support of INTERPOL’s Fugitive Investigation Support unit and Italy’s State Police.
“I commend Prefect Manganelli for the leadership and dedication he has shown over the years in working with INTERPOL and countless other law enforcement bodies worldwide to fight transnational organized crime. Italy and the international law enforcement community are lucky to have such a talented and committed professional,” said the Head of INTERPOL.
The Digest of Organized Crime Cases project was launched in 2010 on the tenth anniversary of the Palermo Convention, under the leadership of Italy, of Colombia – whose determination against armed guerilla groups Mr Noble praised at the meeting – and of the UNODC, with the support of INTERPOL.
.
Showing posts with label INTERPOL_HQ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label INTERPOL_HQ. Show all posts
Monday, June 11, 2012
Saturday, June 9, 2012
"Saving The Planet"..My Way..
Gambino Organized Crime Family Associate John Burke Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Two Murders
U.S. Attorney’s Office
June 08, 2012 Eastern District of New York
(718) 254-7000
— filed under: Breaking News, Firearms Crimes, Major Thefts/Violent Crime, New York Top Stories, Organized Crime/Drugs, Press Release
Following a four-week trial, a federal jury in Brooklyn today found John Burke, a long-time associate of the Gambino organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (the “Gambino family”), guilty of a racketeering conspiracy spanning 1980 through 2008. As part of the racketeering conspiracy, the jury found that Burke had participated in four out of five racketeering acts alleged in the indictment, including the 1991 murder of Bruce Gotterup and the 1996 murder of John Gebert, drug trafficking involving cocaine and marijuana, and an attempted robbery. The jury also found Burke guilty of the murder of John Gebert in aid of racketeering, murdering John Gebert as part of a continuing criminal enterprise, and a firearms charge.
The verdicts were announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Janice K. Fedarcyk, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office.
The evidence at trial established that Burke shot Gotterup in the back of the head on the boardwalk in the Rockaways in retaliation for, among other things, stealing money from Gambino family associates and for showing disrespect to a relative of a powerful Gambino family member. Gebert’s murder was part of an effort by Burke and others to take control of the drug trafficking trade on Jamaica Avenue in Queens and to protect the members of a crew of Gambino family associates from possible reprisals by Gebert relating to past disputes with members and associates of the Gambino family. At trial, the defense presented evidence and argued unsuccessfully that Burke had withdrawn from the Gambino family and that he had an alibi for the night of the Gebert murder.
“Today’s racketeering conspiracy conviction of a trusted Gambino family enforcer and drug dealer sends a powerful message that those who choose a life of organized crime will be held accountable for their crimes,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “The defendant spent over half his life pursuing a career of murder and violence. He will now be held to account for the destruction and pain he inflicted on his victims and their families and will have the rest of his life to contemplate the choices he made. We sincerely hope that today’s verdict helps bring to an end the long wait for closure for the families of Burke’s victims.” Ms. Lynch expressed her grateful appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the agency responsible for leading the government’s investigation; the United States Department of Justice-Office of the Inspector General for its assistance in the prosecution of this case; and to the United States Marshals Service for its assistance during trial.
When sentenced by United States District Judge Sterling Johnson, Jr., John Burke faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.
The government’s case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Evan M. Norris and Whitman G.S. Knapp.
U.S. Attorney’s Office
June 08, 2012 Eastern District of New York
(718) 254-7000
— filed under: Breaking News, Firearms Crimes, Major Thefts/Violent Crime, New York Top Stories, Organized Crime/Drugs, Press Release
Following a four-week trial, a federal jury in Brooklyn today found John Burke, a long-time associate of the Gambino organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (the “Gambino family”), guilty of a racketeering conspiracy spanning 1980 through 2008. As part of the racketeering conspiracy, the jury found that Burke had participated in four out of five racketeering acts alleged in the indictment, including the 1991 murder of Bruce Gotterup and the 1996 murder of John Gebert, drug trafficking involving cocaine and marijuana, and an attempted robbery. The jury also found Burke guilty of the murder of John Gebert in aid of racketeering, murdering John Gebert as part of a continuing criminal enterprise, and a firearms charge.
The verdicts were announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Janice K. Fedarcyk, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office.
The evidence at trial established that Burke shot Gotterup in the back of the head on the boardwalk in the Rockaways in retaliation for, among other things, stealing money from Gambino family associates and for showing disrespect to a relative of a powerful Gambino family member. Gebert’s murder was part of an effort by Burke and others to take control of the drug trafficking trade on Jamaica Avenue in Queens and to protect the members of a crew of Gambino family associates from possible reprisals by Gebert relating to past disputes with members and associates of the Gambino family. At trial, the defense presented evidence and argued unsuccessfully that Burke had withdrawn from the Gambino family and that he had an alibi for the night of the Gebert murder.
“Today’s racketeering conspiracy conviction of a trusted Gambino family enforcer and drug dealer sends a powerful message that those who choose a life of organized crime will be held accountable for their crimes,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “The defendant spent over half his life pursuing a career of murder and violence. He will now be held to account for the destruction and pain he inflicted on his victims and their families and will have the rest of his life to contemplate the choices he made. We sincerely hope that today’s verdict helps bring to an end the long wait for closure for the families of Burke’s victims.” Ms. Lynch expressed her grateful appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the agency responsible for leading the government’s investigation; the United States Department of Justice-Office of the Inspector General for its assistance in the prosecution of this case; and to the United States Marshals Service for its assistance during trial.
When sentenced by United States District Judge Sterling Johnson, Jr., John Burke faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.
The government’s case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Evan M. Norris and Whitman G.S. Knapp.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
"Donna Marn..Reacts,Responds With Urgency"
"Importance Of It All"..
Crime network behind hundreds of burglaries dismantled by French police
Operation supported by INTERPOL and Europol
An operation led by French law enforcement, and supported by INTERPOL and Europol, targeting a crime network of Georgian and Armenian nationals believed to be linked to more than 300 burglaries has resulted in the arrest of 21 individuals and the recovery of a substantial amount of gold and jewellery.
The network – structured over several levels, with burglars, team leaders and coordinated by at least one ‘thief-in-law,’ a criminal of high-ranking within the network who acts as a controller and regulator – is suspected of a series of residential and commercial thefts around Limoges, the north of France and Belgium, with the stolen goods sent to Belgium for selling on.
The investigation, led by France’s Central Office for Combating Itinerant Delinquency and the Gendarmerie of Limoges, was supported from the early stages by Europol specialists who facilitated the exchange of criminal intelligence, delivered analytical reports and supported the operation on the spot with a mobile office.
During the operational phase on June 4, INTERPOL provided onsite support assisting the identification of those arrested through on-site fingerprint scanning, provision of access to INTERPOL’s global databases and message exchange with its National Central Bureaus.
The number of arrests and seizures are provisional and likely to increase in the next few days as the operation continues.
Thank You Interpol..
Stay Safe..From Northeast,Ohio
Crime network behind hundreds of burglaries dismantled by French police
Operation supported by INTERPOL and Europol
An operation led by French law enforcement, and supported by INTERPOL and Europol, targeting a crime network of Georgian and Armenian nationals believed to be linked to more than 300 burglaries has resulted in the arrest of 21 individuals and the recovery of a substantial amount of gold and jewellery.
The network – structured over several levels, with burglars, team leaders and coordinated by at least one ‘thief-in-law,’ a criminal of high-ranking within the network who acts as a controller and regulator – is suspected of a series of residential and commercial thefts around Limoges, the north of France and Belgium, with the stolen goods sent to Belgium for selling on.
The investigation, led by France’s Central Office for Combating Itinerant Delinquency and the Gendarmerie of Limoges, was supported from the early stages by Europol specialists who facilitated the exchange of criminal intelligence, delivered analytical reports and supported the operation on the spot with a mobile office.
During the operational phase on June 4, INTERPOL provided onsite support assisting the identification of those arrested through on-site fingerprint scanning, provision of access to INTERPOL’s global databases and message exchange with its National Central Bureaus.
The number of arrests and seizures are provisional and likely to increase in the next few days as the operation continues.
Thank You Interpol..
Stay Safe..From Northeast,Ohio
"The Aftemath Of Financial Fraud"
Tennessee man torches self after learning of financial loss, police say
By Edmund DeMarche
Published June 07, 2012
FoxNews.com
A Tennessee man killed himself by self-immolation Wednesday morning after learning that he would not be receiving finances he had anticipated, police told FoxNews.com.
Investigators believe Michael McReynolds, 61, doused himself with gasoline before lighting himself on fire at his west Knoxville home, Darrell DeBusk, the Knoxville Police Department's public information officer, said. Fire crews responded within minutes and managed to put out the flames. Authorities are waiting for an autopsy report to determine if McReynolds was still alive when rescuers arrived.
McReynold’s wife was home during the incident but his children were away, police said. Fire officials believed his wife placed the 911 call, but could not confirm.
Police began an investigation but do not expect foul play. McReynolds was employed, his home did not face foreclosure and police are unaware of any history of mental problems, DeBusk said.
The financial assistance was not any type of government handout and described by authorities as important assistance from a private organization.
"The Importance Of It All"..
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/07/tennessee-man-kills-self-by-self-immolation-police-say/#ixzz1x8P8XVAV
By Edmund DeMarche
Published June 07, 2012
FoxNews.com
A Tennessee man killed himself by self-immolation Wednesday morning after learning that he would not be receiving finances he had anticipated, police told FoxNews.com.
Investigators believe Michael McReynolds, 61, doused himself with gasoline before lighting himself on fire at his west Knoxville home, Darrell DeBusk, the Knoxville Police Department's public information officer, said. Fire crews responded within minutes and managed to put out the flames. Authorities are waiting for an autopsy report to determine if McReynolds was still alive when rescuers arrived.
McReynold’s wife was home during the incident but his children were away, police said. Fire officials believed his wife placed the 911 call, but could not confirm.
Police began an investigation but do not expect foul play. McReynolds was employed, his home did not face foreclosure and police are unaware of any history of mental problems, DeBusk said.
The financial assistance was not any type of government handout and described by authorities as important assistance from a private organization.
"The Importance Of It All"..
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/07/tennessee-man-kills-self-by-self-immolation-police-say/#ixzz1x8P8XVAV
"United States Cyber Espionage"..
