Seven Additional Canadian Nationals Charged in Connection with Nationwide Multimillion-Dollar “Grandparent Scam” Following Homeland Security Task Force Investigation
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont unsealed an indictment on May 7 2026 charging seven Canadian nationals with a nationwide “grandparent scam” that defrauded seniors in Vermont and more than 40 other states between 2021 and 2024. The operation ran from Montreal‑area call centers, using false claims of arrested grandchildren, bogus bail‑bond demands, and cryptocurrency transfers to move stolen funds to Canada. All seven suspects were arrested in Canada on May 7 2026 and face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The case underscores the Homeland Security Task Force’s cross‑border coordination under Executive Order 14159.
Defendant Pleads Guilty in $48 Million Nationwide Book Publishing Scam Targeting Hundreds of Seniors
Michael Cris Traya Sordilla, a 34‑year‑old Filipino, pleaded guilty in federal court to orchestrating a nationwide book‑publishing fraud that siphoned more than $48 million from over 800 victims, most of them senior authors. He founded Innocentrix Philippines and used shell companies—PageTurner...
Federal Jury Convicts Alexandria Man on Charges Relating to the Deletion of U.S. Government Databases
A federal jury convicted Alexandria resident Sohaib Akhter of conspiracy to commit computer fraud, password trafficking, and illegal firearm possession. Akhter and his twin brother, former employees of a contractor serving more than 45 federal agencies, accessed a plaintext EEOC...
Huntington Park Medical Practice and Doctor to Pay More Than $6.7 Million to Settle Allegations of Billing Medicare for Unnecessary...
Dr. Feliciano Serrano and his Huntington Park vascular practice agreed to pay more than $6.73 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they billed Medicare for medically unnecessary dialysis‑access and peripheral artery procedures. The settlement includes roughly $6.51 million to the federal...
‘GothFerrari’ Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Role in Massive Cryptocurrency Heist
Marlon Ferro, a 20‑year‑old from Santa Ana, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for his role in a nationwide cryptocurrency burglary ring that stole more than $250 million in digital assets. The scheme combined online social‑engineering fraud with physical...
Baltimore Man Sentenced for Role in Multi-State Firearm Trafficking Operation in Connection With HSTF Case
A Baltimore man, Rodney Allen Farrar, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for his role in a multi‑state firearm trafficking conspiracy. Prosecutors said Farrar and co‑conspirator Brian Keith Adams moved more than 100 guns from North and South...
Previously Deported Nicaraguan National Receives 15-Year Sentence for $29 Million Bank Impersonation Scheme
A deported Nicaraguan national, Ernesto Ortega Padgett, received a 15‑year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to a sophisticated bank‑impersonation scheme that stole more than $29 million from U.S. victims. The fraud, conducted from 2020 onward, used social‑engineering tactics, unauthorized wire transfers,...
Two Massachusetts Men Plead Guilty To Their Roles In Multi-Million Dollar Bank Fraud Ring
Two Massachusetts men, Victor Kolawole and Keith Wainaina, pleaded guilty to a multi‑million‑dollar bank fraud scheme that spanned Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. The operation involved stealing personal data, forging IDs, and cashing fraudulent cashier’s checks worth roughly $1.1 million. Both...
Mobile PET Scan Provider to Pay $8.33 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Act Violations Based on Unlawful Kickbacks...
Modern Nuclear Inc., a mobile PET‑scan provider, agreed to pay $8,334,350.71 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it offered cardiologists above‑market fees for patient referrals, violating the Anti‑Kickback Statute. The settlement, based on the company’s ability to pay, also...
California Man Sentenced to 144 Months In Prison For Fraudulently Obtaining $59 Million In Public Benefits And Laundering Proceeds To...
Bruce Jin, a 61‑year‑old Los Angeles resident, received a 144‑month prison term for orchestrating a $59 million fraud against state unemployment and stimulus programs. He and co‑conspirators used stolen personal data to create thousands of bank accounts, filed false claims, and...
Oklahoma City Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for $1.1 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
Natasha Allmon, a 49‑year‑old Oklahoma City resident, received a 20‑month federal prison sentence for submitting fraudulent behavioral health claims to Blue Cross Blue Shield. Between January 2021 and December 2023 she filed roughly $1.4 million in false claims, pocketing about $1.1 million in reimbursements....
Two Individuals and a Corporation Charged with Conspiring to Violate the Clean Air Act and Illegally Emitting Pollutants in Puerto...
A federal grand jury in San Juan indicted Ramón Plaza‑Gregory, Ileana Cortés‑González, and their company Mo‑Na‑Co Biomedical & Environmental Corp. for five Clean Air Act violations and a conspiracy to violate the Act. The indictment alleges the firm burned unpermitted...
Justice Department Secures Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Springfield, Missouri Landlord
The Justice Department announced a $250,000 settlement with the owners of Springfield, Missouri rental properties accused of sexual harassment under the Fair Housing Act. The lawsuit alleged that former manager Jimmie Bell repeatedly harassed female tenants and retaliated against those...
Justice Department Sues New Jersey Over Attempt to Regulate Federal Law Enforcement
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil lawsuit against the state of New Jersey, Governor Mikie Sherrill, and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, challenging the constitutionality of the state’s “Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act.” The law seeks to regulate how...
Former East St. Louis Librarian and Public Aid Eligibility Assistant Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling More than $100,000 From Government...
Former East St. Louis Public Library director Kenyada T. Harris received a 15‑month prison sentence after pleading guilty to eight counts of wire fraud, theft from federally funded programs, and bank fraud. Between 2022 and 2023 she misappropriated over $100,000,...