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From: To: Subject: u is airs ews rte ing urs ay, uy , Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2020 10:27:56 +0000 c Importan e: Normal Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. jeliFBI News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2020 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Trump To Announce Deployment Of Federal "Help" Into Cities To Control Violence. PROTESTS • Floyd's Family Sues Minneapolis, Four Officers Over His Death. • Giuliani Denounces "Marxist Terrorist" BLM, Says He Could End NYC Violence. • Former Seattle Resident Faces Federal Arson Charges Over Police Precinct Fire. • DO) Spokeswoman Calls Portland Mayor "A Disgrace" For Rejecting Federal Help During Protests. • Esper Issues Diversity Memo To Pentagon Officials. • Williamson: Trump Speaks Up For "Forgotten Men And Women." • Dozens Face Felony Charges After Protesting Taylor's Death. • Oklahoma Police Face Murder Charges After Tasing Man More Than 50 Times. • Chicago Police Superintendent Shakes Up Leadership Amid Increased Violence. • Berkeley Moves Toward Removing Police From Traffic Stops. • Anti-Police Protester Charged With Murdering Eight-Year-Old Atlanta Girl. • North Carolina City Approves Reparations For Black Residents. • Diversity )ob Openings Increased In Wake Of BLM Protests. • Smithsonian's National Museum Of African Art Accused Of Racism. • Statue Of Black Protester Raised In Place Of Bristol Slave Trader. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Trump Touts Terrorism Charges Against MS-13. • US, Gulf Allies Blacklist ISIS Financial Network. • US Africa Command Says Russian Mercenaries Planted Land Mines In Libya. • UN Frees Up "Expense" Money For Several Declared Terrorists. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Graham Wants To Declassify Document Related To Steele Dossier. • Trump Says He Would Consider Giving Flynn )ob At White House. • Schiff Worried "More Serious Abuse" Of Law Enforcement Is Looming With Durham Probe. • Pompeo "Confident" Foreign Countries Will Attempt To Interfere In Upcoming Elections. EFTA00150106 • DCSA Reports Nearly Half Of Those With Security Clearances Enrolled In Continuous Evaluation Program. • NNSA Administrator Says She Is Confident US Will Resume Plutonium Production By 2030. • NRO Launches "Revolutionary" Satellites From Virginia. • Airbus Targets NRO Imagery Sales With New US Corporate Entity. • Op-Ed: Trump's Call For CIA To Cooperate With Russia Was A Disaster. • Former CIA Officer Peterson Discusses The Tiananmen Crisis And Training CIA Analysts. • Relatives Of Woman Poisoned By Novichok Wait For Judges' Inquest Ruling. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Ghislaine Maxwell Reportedly Refuses To Reveal Name Of Spouse To FBI. • Sheriff Says Former Texas Jail Deputy Allowed Inmate Attack. • North Carolina Man Sentenced On Drug, Weapons Charges. • Two California Men Charged In Deadly Kidnapping. • Vallejo, California Officials Confirm Key Evidence In Police Shooting Probe Was Destroyed. • Investigators Give Report On Indiana Lynching Complaint To Prosecutors. • Pennsylvania Man Sentenced On Drug, Weapons Charges. • FBI Arrests Suspected Crime Boss In Oahu. • Second Chicago Police Officer Receives Prison Time For Corruption Charges. • Pittsburgh Store Owner Charged In Stolen Goods Scheme. • Romanian Pleads Guilty To Salt Lake City ATM Skimming Scheme. • Three Jersey City Gang Members Charged. • West Hollywood Man Sentenced To Five Years For Art Fraud. • FBI Arrest Holyoke, Man Woman For Drug Trafficking. • Continuing Coverage: Indiana Woman Arrested For Alleged Animal Abuse. • FBI Investigating Cold Case Murder In California. • Explosive Device Found Near Texas Hospital. • Nebraska Man Pleads Guilty To Producing Child Pornography. • Nebraska Man Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Murder. • Suspected Massachusetts Gang Member Ordered Held Without Bail. • Connecticut Woman Charged With Obstruction. • FBI Supporting Investigation Into Missing Connecticut Teenager. • FBI Offering Reward In DC Shooting Investigation. • New York Man Pleads Guilty To Smuggling Prison Contraband. • Continuing Coverage: Missing California Teenager Located. • Texas Man Pleads Guilty To Bank Robberies. • New Jersey Senior Charged With Child Pornography Possession, Distribution. • New Jersey Gang Members Charged In Connection To Shooting Of Minor. • FBI Searching For Missing California Toddler. • Mississippi Couple Taken Into Custody In Connection To Disappearance. • Rhode Island Man Sentenced For Bank Robberies. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Supporting Investigation Into Missing Pennsylvania Amish Teenager. • Prosecutor Admits "Grand Jury Gaffe" But Argues Perjury Indictment Should Stand. • More Arrests Made Connection With Georgia Drug Investigation. • Ten People Allegedly Sold Crack, Oxycodone In Ohio. • Two Men Accused Of Possessing Enough Fentanyl To Kill More Than 20,000 People. • Feds: Puerto Rico To Rhode Island Drug "Pipeline" Shut Down • Four People Charged With Plotting To Kill DEA Agent. • Former ICE Informant Facing Drug Charges. EFTA00150107 • Drug Case Defendant Sentenced To Decade In Federal Prison. • Oklahoma Resident Pleads Guilty To Meth Charge. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Authorities In Maryland Uncover ID Theft Scheme Involving Fraudulent Unemployment Claims. • Massachusetts Man Charged With PPP Coronavirus Fraud. • Investment Fund Accused Of Running Ponzi Scheme Got Millions In PPP Money. • Three More San Francisco Departments Subpoenaed In Widening Corruption Probe. • Minnesota Couple Pleads Guilty In Virginia To Fraud. • Pennsylvania Man Sentenced For Fraud Scheme. • Fourth Guilty Plea In Scheme To Defraud Toyota. • Former CFL Player, California Woman Sentenced In College Admissions Scandal. CYBER DIVISION • High-Profile Twitter Accounts Hacked In Bitcoin Scam. • FBI Warns Of Cyber Criminals Spoofing Airport Websites And Wi-Fi. • FBI's "Operation Kick Boxer" Targets Child Predators. • FBI Assures Rep. Lynch Of US Commitment To Sharing Cyber Threat Information With Industry Partners. • Pompeo: US Will Sanction Huawei Employees, Mulling Action Against TikTok. • UK Ban On Huawei Spurring Calls For Tougher EU Approach. • EU Court Strikes Down Privacy Shield. • Draft National Defense Authorization Act Includes Numerous Solarium Cyber Amendments. • Air Force Cyber Org Reaches Full Operational Capability. • Yahoo News: 2018 Presidential Finding Allowed CIA To Conduct Offensive Cyber Operations. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Kansas City, Missouri Officials Discuss "Operation LeGend." • Studies Tie Increased Gun Sales This Year To Spike In Gun Violence. • Judge Blocks Federal Execution Scheduled For Wednesday Night. • US Overdose Deaths Rose To Record High In 2019 In Reversal Of Positive Trend. OTHER FBI NEWS • FBI Warns Of Fake Phone Calls Claiming Agents Will Shut Down El Paso, Texas Due To COVID-19. • Bureau Of Prisons Releases Ex-Rep. Fattah From Prison Early. • Retired FBI Special Agent Arrested For Allegedly Charging At Children With Truck. • Former Federal Prosecutor Berman Takes Teaching Job At Stanford. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Trump Criticizes Navarro Op-Ed, Says He Has "A Very Good Relationship" With Fauci. • Redfield Says Following Guidelines "Could Bring This Outbreak To Its Knees." • Administration Faces Criticism For Transferring COVID Patient Information From CDC To HHS. • Coronavirus Cases Continue To Rise; US Death Count Tops 140,000. • Oklahoma Governor Tests Positive, But Still Opposes Mask Mandate. • National Parks May Be Battleground In Reopening Fights. • Oxford Researchers To Publish Early Results Of Vaccine Research Next Week. • Vaccine Scientist Will Not Be Forced To Disclose Stocks. • Resurgence Of Coronavirus Cases Threatens To Derail Economic Recovery. • Congressional Leaders Posture In Showdown Over Next Coronavirus Package. • Virginia Becomes First State To Adopt Coronavirus Safety Rules For Workplaces. • Walmart To Require Customers Wear Masks In Its Stores. EFTA00150108 • Trump Announces Changes To NEPA Regulations To Speed Permitting For Infrastructure Projects. • Trump Will Challenge Manhattan DA's Efforts To Seek His Financial Records. • WPost Analysis: Trump Has Worked To Cover Up "Crimes" Committed To Help Him In 2016. • House Democrats Advance Spending Bill That Would Cut ICE Funding. • Proposal To Overhaul Asylum System Criticized By Federal Officers. • WPost: Border Wall Is A Folly Marked By "Incompetence" And "Corruption." • Administration, Senate GOP May Prod Schools To Reopen With Incentives Or Conditions To Aid. • DeVos Sued By 23 AGs Over Changes To Student Loan Forgiveness Program. • Trump Touts Goya From Oval Office In Social Media Posts. • Niece Acknowledges She "Can't Prove" Trump Cheated On SATs. • Postal Service's Planned Cost-Cutting Measures Could Lead To Delay In Mail Deliveries. • Ginsburg Discharged From Hospital. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Pompeo Predicts "Whitewashed" WHO Investigation Into Origins Of Coronavirus. • World Leaders Urge Equal Global Access To Coronavirus Vaccine. • Canadian Officials Wary Of Reopening Even As Deaths Near Zero. • Bolsonaro Tests Positive For Coronavirus For A Second Time. • After Shunning Lockdown Measures, Sweden Sees High Death Rate. • Trump Calls On Iran To Halt Execution Of Protestors. • IAEA Chief Urges Tehran To Grant Inspectors Access. • Iranian Naval Ships Set On Fire In Latest Attack. • Administration Reportedly Mulling Travel Ban On Chinese Communist Party Members. • US Sanctions Companies Linked To Russian Businessman With Ties To Putin. • Poland's Duda Falls Victim To Russian Pranksters Posing As UN Chief. • New Research Suggests Global Methane Emissions Will Keep Rising. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS Trump To Announce Deployment Of Federal "Help" Into Cities To Control Violence. The Washington Times (7/15, Boyer, 492K) reports President Trump is "planning to direct federal law enforcement 'help' for Democratic-run cities that have seen a rise in violence this summer," calling them "war zones." In a meeting with Attorney General Barr and "other federal officials" at the White House on Wednesday, the President said he'll make a "very exciting" official announcement next week. Said Trump, "The left-wing group of people that are running our cities are not doing the job that they're supposed to be doing," adding that he will soon announce "what we're planning to do to help them." Fox News (7/15, Singman, 27.59M) reports, "The president was joined Wednesday by his chief of staff, Mark Meadows, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, Attorney General William Barr, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Matthew Albence. Also attending were U.S. attorneys from Nevada, New York and Virginia, as well as director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons Michael Carvajal and Regina Lombardo, director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives." EFTA00150109 In an interview with Townhall (7/15, Pavlich, 177K), Trump similarly "warned federal action is on the table," saying, "We are going to have to do something very comprehensive," he said. "It means sending people in. It means sending people in to clean it up. ... There's a point at which we're allowed to go in and that point is rapidly being reached." When asked "about what threshold must be met before federal action is taken," the President said, "carnage and death." White House senior adviser Stephen Miller said on KDKA-AMVi Pittsburgh (7/15), "You're witnessing an open attack by the American left on the institution of law enforcement in this country and they will not be satisfied until law enforcement as we know it is gone forever. While this used be something that was done surreptitiously, behind the scenes, quietly, it is now out in the open, in full view for everybody to see. So if this isn't enough to get every day Americans outraged by the far left and the Democratic party, I can't imagine what will because you're seeing the human consequences left-wing ideology in the city streets of New York city, Chicago, Pittsburgh Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle all over the country." Miller said on WBAP-AMVi Dallas (7/15, 13K), "There's a direct connection between the