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From: ' To: " "< Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, May 17, 2021 Date: Mon, 17 May 2021 10:26:10 +0000 c Importan e: Normal Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. FBI News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: MONDAY, MAY 17, 2021 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • DarkSide Operations Shutting Down. CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS • At Least 411 Suspects Have Been "Swept Up" In Probe Regarding Capitol Attack. • Capitol Siege Defendant To Appear In Court After Allegedly Shooting Mountain Lion During Release. • Washington Man Charged In Capitol Siege Probe. • Prosecutors Say Proud Boys Formed Smaller Group For January 6. • Prosecutors Say Texas Capitol Siege Suspect Avoided FBI For 20 Days. • New York Man Charged In Capitol Siege Probe. • Arkansas Man Charged In Capitol Riot Probe. • Deal Reached On Establishment Of Jan. 6 Commission. • Rep. Gohmert Says Capitol Siege Was Not An "Armed Insurrection." • Upton Criticizes Republican Efforts To Downplay January 6 Attack. PROTESTS • Arraignment For Ex-Officers Charged With Breaching Floyd's Constitutional Rights Scheduled For July. • Portland, Oregon Mayor "Grateful" For Biden's Reversal Of Trump Order Sending Federal Agents Amid Protests. COUNTER-TERRORISM • FBI, DHS Report Finds Deaths At Hands Of Racially Motivated Extremists On The Rise In US. • DHS Officials Outline Plan To Analyze Social Media To Understand Extremist Narratives. • Capitol Siege Fuels Congressional Debate Over Domestic Terror Laws. • WPost Analysis: Far-Right People Of Color Challenge Media Representations. • Prosecutors Say Texas Bomber Detailed Activities, Filmed Blasts On YouTube Channel. • Florida Man Pleads Guilty To Facilitating Bomb-Making Video For IS. • Joint Base Andrews Takes Man Who Claimed He Had A Bomb In His Car Into Custody. • Bomb-Making Materials Found In Connecticut Home. • US Joins Worldwide Effort To Curb Extremist Violence Online. • Lawmakers Seek Release Of FBI Documents On Saudi 9/11 Links. EFTA00160751 • Guantanamo Detainee Agrees To Give Up Right To Give Testimony On Alleged CIA Interrogation Program. • Air Marshal National Council Criticizes Use Of Federal Air Marshals For Congressional Security Over "High Risk" Flights. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • NYTimes Analysis: Private Spying Increasingly "Manipulating The News." • Former Ohio State Professor Sentenced To 37 Months In Prison For Scheme To Share Work With China. • Former Army Captain Sentenced To 15 Years for Spying For Russia. • Opinion: Immigrants "Critical" To Intelligence Community's Success. • Russia Designates US, Czech Republic "Unfriendly States," Limiting Embassy Hires. • Blinken Expected To Focus On Climate Change And Russia During Overseas Trip. • Space Force Officer Removed After Claiming Marxism Is Invading Military. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Florida Politician Tied To Gaetz Probe Pleads Guilty To Six Charges, Agrees To Cooperate With Feds. • Hearing Regarding Ghaisar Shooting Set For August. • Police Shooting Of Rugby Player In Hawaii Turns Into "Cause Calèbre" In South Africa. • Politico Analysis: Numerous Women Played Key Role In Enabling Epstein's Sex Trafficking Ring. • CVS Employee Charged With Stealing COVID Vaccination Cards. • Police Identify Man Arrested In Connection With Slaying Of Texas Four-Year-Old. • FBI Probing Round Of Shootings In Portland, Oregon. • US Charges New Jersey Woman With Threatening FBI Informant In Drug Case. • Albuquerque, New Mexico Police Identify Two Victims In Triple Homicide Probe. • FBI Issues Alert On Missing 12-Year-Old Virginia Girl. • Border Patrol Agents Fatally Shoot Man In California After Pursuit. • Armed Carjackers Rob Ohio Woman Who Had Been Held Captive For A Decade. • Husband Of Missing Colorado Woman Filed 2020 Presidential Ballot On Her Behalf. • Police Say Pennsylvania Woman May Have Been Victim Of Serial Killer. • Defense Expected To Rest Case In Sex-Trafficking Trial Of Arkansas Man. • US Charges New York Man With Child Sex Trafficking. • Multiple Drug Traffickers In Georgia Enter Guilty Pleas. • Meth Case Defendant Gets Long Prison Sentence. • West Virginia Drug Investigation Leads To 12 Arrests. EMPLOYMENT • High School Students Encouraged To Apply For San Antonio FBI Teen Academy. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Swiss Life Holding To Pay $77.4M To Resolve US Criminal Tax Evasion Charges. • Former Massachusetts Mayor Convicted On Corruption Charges. • Georgia Man Pleads Guilty To Investment Fraud Scheme. • Subpoenas Show FBI Probe Of Pennsylvania Pension Fund Seeks Evidence Of Kickbacks, Bribery. CYBER DIVISION • Facebook Loses Challenge To Preliminary Ruling On Suspension Of EU-US Data Flows. • Cyber Deterrence, Workforce Concerns "Dominate" During House Cyber Hearing. • FTC Warns About Cryptocurrency Scams. • Warner: Bipartisan Backing For Breach-Reporting Law. • Krebs Lauds Biden's Cybersecurity Order As "A Really Ambitious Plan." EFTA00160752 • Ireland's Healthcare System Forced To Shut Down Systems After Ransomware Attack. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • New York City Pride Celebration Will Move To Decrease "Presence Of Law Enforcement At Its Events." • Rising Violence Leading To Increased Calls For Police Investment. • Police Departments Readying For Violent Summer. • Minneapolis Suburb In Which Wright Was Shot To Vote On Resolution Regarding Policing. • NYTimes Analysis: Custody Deaths Of Black Individuals Attributed To Sickle Cell Trait. • Police Use Of Facial Recognition Technology Prompts Increased Oversight Calls. • Biden Police Week Statement Includes Language Regarding "Deep Sense Of Distrust" With Respect To Police From Black Americans. • Death Of Black Man After Officers Used Pepper Spray, Tasers Against Him In South Carolina Detention Facility Prompts Outrage. • San Diego Officers Being Investigated After Being Captured On Video Punching Black Man. • Remains From Philadelphia Police Bombing That Officials Indicated Were Cremated Found. • Hundreds Rally In Oakland Against Anti-Asian Violence. • Axios Analysis: Federally Mandated Police Reform Linked To Surges In Violent Crime. • Pennsylvanians To Vote On Proposed Safeguards Against Racial Discrimination. • Tulsa Race Massacre Commission Removes Oklahoma Governor From Panel. • Columbus Officials Agree To Pay $10M Settlement To Hill's Family. • Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputies Indicted On Charges Asserting They Lied In Investigation. • Woman Whose Daughter Was Killed By Father Is Striving To Improve Family Court System. • Family Warned Officials About North Carolina Man's Mental State Ahead Of Police Standoff That Ended With Five Dead, Including Himself. • Deputy US Marshal Accused Of Executing Scheme "In Which He Posed Online As His Ex-Girlfriend." INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Reputed Drug Kingpin Pleads Guilty To Cocaine Trafficking. OTHER FBI NEWS • FBI Reclassifies 2017 Baseball Field Shooting Of Lawmakers As Domestic Terrorism. • Minnesota FBI Crisis Negotiator Discusses Navigating Hostage Situations. • Project Veritas Founder Criticizes NYTimes Over "Hit Piece." • Drug-Related Deaths In Honolulu Reached Five-Year High In 2020. • Federal Government In DC "Largely Dependent On Remote Work" During Pandemic. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Walensky And Fauci Defend CDC's New Guidance For Masks. • Administration Turns To "Community Corps" To Bolster Vaccination Rates. • Fauci: Pandemic Has Exposed "Undeniable Effects Of Racism" In US. • WSJournal Says Warren Reveals True Reason Progressives Support Vaccine IP Waiver. • Biden Advisers Discern Political Challenge From Inflation Uptick. • Budget Deficit Climbed To $1.9T During Fiscal Year's First Seven Months. • Biden Revokes Six Trump Executive Orders. • Public Health Officials Shift Goal From Saving Doses To Vaccinating Anyone "Who Wants The Shot." • Experts Debate Best Way To Quickly Boost Less Wealthy Nations' Vaccine Supplies. • Senators To Propose Investing $52B In Domestic Semiconductor Production. • Tech Companies Urge Court To Allow H-1B Holders' Spouses To Continue To Work In The US. • Survey Suggests Americans Believe Inflation Will Surge. • HHS Diverts Over $2 Billion Toward Covering Costs Of Sheltering Unaccompanied Immigrant Children. EFTA00160753 • Scientists Relieved US Has Dodged Variant Threat So Far. • Anti-Vaccine Advocates Embrace Social Media To Spread Misinformation Online. • Ernst And Gillibrand Look To Overhaul DOD's Handling Of Sexual Assault Cases. • White House Projects Steadiness In Face Of Problems, As Republicans Portray Chaos. • Evacuations Ordered As Wildfire Nears Los Angeles. • Train Carrying Hazardous Materials Derails In Iowa. • Despite Recent Legal Defeat, NRA Retains Influence Over Gun Control Debate. • Secret Service's Recovery From Scandal During Obama Administration Said To Be Set Back By Trump. • Senate Democrats Urge Garland Not To Appeal Court Order To Release Trump Obstruction Memo. • House Republicans Pick Stefanik To Replace Cheney As Conference Chair. • Footage Shows Greene Targeting Ocasio-Cortez In 2019. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Biden Says Administration Seeking "Sustained Calm" Between Israel And Palestinians. • UNICEF Director Asks G7 Countries To Donate COVID Vaccine Supplies. • UK Prepares For Major Reopening, But New Indian Variant Sparks Anxiety. • Some Indian States Extend Lockdowns As Bodies Of Possible COVID Victims Found Near Rivers. • Data Indicate COVID Is Killing Youngest In Brazil At Unusually High Rate. • South Africa To Expand COVID Vaccine Rollout With Pfizer Doses. • Pandemic Leading To Refugee Waves Across World. • LATimes Analysis: El Salvador's President Moving Toward Autocracy. • Burmese Anti-Junta Militia Retreats From Town. • WPost: Chinese Oppression Of Uyghurs Fits UN Definition Of "Genocide." • Sudanese Soldiers Face Civilian Prosecution After Protest Killings. • NYTimes Sees Hope For Libya. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS DarkSide Operations Shutting Down. The Wall Street Journal (5/14, Volz, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports the ransomware group DarkSide, which is accused of causing the hack on Colonial Pipeline, has told hacking associates that it will cease operations, security research firms said. On ABC World News TonightVi (5/14, story 4, 2:18, Muir, 6.01M), Erielle Reshef reported that despite DarkSide's claim, "experts we talked to say it's more likely their operations were disrupted by law enforcement." Reuters (5/14, Menn) reports that "multiple ransomware groups claimed they were shutting down or scaling back operations on Friday as the U.S. government ramped up pressure while tech companies, cryptocurrency exchanges and others worried about getting caught in the crossfire." DarkSide "said it was going out of business after losing access to some of its servers. Another major criminal gang said it would forbid encryption attacks on critical infrastructure, and forums where such gangs recruit partners said they were banning ads related to ransomware, analysts said." The New York Times (5/14, Schwirtz, Perlroth, 20.6M) reports that in a statement "written in Russian and provided to The New York Times on Friday by the cybersecurity firm Intel 471, DarkSide said it had lost access to the public-facing portion of its online system, including its blog and payment server, as well as funds that it said had EFTA00160754 been withdrawn to an unknown account. It said the group's main web page and other public- facing resources would go offline within 48 hours." The Washington Post (5/14, 10.52M) reports that the FBI "declined to comment on whether the U.S. government had played a hand in shutting down DarkSide's website. The DarkSide Leaks blog on the 'dark web' has been down since midday Thursday." CNN (5/14, Sands, Bertrand, 89.21M) reports that a pair of cyber experts "cautioned that if the site was seized by US authorities, it would likely have a notice of seizure on the site with law enforcement logos. But Dave Kennedy, a former National Security Agency hacker who now serves as president and CEO of the information security firm TrustedSec, said that depends on where the group's servers resided." The New York Post (5/14, Feuer, 