
<p>This is an email scam received about “Citibank Texas USA” is a phishing scam and why not try to contact these people or log onto these sites and enter your data because you risk being stolen.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fake Letter From Mr Kennedy Swan &#8211; Citibank Texas USA &#8211; Email Scam Example</h2>



<p>from: Mr Kennedy Swan <;administracion@creacttive.net>;<br>reply-to: <span style="color: #ff0000;">kennedyswancitibank@gmail.com (email For Scam You)</span><br>to: contact<span class="atwho-query">@fr</span>audswatch.com<br>date: Sun, Jun 3, 2018 at 7:38 AM<br>subject: ATTN:UNPAID BENEFICIARY<br>mailed-by: srs.emailowl.com<br>signed-by: creacttive.net</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>Citibank Texas USA<br>1100 Andrews Highway Branch<br>Full Service Brick and Mortar Office<br>Email: kennedyswancitibank@gmail.com</p>



<p>ATTN:UNPAID BENEFICIARY,</p>



<p>This is an official advice from the Citibank Texas USA foreign remittance/telegraphic dept. it has come to</p>



<p>our notice that your Over Due payment of USD10.000.000.00 MILLION has being deposit with us (Citibank</p>



<p>Texas USA)for further credit to your bank account as the original beneficiary.</p>



<p>The already transferred funds, which was made in secret transfer so that they can do final crediting to your</p>



<p>account, but it can not work. Secret diplomatic payments are not made unless the funds are related to</p>



<p>terrorist activities why must your payment be made in secret transfer, if your transaction is legitimate, why</p>



<p>did you not receive the money directly into your account, This is a pure coded means of payment, Records which</p>



<p>we have had with this method of payment in the past has always been related to terrorist acts, we do not want</p>



<p>you to get into trouble as soon as these funds reflect in your account, so it is our duty as a Citibank to</p>



<p>correct this little problem before this fund will be credited into your personal account if not your fund will</p>



<p>be return back to the country of origin .</p>



<p>we have (STOPPED THE TRANSFER)on its way to deliver to your account and pay you through a secured diplomatic</p>



<p>transit account (S.D.T.A),A contract has being signed by all the Europe banks that all the beneficiary been</p>



<p>owed by them should be paid via European UNION (EU) RESERVE ACCOUNT with us.</p>



<p>The already transferred funds has already being reprogrammed in our Remittance computer system for final</p>



<p>crediting to your account, but it can not work, because the information we have here in your payment file</p>



<p>which was sent to us regards to your bank account is not complete.</p>



<p>Please you are advice to reconfirm to us the below stated information for the final credit to your account.</p>



<p>YOUR FULL NAME<br>YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS<br>YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER<br>YOUR AGE<br>YOUR OCCUPATION<br>YOUR BANK NAME<br>YOUR BANK ADDRESS<br>YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER<br>YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NAME<br>YOUR BANK SWIFT CODE<br>YOUR BANK ROUTING NUMBER<br>A COPY OF YOUR ID CARD FOR IDENTIFICATION.</p>



<p>It is very important you reconfirm the above information to us for immediate further credit, and be rest</p>



<p>assured that as soon as you reconfirm the information your fund will be credit to your account within 24hours</p>



<p>without further delay, and all the transfer payment documents will be send to you to enable you confirm the</p>



<p>payment in your bank account without any further problem.</p>



<p>WARNING: failure to produce the above requirement in the next 7 working day , legal action will be taken</p>



<p>immediately by returning the fund back to country of origin or report to FBI for investigation, means that</p>



<p>your fund will be regards as a terrorism, drug trafficking or money laundering and they are a serious problem</p>



<p>here in our country today.<br>contact me via private email address: kennedyswancitibank@gmail.com for security reasons.</p>



<p>THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING</p>



<p>Mr Kennedy Swan,<br>Director Remittance Department<br>Citibank Texas USA</p>
</blockquote>



<p></p>

Financial Fraud: Six Individuals Have Stolen Over $8 million From a Bank And an Insurance Company
<h2>Six charged in massive fraud &; money laundering scheme</h2>
<p><strong>Alleged to have stolen over $8 million from a bank and an insurance company</strong></p>
<p>Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh Minkler announced federal charges against six individuals, including a former regional construction project manager for a bank, the owners of two different construction companies, the owner of an Indianapolis maintenance services company, and the owner of a Plainfield, Indiana, supply company. The six defendants are alleged to have operated a large-scale scheme to defraud and embezzle over $8 million from a Pennsylvania based bank and a Pennsylvania based insurance company. These charges are the product of a two-year investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service. Neither the bank nor the insurance company are being named because they are victims in this case.</p>
<p>“This community has a right to hold high expectations of individuals in positions of trust in our <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/tag/financial-fraud/" title="financial" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="852">financial</a> institutions,” said Minkler. “Those who blatantly commit fraud and abuse their positions will be held accountable in federal court.”</p>
<p>Those charged were: John L. Williams, 49, Zionsville, a former employee of the bank; Ernie Perkins, 36, Zionsville, the owner of Remarkable Creative Enterprises (“RCE”); Robert Finch, 71, Indianapolis, owner of Finch Constructors and Finch Management; Donald Landis, 58, Plainfield, owner of P&;L Supply; Walter Watson, 69, Detroit, Michigan, owner of W-3 construction company; and Shalonda Coleman, 42, Indianapolis, a former employee of the insurance company.</p>
<p>According to the indictment, Williams was employed as a construction project manager in the Indianapolis regional office of the bank. His responsibilities included overseeing the bank’s internal real estate projects in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky and Indiana, including new bank branch construction and existing bank branch renovation projects. In carrying out the scheme, Williams would contact Perkins, Finch, Watson, and Landis and instruct them to submit fraudulent invoices to the bank for work that was never performed and materials that were never supplied. Williams used his position at the bank and his oversight of the projects in question to approve payment of the fraudulent invoices. Once the bank paid the invoices, Perkins, Finch, Watson, and Landis would kick back a large percentage of the money to CB Consulting, a fictitious business entity controlled by Williams. In many cases, the money passed through multiple bank accounts before reaching the bank account Williams set up for CB Consulting.</p>
<p>Coleman and Perkins are also charged with using the U.S. Mail to defraud a Pennsylvania-based insurance company and steal money. In those instances, Coleman used her position as a claims processor, and her access to the company’s computer systems, to cause the insurance company to mail checks to RCE. Coleman disguised the payments to RCE as payments for work performed for the company’s insurance clients, but no work was ever performed. Instead, Perkins would deposit the checks into RCE accounts and kick back a percentage of the money to Coleman.</p>
<p>All six defendants are charged with conspiring to launder the money stolen from the bank and insurance company, and Williams and Finch are separately charged with engaging in a significant number of financial transactions in excess of $10,000 using the stolen funds. Those transactions included transfers to other bank accounts held by the defendants, construction of a residence in Zionsville, Indiana, more than $100,000 in payments for Williams’ daughter’s wedding, and the purchase of multiple automobiles. Williams and Coleman are also charged with tax evasion and filing false tax returns, respectively, for failing to report their receipt of stolen funds as income on their tax returns.</p>
<p>“The members of this criminal enterprise executed a scheme to steal millions of dollars, for their own personal use, and evade the law,” said Inspector in Charge Patricia Armstrong, of the Detroit Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The arrest and indictment of these defendants should serve as a warning to others who seek to commit similar crimes. Postal Inspectors, and our federal law enforcement partners, will tirelessly pursue them until they are brought to justice.”</p>
<p>“Those who line their pockets by embezzling and stealing from others or the government should know they will not go undetected and will be held accountable,” said Gabriel Grchan, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation. “These charges and arrests show that IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to following the money trail to ensure that those who engage in these illegal activities are vigorously investigated and brought to justice. IRS Criminal Investigation stands ready to partner with all law enforcement agencies in Indiana to pursue individuals who steal from others and the government.”</p>
<p>“The FBI is committed to aggressively pursuing fraud committed on individuals, corporations or financial institutions. These charges send a clear message that attempting to hide criminal activity and defraud others comes at a price,” said Grant Mendenhall, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division. “Through collaborative efforts with our partners we will continue to work diligently to identify and investigate those who perpetuate these crimes and stop this type of corruption.”</p>
<p>According to Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Rinka, who is prosecuting this case for the government, each defendant faces a maximum of thirty (30) years imprisonment for their roles in the scheme and up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.</p>
<p>An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are considered innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.</p>
<p>In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution sentencing demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to partner with federal and local law enforcement agencies to prosecute those individuals who perpetrate large-scale fraud schemes and abuse positions of trust. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/six-charged-massive-fraud-money-laundering-scheme">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

