From: FBI News Briefing

From: FBI News Briefing To: "FBINewsBriefing" Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Daily News Briefing - July 31, 2023 Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2023 10:15:04 +0000 Importance: Normal View in Browser Federal Bureau of Investigation Seal July 31, 2023 Federal Bureau of Investigation Daily News Briefing (In coordination with the Office of Public Affairs) Email Public Affairs to subscribe to the Daily News Briefing. Mobile version and archive available here. Table of Contents IN THE NEWS • Suicide Bomber at Political Rally in Northwest Pakistan Kills at Least 44 People, Wounds Nearly 200 • Russia Says Two Drones Hit Buildings in Moscow in Latest Wave of Attacks • West African Leaders Threaten Force Against Niger Plotters • U.S. Nurse, Child Abducted in Haiti, Non-Profit Organization Says • How Native American Police Are Fighting the Crisis of Missing People COUNTERTERRORISM • California Man Arrested After FBI Search Found Explosive Devices, Nazi Propaganda • Judge Orders Release of Three of 'Newburgh Four' and Accuses FBI of 'Trolling for Terrorists' • Editorial: Hate Groups Tear at the Seams of Our Country COUNTERINTELLIGENCE • DoD Investigating Air Force Communications Breach • AOC's Campaign Keeps Paying Chinese Foreign Agent, FEC Filings Show • U.S. Hunts Chinese Malware That Could Disrupt American Military Operations • FBI Warns About China Theft of U.S. Al Technology • Brazil Rejects U.S. Extradition Request for Alleged Russian Spy CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Fresh Charges Tie Trump Even More Closely To Coverup Effort. That Could Deepen His Legal Woes • Trump Documents Case: Carlos De Oliveira and Walt Nauta Play Key Roles • Mar-A-Lago Employee Overseeing Surveillance Cameras Previously Received Target Letter in Trump Classified Documents Probe EFTA00160450 • Democrats Claim The GOP Is Withholding Evidence Contradicting Claims In Hunter Biden Probe • FBI Agents Not Charged in Death of Former Hogan Aide Roy McGrath • Ex-Puerto Rico Boxer Felix Verdejo Found Guilty on Two Charges Tied to Death of His Pregnant Lover • Breakthrough in Long Island Serial Killings Shines Light on the Many Unsolved Murders of Sex Workers • A Young Soldier, a Love Triangle and a Murder Prosecution With No Body • It Is Time for the FBI to Tell Us Who Killed Jimmy Hoffa • Fifteen Arrested in FBland Gun, Drug Bust InvolvingAgents Agent • Robert Chambers, NYC's 'Preppy Killer,' Is Released After 15 Years in Prison on Drug Charges • Minnesota Man Sentenced to Over 6 Years in Jail for Illegal Possession of Machine Gun, Meth • Sisters Went on a Cruise They Came Back With Kilos of Cocaine Worth up to $40K in Their Luggage, Feds Allege • Carlee Russell Charged With Falsely Reporting Her Own Kidnapping • Rapper G Herbo Pleads Guilty In Credit Card Fraud That Paid For Private Jets And Designer Puppies • Woman Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Mailing Racist Threats • Arizona Man Who Extorted Georgia Tech Gets PrisonOne-Yeare Year Prison for Architect Who Paid $100K in Bribes to Honolulu Building Permit Officials • Third Inmate Gets 24 Years For Federal Prison Murder Of Child Sexual Abuse Ring Leader • Appellate Court Rules That Missouri Man With Schizophrenia Can Be Executed After All • FBI Searching Georgia Home for Remains in 2016 Disappearance of 19-Year-Old Morgan Bauer • Man Questioned in Montana After Arizona Woman Reappears Following Four Years Missing • Pennsylvania Man Arrested for Sending Explicit Videos to Law Enforcement Posing as 15-Year-Old Girl • Coach's 'Sextortion' Scheme Unravels When Student Figures Out Who He Is, Feds Say • Ex-New Mexico Police Informant Headed to Prison After Admitting Five Bank Robberies to Feed Addiction • Couple Robbed of $150K in Cryptocurrency by Hostage Takers Who Threatened to Cut Off Man's Body Parts • Editorial: Trump Is Charged With a Coverup FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Prosecutors Urge Judge to Jail Sam Bankman-Fried, Saying There Are No Conditions to Stop Him From Witness Tampering CYBER DIVISION • FBI Paints Grim Picture of Al as a Tool for Criminals • Senator Calls For Probe In Microsoft Breach LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Federal Probe in Memphis Marks Latest Effort to Reform Law Enforcement INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Judge Criticizes Prosecutors' Handling Of Venezuela Case Against Ex-Miami Congressman CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS • Jan. 6 Rioter Who Stole Radio In Attack Of D.C. Officer Fanone Sentenced To Four Years EFTA00160451 • A New Seton Hall University Report Profiles The People Prosecuted For Jan. 6 Insurrection • Bennie Thompson Says Jan. 6 Hearings Helped 'Pressure' DOJ To Bring Case Against Trump • What Does the Civil Rights Statute in Trump's Potential Jan. 6 Indictment Letter Mean? • Donald Trump Facing Third of 2023 Over Capitol Riot • Is Trump Indictment in Big Jan. 6 Case Imminent? Jack Smith's Background May Hold Hints OTHER FBI NEWS • The Secret History of Gun Rights: How Lawmakers Armed the N.R.A. • The FBI Surveilled J. Robert Oppenheimer for Months on One Man's Suggestion • Virgin Islands Says Epstein Money Will Pay for New Anti-Trafficking Plan INTERNATIONAL NEWS • America's Military Trails Russia and China in Race for the Melting Arctic • Saudi Arabia to Host Ukraine Peace Talks as Part of Western Effort to Woo Global South • North Korea Hasn't Answered U.S.'s Calls on Detained Soldier Travis King • Kim Jong Un Flaunts North Korea's Newest Weapons With Russia and China by His Side • Canada Is Ravaged by Fire. No One Has Paid More Dearly Than Indigenous People. • Italy Minister: Joining China's Belt and Road Was Atrocious' Decision • Ukraine to Start Talks With U.S. on Security Guarantees • French Embassy in Niger Is Attacked as Protesters Waving Russian Flags March Through Capital • Ukraine Again Reported Bringing War Deep Into Russia With Attacks on Moscow and Border Region • At Least Five Dead and Seven Wounded in Clashes Inside Crowded Palestinian Refugee Camp in Lebanon • China Says U.S. Military Aid to Taiwan Will Not Deter Its Will to Unify the Island • China Using Families as 'Hostages' to Quash Uyghur Dissent Abroad • Ukraine War: Putin Says Russia Does Not Reject Peace Talks OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Continued Reporting: Trump Indictment • Continued Reporting: Biden Investigation • Ticketmaster Could Face New Legal Threat This Fall, Sources Say • After U.S. Bailout, the Trucking Firm Yellow Is Shutting Down • J&J Effort To Resolve Talc Lawsuits In Bankruptcy Fails A Second Time • Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks 'Ghost Gun' Ruling By Federal Judge • U.S. Seeks to End 2020 Airbus Criminal Case Over Bribery, Export Controls • Biden Administration To Give Some Migrants In Mexico Refugee Status In U.S. • Plaintiffs In High-Profile Redistricting Case Urge Judges To Toss Out Alabama's Controversial Congressional Map • Judge Blocks Arkansas Law Allowing Librarians To Be Criminally Charged Over 'Harmful' Materials • U.S. Asks Supreme Court To Delay Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Settlement • Portland's Turbulent Summer of 2020: Unrest, Drug Decriminalization, and Fentanyl's Lethal Surge • Automaker Tesla Is Opening More Showrooms On Tribal Lands To Avoid State Laws Barring Direct Sales • Republicans Urge New Bowe Bergdahl Trial After Judge Tosses Desertion Case • Judge Throws Out Trump's 'Big Lie' Defamation Lawsuit Against CNN EFTA00160452 BIG PICTURE • New York Times • Wall Street Journal • Washington Post • Financial Times • ABC News • CBS News • NBC News • Fox News WASHINGTON SCHEDULE IN THE NEWS Suicide Bomber at Political Rally in Northwest Pakistan Kills at Least 44 People, Wounds Nearly 200 The Associated Press (07/30, Khan, Khan) and the Wall Street Journal (07/30, Shah, Dawar) reported that during a political rally in northwest Pakistan bordering Afghanistan on Sunday, a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing at least 44 people and wounding nearly 200 in an attack aimed at weakening Pakistani Islamists. According to the articles, the bombing targeted a religious political party, Maulana Fazlur Rehman's Jamiat Ulema Islam party, which avows a hardline version of Islam but is not extreme enough for jihadists who view democracy as un-Islamic. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The stories also added that officials were announcing the arrival of Abdul Rasheed, a Jamiat Ulema Islam party leader when the bomb went off in one of Pakistan's bloodiest attacks in recent years. Provincial police said in a statement that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosives vest close to the stage where several senior leaders of the party were sitting. It said initial investigations suggested the Islamic State group — which operates in Afghanistan and is an enemy of the Afghan Taliban — could be behind the attack, and officers were still investigating. The Pakistan Taliban, or TTP, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press that the bombing was aimed at setting Islamists against each other. Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that "such crimes cannot be justified in any way." The Taliban administration in Kabul insists that it won't allow the country's territory to be used against other nations and has reacted strongly against any perceived encroachment on its soil by Pakistan and other neighbors. The story was also reported on by the New York Times (07/30, Goldbaum, Rehman), Washington Post (07/30, Noack, Hussain, Khan), CBS News (07/30, Broadcast), CNN (07/30, Saifi, Goodwin), Reuters (07/30, Ahmad, Mehsud), BBC News (07/30, Davies, Durbin), The Guardian (07/30, Janjua), New York Post (07/30, Reyes), The Hill (07/30, Oshin), Independent (07/30, Drake), Al Jazeera (07/30, Staff Writer), and The Daily Beast (07/30, Uebelacker). Russia Says Two Drones Hit Buildings in Moscow in Latest Wave of Attacks Reuters (07/30, Groves, Jalonick) and the New York Times (07/30, Martinez, Troianovski) reported that on Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian forces had fired at least three drones at Moscow, the latest in a wave of attacks in Russia demonstrating that few places are off limits after more than 17 months of war. According to the articles, Russia's Defence Ministry said it had brought down three Ukrainian drones that had tried to strike Moscow in the second attack in a week, damaging a high-rise building reported to house government offices. Nobody was hurt, and there was only minor damage to the facade of two office buildings in the Moskva-Citi business district, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. The reports mention that one drone was destroyed in Odintsovo, outside Moscow, the Defense Ministry said, adding that two others struck commercial buildings in the capital after being intercepted by Russian air defenses. To maintain a military advantage and a feeling of surprise, Ukraine doesn't usually claim responsibility for attacks in Russia. However, senior Ukrainian officials said last week that Kyiv orchestrated recent drone attacks on Moscow. In his evening