California real estate agent faces charges for alleged tax crimes

A former Las Vegas city councilwoman has been convicted by a federal jury in Nevada on charges related to a charity fraud scheme. Michele Fiore, 54, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud. The charges stem from her actions while serving as a city councilwoman, during which she misled donors into believing their contributions would fund memorials for police officers killed in the line of duty.

The Justice Department has allocated 152 grants to 90 American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, totaling over $84 million. These funds are distributed through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) program.

The Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) recently co-hosted a symposium focused on artificial intelligence at the Department of Justice. The event took place in Washington, D.C., at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on October 2.

The Justice Department has revealed the unsealing of a warrant authorizing the seizure of 41 internet domains used by Russian intelligence agents and their proxies for computer fraud and abuse in the United States. This action is part of a broader effort outlined in the National Cybersecurity Strategy, aiming to disrupt malicious cyber activities through public-private collaboration. The department's move was made alongside Microsoft's civil action to restrain 66 internet domains used by similar actors.

Two individuals have been sentenced for their roles in a scheme that defrauded Apple Inc. of millions of dollars worth of iPhones. Haotian Sun, 34, and Pengfei Xue, 34, both Chinese citizens residing in Maryland, received prison sentences and financial penalties as part of their sentencing.

Following a nearly four-week trial, a federal jury in Memphis, Tennessee, has convicted three former Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers of federal felonies connected to the death of Tyre Nichols on January 7, 2023.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida has issued a permanent injunction against Miami tax return preparers, George and Luis Brito, along with their businesses. This legal action prohibits George Brito from preparing federal income tax returns, participating in any tax preparation business, assisting others in preparing tax returns, or transferring customer lists to others. Similarly, Luis Brito is barred from preparing income tax returns for individuals. The brothers have consented to the entry of this injunction.

The Department of Justice has announced charges against ten individuals linked to pharmaceutical distributors. These individuals are accused of channeling approximately 70 million opioid pills and 30 million doses of other prescription drugs, primarily to "pill-mill" pharmacies in the Houston, Texas area. The estimated street value of these drugs exceeds $1.3 billion.

Charges have been filed against ten pharmaceutical distributor executives, sales representatives, and brokers in connection with the illegal distribution of nearly 70 million opioid pills. The charges were unsealed in several districts including the Southern District of Texas, Southern District of Florida, Eastern District of Missouri, and Eastern District of North Carolina. This enforcement action also involved three Houston-area pharmacy operators.

The Justice Department has initiated legal proceedings against the owners and managers of Suburban Heights Apartments in Kinloch, Missouri, alleging discriminatory practices against Black tenants. The lawsuit claims that Suburban Heights LLC, Crestline Property LLC, Triline Properties LLC, and Jingle Properties LLC violated the Fair Housing Act by enforcing a ban on tenants with felony convictions and certain other criminal histories.

A dual citizen of Nigeria and the United Kingdom was sentenced to seven years in prison for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar business email compromise (BEC) scheme. The individual, Oludayo Kolawole John Adeagbo, 45, conspired with others to steal more than $3 million from various entities in Texas and over $1.9 million from a university in North Carolina.

Former hospital CEO Jeffrey Madison has agreed to pay $5,343,630 to settle allegations under the False Claims Act. The claims involve illegal payments to physicians for laboratory referrals, violating the Anti-Kickback Statute. Madison will also cooperate with ongoing Justice Department investigations related to these allegations.

Federal and local law enforcement officials have arrested 42 individuals connected to the SFV Peckerwoods, a white supremacist street gang based in San Fernando Valley, California. The arrests stem from a 76-count federal grand jury indictment that accuses them of engaging in a range of illegal activities, including drug trafficking, firearms possession, and fraud related to COVID-19 benefits.

Feliks Medvedev, a 43-year-old resident of Buford, Georgia, has been sentenced to three years and ten months in prison. Following his release, he will undergo three years of supervised release and is required to pay a $10,000 fine. This sentencing comes after Medvedev was found guilty of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business that facilitated the transfer of over $150 million in Russian funds.

The Office of Information Policy (OIP) has announced the deadlines for the submission of agencies' Fiscal Year 2024 Annual FOIA Reports, Fiscal Year 2025 Quarterly FOIA Reports, and 2025 Chief FOIA Officer Reports. These reports are essential in showcasing the progress made by agencies in administering the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).