The Fake Check Mystery Shopper Scam Targeting America’s Seniors
<p>An increasing number of seniors are becoming tech-savvy, however, thieves are honing in on this and are using it to their advantage. In 2017, a billion dollars was stolen from the country’s population via fraudulent practices, with online and email fraud costing $200 million. One of the latest scams to hit America’s seniors is the mystery shopper scam, which is putting their finances and their personal identity at risk.</p>
<p><strong>The mystery shopper scam</strong></p>
<p>For seniors needing a bit of spare cash, mystery shopping is the perfect solution as it’s non-taxing, can be done at your leisure and you often get to keep the goods you buy as part of your assignment. That’s exactly what Walli Muhammad thought when he applied for a mystery shopper role and was offered the job. For Muhammad, the role sounded perfect &#8220;I thought it was wonderful!” he said, but he became suspicious when he was told to send the money he’d received, via what he now knows to be a fake check, to two individuals in different states. The unwitting senior was being set up as a money mule and had he not have acted on his suspicions, he could have lost a small fortune in the scam.</p>
<p><strong>Fake checks</strong></p>
<p>Muhammad isn’t the only American citizen to have been targeted by this mystery shopper scam either. Earlier this year, 75-year-old Leon Talada was offered the opportunity to become a mystery shopper and, like Muhammad was sent a fake check for almost $4,000. Thankfully, his bank sussed it was fraudulent before it was too late. The scam even date backs to last year as Steve Miller found out when he received a check for more than $2,000. He was asked to cash the check and then purchase cards from a local store and send the numbers to the mystery shopping agency via email. Miller was quick to identify that he was in the midst of a scam and didn’t lose any money, but the impact on seniors who discover the con when it’s too late could be astronomical.</p>
<p><strong>Why mystery shopping?</strong></p>
<p>So why are criminals using mystery shopping scams in a bid to get hold of seniors’ cash? One theory is that because it’s seen as an easy job, more seniors than any other demographic are likely to apply for the role. The older generation is much more used to dealing in checks than millennials, so, for them, it’s not an unusual method of receiving cash. Seniors tend to be the more trusting members of society and many won’t have any concerns about undertaking the ‘work’ they’re told to do by the scammers while waiting for their check to clear.</p>
<p><strong>A name change</strong></p>
<p>The perpetrators of these cons have become wise to the fact that their intended victims, including Muhammad, Talada, and Miller have caught onto their scams and so they have upped their game. Instead of advertising for ‘Mystery Shoppers’, unsuspecting applicants are being offered the role of ‘Secret Store Evaluator’. While the name has changed the scam hasn’t and seniors who find themselves being given such a job will still be sent a fake check and instructions to transfer cash or to purchase multiple gift cards and send the details of the cards to the criminals behind the con.</p>
<p><strong>Protecting yourself</strong></p>
<p>Following the scam, Muhammad warned, &#8220;I would have been homeless trying to pay back the funds they had stolen from me.” So if you do find yourself in a tricky situation following a fake check mystery shopper scam, you may need to consider your borrowing options to help you get back into the black. However, prevention is key and you should aim to do all you can to protect yourself and your information when online. Should you suspect anything untoward when buying goods online, after receiving an email or when reviewing <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/tag/financial-fraud/" title="financial" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="851">financial</a> products, put a halt to proceedings immediately, as the seniors in the cases demonstrated above did, and seek professional advice from an anti-fraud organization.</p>
<p><strong>Genuine opportunities</strong></p>
<p>While mystery shopping scams continue to do the rounds, the good news is that there are legitimate companies offering mystery shopping opportunities to the older generation. The solution to finding a genuine one is to look for company reviews and speak to other mystery shoppers on the net to see which ones they recommend. Never use your own money to make a purchase and always wait for a check to clear before completing the assignment you’ve been allocated.</p>
<p>Scammers are constantly looking for new ways to steal cash from the country’s seniors and the latest mystery shopper scam is just one of their latest tricks. So if you’re thinking about becoming a mystery shopper, stay on your guard, ensure any checks you receive are legitimate and never use your own funds, even if instructed to do so.</p>

