EFTA Document EFTA01655219

From: NY" To: Undisclosed recipients:; Subject: SITREP and Yellow is the Color of the Day for Monday. May 12,2025 Date: Mon, 12 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000 Importance: Normal Inline-Images: Outlook-rp3iazam.jpg DI D \ I BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Go to New York Field Office Newt and Information Follow this site to get updates in your newsfeed. NEWLY iMMENIS The 21st Floor, 26 Federal Plaza JOC will be closed for renovations from January 12, 2025 through May 2025. Please contact Crisis Management, MS•21 for alternate locations or with any questions. MLOR OF THE DAY Yellow ALLQUAIJTY INDFX As of 7am (AQI) Value of Index = 55 OZONE = 19 Daily AQI Color = Yellow Reference: Airnow.gov NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE Sunny today with a high of 70. SIGNIFICANT NEWS EVENTS Deputy Director Bongino Says Illegal Alien Criminals and Child Predator Fox News (05/11, Baehr) reported that Deputy Director Bongino shared a detailed update Saturday about the bureau's operations, making clear the agency is focused on removing dangerous criminals and protecting children. In a post on X, Deputy Director Bongino outlined several priorities and took aim at what he called misleading media coverage of the FBI's work. "The workforce has been working overtime on task force operations to remove dangerous illegal aliens from the country. The work continues," Deputy Director Bongino wrote. "If you came here illegally to prey on our citizens, your days here are numbered." He said these operations are only getting started and will ramp up in the coming weeks. "These removal and Incarceration operations will dramatically change the crime landscape in the country when combined with the administration's laser-focus on sealing the border shut," he added. Deputy Director Bongino also pointed to a new initiative to protect children from predators. "Crimes against children are a priority for the workforce. Operation 'Restoring Justice, where we locked up child predators and 764 subjects, in every part of the country, is just the beginning,' he said. 'We are going to take your freedom if you take away a child's innocence' He promised more enforcement efforts to come and warned those targeting children to 'think twice." Additionally, Deputy Director Bongino addressed the FBI's efforts to respond to Congress and the public about several high-profile eases. These include the attack on Rep. Steve Scalise, the Nashville school shooting, the Crossfire Hurricane investigation, and the origins of COVID-19. He also mentioned the ongoing work with the Department of Justice in the Jeffrey Epstein case. "There are voluminous amounts of downloaded child sexual abuse material that we are dealing with,' he wrote. 'There are also victims' statements that are entitled to specific protections. We need to do this correctly, but I do understand the public's desire to get the information out there.' He also responded to what he described as false stories being spread by some in the media and came to the defense of Director Patel. "He spends anywhere between 10 to 12 hours in the office attending meetings with everyone from foreign heads of law enforcement to our counter-terror teams,' Bongino wrote. "Any assertion otherwise is a verifiable lie designed to stop our reforms and fracture your trust. I will die on this hill. You are being dearly lied to by people with an agenda, and It's not your agenda." The article noted that Deputy Director Bongino dosed by thanking the public for its attention and encouraged Americans to keep watching the FBI's progress. "God bless America, and all those who defend Her," he wrote. Additional reporting on the story was provided by The Texan (05/09, Cosgray), WRAY(ALISS) (05/09, Staff Writer), and Wahli(Ca5z10) (05/09, Staff Writer). Director Patel Has Reduced the Number of Morning Intel Briefings NBC Newc (05/09, Miamian) reported that Director Patel has reduced the number of morning intel briefings from five days a week to two days. According to the article, Director Patel has also stopped holding the weekly Wednesday-afternoon video teleconference with FBI leaders. The article stated that Director Paters approach to his new Job has raised concerns that he is not taking the position seriously enough. Ben Williamson, an FBI spokesman, confirmed the reduction in 8:30 a.m. director's briefings. He said Director Patel still attends five morning meetings each week, including three that are smaller than the director's