Department of Justice

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DOJ looks to revive classified documents case against Trump, argues judge’s dismissal was ‘flawed’

WASHINGTON — U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith has asked a federal appeals court to reverse the dismissal of a case alleging former President Donald Trump mishandled classified documents at his Florida home after he left the Oval Office.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/08/27/doj-looks-to-revive-classified-documents-case-against-trump-argues-judges-dismissal-was-flawed/?

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Justice Department watchdog finds failures in FBI’s handling of child sex abuse cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI has failed to report some child sexual abuse allegations to local law enforcement or social service agencies even after changes prompted by its handling of the case against former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, according to a Justice Department watchdog report released Thursday.

https://apnews.com/article/fbi-child-sexual-abuse-inspector-general-investigation-e99e729147421fe166f92ca23eefc4e5?

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US government seizes plane used by Venezuelan president, citing sanctions violations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has seized a luxury jet used by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro that officials say was illegally purchased through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States in violation of sanctions and export control laws.

https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-venezuela-maduro-sanctions-cceb18c18908a5d3bd4ea691ac3a8d7d?

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Former aide to 2 New York governors is charged with being an agent of the Chinese government

A former aide to two New York governors was charged Tuesday with acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government who used her state positions to subtly advance Beijing’s agenda in exchange for financial benefits worth millions of dollars.

https://apnews.com/article/former-hochul-aide-arrested-new-york-c588a95e87b853ca3d23b36aae4c87cd?

 

Secret agent

 

A former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been charged with acting as an agent for the Chinese government. Linda Sun was charged with visa fraud, alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy, among other charges. Her husband, Chris Hu, "facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars in kickbacks for personal gain," prosecutors said. Sun and her husband were arrested at their Long Island residence on Tuesday. Both pleaded not guilty to all charges in federal court. Sun held several government titles for more than a decade. The pair laundered the monetary proceeds to buy real estate in New York and Hawaii and various luxury vehicles, according to the indictment.

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US charges Hamas leaders in connection with Oct. 7 attack The Justice Department announced criminal charges Tuesday against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other senior militants in connection with the Oct. 7 attack in Israel, marking the first effort by American law enforcement to formally call out the masterminds of the attack. Read more.

Why this matters: The seven-count criminal complaint filed in federal court in New York City includes charges such as conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals and conspiracy to finance terrorism. It also accuses Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah of providing financial support, and weapons, including rockets and military supplies, to Hamas for use in attacks.   The impact of the case may be mostly symbolic given that Sinwar is believed to be hiding in tunnels in Gaza and the Justice Department says three of the six defendants are believed now to be dead. But officials say additional actions are expected as part of a broader effort to target a militant group that the U.S. designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Challenges of the Gaza humanitarian aid pier offer lessons for the US Army   Israel’s economy is struggling. Economists say ending the war would help   WATCH: Demonstrators light bonfires and scuffle with Israeli police   Israel-Hamas war   The US Department of Justice has charged several senior Hamas leaders over the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel, according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday. This marks the first criminal step by the DOJ to hold people accountable for the attack. The six defendants are high-level Hamas officials, including Yahya Sinwar, who is the terrorist organization's leader in Gaza and one of the planners of the October 7 massacre. The announcement comes on the heels of the confirmed death of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin in Gaza, which prompted President Joe Biden to vow that Hamas leaders would "pay for these crimes."

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With charges and sanctions, US takes aim at Russian disinformation ahead of November election

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration seized Kremlin-run websites and charged two Russian state media employees in its most sweeping effort yet to push back against what it says are Russian attempts to spread disinformation ahead of the November presidential election.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-justice-department-election-foreign-influence-4888f4bfc61e46173101060ad0321d2f?

ps:Sounding very familiar!!!!!

Russia backed widespread election interference scheme, DOJ says

The Justice Department announced Wednesday that it is seizing 32 domains tied to a Russian influence campaign accused of spreading propaganda to influence voters in U.S. and foreign elections.

https://www.axios.com/2024/09/04/justice-department-charges-russian-state-media-election-interference?

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2024's triple threats

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

An axis of disinformation — ranging from hackers to fake websites to a dose of AI — has emerged ahead of November, with the U.S. government stepping up its warnings on foreign election interference. Why it matters: Three of America's most potent adversaries — Russia, China and Iran — make the list. 1) Russia paid nearly $10 million to hire U.S. influencers — some with millions of followers — to "amplify divisions in the United States," the Justice Department said in an indictment today. The Justice Department seized 32 domains, some including "cybersquatted" sites publishing disinformation meant to resemble legitimate news outlets, like the Washington Post and Fox News, reports Axios' Avery Lotz. 2) China is leveraging a campaign called "Spamouflage" — using fake or hacked accounts posing as American citizens — to spread anti-Western sentiment ahead of the election, according to a report out yesterday by intelligence company Graphika. Some of the most recent political content was "almost certainly AI-generated," per the report. China is more focused on influencing U.S. policy on Taiwan and undermining confidence in U.S. democracy than on helping any particular candidates, analysts told AP. 3) Iran has emerged as a player in its own right in the disinformation universe. It has already hacked individuals associated with the Trump campaign and attempted similar attacks on the Biden and Harris campaigns. Iran's government and Revolutionary Guards Corps are pushing the disinformation effort, the N.Y. Times reported today. Iranian operatives also posed as students and gave financial help during the U.S. protests this year against the Israel-Gaza war, the Times reports, citing U.S. intelligence assessments.