I sent the same email to Interpol..From their Information Web Site…Contact Form..
I recieved a Confirmation From Interpol..In my aol.Accont..
But Now it is Gone..From My Aol Account..
I went back to the Interpol Website..
Clicked on the Cantact Form..
And it came up looking like this..
Search :
English Français Spanish Arabic
■Home
■About INTERPOL
■News and media
■Member countries
■INTERPOL expertise
■Crime areas
INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 190 member countries. Our role is to enable police around the world to work together to make the world a safer place. Our high-tech infrastructure of technical and operational support helps meet the growing challenges of fighting crime in the 21st century.
■Overview
■Structure and governance
■Priorities
■Name and logo
■History
■Legal materials
■International partners
This is where you will find the latest news and multimedia from INTERPOL. Read our media releases, news stories and speeches; see the Organization in action through videos and photo galleries; and download our fact sheets, brochures and annual reports.
■Media room
■News & media releases
■Speeches
■Events
■Publications
■Videos
■Photos
At INTERPOL today, we have a strong network of 190 member countries, each represented by a National Central Bureau and committed on a daily basis to international police co-operation.
■World
■Africa
■Americas
■Asia & South Pacific
■Europe
Our global police communications channels and internationally recognized alert systems allow police around the world to share data instantly and securely. A 24-hour contact point and specialized teams provide targeted support to serious crime or disaster incidents.
■Overview
■Training and capacity building
■Data exchange
■Databases
■Notices
■Command & Coordination Centre
■Response teams
■Forensics
■Intelligence analysis
Share
Facebook
Twitter
|
Print
Send a message to INTERPOL
Information
Sender
Sender e-mail
Message
Subject *
Message
Attached object
Enter both words below, with or without a space.
The letters are not case-sensitive.
Can’t read this? Press F5
Site map |FAQs |Terms of use |Calls for tender |Recruitment |Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files |Contact INTERPOL© INTERPOL 2012. All rights reserved.….When do we..Stop these Ignorant People?How long do we let them Interfer with..Important Complaints,From People of all Ages?From people of all walks of life?
This is The Danger Of “Politicians”…And the Internet.
There isn’t a “Picture”..
There isn’t a “Person”..
There isn’t enough “Money and Greed”..
There isn’t a Reason in the Whole World..
That would Change my Focus..
I would never put Innocent Americans..At Risk..
Of Sickness..
I am Disappointed..Really..Disappointed.
Once Again..
I am Right..
The World’s All Wrong..
I recieved a Confirmation From Interpol..In my aol.Accont..
But Now it is Gone..From My Aol Account..
I went back to the Interpol Website..
Clicked on the Cantact Form..
And it came up looking like this..
Search :
English Français Spanish Arabic
■Home
■About INTERPOL
■News and media
■Member countries
■INTERPOL expertise
■Crime areas
INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 190 member countries. Our role is to enable police around the world to work together to make the world a safer place. Our high-tech infrastructure of technical and operational support helps meet the growing challenges of fighting crime in the 21st century.
■Overview
■Structure and governance
■Priorities
■Name and logo
■History
■Legal materials
■International partners
This is where you will find the latest news and multimedia from INTERPOL. Read our media releases, news stories and speeches; see the Organization in action through videos and photo galleries; and download our fact sheets, brochures and annual reports.
■Media room
■News & media releases
■Speeches
■Events
■Publications
■Videos
■Photos
At INTERPOL today, we have a strong network of 190 member countries, each represented by a National Central Bureau and committed on a daily basis to international police co-operation.
■World
■Africa
■Americas
■Asia & South Pacific
■Europe
Our global police communications channels and internationally recognized alert systems allow police around the world to share data instantly and securely. A 24-hour contact point and specialized teams provide targeted support to serious crime or disaster incidents.
■Overview
■Training and capacity building
■Data exchange
■Databases
■Notices
■Command & Coordination Centre
■Response teams
■Forensics
■Intelligence analysis
Share
|
Send a message to INTERPOL
Information
Sender
Sender e-mail
Message
Subject *
Message
Attached object
Enter both words below, with or without a space.
The letters are not case-sensitive.
Can’t read this? Press F5
Site map |FAQs |Terms of use |Calls for tender |Recruitment |Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files |Contact INTERPOL© INTERPOL 2012. All rights reserved.….When do we..Stop these Ignorant People?How long do we let them Interfer with..Important Complaints,From People of all Ages?From people of all walks of life?
This is The Danger Of “Politicians”…And the Internet.
There isn’t a “Picture”..
There isn’t a “Person”..
There isn’t enough “Money and Greed”..
There isn’t a Reason in the Whole World..
That would Change my Focus..
I would never put Innocent Americans..At Risk..
Of Sickness..
I am Disappointed..Really..Disappointed.
Once Again..
I am Right..
The World’s All Wrong..
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Vermilion student accused of threatening to kill classmates - 19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|Breaking News, Weather, Exclusives
Vermilion student accused of threatening to kill classmates - 19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|Breaking News, Weather, Exclusives.........This Could Have Been,Another "Chardon High School"
Saturday, June 2, 2012
"Once Again,Electrical Malfunctions"At Cedar Point
Cedar Point ride malfunctions, strands riders 150 ft. in the air
How Many Times,Do I Have to Email..
Until My Fingers Fall Off..
About this Electrical Problem..
In Ohio??
How Many Times,Do I Have to Email..
Until My Fingers Fall Off..
About this Electrical Problem..
In Ohio??
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
1st-Italy Earthquake,2nd-Parma Heights,Ohio Water Main Break
Rome (CNN) — At least 15 people were killed and some 200 injured in a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in northern Italy on Tuesday, Italian news agency ANSA reported.
The earthquake came nine days after a 6.0-magnitude quake in the same region killed seven people.
Italian civil protection authorities confirmed at least 10 people had died and predicted the number would rise as rescue workers search for survivors in the rubble. Several people are missing, ANSA reported.
Tuesday’s quake was followed by dozens of aftershocks. Italy’s Institute of Geology said the aftershocks measured 5.3 and 5.1 magnitude. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded one aftershock of 5.6 magnitude just before 1 p.m. local time.
Look at high-res images of the disaster
Tuesday’s earthquake was centered in the province of Modena, near Bologna. The towns of Mirandola and Cavezzo were closest to the epicenter, civil protection authorities said.
Second quake leaves Italians in shock
MAP: ITALY EARTHQUAKE
MAP: ITALY EARTHQUAKE
Quake witness wants to leave Bologna
Eyewitnesses reported on Twitter that Cavezzo was about 70% destroyed. Pictures purportedly from the town, as well as a video stream from Italian newspaper Corriere de la Serra, show a number of damaged buildings and some structures destroyed. The top of one church steeple was missing, and police tape was strung across several areas.
“People are very scared. It’s been shaking nonstop for the past week,” said journalist Andrea Vogt, who was near the epicenter.
“We don’t know how many are still trapped,” she told CNN. “Telephone lines are overloaded. It’s difficult to get through to emergency personnel.”
The earthquakes in the last 10 days have been “a real shock” to locals, she said, adding that no one could remember so many quakes in such a short period of time.
“Factories were full. Many of the workers were working on repairs to the already damaged buildings,” said Vogt, a freelance journalist based in Bologna.
A spokeswoman for the prefecture, or government office, in Modena said as many as 12,000 people could be displaced, including those affected by the previous earthquakes.
“Damages are very serious. The old centers of many villages have been closed down to (the) public and many little villages have been completely evacuated,” she said.
Authorities are already working to set up more tent camps to house those forced from their homes, she said, and many hotels and campsites have also offered space to those in need.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti was in a meeting discussing last week’s earthquake with the head of the civil protection agency and the governor of the region when the new earthquake hit.
“The state will do all what needs to be done, in the quickest way, to assure the return to normal life to such a special and productive region of the country,” Monti said in a televised statement.
“Some buildings that were damaged already in last week’s earthquake were affected again today. San Felice sul Panaro and Mirandola registered most of the damage,” a spokeswoman said.
Eyewitness Violetta Galia said she was afraid to remain in Bologna after the tremors.
“We’ve been having many quakes, so it’s not safe to go back to work. We are having problems with communications, so it’s not easy to get in contact with somebody by phone,” she told CNN via Skype.
“I don’t feel safe — I need to go away, I don’t want to live (in) Bologna. If I don’t leave Bologna, I will never feel safe because we are still having quakes every three or five minutes.”
CNN iReporter Martina Lunardelli, a freelance translator and interpreter, said she was at work in Pieve di Soligo, Italy, when she felt the earthquake.
She described her fear and bewilderment as it struck, saying she heard “that thunder sound and my head spinning fast, as if I was drunk and could not see the others around since they were out of focus. I felt so strange.”
At least 40 other aftershocks, most shallow and with a magnitude of 2 to 3, shook the region Tuesday, according to the Italian geological service.
A spokeswoman for the prefecture in Ferrara province said people were in need of urgent help.
“We need tents. The number of displaced is increasing. It will take time to check if homes are safe, and also people are terrified and don’t want to sleep in their houses,” she said.
“We had enormous damage to all our factories, and there will be dramatic consequences on employment.”
The area’s cultural heritage has also suffered, she said, with two churches destroyed in the village of Cento and another church facade collapsing.
Many buildings that were damaged in the previous earthquake were unable to withstand the latest tremors. Others have been left unsafe, many of them churches and older buildings with ornamental stonework.
Authorities face an additional logistical challenge in helping local communities because emergency supplies are already depleted from the response to the earlier quake.
Some railway routes were affected by the earthquake, but Trenitalia, the Italian train system, said late Tuesday afternoon that all had been reopened and that train circulation was going back to normal.
Some high-speed services from Bologna to Milan and Florence, among others, were running at slower speeds earlier in the day.
Northern Italy is the heartland of the country’s manufacturing industry.
“It’s going to have an economic impact as well as a human impact,” Vogt said of the earthquake.
Water main break prompts closure of Tri-C’s Western Campus – 19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|Breaking News, Weather, Exclusives.
Water main break prompts closure of Tri-C’s Western Campus
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Posted: May 29, 2012 6:42 AM EDT Updated: May 29, 2012 9:32 AM EDT
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PARMA HEIGHTS, OH (WOIO) -Due to a water main break in Parma Heights, Tri-C’s Western Campus is closed for day classes today.
