EFTA00160353.pdf

From: FBI News Briefing To: "FBINewsBriefing" ce. Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL) - FBI Daily News Briefing - May 22, 2023 Date: Mon, 22 May 2023 10:10:03 +0000 Importance: Normal View in Browser Federal Bureau of Investigation May 22, 2023 Seal Federal Bureau of Investigation Daily News Briefing (In coordination with the Office of Public Affairs) Email Public Affairs to subscribe to the Daily News Briefing. Mobile version and archive available here. Table of Contents IN THE NEWS • FBI Broke Rules in Scouring Foreign Intelligence on Jan. 6 Riot, Racial Justice Protests, Court Says • U.S. Police Officer Charged For Allegedly Aiding Proud Boys • Debt Limit Talks Start, Stop As Republicans, White House Face 'Serious Differences' • Former Trump Lawyer Describes Conflict Inside Legal Team • Corner Presses FBI Over Alleged Informant File Claiming Biden Accepted Bribes While VP COUNTERTERRORISM • As Shooting Trial Nears, Pittsburgh Grapples With Antisemitism • 'Living in Fear': Arson Is the Latest in a String of Attacks on Minnesota Mosques • FBI Informant Encouraged To Have Sex In War On Terror • Opinion: Democrats Cook the FBI's Books on Domestic Terrorism COUNTERINTELLIGENCE • Guardsman, Pentagon Leak Suspect, To Remain Jailed As He Awaits Trial • U.S. Must Defend Its Pacific Territories Against Chinese Threat: Former NSC Director • China Seeks to Counter Musk's Starlink With Own Satellite Network • Opinion: China's Threat to Our National Security That Might Surprise You CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Hunter Biden's Russian Associates Evade Another Round of U.S. Sanctions • Former Trump Lawyer, Describes Conflict Inside Legal Team • Continued Reporting: Former Marine Charged With Killing NYC Man Argues It 'Had Nothing To Do With Race' EFTA00160353  • Woman Arrested Almost 4 Years After Newborn Baby Is Found Alive in Plastic Bag Abandoned in Georgia Woods • Accused Killer Bryan Kohberger Allegedly 'Broke Into' Female Colleague's Home Months Before Idaho Murders • Arrest Made in Connection With the Murder of 20-Year-Old Texas Woman • 'Cold-Blooded' Philadelphia Hitman Sentenced For Six Murders • Shanquella Robinson's Family Demands Biden Intervene In Her Death Investigation, Says FBI is Withholding Records • Wisconsin Man Charged With Hacking Sports Betting Accounts • Las Vegas Resident Charged In $45 Million Metaverse Scam That Touted Trillion-Dollar Returns • Members of California County Hells Angels Convicted In Federal Court • Dad Killed, Two Teens Wounded After Grenade Explodes In Indiana Home • FBI, Tribe's Police Investigating Fatal Shooting of Tribal Member by U.S. Border Patrol Agents • FBI Testing DNA After Woman Says She Was Child Who Disappeared in Chicago 20 Years Ago • Louisiana Man Jailed For Making Minors Bake, Sell Brownies Seven Days A Week • Feds Dig Up Child Porn Secret In Man's Old Email Account CYBER DIVISION • The Underground History of Russia's Most Ingenious Hacker Group • Law Enforcement Is Fighting The Rise Of "InfoStealer" Malware • Ethical Hacker Scams 60 Minutes Staffer to Show How Easy Digital Theft Is LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Opinion: Here's What We Can Do Now About Gun Violence • New Bill Would Make Assaulting Law Enforcement Officers a Deportable Offense • Body Cameras Can Be a Powerful Tool. But Not All Police Forces Wear Them. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Peruvian Interpol Chief Reveals How Joran Van Der Sloot Extradition Will Go Down CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS • The 'Beverly Hills Insurrectionist' And The Big Myth About Jan. 6 • Prosecutor Connected To Jan. 6 Probe Takes On Lawyer For Tech Companies In Mystery Appeals Court Fight • Texas Militia Member Sentenced To Nearly Five Years In Prison For Attacking Police During Capitol Riot OTHER FBI NEWS • Graham on Durham's Trump-FBI Report: 'It Is Done and It's Damning' • Pro-Life Activist Elise Ketch Speaks on FBI Agents Visiting Mom's House • Congress May Use 'Power Of The Purse' To 'Limit' How FBI, DOJ Spend Money: Rep. Jim Jordan • Jim Jordan Suggests GOP May Target Hillary Clinton With New Investigation • Navajo Leaders Seek Tribal Members Caught Up In Sober-Living Medicare Scam In Arizona • Whistleblowers Slam FBI's 'Nefarious' Weaponization, Say Other Agents Are 'Too Afraid' Of Getting 'Crushed' EFTA00160354 INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Russia Issues Retaliatory Arrest Warrant For International Criminal Court Prosecutor • Warring Factions In Sudan Agree To Temporary Ceasefire, Say U.S.-Saudi Mediators • G7 Ends With Ukraine In Focus As Zelenskyy Meets World Leaders, Russia Claims A Battlefield Victory • Obama, Colbert Among 500 Americans Banned From Going To Russia • Russia's Latest Sanctions On U.S. Officials Turn To Trump Enemies • U.S. Imposes Sanctions On Hundreds of Targets In Fresh Russia Action • Mexico Moving Migrants Away From Borders To Relieve Pressure • Lebanon Receives Interpol Notice For Its Central Bank Governor Who Was No-Show At Paris Questioning • Brazil Indicts Ex-Officials Over Amazon Murder of Journalist and Colleague OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • DOJ Wins Lawsuit To Dissolve JetBlue And American Airlines's Northeast Partnership • Nebraska Lawmakers Pass 12-Week Abortion Ban, Restrictions On Gender-Affirming Care For Minors • COVID Emergency Orders Are Among 'Greatest Intrusions On Civil Liberties,' Justice Gorsuch Says • Georgia Prosecutor Signals August Timetable for Charges in Trump Inquiry • Small, Rural Communities Are Becoming Abortion Access Battlegrounds • Many Transgender Health Bills Came From A Handful Of Far-Right Interest Groups, AP Finds • Republicans Deploy New Playbook For Abortion Bans, Citing Political Backlash • Using 'He/Him,"She/Her' In Emails Got Two Dorm Directors Fired At Small New York Christian College • DeSantis Asks That Judge Be Disqualified From Disney's Free Speech Lawsuit • Will Biden's Hard-Hat Environmentalism Bridge The Divide On Clean