push to defund police and the surge in violent crime that you've seen in some of our nation's most Democratic controlled cities and they are trying to relive the horribly failed experiments that began in the 1970s with alternatives to prison and efforts on rehabilitation instead of putting people behind bars. ... This is not limited to cities that are run by Democrats for a few reasons. Number one is that criminals can move around into city that they want to. ... Secondly the push is to defund police nationally. It is a national effort. If the left takes over Washington, DC, they are going to try to control every police department from Washington, DC." Deputy Assistant to the President Ben Williamson said on The Brian Mudd Show (Radio)Vi (7/15), "There is no stronger supporter of law enforcement than this President. ... This President is the only thing standing between families and the mob. Law enforcement, at times, are often times the last call and that's why this President is willing to back them." Williamson added, "As we move forward to the fall you are going to see a continued unequivocal support for the good mean and women of our police departments. ... The men and woman of our law enforcement deserve our total support and that is what they are going to get form this White House in the months ahead." PROTESTS Floyd's Family Sues Minneapolis, Four Officers Over His Death. NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/15, story 6, 2:15, Holt, 5.7M) reported the family of George Floyd sued the city of Minneapolis on Wednesday over his death in police custody. The Floyd family's attorney, Ben Crump, said, "We seek to make it financially prohibitive that the police won't wrongfully kill marginalized people." Reuters (7/15, Trotta) reports the suit names as defendants the city of Minneapolis and "four officers who participated in his arrest," Derek Chauvin, 3. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (7/15, Furst, Walsh, 1.04M) reports City Attorney Erik Nilsson said in a statement that "George Floyd's death is a tragedy. The city is reviewing the civil lawsuit filed by his family and will be responding to it. Criminal charges are pending against four Minneapolis police officers, and it's very important that the criminal case proceed without interference." New Police Video Reveals Floyd's Pleas Before His Death. NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/15, story 6, 2:15, Holt, 5.7M) said it has "viewed unreleased body cam video that sheds new light on what happened before" Floyd's death. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez added that "almost two months" after his death, "for the first time previously unreleased police body camera footage showed George Floyd told officers at least 28 times that he couldn't breathe." ABC World News TonightVi (7/15, story 10, 0:15, Muir, 7.16M) reported that "a judge now allowing the public to EFTA00150110 view newly released body camera images by appointment only, not for broadcast." In the video, "Floyd can be heard saying 'I'm not a bad guy." The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/15, story 8, 1:45, O'Donnell, 4.16M) reported the "video revealed that Floyd told the officers he couldn't breathe more than 20 times, and that [Officer Derek) Chauvin refused to ease up, saying 'No, he's staying put where we got him." According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune (7/15, Xiong, Sawyer, 1.04M), the video also "showed that medics who arrived at the scene did not appear alarmed or rushed in assisting Floyd after taking his pulse, and that about three minutes passed before anyone began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Floyd, who had been unresponsive for several minutes by then." The Washington Post (7/15, Bailey, 14.2M) reports the videos "were filed as evidence in the former officers' criminal case." Giuliani Denounces "Marxist Terrorist" BLM, Says He Could End NYC Violence. Appearing on Fox News' Fox & Friends (7/15, 831K), former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani denounced what he called the "Marxist terrorist organization Black Lives Matter." Giuliani said, "They don't care about Black lives. ... There is no demonstration for...the 9,000 other Black men killed not by the police last year or the ones that are getting killed, 20 per week in New York now. They don't care about them. They only care about Black lives that can be exploited, and they try to turn the community against the police. And the minute the community loses the police, then the bad guys take over." Giuliani continued, "I went into those communities not to harass Black people, but to save their lives. And I saved more Black lives than any mayor in the history of the city. ... I could turn this around in a month." NYPD Officers Injured During Protests. ABC World News TonightVi (7/15, story 7, 0:20, Muir, 7.16M) reported, "Four New York City police officers, including the city's police chief, [were) injured during protests on the Brooklyn Bridge" on Wednesday. Video from the scene "showing some officers trying to push back the crowd. Others treating wounds." The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/15, story 11, 0:15, O'Donnell, 4.16M) reported the attack "happened as protestors, both pro- and anti-police, clashed on the Brooklyn Bridge. ... Thirty-seven people were arrested." The AP (7/15) reports "surveillance video posted on social media by the police department showed a man on the bridge's pedestrian walkway rushing toward a group of officers and reaching over a fence to bash their heads with a cane." The Fox News (7/15, Pagones, 27.59M) website reports, however, that "it was not immediately clear if the video showed the only incident of violence or if others had occurred off-camera." The New York Times (7/15, Shanahan, 18.61M) reports Police Chief Terence A. Monahan suffered "an injured hand," while the New York Post (7/15, Moore, 4.57M) reports that "at least two cops suffered serious injuries." The Washington Examiner (7/15, Picket, 448K) is among other news outlets also reporting the clash. NYTimes: Proposed New Rules Threaten Press Freedom. The New York Times (7/15, 18.61M) editorializes that "increased public scrutiny of American policing...has revealed in recent weeks an urgent need for sustained and systemic reform," but the NYPD "has chosen to respond by pressing ahead with new rules to grant wider latitude to bar journalists from covering official police activity." The Times argues that the department's proposed regulations "would add new reasons to revoke reporters' credentials that allow them past police lines." Former Seattle Resident Faces Federal Arson Charges Over Police Precinct Fire. The Hill (7/15, Klar, 2.98M) reports, "A former Seattle resident is facing federal arson charges for allegedly setting fire to an abandoned police precinct last month as part of the Capitol Hill Organized Protest occupation, known as CHOP, U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran said Wednesday." Isaiah Thomas Willoughby, 35, "was arrested without incident at a Seattle residence on Tuesday night. 'This is the third case we have charged federally for the criminal acts that tainted EFTA00150111 otherwise peaceful protests. Other crimes remain under investigation and may result in additional federal charges,' Moran said in a statement." The Hill adds, "The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and the Seattle Police Department." DO) Spokeswoman Calls Portland Mayor "A Disgrace" For Rejecting Federal Help During Protests. Fox News (7/15, Halon, 27.59M) reports, "Department of Justice spokeswoman Kerri Kupec slammed Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler as a 'disgrace' Wednesday after he rejected federal assistance in dealing with massive protests in his city." Kupec "told 'Bill Hemmer Reports' that she was 'particularly dismayed ... considering that just over the weekend, a protester went after one of our U.S. Marshals with a hammer, hitting him over and over again. Protesters were surging federal buildings, armed with sledgehammers, with slingshots, with lasers."I don't care if you're Republican or Democrat, but if you're an elected official and you're prioritizing your own personal politics and violent anarchists and agitators over the safety and security of the very people who elected you, that's not leadership,' Kupec added. 'That's a disgrace." Esper Issues Diversity Memo To Pentagon Officials. The Washington Times (7/15, Glenn, 492K) reports that senior Pentagon officials have until August 15 to tell Defense Secretary Esper "what they are doing to implement policies to handle questions of racism and discrimination with each of the military services." In a memorandum released Wednesday, Esper "issued several directives that follow recommendations that came from throughout the Department of Defense." Specifically, Esper "wants military officials to review hairstyle and grooming policies for any signs of racial bias," as well as "review appearance standards and policies and make 'appropriate policy modifications' by mid- September." Williamson: Trump Speaks Up For "Forgotten Men And Women." Deputy Assistant to the President Ben Williamson said on the Brian Mudd ShowVi (7/15), "In this culture that we live in, you are crowded out if you are Trump supporter, if you are a conservative, and it is a problem and that is why the President always talks about the silent majority of forgotten men and women. When you see him hit back from the podium...or when you see him speak out at rallies, or on Twitter, that's really who he is speaking up for, it is the people that he feels like have been threatened by this 'cancel culture' and not allowed to speak out about their viewpoints just because they happen to be different from whatever the mainstream media happens to be promoting." Joe Scarborough, meanwhile, writes in his Washington Post (7/15, 14.2M) column that "Americans should take their exceptionalism seriously and subject the country to an exceptional moral standard. The pursuit of that higher purpose was reignited after the killing of George Floyd. The journey can only end when every citizen is raised free of fear and filled with the same dream that so many of us take for granted." Dozens Face Felony Charges After Protesting Taylor's Death. The New York Times (7/15, Fortin, Waller, 18.61M) reports that "dozens of protesters were charged with a felony on Tuesday after they gathered on property owned by Kentucky's attorney general to demand charges against the police officers responsible for the shooting death of Breonna Taylor." Police said 87 demonstrators were arrested and charged with "intimidating a participant in a legal process - a felony - along with disorderly conduct and criminal trespass." Oklahoma Police Face Murder Charges After Tasing Man More Than 50 Times. EFTA00150112 ABC World News TonightVi (7/15, story 6, 1:40, Muir, 7.16M) reported on "newly released video of a deadly police encounter in Wilson, Oklahoma," during "an attempted arrest. Two police officers using a stun gun on a man allegedly more than 50 times as he laid on the ground begging for help. The man become unresponsive and died days later, and tonight, the officers are now facing murder charges." Chicago Police Superintendent Shakes Up Leadership Amid Increased Violence. The Chicago Tribune (7/15, Sweeney, 2.65M) reports Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown on Wednesday announced what it calls "significant department leadership changes, including the retirement of a second veteran member and naming his second-in-command." The announcements come as the department battles "a troubling uptick in violence" and as law enforcement "nationally is facing intense, sustained criticism in the wake of a series of high- profile excessive-force incidents." Said Brown in announcing the changes, "It is time for the next generation to cement its mark on history. This is a pivotal time for CPD and for law enforcement, no doubt. I am confident - confident - that this new group of leaders will bring us into the future." Berkeley Moves Toward Removing Police From Traffic Stops. The AP (7/15, Har) reports Berkeley, California, "is moving forward with a novel proposal to replace police with unarmed civilians during traffic stops in a bid to curtail racial profiling." The City Council voted Wednesday to approve "a police reform