address on Sunday, Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, did not explicitly mention the strikes in Moscow but noted that "gradually, the war is returning to the territory of Russia," including military and "symbolic" centers. The story was also reported on by the EFTA00160453 Associated Press (07/30, Staff Writer), Wall Street Journal (07/30, Broadcast), CNN (07/30, Broadcast), Axios (07/30, Falconer), BBC News (07/30, Waterhouse, Gregory), Bloomberg (07/30, Gismatullin), Politico (07/30, Melkozerova), NBC News (07/30, Sackur), USA TODAY (07/30, Bacon, Ortiz), The Hill (07/30, Sforza), Newsweek (07/30, Broadcast), the New York Post (07/30, O'Neill), and The Daily Beast (07/30, Quinn). West African Leaders Threaten Force Against Niger Plotters The Wall Street Journal (07/30, Hinshaw, Faucon) reported that West African leaders have threatened military intervention and imposed economic sanctions to restore democratic rule in Niger, following a military coup. The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) stated that Niger's military junta has one week to return elected President Mohamed Bazoum to power. The coup, backed by Russia, threatens Nigeria's fight against its own internal Islamist insurgencies, which depends on cross-border coordination with Niger. This comes after recent coups in Mali and Burkina Faso, both countries that were formerly strong counterterrorism allies to the U.S. and France but have now shifted their allegiances towards Russia. According to the article, Niger is crucial for U.S. and European efforts to combat the spread of Islamic State and Al Qaeda in Africa, and the loss of Niger as an ally could greatly hinder these counterterrorism efforts. Reuters (07/28, Irish) added that French President Emmanuel Macron is prepared to back sanctions against the perpetrators of the coup in Niger, terming the power grab as "dangerous" and "illegitimate". France has made Niger the cornerstone of its counter-insurgency operations against Islamist militants in the Sahel region, and a successful coup could force a withdrawal of French troops. Amid a wave of anti-French sentiment and misinformation linked to Russia, Macron has called for the reinstatement of Niger President Mohamed Bazoum, while the situation remains unclear regarding who is currently in control in Niger. Reporting from VOA News (07/29, Seldin) reported that the United States is warning mutineers who have seized control of Niger that U.S. support for the Western African nation will dry up unless President Mohamed Bazoum is released and returned to power. The threat Saturday by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to pull hundreds of millions of dollars in aid followed Friday's announcement by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the head of the presidential guard, that he is Niger's new leader. "Let me be very, very clear," Blinken said at a news conference in Brisbane, Australia, following consultations with his Australian counterpart. "That support is in clear jeopardy." "Our economic and security partnership with Niger, which is significant, hundreds of millions of dollars, depends on the continuation of the democratic governance and constitutional order that has been disrupted," he said. The article noted that Niger has benefited from hundreds of millions of dollars worth of U.S. military aid and counterterrorism training and has been hosting about 1,100 U.S. troops. CNN (07/28, Brennan, Mawad, Briscoe, Goillandeau), The Guardian (07/29, Beaumont), Washington Post (07/29, Editorial Board), New York Times (07/30, Walsh), two articles from Reuters (07/30, Onuah, Dzirutwe), BBC News (07/30, Tangaza, Chothia), Wall Street Journal (07/28, Faucon), and NBC News (07/30, Kube, Gains, Luce) also reported on the story. U.S. Nurse, Child Abducted in Haiti, Non-Profit Organization Says ABC News (07/29, Deliso) reported that a New Hampshire woman named Alix Dorsainvil and her child have been kidnapped in Haiti, according to the faith-based organization, El Roi Haiti, where Dorsainvil works as a nurse. According to the article, the mother and child were abducted from the organization's campus near Port-Au-Prince. The U.S. State Department confirmed knowledge of the kidnapping of the two U.S. citizens and stated its continued work with Haitian authorities and U.S. interagency partners. The article noted that the incident comes amidst the State Department's advisories for U.S. citizens to leave Haiti as soon as possible and avoid traveling there due to widespread kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and inadequate health care infrastructure. The State Department has also ordered the evacuation of family members of U.S. government employees and non-emergency government employees in Haiti. Reuters (07/29, Grant, Wallis), CNN (07/30, Law, Pellish), NPR (07/29, Hernandez), CBS News (07/30, Czachor), New York Daily News (07/30, Wilkinson), Daily Mail (07/30, Sultan), NBC News (07/29, Jester, Romero), USA TODAY (07/30, Bacon, Ortiz), New York Post (07/30, Donlevy), The Daily Beast (07/30, Ramirez), The Guardian (07/30, Yang), The Hill (07/30, Sforza), People (07/30, Blanchet), Fox News (07/30, Rumpf-Whitten), and BBC News (07/30, Smith) also reported on the story. How Native American Police Are Fighting the Crisis of Missing People Reuters (07/28, Hay) reported that Detective Kathleen Lucero, Isleta Pueblo's chief criminal investigator, is advocating for missing indigenous individuals as part of the U.S. effort to address the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women and relatives (MMIWR). According to the article, Lucero's proactive approach is not the norm in U.S. and tribal law enforcement due to jurisdictional challenges and resource limitations. Federal law enforcement officials acknowledge that Native American police are underfunded, contributing to inadequate EFTA00160454 investigations of missing cases. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is trying to improve this by better coordinating investigations and providing agents for them. The article detailed that FBI data shows little change in MMIWR statistics from 2016 to 2021. One hurdle is the lack of cooperation between law enforcement agencies, according to New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez. Raul Bujanda, special agent in charge of the FBI's New Mexico field office, said the agency's cooperation with other law enforcement agencies had improved, and he is helping the FBI develop a missing persons list for Native Americans, beginning with New Mexico. The article noted that Vangie Randall-Shorty, the mother of a murdered indigenous man, has criticized the FBI and Navajo Nation for blocking the BIA's investigation into her son's case. "These agencies can't even work together to solve Zachariah's case," said Randall-Shorty. Back to Top COUNTERTERRORISM California Man Arrested After FBI Search Found Explosive Devices, Nazi Propaganda The Hill (07/29, Robertson) reported that a Los Angeles man, Ryan Bradford, believed to be linked with the white supremacist Peckerwood prison gang, was arrested after federal investigators found illegal firearms, 3D-printed gun parts, and an improvised explosive at his residence. According to the article, Bradford, a self-proclaimed anti- Semite, had been promoting the manufacturing of illegal weapons online, and called for the mass murder of Jewish people, according to the FBI assistant director Donald Alway. The article noted that investigators also found evidence that Bradford was teaching how to build grenades and other explosives on Telegram group chats, and he had planned to perpetrate violence motivated by his extremist ideology. KCAL (CBS-9) (07/28, Sharp, Rodriguez), NBC News (07/29, Helsel, Blankstein), and Patch (07/28, Austin) also reported on the story. Judge Orders Release of Three of 'Newburgh Four' and Accuses FBI of 'Trolling for Terrorists' Associated Press (07/28, Sisak, Peltz reported that three men, known as the "Newburgh Four," convicted in a post- 9/11 terrorism plot to attack New York synagogues and National Guard planes, have been ordered to be released from prison by a judge who criticized their sentences as "unduly harsh and unjust," and condemned the FBI's involvement in radicalizing them. According to the article, the judge, U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon, described the men as being entrapped by overzealous FBI agents and a questionable informant into a scheme they would not have otherwise considered, going so far as to label the United States as the real lead conspirator. The article noted that the judge reduced their initial 25-year sentences, imposed in 2011, to time served plus 90 days, emphasizing concerns for their health and her reservations about the case. Reuters (07/28, Mckay), New York Post (07/28, Reilly), Independent (07/28, Sisak, Peitz), CBS News (07/28, Staff Writer), and NBC News (07/28, Video) also reported on the story. Editorial: Hate Groups Tear at the Seams of Our Country An editorial from the Portland Press Herald (07/28, Editorial) reported that the United States is experiencing a resurgence of white supremacist movements, with an uptick in their propaganda, hate crimes, and activities meant to harm and intimidate minorities. In Maine, there have been neo-Nazi rallies, the distribution of racist literature, and efforts to build whites-only communities, indicating the movement's gaining momentum. The article noted that an FBI spokesperson noted that white supremacists are now the nation's top domestic terror threat, highlighting the urgent need for all who believe in the nation's core principles to stand against this dangerous trend. Back to Top COUNTERINTELLIGENCE DoD Investigating Air Force Communications Breach Forbes (07/29, Brewster) reported that the Pentagon is investigating a "critical compromise" of communications across 17 Air Force facilities and a possible breach of FBI communications by an engineer at the Arnold Air Force Base in Tennessee, following a tip-off about the engineer illicitly taking home government radio technologies. According to the article, upon raiding his home, law enforcement discovered he had "unauthorized administrator access" to radio communications tech used by the Air Education and Training Command, and a computer screen open to a Motorola radio programming software containing the entire Arnold Air Force Base communications EFTA00160455 system. The article noted that the search warrant indicates the FBI is collaborating with the Air Force on the ongoing investigation, and although the breadth or nature of the information taken is not detailed, evidence was found indicating the suspect may have had access to FBI and various Tennessee state agency communications. The Hill (07/29, Shapero), The Guardian (07/29, Yang), Washington Examiner (07/29, Goldsberry), Bloomberg (07/29, Diaz), New York Post (07/29, Vincent), and The Daily Beast (07/29, Fiallo) also reported on the story. AOC's Campaign Keeps Paying Chinese Foreign Agent, FEC Filings Show Fox News (07/28, Schoffstall) reported that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's campaign has reportedly continued to finance advertisements in Sing Tao