Energy Future? • The U.S. Left Them Behind. They Crossed a Jungle to Get Here Anyway. • The Real Impact Of Immigration On The U.S. • Democrats' Phalanx Around Biden Has an Eric Adams-Size Hole • The Future of Telehealth After The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency • Democrats Fight To Expand A 'Broken And Illegitimate' Supreme Court • Judge Orders Rudy Giuliani To Detail Finances In Election Defamation Suit • Uvalde Families Dig In For New Test of Gun Industry Protections • Why Dianne Feinstein, Like Many Before Her, Refuses to Let Go • Postal Thefts Jump. Employees Are Both Victims and Criminals. • Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins Formally Resigns In Wake Of Ethics Probes • Former OPM Employee Pleads Guilty To Steering Millions In Contracts To Family-Connected Firms • Appeals Court Says Alabama Can't Execute Intellectually Disabled Inmate • JPMorgan, Ex-Executive Spar In Court Over Responsibility For Epstein BIG PICTURE • New York Times • Wall Street Journal • Washington Post • Financial Times • ABC News • CBS News • NBC News • Fox News EFTA00160355 WASHINGTON SCHEDULE IN THE NEWS FBI Broke Rules in Scouring Foreign Intelligence on Jan. 6 Riot, Racial Justice Protests, Court Says The Associated Press (05/19, Tucker) reported that FBI officials were found to have repeatedly violated their own standards when searching a database of foreign intelligence for information related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection and racial justice protests in 2020, according to a recently released court order. According to the article, the violations, which also included improper searches of campaign donors, occurred prior to corrective measures implemented in 2021, potentially complicating the FBI and DOJ's efforts to gain congressional reauthorization for Section 702, a warrantless surveillance program. "Today's disclosures underscore the need for Congress to rein in the FBI's egregious abuses of this law, including warrantless searches using the names of people who donated to a congressional candidate," said Patrick Toomey, deputy director of the ACLU's National Security Project. "These unlawful searches undermine our core constitutional rights and threaten the bedrock of our democracy. It's clear the FBI can't be left to police itself." The article noted that the violations were detailed in a secret court order issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, highlighting the need for congressional oversight and reforms to prevent such abuses. Additionally, senior FBI officials, speaking Friday on condition of anonymity to reporters, attributed the majority of the violations to confusion among the workforce and a lack of common understanding about the querying standards. They said the bureau has made significant changes since then, including mandating training and overhauling its computer system so that FBI officials must now enter a justification for the search in their own words than relying on a drop-down menu with pre-populated choices. The article added that the FBI said an internal audit of a representative sample of searches showed an increased compliance rate from 82% before the reforms were implemented to 96% afterward. Al Jazeera (05/19, Staff Writer), Washington Examiner (05/19, Dunleavy), Washington Post (05/19, Barrett), CBS News (05/19, Gazis), Fox News (05/19, Singman, Spunt, Gibson, Mears), Reuters (05/19, Siddiqui), CNN (05/19, Lyngaas, Cohen), New York Times (05/19, Savage), Politico (05/19, Miller), The Hill (05/19, Gans) and the Wall Street Journal (05/19, Volz, Tau) also reported on the story. U.S. Police Officer Charged For Allegedly Aiding Proud Boys The New York Times (05/19, Feuer, Montague) reported that federal prosecutors have charged Lt. Shane Lamond, a veteran police officer in Washington, with obstructing justice by leaking law enforcement information to Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys. According to the article, prosecutors allege that Lamond informed Tarrio that he would not face hate crime charges after Proud Boys members burned a Black Lives Matter banner at a Black church in Washington in December 2020. The article noted that Lamond, who worked as an intelligence expert for the Metropolitan Police Department, was suspended as an investigation into his ties to Tarrio progressed. The article also noted that the indictment reveals close communication between the two individuals, with Lamond providing sensitive law enforcement information to Tarrio, including details about movements and plans of the Proud Boys and anti-Trump protesters in Washington. Axios (05/19, Knutson), Washington Post (05/19, Hsu, Hermann, Jackmann), Forbes (05/19, Roush), The Daily Beast (05/19, Uebelacker), Politico (05/19, Cheney), Independent (05/19, Baio), ABC News (05/19, Mallin, Owen), The Guardian (05/19, Staff Writer), NBC News (05/19, Reilly), Al Jazeera (05/19, Staff Writer), BBC News (05/19, Wendling), Associated Press (05/19, Kunzelman, Whitehurst, Richer), Business Insider (05/19, Goodwin), CNN (05/19, Sneed), NBC News (05/19, Reilly), and the Wall Street Journal (05/19, Barber) also reported on the story. Debt Limit Talks Start, Stop As Republicans, White House Face 'Serious Differences' The Associated Press (05/20, Mascaro, Amiri, Miller) reported that debt limit talks between the White House and House Republicans regarding the U.S. borrowing limit have experienced multiple interruptions and have yet to reach a resolution. According to the article, President Joe Biden's administration is negotiating with Republicans led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to avoid a federal default, which could occur as early as June 1. The article noted that discussions have stalled over disagreements on spending cuts demanded by Republicans. The Wall Street Journal (05/20, Hughes, Harrison, Andrews) reported that a bill passed by the GOP-controlled House in April that Republicans see as the starting point in negotiations proposed raising the nation's $31.4 trillion borrowing