proposal that calls for a public committee to hash out details of a new Berkeley Police Department that would not respond to calls involving people experiencing homelessness or mental illness." The committee also would pursue creating "a separate department to handle transportation planning and enforcing parking and traffic laws." Anti-Police Protester Charged With Murdering Eight-Year-Old Atlanta Girl. The AP (7/15, Thanawala, Martin) reports that a "suspect has been charged with felony murder and aggravated assault in the shooting that killed an 8-year-old Atlanta girl near the site of an earlier police shooting." According to the AP, "Police issued warrants...for 19-year-old Julian Conley in the slaying of Secoriea Turner." Conley's attorney "said Conley was peacefully protesting and witnessed the shooting but did not open fire himself, though he was armed." North Carolina City Approves Reparations For Black Residents. In what USA Today (7/15, Burgess, 10.31M) calls "an extraordinary move," the Asheville City Council "apologized for the North Carolina city's historic role in slavery, discrimination and denial of basic liberties to Black residents and voted to provide reparations to them and their descendants." The "unanimously passed resolution does not mandate direct payments," but instead, the city "will make investments in areas where Black residents face disparities." Diversity Job Openings Increased In Wake Of BLM Protests. The Washington Post (7/15, McGregor, 14.2M) reports that "American companies cut back sharply on hiring for jobs related to diversity and inclusion when the coronavirus pandemic struck in mid-March, with openings falling twice as fast as for other listings, according to data from one of the country's biggest career sites." But as "corporate America offered new commitments to work for inclusion amid the national reckoning on racial injustice that erupted after the killing of George Floyd in police custody, the same category of job openings rebounded." For example, D&I postings "rose 50 percent in June on Glassdoor, the largest percentage increase over a four-week period since January 2016, though they are still well below their March peak." NYTimes: BLM Protests Highlight Diversity In Small-Town America. A New York Times (7/15, Robertson, 18.61M) analysis says that while "Black Lives Matter could be EFTA00150113 responsible for the largest protest movement in US history" in the wake of George Floyd's death, another "significant consequence of recent weeks could be the realization for many Americans in small towns that their neighbors are more multiracial and less willing to be quiet about things than most people had assumed." Smithsonian's National Museum Of African Art Accused Of Racism. The Washington Post (7/15, McGlone, 14.2M) reports that a group of "former employees and board members of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art have written a letter charging the museum with promoting a culture of racism and saying formal reports about racial bias and attacks have been ignored." In a letter sent last week to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, the "unidentified individuals say that more than 10 former and current black employees of the museum dedicated to African art and culture have experienced 'incidents of racial bias, hostile verbal attacks, retaliation, terminations, microaggressions and degrading comments' that date back at least five years." Statue Of Black Protester Raised In Place Of Bristol Slave Trader. The New York Times (7/15, Landler, 18.61M) reports Jen Reid "had never marched in a Black Lives Matter protest before she took to the streets of Bristol, England, on June 7," but "by the end of that angry day, she had clambered up to stand in the place of a 17th-century slave trader, whose bronze statue had been pulled down and dumped in the city's harbor." The image of Reid, "her fist clenched, her right arm thrust upward in a gesture of defiance, spread widely on social media," and "for many, it seemed the perfect replacement for the notorious merchant, Edward Colston." On Wednesday, a sculpture of Reid by prominent British sculptor Marc Quinn was installed. COUNTER-TERRORISM Trump Touts Terrorism Charges Against MS-13. The AP (7/15, Mustian) reports that federal authorities announced terrorism charges Wednesday against "a leader of MS-13, continuing a nationwide crackdown against a notorious street gang" that President Trump described as "vile and evil." An indictment unsealed against Melgar Diaz "marked the first time the Justice Department has brought terrorism charges against a member of MS-13." Attorney General Barr described Diaz as "the person who would green-light assassinations" for the gang in the US. Speaking to reporters at the White House, President Trump hailed the move saying, "We believe the monsters who murder children should be put to death. There's never been any move like this before." The Washington Times (7/15, Dinan, 492K) calls the charges "groundbreaking," and quotes the President as saying, "We're using 'terrorism,' which gives us extra strength." On Twitter Wednesday, the President shared a post by the White House, which wrote, "The Trump Administration is fighting for safety, security, and rule of law. In the last three years, @ICEgov has deported over 16,000 gang members and arrested over 2,000 members of MS-13." Newsday (NY). (7/15, Kessler, Fuller, Hernandez, 932K) reports that Trump and Barr "announced Wednesday a nationwide federal attack on the MS-13 street gang, and their intention to seek the death penalty for the leader of Brentwood clique of the gang for the alleged killings of two Brentwood High School teenage girls and five other slayings on Long Island." Newsday adds, "The intention to seek the death penalty for Alexi Saenz, 25, of Central Islip, known by the gang nicknames of 'Blasty,' or 'Big Homie,' if carried out after conviction at a trial, would be the first federal execution involving a murder in New York since 1954." Barr "described Long Island as 'one of the hotbeds of MS-13 activity, or at least it was." Reuters (7/15, Hosenball) reports, "The department also said it was bringing terrorism- related charges against a MS-13 member for the first time, as well as charges against alleged EFTA00150114 leaders of gang cells known as the `Hollywood Locos' and `Los Angeles Program." Reuters adds, "In an indictment unsealed on Tuesday, federal prosecutors in Alexandria, Virginia, charged alleged MS-13 leader Armando Eliu Melgar Diaz with conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, as well as drug trafficking and racketeering. The Justice Department said this was the first time an MS-13 member has been charged with terrorism-related offenses. Court records indicate a warrant was been issued for Dial arrest in May." The Washington Post (7/15, Weiner, 14.2M) reports, "Armando Eliu Melgar Diaz, 30, oversaw 20 gang cliques in 13 states, including New York, California, Maryland and Virginia, according to prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia. He lived on and off in Virginia starting in 2003 but has stayed in El Salvador since 2016, according to prosecutors. Melgar Diaz is in custody facing criminal charges in El Salvador, with no indication he will soon be extradited. But the Justice Department simultaneously announced 21 arrests in New York and Nevada involving MS-13 and the decision to seek the death penalty against an alleged leader in the gang who was arrested in 2017." WBTW-TV Florence-Myrtle Beach, SC (7/15, Hensley, 91K) reports, "Two MS-13 gang members accused in connection to several murders that took place in New York were arrested in the Charlotte area, the FBI says." Jose Moises Blanco, 30, "who is also known as `Cuervo,' was arrested in Salisbury Tuesday morning. Another suspect, 28-year-old Oseas Gonzalez, who also goes by `Cordero,' was also taken into custody in Charlotte. They are facing charges in connection to six murders, two attempted murders, a kidnapping conspiracy and narcotics trafficking conspiracies, as well as related charges including assault in aid of racketeering and firearms offenses." The FBI "says Blanco and Gonzalez operated in MS-13 subdivisions on Long Island, the `Sailors' and `Hollywood." William F. Sweeney Jr., assistant director in charge of the FBI's New York Field Office, "says the groups took part in vicious crimes in Long Island. `Victims were hacked with machetes, one shot numerous times and another decapitated,' Sweeney said." Among news outlets also reporting are the Commack (NY Patch (7/15, Costello, 1.03M), WNBC-TV New York (7/15, 344K), the Daily Caller (7/15, 716K), and the New York Daily News (7/15, Crane-Newman, 2.52M). White House senior adviser Stephen Miller said on Fox Business' Lou Dobbs Tonight (7/15, 49K), "[Wednesday] was a historic day. One of the largest and most successful MS-13 operations in American history was carried out, and the soulless barbarian that hacked to death two girls in New York is now going to be facing the death penalty and for the first time ever, one of these barbarians is being charged with terrorism. ... What you are seeing is a contrast. You have this President taking out criminal gangs and terrorists at record speed and with record force and focus and then you have the radical left, the liberal mayors, the crazy socialists unleashing violence and mayhem upon our cities. That's the choice that every American faces. Public safety under this President or lawless mayhem under the radical left." US, Gulf Allies Blacklist ISIS Financial Network. The Wall Street Journal (7/15, McBride, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports the Treasury Department announced Wednesday that the US has joined six other Gulf nations in sanctioning a financial network linked to ISIS and its affiliates. The joint sanctions target financial-services companies al Haram Exchange, Tawasul Company and a third that, according to the Treasury Department, "have played a vital role in transferring funds to support Syria-based ISIS fighters and have provided hundreds of thousands of dollars of liquidity to ISIS leadership." US Africa Command Says Russian Mercenaries Planted Land Mines In Libya. The AP (7/15, Magdy) reports the US military on Wednesday "accused Russian mercenaries fighting on the side of eastern Libya forces of planting land mines and improvised explosive devices in and around the Libyan capital, Tripoli." The US Africa Command, or AFRICOM, "said verified photographic evidence shows `indiscriminately placed booby traps and minefields' EFTA00150115 around the outskirts of Tripoli and all the way east toward the strategic coastal city of Sirte since mid-June." Moscow has repeatedly "denied playing any role on Libya's battlefields." AFRICOM "said it assessed that a Kremlin-backed company introduced the weapons into Libya." It "posted photos of improvised explosive devices and a concealed anti-personnel mine, allegedly found in a residential area in Tripoli." AFRICOM's director of intelligence Rear Adm. Heidi Berg said, "Imagery and intelligence assessments show how Russia continues to interfere in Libyan affairs. Wagner Group's reckless use of landmines and booby traps are harming innocent civilians." UN Frees Up "Expense" Money For Several Declared Terrorists. The AP (7/15, Gannon) reports the UN has "freed up 'expense' money for several men designated as terrorists at the request of the Pakistani government, including one with a $10 million US bounty on his head." Pakistan's Foreign Ministry "said in a statement Wednesday the money will cover basic expenses and doesn't involve any restoration or unfreezing of bank accounts." The statement said, "These exemptions are being enforced and monitored as per law." Pakistani officials didn't "reveal how many designated terrorists were on the list sent to the UN or how much money was released or the nature of the expenses for which the outlawed individuals required the money." 