Newspapers, a U.S. subsidiary of a Chinese entity required by the DOJ to register as a foreign agent due to its political activities. According to the article, the paper, considered pro-Beijing, receives over half of its content from the Chinese company Star Production (Shenzhen) Limited and operates under China's media control operations, which involve censorship and information control. The article noted that the connection raises potential counterintelligence concerns given China's restrictive media environment and the fact that Ocasio- Cortez's campaign is the only one placing ads in this media during the second quarter, but no direct FBI involvement is mentioned in this context. U.S. Hunts Chinese Malware That Could Disrupt American Military Operations The New York Times (07/29, Sanger, Barnes) and CNN (07/29, lyer) reported that the Biden administration, along with U.S. military and intelligence officials, are concerned about malicious computer code believed to be planted by China in networks controlling the U.S.'s power grids, communication systems, and water supplies that are linked to military bases. Suspected to be a work of the People's Liberation Army, this malware could potentially disrupt U.S. military operations during the conflict, impacting not only military bases but also civilians as these systems serve regular American houses and businesses too. According to the articles, there has been an ongoing effort to hunt down and eradicate this hidden malware; however, its full extent remains uncertain due to its sophistication. The articles noted that although the White House has not directly mentioned China or the military bases in its statements, it emphasizes rigorous cybersecurity practices and the protection of critical infrastructure. The National Security Agency's director of cybersecurity, Rob Joyce, has particularly highlighted the disturbing disruptive potential of these intrusions. FBI Warns About China Theft of U.S. Al Technology VOA News (07/29, Farivar) reported that senior FBI officials have stated that China and other adversaries are stealing U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) technology to advance their own Al programs and to conduct foreign influence campaigns. According to the article, Director Wray emphasized China's Al intentions, noting the country's ability to leverage Al for powerful hacking efforts, after "years stealing both our innovation and massive troves of data." The article noted that the FBI is concerned about future threats from foreign adversaries exploiting stolen U.S. Al technology, with a particular focus on the possible deployment of such technology in significant instances such as the 2024 presidential election. Brazil Rejects U.S. Extradition Request for Alleged Russian Spy The Washington Post (07/28, Avi-Yonah) reported that Brazilian justice officials have stated they cannot approve a U.S. extradition request for Sergey Cherkasov, a man alleged by the U.S. Justice Department to be a Russian spy because they are already processing Moscow's extradition request for him. According to the article, Cherkasov, charged with acting as an illegal agent of a Russian intelligence service and other crimes in the U.S., is currently serving a sentence in Brazil on charges of using fraudulent documents. The article noted that Cherkasov was considered a potential bargaining chip for a prisoner swap with the U.S., in exchange for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is being held in Russia on espionage allegations. Back to Top CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Fresh Charges Tie Trump Even More Closely To Coverup Effort. That Could Deepen His Legal Woes The Associated Press (07/29, Tucker, Richer) reported that former President Donald Trump sought to delete Mar-a- Lago surveillance footage to obstruct the DOJ's investigation into his handling of classified documents. The article stated that the latest criminal charges unsealed Thursday deepen Trump's legal jeopardy, alleging a more central role for the former president than previously known in a cover-up that prosecutors say was meant to prevent them EFTA00160456 from recovering top-secret documents he took with him after he left the White House. Coming as Trump braces for possible additional indictments related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, the new allegations strengthen special counsel Jack Smith's already powerful case against Trump while undercutting potential defenses floated by the former president, experts say. The article added that the new Florida charges came as a surprise given that Trump and his legal team have been focused on the prospect of an additional indictment in Washington — possibly within days — related to his efforts to cling to power after he lost to President Joe Biden. Trump received a letter this month informing him that he's a target in that probe, and his lawyers met Thursday with special counsel Jack Smith's office. The article noted that hours after that meeting, Smith revealed the new classified documents case charges on top of a 38-count indictment issued last month against Trump and his valet, Walt Nauta. The updated indictment includes a detailed chronology of phone conversations and other interactions between Trump, Nauta, and Mar-a-Lago property manager, Carlos De Oliveira, in the days after the Justice Department last June drafted a subpoena for security camera footage at Mar-a-Lago. The article mentioned that the video from the home would ultimately become vital to the government's case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room — an act alleged to have been done at Trump's direction and to hide records not only from investigators but Trump's lawyers. ABC News (07/28, Mallin, Pereira), the Independent (07/28, Sharp), USA TODAY (07/28, Jansen, Jackson), Reuters (07/28, Jackson, Chiacu), Allazeera (07/28, Staff Writer), Fox News (07/30, Wallace), CNBC (07/28, Breuninger), Washington Post (07/30, Stein), Huffington Post (07/30, Vera), and timelines by the Wall Street Journal (07/28, Gurman), and the Washington Post (07/28, Bump), also reported on the story. Trump Documents Case: Carlos De Oliveira and Walt Nauta Play Key Roles The New York Times (07/30, Feuer, Haberman, Protess) reported that Carlos De Oliveira and Walt Nauta, who were hired by former President Donald J. Trump despite past troubles, rely on him for their legal fees — and are now his co-defendants. The article added that the release of new details on Thursday in an updated indictment by the special counsel, Jack Smith, underscored the extent to which low-level workers like Mr. De Oliveira — lacking Mr. Trump's reserves of power, fame, and money — have become embroiled in the government's attempts to hold the former president accountable for threatening national security. The article stated that Mr. Nauta was central to the first part of the scheme, moving boxes from the room at least five times at Mr. Trump's direction. All of that took place during a critical moment in the government's investigation: the weeks between the issuance of a subpoena last year demanding the return of all classified documents in Mr. Trump's possession and a visit to Mar-a-Lago shortly after by prosecutors seeking to collect the materials. The article noted that people in Mr. Trump's orbit are described as beginning to worry about Mr. De Oliveira's loyalties after the FBI descended on Mar-a-Lago with a search warrant last summer and hauled away about 100 classified documents. Mar-A-Lago Employee Overseeing Surveillance Cameras Previously Received Target Letter in Trump Classified Documents Probe CNN (07/30, Cohen, Collins, Polantz) reported that Yuscil Taveras, a Mar-a-Lago employee who oversees the property's surveillance cameras, received a target letter from federal prosecutors after former President Donald Trump was first indicted in June on charges related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving office. The article added that Taveras also met with investigators following the initial indictment in the classified documents case overseen by special counsel Jack Smith, sources said. While it is unclear whether Taveras is cooperating with prosecutors, some of the new allegations against Trump that were included in a superseding indictment filed last week were based, at least in part, on information he provided during that interview. The article noted that unlike Trump's longtime valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager and new co- defendant Carlos De Oliveira, Taveras is not currently facing charges in the classified documents case despite having been informed he is a target in the probe. The article mentioned that he is at the center of the new accusations added to the indictment, including an exchange he had with De Oliveira on June 27, 2022. In that conversation, De Oliveira asked to have a private discussion in an "audio closet" with Taveras, including questioning how long the footage from the security tapes lasted and whether it could be deleted. When Taveras said "he would not know how to do that, and that he did not believe that he would have the rights to do that;' De Oliveira said "the boss" wanted it deleted, according to the indictment. Forbes (07/28, Pequeno), the Daily Beast (07/30, Bachman), and the Independent (07/28, Rissman) also reported on the story. Democrats Claim The GOP Is Withholding Evidence Contradicting Claims In Hunter Biden Probe The Associated Press (07/28, Amiri) reported that House Democrats are demanding the release of a transcript from a new FBI witness that they say contradicts Republicans' claims in the expanding congressional inquiry into EFTA00160457 President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden. The article added that Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on House Oversight Committee, sent a letter Friday to Rep. James Comer, the Republican chair of the committee, asking him to produce the transcribed interview this month with an FBI agent who worked on the investigation into the younger Biden's taxes and foreign business dealings. The witness was interviewed on July 17. The article noted that the Maryland lawmaker claimed the closed-door interview with the unidentified agent conducted by committee staff "directly undermined" testimony released by Republicans last month from two IRS whistleblowers who allege that the Justice Department interfered with their yearslong investigation into Hunter Biden. The Daily Beast (07/28, Uebelacker), Axios (07/28, Kight), and the Hill (07/28, Brooks) also reported on the story. FBI Agents Not Charged in Death of Former Hogan Aide Roy McGrath The Associated Press (07/28, Witte) reported that a former Maryland political aide who failed to appear for his trial on federal corruption charges died after suffering two gunshot wounds — one of them self-inflicted — as FBI agents closed in on him in Tennessee, according to an autopsy report made public Friday. The article added that authorities said agents acted in self-defense, and there will be no charges against any of the agents involved. Roy McGrath died on April 4 near Knoxville, Tennessee, after he failed to appear at Baltimore's federal courthouse