limit in exchange for deep cuts in government spending. The bill would return the government's discretionary spending to EFTA00160356 fiscal 2022 levels in fiscal 2024 and then cap annual spending growth at 1% over roughly a decade. The article noted that the White House has argued for weeks that rolling back spending to 2022 levels would require cuts as deep as 30% to many government programs if spending on the military and veterans is protected, as GOP lawmakers have promised. BBC News (05/20, Cabral), CNN (05/21, Zanona, Talbot, Dean, Liptak) New York Times (05/19, Edmondson), CNBC (05/20, Fima, Belvedere), Politico (05/20, Everett, Ferris), The Intercept (05/20, Schwarz), Bloomberg (05/20, Harris), and ABC News (05/20, Video) also reported on the story. Former Trump Lawyer Describes Conflict Inside Legal Team The New York Times (05/20, Feuer, Haberman) reported that a public conflict has erupted within former President Donald Trump's legal team, as one of his former lawyers, Timothy Parlatore, went on CNN to criticize another lawyer on the team, Boris Epshteyn. According to the article, Parlatore revealed that irreconcilable differences with Epshteyn led to his departure from representing Trump in the special counsel's investigations into Trump's handling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The article noted that Parlatore accused Epshteyn of hindering the legal team's access to information and undermining their efforts to defend Trump, specifically mentioning Epshteyn's attempt to prevent additional searches of Trump's properties after the FBI found classified documents during a search of Mar-a-Lago. CNN (05/20, Iyer), Business Insider (05/20, Lee), Newsweek (05/21, Rahman), Associated Press (05/21, Tucker), Politico (05/20, Cohen), ABC News (05/20, Kim, Faulders), The Daily Beast (05/20, Ramirez), The Hill (05/20, Shapero), and Independent (05/20, Bowden) also reported on the story. Comer Presses FBI Over Alleged Informant File Claiming Biden Accepted Bribes While VP An article by the Washington Examiner (05/20, Mondeaux) focused on House Oversight Chairman James Comer's request for access to an FBI form that allegedly details a criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden. According to the article, Comer accused the FBI, under the leadership of Director Wray, of interfering with the committee's investigation by failing to produce key documents related to Biden's conduct. The article noted that the FBI has not complied with a subpoena issued by Comer and failed to provide access to the FD-1023 form, prompting concerns about the agency's transparency and cooperation with congressional oversight. The Daily Mail (05/20, Laco), The Epoch Times (05/21, Li), and the New York Post (05/19, Nelson) also reported on the story. McCarthy Believes FBI Will Release Informant File Alleging Biden Took Bribes as VP The New York Post (05/21, Griffin) reported that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy expressed confidence that Director Wray would hand over an informant file that reportedly alleged President Biden's involvement in a "criminal" pay- to-play scheme with foreign countries during his vice presidency. According to the article, McCarthy stated that Congress had the right to oversee the FBI and requested the document. The article added that the FBI initially refused to supply the file, citing source protection concerns and claiming that some information was already public, but McCarthy believed progress had been made in convincing Director Wray to provide the document. The Daily Mail (05/20, Hammer) and the Daily Wire (05/20, Chaitin) also reported on the story. Back to Top COUNTERTERRORISM As Shooting Trial Nears, Pittsburgh Grapples With Antisemitism The Washington Post (05/20, Nakamura) reported that the Tree of Life synagogue, site of the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history, is due for renovations after 414 years of sifting empty. According to the article, the synagogue's transformation comes as the federal trial of the accused gunman, Robert D. Bowers, is set to begin. Bowers faces 63 hate crime and gun-related charges, potentially leading to a death sentence if convicted. The article noted that hate crimes in the U.S. have escalated to the highest level in over three decades in 2021, as reported by the FBI. Amidst the emotions stirred up by the forthcoming trial, Jewish organizations have heightened security measures at their facilities. A few months ago, the FBI's Pittsburgh field office invited Augie Siriano, a witness of the attack, to discuss his perspective and possibly testify in Bowers' trial. 'Living in Fear': Arson Is the latest in a String of Attacks on Minnesota Mosques The New York Times (05/21, Fahy) reported that a suspect, Said Murekezi, was arrested on suspicion of arson following a fire at the Oromo American Tawhid Islamic Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, marking at least the fifth act of vandalism against mosques in the state this year. According to the FBI, hate crimes in the U.S. rose approximately EFTA00160357 12% in 2021 compared to 2020, with nearly 10% of the 1,590 reported religion-related hate crimes being anti- Islamic. The article noted that Jaylani Hussein, the executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, stated that many mosques were struggling financially to prevent such attacks, emphasizing the vulnerability and fear within the Muslim community due to these recurring incidents. FBI Informant Encouraged To Have Sex In War On Terror An article by Gothamist (05/21, Robbins) focused on the case of FBI informant Craig Monteilh, who was involved in spying on a mosque in California. According to the article, Monteilh converted to Islam and monitored conversations by leaving recording devices in his keys. The article highlighted the controversial nature of the FBI's tactics, including encouraging informants to engage in sexual activities if it would enhance intelligence. The article also noted Monteilh's participation in an ACLU lawsuit