7.45M) also reports on the shutdown. Incident Continues To Highlight Ransomware Debate. The Washington Post (5/15, Al, Nakashima, Lerman, 10.52M) reports the "dilemma" of paying or not paying ransom after cyberattacks "is faced by thousands of other companies, schools, governments, and other entities around the world every year." While ransomware is not new, "it really exploded in the last several years, with the rise of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin that are difficult to trace and can be transferred electronically without the assistance of banks or other institutions that are regulated by governments." USA Today (5/15, Wagner, 12.7M) reports that the "reported ransom payment" by Colonial "to cyber hackers may spur even more criminal malware attacks on critical U.S. targets, according to cybersecurity experts, and could fuel calls for a ban on such payments." ABC World News TonightVi (5/15, story 5, 0:32, Johnson, 3.64M) broadcast in another story companies are paying up in ransomware attacks at an increasing rate. The story said, "A recent report found that there's been a 300% increase in the amount of money paid in these types of attacks since 2019. And experts warn that last year alone, nearly 2,400 US government agencies, schools and healthcare facilities were targeted by ransomware attacks." Meanwhile, DHS Secretary Mayorkas and Commerce Secretary Raimondo in a CNBC (5/14, 7.34M) op-ed argue the ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline offers "an opportunity for every organization to shore up its cyber defenses." They add companies "don't have to do it alone and there are affordable solutions for every budget. That is why the Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce are working together to help businesses both prevent and respond to ransomware attacks." Lawmakers Reintroduce Pipeline Security Act. According to The Hill (5/14, 5.69M), "A bipartisan group of more than a dozen House lawmakers have reintroduced legislation to defend pipelines against cyberattacks, with the bill coming on the heels of the devastating ransomware attack that forced the shutdown of Colonial Pipeline." The Hill reports the Pipeline Security Act "would codify the responsibility of both the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's (CISA) responsibility for securing pipelines against threats," and "also require TSA to update pipeline security guidelines and conduct risk assessments, create a personnel strategy for staffing its Pipeline Security Section and improve congressional oversight of TSA's pipeline efforts." In a statement, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), who is leading the effort to pass the bill, said, "It's become clear that cyber-attacks on our critical infrastructure are national security and economic threats to the homeland." Colonial Pipeline Back To Normal Operations. CNN (5/15, Crawford, Stracqualursi, 89.21M) reports Colonial Pipeline "said Saturday that its pipeline system has returned to 'normal operations' after a crippling cyberattack forced a six-day shutdown." The company "said its team 'worked safely and tirelessly around the clock' to restore operations and thanked the White House, Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, the FBI and other government agencies for their support." The Washington Post (5/15, Shavin, 10.52M) reports "the pinch of fuel shortages and higher prices in the wake of the Colonial Pipeline cyberattack" is being felt in transportation EFTA00160755 networks. The sudden price hikes and pump shortages have "added a new layer of difficulty to what was already considered a difficult job," at a time when inventory management is an essential part of the recovery from "the pandemic recession." Indeed, "as consumer spending heats up, the economy needs more truck drivers, not fewer, especially to help alleviate the current gasoline shortages." Hiring for short-haul truck drivers has been hot since November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but "not everyone agrees there is a driver shortage." While groups such as the National Tank Truck Carriers say the pandemic has exacerbated shortages of drivers, groups such as the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association say very high turnover rates and inadequate pay and benefits are why hiring is difficult. The Washington Post (5/15, Englund, 10.52M) reports that "even as American fossil fuel producers proudly declared the country to be energy independent once more in recent years, the energy sector has stripped redundancy out of its systems, at the risk of leaving customers in the lurch when things go wrong." From "aging" pipelines and grid networks, "often retrofitted with new technology in an effort to keep up," to the rising threats of "climate change" and "terrorism," experts say US energy infrastructure is vulnerable despite its "efficiency." The Biden infrastructure plan would introduce "an investment tax credit to spur the building of at least 20 gigawatts of new high-voltage-capacity power lines, and the creation of a Grid Development Authority to further the effort," but when it comes to adding resilience to fossil fuel transportation networks, things are "more complicated." Former deputy administrator of PHMSA Drue Pearce "said she doubts 'there is a pipeline company in the country that doesn't have a robust system' of security, though the federal government has declined to mandate them." Additional Coverage. CNBC (5/14, Sigalos, 7.34M) reports that the hack "was not the first domino to fall in a world-ending spate of sudden attacks on America's critical infrastructure, according to several cybersecurity experts who spoke to CNBC. It was more likely the product of sloppy internal security practices and a textbook hack-and-pay gone wrong." CNBC adds, "Ransomware attacks like this are common, but they typically don't aim to knock infrastructure offline. It appears as if DarkSide, like most attackers, was motivated by financial gain rather than compromising America's supply of gas." CNN Business (5/16, Duffy, 27.61M) reports that for years, "it was generally believed that only a state-supported bad actor would be able to hack into and paralyze critical US infrastructure — and that such a thing was unlikely because doing so could be tantamount to declaring war. But that's not the case anymore. DarkSide, the criminal gang that the FBI has confirmed was behind the Colonial attack, isn't believed to be state-backed." Schiff: Colonial Pipeline Attack Shows Critical Infrastructure Is Not Adequately Protected. House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff was asked on CBS' Face The NationVI (5/16, 2.36M) what the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack exposed about the country's vulnerabilities. Schiff said, "That our critical infrastructure is just not adequately protected. This is something that we knew before this attack, but now we can see so graphically, and I think it really calls upon the government to insist that a lot of this critical infrastructure that's in private hands be better protected. And if it means the government is going to have to set out minimum security standards, cybersecurity standards for private industry and critical infrastructure, then that's what we need to do. But we're all too vulnerable." Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said on CNN's State Of The UnionVi (5/16, 671K), "It's certainly a wake-up call. I led a year-long initiative for the NGA on rebuilding America's infrastructure, and part of that was focused on resiliency and on securing our energy assets and cybersecurity is a huge issue. We are going to continue to deal with the problems. This showed the vulnerability. It was just a tremendous problem that we have got to address. That's one of the reasons why we need to get a bipartisan consensus on an infrastructure bill." Gasoline Shortages Slowly Easing. Reuters (5/16) reports gasoline shortages on the East Coast "slowly eased on Sunday as the country's largest fuel pipeline network recovered from a crippling cyberattack." Reuters says, "Refiners and fuel distributors are racing to recover EFTA00160756 before the Memorial Day holiday weekend at the end of May, the traditional start of the peak- demand summer driving season." ABC World News TonightVi (5/16, story 5, 0:20, Davis, 4.06M) provided similar coverage. Barrasso Says US Needs More Pipelines. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) said on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures (5/16), "We need more pipelines, not fewer pipelines. Pipelines are our lifeline for energy, for our economy, for jobs. This Administration has been asleep at the switch on this. If one pipeline goes down and can cause this amount of panic and these long lines, it tells you vulnerable we are." Jenkins, Jr.: Hackers Were Unwise To Mess With US Gas Prices. The Wall Street Journal (5/14, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) columnist Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. wrote that Russian hacking group DarkSide, which was responsible for the Colonial Pipeline hack, may not have known the impact the attack would have on US gasoline supplies. Jenkins said the attackers likely had little idea that freezing Colonial's HR and customer accounts data would lead to gasoline shortages across the East Coast. Jenkins said the biggest lesson from the incident belongs to the hackers, as the response sparked by the US' extreme sensitivity to gasoline prices likely was not worth the $5 million collected from Colonial. More Commentary. In his column for The Hill (5/15, 5.69M), Jonathan Turley criticizes the Administration for failing to label the Colonial hackers as terrorists. CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS At Least 411 Suspects Have Been "Swept Up" In Probe Regarding Capitol Attack. The Washington Post (5/15, Al, Barrett, Hauslohner, Hsu, Still, 10.52M) reports the ongoing criminal investigation concerning the January 6 attack upon the US Capitol "has swept up at least 411 suspects in what federal officials have called an unprecedented domestic attack on a branch of the U.S. government." A Post analysis of court filings indicates that "those charged publicly so far with federal crimes hail from 259 counties spread across 44 states and D.C." However, the filings reveal that even while "prosecutors build cases alleging prior planning and coordination, the majority of those facing criminal charges were not known members of self- styled militias or other organized extremist groups." CBS News (5/14, McDonald, 5.39M) reports, "Plea discussions have begun for some of the more than 400 defendants facing charges in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack, but in some cases, the sheer magnitude of the investigation is complicating efforts to move forward with cases and secure plea deals." According to CBS News, "During the discovery process, a part of the criminal case where prosecutors review and share relevant evidence with defendants, prosecutors have had to wade through an unwieldy volume of evidence from the Capitol riot - including more than 15,000 hours of body camera and surveillance video, hundreds of thousands of FBI tips and over 80,000 reports and 93,000 attachments related to law enforcement interviews and other investigative steps." WPost Analysis: House Continues To Be "Consumed By The Fallout From" Capitol Attack. A Washington Post (5/14, 10.52M) analysis discussed "a week's worth of events that demonstrated just how, four and a half months after insurrectionists supporting Donald Trump stormed the Capitol, the House is still consumed by the fallout from that horrific day." One of these events occurred on Wednesday, when a freshman Republican utilized a hearing probing "the attacks as a platform to compare the insurrection - which left five people dead, including a Capitol Police officer, and at least 140 officers injured - to tourists going through the building." The Post adds, "Later that evening, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) - whom some Democrats have accused of aiding the Jan. 6 rioters - stomped out of the House chamber and down the steps screaming at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) about why she wouldn't debate her on policy." EFTA00160757 Capitol Siege Defendant To Appear In Court After