for his March 13 trial. The article noted that the news release also provided details about what happened leading up to the FBI agents closing in on McGrath. FBI agents in Baltimore asked if Knoxville agents could arrest McGrath, and they provided a copy of the warrant, a description of McGrath's vehicle, and information about McGrath's location. When agents responded, they found McGrath's vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop when the vehicle left a parking lot, according to the release. Despite the lights and sirens of the agents' vehicles, McGrath continued to drive until he was boxed in between two other businesses. The article stated that agents approached the vehicle and repeatedly announced, "FBI," and ordered McGrath to put his hands out the open driver's side window, the release said, but McGrath replied, "No," and, "I have a gun, and it's loaded." Agents saw McGrath with a handgun raised to his right temple, and the way McGrath held the handgun placed agents within the trajectory of McGrath's gun, causing one agent to believe McGrath posed a threat of imminent death or serious bodily injury to himself and other agents, the release said. WJZ (CBS-13) (07/28, Hellgren), Washington Post (07/28, Thompson), the Baltimore Banner (07/28, Prudente), and Maryland Matters (07/28, Sears) also reported on the story. Ex-Puerto Rico Boxer Felix Verdejo Found Guilty on Two Charges Tied to Death of His Pregnant Lover The Associated Press (07/28, Staff Writer) reported that former Puerto Rican boxer Felix Verdejo was found guilty Friday on two charges related to the death of his 27-year-old pregnant lover. The verdict came after a 2S-week trial in which the jury heard gruesome details about the April 2021 killing of Keishla Rodriguez that shocked the U.S. territory. The article added that the jury convicted Verdejo on the charge of kidnapping that leads to a death and one count of causing the death of an unborn child. The 12 jurors could not reach unanimous verdicts on the charge of intercepting and stealing a vehicle with the consequence of causing death or the charge of carrying a weapon to commit a violent crime. Fox News (07/30, Wallace) quoted FBI San Juan Special Agent in Charge, Joseph Gonzalez, who said, "There are damages which cannot ever be repaired, not even by a just verdict, in cases such as these, all we can do is give our all in the pursuit of justice. Today, I can say that my team did exactly that, and I am proud of their dedication. I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office for the amazing work and the jury for their service. We did what we do and justice was served." ABC News (07/29, Deliso), Washington Post (07/29, Salcedo), CNN (07/29, Razek), New York Post (07/29, Shakhnazarova), People (07/29, Vasquez), the Sun (07/29, Burke), and the New York Daily News (07/29, Schladebeck) also reported on the story. Breakthrough in Long Island Serial Killings Shines Light on the Many Unsolved Murders of Sex Workers The Associated Press (07/30, Parry) reported that the discovery of four dead women in a drainage ditch just outside Atlantic City was shocking news in 2006. International media flocked to the seaside gambling resort. More than 100 detectives and prosecutors were assigned to investigate. Casino guests worried about safety, and the victims' fellow sex workers began carrying hidden knives. But as the years passed, the public's attention and fear faded, and the case of the "Eastbound Strangler" — so named for the direction the victims' heads were facing — remained unsolved. The article added that the arrest earlier this month of a man charged with killing three women whose remains were found on a Long Island beach in 2010 has breathed fresh life into another long-dormant case with obvious parallels; the Gilgo Beach serial killings involve a total of 11 victims, most of whom were young, female sex workers. Yet the recent breakthrough, and the rekindling of public interest, only highlights a painful truth: Many similar cases — like the one in Atlantic City -- remain open. The article stated that the FBI would not say how many killings of sex workers in the U.S. remain unsolved. Media accounts and statements from local authorities show a EFTA00160458 long trail of open cases, from nine women whose bodies were found along highways in Massachusetts, to 11 found dead in New Mexico, and eight more found amid the crawfish farms and swamps of southern Louisiana. The killings of other sex workers in Chicago, New Haven, Connecticut, and Ohio, among other places, also remain mysteries. A Young Soldier, a Love Triangle and a Murder Prosecution With No Body The Los Angeles Times (07/28, Ormseth, Chu) reported that Anna Laura Costa Porsborg flew to Los Angeles on Christmas Eve, planning to spend a week taking in the sights with her boyfriend. She sent her mother in Brazil photographs from Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Then the messages stopped. After hearing nothing from her daughter for two days, Costa Porsborg's mother went to the Brazilian federal police, who contacted the FBI. The article added that law enforcement agents never found the 22-year-old. Her remains, they suspect, are somewhere in the Angeles National Forest. The article noted that the absence of her body has not stopped prosecutors from charging Costa Porsborg's boyfriend with her murder. The rare "no body" homicide prosecution was put to the test at a preliminary hearing Monday. Two detectives described the evidence that led them to conclude her boyfriend killed Costa Porsborg, left her body in their hotel room for two days, then buried her somewhere in the mountains above Los Angeles. The article stated that Gomes Akay has never told detectives where he left the body. Using his phone location data, authorities have identified a large swath of the Angeles National Forest within which her remains might have been buried. The article mentioned that an FBI agent and two investigators from the U.S. Army have searched for Costa Porsborg's body without success. It Is Time for the FBI to Tell Us Who Killed Jimmy Hoffa In a piece by Fox News (07/30, Shawn) the author stated that the FBI and Department of Justice can close the Jimmy Hoffa case and announce who they think did it. The author added that since July 30, 1975, when legendary Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa disappeared, the claims, theories, and speculation have fueled one of the greatest mysteries in American history. The author claimed that it is time for the FBI to release the still redacted and hidden documents that remain classified and announce who investigators believe were responsible. The author noted that it appears that the answers end in Detroit. Fifteen Arrested in FBI Gun, and Drug Bust Involving 200+ Agents CBS News (07/28, Parry) reported that the FBI announced details Friday of a violent crime crackdown in Dallas. The article added that 15 people were arrested in the operation—which involved more than 200 officers and agents— between the FBI, Dallas Police, and the Dallas County Sheriffs Office. That's in addition to 19 other arrests before the crackdown. The article noted that those arrested are facing drug and firearms charges. If convicted, some face as many as 40 years in federal prison. The FBI says gangs and gang leaders were targeted as part of a two-year investigation. The suspects made their initial appearances in federal court Friday morning. The article quoted Chad Yarbrough, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office, who said, "It's not our goal to just put individuals in jail for a few days, but to build cases that cut into the capabilities of these gangs and criminal enterprises, putting the most violent offenders and facilitators behind bars for as long as we possibly can," Dallas News (07/28, Kelly), the Dallas Observer (07/28, Dearmore), Audacy (07/28, Greenstein), and the Star-Telegram (07/28, Lopez) also reported on the story. Robert Chambers, NYC's 'Preppy Killer,' Is Released After 15 Years in Prison on Drug Charges The Associated Press (07/29, Staff Writer) reported that Robert Chambers, better known to some as the "Preppy Killer," was released after spending 15 years in prison for drug and assault charges, according to state records. Chambers spent a similar amount of time in prison after pleading guilty to strangling Jennifer Levin in New York City's Central Park during the summer of 1986. Chambers entered the plea to killing 18-year-old Levin as part of a deal when a jury could not reach a decision after nine days of deliberations. The article added that he was released in 2003 for that crime but again ran afoul of the law soon after. He was again arrested in 2007 for selling drugs out of his apartment. He was sentenced to 19 years in prison but was released Tuesday — four years early — from the Shawangunk Correctional Facility in New York, according to online inmate records maintained by the New York Department of Corrections. Chambers, now 56, will remain under supervision for up to five years, records show. Minnesota Man Sentenced to Over 6 Years in Jail for Illegal Possession of Machine Gun, Meth WCCO (CBS-4) (07/28, Staff Writer) reported that a 50-year-old Anoka man was sentenced to over six years in prison for illegally possessing a machine gun and meth, U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger announced Friday. Darrian Mitchell Nguyen pleaded guilty in March to one count each of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a machine gun. The article added that court documents say that the FBI EFTA00160459 received a tip from a confidential source, who said that Nguyen possessed explosive devices, firearms, and methamphetamine, and had shown interest in joining an anti-government group. The source said Nguyen kept these weapons in "secret" rooms built within his house. The article noted that the source said he owed Nguyen a debt because they lost Nguyen's drug money back in 2020. The source met up with Nguyen in July and, in an audio- recorded conversation, discussed settling the debt. During a meeting in August, Nguyen sold the source roughly 7.1 grams of meth for $300. Nguyen was sentenced to 77 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. Sisters Went on a Cruise They Came Back With Kilos of Cocaine Worth up to $40K in Their Luggage, Feds Allege Business Insider (07/29, Lee) reported that two sisters recently took a weeklong cruise —touring the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Mexico — and came back with several kilos of cocaine hidden in the lining of their backpacks, a federal investigator alleged in a criminal complaint. The article noted that in total, about 4.75 kilograms of cocaine was hidden in the backpacks, which Summer Louis, a Homeland Security agent, estimated to be worth between $15,000 to $40,000, according to the complaint. Carlee Russell Charged With Falsely Reporting Her Own Kidnapping The Washington Post (07/28, Avi-Yonah) reported that Alabama authorities said Friday they have filed charges against a woman who admitted earlier this week to fabricating being kidnapped by the side of the interstate after stopping to help a toddler. The article stated that Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said Carlethia "Carlee" Nichole Russell has been charged with false reporting to law enforcement authorities and falsely reporting an incident, both misdemeanors that are punishable by up to one year in jail and a potential $6,000 fine. Russell turned herself into jail Friday and has been released on a $2,000 bond, Derzis added. Russell allegedly went missing on July 13 after calling 911. Her story received national attention and sparked a furious search. The article mentioned that the disappearance of Russell, who is Black, led to discussions online about the disproportionate number of Black people reported missing in the United States each year, and concerns that a fabricated disappearance would distract from what law enforcement figures show is a real problem. Black people make up roughly a third of missing persons despite comprising 14 percent of the U.S. population, FBI data show. The New York Post (07/28, Steinbuch) also reported on the story. Rapper G Herbo Pleads Guilty In Credit Card Fraud That Paid For Private Jets And Designer Puppies The Associated Press (07/28, Pratt) reported that the rapper G Herbo pleaded guilty Friday to his role in a scheme that used stolen credit card information to pay for a lavish lifestyle including private jets, exotic car rentals, a luxury vacation rental, and even expensive designer puppies. The article added that under a deal with prosecutors, the 27- year-old Chicago rapper, whose real name is Herbert Wright III, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false statements. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed several counts of aggravated identity theft. He also agreed to forfeit nearly $140,000, the amount he benefited from what prosecutors have said was a $1.5 million scheme that involved several other people. The Rolling Stone (07/29, Madarang), New York Daily News (07/28, Rosen), Deadline (07/28, Haring), Chicago Sun- Times (07/28, Staff Writer), and the Chicago Tribune (07/28, Meisner) also reported on the story. Woman Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Mailing Racist Threats The Associated Press (07/28, Staff Writer) reported that a Kentucky woman has been sentenced to nine years in prison for mailing racist threats to her neighbors, the Justice Department said. Suzanne Craft, 55, of Louisville, sent multiple threatening letters through the U.S. Postal Service in 2020 to an interracial family who lived in the same neighborhood, according to court documents. Many of the letters contained threats of violence and racial slurs, the Justice Department said in a statement. A jury convicted Craft in March of five counts of mailing threatening communications and found that the threats were racially motivated. The article added that Craft's sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release, the statement on Thursday said. The FBI Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Arizona Man Who Extorted Georgia Tech Gets Prison Time The Associated Press (07/28, Staff Writer) reported that an Arizona man accused of trying to extort Georgia Tech by falsely accusing its men's basketball coach of sexual assault has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison, federal prosecutors said. The article added that Ronald Bell, 57, of Oro Valley, Arizona, was sentenced Thursday to two years, nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said in a news release. Bell pleaded guilty in March to conspiring with his co-defendant, Jennifer Pendley, EFTA00160460 and a security guard at Georgia Tech, to the extortion scheme. A Dal press release quoted Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, who said, "Bell sought to severely damage the reputation of the institution and their coach solely for his own financial gain, this sentence proves that the FBI will not tolerate false allegations and will do everything in our power to seek the truth and hold individuals who commit these type of crimes accountable for their selfish actions." Fox News (07/28, Mion), and ESPN (07/28, Schlabach) also reported on the story. One-Year Prison for Architect Who Paid $100K in Bribes to Honolulu Building Permit Officials The Associated Press (07/28, Staff Writer) reported that an architect was sentenced to a year in prison for paying more than $100,000 in bribes to Honolulu city employees in exchange for expediting approval of his projects. Five workers were charged in 2021 and accused of taking bribes in exchange for favors, including expediting building permits, in a scandal that prompted the department to overhaul its permitting process. They have since pleaded guilty. The article added that at William Wong's sentencing in U.S. District Court in Honolulu on Thursday, his lawyer said Wong played a major role in exposing the scandal by cooperating in the investigation. The article noted that defense attorney William Harrison said his client's success in getting projects through the Department of Planning and Permitting raised suspicions and he confessed when questioned by the FBI. The article mentioned that after the indictments, the department announced changes, including hiring an outside investigator to examine internal controls. Other actions included requiring applications for single-family dwellings to be submitted electronically and exploring the elimination of cash transactions. Third Inmate Gets 24 Years For Federal Prison Murder Of Child Sexual Abuse Ring Leader The Associated Press (07/28, Staff Writer) reported that a federal prison inmate was sentenced Friday to more than 24 years for killing a fellow prisoner convicted of leading a child sexual abuse ring. Alex Albert Castro, 43, of Fontana, California, was sentenced after pleading guilty in March to second-degree murder in the killing of Christian Maire, the mastermind of an international child exploitation ring. U.S. District Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey ordered the sentence to run consecutively to a 42-year sentence Castro is serving for a drug crime. The article added that Castro stabbed Maire with a shank 28 times in the head, neck, and back at Milan federal prison in January 2019, court records say. Two other inmates, Jason Dale Kechego and Adam Taylor Wright, are accused of kicking and stomping Maire in the head before he was thrown down a flight of metal stairs. A DOJ press release noted that Castro's drug conviction was the result of an FBI-supported investigation. CBS News (07/28, Powers) also reported on the story. Appellate Court Rules That Missouri Man With Schizophrenia Can Be Executed After All The Associated Press (07/29, Hollingsworth) reported that the planned execution of a 45-year-old Missouri man with schizophrenia is back on after an appellate court reversed course Saturday. Johnny Johnson is scheduled to receive a lethal injection Tuesday at the state prison in Bonne Terre for killing 6-year-old Casey Williamson after trying to sexually assault her in 2002. The article added that with questions swirling about his mental competency, the execution was halted last Tuesday by a divided three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court. But after the Missouri Attorney General's Office asked that the full court reconsider, that decision was reversed in a 7-3 ruling. The case will likely end up before the U.S. Supreme Court before the scheduled execution date. People (07/29, Speakman), Fox News (07/29, Stimson), New York Post (07/28, Donlevy), and the New York Daily News (07/29, McShane) also reported on the story. FBI Searching Georgia Home for Remains in 2016 Disappearance of 19-Year-Old Morgan Bauer The New York Post (07/28, Farberov) reported that FBI agents and local police raided a home in Georgia in search of human remains in the 2016 disappearance of 19-year-old Morgan Bauer, who was last seen in a mysterious video that she posted to Instagram. The article noted that a search warrant "obtained based on credible information" was executed Thursday at a property on South Broad Street in the Atlanta suburb of Porterdale. The article mentioned that in February 2022, they learned that Bauer's last sighting was on February 26, when she posted a video of herself on Instagram walking in Porterdale Yellow River Park. The park is less than a mile from the property that was raided by the FBI Thursday. A man can be seen following Bauer in the recording, which was the last thing she ever shared on social media. The Independent (07/28, Rissman) also reported on the story. Man Questioned in Montana After Arizona Woman Reappears Following Four Years Missing The Associated Press (07/28, Brown, Lee) reported that a man was detained and questioned by police and his Montana apartment was searched as authorities tried to piece together the mysterious disappearance and sudden reappearance this week of Alicia Navarro, who was 14 when she vanished from her Arizona home four EFTA00160461 years ago. The article added that police on Friday provided no details about Wednesday's search or the identity of the man, who was released. But Garrett Smith, who lives in the apartment next to the one that was searched, said for at least a year Navarro lived there with the man who was questioned. He described them as quiet and said he hasn't seen the man since the night police were there. The article mentioned that Navarro's whereabouts were revealed Sunday when she showed up at the Havre police station and told officers she wanted her name removed from the missing persons list. Police in Glendale, Arizona, the community where she lived before disappearing, held a news conference Wednesday to announce that she'd been found. The New York Post (07/29, Vago, Sedacca, Guzman) reported that the Glendale Police Department is working with the FBI, US Marshals, and police forces in Montana to investigate the circumstances surrounding Navarro's September 2019 disappearance, when she "willfully left her home" shortly before her 15th birthday. An additional New York Post (07/28, Pagones) article, Independent (07/28, Hurley), and the Daily Beast (07/28, Melendez) also reported on the story. Pennsylvania Man Arrested for Sending Explicit Videos to Law Enforcement Posing as 15-Year-Old Girl KDKA (CBS-2) (07/29, Damp) reported that a Pittsburgh man is facing charges of sending explicit videos to law enforcement agents who were posing as a 15-year-old girl. The article noted that according to Cranberry Township Police, Maksudjon Kosimov was traveling from Cranberry to meet a girl at her home. He was later met by agents from the Pittsburgh FBI office who had been communicating with the 23-year-old since Monday through social media. Kosimov is in the Butler County Prison on a $250,000 bail. Coach's 'Sextortion' Scheme Unravels When Student Figures Out Who He Is, Feds Say The Charlotte Observer (07/30, Marnin) reported that after prosecutors say a New Mexico high school coach manipulated a student into sending him nude photos, she isolated herself from friends and family, spent most days in her room, and stopped participating in class, court documents show. The article noted that at first, she didn't know that two people she had been communicating with over Snapchat when she