against the FBI for what he views as pointless spying and entrapment. Opinion: Democrats Cook the FBI's Books on Domestic Terrorism An opinion piece by National Review (05/19, McCarthy) highlighted the alleged political narrative of congressional Democrats, suggesting that they aim to project white supremacists and Trump supporters as domestic terrorists and create the illusion of a significant national security threat. The article emphasized the whistleblowing testimonies of three FBI agents in a House Judiciary Committee hearing, where they detailed the politicization of the FBI, the inflation of terrorism cases, and the retaliation they faced for reporting the situation to Congress. The author argued that the objective of proposed legislation, such as the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act, is to stigmatize policies opposed by progressives and manipulate the FBI's statistics to portray the country as under a white supremacist siege. Back to Top COUNTERINTELLIGENCE Guardsman, Pentagon Leak Suspect, To Remain Jailed As He Awaits Trial The Associated Press (05/19, Richer, Tucker) reported that Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air National Guard member charged with leaking classified military documents, will remain in custody while awaiting trial, as ruled by a federal magistrate judge. According to the article, the judge cited Teixeira's fascination with guns, disturbing online statements, and admonitions from his military superiors about his handling of sensitive information as reasons for keeping him detained. The article added that Teixeira is accused of sharing classified documents on a social media platform, exposing secret assessments on Russia's war in Ukraine and other national security issues. Reuters (05/19, Mclaughlin) reported that superiors of Teixeira accused of leaking military secrets offered him intelligence-related training even after they admonished him twice for his handling of classified information, according to a memo disclosed this week by DOJ attorneys. Additional reporting on the story was provided by Reuters (05/19, Mclaughlin, Lynch), CBS News (05/19, Watson), ABC News (05/19, Donato, Katersky, Deliso), New York Times (05/19, Napierkowski, Thrush), CNN (05/19, Britzky, Lyngaas, Cohen, Bertrand), BBC News (05/19, Debusmann Jr.), Wall Street Journal (05/19, Kamp, Tau), Washington Post (05/20, Lamothe), and CBS News (05/19, Video). U.S. Must Defend Its Pacific Territories Against Chinese Threat: Former NSC Director An article from The Epoch Times (05/20, Upadhayaya) highlighted the testimony of Alexander Gray, a former National Security Council director, during an oversight hearing on the defense of U.S. Pacific territories against Chinese influence. According to the article, Gray emphasized the need for the United States to prioritize the defense of territories such as Guam and American Samoa, which are vital in terms of sea lanes and host critical military infrastructure. He recommended measures such as establishing an inter-agency policy process, creating a director-level position focused on the territories, and strengthening resources to counter China's malign activity, including potentially opening additional FBI field offices in the U.S. territories and possessions. "While PRC ambitions have received considerable media coverage and high-level official attention in places like the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, there has been an alarming dearth of focus on Beijing's efforts to penetrate, influence, and subvert U.S. territories, for which our government is directly responsible," said Gray. "U.S.-specific territories have witnessed the full spectrum of PRC operations, but given their anomalous status within the U.S. government ... they fail to receive the attention and the resources to appropriately address the predations of the PRC." EFTA00160358 China Seeks to Counter Musk's Starlink With Own Satellite Network The Wall Street Journal (05/21, Leong, Maidenberg) reported that China is intensifying efforts to develop a competitive satellite-powered internet network, mirroring the global success of Elon Musk's Starlink, especially following its effective use in Ukraine's defense against Russia. According to the article, China's satellite industry has grown with the entry of new state-owned and private companies, aiming to overcome launch capacity and technological challenges; Beijing Tianbing Technology, for instance, is developing rockets to launch up to 60 satellites in a single mission. The article noted that some researchers anticipate China's constellations to pose a significant threat to the U.S.'s leading position in the global satellite market, potentially leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative for satellite broadband integration; this could influence countries relying on China's digital infrastructure to favor Chinese satellite internet over U.S. services. Opinion: China's Threat to Our National Security That Might Surprise You An opinion piece from Fox News (05/19, Hunt) emphasized the threat posed by the CCP and its affiliated organizations purchasing land in the United States, with significant national security implications. The article also highlighted instances of Chinese officials engaging in espionage and attempting to infiltrate industries such as medical research and oil and gas. The author called for strict regulations, transparency, and potential measures like adding the Department of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and reclaiming farmland purchased by CCP-affiliated groups to protect national security interests. Back to Top CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Hunter Biden's Russian Associates Evade Another Round of U.S. Sanctions The New York Post (05/19, Nelson) reported that two Russian oligarchs who sought out property investments with first son Hunter Biden were again spared from another round of U.S. sanctions targeting Russia's economy. According to the article, billionaires Yelena Baturina and