Allegedly Shooting Mountain Lion During Release. The Hill (5/15, 5.69M) reports, "A suspect in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol is set to appear in court on Monday after he allegedly shot a mountain lion during his pre-trial release, according to court records." A judge in Washington, DC on Friday "revoked pre-trial release for Patrick Montgomery, who was arrested in Colorado in January in connection with the riot. The court found there was 'probable cause' to believe that Montgomery had committed a crime, and was 'unlikely to abide by any condition or combination of conditions of release." Federal prosecutors on Wednesday "filed a motion seeking to revoke Montgomery's pre-trial release after they were made aware that he shot a mountain lion with a .357 magnum handgun on March 31 at a wildlife park in Denver." Washington Man Charged In Capitol Siege Probe. The AP (5/14) reports from Seattle, "A suburban Seattle man has been arrested and charged with entering the U.S. Capitol with a pro-Trump mob during the Jan. 6 deadly insurrection." Joseph Elliott Zlab, 51, of Lake Forest Park, Washington, "was arrested Thursday in Everett, an FBI spokesman told The Seattle Times. Zlab was charged with one count of unauthorized entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, charging documents show." Zlab "made an initial appearance in federal court in Seattle on Thursday. According to an FBI affidavit, a man matching Zlab's description was seen in widely disseminated photographs and video entering the Capitol with the mob that forced their way into the building while Congress was certifying the 2020 presidential election results. Ten days later, the FBI received an anonymous tip that Zlab was in the Capitol that day and gave the name of Zlab's business." Prosecutors Say Proud Boys Formed Smaller Group For January 6. NBC News (5/14, Williams, 4.91M) reports, "The far-right Proud Boys designated a small group of members to plan and carry out their activities at the Capitol on Jan. 6, according to newly filed court documents that provide additional information about the group's inner workings," but "investigators have yet to establish who formulated the plan to storm the Capitol grounds and enter the building." NBC News adds, "In late December, prosecutors said, Proud Boys Chairman Enrique Tarrio announced the creation of a special chapter within the organization, calling it the Ministry of Self Defense. Its members included Tarrio and four men since charged with conspiracy in the Capitol siege - Ethan Nordean of Washington state, Joseph Biggs of Florida, Zachary Rehl of Pennsylvania, and Charles Donohoe of North Carolina." The Philadelphia Inquirer (5/14, Roebuck) reports, "A week before the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot, top leaders of the Proud Boys convened a video chat to discuss the organization's plans for Washington that day. And Zach Rehl, president of the group's Philadelphia chapter, took a leading role in guiding that conversation, federal prosecutors now say." The Inquirer adds, "Hoping to avoid mistakes from past rallies that had devolved into open street brawls with far-left activists, the group decided this time they would maintain a lower profile. They'd leave their traditional black-and-gold polo shirts at home, equip themselves with encrypted radios, and focus their attentions on riling up Inormies' - or unaffiliated supporters of President Donald Trump - they could hide behind. 'We're doing a completely different operation,' Rehl allegedly told the others. 'There's gonna be a lot of contingencies and plans that are laid out. There's gonna be teams that are gonna be put together." The Los Angeles Times (5/16, Read, 3.37M) reports on Nordean's role. Prosecutors Say Texas Capitol Siege Suspect Avoided FBI For 20 Days. The San Antonio Express-News (5/14, 685K) reports, "A former Kerrville man and his girlfriend who were accused of forcing their way into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 with other rioters allegedly fled Texas and tried to stay 'off the grid' to evade the FBI, federal prosecutors said." EFTA00160758 Bradley Stuart Bennett "turned himself in 20 days after the FBI went to the Kerrville home he shared with then-girlfriend Elizabeth Rose Williams to arrest them both. His lawyer, Al Watkins, asserted during a hearing in Washington, D.C., that Bennett was not trying to elude authorities. Watkins said Bennett was moving from Texas to his home state of North Carolina after breaking up with Williams." Bennett and Williams "are charged with violent entry and disorderly conduct and knowingly entering a restricted building." New York Man Charged In Capitol Siege Probe. The Herkimer (NY) Times Telegram (5/14) reports, "A New Hartford man has been charged in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, according to federal court filings." Eric Bochene, 49, "is charged with two counts of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and two counts of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. Bochene was arrested Thursday and had his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Friday, according to the U.S. Department of Justice." The Times Telegram adds, "The FBI was first notified of Bochene's possible presence at the Capitol after the Albany field office received several tips, prompting an investigation. The field office first received an anonymous tip from someone who heard 'Eric Bochenek' had contacted a mutual acquaintance to brag he was one of the first people in the Capitol, charging documents said." Arkansas Man Charged In Capitol Riot Probe. The Arkansas Times (5/16, Brantley, 61K) reports that JT Mott, of Yellville, Arkansas, "has been charged with being among the insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6." Mott was charged on May 11. Federal prosecutors said Mott was charged on May 11 "with two counts each of knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds." The Times adds that "the case was helped by information from other witnesses and Facebook photos and messages. Much of the information provided concerned another unidentified person who, witnesses told the FBI, traveled with Mott to Washington from El Reno, Okla. The FBI statement said they'd also found a Facebook post by Mott's wife indicating his plans to travel to Washington for Jan. 6 and a GoFundMe account to raise money to pay for the trip to support 'protesting corruption." Deal Reached On Establishment Of Jan. 6 Commission. The AP (5/14, Jalonick, Freking) reports "the top Democratic and Republican members of the House Homeland Security Committee have reached an agreement on legislation to form a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol." According to the AP, "Under the terms of the agreement announced Friday, the commission would have an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, five from each party. It would have subpoena power and be charged with issuing a final report by Dec. 31, along recommendations to prevent future attacks." Axios (5/14, 1.26M) says, "Legislation will establish a 10-person bipartisan commission. Five commissioners, including the chair, will be appointed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The other five, including the vice chair, will be appointed by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell." In a statement, House Homeland Security Chair Benny Thompson said, "Inaction - or just moving on - is simply not an option." According to Axios, Thompson "negotiated the deal with" ranking member John Katko (R-NY). However, the Washington Post (5/14, 10.52M) says, "While Democrats and some Republicans cheered the announcement, GOP leaders remained dismissive, arguing that a commission had to be tasked with investigating more than just the insurrection if its intention was truly to make the Capitol and its people safer." According to the Post, "Earlier negotiations between...Pelosi and congressional GOP leaders broke down when Republicans demanded that the panel look into far-left radicalism as well." Reuters (5/14) reports that McCarthy "told EFTA00160759 reporters that he had not signed off on the lawmakers' deal and said the commission should look at events that came before and after Jan. 6, including an unrelated incident in April when a motorist rammed a car into a pair of Capitol Police officers, killing one." The New York Times (5/14, Fandos, 20.6M) reports that Democrats also "plan to move ahead with a vote on a bill that would provide $1.9 billion to bolster the Capitol's defenses and police force, reimburse the National Guard and other law enforcement for protecting the complex in the attack's aftermath and cover costs related to the coronavirus pandemic." According to the Times, "Republican leaders have not yet endorsed the spending either, calling it premature." Bloomberg (5/14, Dennis, 3.57M) reports that House Majority Leader Hoyer's office" said the full chamber next week will vote on the bill setting up the commission." Katko, "one of the Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump," said, "We have a fair, solid bill that will deliver answers on the federal response and preparedness to ensure nothing like this happens ever again." Rep. Gohmert Says Capitol Siege Was Not An "Armed Insurrection." The Hill (5/14, Castronuovo, 5.69M) reports, "Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), a staunch ally of former President Trump, argued Friday there was no evidence that the Jan. 6 mob attack at the Capitol was an 'armed insurrection,' despite multiple rioters being charged with unlawful possession of firearms and other weapons." Gohmert "made the comment in remarks from the House floor after arguing that the FBI was 'unfairly' targeting supporters of the former president and that the Justice Department under President Biden is 'criminalizing political protests, but only political protests by Republicans or conservatives." Gohmert is quoted as saying, "There's no evidence ... that this was an armed insurrection. Not one person has been charged with bringing a firearm to the Capitol ... no one brought a gun into this building." The Hill adds, "Gohmert's comments come despite the fact that multiple people charged in connection to the Jan. 6 attack have been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm or dangerous weapon." Upton Criticizes Republican Efforts To Downplay January 6 Attack. CNN (5/16, Cole, 89.21M) reports on its website that Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) "called out an effort by some of his GOP colleagues to downplay the Capitol insurrection" on Sunday, "saying their 'bogus' claims about the deadly attack are evidence of a need to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the incident." Upton said on CNN, "It's absolutely bogus. You know, I was there. I watched a number of the folks walk down to the White House and then back. I have a balcony on my office. So I saw them go down. I heard the noise - the flash bangs, I smelled some of the gas as it moved my way." Upton's comments "come as a rift in his party grows between members who are offering an inaccurate account of the insurrection and those who have consistently condemned the violence on January 6 while also casting blame on former President Donald Trump and his 2020 election lies for the attack." Axios (5/16, Rummler, 1.26M) reports the some GOP lawmakers "have attempted to downplay the Jan. 6 insurrection, which left five people dead, by saying the mob was similar to 'a normal tourist visit' and calling pro-Trump rioters 'peaceful patriots." The Hill (5/16, Schnell, 5.69M) reports that House Homeland Security Committee leaders "reached an agreement on Friday for legislation to establish a bipartisan 9/11-style commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack." PROTESTS Arraignment For Ex-Officers Charged With Breaching Floyd's Constitutional Rights Scheduled For July. EFTA00160760 The Washington Post (5/14, 10.52M) reported a scheduling order put out on Friday by US District Magistrate Judge Tony Leung indicated, in the Post's words, that ex-Minneapolis police officers Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng - who were charged with breaching George Floyd's constitutional rights during a deadly May 2020 arrest - are going to "be arraigned on federal civil rights charges July 14 in Minneapolis, followed by an Aug. 2 trial to be held at the federal courthouse in St. Paul." However, a revised schedule that was filed subsequently "said the trial would occur on a 'date to be determined." Portland, Oregon Mayor "Grateful" For Biden's Reversal Of Trump Order Sending Federal Agents Amid Protests. Fox News (5/16, Stimson, 23.99M) reports, "Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler said Saturday he was grateful for the White House's 'support' after President Biden reversed a Trump administration order that allowed federal agents to intervene in the city's riots last summer. 