was 13 and 14 were the same person — her school's assistant basketball coach, who was running a "sextortion" scheme with two fake profiles, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico. The article quoted Raul Bujanda, FBI special agent in charge of the agency's Albuquerque field office, who said, "The successful multi-agency investigation and prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office will keep a dangerous predator out of the school system and will prevent him from targeting additional minors:. Ex-New Mexico Police Informant Headed to Prison After Admitting Five Bank Robberies to Feed Addiction The Associated Press (07/29, Staff Writer) reported that a New Mexico man who confessed to five bank robberies in Albuquerque last year — including one bank he robbed twice as part of what he said were desperate attempts to feed his fentanyl addiction — has been sentenced to more than two years in prison. The article added that Jason Smeltzer, 41, made off with less than $4,000 total from the five robberies, which took place within 6 miles (10 kilometers) of each other over five weeks in early 2022, court records show. Each time, the unarmed Albuquerque man who once served as a confidential informant for the city's police handed notes to tellers claiming he was a vigilante helping law enforcement and asking that they "please" place bills in an envelope, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque. The article stated that from Jan. 20-Feb. 23, 2022, Smeltzer stole a total of $3,856 from the four banks on the city's northeast side, including just $136 from one. The most was $1,180 the second time he robbed the same credit union on San Mateo Boulevard in mid-February. Acting on a call to a national tip line, FBI agents and police arrested him leaving his Albuquerque home in a car with his mother hours after the final robbery on Feb. 23. An FBI agent said in an affidavit that Smeltzer confessed to all of the crimes and told authorities he was using the money to buy drugs for his fentanyl addiction. Couple Robbed of $150K in Cryptocurrency by Hostage Takers Who Threatened to Cut Off Man's Body Parts Fox News (07/29, Stimson) reported that three alleged kidnappers held a 76-year-old couple hostage in their North Carolina home and stole more than $156,000 in cryptocurrency while threatening to cut off the husband's genitalia and rape the wife, a newly unsealed federal criminal complaint said this week. The article added that the suspects came to the couple's Durham, North Carolina, residence around 7:30 in the morning on April 12, claiming they were construction workers inspecting pipes, the Thursday complaint said. The article stated that the husband was forced into his home office where a suspect named Remy Ra St. Felix allegedly demanded at gunpoint with a semiautomatic handgun that he logs in to his Coinbase cryptocurrency account. While on the phone with suspect Jarod Gabriel Seemungal, who the complaint was for, he told him details about the man's account, making the FBI believe it had previously been compromised. The suspects stole $156,853 in three transactions, according to the EFTA00160462 complaint. A fourth transaction was denied by Coinbase. The Daily Beast (07/28, Rohrlich) also reported on the story. Editorial: Trump Is Charged With a Coverup An opinion piece by the Wall Street Journal (07/28, Editorial Board) stated that Donald Trump does not understand the greatest truism in politics—i.e., that it's not the crime, it's the coverup. The author claimed that seems evident from the page while reading Thursday's superseding indictment of Mr. Trump, who now stands accused of trying to delete incriminating Mar-a-Lago security video. The author added that if Mr. Trump sought to destroy evidence, it undercuts his defense on the document charges. The author noted that he contends that the Presidential Records Act gives him the right to retain documents from his time in office. But if Mr. Trump believed that, he would have played it straight. If the indictment is right that he hid the files from his own lawyers and tried to wipe the security video to stop anybody from finding out, then he didn't buy his own defense. Back to Top FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS Prosecutors Urge Judge to Jail Sam Bankman-Fried, Saying There Are No Conditions to Stop Him From Witness Tampering CNN (07/28, Scannell) reported that federal prosecutors have called for the revocation of bail for Sam Bankman- Fried, the co-founder of FTX, due to alleged witness tampering and violations of bail conditions ahead of his criminal fraud trial. According to the article, the charges, termed as one of the biggest financial frauds in US history, suggest that Bankman-Fried used his cryptocurrency exchange to finance risky bets, political contributions, and a luxury lifestyle. The article noted that Bankman-Fried's attorneys maintain his right to defend himself and speak to the press, but prosecutors assert that his actions are not constitutionally protected speech and undermine the due administration of justice. CNBC (07/28, Goswami) also reported on the story. Back to Top CYBER DIVISION FBI Paints Grim Picture of Al as a Tool for Criminals Fox News (07/28, Kasperowicz, Singman) reported that the FBI warned Friday that artificial intelligence is becoming the tool of choice for domestic and foreign criminals, and said the bureau is working to build up a capacity to fight this new threat. The article quoted a senior FBI official, who said, "Al has demonstrated that it will likely have far- reaching implications on the threats we face, the types of crimes committed and how we conduct our law enforcement activities, criminals are leveraging Al as a force multiplier to generate malicious code craft convincing phishing emails, enable insider trading or securities fraud, and exploit vulnerabilities in Al systems making cyberattacks and other criminal activity more effective and harder to detect," The article added that officials said the FBI sees itself as having a dual mandate when it comes to Al. One is to protect U.S. citizens from disruptive Al attacks, and the second is to take steps to disrupt the sources of these attacks. Those attacks can include the production and distribution of deepfake videos used to harass and extort victims, something one official said would become more commonplace as more Al systems are deployed. Al is also making it easier for criminals without any technical background to commit cybercrimes. The article included a photo of Director Wray with the caption, "The FBI, led by Director Wray, says artificial intelligence is quickly becoming a tool for criminals." Cyberscoop (07/28, Vicens) also reported on the story. Senator Calls For Probe In Microsoft Breach Axios (07/28, Sabin) reported that a top cybersecurity-focused senator is calling for the U.S. government to "hold Microsoft responsible for its negligent cybersecurity practices" after a recent cloud breach. The article stated that Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter Thursday to the heads of the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission, and CISA asking them to launch new inquiries into Microsoft's cybersecurity practices. The article noted that this marks the first lawmaker request to investigate Microsoft's cybersecurity strategies since the breaches were discovered earlier this month. Microsoft has been in the D.C. hot seat since the recent disclosure, given this isn't the first time suspected Chinese hackers have used Microsoft's tech to spy on government officials. The article mentioned that earlier this month, Microsoft disclosed that a China-based hacking group had gained EFTA00160463 access to email accounts belonging to several government agencies. Reports have now suggested that those accounts included ones belonging to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, the U.S. ambassador to China, and a top State Department official. Back to Top LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES Federal Probe in Memphis Marks Latest Effort to Reform Law Enforcement USA TODAY (07/28, Puente, Collins) reported that the DOJ has launched a civil rights investigation into the Memphis police department following allegations of systemic use of excessive force and discrimination, sparked by the beating death of Tyre Nichols by police officers. According to the article, the Dal regularly conducts such investigations and if misconduct is identified, enters a consent decree, a federal court order that forces changes in the police department, to address the issues. The article pointed out that the use of consent decrees to address police misconduct can change depending on the political administration, with Biden's administration pushing for them, marking a departure from the Trump administration which curbed their use. Back to Top INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Judge Criticizes Prosecutors' Handling Of Venezuela Case Against Ex-Miami Congressman Associated Press (07/28, Goodman) reported that former Republican Congressman David Rivera and an associate, charged with money laundering and acting as unregistered foreign agents for President Nicolas Maduro's government, had multiple properties frozen by prosecutors, including those unrelated to the charges. According to the article, prosecutors later claimed that three of these properties, initially seen as unrelated, were linked to their lobbying for the Venezuelan government, prompting Judge Darrin Gayles to accuse the government of gamesmanship and wasting the court's time. The case has been slowed down by the dispute over Rivera's assets, which Rivera insists are needed to pay his attorneys, and the former Congressman has accused the prosecutors of misconduct. A Politico article from 2022 noted that in 2011, a year before the campaign-finance scandal, the IRS and FBI began examining Rivera's involvement in a secret consulting contract between a dog track, Magic City Casino, and a marketing company listed in his mother's name. Back to Top CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS Jan. 6 Rioter Who Stole Radio In Attack Of D.C. Officer Fanone Sentenced To Four Years NBC News (07/28, Helsel) reported that Thomas Sibick, a New York man who stole a police radio and badge from Officer Michael Fanone during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S Capitol, was sentenced to over four years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington. According to the article, Sibick's conduct, including assaulting a police officer and stealing crucial items from him during the riot, was described by the prosecution as "the epitome of disrespect for the law." The article noted that at least three other men involved in the attack on Officer Fanone and the Jan. 6 riot have also been convicted and sentenced, and the event remains the subject of ongoing investigations, including a grand jury investigation targeting former President Trump over his role in the attack and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election result. Washington Post (07/28, Weiner), CBS News (07/28, MacFarlane), The Hill (07/28, Suter), Associated Press (07/28, Richer), and Raw