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Right-wing influencers were duped into working for covert Russian influence operation, US says They have millions of followers online. They have been major players in right-wing political discourse since Donald Trump was president. And they worked unknowingly for a company that was a front for a Russian influence operation, U.S. prosecutors say. Read more.

Why this matters: An indictment filed Wednesday alleges a media company linked to six conservative influencers — including well-known personalities Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson — was secretly funded by Russian state media employees to churn out videos that were “often consistent” with the Kremlin’s “interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions.”   It is the third straight presidential election in which U.S. authorities have unveiled politically charged details about Russia’s attempted interference in U.S. politics. U.S. officials have previously warned of Russia’s use of unwitting Americans to further influence operations in the 2024 election, but the indictment is the most detailed description of those efforts to date.   The U.S. Justice Department doesn’t allege any wrongdoing by the influencers. Instead, it accuses two employees of RT, a Russian state media company, of funneling nearly $10 million to a Tennessee-based content creation company for Russia-friendly content.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ The arrest of a former aide to NY governors highlights efforts to root out Chinese agents in the US   Republican Liz Cheney endorses Kamala Harris   That photo of people wearing ‘Nebraska Walz’s for Trump’ shirts? They’re distant cousins

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New York City police commissioner resigns after his phone was seized in federal investigation

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Police Commissioner Edward Caban resigned Thursday, one week after it emerged that his phone was seized as part of a federal investigation that touched several members of Mayor Eric Adams’ inner circle.

https://apnews.com/article/nypd-commissioner-resignation-federal-investigation-edward-caban-670388e653bc2d9bd19b7e7e9638e80d?

NYPD commissioner resigns amid federal investigation

New York City police commissioner Edward Caban resigned from his post Thursday, a week after federal investigators raided his home.

https://www.axios.com/2024/09/12/nypd-commissioner-edward-caban-resign?

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A tech company hired a top NYC official’s brother. A private meeting and $1.4M in contracts followed

NEW YORK (AP) — Ahead of the 2022 school year, the education technology company 21stCentEd was seeking to expand its presence in New York City’s public schools. So they turned to a man, Terence Banks, whose new consulting firm promised to connect clients with top government stakeholders.

https://apnews.com/article/new-york-mayor-federal-investigation-banks-b2369819ff7ccd4e630899eb08538bae?

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NYC's web of scandals

Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his inner circle are staring down a growing list of legal problems and a full-blown political firestorm, Axios' Noah Bressner writes. ? At least four agencies — the Justice Department, the FBI, the IRS and the city's Department of Investigations — are now involved in four separate corruption probes of people in Adams' orbit. One investigation is reportedly focused on whether Adams' campaign illegally conspired to receive foreign money. Two more involve alleged corruption by people whose relatives are high-ranking city officials. The last known investigation appears to involve Adams' director of Asian affairs, according to local news website The City. The NYPD commissioner resigned last week after the FBI had raided his home earlier this month. Adams' chief counsel quit a few days later. This week, two senior fire department chiefs were arrested on bribery charges. ? What's next: Adams is already facing tough primary challenges next year, and some critics have called for him to resign even before any of these investigations' findings are made public. ?️ What they're saying: "New Yorkers still expect us to do our jobs every day, and that's what we're doing," mayoral spokesperson Fabien Levy told Axios. Adams also has said he's focused on his governing priorities — this week, for example, he's hosting New York City's first-ever "Rat Summit." Go deeper.

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Justice Department opens civil rights probe of sheriff’s office after torture of 2 Black men

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into a Mississippi sheriff’s department whose officers tortured two Black men in a racist attack that included beatings, repeated use of stun guns and assaults with a sex toy before one of the victims was shot in the mouth, officials said Thursday.

https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-civil-rights-police-brutality-goon-squad-2554c21a0c7366849d6119b07855f8c1?

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New York City’s interim police commissioner says federal authorities seized materials from his homes

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal authorities searched the homes of New York City’s newly named interim police commissioner and seized materials unrelated to his police work, he said.

https://apnews.com/article/nypd-commissioner-donlon-searched-e5aafbff1ab6425788a7539cbc55221e?

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What we know about the investigations surrounding New York City’s mayor

NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly a year after FBI agents seized his phones, New York City Mayor Eric Adams faces an expanding constellation of federal inquiries involving his administration.

https://apnews.com/article/new-york-mayor-eric-adams-federal-prosecutors-2887c1f2e7097cb19b17a7d2659135bb?