7O11.1INTFR-INTEL L TGFNC5 Graham Wants To Declassify Document Related To Steele Dossier. The Washington Examiner (7/15, Dunleavy, 448K) reports Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham "wants to declassify a key Russia investigation document related to the FBI interview of one of British ex-spy Christopher Steele's sources," which he believes "casts `grave doubt' on the credibility of Steele's anti-Trump dossier." Graham said on a Fox News podcast that he "has seen the memo and wants more information from DO) Inspector General Michael Horowitz's December report on the Russia investigation to be made public." Trump Says He Would Consider Giving Flynn Job At White House. Politico (7/15, Cohen, 4.29M) reports that in an interview with Catherine Herridge of CBS News on Tuesday, President Trump "said...that he would welcome retired Gen. Michael Flynn back into his administration now that the former national security adviser's legal troubles are on the verge of receding." Trump is quoted as saying, "He's gone through hell. He's been destroyed, but he'll make a comeback." Politico reports that "when asked if he would take Flynn back at the White House, Trump replied, 'I would." The Hill (7/15, Samuels, 2.98M) reports the president has "declined to say whether he will intervene in Flynn's case, noting that it is still playing out." Trump told CBS, "I don't think he's going to need a pardon because he's been proven to be innocent. I don't think he's going to need a pardon." CBS News (7/15, Farhi, 3.68M) reports Trump has long "claimed that Flynn was the victim of rogue federal agents conducting a politically motivated investigation." A second Justice Department investigation "examining the origins of the Mueller probe is underway but has yielded no known indictments." Trump "said he is letting that investigation, led by US Attorney John Durham, proceed without intervening." He said, "I've totally taken myself out of it." Schiff Worried "More Serious Abuse" Of Law Enforcement Is Looming With Durham Probe. The Washington Examiner (7/15, Chaitin, 448K) reports that how Attorney General William Barr "may yet unleash the power of the Justice Department has House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) unnerved." Schiff invoked US Attorney John Durham, "who is conducting a criminal inquiry of the federal Russia investigation, as he discussed his dread that EFTA00150116 'more serious abuse' of federal law enforcement will happen in the coming days." Schiff said in a recent episode of the Talking Feds podcast, "One of the concerns I have with Bill Barr is that the worst is yet to come. I mean, he's got a terrible, destructive track record as it is, and it may get worse in the coming days. But what we have seen largely is Barr's intervention to protect the president." As examples, Schiff "mentioned Barr's rollout of special counsel Robert Mueller's report and 'intervention' in cases spun off from the Russia investigation to 'help Trump cronies." Pompeo "Confident" Foreign Countries Will Attempt To Interfere In Upcoming Elections. The Washington Times (7/15, Blake, 492K) reports Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "said Wednesday he is 'confident' that several countries will attempt to have an impact on the US electoral process this November." Pompeo said about the presidential race, "Foreign efforts to interfere in American elections is something we constantly must contend with, and we'll contend with that here." Pompeo "said the US did a good job at defending the midterm elections from Russian interference and credited the work done by the Homeland Security and State departments." He said, "I think the American people should rest assured that whether it's threats of Chinese interference, Iranian interference, Russian interference or North Korean interference, any country, or even non-state actors who now have capabilities to try to meddle in our elections, know that this administration takes seriously its responsibility to make sure every American's vote is counted, counted properly and that foreign influence is minimized." DCSA Reports Nearly Half Of Those With Security Clearances Enrolled In Continuous Evaluation Program. ClearanceJobs (7/15, 6K) reports the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) continues "to make progress on security clearance processing times and enrolling new applicants into its Continuous Evaluation (CE) program." In numbers released for the National Industrial Security Program Policy Advisory Committee (NISPPAC), DCSA "shows 2.2 million total security clearance holders enrolled in CE - that's nearly half of the total security cleared population, and over two-thirds of the DOD clearance population, based on the most recently released figures (the ODNI has not made a version of its annual report on security clearance determinations releasable since FY2017)." With today's CE enrollment figures "at 2.2 million, that means the CE rollout is well underway." Of those enrolled in CE currently, 69% "are Secret clearance holders, and 31% are TS or TS/SCI security clearance holders." NNSA Administrator Says She Is Confident US Will Resume Plutonium Production By 2030. The AP (7/15) reports the 2030 deadline set by the US government "to resume and ramp up production of the plutonium cores used in the nation's nuclear arsenal is nothing short of challenging, but the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration said Wednesday she's confident her agency can do it." Administrator Lisa Gordon-Hagerty "said much has been learned since 1945 but the fortitude of the agency's workforce remains as pressure mounts to finish multibillion-dollar construction projects in New Mexico and South Carolina necessary for the plutonium production mission along with extensive training for technicians and other workers." She said, "That 2030 deadline is a big deal. In 2030, we need to be manufacturing 80 pits per year. If we don't make that, that only means the requirement for more pits will grow and it will cost more money." NRO Launches "Revolutionary" Satellites From Virginia. C4ISR & Networks (7/15, Strout) reports NRO successfully launched "four classified payloads into orbit July 15 from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility - the agency's first dedicated launch from the Virginia facility." The agency's director "noted that the four payloads will demonstrate revolutionary capabilities." NRO Director Chris Scolese said, "NROL-129 represents a EFTA00150117 collaboration between the NRO and our industry partners to design, build, launch and operate a system of satellites that will demonstrate revolutionary capabilities of value to the nation and our allies. Despite facing challenges in 2020, we have found new and better ways to collaborate with our partners from a distance, relentlessly pursuing our mission and denying sanctuary to our adversaries." The Delmarva (MD) Daily Times (7/15, 28K) reports NRO Director Chris Scolese "said in a statement that he mission, named NROL-129, represents a collaboration between the NRO and its industry partners to design, build, launch and operate a system of satellites that 'will demonstrate revolutionary capabilities of value to the nation and our allies." Spaceflight Now (7/15, Clark, 2K) reports a solid-fueled Northrop Grumman Minotaur 4 rocket "vaulted into orbit Wednesday from Virginia's Eastern Shore and deployed four top secret spacecraft for the NRO, extending the program's success record ahead of three more Minotaur missions planned in 2021." The 78-foot-tall (23.8-meter) launcher "fired away from pad 0B at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia at 9:46 a.m. EDT (1346 GMT) Wednesday after a 46-minute delay to wait for fishing boats to clear a hazard area near the launch site." The Minotaur 4 "darted into a mostly sunny sky at breathtaking speed and broke the sound barrier just 17 seconds after liftoff." Also reporting on the story is U.S. News & World Report (7/15). Airbus Targets NRO Imagery Sales With New US Corporate Entity. Breaking Defense (7/15, Hitchens) reports Airbus is "angling for a bigger share of the US space and intelligence market with a reorganization of its US operations and an independent board of directors - with its eye squarely on NRO's upcoming contest for commercial remote sensing providers." The new entity, called Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, "is based near the Pentagon in Rosslyn, Virginia." It brings "all of Airbus's US operations under one corporate hat." While Chris Emerson, the newly appointed CEO Emerson "said the firm's primary focus is commercial users hungry for imagery, he said the firm also intends to respond to the NRO's request for proposals (RFP) to expand its pool of commercial suppliers of imagery, including advanced synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that has been traditionally supplied by the NRO's own highly-classified satellites." Op-Ed: Trump's Call For CIA To Cooperate With Russia Was A Disaster. In an op-ed in the Washington Post (7/15, Sipher, Hall, Wise, Polymeropoulos, 14.2M), former CIA station chief John Sipher, retired CIA officer Steven L. Hall, former DIA deputy director Douglas H. Wise, and retired CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos write, "There has been justifiable outrage after news reports surfaced about Russian intelligence services paying the Taliban 'bounties' to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan. It is especially galling given the Trump Administration's directives to the IC upon taking office in January 2017 to cooperate with Russia on counterterrorism." They contend, "Each attempt failed. ... Each effort has failed for the same reason: Putin's Kremlin is not interested in a constructive relationship with the US. Instead, Putin sees himself in a political war with us. And he benefits domestically by blaming the US for all his ills." They conclude, "The periodic desire to work with the Russians on terrorism is akin to someone who buys a baboon as a pet, only to be surprised to have their face ripped off. Then, after recovering, he goes out and buys another baboon." Former CIA Officer Peterson Discusses The Tiananmen Crisis And Training CIA Analysts. CBS News (7/15, 3.68M) reports that, "in this episode of 'Intelligence Matters DECLASSIFIED: Spy Stories from the Officers Who Were There,' host Michael Morell interviews Martin Petersen, former senior CIA intelligence officer and Asia expert who spent over three decades at the agency." Petersen "recounts the agency's early assessments of unrest that led to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in China." Morell and Petersen "discuss the training CIA analysts receive and Petersen shares the remarks he would make to all entering analyst classes." EFTA00150118 "Intelligence Matters DECLASSIFIED" is a "new series dedicated to featuring first-hand accounts from former intelligence officers." Relatives Of Woman Poisoned By Novichok Wait For Judges' Inquest Ruling. The Belfast (UK) Telegraph (7/16, Farmer) reports relatives of a woman "who died after being poisoned by the nerve agent Novichok are waiting for a ruling after taking High Court action in a bid to get `key questions' asked about Russian state involvement." Members of Dawn Sturgess's family "say a coroner wrongly decided to limit what issues will be considered at an inquest." A barrister representing them "said the question of who was responsible for the use of Novichok was a matter of `almost-unparalleled public concern." Michael Mansfield QC on Wednesday "told two judges an act of `state terrorism' could not be `artificially truncated." Lawyers representing Mr Ridley and Home Secretary Priti Patel "disagree and say the challenge should be dismissed." Lord Justice Bean and Mr Justice Lewis "are expected to deliver a ruling in the near future." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Ghislaine Maxwell Reportedly Refuses To Reveal Name Of Spouse To FBI. The London (UK) Evening Standard (7/15, Somerville, 856K) reports, "Ghislaine Maxwell is secretly married but has refused to disclose her husband's identity to FBI agents, a court has heard." According to the Evening Standard, "The shock revelation by federal prosecutors came after the British socialite pleaded not guilty to charges she had trafficked at least three underage girls for billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein." Assistant US Attorney Alison Moe "revealed Maxwell had a spouse while questioning who would co-sign her bond at a bail hearing in New York. She told the courthouse late on Tuesday: 'In addition to failing to describe in any way the assets of the proposed co-signer of a bond, the defendant [Maxwell] also makes no mention whatsoever about the financial circumstances or assets of her spouse, whose identity she declined to provide to pretrial services. There's no information about who will be co-signing this bond or their assets, and no details whatsoever." The Telegraph (LML (7/15, Ensor, Mendick, 956K) reports, "According to the court hearing, Maxwell used the alias len Marshall' and posed as a journalist when viewing a hideaway in Bradford, New Hampshire, which she bought through a company, registered in Boston, for £800,000 in November last year. She was arrested at the house - called Tuckedaway - earlier this month in a morning raid by FBI agents and police. Estate agents said that during the viewing she was accompanied by a man with a British accent who used the pseudonym 'Scott Marshaill?' The Guardian (UK) (7/15, Bekiempis, 4.19M) reports, "Maxwell's arraignment and bail proceeding was conducted via video, and audio repeatedly cut out for those observing from the courthouse; transcripts that became available late last night filled in some of these gaps. However, many details of Maxwell's secretive personal life were audible - including information on how she wound up living on the 156-acre Bradford, New Hampshire, estate where she was arrested on 2 July." The New York Daily News (7/15, Brown, 2.52M) also reports. In an opinion piece for the Washington Post (7/15, 14.2M) , Helaine Olen writes, "On one hand, it seems incredible that Maxwell would think a federal judge might release her to what prosecutors identified as a luxury hotel," but "on the other hand, it might just be the first time ever Maxwell couldn't use money to manipulate people and get her way. The Epstein scandal, from its very beginnings, has always been as much about the role of money in our very unequal society as it is about sex. As David Boies, a lawyer who represents several of the women who say they were victimized by Epstein and Maxwell (including Annie Farmer, who gave a brief statement at Tuesday's hearing), told me in an interview Wednesday, 'For two decades, Jeffrey EFTA00150119 Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell bought their way out of everything, with a combination of money, political influence and sex." Sheriff Says Former Texas Jail Deputy Allowed Inmate Attack. The AP (7/15) reports from San Antonio, Texas, "A Bexar County Jail deputy stood by while six inmates brutally beat another in a shower and then waited 30 minutes for the assailants to clean up while the victim laid bleeding before he called for help, authorities said in announcing that the deputy had been charged and fired from his job." Jean Camacho-Morales, 33, "was arrested on Tuesday, which was a day after the attack," and "faces counts of official oppression, tampering with government records and aggravated assault with substantial bodily harm - the last count because Texas law requires all parties involved in a crime to be charged with the offense." The AP adds, "The sheriff's office's public integrity unit, internal affairs department and the FBI are investigating the attack." NBC News (7/15, Kesslen, 6.14M) reports, "Camacho-Morales, who had been with sheriff's department based in San Antonio for almost 6 years, is accused of allowing an attack at a county detention center that left an inmate with facial fractures and a damaged spine. 'This is exactly the type of misconduct that this country is reeling against today," Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said on Tuesday, adding, "This is why, people like this is why, millions of dollars of property damage occurred in riots and civil unrest across the country, because of folks like this." KSAT-TV San Antonio (7/15, Webber, Stewart, Spicer, 198K) reports that Salazar "says although the beating, itself, was committed by fellow inmates, Camacho still played a role in it. 'While this poor victim is lying back there in a shower, beaten pretty severely, he stood by and did nothing, and then allowed the attack to continue,' Salazar said. Additionally, he said, Camacho then delayed reporting the incident and lied about what happened. 'He allowed this man to lie there in a pool of his own blood for several minutes, probably upwards of a half hour during which time other inmates that were involved actually were able to clean up,' Salazar said." North Carolina Man Sentenced On Drug, Weapons Charges. The Fayetteville (NC) Observer (7/15, Brown-Peyton, 151K) reports, "A Fayetteville man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug and weapons charges on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina." Joey Eduardo Ayala, 36, "was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge James C. Dever III. Ayala pleaded guilty March 11 to distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), possession with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of drug trafficking, according to court documents." Two California Men Charged In Deadly Kidnapping. The AP (7/15) reports from Los Angeles, "Two men were charged Wednesday with kidnapping a Chinese national from a Los Angeles-area shopping mall in a $2 million ransom scheme that went wrong when the victim died from his injuries, authorities said." Anthony Valladares, 28, of Pasadena and Alexis Ivan Romero Velez, 24, of Azusa "were arrested Tuesday and could face life in prison if convicted, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office. Federal prosecutors contend that Valladres was hired as 'muscle' and Velez to be the driver of a minivan in the July 16, 2018, kidnapping of Ruochen 'Tony' Liao from a mall parking lot in suburban San Gabriel. Valladares told investigators that he was to be paid $1,000 for his role in the kidnapping and said he hired Romero as the driver, according to an FBI affidavit." Vallejo, California Officials Confirm Key Evidence In Police Shooting Probe Was Destroyed. EFTA00150120 The San Francisco Chronicle (7/16, Hernandez, Serrano, 2.67M) reports, "Vallejo city officials said Wednesday that a key piece of evidence in a high-profile fatal police shooting - the windshield of the police vehicle the officer shot through - was destroyed, and said they have asked the FBI or another agency to take over the criminal investigation of the shooting." The Chronicle "earlier reported that Vallejo police had discarded the windshield and returned into service the unmarked police pickup truck involved in the shooting. Last week, Vallejo police released body camera footage showing one of its police officers firing from the back seat of the pickup truck, which had just pulled into a Walgreens parking lot after reports of people taking merchandise from the store on June 2. The shooting killed 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa on a night when demonstrations across the Bay Area and beyond were calling for an end to police brutality and killings of Black people and other people of color." Investigators Give Report On Indiana Lynching Complaint To Prosecutors. Reuters (7/16) reports, "The Indiana law enforcement investigation of a hate-crime report lodged by a Black civil rights activist who said several white men tried to lynch him at a lakeside park was turned over to prosecutors on Wednesday for review, officials said." According to Reuters, "The contents of the submission were not immediately made public," but "the Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is expected to evaluate evidence it received to decide whether to bring charges in the incident this month." Reuters adds, "The investigative report was prepared by the law enforcement division of the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), whose officers were the first to respond to the confrontation in a wooded area along the shores of Lake Monroe near Bloomington, Indiana." The alleged victim, Vauhxx Booker, "said he looked forward to results of a separate FBI investigation of the incident." Pennsylvania Man Sentenced On Drug, Weapons Charges. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (7/15, Varine, 380K) reports that a Butler, Pennsylvania man "has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison after a conviction on federal drug and weapons laws, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady announced Wednesday." Brandon "Bopp" Morris, 35, of Butler, "according to court documents, provided three 'bricks' of heroin and an ounce of crack cocaine to a state police informant in June 2016, arranged and paid for in advance. Later that month, troopers searched Morris' East Brady Street home and found nearly 40 grams of raw heroin as well as individual packets, nearly 120 grams of crack cocaine, more than $7,600, a 12-gauge shotgun and drug paraphernalia. State police and the FBI worked together on the investigation." FBI Arrests Suspected Crime Boss In Oahu. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser (7/15, Bernardo, 691K) reports the FBI arrested "multiple people on Oahu this morning including Honolulu businessman Mike J. Miske Jr. as part of a federal indictment in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a 23-year-old Hawaii Kai man." The indictment unsealed today "named Miske and 10 others charged with multiple offenses." Authorities allege the men "engaged in racketeering activity involving murder, kidnapping, arson and robbery." The other defendants are "either employed or associated with Miske's alleged criminal organization, authorities said." FBI Special Agent in Charge Sam Miranda "said it modeled itself after old-style gangster organizations such as the Mafia, and Miske was the leader, using fear and intimidation." KIN-TV Honolulu (7/15, 12K) reports Miske and 10 other people "were indicted this morning for fraud, tax evasion schemes, robbery extortion, narcotics trafficking and other charges." KHON-TV Honolulu (7/15, 54K) reports the indictment "alleges that Miske offered to pay several of his co-defendants to kidnap and murder Johnathan Fraser, who went missing in July of 2016." Miske had, according to the indictment, purchased a Boston Whaler "that could be used to dump Fraser's body into the ocean after Fraser was kidnapped and killed." EFTA00150121 KGMB-TV Honolulu (7/15, Kawano, 47K) reports Hawaii US Attorney Kenji Price said the criminal group "has wreaked havoc" on Oahu for years, and "described the investigation into Miske as `sprawling,' and said it involved poring over financial documents and tracking the digital footprints of the businessman and his associates, who used encrypted messaging or met in person to shield their plans from investigators." When federal authorities were "finally ready to execute raids on the alleged organized crime boss, the FBI flew in dozens of agents from Quantico to assist." The Hawaii Free Press (7/15) reports the FBI flew in "dozens of agents for this operation, including a SWAT team from Quantico, Virginia, sources told Hawaii News Now." KITV-11/ Honolulu (7/15, 12K) reports the FBI is "on the look out for Norman Akau, the only person on the indictment still at large." KGMB-TV Honolulu (7/15, 47K) reports in a video, and Honolulu Civil Beat HI (7/16, Jung) also reports. Second Chicago Police Officer Receives Prison Time For Corruption Charges. The AP (7/15) reports the second of two "Chicago police officers convicted of using bogus search warrants to raid homes and steal cash and drugs has been sentenced." David Salgado was sentenced Wednesday to "five years and 11 months in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's office in Chicago." Salgado's ex-partner, Sgt. Xavier Elizondo, "was sentenced last monthto seven years and three months in prison." Jurors found Elizondo "and Salgado guilty in October on conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges." Elizondo was also convicted "on one count of attempting to destroy evidence, while Salgado was also found guilty of one count of lying to the FBI." According to prosecutors, "Elizondo and Salgado carried out their scheme between at least June of 2017 and January of 2018 while they were working on a gang crime squad." They worked with "two people who, posing as confidential informants, provided false information to persuade judges to sign the officers' search warrants." The Chicago Sun-Times (7/15, Seidel, 875K), WFLD-TV Chicago (7/15, 42K), and WBBM- iv Chicago (7/15) also report. Pittsburgh Store Owner Charged In Stolen Goods Scheme. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (7/15, Ove, 616K) reports the owner of a Pittsburgh electronics store" has been indicted on charges of conspiring to sell stolen goods through his business." Milton Bari; owner of "Ninja Electronics, is accused of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering, the U.S. attorney's office said Wednesday." The grand jury "said he engaged in a mail fraud scheme to deliver stolen goods through the mail and laundered the proceeds. The investigation was handled by the criminal division of the IRS, the FBI and U.S. postal inspectors, along with Pittsburgh police and police in Ross and Shaler." Romanian Pleads Guilty To Salt Lake City ATM Skimming Scheme. KSL-TV Salt Lake City (7/15, Schwanitz, 234K) reports a Romanian citizen pleaded guilty "in federal court Wednesday to stealing money and bank card information from customers at several Salt Lake City ATM locations." Alexandru Licsor admitted in court "that he installed skimmer devices equipped with magnetic card readers, data recorders, digital cameras, and batteries at Zions Bank ATMs along the Wasatch Front, according to the office of U.S. Attorney John Huber." FBI agents arrested Licsor "in Romania in late 2019 after tracking him around the globe for years." Three Jersey City Gang Members Charged. The Hudson County (NJ) View (7/15, Heinis) reports three Jersey City gang members "were charged in connection with shooting a 12-year-old in the leg earlier this month, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced." They are scheduled to "make their initial appearances July 16, 2020, by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III." Carpenito credited the "Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, special agents of EFTA00150122 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, and special agents of the FBI, for the investigation leading to the charges and arrests." West Hollywood Man Sentenced To Five Years For Art Fraud. The My News LA (CA) (7/15) reports a West Hollywood man "pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Miami to criminal charges stemming from the sale of bogus artworks he claimed were created by famed modern artists, and he was immediately ordered to serve five years in prison." Philip Righter pleaded guilty to "three felony charges in a case filed in Los Angeles and admitted selling works he falsely claimed were created by artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol." Righter also admitted using "fake artwork as collateral for loans on which he later defaulted, and using bogus pieces for fraudulent write-offs on his income tax returns." After the FBI and the "Los Angeles Police Department interviewed him about bogus Haring art he attempted to sell to the Miami art gallery, he began using the names of other people to execute his scheme, court documents state." FBI Arrest Holyoke, Man Woman For Drug Trafficking. The Springfield (MA) Republican (7/16, DeForge, 395K) reports from Holyoke, Massachusetts that police "arrested a man and a woman for drug trafficking after finding 4,294 bags of heroin and other drugs in their car Wednesday night." Jose Gonzalez and Meighan Plourde were arrested at "about 4 p.m. after Holyoke Police narcotics detectives and members of the FBI's Western Mass Gang Task Force stopped the 2006 BMW they were driving on Forestdale Ave., Holyoke Lt. James Albert said." Both are being held "overnight at Hampden County jails and are scheduled to be arraigned by a Holyoke District Court judge on the charges, Albert said." Continuing Coverage: Indiana Woman Arrested For Alleged Animal Abuse. The Indianapolis Star (7/15, 633K) reports that the FBI Indianapolis Field Office announced Wednesday the indictment and arrest of Krystal Scott, who "was charged with two counts of making and distributing animal crush videos, which are videos of typically small animals being tortured and killed." The Boise Police Department opened an investigation into Scott after receiving reports about the videos on social media on June 16, and the FBI "learned that Scott was able to obtain animals by responding to online advertisements of individuals giving away unwanted pets." Kokomo (IN) Perspective (7/15, Zimmerman) reports that the FBI raided Scott's home on Tuesday, and the raid "yielded 'numerous animal parts and skulls that were consistent with the size of cats and dogs:" Scott "began posting images and videos on social media on or about May 3," and the videos "depicted Scott 'torturing and graphically killing cats and dogs by hanging, skinning, and other means:" The AP (7/15) reports Scott "faces up to seven years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of the charges." FBI Investigating Cold Case Murder In California. KCAL-TV Los Angeles (7/15) reports that the FBI "is seeking the arrest of [Saul Aguilar, Jr,)" who is "accused in a murder from more than 20 years ago" in California. He "is suspected of shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend in December 1997," and the initial warrant "was issued in January 1998 after Aguilar was charged with murder." Explosive Device Found Near Texas Hospital. The Wichita Falls (TX) Times Record News (7/15, 64K) reports that the Wichita Fall community "reported a suspicious device with explosive material," and it "was found in a vacant building that was under construction two blocks north of [United Regional Hospital on Seventh Street." Local FBI, ATF, and Denton Bomb Squad technicians defused the device successfully. EFTA00150123 Nebraska Man Pleads Guilty To Producing Child Pornography. The Lincoln (NE) Journal Star (7/15, Pilger, 399K) reports Titus Miller, who was "indicted for making sexually explicit videos of children at a local child care center where he worked as a night manager," has "pleaded guilty Wednesday in a deal with prosecutors." He "is looking at 75 years in prison at least at his sentencing Oct. 15, under federal sentencing guidelines." Miller was identified through a separate investigation into an Alabama man accused of possessing child pornography. KHGI-TV Lincoln (NE) Lincoln, NE (7/15, 36K) reports FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Kristi Johnson said, "Titus Miller's sexual abuse of five innocent children is an especially heinous crime. The FBI will use all its investigative strength to bring those who exploit children to justice. The FBI's Lincoln office, together with the Lincoln Police Department, worked tirelessly on the investigation which has now concluded with Miller's guilty plea." Nebraska Man Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Murder. KHGI-TV Lincoln, NE (7/15, 36K) reports Joseph Lloyd James, who had previously pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, "was sentenced on Wednesday, July 15, to life imprisonment...in Indian Country." He "waived his right to appeal, to seek a pardon, or seek a commutation." FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Kristi Johnson said, "The Santee Sioux Nation Tribal Police, Knox County Sheriff and Nebraska State Patrol partnered with FBI Omaha to investigate the brutal murder of Phyllis Hunhoff. Those efforts brought us to Joseph James's life sentence today. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement and Native American partners and to fight crime on tribal land." Norfolk (NE) Daily News (7/15, News, 56K) also reports. Suspected Massachusetts Gang Member Ordered Held Without Bail. The QuincyjMA) Patriot Led= (7/15, DiFazio, 86K) reports Jose R. Rodriguez "was ordered held after a dangerousness hearing administered virtually through Quincy District Court" on Wednesday. He "faces a number of charges related to the shooting including assault with intent to murder and assault and battery on a child with substantial injury" in connection to the June 3 shooting at the South Shore Plaza Mall. FBI agents are supporting the investigation. Connecticut Woman Charged With Obstruction. The Manchester (CT) Journal Inquirer (7/15, 47K) reports that, according to a recently unsealed indictment, Katherine Pires "is accused of hindering the investigation of a 1998 Farmington homicide." She "is suspected of providing a false alibi for her husband's best friend three weeks after the killing, then making up a story more than 20 years later that also directed suspicion away from him." She "is facing a felony count of second-degree hindering prosecution and a misdemeanor count of interfering with police, both based on statements she made to two police detectives on June 26, 2019." FBI Supporting Investigation Into Missing Connecticut Teenager. The Cumberland (MD) Times-News (7/15, 66K) reports that the FBI is supporting the investigation into the disappearance of Jonathan Adams, who "was last seen late Saturday and was reported missing by his family the next morning." He "has been residing with family in Hampshire County since March." FBI Offering Reward In DC Shooting Investigation. The Washington Patch (7/15, 1.03M) reports that the FBI has added a $5,000 reward for information "leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects in the July 4 fatal shooting of 11- year-old Davon McNeal" in Washington, DC. McNeal was shot on July 4, and the Metropolitan Police Department "has arrested two suspects to date involved in the shooting: Daryle Bond of EFTA00150124 Southeast, and Christian Wingfield." However, two other suspects, Carlo General and Marcel Gordon remain at-large. New York Man Pleads Guilty To Smuggling Prison Contraband. The New York Daily News (7/15, Marcius, 2.52M) reports former Rikers prison guard Joshua Alba "pleaded guilty Wednesday to smuggling tobacco and other contraband into the storied city jail complex." The plea deal says Alba "delivered tobacco and other contraband to an inmate at the Anna M. Kross Center at Rikers from December 2018 to July 2019, collecting at least $5,000 in cash bribes." Continuing Coverage: Missing California Teenager Located. The Siskiyou (CA) Daily News (7/15, 16K) reports Siskiyou County Sheriff Jon Lopey announced the safe recovery of an unidentified 14-year-old girl, who "was found safe after leaving Siskiyou County in the company of [Patrick James Montross), who was visiting the area from New York." She was initially reported missing last Wednesday, and a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper spotted Montross' vehicle on Thursday. The FBI supported the investigation. Texas Man Pleads Guilty To Bank Robberies. The Sherman (TX) Herald Democrat (7/15) reports Jimmy James Mamoth, Jr "pleaded guilty to attempted bank robbery before U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield on July 13." He also "admitted his participation in a string of other robberies and attempted robberies, specifically, the robbery of the Arbor 8 movie theater in Austin, Texas, on March 17, 2019; an attempted robbery of the Benchmark Bank in West Lake Hills, Texas, on June 4, 2019; the robbery of the Broadway Bank in Wimberley, Texas, on June 19, 2019; and the robbery of the First National Bank of Hughes Springs in Kilgore, Texas, on June 28, 2019. Mamoth further agreed to pay restitution for the above crimes." The FBI investigated the case. New Jersey Senior Charged With Child Pornography Possession, Distribution. Tap Into New Jersey (7/15) reports John Schulenburg "has been charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography." He was "arrested on a criminal complaint on this conduct on Nov. 6, 2019, and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond." The investigation began in July 2019, when a user "shared multiple files of featuring images of child sexual buse from an internet address traced to Schulenburg's residence" to an undercover officer. The FBI Newark's Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force supported the investigation. New Jersey Gang Members Charged In Connection To Shooting Of Minor. Daily Voice (7/15, 98K) reports Marc Taylor, Jashawn Tate and Damari Blackwell "were scheduled for first appearances via videoconference Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark" in connection to the July 7 gang shootings near the Marion Gardens Housing Complex, Rutgers Avenue, and the Curries Woods Housing Projects. The FBI is supporting the investigation. FBI Searching For Missing California Toddler. KFSN-TV Fresno, CA (7/15, 167K) reports that the FBI is participating in the search for two- year-old Thaddeus Sran, who "disappeared from his [Fresno) home on C Street between 10 p.m. on Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday." The police "say detectives are investigating his