Story (07/28, Palma) also reported on the story. A New Seton Hall University Report Profiles The People Prosecuted For Jan. 6 Insurrection Forbes (07/28, Nietzel) reported that Seton Hall University's Center for Policy and Research has published a detailed report on the 716 people prosecuted by the Department of Justice for their involvement in the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. According to the article, the data, collected from legal filings, including FBI-issued statements, arrest warrants, indictments, and other court documents, indicates that of the 716 defendants, 391 were charged with felonies and 325 with misdemeanors; 92% were white, and most were from Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, and California. The article noted that the report also highlights the Department of EFTA00160464 Justice's efficiency and effectiveness in prosecuting these cases, achieving a conviction rate of 99.4%, which the lead author, law professor Mark Denbeaux, called unprecedented in speed and efficacy. Bennie Thompson Says Jan. 6 Hearings Helped 'Pressure' DOJ To Bring Case Against Trump The Hill (07/29, Suter) reported that Rep. Bennie Johnson, chairman of the House's select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, stated that their investigation and hearings pressured the DOJ to probe former President Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. According to the article, following a comprehensive investigation, including over 1,000 interviews and numerous public hearings, the committee suggested that the DOJ should pursue criminal charges. The article noted that Trump has since announced he is a target of a special counsel's investigation into the events of January 6, adding to his legal troubles which also include new charges related to the alleged deletion of surveillance footage at his Mar-a-Lago resort and retaining classified documents, and 34 felony counts related to a purported hush-money scheme before the 2016 election. What Does the Civil Rights Statute in Trump's Potential Jan. 6 Indictment Letter Mean? ABC News (07/28, Alfonseca) reported that Donald Trump has been alerted that he is a target of the special counsel's investigation into potential interference with the 2020 presidential election results, and could be indicted under a civil rights statute, Section 241 of Title 18 in the U.S. Code, which has been previously utilized against election interference. According to the article, this statute makes it illegal to conspire to harm or intimidate any person in the U.S. in the exercise of any right secured by the Constitution and could be applied to forms of voter intimidation, including attempts to misuse state authority to prevent qualified voters from casting their votes. The article noted that the investigation includes scrutiny of Trump's efforts in Georgia and Michigan, with the DOJ highlighting the statute's historical usage to safeguard election integrity and protect marginalized groups, and the Brennan Center for Justice noting the implications of this law on the alleged disenfranchisement of communities of color. Donald Trump Facing Third of 2023 Over Capitol Riot Independent (07/28, Asher, Kllander, Sommerlad) reported that Donald Trump is anticipated to face a third indictment over his involvement in inciting the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, following two previous indictments this year relating to alleged misrepresentation of business records in the Stormy Daniels case and mishandling of classified documents since leaving office. According to the article, Trump could also face a fourth indictment, as he is under investigation by the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, over attempts to influence state officials post the 2020 presidential election. The article noted that while Trump has denied all accusations and claimed to be a victim of a political witch hunt, he has been indicted in New York and Florida for the hush money scheme and mishandling classified documents respectively, and despite pleading not guilty and awaiting potential trials, he is leading the polls for the Republican presidential nomination. Is Trump Indictment in Big Jan. 6 Case Imminent? Jack Smith's Background May Hold Hints USA TODAY (07/28, Meyer) reported that the possibility of a forthcoming indictment against former President Donald Trump, related to alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, is being closely watched across America. Notorious for keeping his strategies close to his chest, Special Counsel Jack Smith has already filed charges against Trump, including allegations of attempting to delete surveillance footage from his Mar-a-Lago estate and obstruction of justice. The article explained that Smith's past experiences, including the prosecution of Hashim Thaci, former President of Kosovo, may indicate his likely actions. Trump has reported receiving a "target letter" from Smith and the Department of Justice, indicating at least three criminal felony charges related to the events of January 6, 2021. The article noted that while the timeline for any indictment remains uncertain, Trump's lawyers have met with representatives from Smith's special counsel team, and Smith is scheduled to meet with key witnesses in the coming weeks. Back to Top OTHER FBI NEWS The Secret History of Gun Rights: How Lawmakers Armed the N.R.A. The New York Times (07/28, McIntire) reported that the National Rifle Association (NRA)'s rise to power was influenced by a strategy devised by Representative John D. Dingell Jr. in 1975, which transformed it into a powerful lobbying organization. According to the article, Dingell, along with at least eight other senators and representatives EFTA00160465 from both parties, had dual roles as lawmakers and NRA board members, thus shaping both firearms policy and the lobbying force. Their actions, documented in files recently made public, highlight their significant influence, such as drafting "Dingellgrams" or demands for information from federal agencies, and encouraging the NRA to fund legal work that could help win court cases. The article noted that the FBI briefly investigated whether the NRA had lobbied without registering during the debate over the Gun Control Act, but the case was closed when the NRA agreed to register. The FBI Surveilled J. Robert Oppenheimer for Months on One Man's Suggestion Business Insider (07/29, Cahill) reported that in the 1950s, the FBI, under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover, investigated J. Robert Oppenheimer, known as the "father of the atomic bomb," accusing him of crimes such as espionage and dissemination of nuclear information to the Soviet Union. According to the article, Hoover began the investigation at the recommendation of Lewis Strauss, a businessman, and member of the US Atomic Energy Commission, and wiretapped Oppenheimer's phone due to suspicions about his associations and accusations of communist sympathies. The article noted that while the Atomic Heritage Foundation does acknowledge that Oppenheimer likely held communist sympathies, it states that the information in the FBI's report was exaggerated, and in 2022, US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm reversed the decision to revoke Oppenheimer's security clearance, stating that more evidence had emerged about the unfairness of the process and confirming his loyalty and contribution to the country. Virgin Islands Says Epstein Money Will Pay for New Anti-Trafficking Plan The Daily Beast (07/28, Briquelet) reported that the U.S. Virgin Islands is using proceeds from legal settlements related to the Jeffrey Epstein case to fund anti-trafficking initiatives, funded by the sale of Epstein's island and payouts from litigation, and if it wins its suit against JPMorgan, damages will also support these efforts. According to the article, the island's DOJ is suing JPMorgan for at least $190 million, claiming that the bank's executives facilitated Epstein's sex-trafficking scheme in exchange for profits and bonuses. The article noted that in related news, two victims of Epstein, Maria Farmer, and Sarah Ransome, are preparing a $600 million class-action lawsuit against the FBI for failing to investigate Epstein as early as 1996, raising questions about the agency's handling of the case and why Epstein received a lenient plea deal in 2008. Back to Top INTERNATIONAL NEWS America's Military Trails Russia and China in Race for the Melting Arctic • Wall Street Journal: America's Military Trails Russia and China in Race for the Melting Arctic Saudi Arabia to Host Ukraine Peace Talks as Part of Western Effort to Woo Global South • Wall Street Journal: Saudi Arabia to Host Ukraine Peace Talks as Part of Western Effort to Woo Global South North Korea Hasn't Answered U.S.'s Calls on Detained Soldier Travis King • Wall Street Journal: North Korea Hasn't Answered U.S.'s Calls on Detained Soldier Travis King Kim Jong Un Flaunts North Korea's Newest Weapons With Russia and China by His Side • Wall Street Journal: Kim Jong Un Flaunts North Korea's Newest Weapons With Russia and China by His Side Canada Is Ravaged by Fire. No One Has Paid More Dearly Than Indigenous People. • New York Times: Canada Is Ravaged by Fire. No One Has Paid More Dearly Than Indigenous People. Italy Minister: Joining China's Belt and Road Was 'Atrocious' Decision • Reuters: Italy Minister: Joining China's Belt and Road Was 'Atrocious' Decision Ukraine to Start Talks With U.S. on Security Guarantees • Reuters: Ukraine to Start Talks With U.S. on Security Guarantees EFTA00160466 French Embassy in Niger Is Attacked as Protesters Waving Russian Flags March Through Capital • Associated Press: French Embassy in Niger Is Attacked as Protesters Waving Russian Flags March Through Capital Ukraine Again Reported Bringing War Deep Into Russia With Attacks on Moscow and Border Region • Associated Press: Ukraine Again Reported Bringing War Deep Into Russia With Attacks on Moscow and Border Region At Least Five Dead and Seven Wounded in Clashes Inside Crowded Palestinian Refugee Camp in Lebanon • Associated Press: At Least Five Dead and Seven Wounded in Clashes Inside Crowded Palestinian Refugee Camp in Lebanon • BBC: Six Killed at Palestinian Refugee Camp in Lebanon China Says U.S. Military Aid to Taiwan Will Not Deter Its Will to Unify the Island • Associated Press: China Says U.S. Military Aid to Taiwan Will Not Deter Its Will to Unify the Island China Using Families as 'Hostages' to Quash Uyghur Dissent Abroad • BBC: China Using Families as 'Hostages' to Quash Uyghur Dissent Abroad Ukraine War: Putin Says Russia Does Not Reject Peace Talks • BBC: Ukraine War: Putin Says Russia Does Not Reject Peace Talks Back to Top OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS Continued Reporting: Trump Indictment • The Hill: Majority Of Americans Believe Trump Has Done 'Something Illegal': Poll • New York Times: New Trump Charges Highlight Long-Running Questions About Obstruction • Washington Post: Trump Aide Carlos De Oliveira's Journey From Failed Witness To Defendant • NBC News: Trump Defiant During First Rally Since New Charges • Washington Post: Trump PAC Has Spent More Than $40 Million On