The break happened just before 2 a.m. on York Road between Independence Boulevard and Meadowbrook Drive.
19 Action News has learned one southbound lane and two northbound lanes are open to traffic.
No word on what caused the water main break at this time.
The earthquake came nine days after a 6.0-magnitude quake in the same region killed seven people.
Italian civil protection authorities confirmed at least 10 people had died and predicted the number would rise as rescue workers search for survivors in the rubble. Several people are missing, ANSA reported.
Tuesday’s quake was followed by dozens of aftershocks. Italy’s Institute of Geology said the aftershocks measured 5.3 and 5.1 magnitude. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded one aftershock of 5.6 magnitude just before 1 p.m. local time.
Look at high-res images of the disaster
Tuesday’s earthquake was centered in the province of Modena, near Bologna. The towns of Mirandola and Cavezzo were closest to the epicenter, civil protection authorities said.
Second quake leaves Italians in shock
MAP: ITALY EARTHQUAKE
MAP: ITALY EARTHQUAKE
Quake witness wants to leave Bologna
Eyewitnesses reported on Twitter that Cavezzo was about 70% destroyed. Pictures purportedly from the town, as well as a video stream from Italian newspaper Corriere de la Serra, show a number of damaged buildings and some structures destroyed. The top of one church steeple was missing, and police tape was strung across several areas.
“People are very scared. It’s been shaking nonstop for the past week,” said journalist Andrea Vogt, who was near the epicenter.
“We don’t know how many are still trapped,” she told CNN. “Telephone lines are overloaded. It’s difficult to get through to emergency personnel.”
The earthquakes in the last 10 days have been “a real shock” to locals, she said, adding that no one could remember so many quakes in such a short period of time.
“Factories were full. Many of the workers were working on repairs to the already damaged buildings,” said Vogt, a freelance journalist based in Bologna.
A spokeswoman for the prefecture, or government office, in Modena said as many as 12,000 people could be displaced, including those affected by the previous earthquakes.
“Damages are very serious. The old centers of many villages have been closed down to (the) public and many little villages have been completely evacuated,” she said.
Authorities are already working to set up more tent camps to house those forced from their homes, she said, and many hotels and campsites have also offered space to those in need.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti was in a meeting discussing last week’s earthquake with the head of the civil protection agency and the governor of the region when the new earthquake hit.
“The state will do all what needs to be done, in the quickest way, to assure the return to normal life to such a special and productive region of the country,” Monti said in a televised statement.
“Some buildings that were damaged already in last week’s earthquake were affected again today. San Felice sul Panaro and Mirandola registered most of the damage,” a spokeswoman said.
Eyewitness Violetta Galia said she was afraid to remain in Bologna after the tremors.
“We’ve been having many quakes, so it’s not safe to go back to work. We are having problems with communications, so it’s not easy to get in contact with somebody by phone,” she told CNN via Skype.
“I don’t feel safe — I need to go away, I don’t want to live (in) Bologna. If I don’t leave Bologna, I will never feel safe because we are still having quakes every three or five minutes.”
CNN iReporter Martina Lunardelli, a freelance translator and interpreter, said she was at work in Pieve di Soligo, Italy, when she felt the earthquake.
She described her fear and bewilderment as it struck, saying she heard “that thunder sound and my head spinning fast, as if I was drunk and could not see the others around since they were out of focus. I felt so strange.”
At least 40 other aftershocks, most shallow and with a magnitude of 2 to 3, shook the region Tuesday, according to the Italian geological service.
A spokeswoman for the prefecture in Ferrara province said people were in need of urgent help.
“We need tents. The number of displaced is increasing. It will take time to check if homes are safe, and also people are terrified and don’t want to sleep in their houses,” she said.
“We had enormous damage to all our factories, and there will be dramatic consequences on employment.”
The area’s cultural heritage has also suffered, she said, with two churches destroyed in the village of Cento and another church facade collapsing.
Many buildings that were damaged in the previous earthquake were unable to withstand the latest tremors. Others have been left unsafe, many of them churches and older buildings with ornamental stonework.
Authorities face an additional logistical challenge in helping local communities because emergency supplies are already depleted from the response to the earlier quake.
Some railway routes were affected by the earthquake, but Trenitalia, the Italian train system, said late Tuesday afternoon that all had been reopened and that train circulation was going back to normal.
Some high-speed services from Bologna to Milan and Florence, among others, were running at slower speeds earlier in the day.
Northern Italy is the heartland of the country’s manufacturing industry.
“It’s going to have an economic impact as well as a human impact,” Vogt said of the earthquake.
Water main break prompts closure of Tri-C’s Western Campus – 19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|Breaking News, Weather, Exclusives.
Water main break prompts closure of Tri-C’s Western Campus
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Posted: May 29, 2012 6:42 AM EDT Updated: May 29, 2012 9:32 AM EDT
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PARMA HEIGHTS, OH (WOIO) -Due to a water main break in Parma Heights, Tri-C’s Western Campus is closed for day classes today.
The break happened just before 2 a.m. on York Road between Independence Boulevard and Meadowbrook Drive.
19 Action News has learned one southbound lane and two northbound lanes are open to traffic.
No word on what caused the water main break at this time.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
"I Was Not Born a Slave"
Investigative Report
Afghanistan: "I Was Not Born a Slave"
IWPR investigation reveals children trapped in unending bonded labour to pay off loans.
By Sayed Samiullah Sayidi - Afghanistan
ARR Issue 432, 23 May 12
“I was not born a slave,” Mirwali said. “I’ve been held hostage with two of my older brothers at the Hazrat-e Belal brick factory… for the past two years.”
Just 14 years old, Mirwali is one of around 6,000 minors forced into servitude at the brick factories of Sorkhrod district in the Nangarhar region of eastern Afghanistan.
An IWPR investigation has uncovered a consistent pattern where underage as well as adult workers are forced into bondage after their families borrow money from brick plant owners.
Mirwali’s story is typical of these modern slaves, most of whom are aged from eight to 17. He and his brothers have been forced to work at the brick plant in the village of Sultanpur to pay off 3,000 US dollars which the family borrowed two years ago from the factory owner, Ustad Mohammad Akram, to pay for their father’s heart surgery.
They have more than repaid the money with their hard labour, but there is no end in sight to their serfdom.
It is hard work – 250 times a day, Mirwali carries a ten-kilogram mould full of clay 20 metres to lay the brick out for drying. Working in 30-degree temperatures, his skin is scorched the same colour as the bricks, and his frame is hard and bony.
Their accommodation is basic, in clay-built rooms beside the brick plant, with snakes and scorpions a constant danger, as the heat of the kilns attracts them.
Ustad (“Master”) Akram pays the three brothers a rate of five dollars each for a ten-hour day, for which they make 1,000 unbaked bricks.
Hiring a labourer would cost him eight dollars a day, for eight rather than ten hours of work – a rate twice the amount he now pays. By that reckoning, he has recouped the original loan sum several times over simply by underpaying the brothers.
Ustad Akram told IWPR that the brothers each get paid 150 dollars a month, but he retains half of it to offset the loan. He says they are allowed to keep the remaining 75 dollars and use it to support their families.
To settle the loan in full, he said, “Mirwali and his brothers may work for me for another eight months.”
Mirwali described how the family, living in the village of Trili village in the neighbouring Chaparhar district, first got into difficulties.
“My father farmed the land of [other] villagers in return for 50 per cent of the profits. We didn’t have a good life, and I couldn’t go to school,” he said.
When his father Lal Mohammad fell ill, there was no money for treatment. Doctors in the main provincial city Jalalabad diagnosed a cardiac valve blockage and said the patient must travel to Pakistan as soon as possible to have an operation, or else he would die.
Doctors at the Al-Rahman hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan, required the 3,000-dollar fee to be deposited in the hospital’s bank account they would carry out before the operation.
With no chance of a loan from friends or relatives, Mirwali’s uncle Mohammad Yaqub secured the funds from Ustad Akram, an acquaintance . The condition was that the three brothers would work for the factory-owner until the money was paid off.
The family had no choice but to accept the deal. Lal Mohammad had the operation, but is still not well enough to resume working and contributing to the household.
Adults, too, are pressed into service at the brick factories when they take out loans they cannot repay. Often they work together with their entire families.
Lal Agha, 36, originally from the village of Niazi in the Laghman province, has spent the last eight months at the Chaharbagh Safa factory, trying to work off the 600,000 Pakistani rupees – equivalent to 6,500 dollars – he borrowed to buy treatment for one of his children.
“My nine year old daughter was suffering from cancer, so I borrowed money from friends and enemies alike to get her treatment. I took her to hospitals in Peshawar, Islamabad and even Karachi, but she did not recover and finally she died,” “When my daughter died, I owed people 600,000 rupees. The creditors would knock on my door morning and evening to ask for their money. I had no option but to accept 600,000 rupees from [factory owner] Shoaib Agha and enter into enslavement.”
Working together with his three young sons and two daughters, Lal Agha produces 2,000 bricks a day. He believes he might remain in servitude until the end of his life, trying to pay off the debt.
An IWPR reporter visited 59 of the 85 brick factories in Sorkhrod district in April and May 2012, and gathered numerous testimonies confirming the presence of underage workers held as security for loans and made to perform heavy labour. He spoke to 25 workers aged between eight and 17, and 49 of the owners.
His research resulted in a list of names and addresses of 6,000 children in bonded labour, plus 2,400 families living at brick plants because the adult breadwinner is working to pay off a loan.
The Afghan government is aware of the situation, although officials say they only have records of 1,300 families in Sorkhrod district with members working to pay off loans given by brick factor owners.
Wasel Nur Mohmand, Afghanistan’s deputy minister of labohr and social affairs, told IWPR that the “labour-for-loans” practice was customary everywhere in Afghanistan, and amounted to a personal contract between the factory owner and the family concerned.
Mohmand said that while the government did not view child labour at the factories as a form of slavery, it was a matter of concern.
“It is an obvious case of cruelty against children,” he said.
Article 13, point four of Afghanistan’s labour law prohibits the recruitment of under-18s for work that is hazardous or liable to lead to disability or underdevelopment. But there are no mechanisms for ensuring that the law is observed.