Health Care Fraud: MARINA BURMAN Sentenced For Fraudulent Bills to The New York State Medicaid Program
<h2>Medical Supply Executive Sentenced To 36 Months In Prison For Her Role In A $30 Million Scheme To Defraud Medicare And Medicaid</h2>
<p>Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MARINA BURMAN was sentenced today to 36 months in prison. BURMAN, the former president of a medical supply company, submitted approximately $3.4 million in fraudulent bills to the New York State Medicaid Program, falsely claiming to have dispensed adult diapers and other medical supplies that were not medically necessary and, in many cases, not dispensed at all. BURMAN was sentenced today by United States District Judge Lorna G. Schofield.</p>
<p>U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “The Medicare and Medicaid programs are intended to provide essential medical care to the elderly and the needy, not to line the pockets of fraudsters and opportunists. Ultimately, the real victims of Marina Burman and her co-conspirators’ crimes are U.S. taxpayers and needy patients with legitimate medical needs. Today’s sentence sends a strong message that those who cheat Medicare and Medicaid will not go unpunished.”</p>
<p>According to the Indictment and other documents filed in federal court, as well as statements made during BURMAN’s plea proceeding and sentencing:</p>
<p>Between 2007 and 2013, BURMAN’s ex-husband and co-defendant, Aleksandr Burman, owned and operated six medical clinics in Brooklyn (the “Clinics”) that fraudulently billed Medicare and Medicaid approximately $30 million for medical services and supplies that were medically unnecessary or otherwise fraudulently billed. Under New York State law, medical clinics must be owned and operated by a medical professional. To circumvent this requirement, Aleksandr Burman, who was not a medical professional, hired doctors to pose as the nominal owners of each of the Clinics. As part of the fraud, the doctors also signed medical charts falsely stating that they had examined patients, and wrote prescriptions and referrals for medically unnecessary tests and supplies, including the $3.4 million in adult diapers and other supplies dispensed by BURMAN’s medical supply company. Instead of actually obtaining many of these supplies, patients exchanged their prescriptions for merchandise, such as bed linens, tablecloths, dishes, kitchen appliances, and other housewares. In furtherance of the fraud, BURMAN also falsely held herself out to Medicare and Medicaid as the sole owner of the medical supply company and concealed the fact that she actually owned that company jointly with her then-husband, Aleksandr Burman.</p>
<p>In all, 11 defendants have been charged for their participation in this healthcare fraud scheme. Aleksandr Burman pled guilty and on May 8, 2017, was sentenced to 120 months in prison. Two medical doctors (Mustak Y. Vaid and Ewald J. Antoine), two Clinic executives (Asher Oleg Kataev and Alla Tsirlin), and two individuals who helped run two of the Clinics and a related ambulette company (Ivan Voychak and Edward Miselevich) have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Three additional defendants – a doctor (Paul J. Mathieu), a physical therapist (Hatem Behiry), and an occupational therapist (Lina Zhitnik) – are scheduled to go to trial before Judge Schofield on November 26, 2018. These three remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.</p>
<p>MARINA BURMAN, 55, of Manhattan, pled guilty to health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud before Judge Schofield on November 14, 2017. In addition to the prison term, Judge Schofield ordered BURMAN to forfeit six condominium apartments paid for with the proceeds of the healthcare fraud scheme, and to pay restitution of $3,415,363 to Medicaid.</p>
<p>Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (“OMIG”).</p>
<p>The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Raymond Lewis, Stephen J. Ritchin, and Won S. Shin are in charge of the prosecution.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/medical-supply-executive-sentenced-36-months-prison-her-role-30-million-scheme-defraud">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Immigration Fraud: Eleno Quinteros Sentenced For Making False Statements in Support of Legal Permanent Resident Petitions
<h2>Airline Staffing Executive Sentenced to Prison for Years of Immigration Fraud</h2>
<p>Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Pilchak (619) 546-9709</p>
<p>SAN DIEGO – Eleno Quinteros, Jr., the former vice president of operations for two airline mechanic staffing companies, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for making false statements in support of legal permanent resident petitions for dozens of the companies’ mechanics.</p>
<p>Quinteros previously admitted falsely certifying that he had received no payments from the mechanics, when in fact he had demanded and collected hundreds of thousands of dollars of unlawful fees from approximately 85 of them. Today, U.S. District Judge Michael M. Anello sentenced Quinteros to a year and a day in custody based on his view of the “enormity of the offense.”</p>
<p>According to his plea agreement, Quinteros demanded and collected as much as $567,480 from his foreign labor workers, even though employers are prohibited by law from demanding payment for their fees—including attorneys’ fees—in connection with the charged applications. Less than half of the money Quinteros collected was actually paid to immigration attorneys assisting with the applications, while Quinteros himself kept an estimated $372,715, according to court filings.</p>
<p>Quinteros was vice president of two different staffing companies, as set out in his plea agreement. The companies’ staff performed heavy maintenance on aircraft at a variety of airfields nationwide. Quinteros was responsible for recruiting Mexican aircraft mechanics to work in the United States for the companies, and for helping recruits to obtain work visas such as TN or H-2B visas.</p>
<p>According to the indictment, after assisting his recruits in obtaining work visas to come to the United States, Quinteros then agreed to help at least 85 of them pursue a legal permanent residency—in exchange for substantial (and unlawful) fees. Quinteros directed many employees to deposit money into his wife’s bank account, or provide him with blank money orders, in order to conceal the source of the unlawful funds. Other funds were routed through a company bank account, where Quinteros falsely described them to the company bookkeeper as a “loan” from him to the company, according to court filings.</p>
<p>Quinteros collected as much as ten or twenty thousand dollars from some workers, per court records. Although Quinteros himself was well compensated by his two companies during his scheme, some of his recruits had to sell their homes and cars to finance the unlawful fees.</p>
<p>On August 10, 2017, Quinteros pleaded guilty to a single count of making a false claim in support of an immigration application, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1546(a). He admitted in his plea, however, that the underlying scheme involved more than 25 immigration documents. Quinteros has already been ordered to pay back $292,526 in illegal fees collected from 52 of the identifiable victims of his scheme.</p>
<p>“Legal permanent residency in the United States is not a bargaining chip that greedy employers can sell to the highest bidder,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Braverman. “This office will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who commit immigration fraud.”</p>
<p>“The Diplomatic Security Service is firmly committed to making sure that those who commit visa fraud face consequences for their criminal actions,” said Michael Bishop, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Los Angeles Field Office. “The strong relationship we enjoy with our law enforcement partners on the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force and DSS’ global network of special agents working together to stop criminals from reaping illegal income by exploiting U.S. visas and foreign workers continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice.”</p>
<p>“As this sentence makes clear, individuals who undermine our nation’s security by compromising the integrity of our immigration laws for their own enrichment will face serious consequences,” said Joseph Macias, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HSI will move aggressively to hold those involved in these types of criminal schemes accountable.”</p>
<p>“This is a perfect example of federal agencies working together to combat those trying to defraud the government,” stated U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Los Angeles District Director, Donna Campagnolo. “USCIS FDNS will continue playing a key role in USCIS efforts to safeguard the integrity of our immigration laws, protect American workers, and safeguard the Homeland.”</p>
<p>DEFENDANT Case No. 17-cr-557-MMA</p>
<p>Eleno “Max” Quinteros, Jr. 46 years old Chula Vista, California</p>
<p>CHARGES</p>
<p>False Statement on an Immigration Document &#8211; 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a)</p>
<p>Maximum penalty: 10 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine</p>
<p>AGENCIES</p>
<p>Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service</p>
<p>Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations</p>
<p>U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/airline-staffing-executive-sentenced-prisonfor-years-immigration-fraud">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Investment Fraud: Edward Durante Sentenced For Defrauding at Least 100 Investors of More Than $15 Million
<h2>Recidivist Securities Fraudster Edward Durante Sentenced To 18 Years In Prison For Securities Fraud, Money Laundering, And Perjury Offenses</h2>
<p>Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that EDWARD DURANTE, a/k/a “Ted Wise,” a/k/a “Efran Eisenberg,” a/k/a “Yulia,” a/k/a “Ed Simmons,” was sentenced today to 216 months in prison for defrauding at least 100 investors of more than $15 million. DURANTE was also sentenced for his perjurious testimony during an SEC deposition. DURANTE pled guilty on August 23, 2016, to conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, money laundering, and perjury. DURANTE was sentenced today by United States District Judge Andrew L. Carter Jr.</p>
<p>U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “The fraud scheme for which Edward Durante was sentenced today began while he was still in prison from a prior securities fraud conviction. Durante returned to what he knew best, lying to investors – many of whom were retirees who lost their life savings – about how their money would be used, and concealing his manipulation of the securities market. Edward Durante is now a twice-sentenced securities fraud felon.”</p>
<p>According to the allegations contained in the Indictment filed against DURANTE and his co-conspirators, and statements made in related court filings and proceedings:</p>
<p><strong>2001 Securities Fraud Conviction</strong></p>
<p>In December 2001, DURANTE was convicted in federal court of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, as well as making false statements in connection with a market manipulation scheme in which the defendant also used the alias “Ed Simmons.” The defendant was sentenced to 121 months in prison and was released in or about 2009, the year he began the current scheme. In connection with that scheme, DURANTE was ordered to pay disgorgement and prejudgment interest totaling over $39 million. DURANTE was also barred from certain activities in connection with the securities industry, including the sale of securities.</p>
<p><strong>Private Placement Securities Fraud Involving VGTL</strong></p>
<p>After being released from prison, between 2009 and in or about March 2015, DURANTE and his co-conspirators fraudulently induced victims to invest in private shares of VGTL by, among other things, concealing from investors that DURANTE controlled the entities selling the shares; that DURANTE was prohibited from any association with the sale of securities; and that DURANTE was previously convicted of crimes related to a similar scheme to defraud. Furthermore, DURANTE and certain of his co-conspirators lied to investors by (a) representing that their investments would be used to fund the operations and growth of VGTL in connection with potential reverse mergers, when in reality no reverse mergers were ever consummated and investor funds were instead used primarily to benefit the defendants personally; and (b) representing that the investors would receive an eight percent dividend on their investments until their private shares could be sold at a promised premium on the public market, when, in reality, no interest payments were ever provided to the investors and many investors never obtained VGTL stock certificates or the ability to sell the stock. In order to fund his illegal scheme, DURANTE used a network of brokers, including co-conspirators Larry Werbel and Abida Khan, investment advisers in Cleveland, Ohio, and Los Angeles, California, respectively, to induce investors to buy shares of VGTL.</p>
<p><strong>Manipulation of the Market for Shares of VGTL</strong></p>
<p>DURANTE also engaged in a scheme to control and manipulate the publicly traded stock of VGTL in order to artificially inflate the stock price and trading volume so as to profit from his own sales of VGTL stock and to further induce investments in private shares of VGTL. To that end, through entities he controlled, DURANTE held a majority of the publicly traded stock of VGTL. DURANTE recruited co-conspirator Christopher Cervino, a broker, to open brokerage accounts associated with DURANTE-controlled entities and investors who were clients of Werbel and Khan, many of whom did not know that brokerage accounts under their names had been opened with Cervino. Werbel and Khan, along with DURANTE, induced their clients to purchase VGTL stock through Cervino – sometimes without the clients’ knowledge or permission – while DURANTE and Cervino ensured that many of these purchases were matched with sales of VGTL stock by DURANTE-controlled accounts. The result of these transactions was that DURANTE and his co-conspirators were effectively taking both sides of a single transaction in VGTL stock in order to artificially control VGTL’s stock price. The efforts of DURANTE and his co-conspirators to artificially inflate the market for VGTL increased the stock price from approximately $.25 per share in April 2012 to as much as $1.90, and dramatically inflated the trading volume, which increased DURANTE’s ability to raise private investments in VGTL. To compensate Cervino for his efforts to control and manipulate the market in VGTL, DURANTE made at least two cash payments to Cervino totaling $35,000. Moreover, DURANTE then laundered proceeds from the scheme to accounts controlled by him and his co-conspirators, concealing the true nature of these transactions by utilizing wire transfers among multiple accounts in the names of other individuals.</p>
<hr />
<p>In addition to the 18-year prison term, DURANTE, 64, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $15,404,231.</p>
<p>Abida Khan and Christopher Cervino, each of whom was found guilty after trial of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud, and – with respect to Khan only – aggravated identity theft and investment adviser fraud, were sentenced on January 18, 2018. Khan was sentenced to 53 months in prison; Cervino was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. Larry Werbel, who pled guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and to investment adviser fraud, does not have a final date for sentencing. Walter Reissman, another co-conspirator, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and making false statements to federal officers. Co-conspirator Kenneth Wise pled guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. Reissman and Wise were sentenced, on February 23, 2018, and March 6, 2018, respectively, to time served.</p>
<p>Mr. Berman praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance. He added that the investigation is continuing.</p>
<p>This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea M. Griswold and Rebecca Mermelstein are in charge of the prosecution.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/recidivist-securities-fraudster-edward-durante-sentenced-18-years-prison-securities">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Identity Theft: Imputed Unknown Charged of Passport Fraud, Social Security Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft
<h2>“John Doe” Sentenced To 42 Months In Prison For Passport Fraud, Social Security Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, And Two Counts Of Voter Fraud</h2>
<p><strong>Defendant, whose true identity remains unknown, lived under a stolen identity for twenty years, using it to obtain a passport, Social Security card, and to vote in the 2016 Presidential Election</strong></p>
<p>Baltimore, Maryland – United States District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced defendant “John Doe,” whose true identity remains unknown, to 42 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for charges of passport fraud, social security fraud, aggravated identity theft, and two counts of voter fraud.</p>
<p>The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Richard J. Ingram for the Washington Field Office of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; and Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration &#8211; Office of the Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Division.</p>
<p>According to evidence presented at the five-day trial, beginning at an unknown time, the defendant has lived under the assumed identity of a United States Citizen born in the United States Virgin Islands.</p>
<p>Beginning no later than the summer of 1997, the defendant used the victim’s personally identifiable information to obtain a series of driver’s licenses and identification cards, including a Maryland state identification card and multiple Maryland driver’s licenses. Building upon these documents, the defendant also obtained a United States passport and a Social Security card, and registered to vote.</p>
<p>On June 21, 2015, the defendant was interviewed by Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) investigators about his passport applications and claims to be Cheyenne Moody Davis. The defendant falsely claimed to have served as a <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/category/military-scammer/" title="Military" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="392">Military</a> Police officer in the 200th Military Police Command at Fort Meade from 2005 through 2008, and told agents that he completed his military police training at Fort Knox and Fort Hood. He was unable to produce a military identification card and stated that he lost it, but during the interview showed State Department investigators military-standard dog tags bearing the name “Cheyenne M Davis,” and the real Davis’ Social Security number.</p>
<p>The government later learned that John Doe purchased these dog tags online, along with a number of other military-related items, including patches for the 200th Military Police Command, military police, and uniform patches bearing the name “Davis.”</p>
<p>A review of the contents of the defendant’s social media accounts showed that he made statements to multiple other users that he was in the U.S. Army or Army Reserve, and worked at the Fort Meade military base in Maryland. The U.S. Army 200th Military Police Command at Fort Meade confirmed that no one ever served in the U.S. Army under the name or PII of Cheyenne Moody Davis. The U.S. Army also confirmed that military police are not trained at Fort Knox or Fort Hood.</p>
<p>Finally, defendant John Doe voted in the 2016 Presidential Election using the stolen identity.</p>
<p>United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the Social Security Administration &#8211; Office of the Inspector General for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur acknowledged the assistance of the Acting United States Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett in the District of the Virgin Islands and the Howard County Police Department, and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary A. Myers and Phil Selden, who prosecuted this case.</p>
<p>If anyone has any information on the identity of “John Doe,” who has used the name Cheyenne Moody Davis, they are asked to e-mail the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) at DS_WFO_TIPS@state.gov (link sends e-mail).</p>
<p>According to DSS, John Doe is approximately 41-44 years old, 5’8”, with light brown eyes and has previously gone by the pseudonyms “Chris” or “Richie.” John Doe may be from Antigua, Barbuda, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, or Jamaica. According to evidence introduced at trial, he has a Jamaican accent. According to DSS, John Doe would have been between 20 to 25 years old when he left disappeared from his community around June of 1997. More information can be found at https://www.state.gov/m/ds/rls/274463.htm.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/john-doe-sentenced-42-months-prison-passport-fraud-social-security-fraud-aggravated">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Health Care Fraud: Tovah Lynn Jasperson And Alan Martin Bostom Pled Guilty to One Count of Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud
<h2>Treatment Center Owners Sentenced to Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme Involving Sober Homes and Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment Centers</h2>
<p>Two treatment center owners were sentenced to prison for their participation in a multi-million dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme that involved the filing of fraudulent insurance claim forms and defrauded health care benefit programs.</p>
<p>Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; Michael J. DePalma, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Jimmy Patronis, Florida Chief <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/tag/financial-fraud/" title="Financial" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="850">Financial</a> Officer; Michael J. Waters, Special Agent in Charge, Amtrak Office of Inspector General (Amtrak-OIG); Isabel Colon, Regional Director, United States Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA); and Dennis Russo, Director of Operations, National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), made the announcement.</p>
<p>Tovah Lynn Jasperson, a/k/a Tara, 48, of Wellington, was sentenced to 78 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Alan Martin Bostom, 75, of Wellington, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Both were also ordered to pay restitution of $4,045,364.98. Jasperson previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347; all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. Bostom previously pled guilty to one count of making false statements related to a health care matter, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035(a)(1).</p>
<p>According to court documents, Jasperson and Bostom were the owners of Angel’s Recovery, a business with multiple locations in Palm Beach County that purportedly operated as a licensed substance abuse service provider (or treatment center) offering clinical treatment services for persons suffering from alcohol and drug addiction. Angel’s Recovery also offered medication-based treatment for opioid addiction.</p>
<p>At different times, the defendants managed all aspects of Angel’s Recovery, including hiring and firing personnel, admitting and discharging patients, and making financial decisions. To secure a steady stream of patients, the defendants established illegal kickback/bribe relationships with owners of sober homes, in exchange for referring the sober homes’ insured residents to Angel’s Recovery for treatment. Sober homes were purportedly in the business of providing safe and drug-free residences for individuals suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. The defendants provided the money used to purchase or rent several properties used as “sober homes,” although the purchase agreements or leases would bear the names of third parties.</p>
<p>The defendants and co-conspirators provided kickbacks and bribes, in the form of free or reduced rent, insurance premium payments, and other benefits to individuals with insurance who agreed to reside at the sober homes and attend drug treatment, which included regular and random drug testing (typically three or more times per week), so that members of the conspiracy could bill the testing and treatment to the residents’ insurance plans. To disguise kickbacks and bribes to patients, the defendants used a separate entity to pay insurance premiums for patients of Angel’s Recovery so that Angel’s Recovery could continue to bill the patients’ insurance companies for treatment expenses.</p>
<p>Jasperson and Bostom hired a doctor to serve as the medical director of Angel’s Recovery who frequently pre-signed prescriptions that were used to dispense controlled substances to patients of Angel’s Recovery by other employees. After the doctor’s medical license was suspended, the defendants continued to employ him and failed to inform the Florida Department of Children and Families because it could not continue to operate as a licensed facility without a licensed medical director.</p>
<p>The defendants and co-conspirators caused the submission of insurance claims that: falsely stated the testing and treatment were medically necessary, failed to disclose that patients were referred to Angel’s Recovery in exchange for kickbacks and bribes, failed to disclose that patients were not asked to pay kickbacks and deductibles, failed to disclose that the defendants paid some patients’ insurance premiums, and failed to disclose that the prescribing physician’s license was suspended.</p>
<p>Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the Greater Palm Beach Health Care Fraud Task Force. Agencies of the task force include the FBI, IRS-CI, the Florida Division of Investigative and Forensic Services, Amtrak-OIG, DOL-EBSA, and NICB. This matter and related cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys A. Marie Villafaña and Alexandra Chase.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/treatment-center-owners-sentenced-prison-multi-million-dollar-health-care-fraud-and">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Health Care Fraud: Dr. Julio Delgado Pleaded Guilty to Aiding And Abetting The Fraudulent Acquisition of Controlled Substances

