EFTA01655826.pdf

From: FBI News Briefing To: Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL) - DRAFT: FBI Daily News Briefing - March 13, 2024 Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2024 09:00:02 +0000 Importance: Normal View in Browser Federal Bureau of Investigation March 13, 2024 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 • Continued Reporting: Intelligence Officials Testify on Global Threats Before Senate Intelligence Committee • Robert Hur Defends Special Counsel Report at Tense House Hearing on Biden Documents Probe • TikTok Focuses on Senate as House Heads Toward Divestment Vote • A Former Boeing Manager Who Raised Safety Concerns Appears to Have Taken His Own Life, Coroner Says • Pentagon Will Give Ukraine $300 Million in Weapons Even As It Lacks Funds to Replenish US Stockpile • Uvalde Police Chief Who Was on Vacation During Robb Elementary Shooting Resigns COUNTERTERRORISM • Man Who Sent Bomb Threat to Arizona Election Officials Jailed for 42 Months • Opinion: The FBI's Silent Battle Against Iranian Sleeper Cells COUNTERINTELLIGENCE • U.S. Lawmaker Cited NYC Protests in a Defense of Warrantless Spying • Bob Menendez's Bribery Case Reminds Us Why Proving Corruption Is So Hard CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Ghislaine Maxwell's Lawyer Tell Appeals Judges That Jeffrey Epstein's Florida Plea Deal Protects Her • Republicans Subpoenaed 15 Years of Hunter Biden Phone Records, Democrats Reveal • Ex-Mar-a-Lago Employee Says He Unwittingly Helped Load Trump Classified Papers Onto Plane • New Mexico Launches Real-Time Data Portal for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People • Warden Ousted From Federal Women's Prison Plagued by Sex Abuse EFTA01655826  • Officials Warn of 'Alarming Increase' in Sex Attacks on Female Plane Passengers • FBI Warns Families of Sextortion, a Growing Threat Targeting Teen Boys in Philadelphia • Border Shooting in California: Marksman Killed Man Assaulting Migrants • Maine Man Charged by FBI Over Online Threats to Kill President Biden, Immigrants • Bryan Kohberger Attorney's Appeal of Grand Jury Indictment Denied by Idaho Supreme Court • FBI Technology Being Used to Help Solve Suburban Chicago Teen's Murder • 'Mastermind' of International Marriage Fraud Ring Gets 22 Months Behind Bars CYBER DIVISION • Feds Seize $1.4 Million of Tech Support Scam Proceeds With the Help of Crypto Firm • Healthcare Hit Hardest by Ransomware Last Year, FBI IC3 Report Shows • Scammers Raked in $1.3B From Impersonation Scams in 2023, FBI Says • What Happens When Cyberattacks Do Physical Harm? INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • FBI Seeks Location of New Jersey Man Who Went Missing in Italy in 2019 • 'Treaties Don't Work': Wanted Western Fugitives Hide in Wartime Russia CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS • Trump Says He Will Free Jan. 6 Rioters on First Day if Re-Elected • Capitol Police Defend Actions Surrounding Pipe Bombs Found Jan. 6 • House GOP Report Alleges Jan 6 Committee 'Deleted Records and Hid Evidence' • Missouri Woman Sentenced to Jail for Repeated Probation Violations in Capitol Riot Case • Trump Was Informed of Prohibited Items in Jan. 6 Rally Crowd, His Driver Testified OTHER FBI NEWS • Fort Leonard Wood Soldiers Visit FBI Office to Learn About the Bureau • FBI Albany Hosting Event to Recruit Women Into Law Enforcement • SMX Back in the Running for a Spot on $7B FBI Contract • U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro Pushes for Release of FBI, CIA Files on Latino Civil Rights Leaders • In States With Laws Targeting LGBTQ Issues, School Hate Crimes Quadrupled • Opinion: FBI Dallas: Reflecting on a Successful Year OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • High-Stakes Rematch Is Set as Biden, Trump Clinch Party Nominations • How an Obscure Biden Immigration Policy Became So Controversial • House Democrats Try to Bypass Speaker Johnson to Force Vote on Ukraine Aid • U.S. Says F-35 Fighter Jet Program Achieves Full-Rate Production • What Is the President's True Role in the Federal Budget Process? • Judge Approves Trump's $92 Million Bond to Cover Jury Award in E. Jean Carroll Defamation Case • Texas Tells Biden New Immigrant Processing Facility Is 'An Expensive Band-Aid on a Gunshot Wound' • White House Says Five American Hostages Now Held by Hamas After Itay Chen Death WASHINGTON SCHEDULE EFTA01655827 IN THE NEWS Continued Reporting: Intelligence Officials Testify on Global Threats Before Senate Intelligence Committee NewsNation (03/12, Shirazi) reported that intelligence officials testified before Congress, highlighting concerns about a "fragile world order" and significant terror threats, including smuggling networks at the southern U.S. border potentially tied to ISIS. According to the article, Director Wray, along with other intelligence leaders, mentioned that the U.S. faces a wide range of threats, from homegrown extremists to state-sponsored organizations. Director Wray specifically pointed out the FBI's monitoring of an ISIS-affiliated group and the agency's efforts to investigate smuggling networks with ISIS ties, without specifying any particular threats or plots. "There's a particular network that has whereas some of the overseas facilitators of the smuggling network have ISIS ties that were very concerned about and that we've been spending an enormous amount of effort with our partners investigating exactly what that network is up to is something that's again the subject of our current investigation," Director Wray said. Al Jazeera (03/12, Staff Writer) added that emotions rose in the hearing as some senators discussed immigration across the U.S. border with Mexico. Director Wray expressed concern about the "terrorism implications from potential targeting of vulnerabilities at the border", noting rising threats from US nationals inspired by armed groups and other foreign fighters since Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7. Newsweek (03/12, Mordowanec) reported that