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Department of Justice sues Visa, alleges the card issuer monopolizes debit card markets

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Visa, alleging that the financial services behemoth uses its size and dominance to stifle competition in the debit card market, costing consumers and businesses billions of dollars.

https://apnews.com/article/visa-antitrust-justice-department-debit-card-fees-d139de6d803e55a00ab4987ef867c3a4?

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted, sources say

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted by a grand jury on federal criminal charges, according to two people familiar with the matter, an extraordinary culmination to weeks of searches, subpoenas and resignations of top officials that have thrust the city’s government into crisis.

https://apnews.com/article/aoc-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-investigations-419eb7135ac7d52edbf32f7e45d0f5da?

NYC mayor

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on at least one federal criminal charge, multiple sources tell CNN. The indictment follows a monthslong federal investigation by the US attorney's office in Manhattan, which was reportedly scrutinizing his connection to Turkish officials and businessmen, and campaign donations he received. The charges he is facing are not publicly known at this time. Adams has denied any wrongdoing and repeatedly said that he told members of his campaign and administration to follow the law. In a defiant video message sent out Wednesday, Adams insisted he was not only innocent but that he was not going to step down.

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Feds charge NYC mayor with selling his influence to foreign nationals. He says he won’t resign

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams vowed to stay in office Thursday after federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing him of letting Turkish officials and businesspeople buy his influence with illegal campaign contributions and lavish overseas trips.

https://apnews.com/article/nyc-mayor-eric-adams-indictment-fbi-5aad135d1808cb9d049fccd74604e5d4?

NYC Mayor Eric Adams indicted on bribery and fraud charges

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was charged with bribery and fraud in an indictment unsealed Thursday following a months-long federal investigation into whether his campaign illegally conspired with Turkish entities to collect foreign donations.

https://www.axios.com/2024/09/26/eric-adams-indictment-charges-wire-fraud-bribery?

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A look inside the indictment accusing New York City’s mayor of taking bribes

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams has never been shy about his globetrotting ways. But he’s not always said how he bankrolled years’ worth of overseas adventures.

https://apnews.com/article/eric-adams-indictment-51121005f6fcc209d62279ed1d3522eb?

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NYC Mayor Eric Adams pleads not guilty to bribery and fraud charges

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Friday pleaded not guilty to federal bribery and fraud charges that were unsealed a day earlier in a sweeping indictment.

https://www.axios.com/2024/09/27/eric-adams-plea-fraud-bribery-corruption-nyc-mayor?

DOJ charges three Iranians for hacking Trump campaign

Three Iranians were charged in connection with a hack targeting former President Trump's 2024 campaign allegedly meant to shape the outcome of the November election, according to an indictment unsealed Friday.

https://www.axios.com/2024/09/27/trump-campaign-hack-iranians-indicted?

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DOJ launches first federal probe of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has opened its first-ever probe into one of the deadliest race massacres in the nation's history more than a century later.

https://www.axios.com/2024/10/01/us-justice-department-1921-tulsa-race-massacre?

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A former aide to New York Mayor Eric Adams is charged with destroying evidence as top deputy quits

NEW YORK (AP) — A former New York City official was charged Tuesday with witness tampering and destroying evidence in a sweeping federal investigation that led to Mayor Eric Adams’ indictment on charges he took bribes and illegal campaign cash from foreign interests.

https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-mayor-eric-adams-aide-eb8b63381e218419529b52eb8a1e0f04?

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TD Bank to pay $3 billion in historic money-laundering settlement with the Justice Department

WASHINGTON (AP) — TD Bank will pay approximately $3 billion in a historic settlementwith U.S. authorities who said Thursday that the financial institution’s lax practices allowed significant money laundering over multiple years.

https://apnews.com/article/td-bank-money-laundering-justice-department-75426a569d40174fd61fa7bc83026176?

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Feds unmask duo running one of the most prolific hacker gangs

The Department of Justice has charged and arrested two Sudanese brothers with operating Anonymous Sudan, a hacker group known for destructive website takedowns.

https://www.axios.com/2024/10/18/fbi-arrests-anonymous-sudan-hackers?

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US charges Iran Revolutionary Guard official in alleged plot to kill a human rights activist in NYC

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors on Tuesday charged a senior Iranian military official and three others with links to that country’s government with plotting to kill an Iranian American author on U.S. soil — a development lauded by the alleged target.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-murderforhire-human-rights-alinejad-1c12a0add2181238568109754f5ed6bd?

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Justice Department brings criminal charges in Iranian murder-for-hire plan targeting Donald Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday disclosed an Iranian murder-for-hire plot to kill Donald Trump, charging a man who said he had been tasked by a government official before this week’s election with planning the assassination of the Republican president-elect.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-fbi-justice-department-iran-83cff84a7d65901a058ad6f41a564bdb?