'Thankful for the support of the current administration,' the embattled mayor, who narrowly won reelection, pointedly wrote on Twitter." Fox News adds, "The anti-rioting executive order was among several Biden reversed Friday through his own executive orders. Trump actions canceled by Biden included the former president's July order to create a garden of monuments to 'American Heroes' in response to damage to statues across the U.S. The Trump administration sent hundreds of federal agents to the Oregon city last summer to protect the federal courthouse, which had become a target of vandalism during weeks of destructive, anti- police rioting." COUNTER-TERRORISM FBI, DHS Report Finds Deaths At Hands Of Racially Motivated Extremists On The Rise In US. CNN (5/15, Wild, Sands, 89.21M) reports, "A newly released government report on domestic violent extremism warns lone wolf attackers with easily accessible weapons present the greatest terrorism threat to the US and the number of people dying at the hands of racially motivated extremists every year is on the rise since 2017." CNN adds, "The joint report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security shows 2019 was 'the most lethal year' for domestic violent extremist attacks since 1995 - with 32 people killed, 24 of them by White supremacists. The report focuses on data from 2017-2019. 'In 2019, the FBI and DHS assessed RMVEs (Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists), primarily those advocating for the superiority of the white race, likely would continue to be the most lethal DVE threat to the Homeland,' the report said." DHS, FBI Warn Domestic Extremists May Use Easing COVID Restrictions To Carry Out Attacks. Reuters (5/14) reports the Department of Homeland Security "warned on Friday that domestic extremists could take advantage of easing COVID-19 restrictions to launch attacks on a broader range of targets." ABC World News TonightVi (5/14, story 3, 0:56, Muir, 6.01M) and the CBS Evening NewsVi (5/14, story 3, 0:25, O'Donnell, 3.56M) provided similar coverage in brief broadcasts. Meanwhile, The Hill (5/14, Beitsch, 5.69M) says a joint DHS-FBI report that was released Friday "shortly after a DHS bulletin warning that easing COVID-19 restrictions could provide new opportunities for domestic extremists," cautions that "lone wolf actors pose the greatest terror threat as incidents of domestic extremism steadily rise." DHS Officials Outline Plan To Analyze Social Media To Understand Extremist Narratives. USA Today (5/14, 12.7M) reports that senior Department of Homeland Security officials have "outlined a new effort to analyze public social media posts in an effort to better understand EFTA00160761 extremist narratives and movements." This "new effort, which draws from research conducted by nonprofits, academia and the department itself, aims to identify narratives and campaigns that could lead to domestic terrorist attacks or violent incidents like the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol." New Zealand Prime Minister Urges World Leaders To Study Social Media Algorithms To Better Understand Violent Extremism. Reuters (5/14) reports, "New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Saturday that world leaders and tech firms looking to stamp out violent extremism online would need to focus efforts on understanding social media algorithms that drive content." She "was speaking at a virtual summit to mark the second anniversary of the global initiative to end online hate, called the Christchurch Call, launched by Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron in 2019 after a white supremacist killed 51 people at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch while live-streaming his rampage on Facebook." Capitol Siege Fuels Congressional Debate Over Domestic Terror Laws. The Hill (5/16, Gangitano, Neidig, 5.69M) reports, "The White House's focus on rising domestic extremism has sparked a debate over whether the U.S. needs new laws to fight it, with some groups concerned that such measures could lead to over surveillance of communities of color and infringe on First Amendment rights." According to The Hill, "The Jan. 6 riot that overran the Capitol and left multiple people dead has prompted the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress to prioritize white supremacists and various right-wing anti-government extremists as a top national security concern. It's still unclear how much momentum is behind any potential new domestic terrorism statute or what it would ultimately look like, but lawmakers' focus on the issue is already prompting debate about whether such legislation is needed and if it could do more harm than good." The Hill adds, "Civil rights advocates are concerned that any bill adding punitive measures or increasing surveillance powers would expand a national security and law enforcement regime that some say is already overpowered and often focuses its force on disadvantaged groups in the U.S." WPost Analysis: Far-Right People Of Color Challenge Media Representations. The Washington Post (5/16, 10.52M) provides a profile of the small, but symbolic, community of far-right people of color, who "[are] at odds with images of White guys in self-styled militias wearing camouflage in the woods." Former Marine Brandon Rapolla is identified as one member. Rapolla "has participated in four armed standoffs with the federal government, including the 'Bundy Ranch' episode in 2014," and he "was active in two far-right factions - the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters." Prosecutors Say Texas Bomber Detailed Activities, Filmed Blasts On YouTube Channel. The Dallas Morning News (5/16, Jennings, 772K) reports, "Like many, Nicholas Lloyd Nelson created his YouTube channel last year to show off his interest and share tips. That pastime, however, consisted of making chemical explosives in his apartment and using them to blow up trees and blast deep craters in the ground in his suburban neighborhood, according to the FBI. Nelson, 37, a convicted felon living in Bedford, is now facing a federal charge after twice being caught with explosive materials, federal court records show." Nelson "was free on bail from his first arrest in February - for possessing bomb-making material - when he exploded a homemade device on April 7 in a drainage culvert off Forest Ridge Drive in Bedford, records say. For that, he was charged in state court with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of components of explosives." Florida Man Pleads Guilty To Facilitating Bomb-Making Video For IS. The Orlando (FL) Sentinel (5/14, Hylton, 599K) reports, "A Florida man is facing 20 years in federal prison for allegedly attempting to disseminate a bomb-making video for ISIS." Romeo EFTA00160762 Xavier Langhorne, of St. Augustine, Florida "pleaded guilty Thursday of attempting to provide material support and resources for the group, according to the Department of Justice. Throughout 2018 and 2019, he affirmed his support on various social media accounts, posted ISIS-produced videos on his YouTube account, and chatted with other like-minded people about ISIS, according to the department." The Sentinel adds, "In December 2018 and January 2019, Langhorne in a chat room expressed interest in making a video on how to improve the organization's bomb-making capabilities, prosecutors say. In February 2019, Langhorne, unbeknownst to him, was talking to an undercover FBI agent posing as someone working on behalf of ISIS, the DO) reported." The Florida Times-Union (5/14, Scanlan, 244K) reports, "Federal court documents say Langhorne pledged his allegiance to ISIS at some point in 2014, knowing that it was a designated foreign terrorist organization engaged in terrorism. He reaffirmed his support in 2018 and 2019 on various social media accounts and also posted terrorist group-produced videos to his YouTube, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. In late 2018 and early 2019 he said he wanted to create a video that would show how to make use of a deadly explosive while on an online chatroom, prosecutors said." In February 2019 Langhorne "began communicating with an undercover FBI agent posing as someone working on behalf of ISIS, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Langhorne told the agent he wanted help to create and post the instructional video. He also said the video should have disclaimers that it was intended for educational use so it would not be removed from social media." Joint Base Andrews Takes Man Who Claimed He Had A Bomb In His Car Into Custody. The Hill (5/14, Axelrod, 5.69M) reports Joint Base Andrews took a man into custody on Friday after he arrived at the Maryland base and claimed he had a bomb in his car, "though no explosives have been found, officials said." According to The Hill, "Bomb-sniffing dogs did not find any explosives upon an initial sweep of the person's car. An explosive ordinance disposal robot and an officer wearing a protective suit also checked the car." Bomb-Making Materials Found In Connecticut Home. The Willimantic (CT) Chronicle (5/14, Warren) reports that a Storrs, Connecticut man "was arrested by state police this week after possible bomb-making materials, firearms, narcotics and marijuana plants were found at his residence." Scott Barber, 31, "who is a convicted felon, was charged with various firearms explosives and drug-related charges. Barber has been charged with illegal transfer and purchase of a pistol/revolver; illegal possession of exploding fireworks; illegal possession of explosives; three counts of criminal possession of firearm; two counts of illegal transfer of large cap magazine; use of drug paraphernalia; and possession of and intent to sell narcotics. 'The success of this operation was as a result of the assistance received from the state police Emergency Services Unit (ESU), state police and FBI bomb squads, Statewide Organized Crime Investigative Task Force, Eastern District Crime Squad and the Mansfield Resident Troopers office; a press release issued by state police this morning stated." US Joins Worldwide Effort To Curb Extremist Violence Online. The AP (5/14) reports French President Emmanuel Macron "and other leaders from tech giants and governments around the world - including the U.S. for the first time - gathered virtually on Saturday to find better ways to stop extremist violence from spreading online, while also respecting freedom of expression." The AP adds, "It was part of a global effort started by Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern after deadly attacks in their countries were streamed or shared on social networks." The US is among the five nations that "joined the effort, known as the Christchurch Call, for the first time this year." Lawmakers Seek Release Of FBI Documents On Saudi 9/11 Links. EFTA00160763 The New York Post (5/15, Edelman, 7.45M) reports, "Pressure is building on President Biden to release secret FBI documents showing Saudi Arabia's alleged complicity in the 9/11 terror attacks, with families of the victims accusing the US government of letting a Middle East ally `get away with the murder of our loved ones." The Post adds, "A group of 22 New York and New Jersey federal lawmakers, including lone Republican Nicole Malliotakis and NY Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, sent a letter to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, challenging the `state secrets privilege' that ex-Presidents Trump, Obama and Bush invoked to block release of a classified 16-page FBI report. Relatives of those killed on 9/11 or from illnesses triggered by Ground Zero toxins applauded last week's missive." Guantanamo Detainee Agrees To Give Up Right To Give Testimony On Alleged CIA Interrogation Program. The New York Times (5/14, Al, Rosenberg, Barnes, 20.6M) reports, "A detainee at Guantanamo Bay has agreed to a deal intended to lead to his release in the next few years in return for giving up the right to question the C.I.A. in court about its torture program, United States government officials said." The agreement, "negotiated by the Pentagon official who oversees the military commissions that serve as a court for some detainees, was reached in recent weeks, and comes as a number of those who have been charged at Guantanamo are seeking to cite their abuse at the hands of the CIA as part of their defense." Air Marshal National Council Criticizes Use Of Federal Air Marshals For Congressional Security Over "High Risk" Flights. Fox News (5/14, Jeunesse, 23.99M) reports on its website that the Air Marshal National Council says some members of Congress are taking advantage of the federal security program under the TSA to divert officers from "high risk" commercial flights to escort them on their own air trips around the country, "essentially creating, in their words, a VIP `concierge service' for members." Air Marshal National Council Executive Director Sonya Hightower LoBasco says, "Air marshals can only be assigned to high-risk flights. That means flights that have been deemed through our vetted process that have a security risk. When these processes are violated and they're taken advantage of and they are just tossed to the side now as if they don't matter, we're really looking into creating a major problem for ourselves in the aviation domain." The main concern is that escorting members of Congress is not the "primary mission" of federal air marshals. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE NYTimes Analysis: Private Spying Increasingly "Manipulating The News." A New York Times (5/15, Meier, 20.6M) article adapted from the book "Spooked: The Trump Dossier, Black Cube and the Rise of Private Spies" says "private spying has boomed into a renegade, billion-dollar industry, one that is increasingly invading our privacy, profiting from deception and manipulating the news." According to the article, "Hired spies feed journalists story tips or documents and use reporters to plant stories benefiting a client without leaving their fingerprints behind." Moreover, in addition to being frequently sensational, the information private spies peddle can be impossible to probe or be false. Former Ohio State Professor Sentenced To 37 Months In Prison For Scheme To Share Work With China. The AP (5/14) reported, "A medical researcher and professor who pleaded guilty to what prosecutors called a sophisticated scheme to transfer U.S.-backed research to China was sentenced Friday to 37 months in federal prison." Song Guo Zheng, "58, who had been working most recently at Ohio State University, will also have to pay $3.4 million in restitution to the EFTA00160764 National Institutes of Health and nearly $414,000 to the college." Zheng and his research groups "secured more than $4.3 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health for projects while receiving overlapping funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, according to a criminal complaint." Also reporting were the Columbus (OH) Dispatch (5/14, Kovac, 526K), the Daily Caller (5/14, Yuldoshboev, 375K), the Washington Examiner (5/16, Dunleavy, 888K), and the Washington Times (5/14, Gertz, 626K). Former Army Captain Sentenced To 15 Years for Spying For Russia. The Washington Post (5/14, Jackman, Weiner, 10.52M) reports, "A former captain in the U.S. Army Special Forces who last year admitted to spying for Russia was sentenced Friday to more than 15 years in prison by a federal judge in Alexandria." Peter Dzibinski Debbins, 46, "pleaded guilty in November to the espionage-related charge of conspiracy to gather or deliver defense information to aid a foreign government. He was living in Manassas, Va., before his August arrest, which followed a failed polygraph test, court records show. `He conspired with the Russian intelligence agents for his entire service in the U.S. Army; prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo." The Post adds, "In court filings, Debbins said he was motivated by a combination of familial loyalty, financial opportunity and personal grievance against the U.S. Army." The Washington Examiner (5/14, Dunleavy, 888K) reports, "Prosecutors said Debbins provided Russia access to information about U.S. troop deployments on the Russian border and details about his fellow service members to help Russia approach them for recruitment, and the Russians encouraged Debbins to join the military and the special forces, which he did, and then to get a job in the U.S. government. Debbins pleaded guilty in a socially distanced courtroom in the Eastern District of Virginia in November. 'Debbins violated his oath as a U.S. Army officer, betrayed the Special Forces, and endangered our country's national security by revealing classified information to Russian intelligence officers, providing details of his unit, and identifying Special Forces team members for Russian intelligence to try to recruit them as spies,' John Demers, the assistant attorney general for DOJ's National Security Division, said Friday." Inside NoVa (VA) (5/16, 28K) reports, "From 1998 to 2005, Debbins served on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army, serving in chemical units before being selected for the U.S. Army Special Forces. The Russian intelligence agents encouraged him to join and pursue a career in the Special Forces, where he attained the rank of Captain. Over the course of the conspiracy, Debbins provided Russian intelligence agents with information he obtained as a member of the U.S. Army, including sensitive details about his chemical and Special Forces units, federal prosecutors said." Opinion: Immigrants "Critical" To Intelligence Community's Success. In an op-ed for The Washington Examiner (5/15, 888K), former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos writes that although politics is "once again subsumed by the immigration debate," those such as his former colleagues "who immigrated from all over the world were rich in language and cultural understanding, providing an invaluable addition to the intelligence community." It is, he writes "a matter of fact that CIA Director William Burns presides over a talent pool in which immigrants must play an outsize role in defending this great nation." Polymeropoulos argues that, "Love of country runs deep in the intelligence community immigrant experience," and that the "requirement for diversity, as personified precisely by the immigrant experience, truly is our secret weapon." He concludes that Americans must "remember that our intelligence community immigrants succeeded in America because America gave them an opportunity," and that some will, if "given the chance, serve America with valor and glory in the future." EFTA00160765 Russia Designates US, Czech Republic "Unfriendly States," Limiting Embassy Hires. Reuters (5/14) reported the Russian government announced Friday it has officially designated the US and Czech Republic as what it called "unfriendly" states, and "that US diplomatic missions could no longer employ local staff while Czech missions." Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law "last month to limit the number of local staff working at foreign diplomatic missions and other agencies, and ordered the government" to draft a list of "unfriendly" states subject to the restrictions. The Czech Foreign Ministry "said on Friday the Russian decision was at odds with an international agreement committing countries to enable orderly functioning of diplomatic missions." Reuters (5/16, Lopatka) wrote separately that Russia's move is silly, "Czech President Milos Zeman said on Sunday, following a chill in ties between the two countries as a result of an intelligence dispute." Relations between the two countries "deteriorated sharply" last month after "the Czech government accused Russian military intelligence of causing a 2014 blast at an ammunition depot which killed two people, and expelled dozens of Russian diplomats from Prague." During a radio interview with Frekvence 1, Zeman said, "It is silliness from the Russian side, because making enemies from former friends is a mistake. If there cannot be friendship, then there should at least be correct relations." Blinken Expected To Focus On Climate Change And Russia During Overseas Trip. Axios (5/14, Freedman, 1.26M) reports that Secretary of State Blinken is "scheduled to travel to Denmark, Iceland, and Greenland this weekend to address Arctic policies amid sweeping climate change that is affecting the region." Axios adds, "While in Reykjavik, Blinken will attend the ministerial meeting of the Arctic Council, an organization created 25 years ago to foster cooperation among the eight Arctic nations at a time when Russia has been increasingly aggressive in building up its military presence in the region." According to Axios, "At his final Arctic Council ministerial meeting, then-secretary of state Mike Pompeo gave a speech that was harshly critical of China and Russia, and portrayed climate change as an economic opportunity rather than a danger" The AP (5/14) says Blinken's message "will be a marked change from the Trump administration, which had urged the group to take commercial advantage of global warming." The AP also notes that in Reykjavik, Blinken will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov "in the first high-level face-to-face talks between Moscow and Washington since President Joe Biden took office." But the AP says "despite the focus on Russia, Blinken plans to make climate change a main priority of his participation in the Arctic Council foreign ministers' meeting." Egan: Water Shortages At Hoover Dam's Lake Mead Foreshadow Looming Global Water Crisis. In a guest essay for the New York Times (5/14, 20.6M), contributing Opinion writer Timothy Egan says that the Hoover Dam's Lake Mead is "the world's largest heart monitor" and "right now, it's showing extreme distress." He warns that "within a few months, water levels are projected to reach a critically low threshold that will force cutbacks throughout the system." He says, "So long as the world continues to warm, no amount of new dams can resuscitate a gasping resource. Doing all the right things - growing more food and building smarter communities with less water - can only go so far." Obama Climate Scientist Rejects Climate Doom-Mongering. In his column for the Washington Post (5/14, 10.52M), Marc Thiessen highlights several climate-related facts published by Steven E. Koonin in the context of recent comments to Congress by US climate envoy John F. Kerry, who "delivered a dire warning Wednesday on `the mounting costs...of global warming and of a more volatile climate." The assessments by Koonin, one of the Obama Administration's top climate scientists, "all are based on official assessments published by the U.S. government or United Nations." While he said in an interview to the Post that "the globe is warming...partly due to natural phenomena and partly due to growing human influences," he also argued that "the terrifying predictions of increasingly violent weather and coastal cites EFTA00160766 drowned beneath rising seas are overblown," along with "the predictions of climate-induced economic devastation." Moreover, "the idea that we can stop climate change, Koonin argues, is delusional." Space Force Officer Removed After Claiming Marxism Is Invading Military. The New York Post (5/16, Fitz-Gibbon, 7.45M) reports Space Force Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier "has been removed from his post - after he went on a podcast to claim that Marxism is invading the military, according to a report." Lohmeier, "commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado," was "temporarily reassigned after going on a podcast and touting his book, 'Irresistible Revolution: Marxism's Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military,' according to military.com." On its website, CNN (5/16, Holmes, Starr, 89.21M) reports Lohmeier's book "alleges that Marxist ideologies are becoming widespread within the armed forces. He expounded on those concerns in the podcast." Lohmeier said, "Since taking command as a commander about 10 months ago, I saw what I consider fundamentally incompatible and competing narratives of what America was, is and should be. ... That wasn't just prolific in social media, or throughout the country during this past year, but it was spreading throughout the United States military. And I had recognized those narratives as being Marxist in nature." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Florida Politician Tied To Gaetz Probe Pleads Guilty To Six Charges, Agrees To Cooperate With Feds. The Washington Post (5/14, 10.52M) reports a Florida politician regarded as being critical to the probe concerning Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) "agreed to cooperate fully with federal prosecutors and, if needed, to testify in court, as he admitted in a lengthy written plea agreement that he paid a minor to engage in sex acts with him and others, according to a copy of the document filed Friday." Joel Greenberg, "a former tax collector for Seminole County, agreed to plead guilty to six criminal charges," though "the prosecutors agreed to dismiss the other 27 counts Greenberg faced and recommend a term within federal sentencing guidelines." The Post adds that prior to taking the "plea deal, Greenberg had been outlining to prosecutors how he and Gaetz (R-Fla.) would pay women for sex, in hopes of convincing them he could be a witness against the congressman and earn a break for himself." The New York Times (5/14, 20.6M) says the plea agreement by Greenberg "provided prosecutors a potential key witness as they decide whether to charge Mr. Gaetz." Greenberg "did not implicate Mr. Gaetz by name in court papers filed by prosecutors in Federal District Court in Orlando. But Mr. Greenberg admitted that he 'introduced the minor to other adult men, who engaged in commercial sex acts' with her, according to the documents, and that he was sometimes present." On the CBS Evening NewsVi (5/14, story 4, 2:10, O'Donnell, 3.56M), correspondent Major Garrett reported that Gaetz "once called Joel Greenberg his wing man." Garrett also reported that a Gaetz spokesman said, "Congressman Gaetz doesn't seem to be named nor referenced in Mr. Greenberg's plea. Congressman Gaetz has never had sex with a minor and has never paid for sex." The Wall Street Journal (5/14, O'Brien, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provides similar coverage Gaetz Likens Sexual Misconduct Allegations To Legislative Earmarks. NBC News (5/16, 4.91M) reports on its website that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) "told a crowd of Republican activists Saturday that sexual misconduct allegations involving him are as benign as legislative earmarks." Speaking at the Ohio Political Summit in suburban Cleveland, Gaetz said, "I'm being falsely accused of exchanging money for naughty favors. ... Yet, Congress has reinstituted a process that legalizes the corrupt act of exchanging money for favors, through earmarks, and EFTA00160767 everybody knows that that's the corruption." Gaetz's comments "came a day after Joel Greenberg, a former Florida tax official and associate of the congressman, pleaded guilty to six charges and is cooperating in a federal sex trafficking investigation." Hearing Regarding Ghaisar Shooting Set For August. The Washington Post (5/14, 10.52M) reported a federal judge scheduled "a hearing on whether manslaughter charges against two U.S. Park Police officers, for the 2017 fatal shooting of Bijan Ghaisar, should be dismissed," with the hearing slated for August 23. The Post adds, "A Fairfax County prosecutor told the judge the hearing could last five days." Ghaisar "was fatally shot by Officers Lucas Vinyard, 39, and Alejandro Amaya, 41, as he slowly maneuvered his Jeep Grand Cherokee away from them on Nov. 17, 2017, video shows." Police Shooting Of Rugby Player In Hawaii Turns Into "Cause Celebre" In South Africa. The New York Times (5/15, 20.6M) says South African rugby player Lindani Myeni "died in Honolulu after he was shot in a confrontation with the police outside a suburban house he had inexplicably entered, and then left, on the night of April 14." The Times adds, "In the United States, this police shooting of a Black man they described as a burglary suspect did not make national news." However, the shooting has turned into "a cause cel6bre" in South Africa, escalating "both criticism of racism in the United States and a feeling of solidarity with African- Americans." Politico Analysis: Numerous Women Played Key Role In Enabling Epstein's Sex Trafficking Ring. A Politico Magazine (5/14, Palmeri, 6.68M) analysis discusses the role of women in Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking ring. ." The article discusses the pattern of numerous women enabling and protecting Epstein's activities. The article says, "In Epstein's world, women both were victims of a hostile environment and sometimes also reaped the benefits of their association with him, or worse." Nevertheless, the article says, "exactly how Jeffrey Epstein got away with years of abuse remains an open question - one many of his victims are still working to expose. " CVS Employee Charged With Stealing COVID Vaccination Cards. Forbes (5/14, Durkee, 10.33M) reports, "A CVS employee in Long Island, New York, was arrested this week for stealing Covid-19 vaccination cards to distribute, Nassau County Police said Thursday, one of a growing number of people facing consequences for pushing fraudulent vaccination cards as the fake documents become a looming threat to the country's effort to eradicate the coronavirus." Zachary Honig, 21, "was arrested Tuesday on charges including petit larceny and criminal possession of a forged instrument after taking eight pre-filled vaccination cards and 54 blank ones, and CVS said in a statement they had terminated his employment and were cooperating with investigators. Authorities noted that it does not appear Honig sold any of the cards - though an investigation is ongoing - but told police he intended to sell the cards to students and 'share them with family members and friends, so that they could go into venues and possibly even use them at schools." Police Identify Man Arrested In Connection With Slaying Of Texas Four-Year-Old. The Dallas Morning News (5/16, Schnurman, 772K) reports, "An 18-year-old male was arrested in connection with the death of a 4-year-old whose body was found lying on a street in the Mountain Creek area Saturday morning, Dallas police said." Darriynn Brown "was booked into EFTA00160768 the Dallas County jail early Sunday. He is being held in lieu of $750,000 bail and faces charges of kidnapping and theft. Investigators expect additional charges after a forensic analysis has been completed, police said." The News adds, "The boy, whose identity was not released, was found shirtless and shoeless in the 7500 block of Saddleridge Drive around 7 a.m. Saturday with multiple wounds from `an edged weapon,' police said. FBI agents and police on horseback searched the area for evidence throughout much of Saturday." USA Today (5/16, Aspegren, 12.7M) reports that the FBI "was involved in the investigation into the homicide. Midaftemoon Saturday they were focusing on a wooded trail not far from where the body was found. The trail, which neighbors said is popular for biking, was sealed off with crime-scene tape." KTVT-TV Dallas (5/16) also reports on its website. FBI Probing Round Of Shootings In Portland, Oregon. The AP (5/16) reports from Portland, Oregon, "Police on Sunday were getting help from the FBI in investigating the latest round of shootings in Portland amid a `cycle of violence' that the city's police chief believes is gang-related." The AP adds, "At least three shootings were reported over the weekend. FBI agents were partnering with police to more quickly investigate all shootings in hopes of preventing retaliatory shootings that may result, which can lead to even more shootings, said Kieran Ramsey, special agent in charge of the FBI's Portland field office." The Oregonian (5/15, Russell, 1.02M) reports, "After a violent week that included three shooting homicides in Portland, the mayor, police and elected officials have sounded the alarm around gun violence, telling residents that officers will be out in force over the weekend." The Oregonian adds, "Eight Portland investigators from the newly formed Enhanced Community Safety Team and three FBI agents will be on the ground this weekend in efforts to quell the recent rise in gun violence, Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon Kieran L. Ramsey said Saturday. `We want to make sure that we in the Police Bureau are doing everything we can to make people safe; Lovell said during a virtual news conference. `There's a cycle of violence here we're trying to break." The Oregonian (5/16, Zarkhin, 1.02M) reports, "On a weekend when Portland put more officers on the street to respond to shootings and city leaders called for an end to gun violence, two shootings Sunday left a woman dead and a man seriously injured. A woman was shot in the 8000 block of North Newman Avenue around 8:30 a.m. and had died by the time Portland officers arrived on the scene, police said. That shooting came just over an hour after another, in Northwest Portland, left a man with serious injuries, police said. The shooting occurred in Old Town, police said, apparently near the intersection of Northwest Sixth Avenue and Flanders Street. The man was expected to survive his injuries, police said." US Charges New Jersey Woman With Threatening FBI Informant In Drug Case. The Asbury Park (NJ) Press (5/14, Serrano, 388K) reports that an Aberdeen, New Jersey woman "faces charges after allegedly threatening to kill an informant who was working with federal investigators in a crack cocaine distribution case." Kaitlyn R. Powers, 32, "has been charged with two counts of retaliating against a witness or informant and one count of witness tampering. The confidential source working with the FBI bought crack cocaine from Richard N. Edwards Jr. of Old Bridge in East Brunswick on Feb. 24, according to an FBI complaint in the case. The informant was wearing an audio and video recording device." Powers "is Edwards' girlfriend, according to the complaint. Edwards made various other purchases of drugs and sold them to the confidential source from January to March, according to the complaint." The Rutherford (Ni) Daily Voice (5/14) reports that Powers "took two runs at the informant, whose drug buys - particularly of crack - led directly to the arrests of two men, Richard N. Edwards Jr. of Old Bridge and Jamil J. Yasin of East Orange, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. The first time was on April 7, when Powers `confronted the confidential source in a parking lot of a convenience store in Cliffwood Beach and threatened, among other things, to have the confidential source killed in retaliation for Edwards's and Yasin's arrests; EFTA00160769 Honig said. Powers also threatened to kill the informant if she herself were charged federally, the U.S. attorney said." Powers "threatened the source again two days later in the parking lot of a Cliffwood business, Honig said. Honig credited special agents of the FBI Red Bank Resident Agency for the investigation leading to Powers's arrest on two counts of witness retaliation and one of witness tampering. She also thanked Matawan police for their assistance." Albuquerque, New Mexico Police Identify Two Victims In Triple Homicide Probe. The AP (5/16) reports from Albuquerque, New Mexico, "Authorities have released the names of two men who died in a triple homicide case." According to the AP, "Albuquerque police say 44- year-old Brandon Torres and 41-year-old James Fisher were identified as two of the victims found Wednesday in a bullet-riddled car outside a city hospital. Police said 41-year-old Richard Kuykendall was questioned and jailed on a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm," but "Kuykendall has not yet been charged in the triple homicide case." The AP adds, "In a criminal complaint, the FBI said agents don't believe Kuykendall killed all three men but may be responsible for the death of one of them. The FBI also said Kuykendall has a long criminal history with 35 arrests in New Mexico and Massachusetts including assault and battery, forgery, larceny and identity theft." The Daily Beast (5/15, Melendez, 933K) reports that Kuykendall, "a suspected white supremacist is facing charges after allegedly ditching a bullet-riddled