Legal Costs This Year For Himself, Others • New York Daily News: Where Trump's Legal Troubles Stand After Superseding Indictment in Documents Case and January 6 Charges Loom • New York Times: Trump Threatens Republicans Who Don't Help Him Exact Vengeance • The Hill: Peter Strzok Claims New Trump Charges Highlight 'The Danger That He Poses to National Security' Continued Reporting: Biden Investigation • NBC News: Judge Maryellen Noreika Lands In The Center Of The Hunter Biden Criminal Case • New York Post: Fla. Rep. Cammack Says Scuttled Hunter Biden Plea Deal Could Mean 'Impeachment for His Father' • Washington Examiner: Hunter Biden Investigation Evidence Should 'Absolutely' Be Released to Public: Nancy Mace • Newsweek: Democratic Congressman Calls for Hunter Biden to Be 'Held Accountable' • Washington Examiner: Hunter Biden Investigation: Why the Devon Archer Testimony Is So Important • Wall Street Journal: Hunter Biden Is a Geopolitical Disaster Ticketmaster Could Face New Legal Threat This Fall, Sources Say • Politico: Ticketmaster Could Face New Legal Threat This Fall, Sources Say • Reuters: Justice Dept. May File Antitrust Lawsuit Against Live Nation, Politico Reports EFTA00160467 • New York Times: Justice Dept. Is Said to Investigate Ticketmaster's Parent Company After U.S. Bailout, the Trucking Firm Yellow Is Shutting Down • New York Times: After U.S. Bailout, the Trucking Firm Yellow Is Shutting Down • Associated Press: Trucking Company Yellow Corp. Is Reportedly Preparing for Bankruptcy. Here's What You Need to Know • Wall Street Journal: Trucker Yellow Prepares to File for Bankruptcy as Customers Flee • CNN: Yellow Corp Trucking Company Shares Plunge as Bankruptcy Looms J&J Effort To Resolve Talc Lawsuits In Bankruptcy Fails A Second lime • Reuters: J&J Effort To Resolve Talc Lawsuits In Bankruptcy Fails A Second Time • Wall Street Journal: Johnson & Johnson's Second Talc Bankruptcy Case Thrown Out • CNBC: Johnson & Johnson Effort to Resolve Talc Cancer Lawsuits in Bankruptcy Fails a Second Time Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks 'Ghost Gun' Ruling By Federal Judge • Reuters: Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks 'Ghost Gun' Ruling By Federal Judge • NBC News: Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks 'Ghost Gun' Ruling by Federal Judge • Forbes: Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Ruling Opposing Biden's Ghost Gun Crackdown U.S. Seeks to End 2020 Airbus Criminal Case Over Bribery, Export Controls • Reuters: U.S. Seeks to End 2020 Airbus Criminal Case Over Bribery, Export Controls Biden Administration To Give Some Migrants In Mexico Refugee Status In U.S. • CBS News: Biden Administration To Give Some Migrants In Mexico Refugee Status In U.S. Plaintiffs In High-Profile Redistricting Case Urge Judges To Toss Out Alabama's Controversial Congressional Map • CNN: Plaintiffs In High-Profile Redistricting Case Urge Judges To Toss Out Alabama's Controversial Congressional Map Judge Blocks Arkansas Law Allowing Librarians To Be Criminally Charged Over 'Harmful' Materials • Associated Press: Judge Blocks Arkansas Law Allowing Librarians To Be Criminally Charged Over 'Harmful' Materials U.S. Asks Supreme Court To Delay Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Settlement • Reuters: U.S. Asks Supreme Court To Delay Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Settlement Portland's Turbulent Summer of 2020: Unrest, Drug Decriminalization, and Fentanyl's Lethal Surge • New York Times: Portland's Turbulent Summer of 2020: Unrest, Drug Decriminalization, and Fentanyl's Lethal Surge Automaker Tesla Is Opening More Showrooms On Tribal Lands To Avoid State Laws Barring Direct Sales • Associated Press: Automaker Tesla Is Opening More Showrooms On Tribal Lands To Avoid State Laws Barring Direct Sales Republicans Urge New Bowe Bergdahl Trial After Judge Tosses Desertion Case • New York Post: Republicans Urge New Bowe Bergdahl Trial After Judge Tosses Desertion Case Judge Throws Out Trump's 'Big Lie' Defamation Lawsuit Against CNN EFTA00160468 • Washington Post: Judge Throws Out Trump's 'Big Lie' Defamation Lawsuit Against CNN Back to Top BIG PICTURE New York limes • The Secret History of Gun Rights: How Lawmakers Armed the N.R.A. • A Climate Warning from the Cradle of Civilization • U.S. Hunts Chinese Malware That Could Disrupt American Military Operations • New York City Had a Migrant Crisis. It Hired a Covid Expert to Help. • 'We Are a Romantic Country': On the Set of a Steamy Hit in Italy Wall Street Journal • Home Insurers Charge More, Cover Less • Hurt by Mergers and Debt, Trucker Yellow Shuts Down • U.S. Trails Russia And China in Race For Melting Arctic • Judge's Novel Sparks Drama In Courtroom • An Insider Case Stars Paramours and Pilots • Transgender Families Resist GOP-Led Bans Washington Post • Dreams and Deadly Seas. • With Ads, Right-Wing News Is Powering 'Gold IRA' Industry. • A Day Later, Region Still Reeling From Strong Storms • HIV Care Bogged Down by Politics • Project Investment Gives Boost to Economy Financial Times • Will the U.S. Labour Market Slow Further? • Energy Groups Mount Campaign Against Tough U.S. Clean Hydrogen Rules • Confidence Grows That Fed Can Deliver a Soft Landing for U.S. Economy ABC News • American Nurse and Her Child Kidnapped in Haiti; Trump Super Pac Spends More Than $40 Million on Legal Fees; Summer Camp for Adults and Children With Disabilities. CBS News • Millions of Americans Struggle Amid Persistent Heat Dome; Annual U.K. Tradition Reveals Decline in Swan Population. NBC News • Concerns Mounting After American Woman and Her Child Reportedly Kidnapped in Haiti; Trump Defiant During First Rally Since New Charges; Summer Heat Contributing to Rising Gas Prices. Fox News • Rep. Adam Smith Previews His Story, New Memoir on 'Fox News Sunday'; Contribution Limits Are Designed to Keep 'Fresh Ideas' off the Stage: Gov. Doug Burgum; The Evidence Is 'Piling Up' Against Bidens: Rep. Nancy Mace. EFTA00160469 Back to Top WASHINGTON SCHEDULE White House President Biden • No events scheduled. Vice President Harris • No events scheduled. US Senate • No events scheduled. US House of Representatives • No events scheduled. Cabinet Members • No events scheduled. Visitors • No events scheduled. General Events • Brookings Institution: State of the global economy: Slowing growth rising risks — Monday, July 31, 2023. Location: Online Event, 9:00 AM. The global economy remains in a precarious state amid the protracted effects of the overlapping crises throughout the past several years. Global economic growth is projected to slow in the coming months; inflation pressures persist and, accordingly, monetary policy is expected to remain tight. Heightened financial risks amid recent bank failures, elevated sovereign debts levels, and persistent geopolitical tensions, among others, further cloud the economic outlook. In this context, global and national policy challenges abound: What are the immediate priorities for policymakers to navigate this multitude of policy changes? Is it possible for the global economy to have a "soft landing"? How can central bankers overcome persistent inflationary pressures without triggering a sharp downturn? How can developing countries successfully weather the sovereign debt situation and spillovers from higher interest rates and slower growth in advance economies? On July 31st, the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution will convene a panel of experts for a virtual event to answer these pressing questions among others. The event, a part of the ongoing State of the Global Economy event series, will be motivated by a presentation on the findings of the World Bank Group's latest Global Economic Prospects report. Brahima S. Coulibaly, vice president of the Global Economy and Development program, will then moderate a discussion among leading experts from both the public and private sectors. • The Heritage Foundation: Catch Release and Then What? — Monday, July 31, 2023. Location: The Heritage Foundation, 11:00 AM. Since President Biden took office, over two million illegal immigrants have been released into the United States. More than 1.5 million more "gotaways" snuck in without even encountering border agents. Though monthly border encounters averaged well over 150,000, and often above 200,000, the Department of Homeland Security detained fewer than 30,000 at a time. They assign "Alternatives to Detention" (ATD) to a small number but with insignificant tracking and follow-through. The risks for American society from recidivist criminals are significant. The logistical challenge for an enforcement-minded president in 2025 will take our best expertise and devotion to duty. Immigration policy experts Tom Homan, EFTA00160470 Andrew Arthur, and Don Rosenberg join Heritage's Simon Hankinson to share recommendations on how America can recover from the current border crisis and its nation-wide negative impact. . AEI: The Government Performance and Results Act at 30: Assessing Past and Current Federal Management Initiatives — Monday, July 31, 2023. Location: Online Event, 12:00 PM. In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), which was designed to improve the standards and efficiency of federal agencies. GPRA was a milestone, because it put into permanent law an expectation of continuous performance improvement. However, the law's effects on actual federal operations have been mixed as the incentives to protect the status quo remain powerful. The law's approaching anniversary provides an opportunity to look at the state of the performance-focused movement in federal policymaking. During this event, AEI's James C. Capretta will talk with Robert Shea, an expert and longtime participant in federal management improvement initiatives, to consider GPRA's legacy and what might be done to help federal managers deliver better value to the taxpayers. . Atlantic Council: The National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy: Unleashing America's cyber talent — Monday, July 31, 2023. Location: Atlantic Council, 1:00 PM. Please join the Atlantic Council's Cyber Statecraft Initiative, within the Digital Forensic Research Lab, for a panel discussion on the launch of the National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy on Monday, July 31, from 1:00 pm to 2:30pm ET at the Atlantic Council headquarters and virtually. The event will feature a keynote address from Kemba Walden, Acting National Cyber Director, and opening remarks from Rob Shriver, Deputy Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Diana Burley, Vice Provost for Research and Innovation and Professor at American University; Rob Duhart, Vice President, Deputy CISO at Walmart; Dr. Kathi Hiyane- Brown, President of Whatcom Community College; and Camille Stewart Gloster, Deputy National Cyber Director for Technology and Ecosystem Security. The panel will be moderated by Safa Shahwan Edwards, Deputy Director of the Cyber Statecraft Initiative, Atlantic Council. We hope you can join us as we discuss the scope and strategy for unleashing America's cyber talent. Email Public Affairs to subscribe to the Daily News Briefing. Mobile version and archive available here. EFTA00160471