Vladimir Yevtushenkov dodged the Biden administration's latest list of Russian government officials and business people to face sanctions Friday — even though some of those included in this round seem to have similar credentials to the pair. The article noted that files from Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop indicate he met with Baturina and Yevtushenkov on multiple occasions, and a witness placed Baturina at an April 2015 D.C. dinner with then-Vice President Joe Biden that was also attended by Hunter's Ukrainian and Kazakhstani associates. The article noted that Hunter Biden is under federal criminal investigation for alleged tax fraud, unregistered foreign lobbying, money laundering, and lying about his drug use on a gun purchase form. Opinion: The Hunter Investigation Needs A Special Counsel The Washington Examiner (05/21, Staff Writer) published an opinion piece where the author stated that suspicion of a cover-up is justified following news that the entire IRS team investigating presidential son Hunter Biden may have been removed from the case at the Justice Department's behest. The author added that five years after federal authorities began investigating the younger Biden's business dealings, no charge has been filed despite what seems to be copious evidence of wrongdoing. At least two whistleblowers say they have evidence of a cover- up. The author provided the opinion that the intelligence community's partisan actions to spike the story of Hunter Biden's embarrassing laptop contents indicates it is time for a special counsel. Former Trump Lawyer, Describes Conflict Inside Legal Team The New York Times (05/20, Feuer) reported that Timothy Parlatore, who withdrew this past week from representing the former president in the special counsel investigations, said he stepped aside over differences with a Trump adviser, Boris Epshteyn. According to the article, a conflict inside former President Donald J. Trump's legal team erupted into public view on Saturday as one of his former lawyers went on television to attack one of his current lawyers, who has been the focus of ire from others on the team. The article noted that the former lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, withdrew this past week from representing Mr. Trump in the special counsel's investigations into his handling of classified documents and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. But Mr. Parlatore did not explain the reasons behind his departure at the time, saying only that it was not related to the merits of the inquiries. The article mentioned that on CNN on Saturday, Mr. Parlatore disclosed that his departure had been spurred by irreconcilable differences with Boris Epshteyn, another lawyer who has been working as something akin to an in- house counsel for the former president, hiring lawyers and coordinating their efforts to defend Mr. Trump. The EFTA00160359 article added that Mr. Parlatore described how Mr. Epshteyn had hindered him and other lawyers from getting information to Mr. Trump, leaving the former president's legal team at a disadvantage in dealing with the Justice Department, which is scrutinizing Mr. Trump's handling of classified documents after leaving office and his efforts to remain in office after losing the 2020 election. The article stated that Mr. Parlatore singled out Mr. Epshteyn as trying to keep the team from conducting additional searches of Mr. Trump's properties after the FBI executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump's private club and residence in Florida, and discovered more than 100 additional classified documents. Fox News (05/20, Vacchiano), Politico (05/20, Cohen), Business Insider (05/20, Lee), Newsweek (05/20, Commander), an additional Newsweek (05/20, Khaled) article, a third Newsweek (05/19, Mordowanec) article, a fourth Newsweek (05/19, Mordowanec) article, and an additional Business Insider (05/21, Hagen) article, also reported on the former president's classified documents story. Continued Reporting: Former Marine Charged With Killing NYC Man Argues It 'Had Nothing To Do With Race' The Hill (05/20, Shapero) reported that the former Marine charged in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely on a New York subway earlier this month argued it "had nothing to do with race" in a recent interview. According to the article, Daniel Penny, a 24-year-old white man, placed Neely, a 30-year-old Black man, in a chokehold for nearly 15 minutes, while he was reportedly experiencing a mental health episode. Neely was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The article noted that Penny was charged with second-degree manslaughter nearly two weeks after Neely's death, which a medical examiner determined was caused by compression of the neck. He was freed pending trial hours after turning himself in at a police station and appearing in court to answer criminal charges. The article added that Neely's death has sparked national outrage, as well as a swift political response. The New York Post (05/20, Kennedy) also reported on the story. Woman Arrested Almost 4 Years After Newborn Baby Is Found Alive in Plastic Bag Abandoned in Georgia Woods NBC News (05/20, Alsharif) reported that almost four years after a newborn baby was found abandoned in a plastic bag in a wooded area, deputies in Georgia have arrested the woman they say is the child's biological mother. According to the article, Karima Jiwani, 40, was charged with criminal attempt to commit murder, aggravated assault, reckless abandonment, cruelty to children in the first degree, and "other charges," according to the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. The southeast Forsyth County woman was arrested by Deputy Terry Roper, who helped rescue the baby almost four years ago. The article noted that the FBI in Atlanta and the Georgia Bureau of Investigations assisted the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office in the investigation, which can now be taken to a grand jury by the District Attorney's