Hajji Gol Pacha, the head of the brick manufacturer’s association in Sorkhrod, told IWPR that there were 15,000 labourers including 6,000 children at the factories in the district. He said the local brick industry had taken off in the last ten years and had employed thousands of workers from various parts of Afghanistan as well as from Nangarhar itself. He added that hundreds of dormitory rooms had been built to house child workers so that they could get to the brick factories by dawn each day.
Factory owners deny that child labour constitutes a form of enslavement or a breach of children’s rights.
Ustad Akram, for example, said it was ethical and humane to give loans to the poor and vulnerable.
“What we do is both reward and profit,” he said.
Loans of between 1,000 to 5,000 dollars made all the difference to these families, he said.
“We have managed to get operations for dozens of patients with the loans we’ve given people. We have helped them mark dozens of events – both joyous and mournful – with dignity. We have also freed hundreds of Afghan labourers from Pakistani and Punjabi masters who held them hostage for years,” he said. “Now tell us whether we serve people or enslave them.”
Mirwali has now spent two years in effective slavery, even though he is still a beardless boy.
What upsets him more than all the hardship and misery of his life, he says, is seeing Samir, a boy of his own age, when they both attend evening prayers at the mosque in Sultanpur. Samir’s father, a wealthy car dealer in Jalalabad city, has enrolled him at the prestigious Afghan-Turkish High School – something Mirwali can only dream of.
“When Samir enters the mosque, I say to myself, ‘God – what would happen if You made us rich too, so that I could go to school and study in style as others do?” he said.
Afghanistan: "I Was Not Born a Slave"
IWPR investigation reveals children trapped in unending bonded labour to pay off loans.
By Sayed Samiullah Sayidi - Afghanistan
ARR Issue 432, 23 May 12
“I was not born a slave,” Mirwali said. “I’ve been held hostage with two of my older brothers at the Hazrat-e Belal brick factory… for the past two years.”
Just 14 years old, Mirwali is one of around 6,000 minors forced into servitude at the brick factories of Sorkhrod district in the Nangarhar region of eastern Afghanistan.
An IWPR investigation has uncovered a consistent pattern where underage as well as adult workers are forced into bondage after their families borrow money from brick plant owners.
Mirwali’s story is typical of these modern slaves, most of whom are aged from eight to 17. He and his brothers have been forced to work at the brick plant in the village of Sultanpur to pay off 3,000 US dollars which the family borrowed two years ago from the factory owner, Ustad Mohammad Akram, to pay for their father’s heart surgery.
They have more than repaid the money with their hard labour, but there is no end in sight to their serfdom.
It is hard work – 250 times a day, Mirwali carries a ten-kilogram mould full of clay 20 metres to lay the brick out for drying. Working in 30-degree temperatures, his skin is scorched the same colour as the bricks, and his frame is hard and bony.
Their accommodation is basic, in clay-built rooms beside the brick plant, with snakes and scorpions a constant danger, as the heat of the kilns attracts them.
Ustad (“Master”) Akram pays the three brothers a rate of five dollars each for a ten-hour day, for which they make 1,000 unbaked bricks.
Hiring a labourer would cost him eight dollars a day, for eight rather than ten hours of work – a rate twice the amount he now pays. By that reckoning, he has recouped the original loan sum several times over simply by underpaying the brothers.
Ustad Akram told IWPR that the brothers each get paid 150 dollars a month, but he retains half of it to offset the loan. He says they are allowed to keep the remaining 75 dollars and use it to support their families.
To settle the loan in full, he said, “Mirwali and his brothers may work for me for another eight months.”
Mirwali described how the family, living in the village of Trili village in the neighbouring Chaparhar district, first got into difficulties.
“My father farmed the land of [other] villagers in return for 50 per cent of the profits. We didn’t have a good life, and I couldn’t go to school,” he said.
When his father Lal Mohammad fell ill, there was no money for treatment. Doctors in the main provincial city Jalalabad diagnosed a cardiac valve blockage and said the patient must travel to Pakistan as soon as possible to have an operation, or else he would die.
Doctors at the Al-Rahman hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan, required the 3,000-dollar fee to be deposited in the hospital’s bank account they would carry out before the operation.
With no chance of a loan from friends or relatives, Mirwali’s uncle Mohammad Yaqub secured the funds from Ustad Akram, an acquaintance . The condition was that the three brothers would work for the factory-owner until the money was paid off.
The family had no choice but to accept the deal. Lal Mohammad had the operation, but is still not well enough to resume working and contributing to the household.
Adults, too, are pressed into service at the brick factories when they take out loans they cannot repay. Often they work together with their entire families.
Lal Agha, 36, originally from the village of Niazi in the Laghman province, has spent the last eight months at the Chaharbagh Safa factory, trying to work off the 600,000 Pakistani rupees – equivalent to 6,500 dollars – he borrowed to buy treatment for one of his children.
“My nine year old daughter was suffering from cancer, so I borrowed money from friends and enemies alike to get her treatment. I took her to hospitals in Peshawar, Islamabad and even Karachi, but she did not recover and finally she died,” “When my daughter died, I owed people 600,000 rupees. The creditors would knock on my door morning and evening to ask for their money. I had no option but to accept 600,000 rupees from [factory owner] Shoaib Agha and enter into enslavement.”
Working together with his three young sons and two daughters, Lal Agha produces 2,000 bricks a day. He believes he might remain in servitude until the end of his life, trying to pay off the debt.
An IWPR reporter visited 59 of the 85 brick factories in Sorkhrod district in April and May 2012, and gathered numerous testimonies confirming the presence of underage workers held as security for loans and made to perform heavy labour. He spoke to 25 workers aged between eight and 17, and 49 of the owners.
His research resulted in a list of names and addresses of 6,000 children in bonded labour, plus 2,400 families living at brick plants because the adult breadwinner is working to pay off a loan.
The Afghan government is aware of the situation, although officials say they only have records of 1,300 families in Sorkhrod district with members working to pay off loans given by brick factor owners.
Wasel Nur Mohmand, Afghanistan’s deputy minister of labohr and social affairs, told IWPR that the “labour-for-loans” practice was customary everywhere in Afghanistan, and amounted to a personal contract between the factory owner and the family concerned.
Mohmand said that while the government did not view child labour at the factories as a form of slavery, it was a matter of concern.
“It is an obvious case of cruelty against children,” he said.
Article 13, point four of Afghanistan’s labour law prohibits the recruitment of under-18s for work that is hazardous or liable to lead to disability or underdevelopment. But there are no mechanisms for ensuring that the law is observed.
Hajji Gol Pacha, the head of the brick manufacturer’s association in Sorkhrod, told IWPR that there were 15,000 labourers including 6,000 children at the factories in the district. He said the local brick industry had taken off in the last ten years and had employed thousands of workers from various parts of Afghanistan as well as from Nangarhar itself. He added that hundreds of dormitory rooms had been built to house child workers so that they could get to the brick factories by dawn each day.
Factory owners deny that child labour constitutes a form of enslavement or a breach of children’s rights.
Ustad Akram, for example, said it was ethical and humane to give loans to the poor and vulnerable.
“What we do is both reward and profit,” he said.
Loans of between 1,000 to 5,000 dollars made all the difference to these families, he said.
“We have managed to get operations for dozens of patients with the loans we’ve given people. We have helped them mark dozens of events – both joyous and mournful – with dignity. We have also freed hundreds of Afghan labourers from Pakistani and Punjabi masters who held them hostage for years,” he said. “Now tell us whether we serve people or enslave them.”
Mirwali has now spent two years in effective slavery, even though he is still a beardless boy.
What upsets him more than all the hardship and misery of his life, he says, is seeing Samir, a boy of his own age, when they both attend evening prayers at the mosque in Sultanpur. Samir’s father, a wealthy car dealer in Jalalabad city, has enrolled him at the prestigious Afghan-Turkish High School – something Mirwali can only dream of.
“When Samir enters the mosque, I say to myself, ‘God – what would happen if You made us rich too, so that I could go to school and study in style as others do?” he said.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Casino Investigates Bobbi Kristina Gambling Incident
Casino Investigates Bobbi Kristina Gambling Incident:
It seems Bobbi Kristina Brown had a little too much fun over the weekend while in Las Vegas for the Billboard Music Awards’ tribute to her late mother, Whitney Houston. TMZ.com has posted video of Bobbi Kristina gambling on a slot machine alongside her...
Well..Well..Well...How Did I Know...This was Gonna Happen?Gambling Crazy-Ness...Again.
And Before.The "Underage"...Escorts In Cleveland,Ohio...Get out of Hand..They better Investigate The "Fake ID Problem"...Too!Or should i Email..Until my Fingers..Fall Off?
It seems Bobbi Kristina Brown had a little too much fun over the weekend while in Las Vegas for the Billboard Music Awards’ tribute to her late mother, Whitney Houston. TMZ.com has posted video of Bobbi Kristina gambling on a slot machine alongside her...
Well..Well..Well...How Did I Know...This was Gonna Happen?Gambling Crazy-Ness...Again.
And Before.The "Underage"...Escorts In Cleveland,Ohio...Get out of Hand..They better Investigate The "Fake ID Problem"...Too!Or should i Email..Until my Fingers..Fall Off?
Ferrari Crackdown: Italy Declaring War on Tax Cheats - ABC News
Ferrari Crackdown: Italy Declaring War on Tax Cheats - ABC News....This is a Great Idea..Can Someone Share this with the "United States"..Please?
Las Vegas Bellagio Heist Foiled
Las Vegas Bellagio Heist Foiled:
A band of hapless thieves with no “Ocean’s 11″-like finesse were foiled while allegedly attempting to rob the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, leaving behind a wig, sunglasses and $115,000 in casino chips. The botched heist took place Saturday night in the famed hotel on...
More..Gambling Crazy-Ness
A band of hapless thieves with no “Ocean’s 11″-like finesse were foiled while allegedly attempting to rob the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, leaving behind a wig, sunglasses and $115,000 in casino chips. The botched heist took place Saturday night in the famed hotel on...
More..Gambling Crazy-Ness
Counterfeit Chinese Parts Slipping Into U.S. Military Aircraft: Senate Report - ABC News
Counterfeit Chinese Parts Slipping Into U.S. Military Aircraft: Senate Report - ABC News...How many trrops have lost their life,Because of this?How many children are without "Mom Or Dad",Because of this?