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Physician, Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Plead Guilty in Montgomery “Pill Mill” Case</h2>



<p><strong>These Guilty Pleas Raise the Number of Convictions in this Case to Eight</strong></p>



<p>Montgomery, Alabama – During the past few weeks, three more health care providers have pleaded guilty in the ongoing “pill mill” prosecution arising out of a now-closed Montgomery medical office, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. That medical practice was known as “Family Practice” and was located at 4143 Atlanta Highway in Montgomery. In November of last year, the practice’s owner, Dr. Gilberto Sanchez, pleaded guilty to drug distribution, health care fraud, and money laundering charges. The details of each new guilty plea are as follows.</p>



<p>On Friday May 11, 2018, Dr. Julio Delgado, 56, of Homewood, Alabama, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the fraudulent acquisition of controlled substances. According to court documents, Dr. Delgado worked for Sanchez at Family Practice during 2015 and 2016. During that time, Dr. Delgado saw some of Dr. Sanchez’s patients when Dr. Sanchez was too busy. In open court on May 11, Dr. Delgado admitted to writing a prescription for someone who was never his patient and without ever examining the person.</p>



<p>On Monday, April 23, 2018, Elizabeth Cronier, 70, of Montgomery, Alabama, also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the fraudulent acquisition of controlled substances. Court documents show that Cronier was a certified registered nurse practitioner and that she worked for Sanchez at Family Practice from 2016 to 2017. When she pleaded guilty, Cronier admitted to aiding and abetting a patient in obtaining a fraudulent prescription for buprenorphine.</p>



<p>On Monday, April 30, 2018, Stephanie Michelle Ott, 42, of Fairhope, Alabama pleaded guilty to conspiring to make false statements related to health care matters. The charging document states that Ott, a registered nurse, worked for Sanchez during 2015 and 2016, serving as a practice management consultant. Through her work, Ott helped to implement a new medical billing system for the practice. Ott did so knowing that the system she was implementing would cause the practice to report medical services provided by nurse practitioners as though physicians had provided the services. By doing so, the practice collected 15 percent more for each service than it would have had it accurately reported the qualifications of the health care providers.</p>



<p>Each defendant will be scheduled for a sentencing hearing over the next several months. At sentencing, Delgado and Cronier will face maximum sentences of four years in prison, as well as substantial monetary penalties. Ott will face a maximum sentence of five years in prison, along with the monetary penalties.</p>



<p>These guilty pleas now make eight defendants who have pleaded guilty to offenses arising out of the operation of this pill mill. The five defendants who pleaded guilty previously are: (1) Dr. Sanchez, as noted above; (2) Dr. Sanchez’s former partner, Dr. Shepherd A. Odom, who pleaded guilty to drug distribution and money laundering charges; (3) nurse practitioner Steven Cox, who pleaded guilty to drug distribution and health care fraud charges; (4) Misty Fannin, the practice’s former office manager, who pleaded guilty to money laundering; and (5) Farley Pugh, another former office manager, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to make false statements related to health care matters.</p>



<p>This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, and the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, the Montgomery Police Department, and the Opelika Police Department all assisted in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan S. Ross and R. Rand Neeley are prosecuting the case.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdal/pr/physician-nurse-practitioner-and-nurse-plead-guilty-montgomery-pill-mill-case">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Financial Fraud: Rocky Hutson Sentenced For False Claims, Creating Fictious Financial Instruments And Bank Fraud
<h2>Western Slope Sovereign Citizen Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Fraud and Related Crimes</h2>
<p>DENVER – Rocky Hutson, age 59, of Grand Junction, Colorado, and a self-proclaimed sovereign citizen, was sentenced to serve 70 months (nearly 6 years) in federal prison for false claims, creating fictious financial instruments and bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Calvin Shivers and Department of Education Special Agent in Charge Adam Shandeling announced. After serving his prison sentence, Hutson will then spend 3 years on supervised release. The defendant appeared at the sentencing hearing free on bond. He was ordered to report to a prison facility within 15 days of designation. On January 11, 2018 the defendant was found guilty of bank fraud and related crimes following a jury trial.</p>
<p>In late 2011 and early 2012, Hutson devised a scheme to frustrate or delay the legitimate collection of debts that included student loans, small business loans, car loans, and home mortgages. The defendant created various documents that appeared to be legitimate <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/tag/financial-fraud/" title="financial" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="849">financial</a> instruments but were in fact worthless and gave them to various acquaintances to submit in payment of debts. If a financial institution refused to accept the worthless instrument as payment, Hutson often made phone calls or sent letters to the bank or its attorneys in an effort to convince them the instruments were legitimate. In one case, he even went so far as to threaten to have a bank employee thrown in jail for refusing the payment. A few months later, in May of 2012, he began a similar course of conduct that involved submitting false claims to the Department of Agriculture in attempts not only to pay off existing debts but also to purchase new items, including seventeen Harley-Davidson motorcycles and a shopping center worth over $7 million.</p>
<p>Testimony at trial indicated that Hutson had a hand in submitting nearly $14.7 million worth of false claims to the Department of Agriculture and about $6.3 million worth of fictitious financial instruments to various financial institutions. Although there was ultimately no loss to the federal government, banks lost about $47,000 due to Hutson’s schemes, and various individuals suffered smaller losses as a result of his actions. According to the prosecution, Hutson’s true motivation was a sincere and abiding dislike of the government, banks, and the financial system in general as well as his affiliation with a “sovereign citizen” group known as the “Republic for the United States of America.”</p>
<p>The jury convicted Hutson of all fourteen counts with which he was charged, including five counts of filing false claims with the Department of Agriculture, six counts of creating fictitious financial instruments, and three counts of bank fraud.</p>
<p>“Americans have every right to believe whatever ideology they want,” said U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer. “But they don’t have a right to hide behind any ideology to manipulate others in violation of the law and for their own personal gain. That’s what the defendant did, and he’ll be punished for it. Our prosecutors and the FBI made sure of that.”</p>
<p>&#8220;The FBI is committed to aggressively pursuing those who defraud our banking institutions. The creation of fictitious financial instruments to avoid debt payment is a felony,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Calvin Shivers. “The recent sentencing of Rocky Hudson should deter others who engage in these types of fraud schemes.&#8221;</p>
<p>Hutson was indicted in June 2016 as the result of a widespread investigation by the FBI and the Department of Education OIG into fraudulent debt elimination tactics promoted by the sovereign citizen movement on the western slope of Colorado. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Burrows and Peter Hautzinger.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/western-slope-sovereign-citizen-sentenced-federal-prison-bank-fraud-and-related-crimes-0">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Cyber Crime: LOUIS ONG Sentenced For Operated Unlicensed Bitcoin Trading
<h2>Canadian Who Operated Unlicensed Bitcoin Trading Business Sentenced</h2>
<p><strong>Defendant Engaged in Bitcoin Exchanges with Undercover Agents despite Knowledge the Money was Drug Trafficking Proceeds</strong></p>
<p>A Vancouver, British Columbia man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 20 days of incarceration and more than $1 million in forfeitures for Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmission Business, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes.</p>
<p>LOUIS ONG, 37, was arrested in July 2017, after a series of bitcoin for cash sales with an undercover agent with Homeland Security Investigations. ONG repeatedly told the agent, who was posing as a member of a drug trafficking group, that he did not want to know the source of the cash so that he would have ‘plausible deniability.’ Even after ONG registered as a money transmitter, he made little effort to comply with regulations about reporting suspicious transactions. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik imposed three years of supervised release and noted that ONG will likely be unable to return to the U.S. from Canada.</p>
<p>“The dark web is not a free pass for crime and mayhem,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “As this defendant knew full well, the laws and rules apply to crypto currency dealings just as they do to other types of <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/tag/financial-fraud/" title="financial" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="848">financial</a> transactions. I commend Homeland Security Investigations for their ongoing work to police the Internet – including the Dark Web &#8212; to root out those who undermine public safety for all of us.”</p>
<p>According to records filed in the case, in December 2016, federal law enforcement responded to an ad ONG had placed regarding buying and selling bitcoin – a cryptocurrency that can be used for purchases on the dark web and elsewhere. Later in December, and again in February and March 2017, ONG traveled to the Seattle area to exchange cash for bitcoin. At various times the undercover agents specifically told ONG that the funds they were exchanging for bitcoin came from drug trafficking. ONG repeatedly told them he did not want to hear that so that he had ‘plausible deniability.’</p>
<p>In May 2017, ONG was observed by other HSI agents in Blaine, Washington running cash through a bill counter while sitting in his car. The agents informed him he needed to register as a money remitter with FinCEN, a bureau of the U.S. Treasury whose mission is to safeguard the financial system from illicit use and money laundering. ONG registered with FinCEN, and informed Homeland Security that he had done so. However, even after registering he failed to follow FinCEN regulations requiring the reporting of suspicious transactions – including three more with undercover agents.</p>
<p>ONG was arrested in the midst of his sixth financial transaction with undercover law enforcement agents. After each of the exchanges for bitcoin, law enforcement used licensed cryptocurrency exchanges to return the government funds to cash. As part of his plea agreement, ONG is forfeiting both cash and bitcoin now valued at more than $1 million.</p>
<p>ONG was indicted on August 16, 2017 and pleaded guilty on February 15, 2018. He was released on bond to reside with his sister in Los Angeles, California after being held for 20 days at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac.</p>
<p>While on home restrictions in Los Angeles, ONG volunteered with a variety of homeless organizations and today tearfully told the court he now realizes “how his actions (as an illegal money transmitter) facilitated more people being exposed to addictive substances.”</p>
<p>The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joe Silvio. Mr. Silvio is an attorney with Homeland Security Investigations who is specially designated to prosecute cases in federal court.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/canadian-who-operated-unlicensed-bitcoin-trading-business-sentenced">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Financial Fraud: Leonel Alexis Valerio Santana Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
<h2>Dominican National Pleads Guilty to International E-Mail Impersonation and Fraud Scam</h2>
<p>BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a scam in which he and co-conspirators defrauded victims by pretending to be employees of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).</p>
<p>Leonel Alexis Valerio Santana, 28, pleaded guilty to two conspiracies: a conspiracy to commit money laundering, and a separate conspiracy to commit wire fraud, to impersonate a federal employee, and to misuse a government seal. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Aug. 14, 2018. In January 2018, Valerio Santana was arrested and charged by criminal complaint along with co-conspirator Frank Gregory Cedeno, 27, of Ocoee, Fla.</p>
<p>From at least June 2015 through November 2017, Valerio Santana conspired with others to defraud victims by pretending to be employees of the SEC. In that guise, members of the conspiracy demanded money from victims, directing them to send it to members of the conspiracy, including members in Boston. The conspirators who received the money generally withdrew it from bank accounts quickly, then forwarded much of it to individuals in the Dominican Republic, including to Valerio Santana, who received it. In one common version of the scam, victims received e-mails that used official-seeming documentation with the SEC seal to support a false claim that the victim must pay a fee in order to receive a portion of a legal settlement. In another version of the scheme, victims received e-mails and official-seeming documents labeling the victim as a defendant in a civil lawsuit alleging that the victim owed tens of thousands of dollars in supposed disgorgement, penalties and fees. The documents gave the victim a choice of either appearing in court to contest the lawsuit or paying a smaller fee.</p>
<p>Between June 2015 and June 2017, there were at least 95 victims targeted by the scam, with fraudulent solicitations exceeding $1.3 million and actual losses of more than $235,000.</p>
<p>Cedeno was indicted in March 2018 and has pleaded not guilty.</p>
<p>The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss in the offense, and restitution. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the funds involved in the money laundering offense, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.</p>
<p>United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Carl W. Hoecker, Inspector General of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Office of Inspector General; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian A. PérezâDaple of Lelling’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.</p>
<p>The details contained in the court documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/dominican-national-pleads-guilty-international-e-mail-impersonation-and-fraud-scam">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Identity Theft: Wilson Lasset Pled Guilty to Wire Fraud And Aggravated Identity Theft
<h2>Former Boca Raton Resident Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Scheme</h2>
<p>A former Boca Raton resident, who purported to operate a tax preparation business in Pompano Beach, pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a multi-million dollar stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme.</p>
<p>Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael J. DePalma, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS-CI), made the announcement.</p>
<p>Wilson Lasset, 48, formerly of Boca Raton, Florida, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A. Lasset faces a possible maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge, followed by a mandatory sentence of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft charge. Lasset is scheduled to be sentenced on July 19, 2018, by United States District Court Judge Kathleen M. Williams.</p>
<p>According to stipulated facts filed in court, Lasset applied to the IRS for identification numbers, enabling him and the business he incorporated, Triangle International Training Center, to prepare and electronically file tax returns on behalf of other people. The business operated out of two addresses in Pompano Beach, Florida. In 2012, using these identification numbers, the defendant filed approximately 1,606 tax returns with the IRS. These tax returns included at least 25 returns filed using the names and social security numbers of individuals living with cerebral palsy who did not need to file tax returns and who did not authorize Lasset to file tax returns on their behalf. The unauthorized filings also included returns using the identities of approximately 386 incarcerated individuals. These returns, as well as the filings using the identities of the individuals with cerebral palsy, included falsely claimed earned income tax credits, based on false claims of earning income as “household help” employees, and falsely claimed education credits designed to reimburse college and other higher education expenses.</p>
<p>In total, Lasset’s identification numbers were used to claim more than $2.7 million in fraudulent tax refunds. The IRS paid approximately $788,611 in refunds based on these fraudulent tax returns. Approximately $51,000 was deducted directly from these refunds as preparer’s fees that were deposited into a bank account Lasset opened and controlled for Triangle International Training Center. Lasset used the money deposited into this account to fund his travel and other personal expenses.</p>
<p>Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI in connection with the investigation of this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared M. Strauss.</p>
<p>Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at <a href="https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov">www.flsd.uscourts.gov</a> or on <a href="https://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov">https://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov</a>.</p>
<p> ;</p>