office. Accused Killer Bryan Kohberger Allegedly 'Broke Into' Female Colleague's Home Months Before Idaho Murders The New York Post (05/20, Levine) reported that Bryan Kohberger, who has been accused of brutally murdering four University of Idaho students, allegedly broke into the apartment of a female colleague and moved items around as part of an elaborate ploy to manipulate her. According to the article, the 28-year-old Kohberger befriended the co-ed at Washington State University just months before the brutal November murders, Kohberger broke into the woman's apartment and jostled things around — but didn't take anything. The scheme worked, and the unnamed woman then asked him to install a video surveillance system, which authorities now believe he could have accessed remotely since he knew her Wi-Fi password. The article noted that Kohberger was indicted for the murders by a Grand Jury this week paving the way for a trial. He is expected to enter a plea next week. Arrest Made in Connection With the Murder of 20-Year-Old Texas Woman The New York Post (05/20, Donlevy) reported that the body of a missing 20-year-old Texas woman was found Saturday, 10 days after she vanished, police announced. The article stated that Mario Juan Chacon, 24, was booked on first-degree murder charges in connection to the death of Madeline Pantoja, according to Midland County Sheriff's records. Fox News (05/21, Mion) reported that the search for Pantoja had been operating "on a 24-hour basis" over the past week, Midland Police Chief Seth Herman said in a press conference Friday, with the FBI, the Texas Rangers, the Department of Homeland Security and the Midland County Sheriff's Office joining the investigation. CNN (05/21, Salahieh) also reported on the story. 'Cold-Blooded' Philadelphia Hitman Sentenced For Six Murders EFTA00160360 Fox News (05/19, Eberhart) reported that a hitman who terrorized Philadelphia for years, will serve five consecutive life sentences in federal prison for six murders between 2016 and 2018. According to the article, Ernest Pressley, 43, was paid to kill four people in Philadelphia between 2017 and 2018, involved in two murders in 2016 and 2017, and attempted murder of a woman in 2018, according to federal prosecutors. The article mentioned that Philadelphia police and the FBI investigated Pressley after a Sept. 1, 2018, murder in an apartment complex after he had been with the victim and several other men in a nearby bar. He was arrested on Sept. 7, 2018. The article quoted Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division, who said, "Ernest Pressley is a hardened and chronic offender, a true menace to society, for all the lives he took and families he affected, this contract killer has duly earned each of his life sentences. The FBI and Philadelphia Police Department will continue to focus our partnership and resources on locking up the worst of the worst, like Pressley, who cause so much of the city's bloodshed." Shanquella Robinson's Family Demands Biden Intervene In Her Death Investigation, Says FBI is Withholding Records The New York Post (05/19, Pagones) reported that the family of a U.S. tourist who died in Mexico last year under suspicious circumstances is demanding that President Biden and the State Department intervene in the death investigation. According to the article, Shanquella Robinson died while vacationing with friends in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, in October 2022. Shortly afterward, videos emerged of her being viciously beaten by other members of her party. However, the FBI has declined to bring any charges in the case. The article quoted civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who said, We were hopeful that once the FBI got engaged, that they would respect this American citizen, this young black woman who, based on the video, did absolutely nothing to warrant such a savage beating," Fox News (05/19, Miller) also reported on the story. Wisconsin Man Charged With Hacking Sports Betting Accounts The Associated Press (05/19, Staff Writer) reported that a Wisconsin man has been charged in a plot to hack and steal from thousands of sports betting accounts, court documents show. According to the article, Joseph Garrison, 18, and others allegedly stole roughly $600,000 from 1,600 accounts on an unnamed sports betting site. Garrison surrendered to authorities in New York on Thursday and faces six charges including unauthorized access to computers and wire fraud, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced. The article stated that prosecutors alleged that Garrison and others used credential stuffing attacks, which entail using stolen usernames and passwords from previous data breaches to access accounts on other platforms. According to the criminal complaint against Garrison, hackers accessed roughly 60,000 accounts on the sports betting website. A DO1 press release quoted FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll, who said, 'As alleged, Garrison attained unauthorized access to victim accounts using a sophisticated cyber-breaching attack to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars. Cyber intrusions aiming to steal private individuals' funds represent a serious risk to our economic security. Combatting cyberattacks and holding the responsible threat actors accountable in the criminal justice system remains a top priority for the FBI." Las Vegas Resident Charged In $45 Million Metaverse Scam That Touted Trillion-Dollar Returns CNBC (05/19, Goswami) reported that federal prosecutors alleged Friday a Nevada man helped defraud 10,000 investors out of more than $45 million by touting a fake metaverse project with its own crypto token that would one day be sold for trillions of dollars. According to the article, Bryan Lee, a 57-year-old Las Vegas resident, was named in a superseding indictment over his involvement in an alleged investment fraud scheme called CoinDeal. Lee was charged with conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and criminal monetary