disappearance as a possible abduction." Mississippi Couple Taken Into Custody In Connection To Disappearance. The Biloxi (MS) Sun Herald (7/15, 116K) reports that the Picayune Police Department announced Wednesday the arrest of Dustin and Erica Gray, who "were identified as people of EFTA00150125 interest in the July 6 disappearance of Willie Ray Q. Jones." They "(have) been missing since as early as Monday," and they are "wanted on a felony charge of possession of a stolen firearm." Rhode Island Man Sentenced For Bank Robberies. The Lincoln (RI) Valley Breeze (7/15, 92K) reports Christopher Oladapo, who "admitted to robbing banks in Providence and Pawtucket within a month of each other last summer," was "sentenced Wednesday to two years and six months in federal prison." He "pleaded guilty on Feb. 3 to two counts of bank robbery." The FBI supported the investigation. Continuing Coverage: FBI Supporting Investigation Into Missing Pennsylvania Amish Teenager. The Harrisburg (PA) Patriot-News (7/15, 427K) reports that the FBI is continuing to support the investigation into the disappearance of Linda Stoltzfoos, who authorities "believe was kidnapped after leaving a church service in Bird-in-Hand nearly a month ago." The FBI "is offering an up to $10,000 reward for information leading to Stoltzfoos' whereabouts." Prosecutor Admits "Grand Jury Gaffe" But Argues Perjury Indictment Should Stand. The Seattle Times (7/15, Carter, 935K) reports the special prosecutor assigned "to oversee the 19-year-old investigation into the shooting death of Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Wales in his Queen Anne home is denying misconduct alleged by a witness who wants a perjury indictment thrown out." However, in documents filed "in U.S. District Court in Seattle, the office of Special Prosecutor Steven Clymer in New York acknowledges that an unnamed attorney made a 'single, imprecise remark' when warning witness Shawna Reid in front of the grand jury that she must tell the truth, even if it involves incriminating herself." Reid is the first individual "indicted in connection with the Wales investigation in almost two decades. Prosecutors believe she has information about an individuals identified in court papers as "Suspect #1," an individual whom the FBI believes has knowledge of an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting Wales." The FBI has long "focused its investigation on a commercial airline pilot who lived near Bellevue at the time, and whom Wales had targeted in an unsuccessful federal fraud prosecution in the 1990s." More Arrests Made Connection With Georgia Drug Investigation. The Gainesville (GA) Times (7/15, Watson, 81K) reports, "Four more arrests" have been made in connection with a Georgia drug investigation conducted by the "Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office and the FBI Major Offenders Task Force." The new arrests come after 48 other arrests were made in connection with the same investigation, which also led to the seizure of "more than 50 kilograms of methamphetamine." Ten People Allegedly Sold Crack, Oxycodone In Ohio. The Avon-Avon Lake (OH) Patch (7/15, 1.03M) reports 10 arrested individuals "have been accused of selling crack cocaine and oxycodone" in Lorain County, Ohio. The FBI and the DEA were involved with the investigation of this case, according to the Patch, which quotes "DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin." Martin said the "DEA remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to rid our communities of illicit drugs." In a similar article, the Elyria (OH) Chronicle (7/15, 3K) reports Terrence Bowens, Cedric Green, Marcus Harder, James Milton Jr., Lavar Thornton, James Robinson, Randy Glover, Harold Kimbro, Kavis Roberts and Melanie Grantham "have been charged by the US Attorney's Office in Cleveland with possessing and distributing crack cocaine, cocaine" and oxycodone. The Lorain (OH) Morning Journal (7/15, Reynolds, 47K) also publishes a similar article. Two Men Accused Of Possessing Enough Fentanyl To Kill More Than 20,000 People. EFTA00150126 The Hampton Roads (VA) Virginian-Pilot (7/15, Hampton, 227K) reports Brandon Dashiell and Ronald Dashiell, Jr., "both of Elizabeth City," North Carolina, have been "arrested on drug crimes, including possession of enough fentanyl to kill more than 20,000 people." The Virginian- Pilot adds, "The FBI is helping with the investigation" of this case, according to Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy S. Wooten II. Feds: Puerto Rico To Rhode Island Drug "Pipeline" Shut Down Associated Press (7/15). "PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Federal authorities have shut down what they described as a 'cocaine pipeline' that may have shipped more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island. Five people have been charged in connection with the alleged drug ring that shipped the cocaine through the US Postal Service, according to a statement Tuesday from US Attorney for Rhode Island, Aaron Weisman." Four People Charged With Plotting To Kill DEA Agent. The AP (7/15) reports Manuel Garcia Gomez, Jorge Humberto Velazco Larios, Eva Denisse Gomez Garcia and Alicia Yuritzi Juarez Martinez "have been charged...with plotting to have" an unidentified DEA agent killed. The agent was not killed or harmed, according to the AP article which says Gomez and Larios have been "arrested, while Garcia and Martinez are believed to be fugitives in Mexico." The AP reports that a grand jury indictment issued in Texas "says Gomez was jailed in Johnson County on a methamphetamine charge when he offered $20,000 - $5,000 upfront and $15,000 upon completion — to have the agent assigned to his case killed." An online KDFW-TV Dallas (7/15, 53K) report quotes "FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno," who said the four "defendants wanted to harm a DEA task force officer and that is unacceptable. Fortunately, we were able to prevent a dangerous act from occurring." The KXAS-TV Dallas (7/15, 206K) website also highlights DeSarno's statement. The Fort Worth (TX) Star-Telegram (7/15, Ramirez, 406K) quotes US Attorney Nealy Cox, who said, "These defendants were plotting to murder a federal task force officer - a man who routinely risks his life to combat the scourge of drugs in our community. We are grateful to our partners at the DEA and FBI who worked tirelessly to keep the officer safe and help bring his would-be killers to justice." The Star Telegram also quotes Eduardo A. Chavez, "Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division," who said, "Drug trafficking is inherently violent and traffickers will stop at nothing to protect their profits and their lifestyle." The same quotes appear in a Dallas Morning News (7/15, Jones, 946K) report that says the alleged plot to kill a DEA agent is connected to an investigation of an organization suspected of "obtaining methamphetamine from Mexico and selling it to customers in the Dallas area." Former ICE Informant Facing Drug Charges. The Miami Herald (7/15, Weaver, 1.09M) reports Guillermo Eduardo Ramirez-Peyro, a former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) informant, is facing "charges of conspiring to possess and distribute five kilos of cocaine." The article says the charges are the result of an FBI sting operation. Drug Case Defendant Sentenced To Decade In Federal Prison. An article published by the Magnolia (AR) Reporter (7/15) says Larry Peters, Jr., who resides in Prescott, Arkansas, was recently sentenced "to 120 months in federal prison, followed by" five "years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine." The Peters "case was investigated by the FBI and the South Central Drug Task Force." Oklahoma Resident Pleads Guilty To Meth Charge. EFTA00150127 The Talequah (OK) Daily Press (7/15, reports, 20K) reports Oklahoma resident Brandis Nicole Fish has pleaded guilty "to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine." The case against Fish was the result of an investigation conducted "by the Okmulgee County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Trails Task Force." FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS Authorities In Maryland Uncover ID Theft Scheme Involving Fraudulent Unemployment Claims. The Baltimore Sun (7/15, Wood, Barker, 1.33M) reports, "Maryland uncovered a 'massive identity theft' scheme leading to more than 47,500 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims totaling more than $501 million, Gov. Larry Hogan said Wednesday. 'This criminal enterprise seeking to take advantage of a global pandemic to steal hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, of dollars from taxpayers is despicable,' Hogan said." Maryland Labor Secretary Tiffany Robinson, "appearing with the Republican governor at a State House news conference, said the division handling unemployment became suspicious when it noticed a surge in out-of-state claims. Investigators found that people were using 'stolen personal information to fraudulently attempt to obtain unemployment benefits,' U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur said in a prepared statement." The Washington Post (7/15, Cox, 14.2M) reports, "Hogan told reporters at a news conference that the onslaught of fake claims appeared to use identities constructed from a huge cache of information taken in national data breaches in recent years. As examples, he cited breaches at the Experian credit rating agency and the federal Office of Personnel Management. Personal data in Maryland's unemployment system was not breached as part of the scam. The fake claimants posed as out-of-state companies seeking federal benefits of up to $600 per week under a process that allows claimants to self-certify job loss, rather than to have unemployment verified by the employer." The FBI "warned last week that it had detected a 'spike' in scammers using stolen identities to claim unemployment benefits, saying the scheme had been perpetrated in several states." Massachusetts Man Charged With PPP Coronavirus Fraud. The Boston Herald (7/15, 410K) reports that Massachusetts tech company president Elijah Majak Buoi "is accused of filing fraudulent" PPP loan applications for more than $13 million. He was indicted on Tuesday "on four counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a financial institution. Buoi was arrested and charged by a criminal complaint last month." The AP (7/15) reports Sosuda Tech, LLC President and CEO Elijah Majak Buoi, of Massachusetts, "is charged with fraudulently seeking for his information technology company more than $13 million in government loans intended for businesses struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic, federal prosecutors said Wednesday." In April and June he "allegedly submitted fraudulent applications for more than $13 million in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration for COVID-19 relief through the Paycheck Protection Program, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Boston. He lied about his number of employees and his payroll expenses and falsely certified that the United States was the primary residence for his employees, prosecutors said." The Winchester (MA) Star (7/15, 57K) and WCVB-TV Boston (7/15, 402K) also report. Investment Fund Accused Of Running Ponzi Scheme Got Millions In PPP Money. Behind a paywall, Crain's New York Business (7/15, 228K) reports that GPB Capital, which is accused of running a Ponzi scheme, received millions of dollars in PPP loans. Three More San Francisco Departments Subpoenaed In Widening Corruption Probe. EFTA00150128 The San Francisco Chronicle (7/15, Fracassa, 2.67M) reports, "The ongoing federal investigation into corruption at San Francisco City Hall has reached into the City Administrator's Office, the Planning Department and the Department of Public Health, three newly released subpoenas reveal." According to the Chronicle, "Through the subpoenas, the FBI appears to be interested in learning whether city contractors passed money to nonprofits, possibly at the behest of high- ranking city employees, to pay for events like department holiday parties and picnics." The Chronicle adds, "The arrest of former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru earlier this year has pitched the city into a widening scandal that is playing out in part through investigations under way by the FBI and the City Attorney's