Bankruptcy: Phebe Ibrahim Sentenced For Bankruptcy Fraud And Related Charges
<h2>St. Peters Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulent Preparation of Bankruptcy Petitions</h2>
<p>On May 10, 2018, Phebe Ibrahim, formerly known as &#8220;Phebe Khan,&#8221; age 50, of St. Peters, Missouri, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for bankruptcy fraud and related charges, announced Donald S. Boyce, U. S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Ibrahim was previously charged in a 21-count indictment filed on October 3, 2017, as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s continuing effort to crack down on those who commit fraud in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Illinois. She pled guilty to all charges on February 8, 2018.</p>
<p>As part of her guilty plea, Ibrahim, a non-lawyer, admitted that she worked as a bankruptcy petition preparer, preparing bankruptcy petitions and other documents for debtors who wished to file bankruptcy in the Southern District of Illinois. The Bankruptcy Code imposes certain restrictions on bankruptcy petition preparers, including requiring them to disclose their names on any documents they prepare, and allowing the Bankruptcy Courts to set maximum fees that they can charge their customers. The practice in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Illinois is that bankruptcy petition preparers are not allowed to charge fees of more than $150.</p>
<p>Ibrahim admitted that she defrauded the debtors for whom she prepared bankruptcy petitions by routinely charging fees that exceeded the maximum allowable amount. Ibrahim also acknowledged that she attempted to conceal her fraud by not disclosing her name on the documents she prepared, and by instructing her customers not to mention her name during their bankruptcy cases.</p>
<p>The Bankruptcy Code also requires that debtors attend a credit counselling briefing prior to filing a bankruptcy case. Ibrahim admitted that she circumvented and defeated this provision of the Bankruptcy Code by causing false &#8220;Certificates of Counselling&#8221; to be filed on behalf of her customers. These Certificates represented that Ibrahim’s customers had attended the required credit counselling briefing.</p>
<p>In rejecting the defendant’s request for a probationary sentence, United States District Judge Staci M. Yandle noted that Ibrahim &#8220;took advantage of individuals when they were in a vulnerable <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/tag/financial-fraud/" title="financial" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="847">financial</a> situation,&#8221; calling Ibrahim’s fraud and repeated false statements to the Bankruptcy Court &#8220;repugnant.&#8221; Judge Yandle also found it &#8220;unbelievable&#8221; that after the</p>
<p>Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Illinois specifically ordered Ibrahim to stop acting as a bankruptcy petition preparer, she then engaged in the same conduct in the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.</p>
<p>In addition to the 18 month prison sentence, Judge Yandle imposed a three-year term of supervised release and ordered Ibrahim to pay a $2,100 special assessment and total restitution in the amount of $13,200 to the bankruptcy clients she defrauded.</p>
<p>&#8220;Today’s sentence sends a strong message to those who abuse the bankruptcy system,&#8221; stated Nancy J. Gargula, United States Trustee for Southern and Central Illinois and Indiana (Region 10). &#8220;Providing false documents to the United States Bankruptcy Court, such as false bankruptcy credit counseling certificates, bankruptcy petitions that concealed this bankruptcy petition preparer’s involvement in the cases and charging fees that exceeded the maximum allowable amount, undermines the integrity of the system and will not be tolerated. We appreciate the commitment of U.S. Attorney Boyce and our law enforcement partners to holding those who abuse the bankruptcy system accountable. We welcome information that will help detect unscrupulous bankruptcy petition preparers and we encourage citizens to report suspected bankruptcy fraud through our Internet hotline at USTP.Bankruptcy.Fraud@usdoj.gov.&#8221; The United States Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws.</p>
<p>The case against Ibrahim resulted from a referral by the United States Trustee for Indiana and Southern and Central Illinois (Region 10) to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The investigation was conducted by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Springfield Division, Fairview Heights Resident Agency, in collaboration with the Southern Illinois Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group, which is coordinated by the United States Trustee. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Scott A. Verseman.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdil/pr/st-peters-woman-sentenced-prison-fraudulent-preparation-bankruptcy-petitions">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Health Care Fraud: Joan Cicchiello Sentenced For Making False Statements Related to Health Care Matters
<h2>Former Registered Nurse Sentenced To Six Years’ Imprisonment For Health Care Fraud</h2>
<p>HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Joan Cicchiello, age 67, of Annville and Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 9, 2018, to 72 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge John E. Jones, II on Health Care Fraud related charges.</p>
<p>According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Cicchiello, a licensed Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner and Registered Nurse who is certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was indicted in October 2016, and charged with one count of Health Care Fraud, thirty-seven counts of making false statements related to health care matters, and one count of obstruction of a federal audit.</p>
<p>Cicchiello was the owner and operator of Twilight Beginnings, located in Mount Carmel, that provided mental health services. Cicchiello used her company to recruit individuals who were either not properly licensed or unlicensed and have them “provide” psychiatric care to patients. Despite the fact that Cicchiello knew these individuals were not trained, licensed nor authorized to provide these psychiatric related services, Cicchiello directed that they meet with elderly residents of nursing homes throughout central and northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as with adolescents seeking psychiatric care at her Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania office. These individuals, whom Cicchiello referred to as her “counselors,” included a retired chiropractor, a convicted felon whose clinical social worker license was suspended, and numerous other unqualified individuals.</p>
<p>Cicchiello directed these individuals provide to her with a listing of the patients they met. Cicchiello then utilized these lists to falsely bill the Medicare program as though she, a properly licensed and trained practitioner, personally provided face-to-face psychotherapy related services to the adolescent and elderly patients.</p>
<p>Additionally, Cicchiello created false documents representing that her “counselors” were properly trained and licensed. Cicchiello provided these false documents to the Medicare program as well as nursing homes and personal care homes throughout central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Cicchiello falsely billed the Medicare program when she claimed she was providing psychotherapy to patients in Pennsylvania when, in fact, she was vacationing in such locations as Las Vegas, Russia, Denmark, London, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Scotland and Ireland. Cicchiello directed her employees to create false psychiatric progress notes documenting care never provided by her to patients while she was traveling abroad.</p>
<p>Prior to rendering sentence, Judge Jones commented that the fraud was of a particularly disturbing nature and had many moving parts. Not only did she falsely bill Medicare and created false licenses for her employees, but her scheme preyed upon the elderly, the disabled and the infirm by using individuals who are unqualified to provide counseling and psychotherapy services in every way. These “services” were provided by such individuals as a licensed clinical social worker whose license was suspended based upon two prior felony drug convictions, an 80- year-old chiropractor, and a convicted Megan’s Law offender. Judge Jones also noted that Cicchiello ran her business out of an abandoned church in Mt. Carmel and organized it as a charity.</p>
<p>Judge Jones also ordered that Cicchiello be immediately remanded into custody, pay restitution to the Medicare program in the amount of $152,122, a $150,000 fine, and the moneys previously seized by the government, in bank accounts owned and/or controlled by her that were proceeds of her false and fraudulent billings she submitted to Medicare.</p>
<p>“This brazen fraud was compounded by the fact that it was perpetrated on some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said United States Attorney Freed. “The hard-working agents of HHS-OIG and the FBI should be commended for their tireless work on this investigation. The outstanding efforts of these investigators resulted in appropriate punishment for the offender, recovery of taxpayer funds and the opportunity for the victims to receive the legitimate help that they need.”</p>
<p>“The Medicare program exists to provide health care services to the most vulnerable members of our society-the elderly and disabled,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “Ms. Cicchiello actions show she valued money over the health and safety of her elderly, disabled and adolescent patients. HHS- OIG Special Agents and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to hold such individuals accountable for these types of actions.”</p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not enough that this defendant fleeced the taxpayers in stealing money from Medicare,&#8221; said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI&#8217;s Philadelphia Division. &#8220;What&#8217;s truly despicable is the manner in which she did so. Her sham mental health clinic put many vulnerable patients at risk, while she was pocketing the payments for personal gain. Proper mental health treatment can be life-changing. Sadly, so can sub-standard care.&#8221;</p>
<p>The case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the US Department of Health and Human Services, Harrisburg Field Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Williamsport Resident Agency. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph J. Terz and Chelsea B. Schinnour prosecuted the case.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/former-registered-nurse-sentenced-six-years-imprisonment-health-care-fraud">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Financial Fraud: ANILESH AHUJA And AMIN MAJIDI Charged With Participating in a Scheme to Commit Securities Fraud
<h2>Hedge Fund Founder, Portfolio Manager, And Trader Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Mismarking Securities By Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars</h2>
<p><strong>Former Hedge Fund Chief Risk Officer and Trader, and Former Salesman at a Broker-Dealer, Have Each Pled Guilty and are Cooperating with the Government</strong></p>
<p>Audrey Strauss, the Attorney for the United States, acting under authority conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrests of ANILESH AHUJA, a/k/a “Neil,” the founder, chief executive officer, and chief investment officer of a New York-based investment firm that managed hedge funds focused on structured credit products (“the Firm”), AMIN MAJIDI, a former partner and portfolio manager at the Firm, and JEREMY SHOR, a former trader at the Firm.</p>
<p>Ms. Strauss said: “Investors rely on a hedge fund’s performance numbers when deciding whom to trust with their capital. To compete with other peer funds, Neil Ahuja, founder of an investment firm, allegedly manipulated the firm’s performance numbers, using fraudulently inflated values for the firm’s securities holdings and lying to investors about how the firm would mark its positions. By allegedly cooking the books, Ahuja and his co-defendants made the fund appear more attractive to would-be investors and dissuaded current investors from withdrawing their investments. We will continue to work with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that investors are provided accurate information when making important investment decisions.”</p>
<p>FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “The defendants’ alleged practice of intentionally misleading investors and mismarking securities held in the funds they managed allowed them to charge higher fees and hold captive money that would have likely been withdrawn had their clients been aware of the hedge fund’s actual value. Their initial success was based on self-imposed target returns, supported by reverse engineering tactics, but in the end, they missed their mark.”</p>
<p><em>AHUJA, MAJIDI, and SHOR are charged with participating in a scheme, from in or about 2014 through in or about 2016, to commit <strong>securities fraud</strong> and <strong>wire fraud</strong> relating to the mismarking of certain securities held in hedge funds that the Firm managed</em>, thus fraudulently inflating the net asset value (“NAV”) of those funds as reported to investors and potential investors. At its peak, the mismarking across all funds managed by the Firm exceeded $200 million. In addition, Ms. Strauss announced today the unsealing of charges against ASHISH DOLE, a former chief risk officer and trader at the Firm, and FRANK DINUCCI, JR., a former salesman at a broker-dealer. Both DOLE and DINUCCI have pled guilty and are cooperating with the Government.</p>
<p>AHUJA was arrested in New York, New York, this morning. MAJIDI was arrested at his home in Armonk, New York, this morning. SHOR self-surrendered to the authorities in New York, New York, this morning.</p>
<p>AHUJA, MAJIDI, and SHOR will be presented and arraigned later today before United States District Judge Katherine Polk Failla. DOLE’s case is assigned to United States District Judge John G. Koeltl. DINUCCI’s case is assigned to United States District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.</p>
<p>In a separate action, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed civil charges against AHUJA, MAJIDI, and SHOR.</p>
<p>According to the allegations in the charging documents unsealed today in Manhattan federal court, including the Indictment,[1] and statements made in court proceedings:</p>
<p>The Firm</p>
<p>As alleged in the Indictment, in or about 2008, ANILESH AHUJA, a/k/a “Neil,” co-founded the Firm, where he was the chief executive officer and chief investment officer. The Firm managed hedge funds focused primarily on structured credit products, including residential <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/category/mortgage/" title="mortgage" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="129">mortgage</a> backed securities (“RMBS”). Before founding the Firm, AHUJA had been the head of the RMBS group at a prominent global investment bank.</p>
<p>The Firm’s flagship mortgage credit fund (the “Hedge Fund”) was launched in or about October 2009. A segregated ERISA fund held the same positions as the Mortgage Credit Fund. In 2013, the Firm launched a new fund (the “New Issue Fund”) that purchased and securitized pools of mortgages that were not issued or guaranteed by a government agency. At various relevant times between 2008 and 2016, the Firm managed billions of dollars in assets, in excess of $5 billion at the Firm’s peak.</p>
<p>From in or about 2008 through in or about June 2016, AMIN MAJIDI worked at the Firm, first as the chief risk officer and, beginning in or about 2014, as a partner and the portfolio manager for the Hedge Fund. From in or about early 2014 through in or about March 2016, JEREMY SHOR was employed by the Firm as a trader, where he focused on non-agency RMBS – i.e., RMBS securities that were not issued by a government agency.</p>
<p>The Scheme to Mismark Securities</p>
<p>As alleged in the Indictment, from at least in or about 2014 through at least in or about 2016, AHUJA, MAJIDI, SHOR, and others, including DOLE and DINUCCI, participated in a scheme to defraud the Firm’s investors and potential investors in the Hedge Fund and the New Issue Fund by deceptively mismarking each month the value of certain securities held in those funds, and thus fraudulently inflating the NAV of those funds as reported to investors and potential investors. At times, the NAV was overstated by more than $200 million across the funds managed by the Firm.</p>
<p>This benefited the Firm in at least two ways. First, the Firm was able to charge its investors higher management and performance fees. Second, the Firm was able to forestall redemptions by investors who would have requested a return of their funds had they known the Firm’s true performance and operating health.</p>
<p>The mismarking scheme evolved as a result of demands by AHUJA and MAJIDI that the Firm maintain its track record of success and keep pace with the performance of peer funds, regardless of market conditions or the actual performance of the funds. To achieve the goal of posting competitive returns, AHUJA and MAJIDI set an inflated “target” return for the Hedge Fund at the end of each month, which was based in part on the performance of peer funds. As part of the scheme, MAJIDI, frequently in the presence of AHUJA, directed the members of the trading desk, including SHOR, DOLE, and others, that the Firm must meet its “target” performance number for the month. The traders at the Firm were then tasked with “reverse engineering” marks to meet the “targets.”</p>
<p>The Firm mismarked securities using two illicit methods. In the first method, the Firm secured fraudulently inflated price quotes for particular securities from corrupt brokers. AHUJA, MAJIDI, SHOR, and others then relied on these inflated quotes to set correspondingly inflated marks for their bonds. Specifically, AHUJA and MAJIDI were aware that SHOR had access to corrupt brokers – including DINUCCI – and directed SHOR, along with DOLE and others, to use these corrupt brokers to secure the inflated quotations they needed to hit their internal “targets.” While DINUCCI initially resisted some of the inflated marks that SHOR requested that he provide, DINUCCI eventually agreed to parrot back the exact marks SHOR had requested. In exchange for sending these inflated marks, DINUCCI expected that SHOR and the Firm would use DINUCCI and his firm as a broker.</p>