Monday, May 21, 2012
"Ohio.gov"..Treasure Hunt?A Sure Rip Off..
Divisions | Forms | Press Room | Contacts Search: Financial InstitutionseLicense CenterLaws, Rules & GuidelinesRegulated Consumer FinanceCheck CashersCredit Service OrganizationsMortgage Brokers/Loan OfficersPawnbrokersPrecious Metals DealersPremium FinanceSecond Mortgage LendersShort Term LoansSmall Loans CompaniesRegulated Depository InstitutionsBanksCredit UnionsMoney TransmittersSavings BanksSavings & Loan AssociationsIndustrial Compliance and LaborAboutBoardsBoard of Building AppealsBoard of Building StandardsHistorical Steam Boiler Licensing BoardOhio Construction Industry Licensing BoardSki Tramway BoardBureau of Building Code ComplianceInspectionsMedical Gas/Plumbing & BackflowOnline Plan SubmissionBureau of Wage & Hour Administration Prepare Bid PacketPrevailing Wage Complaint FormSubmit Project InfoView Wage RatesWork PermitsBureau of Operations & MaintenanceBedding, Upholstered Furniture & Stuffed ToysBoilersBoiler Operator LicenseElevatorsRoller Skating RinkLaws, Rules & GuidelinesSubmit Customer FeedbackLiquor ControlApplications & FormsDivision Rules (4301)Liquor Laws & Rules (Admin Code 4301:1)Liquor Laws & Rules (Title 43)Map/Directions To Liquor ControlReal EstateBoard/SectionsAppraisersCemetery RegistrationReal EstateeLicense CenterLaws, Rules & GuidelinesSecuritiesLaws, Rules & GuidelinesOnline ServicesEnforcementInvestor EducationLicensingRegistrationState Fire MarshaleLicense CenterCode EnforcementFire and Explosion Investigation Bureau Fire PreventionFireworks / Explosives Additional InformationForensic LaboratoryOhio Fire AcademyTesting and RegistrationUnderground Storage Tank RegulationsUnclaimed FundsLaws, Rules & GuidelinesTreasure Hunt .Commerce Division of Unclaimed Funds
Online Treasure Hunt
PLEASE NOTE:
•A Claimant may file a claim WITHOUT the assistance of a paid professional finder.
To search for unclaimed funds:
•Type first and last name in space below (Example: John Doe) OR
•Type the business name in last name / business field only (Example: Widgets Inc).
Start your search for missing money
First
Name (Optional)
Last Name or
Business (Required)
Under Section 169.06 of the Ohio Revised Code, you must possess a property interest in an unclaimed account in order to request a claim form. A property interest can include ownership or a right to the unclaimed funds; however, you may also request a claim form for a family member or friend. If you request a claim for a family member or friend, please enter their name and current mailing address on the next screen. If you choose to print this form on your own printer, be sure to forward the claim form to them. If you are unable to print the form, the Division will mail it directly to them. Including the correct information will speed the processing of the claim.
PLEASE NOTE: A PAID PROFESSIONAL FINDER MAY NOT PRINT A CLAIM FORM FROM THIS SITE.
I have read the foregoing and acknowledge that I am NOT a paid professional finder.
The information provided on this Web Site is for the use of the general public and is not intended for paid, professional finders. These listings do not contain sufficient information to enable preparation of the required full-disclosure contract, nor is a "check received date" available for calculation of the 24 month waiting period. A Finder may not be involved in a claim until it has been in the custody of the Division of Unclaimed Funds for a minimum of twenty-four months.
Online Treasure Hunt
PLEASE NOTE:
•A Claimant may file a claim WITHOUT the assistance of a paid professional finder.
To search for unclaimed funds:
•Type first and last name in space below (Example: John Doe) OR
•Type the business name in last name / business field only (Example: Widgets Inc).
Start your search for missing money
First
Name (Optional)
Last Name or
Business (Required)
Under Section 169.06 of the Ohio Revised Code, you must possess a property interest in an unclaimed account in order to request a claim form. A property interest can include ownership or a right to the unclaimed funds; however, you may also request a claim form for a family member or friend. If you request a claim for a family member or friend, please enter their name and current mailing address on the next screen. If you choose to print this form on your own printer, be sure to forward the claim form to them. If you are unable to print the form, the Division will mail it directly to them. Including the correct information will speed the processing of the claim.
PLEASE NOTE: A PAID PROFESSIONAL FINDER MAY NOT PRINT A CLAIM FORM FROM THIS SITE.
I have read the foregoing and acknowledge that I am NOT a paid professional finder.
The information provided on this Web Site is for the use of the general public and is not intended for paid, professional finders. These listings do not contain sufficient information to enable preparation of the required full-disclosure contract, nor is a "check received date" available for calculation of the 24 month waiting period. A Finder may not be involved in a claim until it has been in the custody of the Division of Unclaimed Funds for a minimum of twenty-four months.
"No Production Of Chemical Weapons"...
Man Indicted for Chemical Weapons Offenses
U.S. Attorney’s Office
May 17, 2012 Northern District of New York
(315) 448-0672
— filed under: Breaking News, Press Release, Weapons of Mass Destruction
Richard S. Hartunian, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York, announced today the indictment of Martin S. Kimber, 59, of Ruby, New York. Kimber is charged in three counts with violations of the chemical weapon statute (counts one and two), which prohibits individuals from possessing, stockpiling, or using a toxic chemical as a weapon; and with a violation of the consumer product tampering statute (count three).
The indictment alleges that in December 10, 2010 and December 23, 2010, Kimber received medical care at the Albany Medical Center and that on January 24, 2011, he wrote to complain about having to pay for his treatment. It further alleges that on February 22, 2011, the Albany Medical Center Associate Medical Director wrote back to explain why the bills were appropriate and discussed the outcome associated with the defendant having provided inaccurate information about his injury and his decision not to complete the care proscribed by his treating physician.
The indictment alleges that on March 2, 2012, Kimber spread mercury, a known toxic substance, throughout various areas of the Albany Medical Center cafeteria, including in and around food served to customers, and on and around heating elements use in food preparation. It further describes three previous instances, March 28, 2011, April 11, 2011, June 23, 2011, where mercury was spread around the hospital on days when New York State toll records establish the defendant traveled from his home in Ruby, New York and exited at the get-off for the Albany Medical Center. The indictment alleges that on March 2, 2012, Kimber’s activities were captured on hospital video surveillance cameras in the Albany Medical Center cafeteria—where mercury was subsequently found—including on food consumed by at least one patron. Canisters of mercury were subsequently found by law enforcement officers in Kimber’s home and car. The person who ate the contaminated food was subsequently treated in the hospital’s emergency room. An emergency chemical response team at the Albany Medical Center responded promptly to the mercury contamination on each occasion and removed it from the premises.
The defendant was arrested on April 25, 2012 and is in jail, being held in pretrial detention. On March 2, 2012, following a detention hearing, United States Magistrate Judge Andrew T. Baxter determined that Kimber poses a serious danger to the community and that no combination of release conditions could be established to permit him to be released without continuing to pose a danger to the community.
A complaint filed in support of an arrest warrant was unsealed on April 26, 2012. It alleged that a search warrant was executed at Kimber’s house and automobile. Besides the seizure of two canisters of mercury, the complaint further alleged that approximately 21 guns were removed from Kimber’s residence. Literature reflecting sympathy for domestic terrorism (The Turner Diaries) was observed during the search, which states on the cover page, “This book contains racist propagnda” and “The FBI said it was the blueprint for the Oklahoma City bombing. Searching officers further observed a Nazi swastika on a wall of Kimber’s home.
The two chemical weapons counts each contain a maximum possible term of life in jail and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross loss to any victim. The consumer product tampering charge contains a maximum possible penalty of 10 years in jail and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross loss to any victim.
Mercury is a known hazardous substance that has been very well-studied. Among other things, mercury is a human neurotoxin that kills nerve cells, can result in brain and lung damage, respiratory failure, ataxia, speech impairment, constriction of the visual field, hearing loss, and somatosensory change. Mercury is readily absorbed through unbroken skin, by intestinal absorption after ingestion, and by inhalation of vapors. It accumulates in the body and can cause damage to internal organs including kidneys.
The allegations in the Indictment and criminal complaint are mere accusations and all persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by special agents of the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistance has been provided by the Towns of Albany and Ulster Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Benedict. Questions may be directed to AUSA Benedict at 315-448-0672.
U.S. Attorney’s Office
May 17, 2012 Northern District of New York
(315) 448-0672
— filed under: Breaking News, Press Release, Weapons of Mass Destruction
Richard S. Hartunian, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York, announced today the indictment of Martin S. Kimber, 59, of Ruby, New York. Kimber is charged in three counts with violations of the chemical weapon statute (counts one and two), which prohibits individuals from possessing, stockpiling, or using a toxic chemical as a weapon; and with a violation of the consumer product tampering statute (count three).
The indictment alleges that in December 10, 2010 and December 23, 2010, Kimber received medical care at the Albany Medical Center and that on January 24, 2011, he wrote to complain about having to pay for his treatment. It further alleges that on February 22, 2011, the Albany Medical Center Associate Medical Director wrote back to explain why the bills were appropriate and discussed the outcome associated with the defendant having provided inaccurate information about his injury and his decision not to complete the care proscribed by his treating physician.
The indictment alleges that on March 2, 2012, Kimber spread mercury, a known toxic substance, throughout various areas of the Albany Medical Center cafeteria, including in and around food served to customers, and on and around heating elements use in food preparation. It further describes three previous instances, March 28, 2011, April 11, 2011, June 23, 2011, where mercury was spread around the hospital on days when New York State toll records establish the defendant traveled from his home in Ruby, New York and exited at the get-off for the Albany Medical Center. The indictment alleges that on March 2, 2012, Kimber’s activities were captured on hospital video surveillance cameras in the Albany Medical Center cafeteria—where mercury was subsequently found—including on food consumed by at least one patron. Canisters of mercury were subsequently found by law enforcement officers in Kimber’s home and car. The person who ate the contaminated food was subsequently treated in the hospital’s emergency room. An emergency chemical response team at the Albany Medical Center responded promptly to the mercury contamination on each occasion and removed it from the premises.