brief. "This change was based on feedback from people in the Bureau — NOT the Director's schedule or attendance," Williamson said. "He still has S morning meetings per week. These meetings are critical to keeping America safe:" The article added that FBI officials said the director's weekly teleconference with field office leaders was stopped after "attempted leaks" led to a spate of news stories. But Director Patel still regularly speaks to the field office leaders. According to the article, two officials said Director Patel sometimes seemed uninterested in the material, and his intelligence briefers are struggling to craft a briefing that captures his attention. Williamson denied that Director Patel was uninterested and said EFTA01655219 the new director has worked tirelessly since taking office. "Director Patel is working day and night to lead the Bureau and protect the homeland," he added. "The results so far speak for themselves — and we are Just getting started!' The article highlighted that the bureau has shifted resources to reflect the Trump administration's priorities of targeting Mexican drug cartels and Central American gangs, and FBI agents have had to help with immigration enforcement. But FBI agents are also still pursuing their traditional missions of countering terrorism, hunting spies, and investigating various federal crimes. On Thursday, in testimony to the Senate, Director Patel said he supported a White House budget proposal that includes a 5% cut in the FBI's budget. "My view is that we will make and agree with this budget as it stands," he said, "and make it work for the operational necessity of the F8l." Additional reporting on the story was provided by The Daily Beast (05/09, Brancolini), Fcnnnmic Times (05/10, Staff Writer), Independent (05/09, Bedigan), and Times of India (05/10, Staff Writer) (2). MSNBC (05/11, Figliuzzi) (a) published two opinion pieces on the story. Newark Mayor Denies Trespassing at Immigration Detention Center Following Arrest The Associated Press (05/10, Offenhartz, Lauer, Shipkowski) reported that Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on Saturday denied trespassing at a new federal immigration detention center during a confrontation that led to his arrest while the Democrat was at the facility with three members of Congress. According to the article, Baraka, who has been protesting the center's opening this week, was released around B p.m. Friday after spending several hours in custody. He was accused of trespassing and ignoring warnings to leave the Delaney Hall facility. "I'm shocked by all the lies that were told here," Baraka said, who said he had been invited there for a press conference. "No one else arrested, I was invited in, then they arrested me on the sidewalk!' The article explained that Baratta, who is running to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy, has embraced the fight with the Trump administration over Illegal immigration. He has aggressively pushed back against the construction and opening of a 1,000-bed detention center, arguing that it should not be allowed to open because of building permit issues. The article noted that video footage of the incident showed Baraka being arrested by ICE agents on the public side of the gate, with witnesses describing a heated argument and physical altercation between Baraka and federal officials. Additional reporting on the story was provided by eitCNpag (05/10, Oppenheim, Barr, et al.), BBC (05/09, Matza), Rinomberg (05/09, Brancolini), aiSliews (05/10, Prussin, Reid), alfiC (05/09, Breuninger), Gothamist (05/09, Kriegstein, Hochman), NBC News (05/09, Bowman, Richards, Uribe), New York Dab News (05/09, Niemletz), New York Post (05/09, Geiger, Worrell, Galvin), New York Times (05/09, Tully, Ferre-Sadurnl, McFadden), Newsweek (05/09, Commander, Sheth), Politico (05/09, Rivard, Han, Gerstein), The Guardian (05/09, Luscombe, Dunbar), USA Today (05/09, Cervantes Jr.), Wall Street Journal (05/09, Avila, Otis), latasinngtep Fxannner (05/09, O'Keefe), Watkins Post (05/10, Paul, Kaur, Tucker), and Washington runes (05/09, Dinan). Judge Pauses Much of Trump Administration's Massive Downsizing of Federal Agencies Reuters (05/09, Hals, Singh) reported that a federal judge, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, has temporarily halted the Trump administration's government overhaul due to a lack of Congressional authorization. The Judge blocked large-scale mass layoffs for 14 days, stating that the President may only restructure federal agencies when authorized