<p>In the second method, AHUJA, MAJIDI, SHOR, and others relied on corrupt brokers to secure “spreads” that could be used to inflate the NAV of the funds to meet the internal “targets.” Specifically, SHOR, DOLE, and others – with the knowledge and approval of AHUJA and MAJIDI – secured and misused “spreads” from corrupt brokers, including DINUCCI. A spread is typically the difference between a bid and an ask for a given security. But SHOR obtained so-called “sector spreads” from DINUCCI for use in mismarking the Firm’s positions. Sector spreads are the difference between the bid and the ask for entire sectors of securities (e.g., non-agency RMBS), not the bid and ask for specific securities. Because a sector spread reflected the difference between the cheapest and most expensive securities within an entire sector, it would be at least as large as (and almost certainly significantly larger than) the spread for a given bond in that sector. Generally, the Firm’s valuation policy required the Firm to mark a position at the “mid,” i.e., between the bid and the ask. The Firm used sector spreads to fraudulently create what it called an “implied mid,” or “imputed mid,” for particular securities. Where a broker supplied the Firm with a bid, the Firm added half of the sector spread to “calculate” the implied mid of a bond. SHOR, DOLE, and MAJIDI internally referred to this use of implied or imputed mids as “the lever” – because it could be used to manipulate the NAV to meet AHUJA’s fraudulent targets.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>AHUJA, 49, of New York, New York, MAJIDI, 52, of Armonk, New York, and SHOR, 46, of New York, New York, are each charged with four counts: one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; one count of securities fraud; and one count of wire fraud. Count One carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and Counts Two through Four each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charges also carry a maximum fine of $5 million, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.</p>
<p>On April 6, 2017, DINUCCI, 35, of New York, New York, pled guilty before Judge Hellerstein to four counts: one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud; one count of securities fraud; one count of wire fraud; and one count of making false statements. Counts One and Four each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and Counts Two and Three each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charges also carry a maximum fine of $5 million, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.</p>
<p>On November 13, 2017, DOLE, 34, of White Plains, New York, pled guilty before Judge Koeltl to two counts: one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud; and one count of securities fraud. Count One carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and Count Two carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charges also carry a maximum fine of $5 million, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.</p>
<p>The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the respective judges.</p>
<p>Ms. Strauss praised the work of the FBI and thanked the SEC for its assistance.</p>
<p>This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea M. Griswold and Joshua A. Naftalis are in charge of the prosecution.</p>
<p>The allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.</p>
<p>[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/hedge-fund-founder-portfolio-manager-and-trader-charged-manhattan-federal-court">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Financial Fraud: Sushovan Hussain Convicted of One Count of Conspiracy of Wire Fraud And Securities Fraud
<h2>Former Autonomy CFO Convicted Of Wire Fraud</h2>
<p><strong>Defendant Defrauded Hewlett-Packard Company of $11.7 Billion During HP’s 2011 Acquisition of Autonomy</strong></p>
<p>SAN FRANCISCO – Sushovan Hussain, the former Chief Financial Officer of Autonomy Corporation plc, was convicted of one count of conspiracy, fourteen counts of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud by a federal jury today, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The verdict follows a two-month trial before the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge.</p>
<p>“The jury verdict affirms that corporate criminals who cook their company’s books to the detriment of victims in the United States, and specifically this district, will be held to account in our courts,” said Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse. “From 2009 to 2011, Sushovan Hussain misused his special skills in accounting to falsely inflate Autonomy’s revenues. The defendant then touted Autonomy’s false and misleading <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/tag/financial-fraud/" title="financial" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="846">financial</a> statements to senior executives at Hewlett-Packard Company, and eventually defrauded HP of over $11.7 billion. Corporate citizens and their shareholders, just like all citizens, deserve the full protection of our criminal laws. I am proud of the sustained investigative commitment by our partners at the FBI and appreciate the cooperation of the Financial Reporting Council and Serious Fraud Office in the United Kingdom.”</p>
<p>“Today&#8217;s verdict is a massive victory for the victim company, our community and for the American people,&#8221; said FBI San Francisco Division Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. &#8220;Such egregious dishonesty in business practice violates the trust of our citizens and will not be tolerated by the FBI and our law enforcement partners.”</p>
<p>In 2011, Hewlett-Packard Company acquired Autonomy, the former software technology company, for about $11.7 billion. The evidence at trial demonstrated that for more than two years prior to the sale, Hussain, 54, a citizen and resident of the United Kingdom, falsely inflated Autonomy’s revenues to make it appear Autonomy was growing when it really was not. Specifically, Hussain used backdated contracts, roundtrips, channel stuffing, and other forms of accounting fraud to inflate Autonomy’s publicly-reported revenues by as much as 14.6% in 2009, 17.9% in 2010, 21.5% in the first quarter of 2011, and 12.4% in the second quarter of 2011.</p>
<p>In addition, Hussain, and his co-conspirators, fraudulently concealed from investors and market analysts the scale of Autonomy’s hardware sales, which were used to boost the company’s reported top-line revenue. Autonomy’s total revenues included re-sold hardware of approximately $53.3 million in 2009, $99.08 million in 2010, $20.09 million in the first quarter of 2011, and $20.85 million in the second quarter of 2011. The evidence at trial demonstrated that Hussain falsely suggested to Autonomy investors and analysts that the loss-generating hardware revenue was really high-margin software revenue.</p>
<p>On November 10, 2016, a federal grand jury indicted Hussain charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, and 14 counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. On May 4, 2017, the federal grand jury handed down a superseding indictment adding one count of securities fraud. The Jury convicted the defendant on all counts in the superseding indictment.</p>
<p>Until its acquisition by HP on October 3, 2011, Autonomy Corporation plc was a company incorporated in England and Wales with a registered office in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Autonomy was the holding company of a group of companies engaged in software development and distribution. Autonomy maintained dual headquarters in San Francisco, California, and Cambridge. Autonomy’s major subsidiaries included Autonomy, Inc., with offices in San Francisco and San Jose; Interwoven, Inc., with offices in San Jose; and ZANTAZ, Inc., with offices in Pleasanton. Until 2011, Autonomy was a public company whose shares were listed on the London Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “AU” and were bought, held, and sold by individuals and entities throughout the United States. Autonomy reported total revenues of approximately $739 million in 2009 and approximately $870 million in 2010.</p>
<p>Judge Breyer scheduled Hussain’s next court appearance for Friday, May 4, 2018, at which time the court will consider conditions for the defendant’s continued release and a schedule for sentencing. The defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, for the conspiracy count and each of the wire fraud counts. The defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty-five (25) years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, for the securities fraud count. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.</p>
<p>Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Leach, Adam A. Reeves, and William Frentzen are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Beth Margen, Phillip Villanueva, Bridget Kilkenny, and Allen Williams. The prosecution is the result of investigations by the FBI and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr/former-autonomy-cfo-convicted-wire-fraud">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Email Scam Example: U.S DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSET CONTROL (OFAC)
<p><strong>This is an <a title="email scam" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/tag/email-scam/">email scam</a> received about “U.S DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY<br />
OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSET CONTROL (OFAC)” is a phishing scam and why not try to contact these people or log onto these sites and enter your data because you risk being stolen.</strong></p>
<table class="ajC" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr class="UszGxc ajv">
<td class="gG" colspan="2"><span class="gI">from:</span></td>
<td class="gL" colspan="2"><span class="gI"><span class="gD" data-hovercard-id="INFO@send.com">SEC.STEVEN MNUCHIN</span> <span class="go gD"><span aria-hidden="true"><;</span>INFO@send.com<span aria-hidden="true">>;</span></span> </span></p>
<p><span class="gI"><span class="go">via srs.emailowl.com </span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ajv">
<td class="gG" colspan="2"><span class="gI">reply-to:</span></td>
<td class="gL" colspan="2"><span class="gI"><span data-hovercard-id="steventernermnuchin.ustreasury@yandex.ru">steventernermnuchin.ustreasury@yandex.ru</span><br />
</span></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ajv">
<td class="gG" colspan="2"><span class="gI">to:</span></td>
<td class="gL" colspan="2"><span class="gI"><span data-hovercard-id="INFO@send.com">Recipients <;INFO@send.com>;</span><br />
</span></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ajv">
<td class="gG" colspan="2"><span class="gI">date:</span></td>
<td class="gL" colspan="2"><span class="gI">Thu, Apr 19, 2018 at 8:34 AM</span></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ajv">
<td class="gG" colspan="2"><span class="gI">subject:</span></td>
<td class="gL" colspan="2"><span class="gI">U.S DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY/</span></p>
<p><span class="gI">UNITED ARAB EMIRATES</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> ;</p>
<blockquote><p>U.S DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY<br />
OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSET CONTROL (OFAC).<br />
1500 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW. WASHINGTON, DC 20220.USA<br />
Official Emailing:steventernermnuchin.ustreasury@yandex.ru/stevenmnucin.ustreasury@yahoo.com<br />
www.treasury.gov</p>
<p>Read Carefully &; Understand!!!</p>
<p>This letter is brought to your acknowledgement by the Committee of U.S Department of the Treasury in conjunction with Federal Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates, after a Conference Meeting was held last week the above organizations have decided to release out some overdue valuable treasures such as Golds and Diamonds worth Billions of dollars. This treasures has been agreed to be shared among some selected important individuals with good citizenship record files worldwide, and mostly scammed victims. This Tonnes of Golds and Diamonds have been said to be distributed to those citizens who remit their bills and Taxes regularly and have no bad criminal record.</p>
<p>Well, Gold Reserves in Abu Dhabi &; Saudi Arabia remained unchanged at 116.64 Tonnes in the second quarter of 2016 from 110.64 Tonnes in the first quarter of the year 2017-2018. Gold Reserves in the (UAE) averaged 136 Tonnes from the year 2000 until 2018, reaching an all time height of 143.82 Tonnes in the second quarter of the year 2000 and a record low of 116.64 Tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2011. Gold and Diamond Reserves in United Arab Emirates (UAE) is reported by the World Treasure Council. So some of those Golds and Diamond which have been in the Treasury Department languishing and doing nothing have been shared among the arbitrary selected individuals, of which you have been blessed to be among those lucky qualified beneficiary for this treasures &; cash compensation award, you have been selected due to your good records which we got from your nearest police station also from the FBI, CIA and the Homeland Security.</p>
<p>Furthermore, one of the major reason why the Golds and Diamonds are been distributed is because of the Gold recovered from Late President Muammar Gaddafi are too much to be stored in the Treasury Department added with the previous treasures under custody of the UAE and the U.S Department Of Treasury. So instead of storing this treasures while there are important citizens like you out there who can make good use of this treasures and cash to better their life&#8217;s. This program has got to help those individuals who must have been scammed in one way or the other and have probably loss lot of money to Internet scam, this statement is a genuinely proofed according to the several scam and fraud reports we have been receiving and recording from the U.N /FBI/ CIA &; the Homeland Security World wide.</p>
<p>Therefore, it may interest you to know that 1,000 CARAT GOLDS &; 1,000 ROUGH UNCUT DIAMONDS with the cash sum of Four Million USD has been allocated and legally awarded to you and (49) other lucky individuals from different parts of the World, which majority of them are from the United States Of America, Great Britain (U.K), Asia and European Countries etc. But if you are not from the mentioned Continents and was awarded or lucky to receive this e-mail then you are lucky and can claim your winnings *lucky stars*. The government uses this platform to appreciate you for been a true and obedient citizen so far and wish to compensate and contribute positively into your life. If you&#8217;re a scammed victim this a great opportunity for you to get back all you have lost.</p>
<p>Meanwhile to avoid complications and to proof yourself right if you&#8217;re developing or having any atom of doubt about the legitimacy of this transaction, then you will have to travel down to the Central Bank of UAE Head QUarters in Bainunah Street, Al Bateen Area, PO Box 854, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to claim and collect your 1000 KG Golds/ 1000 KG Diamonds and The cash worth of Four Million USD ($4,000,000.00). Also take note that your treasures and cash awards will be loaded in a metallic consignment box. But if traveling to UAE will be difficult, then your compensation funds and treasures awards will be delivered at your home address, this are one of the reasons why I the Secretary of the U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY have decided to be in contact with you and to direct you on how your Treasures can be delivered at your doorstep via the new fastest Aircraft delivery company which is the Cargo Logistic Courier Service Inc.</p>
<p>So if you wish to travel Down to (UAE) and collect your Treasures consignment, then you must reply back to my office so that I can direct you on how that can be accomplished. But if you wish and want it to be delivered at your home, then your delivery and personal identification details must be provided with your reply back to this e-mail and they must be provided as stated below.</p>
<p>FULL NAME &#8212;&#8211;<br />
FULL ADDRESS &#8212;<br />
DIRECT TELEPHONE&#8212;<br />
YOUR AGE &#8212;-<br />
OCCUPATION&#8212;<br />
VALID DRIVER LICENSE or NATIONAL ID&#8212;-</p>
<p>After filling the details correctly expect to hear from my office via phone call or email within (3) Hours after the receipt of your email to my office, for there is nothing to be worried about because the delivery insurance charges of your Treasures Compensation Award is all that you&#8217;re mandated and entitle to pay and get your awarded treasures and cash delivered at your resident and nothing more. Meanwhile it&#8217;s your duty to take care of the delivery Insurance of your choice as listed by the Cargo Logistic Courier Company Management stated below. This has been made compulsory and mandatory that you remit the delivery insurance of your choice due to you are the legitimate owner of the consignment box which will be delivered to your provided residential address, and the payment slip will also be used as a proof to the Diplomatic Delivery Agents that you&#8217;re the rightful owner of the box upon their arrival at your doorstep. The DELIVERY INSURANCE will also assure and guarantee you tha<br />
t no governmental organiz</p>
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Vat: $50.00 00<br />
Total Delivery Cost for 96hrs: $450.00 00 (Four Hundred and Fifty US Dollars Only)&#8230;..</p>
<p>With all due respect my office hope that you understand all that have been briefed and explained to you in regards to how your Golds / Diamonds Treasures and the cash price of ($4,000,000 USD) have been legally awarded and allocated to you by the U.S Department Of Treasury in conjunction with the Federal Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates. So try to indicate your preferred delivery choice among the two stated above. So without experiencing much delays my office and the Cargo Logistic Courier Management now await to get a swift and positive response from you to enable us commence with the safe dispatching of your 1000 Kilograms Weight Gold and 1000 Kilograms weight worth of Diamonds alongside with its cash price, which all will be loaded in a metallic consignment box for an Aircraft shipment to your doorstep with an immediate effect upon your compliance to the of content this e-mail.</p>
<p>Note: There is no risk involved, as this transaction will be executed under a legitimate procedure that will protect you from any breach of Governmental law.</p>
<p>THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION,<br />
SEC. STEVEN TERNER MNUCHIN<br />
SECRETARY OF THE US TREASURY DEPT.</p>
<p>U.S DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY<br />
OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSET CONTROL (OFAC).<br />
1500 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW. WASHINGTON, DC 20220.USA<br />
Official Emailing:steventernermnuchin.ustreasury@yandex.ru /sec.stevenmnucin.ustreasury@yahoo.com<br />
www.treasury.gov</p></blockquote>