transactions. Indictments in the broader case date back to June of last year. The article added that Lee worked alongside three other individuals to convince investors CoinDeal was a legitimate family of businesses working toward developing virtual reality products, federal prosecutors alleged. Lee and his co-conspirators also said they were in talks with a potential "consortium of wealthy buyers," according to the indictment. A DOJ press release reported that the FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case with significant assistance provided by the FBI Las Vegas and Omaha Field Offices. Members of California County Hells Angels Convicted In Federal Court CBS News (05/21, Staff Writer) reported that for a second time, a federal jury has found members of the Sonoma County charter of the Hells Angels guilty of racketeering conspiracy, murder conspiracy, and related crimes. The article noted that the trial was the second following the October 10, 2017, indictment from a federal grand jury. The indictment charged 11 members and associates of the HASC with being part of the criminal conspiracy that EFTA00160361 engaged in a broad swath of criminal activity including murder. The article quoted FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp, who said, "The prosecution of a dozen members and associates of the Sonoma County Hells Angels brings an end to that fear and keeps our community safe, I commend the witnesses who did not succumb to this group's intimidation tactics and came forward to law enforcement." The Press Democrat (05/20, Atagi), and Law and Crime (05/20, Kandel) also reported on the story. Dad Killed, Two Teens Wounded After Grenade Explodes In Indiana Home The Huffington Post (05/21, Golgowski) reported that a man was reportedly killed and his two teenage children wounded after a hand grenade exploded inside their northwest Indiana home on Saturday. The family was going through a grandfather's belongings in Lakes of the Four Seasons when they found the explosive device and someone pulled out the pin, causing it to detonate. According to the article, the man, who was not immediately identified, was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead while his 17-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter were taken to a hospital with shrapnel wounds. A local bomb squad responded to the home to ensure no other explosive devices existed. The article noted that it is illegal under the National Firearms Act to possess a live grenade. The FBI has warned that these explosive devices, known as military ordnance, can remain intact for decades and then explode without notice. The article quoted Special Agent Patrick Carolan, a bomb technician with the FBI's St. Louis Field Office, who said, "Usually what happens is when a veteran passes away, and family members are cleaning out their items, usually in a basement, garage or attic, they'll come across something that they know or suspect is a military ordnance, they call their local police, and we work with the police department's bomb squad." The article stated that the FBI's St. Louis Field Office said it receives about a call per week regarding suspected military ordnance. The frequency of these calls has risen in recent years due to elderly veterans dying, it said. FBI, Tribe's Police Investigating Fatal Shooting of Tribal Member by U.S. Border Patrol Agents The Associated Press (05/21, Staff Writer) reported that the FBI and Tohono O'odham Nation police are investigating the fatal shooting of a tribal member by U.S. Border Patrol agents in southern Arizona. Customs and Border Protection officials said agents from the Ajo Border Patrol Station were involved in a fatal shooting on the Tohono O'odham reservation Thursday. They said the incident is under review by Customs and Border Protection's Office of Professional Responsibility. FBI Testing DNA After Woman Says She Was Child Who Disappeared in Chicago 20 Years Ago The Independent (05/20, Graziosi) reported that the FBI is investigating the claims of a woman in Texas who says she is Diamond Bradley - a young girl who disappeared from her Chicago home more than 20 years ago in what became one of the city's largest missing person cases. The article stated that the woman has reportedly submitted cheek swabs and fingerprints to the federal bureau to be tested for a DNA match. Fox News (05/20, Nerozzi) also reported on the story. Louisiana Man Jailed For Making Minors Bake, Sell Brownies Seven Days A Week Business Insider (05/20, Tabahriti) reported that a Dal official said forced labor was "heinous conduct" and would not be tolerated after a Louisiana man who made children bake and sell brownies seven days a week was sentenced. The article stated that Darnell Fulton, 39, of Pineville, Louisiana, used violence, sexual abuse, withholding of food, degradation, and intimidation to force multiple minors to work for him between June 2016 and May 2019, the Dal said in a statement. He was jailed Friday for 35 years for crimes including conspiracy to commit forced labor. The article noted that the minors worked late into the night to bake the brownies. The following day they had to try to sell them at parking lots, restaurants, and offices. Fulton also regularly whipped the minors with a belt if he was not satisfied with their performance or failed to make enough sales, per the statement. He pleaded guilty on October 26 and was ordered to pay restitution of almost $980,000 to his victims. A DOJ press release quoted Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI New Orleans Field Office, who said, "Mr. Fulton's guilty plea and the sentencing today should be of great comfort to the victims of his depravity, we thank our partners, the Alexandria Police Department, United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division for their assistance in this case. We will continue the work of rooting out those who seek to target minors for their own bizarre obsessions." Feds Dig Up Child Porn Secret In Man's Old Email Account The