by Congress. A hearing Is set for May 22 to consider a longer-lasting preliminary injunction, with the Judge indicating that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on some of their claims that Trump exceeded his authority. Additional reporting on the story was provided by the Associated Press (05/10, Har), Rinomherejaw (05/09, Poritz, Purifoy), fRS News (05/09, Walsh), CNN (05/09, Sneed), Courriumea, /less (05/09, Gennaro),Enxlients (05/10, Mlon),JA Times (05/09, Har), Law360 (05/09, (stinger), fat= (05/10, Um), NBC News (05/10, Grumbach), Newsweek (05/10, Marsden), NPR (05/10, Hsu), New York Times (05/09, Montague, Sullivan), Politico (05/09, Kanu), The Hill (05/10, Timotlja, Polus), JJpj (05/10, Cone), Washington Post (05/10, Vinall), and Washington rengs (05/09, Milan). Families of Sept. 11 Victims Urge Lutnick to Help Extradite Saudi National The New York Times (05/11, Green, Haberman) reported that the families of Sept. 11 victims who worked for Cantor Fitzgerald are urging Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to help extradite Omar al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national potentially involved in the attacks. The families cite recently unsealed evidence showing al-Bayoumi's ties to the attackers and are asking Lutnick to make the case for his extradition during upcoming economic talks with Saudi Arabia. Lutnick, who lost his brother and 658 employees in the attack, is accompanying President Trump to Saudi Arabia, and the families hope he will use his position to push for accountability and justice. The article highlighted that British authorities turned the material over to the F.B.I. for its investigation of the attacks. But it remains unclear what happened to the drawing after that. It was not shared with the 9/11 Commission, a bipartisan group of lawmakers and experts responsible for writing the definitive account of the attacks. In its 2004 report, the commission called al-Bayoumi "an unlikely candidate for clandestine involvement with Islamic extremists!' Wove of Documents Unsealed in NYC Mayor's Criminal Case Offers a Glimpse of Thwarted Investigation The Associated Press (05/09, Offenhartz, Sisak) reported that federal agents investigating New York City Mayor Eric Adams were still seizing phones and applying for search warrants days before Justice Department leaders ordered prosecutors to drop the corruption case, according to documents released Friday. According to the article, the trove of court records, which had been sealed, opens a window into the criminal case and shows that even as Washington officials were backing away from the prosecution, investigators in Manhattan were moving forward. The documents also confirm something prosecutors revealed previously: That a federal investigation into whether Adams took improper campaign contributions began in August of 2021, when the Democrat was still in his old job of Brooklyn borough president but was widely expected to win the mayor's race that fall. Adams has repeatedly said he believed he was prosecuted because, much later, as mayor, he criticized former President Joe Biden's immigration policies. The article mentioned that the investigation first spilled into public view in November 2023, when FBI agents seized Adams' phones and IPad as he was leaving an event in Manhattan. He was charged 10 months later with accepting free travel and illegal campaign contributions from people seeking to buy his influence, including a Turkish diplomat. The New York Times (05/10, Rashbaum, Rothfeld, Rubinstein), Politico (05/09, Anuta, Coltin), the City (05/09, Smith, Gonen, Honan), nlewsnation (05/10, Lee), Gothamist (05/09, Max), Newyork Dally (05/10, Sommerfeidt, Stratman), and Hoodline (05/11, Langstrom) also reported on the story. New Jersey Woman Sentenced to Prison for Forced Labor and Other Federal Crimes Nis= (05/09, Fernandes) reported that a woman who threatened and beat two women, who were coerced to come to the United States and then forced to work non-stop, is headed to prison. Bolaji Bolarinwa, SO, of Moorestown, was sentenced on Friday to three years and nine months in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office District of New Jersey said in a statement. A Jury convicted her last year of two counts of forced labor, two counts of document servitude and one count of alien harboring for financial gain. The article stated that her husband, 68-year-old Islaka Bolarinwa, was convicted of two counts of forced labor and one count of alien harboring for financial gain at