Financial Fraud: Sombo Kanneh Pleaded Guilty to an Information Alleging One Count of Conspiracy to Bribe a Public Official
<h2>School Employee Pleads Guilty to Role in Bribery Scheme Involving VA Program for Disabled Military Veterans</h2>
<p>WASHINGTON – The <em>financial manager</em> of Atius Technology Institute (“Atius”), a privately owned, non-accredited school specializing in information technology courses, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to <strong>bribe a public official</strong> at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in exchange for the public official’s facilitation of over $1.4 million in payments that were supposed to be dedicated to providing vocational training for military veterans with service-connected disabilities.</p>
<p>Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Kim Lampkins of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (OIG), Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement.</p>
<p>Sombo Kanneh, 29, of McLean, Virginia, pleaded guilty to an Information alleging one count of conspiracy to <em>bribe a public official</em>. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates of the District of Columbia. Atius’s owner, Albert Poawui, 41, of Laurel, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme on April 16.</p>
<p>According to admissions made in connection with Kanneh’s plea, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&;E) program is a VA program that provides disabled U.S. <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/category/military-scammer/" title="military" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="391">military</a> veterans with education and employment-related services. VR&;E program counselors advise veterans under their supervision which schools to attend and facilitate payments to those schools for veterans’ tuition and necessary supplies.</p>
<p>According to admissions made in connection with her plea, Kanneh joined the conspiracy in or about October 2016, when she was hired as Atius’s <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/tag/financial-fraud/" title="financial" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="845">financial</a> manager. Pursuant to an agreement that Poawui and a VR&;E program counselor had entered the prior year, Poawui would pay the counselor a seven percent cash kickback of all payments made by the VA to Atius. In exchange, the counselor steered VR&;E program veterans to Atius and approved Atius’s invoices for payment.</p>
<p>Kanneh admitted that she routinely moved money between Atius’s bank accounts to facilitate bribe payments to the VR&;E counselor. Kanneh also admitted that she personally hand-delivered cash bribes to the VR&;E counselor on numerous occasions. Between August 2015 and December 2017, Kanneh and the scheme’s other participants caused the VA to pay Atius approximately $1,423,030. During that time period, Kanneh and others paid the VR&;E counselor approximately $106,454 in exchange for the counselor’s official acts in furtherance of the scheme to commit bribery and defraud the VA.</p>
<p>Kanneh’s plea is the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the VA OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonali D. Patel of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Simon J. Cataldo of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/school-employee-pleads-guilty-role-bribery-scheme-involving-va-program-disabled-military">Original PressReleases&#8230;</a></p>