Detroit Free Press (05/20, Baldas) reported that for 15 years, Carl Drife hid a perverse secret in an old email account: pictures of a naked teenage girl. He was supposed to be her caretaker, court records show. But instead, he EFTA00160362 was her predator — a man who would haunt her into adulthood. According to the article, in U.S. District Court Friday, Drife was sentenced to 18 years in prison after investigators discovered child pornographic images he had saved in an old email account. He had stashed them there for 15 years, including a video he had taken of a 13-year- old girl while she was nude in the bathroom — though she never knew it. The article added that the FBI and federal prosecutors, investigators found more sexually exploitative images of children in Drife's old email accounts, some as young as 5. Back to Top CYBER DIVISION The Underground History of Russia's Most Ingenious Hacker Group An article by WIRED (05/20, Greenberg) highlighted the history and resilience of the Russian state-sponsored hacking group known as Turla. Recently, the FBI and the Dal announced the dismantling of Turla's operation, revealing its affiliation with Russia's FSB intelligence agency. The article noted that the FBI's action disrupted Turla's espionage campaigns, but experts believe the group will continue to evolve and return, as it had done over its 25- year history. Bob Gourley, a former U.S. Defense Department intelligence officer, applauded the FBI's operation. But he also warned that killing some Snake infections is very different from defeating Russia's oldest cyberspying team. "This is an infinite game. If they're not already back in those systems, they will be soon; Gourley says. "They're not going away. This is not the end of cyberespionage history. They will definitely, definitely be back." Law Enforcement Is Fighting The Rise Of "InfoStealer" Malware Axios (05/19, Sabin) reported that law enforcement has been targeting criminal marketplaces like Genesis Market, which facilitate the sale of stolen passwords and infostealer malware used in ransomware attacks. According to the article, infostealer malware has become increasingly popular among cybercriminals as it provides a low-cost and reliable method of obtaining usable passwords and cookie information. The article noted that despite the recent takedown of Genesis by the DOJ, other marketplaces like Russian Market and 2easy continue to operate, raising concerns about the thriving infostealer malware ecosystem. Ethical Hacker Scams 60 Minutes Staffer to Show How Easy Digital Theft Is An article by CBS News (05/21, Chasan) highlighted various scams targeting individuals, particularly seniors, and their vulnerability to social engineering and online deception. The scams discussed include the use of AI-generated voices to mimic individuals, such as a 60 Minutes correspondent, as well as grandparent scams and tech support scams. The article emphasized the significant financial losses experienced by victims and the need for increased awareness and reporting of such fraudulent activities. Although the article does not specifically mention the FBI's involvement in addressing these scams, it concluded with a statement from the FBI encouraging reporting of elder fraud incidents to their website, ic3.gov. Back to Top LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES Opinion: Here's What We Can Do Now About Gun Violence An opinion piece by the New York Times (05/21, Witkin) stated that since assault weapons bans aren't coming back and AR-15-style rifles are here to stay, the most important thing we can do is modernize the background check system, around which there's a modicum of bipartisan consensus. The author noted that the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System, known as NICS, stitches together three databases of state and federal criminal history records and other hot files. Before NICS was set up in 1993, gun checks were largely the province of the states; some continue to do their own reviews. The author mentioned that last year's Bipartisan Safer Communities Act provided new challenges and opportunities. The law expands the gun purchase prohibition for people convicted of domestic violence or subject to a restraining order to include dating partners, not just people married to or living with the victim. Reformers applauded this closing of the boyfriend loophole, but the worry is that many criminal history records don't clarify whether such relationships existed. The act included some federal cash to encourage states to address those considerable gaps. The author stated that closing NICS loopholes is a task within grasp and is more important than watching helplessly as the death toll continues to grow. New Bill Would Make Assaulting Law Enforcement Officers a Deportable Offense EFTA00160363 The Washington Examiner (05/19, Blankley) reported that a new bill introduced in the U.S. Senate would make assaulting law enforcement officers and others a deportable offense. According to the article, U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, (R-NC), on Thursday introduced the Protect Our Law Enforcement with Immigration Control and Enforcement (POLICE) Act. The bill would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to add a provision stating, "any alien who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts constituting the essential elements of, an offense involving the assault of a law enforcement officer is deportable." According to the article, the law would apply to those who assault law enforcement officers, firefighters, and first responders. Body Cameras Can Be a Powerful Tool. But Not All Police Forces Wear Them. The New York Times (05/19, Keenan) reported that police-worn body cameras have been more widely adopted in the wake of the fatal 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown, 18, in Ferguson, Mo. In some cases, police forces began using them as a result of federal civil rights investigations. Over the last decade, they have become an important tool both