The defendant was arrested on April 25, 2012 and is in jail, being held in pretrial detention. On March 2, 2012, following a detention hearing, United States Magistrate Judge Andrew T. Baxter determined that Kimber poses a serious danger to the community and that no combination of release conditions could be established to permit him to be released without continuing to pose a danger to the community.
A complaint filed in support of an arrest warrant was unsealed on April 26, 2012. It alleged that a search warrant was executed at Kimber’s house and automobile. Besides the seizure of two canisters of mercury, the complaint further alleged that approximately 21 guns were removed from Kimber’s residence. Literature reflecting sympathy for domestic terrorism (The Turner Diaries) was observed during the search, which states on the cover page, “This book contains racist propagnda” and “The FBI said it was the blueprint for the Oklahoma City bombing. Searching officers further observed a Nazi swastika on a wall of Kimber’s home.
The two chemical weapons counts each contain a maximum possible term of life in jail and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross loss to any victim. The consumer product tampering charge contains a maximum possible penalty of 10 years in jail and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross loss to any victim.
Mercury is a known hazardous substance that has been very well-studied. Among other things, mercury is a human neurotoxin that kills nerve cells, can result in brain and lung damage, respiratory failure, ataxia, speech impairment, constriction of the visual field, hearing loss, and somatosensory change. Mercury is readily absorbed through unbroken skin, by intestinal absorption after ingestion, and by inhalation of vapors. It accumulates in the body and can cause damage to internal organs including kidneys.
The allegations in the Indictment and criminal complaint are mere accusations and all persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by special agents of the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistance has been provided by the Towns of Albany and Ulster Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Benedict. Questions may be directed to AUSA Benedict at 315-448-0672.
"My War Conflict Name Change Scenario"..No Human Trafficking..
Two Plead Guilty to Gang-Led Sex Trafficking of High School Girls
U.S. Attorney’s Office
May 17, 2012 Eastern District of Virginia
(703) 299-3700
— filed under: Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking, Organized Crime/Drugs, Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, VA—Two men associated with the Underground Gangster Crips (UGC) set based in Fairfax County, Virginia, have pled guilty to participating in a prostitution business that recruited and trafficked high school girls.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II, Attorney General of Virginia; Colonel David Rohrer, Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Ronald T. Hosko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement.
Today, Donyel Pier Dove, aka “Bleek,” 27, of Alexandria, Virginia, pled guilty to sex trafficking of a juvenile, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. He also pled guilty to use of a firearm during a crime of violence in relation to two armed robberies of 7-Eleven stores in Manassas, Virginia in March 2012 and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Fairfax, Virginia, which also occurred in March 2012. Dove faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of life on the use of a firearm charge and a maximum of 10 years in prison on the possession of a firearm charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10, 2012 by United States District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
According to a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, Dove admitted to being an associate of UGC, which was engaged in sex trafficking of juveniles and adults from April 2009 through March 2012. Dove served as a bodyguard in the UGC prostitution enterprise and walked with prostitutes for protection on multiple occasions. On at least two occasions, in 2009 and 2011, Dove harbored juveniles, ages 16 and 17, while they were engaging in commercial sex acts. He also admitted to purchasing a credit card that was used to pay for advertisements on Backpage.com to solicit customers for the prostitution enterprise.
On May 14, 2012, Henock Ghile, aka “Knots,” 23, of Springfield, Virginia, pled guilty to sex trafficking of a juvenile. In court, Ghile admitted that he was a UGC gang associate and that from May 2011 through September 2011 he transported two 17-year-old girls to work as prostitutes. Sentencing has been scheduled for August 3, 2012 before United States District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
On April 14, 2012, two others associated with the UGC prostitution operation—Michael Tavon Jefferies, aka “Loc,” 21, of Woodbridge, Virginia, and Christopher Sylvia, 23, of Springfield, Virginia—pled guilty to sex trafficking of a juvenile.
This case was investigated by the Fairfax County Police Department and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Marc Birnbaum from the Virginia Attorney General’s Office and Assistant United States Attorney Inayat Delawala are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies—along with non-governmental organizations—dedicated to combating human trafficking and related crimes.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.
U.S. Attorney’s Office
May 17, 2012 Eastern District of Virginia
(703) 299-3700
— filed under: Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking, Organized Crime/Drugs, Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, VA—Two men associated with the Underground Gangster Crips (UGC) set based in Fairfax County, Virginia, have pled guilty to participating in a prostitution business that recruited and trafficked high school girls.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II, Attorney General of Virginia; Colonel David Rohrer, Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Ronald T. Hosko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement.
Today, Donyel Pier Dove, aka “Bleek,” 27, of Alexandria, Virginia, pled guilty to sex trafficking of a juvenile, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. He also pled guilty to use of a firearm during a crime of violence in relation to two armed robberies of 7-Eleven stores in Manassas, Virginia in March 2012 and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Fairfax, Virginia, which also occurred in March 2012. Dove faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of life on the use of a firearm charge and a maximum of 10 years in prison on the possession of a firearm charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10, 2012 by United States District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
According to a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, Dove admitted to being an associate of UGC, which was engaged in sex trafficking of juveniles and adults from April 2009 through March 2012. Dove served as a bodyguard in the UGC prostitution enterprise and walked with prostitutes for protection on multiple occasions. On at least two occasions, in 2009 and 2011, Dove harbored juveniles, ages 16 and 17, while they were engaging in commercial sex acts. He also admitted to purchasing a credit card that was used to pay for advertisements on Backpage.com to solicit customers for the prostitution enterprise.
On May 14, 2012, Henock Ghile, aka “Knots,” 23, of Springfield, Virginia, pled guilty to sex trafficking of a juvenile. In court, Ghile admitted that he was a UGC gang associate and that from May 2011 through September 2011 he transported two 17-year-old girls to work as prostitutes. Sentencing has been scheduled for August 3, 2012 before United States District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
On April 14, 2012, two others associated with the UGC prostitution operation—Michael Tavon Jefferies, aka “Loc,” 21, of Woodbridge, Virginia, and Christopher Sylvia, 23, of Springfield, Virginia—pled guilty to sex trafficking of a juvenile.
This case was investigated by the Fairfax County Police Department and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Marc Birnbaum from the Virginia Attorney General’s Office and Assistant United States Attorney Inayat Delawala are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies—along with non-governmental organizations—dedicated to combating human trafficking and related crimes.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.
"My War Conflict Name Change Scenario"..Thank You,Law Enforcements
Federal Indictment Charges Defendant with Sex Trafficking of a Child
U.S. Attorney’s Office
May 17, 2012 District of Oregon
(503) 727-1000
— filed under: Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking, Press Release
PORTLAND, OR—Dwayne Jamal Hubbard, 23, of Clackamas County, made his initial appearance on May 15, 2012 in federal court on an indictment charging him with one count of sex trafficking of a child and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. According to prosecutors, Hubbard is facing a 10-year statutory mandatory minimum on each count. U.S. Magistrate Dennis Hubel detained Wilmer as both a danger to the community and a risk of flight.
The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by the Tigard Police Department and the FBI. The indictment alleges the sex trafficking took place recently between January and March 2012. “These arrests are the result of the excellent police work by the local law enforcement officers in Tigard who worked in conjunction with FBI agents,” said U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall. “This teamwork is essential to protecting the children in this community from this dangerous trade.”
Upon conviction for sex trafficking of a child, rgw defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant should be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah K. Bolstad.
U.S. Attorney’s Office
May 17, 2012 District of Oregon
(503) 727-1000
— filed under: Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking, Press Release
PORTLAND, OR—Dwayne Jamal Hubbard, 23, of Clackamas County, made his initial appearance on May 15, 2012 in federal court on an indictment charging him with one count of sex trafficking of a child and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. According to prosecutors, Hubbard is facing a 10-year statutory mandatory minimum on each count. U.S. Magistrate Dennis Hubel detained Wilmer as both a danger to the community and a risk of flight.
The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by the Tigard Police Department and the FBI. The indictment alleges the sex trafficking took place recently between January and March 2012. “These arrests are the result of the excellent police work by the local law enforcement officers in Tigard who worked in conjunction with FBI agents,” said U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall. “This teamwork is essential to protecting the children in this community from this dangerous trade.”
Upon conviction for sex trafficking of a child, rgw defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant should be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah K. Bolstad.
"Military Importance"...
Second Former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Manager Pleads Guilty in Alleged $30 Million Bribery and Kickback Scheme
Scam Involved Steering of Government Contracts; Official’s Son Also Pleads Guilty to Charges Today
U.S. Attorney’s Office
May 17, 2012 District of Columbia
(202) 514-7566
— filed under: Financial, Fraud, Press Release, Public Corruption, Washington Field Office Top Stories
WASHINGTON—Kerry F. Khan, 54, a former program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, pled guilty today to federal charges of bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering in a scheme that allegedly involved more than $30 million in bribes and kickback payments and the planned steering of a government contract potentially worth $1 billion.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Ronald T. Hosko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division; Eric Hylton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector General for the Small Business Administration (SBA); Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); and Frank Robey, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU).
Khan’s son, Lee A. Khan, 31, formerly of Fairfax, Virginia, also pled guilty today to charges in the case.
Khan and his son were among four men arrested on October 4, 2011 following an investigation into one of the most brazen corruption schemes in the history of federal contracting. The others arrested that day—Michael A. Alexander, a former program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and businessman Harold F. Babb—earlier pled guilty to charges in the case. Khan, Lee Khan, Babb, and Alexander have been in custody since their arrests in October. All told, eight defendants have now pled guilty in the ongoing investigation.
Kerry Khan, formerly of Alexandria, Virginia, pled guilty before the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. A sentencing date has not been set. The bribery charge carries a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison, and the conspiracy charge carries up to 20 years of incarceration.
The charges also carry potential fines, an order of restitution, and forfeiture of a money judgment for $11,082,687 and specific property, including more than $1.4 million in bank account funds; 13 properties in Virginia, Florida, and West Virginia; and a 2011 GMC Yukon Denali truck. Kerry Khan has previously forfeited about $600,000 in bank account funds and four luxury automobiles.
Also before Judge Sullivan today, Lee Khan pled guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. No sentencing date was set. As part of his plea agreement, Lee Khan agreed to forfeit his interest in more than $1 million in bank account funds; 13 properties in Virginia, Florida, and West Virginia;and a Rolex watch.