car containing three dead men in the parking lot of an Albuquerque hospital this week." Kuykendall, "a 41-year-old with an `apparent association' with the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang, was charged Friday with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition for his role in the Wednesday triple homicide, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for New Mexico. Prosecutors allege that after a deadly shootout in a nearby alley, Kuykendall drove to Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital with the victims, removed his shirt and told a security officer `that there were three dead guys in the Chevy' before he walked away." NBC News (5/16, Madani, 4.91M) reports that Kuykendall "is accused of stashing a pistol that came from out of state after a shootout with three men in a Chevrolet Malibu, a federal complaint filed Friday in U.S. District Court for New Mexico said. An FBI agent said in the complaint that security video shows Kuykendall's being shot at after the Chevy pulled up behind him and he tried to get inside the car. Kuykendall ducks as shots continue, the agent said in the complaint, but the video does not show him firing back." FBI Issues Alert On Missing 12-Year-Old Virginia Girl. Fox News (5/15, Calicchio, 23.99M) reports, "A 12-year-old Virginia girl has been reported missing, prompting the FBI to issue an alert on Twitter on Saturday night." Fox News adds, "The girl was identified as Olivia Grace Green, who authorities say was last seen Thursday in Powhatan, Virginia, about 137 miles south of Washington, D.C. Authorities were additionally concerned because Olivia was believed to be without some unspecified medications that she relies on, Powhatan County Sheriff Brad Nunnally said at a news briefing Saturday evening, according to WTVR-TV of Richmond, Virginia." The FBI alert "said the girl was last seen wearing a black hoodie. WTVR published a photo, shared by the sheriff's office, showing the girl wearing a black hoodie with the logo of The North Face apparel company." Border Patrol Agents Fatally Shoot Man In California After Pursuit. NBC News (5/15, Silva, 4.91M) reports, "The U.S. Border Patrol fatally shot a man in California Friday night following a vehicle pursuit, according to officials." According to NBC News, Border Patrol agents "were involved in the pursuit just before 10:30 p.m. PT, the San Diego County Sheriff's Office said. It ended at an intersection in Campo, California, with an unknown number of agents opening fire after they stopped the vehicle. Gunfire hit an unidentified man, one of three people in the vehicle being pursued, according to sheriff's Lt. Thomas Seiver. The man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Seiver said." NBC News adds, EFTA00160770 "Multiple agencies, including the sheriff's office, the FBI and the U.S. Border Patrol, are investigating, Seiver said." Armed Carjackers Rob Ohio Woman Who Had Been Held Captive For A Decade. Fox News (5/15, Conklin, 23.99M) reports, "Gina Dejesus, a Cleveland woman who was kidnapped and held hostage for a decade, is now the victim of a carjacking incident and robbery." Fox News adds, "The FBI and Cleveland law enforcement discovered DeJesus in 2013 after she was kidnapped in 2004, according to the bureau's website," and "now, DeJesus is now the victim of another violent crime after at least two male suspects on Thursday pulled in front of her car while she was driving, forced a gun to her head and ordered her to get out of her vehicle, Fox 8 Cleveland first reported, citing local law enforcement and the FBI." The Cleveland Division of Police "is seeking the public's help to locate the vehicle, which is believed to be a silver 2015 Toyota Camry, and suspects, according to a blog post. The carjackers stole her purse, credit card and demanded she hand over her key fob, Fox 8 reported." Husband Of Missing Colorado Woman Filed 2020 Presidential Ballot On Her Behalf. The Denver Post (5/14, Phillips, 660K) reports, "The husband of missing Chaffee County resident Suzanne Morphew is accused of filing a fraudulent 2020 election ballot in his wife's name because he thought Donald Trump could use the extra vote since others were cheating." Barry Morphew, 53, "on Thursday was charged with one count of forgery and one count of a mail ballot offense in connection with his missing wife's ballot, according to an arrest warrant from the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office. On May 5, Barry Morphew was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder for his wife's disappearance." Chafee County Clerk Lori Mitchell "called the sheriff's office...after her office received Suzanne Morphew's mail-in ballot, the arrest warrant said. An FBI agent confronted Barry Morphew about the ballot in April, and he told the agent that he had filled out his missing wife's form." The Washington Post (5/15, Knowles, Vargas, 10.52M) reports that Barry Morphew "echoed Trump's false claims of election fraud as the motivation for his own alleged wrongdoing, according to an affidavit filed Thursday in court. The 53-year-old told FBI agents last month that he did it because 'all these other guys are cheating' and said his wife would have backed Trump anyway. 'I just thought, give him another vote,' Barry allegedly said. It was the latest wild twist in a widely followed missing-person case — publicized in part by Barry's emotional pleas for his wife's return - as well as in a presidential race dogged by false claims Trump lost the election due to fraud." Morphew "is charged with a felony count of forgery and a misdemeanor count of offenses related to mail ballots, court records show, on top of other charges stemming from his wife's disappearance." Police Say Pennsylvania Woman May Have Been Victim Of Serial Killer. The Harrisburg (FS) Patriot-News (5/15, 567K) reports from Drums, Pennsylvania, "A McClure woman is a victim of a 'serial killer' after a Luzerne County detective said the 43-year-old man beat and stabbed the woman to death before waiting three months to collect her skeleton and dispose of the remains in a dumpster in Columbia County." Harold David Haulman III, 43, "was arrested Friday for the murder of 25-year-old Tianna Phillips, who went missing in 2018. Haulman was charged as he walked in for a hearing in a December homicide case where he is charged with murdering Erica Shultz, 26, of Bloomsburg. In addition to those cases, investigators are also looking into his possible involvement in a 16-year-old homicide case in Michigan." Defense Expected To Rest Case In Sex-Trafficking Trial Of Arkansas Man. The Arkansas Democrat Gazette (5/14, Ellis, 309K) reports, "Following two days of testimony in the trial of Anthony Atkins, charged in federal court with sex trafficking of a minor, defense attorneys are expected to rest their case this morning and put their client's fate in the hands of EFTA00160771 the jury of 10 women and two men." Atkins, 25, "was arrested in July 2018 after the arrest the previous month of a 17-year-old girl on a prostitution charge by Little Rock police that was later tied to Atkins through cellphone records, social media accounts, online ads on an escort service site authorities said was a front for sex trafficking, and statements from the girl. The girl, identified as L.D., testified for over an hour on Wednesday, saying that Atkins had acted as her pimp, arranging sexual encounters for her and requiring her to turn over the money she was paid to him." US Charges New York Man With Child Sex Trafficking. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (5/16, Lindstrom, 245K) reports, "A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has indicted a New York man on a charge of child trafficking, prosecutors said." Adrian Petty, 26, of Buffalo, New York "is the sole defendant in the grand jury's recently unsealed indictment, Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen Kaufman said. According to the indictment, Petty was charged for having 'knowingly transported a minor victim across state lines, from New York to Pennsylvania, with the intent that the minor victim engage in prostitution and otherwise illegal sexual activity." The FBI "led the investigation with help from police from Monroeville, This case was brought forward as part of Operation T.E.N., which stands for 'Trafficking Ends Now,' a coalition formed by the U.S. Attorney's Office to foster collaboration among law enforcement, community and nonprofit partners in 25 Western Pennsylvania counties." Multiple Drug Traffickers In Georgia Enter Guilty Pleas. On its website, WALB-TV Albany, GA (5/14, Team) reported, "Multiple co-defendants involved in high-volume drug trafficking operations in" Georgia Albany "have pleaded guilty to their crimes in federal court." The pleas are the result of an investigation that was conducted by the DEA, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation "and the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit." Meth Case Defendant Gets Long Prison Sentence. The Marysville (CA) Appeal-Democrat (5/14, 67K) reported that Vicente Velazquez has been sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison "for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine." The sentence was the result of an investigation that was conducted by the DEA, the FBI, and several law enforcement organizations in California. West Virginia Drug Investigation Leads To 12 Arrests. The Beckley (WV) Register-Herald (5/14, 59K) reported that the FBI is represented on the Beckley-Raleigh County Drug and Violent Task Force, which recently "arrested 12 people on drug charges." The arrests followed "a month-long investigation into the growing fentanyl crisis in" Raleigh County, West Virginia. EMPLOYMENT High School Students Encouraged To Apply For San Antonio FBI Teen Academy. KENS-TV San Antonio (5/15, Hurst, 185K) reports from San Antonio, Texas, "The feds want to talk with your teenager in a way that could change the course of their lifetime. San Antonio's Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking for high school students to fill their F.B.I. Teen Academy. 'This is open to high school students at any point in their high school journey,' Sara Voyard said. 'So, whether it's freshmen, sophomore, junior or seniors:" Voyard "works at the San Antontio F.B.I. She said the Teen Academy is an in-person experience starting on July 14. But class space is limited for COVID-19 compliance. 'This is a phenomenal experience that gives our teenagers in the community an opportunity to get an insider experience of the F.B.I.; she said." EFTA00160772 FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS Swiss Life Holding To Pay $77.4M To Resolve US Criminal Tax Evasion Charges. Reuters (5/14, Stempel, Hals) reports, "Swiss Life Holding AG agreed to pay $77.4 million and enter a deferred prosecution agreement to resolve a U.S. criminal case in which Switzerland's largest insurer was accused of helping wealthy American clients evade taxes." Former Massachusetts Mayor Convicted On Corruption Charges. The AP (5/14, Durkin Richer) reports from Boston, "A former Massachusetts mayor first elected at the age of 23 by touting himself as a successful entrepreneur was convicted Friday of stealing money from investors in his start-up to bankroll his lavish lifestyle and soliciting bribes from marijuana vendors who wanted to operate in the struggling mill city." Jasiel Correia "was found guilty of extortion and fraud by a jury after 23 hours of deliberations over four days in a trial that highlighted Correia's swift rise and fall in Fall River, where he had dazzled voters at a young age with his promises to turn the city around. He was also found not guilty on three counts, including accusations that he forced his chief of staff to give him half of her salary in order to keep her city job." Correia, "who insisted he was innocent and attacked the charges as politically motivated, never took the stand." Reuters (5/14, Raymond) reports, "His lawyer, Kevin Reddington, told reporters that he was `disappointed in the verdict, and we do plan to file a vigorous appeal.' He had argued at the trial that his client had `no intent to defraud.' Prosecutors said that before being elected, Correia betrayed investors who sank $363,690 into SnoOwl, a company developing an app to connect local businesses with consumers. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zach Hafer told jurors that SnoOwl was a `con,' and Correia was accused of stealing more than $231,000 to fund his campaign and a lavish lifestyle that included a Mercedes, jewelry, casino trips and adult entertainment." The Fall River (MA) Herald News (5/14, Goode, 71K) reports, "A jury of Correia's peers, after 22 hours of deliberations, found him guilty Friday of 21 of 24 federal counts. He was found guilty of all nine counts of wire fraud with regard to deceiving investors in his app company, guilty of all four counts of filing false tax returns, and guilty of extorting four marijuana business owners in exchange for the right to do business in Fall River. He was found not guilty of the two counts related to water line work done for co-conspirator Tony Costa, and of the bribery count related to former chief of staff Gen Andrade handing over a portion of her salary. Andrade has also pleaded guilty." Correia "will not be remanded to jail but he will be required to wear a GPS ankle bracelet - which he will have to pay for - and sentencing will be Sept. 20." The Taunton (MA) Daily Gazette (5/15, 33K) reports, "Nine days of testimony were filled with salacious details. Prosecutors presented evidence that Correia spent tens of thousands of dollars meant for his app company, SnoOwl, on $700 shoes, hotel rooms that cost $949 per night, strip clubs, sex toys, even a plane ticket for a one-day trip to Seattle. In the face of receipt after receipt, even defense attorney Kevin Reddington admitted that Correia spent money 'improvidently,' but insisted it was still legal." Georgia Man Pleads Guilty To Investment Fraud Scheme. The Albany WA) Herald (5/15) reports from Macon, Georgia, "A farm broker has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a scheme to defraud an investor of up to $2.1 million." Collis Robert Todd, "aka C. Robert Todd, aka Collis Todd, aka Robert Todd, aka Robert C. Todd, 64, of Jesup, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. `Todd deceived an investor into believing the investor's money would make legitimate gains only to find out the money was going into Todd's pockets,' Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta Chris Hacker said. `It is a stark reminder to investors to be very careful where they entrust their money. The FBI is committed to finding investment predators, no matter how clever they think their schemes are." EFTA00160773 Subpoenas Show FBI Probe Of Pennsylvania Pension Fund Seeks Evidence Of Kickbacks, Bribery. The Philadelphia Inquirer (5/16) reports, "Federal prosecutors investigating Pennsylvania's $64 billion public school pension fund are looking for evidence of kickbacks or bribery as they explore why the plan exaggerated investment returns and spent millions to amass real estate in Harrisburg." The Inquirer adds, "Subpoenas reviewed by The Inquirer and Spotlight PA demand information from the fund itself, its executive director, and at least three other senior executives. The documents lay bare the scope of the probe and reveal that prosecutors and the FBI are investigating possible 'honest services' fraud and wire fraud. The subpoenas sought grand jury testimony from fund executive director Glen Grell, chief financial officer Brian Carl, deputy chief investment officer Thomas Bauer, and chief auditing officer Mei Gentry. FBI agents have also been carrying out interviews, documents show, in the probe of PSERS, the Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System." CYBER DIVISION Facebook Loses Challenge To Preliminary Ruling On Suspension Of EU-US Data Flows. The Wall Street Journal (5/14, Pop, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports Facebook lost its bid challenging a preliminary EU ruling that would require the company to suspend the flow of personal data about European Union residents to computer servers back in the US. Cyber Deterrence, Workforce Concerns "Dominate" During House Cyber Hearing. NextGov (5/14, Jasper) reports Rep. Jim Langevin (R-RI), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's cyber subcommittee, "suggested the Defense Department is not making securing the cyber domain enough of a priority in a Friday hearing that came on the heels of yet another high-profile intrusion." Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of US Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, and Mieke Eoyang, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for cyber policy answered questions from the panel. Langevin opened the hearing by "expressing his frustration that lawmakers and the witnesses alike... face an 'uphill battle to put cyber front and center in the Department." He also noted that "with all due respect to Ms. Eoyang and her spectacularly overworked team - the senior civilian for cyber is four rungs lower than her counterparts overseeing other domains," also questioning "why information operations and cyberspace operations are overseen by two different officials." MeriTalk (5/14, Johnson) reported that members "focused in on how the United States can deter such attacks, as well as how to attract talent to the cyber workforce, at a May 14 House Armed Services subcommittee hearing." The subcommittee "also planned a closed-door hearing for later in the day." Members of the subcommittee "asked Nakasone how the nation should go about deterring such attacks, and Nakasone replied that deterrence is not always about imposing direct costs." The subcommittee also questioned "Nakasone and Eoyang on the best ways to attract and maintain talent in the cyber workforce." Both mentioned that "there has been progress on that front, noting that the cyber excepted service program has helped Cyber Command to recruit talent." Nakasone also "noted that Cyber Command has dramatically cut the amount of time it takes to go through the hiring process - reducing it by half in some cases." FTC Warns About Cryptocurrency Scams. On NBC Nightly NewsVi (5/14, story 8, 1:40, Holt, 4.72M), correspondent Tom Costello reported that "digital cryptocurrencies have exploded in value and popularity with many Americans eager to get in on the action. But federal investigators say a wild west culture has led to a massive spike in cryptocurrency scams. Since October, nearly 7,000 people have reported losses of more than $80 million. The median loss $1,900." The Federal Trade EFTA00160774 Commission "says victims are often lured to bogus websites promising big returns for crypto investors." Federal Trade Commission Acting Chairwoman Rebecca Kelly Slaughter said, "People read about Bitcoin. They have a general sense of what it is and the fact that it's gone up in value and they want a piece of the action. These scammers know that and they prey on it." Warner: Bipartisan Backing For Breach-Reporting Law. The Hill (5/16, Choi, 5.69M) reports that SSCI Chair Mark Warner (D-VA) "said in an interview that aired Sunday that enacting laws for reporting cyber breaches is 'one of the few areas left where there's broad bipartisan support." Warner told Greta Van Susteran, "Democrats, Republicans working on this. The business community has actually changed their position. As long as people can confidentially, and they get some limited immunity, and we already have those provisions on voluntary ... reporting, I think we can get this done." Politico (5/15, Geller, Matishak, 6.73M) reports the cyberattack "is spurring new efforts in Congress to require critical companies to tell the government when they've been hacked." Currently, "No federal law or regulation requires pipeline operators to report any cybersecurity incidents to the government. Instead, suggested guidance from the Transportation Security Administration — the federal agency that oversees pipeline cybersecurity - recommends that they tell local and federal officials about significant breaches." Krebs Lauds Biden's Cybersecurity Order As "A Really Ambitious Plan." The Hill (5/16, Schnell, 5.69M) reports former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Christopher Krebs spoke on CBS' Face The Nation on Sunday, and he "said President Biden's executive order aimed at improving federal cybersecurity is 'a really ambitious plan." He continued, "I think it should be effective if implemented properly, which I have confidence in the team, both at my old agency as well as in the National Security Council and elsewhere." CBS News (5/14, Segers, 5.39M) reports that Krebs "praised Mr. Biden for 'jettisoning the traditional approach' to addressing cybersecurity, but said that Congress needed to act to shore up the nation's cyber infrastructure as well. Krebs has previously called on Mr. Biden to incorporate this into his $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal." Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal (5/14, Uberti, Stupp, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports that the software industry is still waiting for the details of the order. Ireland's Healthcare System Forced To Shut Down Systems After Ransomware Attack. The Wall Street Journal (5/14, Stupp, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports that Ireland's public healthcare system was forced to shut down major technology systems following a ransomware attack. The Guardian (UK) (5/14, Carroll, 5.53M) reports that Paul Reid, "the Health Service Executive chief executive, told RTE there had been a 'human-operated' attempt to access data stored on central servers for a presumed ransom. 'There has been no ransom demand at this stage. The key thing is to contain the issue. We are in the containment phase:" Reid "said the HSE was working with police, the defence forces and third-party cybersecurity experts to respond to what he termed an 'internationally operated criminal operation." The Times (UK) (5/14, Subscription Publication, 141K) reports that Ciaran Martin, "the founding chief executive of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said that making payments illegal would help to break the lucrative global hacking business model." Martin said, "At the moment you can pay to make it quietly go away. There's no legal obligations involved. There's no obligation to report to anybody, there's no traceability of payment of cryptocurrency. We have allowed this to spiral in an invisible way." The Daily Mail OM (5/15, Scully, 4.11M) reports that Martin "spoke after the Irish health service was targeted by international criminals." EFTA00160775 LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES New York City Pride Celebration Will Move To Decrease "Presence Of Law Enforcement At Its Events." The New York Times (5/15, Gold, 20.6M) reports New York City's yearly Pride celebration "will take steps to reduce the presence of law enforcement at its events." Beginning this year, law enforcement and corrections officers are going to be barred from taking part "as a group in the annual Pride march until at least 2025." The Times adds that the New York Police Department "will also be asked to stay a block away from the edge of all in-person events, including the march. Heritage of Pride, which organizes events, will instead turn to private companies for security and safety, calling police officers in emergencies only when necessary, they said." Rising Violence Leading To Increased Calls For Police Investment. The Washington Post (5/16, 10.52M) reports that while the nationwide protests over George Floyd's death urged politicians to "reimagine the American criminal justice system and end race-based abuses," there "are growing signs that the thirst for change is being blunted by fears of runaway crime" in cities across the country. The article examines the tight race for New York City's mayoral election, and the unlikely rise of former police officer and current Brooklyn borough president Eric Adams, who "said his 22-year career as a police officer has been an asset, not a liability, at a time when crime is at the forefront of voters' minds." Chicago Mayor Lightfoot Calls For End To Gun Violence After Two Officers Shot. The Chicago Tribune (5/16, Rosenberg-Douglas, Proctor, Gorner, 2.03M) reports Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) "called for an end to violence in the city" on Sunday after two Chicago police offers "were shot and wounded early Sunday on the West Side." Lightfoot said, "Let's say a prayer for all involved. Let's pray for peace in our city.