Actual Estate Imposter Rip-Off Targets Might-be Owners
<p>In January 2017, a Denver couple signed a contract to shop for a replacement house, going to use $272,500 in take from the sale of their previous home as a deposit.</p>
<p>But scammers had alternative plans for his or her cash.</p>
<p>Before the couple’s Gregorian calendar month cut-off date, they received associate degree authentic-looking email with directions on wiring the deposit funds. The email, however, was a scam. once the couple wired the cash, they unknowingly deposited it into a dishonest account started by scammers. Their cash was gone and will not be recovered!</p>
<p>How will one thing like this happen?</p>
<h2>The scam</h2>
<p>Real estate deceiver fraud, that targets <a class="wpil_keyword_link" href="https://www.fraudswatch.com/category/mortgage/" title="mortgage" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="128">mortgage</a> customers and businesses that support the mortgage business, is on the increase. per the FBI, nearly $1 billion was entertained or tried to be entertained from assets purchase transactions and wired to dishonest accounts in 2018. rumored crimes ar up sharply from 2016, once wire fraud losses touching homebuyers destroyed $18 million.</p>
<p>In assets deceiver fraud, scammers impersonate staff at title corporations or alternative businesses supporting the shopping for and mercantilism of property as a result of these corporations generally use wire transfers to maneuver massive sums of cash and customers normally have funds without delay offered.</p>
<blockquote><p>According to the FBI, nearly $1 billion was diverted or attempted to be diverted from real estate purchase transactions and wired to fraudulent accounts in 2017.</p></blockquote>
<h2>How it works</h2>
<p>A sharpy generally gains access to a title company’s or real estate agent’s email account and searches for home purchases or refinances scheduled for settlement.</p>
<p>He can then produce a faux email address that closely resembles the important issue, like john.doe.titlecompanyname@gmail.com. With access to the important email account, the sharpy will observe the data format of previous email exchanges and craft a phishing email that appears terribly authentic, right down to the e-mail signature and company brand. victimisation this genuine-looking email, he&#8217;s ready to impersonate a representative handling the dealing, like a title company worker or lawyer, and supply dishonest wiring directions to the client, funneling the cash directly into his own checking account.</p>
<h2>The warning signs</h2>
<p>You may be a target of a true estate deceiver scam if your title company or alternative connected business:</p>
<p>Informs you that previous wire transfer directions were incorrect and provides new directions</p>
<p>Uses associate degree excuse for causing the wire transfer to a distinct account (for example, one business was told that associate degree written agreement account was being audited therefore the wire required to be sent to a different account)</p>
<p>Remember that a wire transfer is an on the spot style of payment. it&#8217;s nearly always irreversible, even though fraud is concerned. Not solely would you lose cash to the sharpy, however you&#8217;d still got to offer the funds needed to shut on your property purchase.</p>
<h2>What to do</h2>
<p><em>If you haven’t wired funds</em>:</p>
<ul>
<li>Before wiring any funds, continually make sure directions together with your mortgage advisor or title representative by job a telephone number you trust. don&#8217;t decision variety from associate degree email if you haven’t used it before, as dishonest emails typically contain faux phone numbers.</li>
<li>Verify the total email address of the sender. This method are going to be completely different for various mail servers. as an example, after you open associate degree email on your phone victimisation Yahoo, you&#8217;ll faucet the sender’s name to reveal the total email address. If the e-mail address doesn&#8217;t finish within the name (meaning you don’t see “@CompanyName.com”), this can be a typically a dishonest email. Note the distinction between john.doe.wellsfargo.com@gmail.com and john.doe@wellsfargo.com. However, subtle scammers may also spoof associate degree email address by creating a dishonest email seem to return from john.doe@wellsfargo.com, therefore it’s best to substantiate final directions by phone.</li>
<li>Be extremely suspicious of any correspondence stating your wiring directions have modified. decision your representative directly if you receive this sort of communication.</li>
</ul>
<p><em>If you&#8217;ve got wired funds and comprehend it was a dishonest request:</em></p>
<ul>
<li>If you wired cash through your bank, request a wire recall at once.</li>
<li>If you used a cash transfer service, decision the company’s grievance line directly.</li>
<li>Report the incident to the <a href="https://www.wellsfargo.com/exit/e?id=1160043222" rel="dofollow">Federal Trade Commission</a> and also the <a id="NID1_13_1_1_19_3_2" class="c28aLink" title="Internet Crime Complaint Center - Opens Dialog" href="https://www.wellsfargo.com/exit/e?id=2160043222" rel="dofollow" data-cid="tcm:182-160046-16" data-ctid="tcm:223-3748-32">Internet Crime Complaint Center</a> as shortly as potential and supply all of the incident details. If your bank asks for a police report, offer them a replica of your report back to the FBI.</li>
</ul>
<p>Real estate deceiver fraud is simply one in all several monetary scams. find out about alternative trending scams and ways in which to assist shield yourself on <a href="https://www.wellsfargo.com/privacy-security/fraud/bank-scams/" rel="dofollow">Fraud Information Center</a>.</p>