In the overall investigation, to date, the United States has seized for forfeiture or recovered approximately $7.5 million in bank account funds, cash, and repayments; 19 real properties; six luxury cars; and multiple pieces of fine jewelry.
***
“Today, the ringleader of the largest bribery and bid-steering scheme in the history of federal contracting accepted responsibility for his crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “For his shocking abuse of his position of power, Kerry Khan faces more than two decades in prison. The homes, cars, and jewelry he financed with bribes and kickbacks have now been returned to their rightful owner—the American taxpayer. He and his son are now the seventh and eighth members of this far-reaching scheme to plead guilty since the fall of 2011, and our investigation is still ongoing. Corrupt public officials and the businessmen who bribe them should take notice: we will do everything in our power to disrupt your dirty deals and hold you accountable.”
“Mr. Khan saw large government contracts as a golden ticket for personal gain as he funneled millions of dollars to himself and others through bribes and kickbacks,” said Special Agent in Charge Hosko. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will combat such deceit and corruption within our government as we tirelessly work to protect the money of the American taxpayer.”
“Today’s plea hearing is a reminder that individuals who scheme to defraud the U.S. government and violate the public’s trust will be brought to justice,” said Acting IRS Special Agent in Charge Hylton. “Honest and law-abiding citizens are fed up with the likes of those who use deceit and fraud to line their own pockets. The use of bribes and kickbacks to secure government contracts will not be tolerated. IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies to punish corrupt behavior wherever we find it.”
“Today’s guilty pleas effectively highlight the brazen corruption scheme sown by Kerry Khan and his co-conspirators,” said Inspector General Gustafson of the Small Business Administration. “This investigation demonstrates that there is no tolerance for criminal activity by federal employees who hold positions of trust in the federal contracting process. The SBA OIG appreciates the leadership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the support of the FBI and our interagency partners in bringing forth these plea agreements.”
“Today is a day of reckoning for Kerry Khan. His plea today is a chilling example of a corrupt government employee coming to the realization that engaging in criminal activity within the federal procurement process will be discovered, and there is a severe price to be paid for selfishly violating the public’s trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “DCIS and our law enforcement partners are working to ensure that this realization becomes a stark reality for any and all others who are willing to engage in this kind of dishonest, deceitful, and deplorable behavior. Let’s hope that today’s plea serves as a clear reminder that stealing money from the American taxpayer is not worth the day of reckoning that will inevitably follow.”
“Today’s pleas are another example of the great investigative work our agents and our federal law enforcement partners do every day,” said Director Robey of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU). “It is a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue those attempting to defraud the U.S. Army.”
***
Kerry Khan worked for the Army Corps of Engineers from 1994 until the time of his arrest in October 2011. He was a program manager and contracting officer’s technical representative with the Directorate of Contingency Operations. In that position, Kerry Khan had authority, among other things, to place orders for products and services through federal government contracts. He also had authority to certify that the work on orders had been completed.
The scheme involved the Army Corps of Engineers and two contracts: the Technology for Infrastructure, Geospatial, and Environmental Requirements (TIGER) contract and the Contingency Operations Readiness Engineering and Support (CORES) contract.
The TIGER contract was used by authorized federal government agencies and departments to purchase products and services. It is what is known as an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract. Authorized agencies and departments are not required to obtain three separate bids or to compare the TIGER contract to another contract before submitting an invoice for products and services through the TIGER contract.
The CORES contract was a planned contract, envisioned as an alternative or potential replacement to the TIGER contract. As planned, the CORES contract would be a five-year contract with an award potential for all contracts placed under it of nearly $1 billion. The CORES contract has not been issued for solicitation to potential prime contractors.
In his guilty plea, Kerry Khan admitted to carrying out a bribery scheme with others.
They included Alexander, a colleague, who was then a program manager with the Army Corps of Engineers; Babb, the former director of contracts at Eyak Technology LLC (EyakTek), an Alaska Native-owned small business; Alex N. Cho, the former chief technology officer of Nova Datacom LLC, a provider of information assurance and security services to federal agencies and commercial companies; Robert L. McKinney, the president of Alpha Technology Group Inc., a provider of program management services; James Edward Miller, formerly of Virginia Beach, Virginia, the owner of Big Surf Construction Management LLC; and an unindicted co-conspirator, referred to in court documents as Co-Conspirator 3, who was another contractor.
Another company, Ananke LLC, also was involved in the scheme. Ananke LLC was a shell company that was controlled by Kerry Khan.
According to a statement of offense signed by Kerry Khan, in or around 2006, he and Alexander agreed to work together to obtain government contracts for corrupt contractors who would reward them with bribes. Among others, Kerry Khan and Alexander worked with Babb on a scheme to use EyakTek as a vehicle for channeling contracts awarded by the Army Corps of Engineers. EyakTek, in turn, hired sub-contractors that submitted fraudulently inflated or fictitious quotes for equipment and services. As directed by Kerry Khan and Alexander, the sub-contractors kicked back a significant portion of the payments to them, as bribes for keeping the money flowing their way from the Army Corps of Engineers.
Kerry Khan and the others attempted to obtain more than $30 million through the bribery scheme primarily through the submission of fraudulently inflated invoices to the government, according to the statement of offense. The fraudulently inflated amounts were referred to by the perpetrators as “overhead.” Kerry Khan, Alexander, and the contractors agreed to split the “overhead.”
As part of his plea, Kerry Khan admitted obtaining and attempting to obtain these payments:
■Nova Datacom: Kerry Khan, Alexander, Cho, and Nova Datacom attempted to obtain more than $20 million in “overhead” on a total of $45 million in contracts.
■Alpha Technology: Kerry Khan, McKinney, and Alpha Technology Group obtained approximately $856,395 in “overhead” on a total of $1.8 million in contracts.
■Big Surf Construction: Kerry Khan, Babb, Miller, and Big Surf Construction Management LLC attempted to obtain $9,979,705 in “overhead” on a total of $9.9 million in contracts and intended contracts.
■Co-Conspirator 3: Kerry Khan obtained approximately $640,000 in bribe payments from Co-Conspirator 3.
■Ananke LLC: Kerry Khan and Babb obtained $147,544 in “overhead,” through contracts in that amount that were directed to Ananke, LLC.
From those amounts, Kerry Khan admitted actually receiving, directly and indirectly, over $12 million from the contractors. He also admitted that, at the time of his arrest, he was owed more than $14 million in additional “overhead” payments from the contractors.
In addition to these activities involving the TIGER contract, according to the statement of offense, Kerry Khan, Alexander, Babb, and Cho agreed to steer the award of the CORES contract to Nova Datacom. This scheme was thwarted by the arrests of Kerry Khan, Alexander, and others last fall.
In an attempt to surreptitiously receive and hide the receipts of proceeds of the bribery scheme, Kerry Khan and Lee Khan admitted today that they established and used multiple corporate entities, including shell companies that had no legitimate business purpose, as well as multiple bank and financial accounts. Kerry Khan and Lee Khan also purchased or paid off the mortgage for at least a portion of at least 13 pieces of real property, including several houses and condominiums, using proceeds of the scheme. Additionally, Kerry Khan and members of his immediate family owned in full 10 automobiles, most of them luxury vehicles that were purchased with proceeds of the criminal activities.
With instruction and supervision from his father, Lee Khan managed the portfolio of real property and automobiles, selling real property after its value had appreciated, managing the lease of certain real properties to tenants, and selling automobiles.
***
Alexander, 56, formerly of Woodbridge, Virginia, pled guilty in February 2012 to federal charges of bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Babb, 60, formerly of Sterling, Virginia, pled guilty in March 2012 to federal charges of bribery and unlawful kickbacks.
Cho, 40, formerly of Great Falls, Virginia, pled guilty in September 2011 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, money laundering, wire fraud, to defraud the United States, and to one count of bribery. Another former Nova Datacom employee, Theodoros Hallas, 40, of Potomac, Maryland, the company’s former executive vice president, pled guilty in October 2011 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
McKinney, 52, of Waldorf, Maryland, the president of Alpha Technology Group, pled guilty in February 2012 to bribery. James Edward Miller, 64, formerly of Virginia Beach, Virginia, the owner of Big Surf Construction Management LLC, pled guilty on April 17, 2012 to a federal charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering
All of the defendants are awaiting sentencing.
***
In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Machen, Special Agent in Charge Hosko, Inspector General Gustafson, Special Agent in Charge Craig, Acting Special Agent in Charge Hylton, and Director Robey thanked those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office; the Office of the Inspector General for the Small Business Administration; the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Defense Contract Audit Agency; the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and the Army Criminal Investigation Command. They also expressed thanks to the U.S. Marshals Service for its assistance on the forfeiture matter.
They also praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael K. Atkinson and Bryan Seeley of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section. Finally, they expressed thanks for assistance provided by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Dana; Forensic Accountant Maria Boodoo; Paralegal Specialists Tasha Harris, Lenisse Edloe, Shanna Hays, Taryn McLaughlin, Sarah Reis, Christopher Samson, and Nicole Wattelet; former Paralegal Specialist Jared Forney; and Legal Assistants Krishawn Graham and Jessica McCormick.
Scam Involved Steering of Government Contracts; Official’s Son Also Pleads Guilty to Charges Today
U.S. Attorney’s Office
May 17, 2012 District of Columbia
(202) 514-7566
— filed under: Financial, Fraud, Press Release, Public Corruption, Washington Field Office Top Stories
WASHINGTON—Kerry F. Khan, 54, a former program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, pled guilty today to federal charges of bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering in a scheme that allegedly involved more than $30 million in bribes and kickback payments and the planned steering of a government contract potentially worth $1 billion.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Ronald T. Hosko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division; Eric Hylton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector General for the Small Business Administration (SBA); Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); and Frank Robey, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU).
Khan’s son, Lee A. Khan, 31, formerly of Fairfax, Virginia, also pled guilty today to charges in the case.
Khan and his son were among four men arrested on October 4, 2011 following an investigation into one of the most brazen corruption schemes in the history of federal contracting. The others arrested that day—Michael A. Alexander, a former program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and businessman Harold F. Babb—earlier pled guilty to charges in the case. Khan, Lee Khan, Babb, and Alexander have been in custody since their arrests in October. All told, eight defendants have now pled guilty in the ongoing investigation.