the same trial. Prosecutors did not provide a date for his sentencing. Between December 2015 and October 2016, the Bolarinwas, originally from Nigeria but living in Burlington County as U.S. citizens, recruited two women EFTA01655220 to come to United States and coerced them to perform domestic labor and childcare services, federal authorities said. A DOJ press release quoted Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Newark Field Office, who said, "Human nature is generally good. There are situations though that prove some people display more cruel and inhumane behavior. Bolarinwa lured women with false promises, held them captive, and forced them clean her home and care for her children. Then took it a sickening step further by physically abusing them. Luckily, one of the victims had the courage to tell someone. We ask anyone who notices an odd situation, something that doesn't look or feel right, to please call us so we can help victims that may be hiding in plain sight! Alexander Brothers Face New Charges, Including Sex Trafficking of a Minor ABC News (05/11, Katersky) reported that a high-profile case against prominent real estate moguls took a new turn last week as federal prosecutors filed new charges against Oren and Tal Alexander, as well as their brother Alon, on May 8. Filed as part of a superseding indictment, which overrides the first indictment, the charges against the Alexander brothers include additional counts of alleged sex trafficking -- one of which involves a minor. According to the article, brothers Oren and Tal Alexander gained notoriety in New York's luxury real estate market through their company, Alexander Group, and have been under federal investigation alongside Oren's twin, Alon, since late 2024. They have been accused of luring women to nightclubs and parties, then drugging and sexually assaulting them. All three previously pleaded not guilty to the first set of sex trafficking charges. In addition to new charges, the superseding indictment included more alleged victims. Six alleged victims now form the basis for the criminal charges. CBS News (05/09, Staff Writer) also reported on the story. FBI Launches 'Muklpronged' Criminal Investigation Into a Top NY Elected Official Syracuse.com (05/09, Tampone) reported that the FBI and the Justice Department have launched a criminal investigation into real estate transactions involving New York Attorney General Letitia James. It's the first known criminal probe of a law enforcement official who took action against President Donald Trump. The ankle added that one of the transactions involves the 2023 purchase of a home in Virginia that James said in transaction documents would be her primary residence, according to the Times Union in Albany. As a statewide elected official, James is required by law to have her main home in New York. A defense attorney representing James said the home in Virginia was to be used by James' niece as her primary residence, the limes Union said. James has called allegations that she was planning to live in Virginia baseless and her attorney said other documents make it clear the home was for her niece. The probe appears to be "multipronged" with involvement from the FBI in both New York and Virginia, the Guardian said. 121(05/09, Stark) also reported on the story. FBI, NYPD and Customs Seen at Home of Russian Oil Executive News 12 (05/09, Gomez) reported that the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, NYPD and Tuxedo police were seen for hours going in and out of a residence in the luxury townhouse development The Woodlands at Tuxedo. The article noted that the FBI have been tight-lipped about the investigation, but News 12 has learned the townhouse is owned by Alla Popova Rubin. Records show Russian oil executive Yuriy Rubin lives at the residence. Rubin was quoted in 2013 and 2018 in two World Finance news reports about his company's oil drilling in east Siberia and its expansion into the natural gas industry in Russia. He's identified as the chief financial officer of Irkutsk Oil. TRAFFIC ALERT Nothing to report. 26 Federal Plaza 23rd Floor Gym Closure Schedule: Facilities will close the 23rd floor Gym every Tuesday evening from 3:30 pm-12:00 am for cleaning. Men's and Women's locker room will be cleaned out the first Tuesday of the month and all items left in the locker room will be disposed of. Please direct any questions to Facilities at extension x3900 Federal Bureau of Investigation New York Division 26 Federal Plaza New York. NY 10278 Phone: Email: KR/JL EFTA01655221