Office." The San Francisco Examiner (7/15, 438K) reports, "Federal authorities have homed in on an apparent trail of donations from city contractors to nonprofits that paid for holiday parties and other perks for public employees in a widening San Francisco City Hall corruption probe, newly released records show." Investigators "subpoenaed a broad range of documents from Public Works in May seeking evidence of who paid for the holiday parties as well as picnics and other events held for city employees. The investigators are also in search of details on who at City Hall solicited the donations dating back to 2010. The contributions have raised questions about whether the contractors received anything in return, like preferential treatment during the bidding process or other assistance with city business." The SFist (7/15, Barmann) also reports. Minnesota Couple Pleads Guilty In Virginia To Fraud. The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch (7/15, Green, 277K) reports, "A Minnesota couple pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Richmond to charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in a scheme involving law enforcement impersonators who victimized older people." According to the RTD, "Authorities alleged that among the victims of Chirag Janakbhai Choksi, and his wife, Shachi Naishadh Majmudar, both 35, was a retired Chesterfield County woman who withdrew $238,400 in cash from her bank accounts. Choksi, who also pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated identity theft, and Majmudar were initially charged in September with mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. They were most recently named last month in a superseding indictment against them and four other defendants." Pennsylvania Man Sentenced For Fraud Scheme. The Harrisburg (PA) Patriot-News (7/15, Miller, 427K) reports, "Former Worley & Obetz CEO Jeffrey Lyons has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison and ordered to pay $53 million to a midstate bank and another $550,000 to the IRS for a massive fraud scheme crashed the Lancaster County-based energy company." According to the Patriot-News, "Those penalties were imposed by U.S. Eastern District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain said Wednesday. The sentencing came nine months after Lyons, 59, pleaded guilty to charges that he provided false financial documents to secure tens of millions of dollar in financing from Fulton Bank between 2003 and 2018." Investigators "said Lyons used the Fulton loans to pay Worley & Obetz expenses, including his annual salary of over $500,000, and to make the fuel company artificially seem to be profitable. Some of the money he put to personal use, including millions of dollars he used in real estate acquisitions, they said." Fourth Guilty Plea In Scheme To Defraud Toyota. West Virginia MetroNews (7/15, 34K) reports from Charleston, West Virginia, "A fourth person has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in connection with a scheme to defraud Toyota out of more than $4.3 million." Southern West Virginia US Attorney Mike Stuart said Tammy Newsome, 54, of Ashland, Kentucky, "admitted Wednesday that she lied to the departments of motor vehicles in West Virginia and Kentucky about driver's licenses she and others had obtained from residents of those two states. Newsome used the information to obtain false vehicle titles in the names of false owners. Newsome and others working at Kentucky-based EFTA00150129 used auto dealer, Big Blue Motor Sales, were part of a scheme that purchased trucks at wholesale prices at auction and then, using the information gained from DMVs, convinced Toyota to repurchase the trucks at 150% of their value." Former CFL Player, California Woman Sentenced In College Admissions Scandal. NBC News (7/16, Helsel, 6.14M) reports, "A Canadian parent who once played in the Canadian Football League was sentenced Wednesday to three months in prison after pleading guilty in a college admissions cheating scheme, federal prosecutors said." NBC News adds, "David Sidoo, who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and BC Lions, paid about $200,000 to have someone else to take SAT tests for two of his sons in 2011 and 2012, prosecutors said." Sidoo, 61, of Vancouver, "pleaded guilty in March to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. In addition to the jail time, he was ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. He was among more than 50 people charged in the scheme orchestrated by William `Rick' Singer in which parents paid tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to help get their children into universities." CYBER DIVISION High-Profile Twitter Accounts Hacked In Bitcoin Scam. The Washington Post (7/15, Al, Lerman, 14.2M) reports, "Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and other high-profile Twitter accounts were the target of a widespread hack to offer fake bitcoin deals Wednesday in one of the most prominent security breaches on a social media site." While it was unclear "how the attacks originated or why they went on for hours, some cybersecurity experts speculated that someone may have gained access to internal Twitter controls that allowed them to take over and post on the accounts." Cybersecurity expert Rachel Tobac, the CEO of SocialProof Security, said, "This is most likely the largest attack I've ever seen. We are extremely lucky that these attackers are monetarily motivated and not sowing mass chaos all over the world." The Post says the breach "will create major optics challenges for Twitter, and it will make it more challenging moving forward to verify the authenticity of messages on the service, cybersecurity experts warned." On the CBS Evening NewsVi (7/15, story 4, 1:05, O'Donnell, 4.16M), Kris Van Cleave reported the hacked accounts "claim to be a partnership between a cyber health group and celebrities encouraging others to collectively donate 5,000 bitcoins destined for a supposed community healthcare partnership." On ABC World News TonightVi (7/15, story 5, 0:50, Muir, 7.16M), Mary Bruce reported that "it's unclear at this point how many people have fallen victim to this scam, but it does appear right now that already hundreds of transactions have taken place on this account, totaling over $100,000." NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/15, story 5, 0:50, Holt, 5.7M) reported that in a statement, "Twitter says it is aware of a security incident impacting accounts, is investigating and taking steps to fix it, and will update everybody shortly." Twitter says "that users may be unable to tweet while it investigates." Reuters (7/15, Menn, Satter, Paul) reports Twitter "said employees with access to its internal systems had been successfully" targeted by hackers who "used this access to take control of many highly-visible (including verified) accounts and Tweet on their behalf." The company added, "We're looking into what other malicious activity they may have conducted or information they may have accessed and will share more here as we have it." Several experts "said the incident raised questions about Twitter's cybersecurity." Oren Falkowitz, former CEO of Area 1 Security, said, "It's clear the company is not doing enough to protect itself." Bloomberg (7/15, Frier, Tong, 4.73M) says the attacks were "stunning in scope and almost certainly coordinated." The hacked accounts posted "tweets promising to double the money sent by anyone sending funds via Bitcoin within the next 30 minutes." While Twitter "continues to investigate, cybersecurity experts have begun speculating on other potential sources of the EFTA00150130 breach," including the possibility of a "bad actor inside Twitter, or working for a software vendor." One of the third-party platforms "used to track and publish Twitter content may have been compromised, said Kevin O'Brien, co-founder of cybersecurity firm GreatHorn." The New York Times (7/15, Frenkel, 18.61M) calls the hack a "major show of force" by the hackers, "one of the most brazen online attacks in memory." The Times says the messages were "an iteration of a long-running scam in which hackers pose as public figures on Twitter, and promise to match or even triple any funds that are sent to their Bitcoin wallets." In the past, hackers have used "fake accounts to try to convince users that the funds will be going to public figures like Mr. Musk or Mr. Gates," but "the attacks Wednesday were the first time that the real accounts of public figures were used in the scam." The Financial Times (7/15, Murphy, McGee, Subscription Publication, 1.34M) also reports. FBI San Francisco Office "Aware" Of Twitter Hacking. CNN (7/15, Iyengar, 83.16M) reports the scam "has also caught the attention of the FBI." The FBI San Francisco Field office said in a statement, "We are aware of today's security incident involving several Twitter accounts belonging to high profile individuals," adding, "The accounts appear to have been compromised in order to perpetuate cryptocurrency fraud. We advise the public not to fall victim to this scam by sending cryptocurrency or money in relation to this incident." Trump Campaign Seizes Opportunity Presented By Twitter Hack To Take Jab At Biden's Tax Policies. The Washington Examiner (7/15, Larsen, 448K) reports, "President Trump's reelection campaign quickly used rival Joe Biden getting hacked to its advantage." Trump campaign Communications Director Tim Murtaugh posted on Twitter, "I've seen creative ways to disguise a tax increase, but this takes the cake. Hacked account or not, this is a perfect metaphor for Biden's pitch to taxpayers: 'Give me your money!'" Hawley Asks DOJ, FBI To Take "Any Necessary Measures" In Twitter Hack. The Daily Caller (7/15, Kerr, 716K) reports Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) urged Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey "to call in the Department of Justice and the FBI to take 'any necessary measures' to secure the social media site after some of its most prominent users were compromised by suspected bitcoin scammers Wednesday afternoon." In a letter, Hawley wrote, "I am concerned that this event may represent not merely a coordinated set of separate hacking incidents but rather a successful attack on the security of Twitter itself." Hawley argued, "A successful attack on your system's servers represents a threat to all of your users' privacy and data security." Hawley also asked "how many users may have been the victim of data theft as a consequence of Wednesday's attack." FBI Warns Of Cyber Criminals Spoofing Airport Websites And Wi-FL KTSM-TV El Paso, TX (7/15, Freeman) reports from El Paso, Texas, "The FBI is warning the community to beware of cyber actors who are creating fake website domains to spoof U.S.- based airport websites." KTSM-TV adds, "On Wednesday, Cyber Supervisory Special Agent Conal Whetten spoke to the press about the risks these crimes pose for airports, travelers, and the aviation industry as a whole. According to Whetten, website domain spoofing is the act of creating a fake website with the intent to mislead users by assuming the identity of a legitimate group or organization, like a popular social media site or online retailer. 'They do this to steal personal and business data, and U.S. airports are an attractive target for cyber actors because there is a rich environment of business and personal information,' said Whetten." FBI's "Operation Kick Boxer" Targets Child Predators. WDJT-TV Milwaukee (7/15, 65K) reports from Milwaukee, Wisconsin that the FBI "is using a new effort to stop sex predators who target children. It is called 'Operation Kick Boxer' and it uses sting operations to identify people who manufacture and distribute child sex abuse materials." According to WDJT-TV, "Matthew Krueger, the U.S. attorney for Wisconsin's Eastern District, says it has led to arrests all over the world. He also says reports of child exploitation are up significantly this year compared to last year. 'In additionally, with the pandemic, children are EFTA00150131 spending more time online,' Krueger said. 'They're getting more used to different internet applications, getting used to using webcams and so they're more vulnerable." FBI Assures Rep. Lynch Of US Commitment To Sharing Cyber Threat Information With Industry Partners. ExecutiveGov (7/15, Rivers) reports, "The FBI has sent a letter to Rep. Stephen Ly