Kerry Khan, formerly of Alexandria, Virginia, pled guilty before the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. A sentencing date has not been set. The bribery charge carries a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison, and the conspiracy charge carries up to 20 years of incarceration.
The charges also carry potential fines, an order of restitution, and forfeiture of a money judgment for $11,082,687 and specific property, including more than $1.4 million in bank account funds; 13 properties in Virginia, Florida, and West Virginia; and a 2011 GMC Yukon Denali truck. Kerry Khan has previously forfeited about $600,000 in bank account funds and four luxury automobiles.
Also before Judge Sullivan today, Lee Khan pled guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. No sentencing date was set. As part of his plea agreement, Lee Khan agreed to forfeit his interest in more than $1 million in bank account funds; 13 properties in Virginia, Florida, and West Virginia;and a Rolex watch.
In the overall investigation, to date, the United States has seized for forfeiture or recovered approximately $7.5 million in bank account funds, cash, and repayments; 19 real properties; six luxury cars; and multiple pieces of fine jewelry.
***
“Today, the ringleader of the largest bribery and bid-steering scheme in the history of federal contracting accepted responsibility for his crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “For his shocking abuse of his position of power, Kerry Khan faces more than two decades in prison. The homes, cars, and jewelry he financed with bribes and kickbacks have now been returned to their rightful owner—the American taxpayer. He and his son are now the seventh and eighth members of this far-reaching scheme to plead guilty since the fall of 2011, and our investigation is still ongoing. Corrupt public officials and the businessmen who bribe them should take notice: we will do everything in our power to disrupt your dirty deals and hold you accountable.”
“Mr. Khan saw large government contracts as a golden ticket for personal gain as he funneled millions of dollars to himself and others through bribes and kickbacks,” said Special Agent in Charge Hosko. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will combat such deceit and corruption within our government as we tirelessly work to protect the money of the American taxpayer.”
“Today’s plea hearing is a reminder that individuals who scheme to defraud the U.S. government and violate the public’s trust will be brought to justice,” said Acting IRS Special Agent in Charge Hylton. “Honest and law-abiding citizens are fed up with the likes of those who use deceit and fraud to line their own pockets. The use of bribes and kickbacks to secure government contracts will not be tolerated. IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies to punish corrupt behavior wherever we find it.”
“Today’s guilty pleas effectively highlight the brazen corruption scheme sown by Kerry Khan and his co-conspirators,” said Inspector General Gustafson of the Small Business Administration. “This investigation demonstrates that there is no tolerance for criminal activity by federal employees who hold positions of trust in the federal contracting process. The SBA OIG appreciates the leadership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the support of the FBI and our interagency partners in bringing forth these plea agreements.”
“Today is a day of reckoning for Kerry Khan. His plea today is a chilling example of a corrupt government employee coming to the realization that engaging in criminal activity within the federal procurement process will be discovered, and there is a severe price to be paid for selfishly violating the public’s trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “DCIS and our law enforcement partners are working to ensure that this realization becomes a stark reality for any and all others who are willing to engage in this kind of dishonest, deceitful, and deplorable behavior. Let’s hope that today’s plea serves as a clear reminder that stealing money from the American taxpayer is not worth the day of reckoning that will inevitably follow.”
“Today’s pleas are another example of the great investigative work our agents and our federal law enforcement partners do every day,” said Director Robey of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU). “It is a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue those attempting to defraud the U.S. Army.”
***
Kerry Khan worked for the Army Corps of Engineers from 1994 until the time of his arrest in October 2011. He was a program manager and contracting officer’s technical representative with the Directorate of Contingency Operations. In that position, Kerry Khan had authority, among other things, to place orders for products and services through federal government contracts. He also had authority to certify that the work on orders had been completed.
The scheme involved the Army Corps of Engineers and two contracts: the Technology for Infrastructure, Geospatial, and Environmental Requirements (TIGER) contract and the Contingency Operations Readiness Engineering and Support (CORES) contract.
The TIGER contract was used by authorized federal government agencies and departments to purchase products and services. It is what is known as an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract. Authorized agencies and departments are not required to obtain three separate bids or to compare the TIGER contract to another contract before submitting an invoice for products and services through the TIGER contract.
The CORES contract was a planned contract, envisioned as an alternative or potential replacement to the TIGER contract. As planned, the CORES contract would be a five-year contract with an award potential for all contracts placed under it of nearly $1 billion. The CORES contract has not been issued for solicitation to potential prime contractors.
In his guilty plea, Kerry Khan admitted to carrying out a bribery scheme with others.
They included Alexander, a colleague, who was then a program manager with the Army Corps of Engineers; Babb, the former director of contracts at Eyak Technology LLC (EyakTek), an Alaska Native-owned small business; Alex N. Cho, the former chief technology officer of Nova Datacom LLC, a provider of information assurance and security services to federal agencies and commercial companies; Robert L. McKinney, the president of Alpha Technology Group Inc., a provider of program management services; James Edward Miller, formerly of Virginia Beach, Virginia, the owner of Big Surf Construction Management LLC; and an unindicted co-conspirator, referred to in court documents as Co-Conspirator 3, who was another contractor.
Another company, Ananke LLC, also was involved in the scheme. Ananke LLC was a shell company that was controlled by Kerry Khan.
According to a statement of offense signed by Kerry Khan, in or around 2006, he and Alexander agreed to work together to obtain government contracts for corrupt contractors who would reward them with bribes. Among others, Kerry Khan and Alexander worked with Babb on a scheme to use EyakTek as a vehicle for channeling contracts awarded by the Army Corps of Engineers. EyakTek, in turn, hired sub-contractors that submitted fraudulently inflated or fictitious quotes for equipment and services. As directed by Kerry Khan and Alexander, the sub-contractors kicked back a significant portion of the payments to them, as bribes for keeping the money flowing their way from the Army Corps of Engineers.
Kerry Khan and the others attempted to obtain more than $30 million through the bribery scheme primarily through the submission of fraudulently inflated invoices to the government, according to the statement of offense. The fraudulently inflated amounts were referred to by the perpetrators as “overhead.” Kerry Khan, Alexander, and the contractors agreed to split the “overhead.”
As part of his plea, Kerry Khan admitted obtaining and attempting to obtain these payments:
■Nova Datacom: Kerry Khan, Alexander, Cho, and Nova Datacom attempted to obtain more than $20 million in “overhead” on a total of $45 million in contracts.
■Alpha Technology: Kerry Khan, McKinney, and Alpha Technology Group obtained approximately $856,395 in “overhead” on a total of $1.8 million in contracts.
■Big Surf Construction: Kerry Khan, Babb, Miller, and Big Surf Construction Management LLC attempted to obtain $9,979,705 in “overhead” on a total of $9.9 million in contracts and intended contracts.
■Co-Conspirator 3: Kerry Khan obtained approximately $640,000 in bribe payments from Co-Conspirator 3.
■Ananke LLC: Kerry Khan and Babb obtained $147,544 in “overhead,” through contracts in that amount that were directed to Ananke, LLC.
From those amounts, Kerry Khan admitted actually receiving, directly and indirectly, over $12 million from the contractors. He also admitted that, at the time of his arrest, he was owed more than $14 million in additional “overhead” payments from the contractors.
In addition to these activities involving the TIGER contract, according to the statement of offense, Kerry Khan, Alexander, Babb, and Cho agreed to steer the award of the CORES contract to Nova Datacom. This scheme was thwarted by the arrests of Kerry Khan, Alexander, and others last fall.
In an attempt to surreptitiously receive and hide the receipts of proceeds of the bribery scheme, Kerry Khan and Lee Khan admitted today that they established and used multiple corporate entities, including shell companies that had no legitimate business purpose, as well as multiple bank and financial accounts. Kerry Khan and Lee Khan also purchased or paid off the mortgage for at least a portion of at least 13 pieces of real property, including several houses and condominiums, using proceeds of the scheme. Additionally, Kerry Khan and members of his immediate family owned in full 10 automobiles, most of them luxury vehicles that were purchased with proceeds of the criminal activities.
With instruction and supervision from his father, Lee Khan managed the portfolio of real property and automobiles, selling real property after its value had appreciated, managing the lease of certain real properties to tenants, and selling automobiles.
***
Alexander, 56, formerly of Woodbridge, Virginia, pled guilty in February 2012 to federal charges of bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Babb, 60, formerly of Sterling, Virginia, pled guilty in March 2012 to federal charges of bribery and unlawful kickbacks.
Cho, 40, formerly of Great Falls, Virginia, pled guilty in September 2011 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, money laundering, wire fraud, to defraud the United States, and to one count of bribery. Another former Nova Datacom employee, Theodoros Hallas, 40, of Potomac, Maryland, the company’s former executive vice president, pled guilty in October 2011 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
McKinney, 52, of Waldorf, Maryland, the president of Alpha Technology Group, pled guilty in February 2012 to bribery. James Edward Miller, 64, formerly of Virginia Beach, Virginia, the owner of Big Surf Construction Management LLC, pled guilty on April 17, 2012 to a federal charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering
All of the defendants are awaiting sentencing.
***
In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Machen, Special Agent in Charge Hosko, Inspector General Gustafson, Special Agent in Charge Craig, Acting Special Agent in Charge Hylton, and Director Robey thanked those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office; the Office of the Inspector General for the Small Business Administration; the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Defense Contract Audit Agency; the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and the Army Criminal Investigation Command. They also expressed thanks to the U.S. Marshals Service for its assistance on the forfeiture matter.
They also praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael K. Atkinson and Bryan Seeley of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section. Finally, they expressed thanks for assistance provided by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Dana; Forensic Accountant Maria Boodoo; Paralegal Specialists Tasha Harris, Lenisse Edloe, Shanna Hays, Taryn McLaughlin, Sarah Reis, Christopher Samson, and Nicole Wattelet; former Paralegal Specialist Jared Forney; and Legal Assistants Krishawn Graham and Jessica McCormick.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
"Please Tell This Internet Writer"..To Lay off the "Moonshine"Please
Yemen: 36 Killed in Fighting With Al-Qaida - ABC News...Al-Qaida..Or..
Al-Qaeda,Ovverran..Or,Overran?
Al-Qaeda,Ovverran..Or,Overran?
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