Director Wray outlined concerns regarding several categories of individuals at the U.S. border, particularly emphasizing the threat posed by known or suspected terrorists. Director Wray detailed the collaborative efforts between the FBI and the DHS but expressed significant concerns over individuals using fake identification documents to enter the U.S. undetected. "There are a few different categories of people that we have concerns about," Director Wray said. He elaborated on the process when a known or suspected terrorist is apprehended at the border, "When a known or suspected terrorist, as in known that they're a known or suspected terrorist is apprehended at the border, I'm confident in the vast majority of instances there's very close lash-up between FBI and DHS on it." However, Director Wray pointed out a critical vulnerability, "The bigger concern is a situation, for example, where somebody presents fake identification documents at the border and there's not biometrics to match up—so there's no way to be able to know that they're not who they say they are. Then, they get into the country; then somehow we find out that they're someone in fact who's on the list." In response to Sen. Jon Ossoff's inquiry regarding the threat level of terrorism associated with unlawful entry through the southern border, Director Wray underscored the gravity of the situation, especially in light of recent global events. "We are concerned about the terrorism implications from potential targeting of vulnerabilities at the border," Director Wray responded. He further noted the escalated threat level due to various extremist groups, "Well, even before October 7, I would have told this committee that we were at a heightened threat level from a terrorism perspective," Director Wray remarked, emphasizing the unique situation of facing elevated threats from homegrown violent extremists, domestic violent extremists, foreign terrorist organizations, and state-sponsored terrorist organizations simultaneously. Bloomberg (03/12, Martin) also quoted Director Wray: "You've seen a veritable rogue's gallery of foreign terrorist organizations calling for terrorist attacks against us in a way that we haven't seen in a long, long time," Director Wray told the House Intelligence Committee. "This is a time not for panic, but for heightened vigilance given the risk," Director Wray said. Newsmax (03/12, McCarthy) reported that Vice Chairman Marco Rubio asked Director Wray whether the FBI has seen crimes committed by people with ties to foreign gangs or other criminal organizations. "From an FBI perspective, we are seeing a wide array of very dangerous threats that emanate from the border, and that includes everything from the drug trafficking, and the FBI alone sees enough fentanyl in the last two years to kill 270 million people," Director Wray said. "That's just on the fentanyl side. An awful lot of violent crime in the United States is at the hands of gangs who are themselves involved in the distribution of that fentanyl." U.S. Intel Chief Says She Can't Rule out Possibility That China Will Use TikTok to Influence 2024 Elections CNN (03/12, Lyngaas) and Reuters (03/12, Martina, Zengerle) reported that the Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and other U.S. intelligence officials testified before the House Intelligence Committee, stating that they "cannot rule out" the possibility of the Chinese government using TikTok to influence the 2024 U.S. elections. According to the article, this concern follows reports of TikTok being used for propaganda efforts during the 2022 midterm elections, as outlined in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence's annual Threat Assessment report. The article added that Director Wray highlighted the difficulty in detecting influence operations via TikTok's EFTA01655828 algorithm, describing it as a "pernicious risk," and expressed concerns about the Chinese government potentially pressuring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to disseminate disinformation to Americans. "When it comes to TikTok's algorithm and the recommendation algorithm, and the ability to conduct influence operations, that is extraordinarily difficult to detect and that's what makes it such a pernicious risk," Director Wray told lawmakers at Tuesday's hearing. The article noted that Director Wray and other US officials have argued that the Chinese government could pressure TikTok's owner ByteDance to effectively weaponize its algorithm to target Americans with disinformation. Hamas Likely to Pose Armed Threat to Israel For Years to Come' Times of Israel (03/12, Magid) reported that the annual U.S. intelligence threat assessment reported that Israel will likely face armed resistance from Hamas for years, as efforts to neutralize Hamas's tunnel network in Gaza will be challenging. According to the article, this comes after Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7, which escalated tensions in the region, with Iranian proxies conducting anti-US and anti-Israel attacks. U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines mentioned in her testimony that terror groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, inspired by Hamas, are targeting Israelis and U.S. interests, suggesting that the Gaza conflict could have a generational impact on terrorism. Nation's Spy Chiefs Say Russia Poses National Security Threat Spectrum Local News (03/12, Leigh) reported that the nation's spy chiefs testified before the House Intelligence Committee, expressing concern that Russia's war against Ukraine could spread to other Western countries. According to the article, they urged Congress to pass a bill providing $60 billion in aid to Ukraine to support its military efforts against Russian aggression. "You can already see the Ukrainian military rationing ammunition. You can already see them becoming more vulnerable to Russian attacks from the air, from drones, from missiles, from aircraft," said CIA director William Burns. "That's the future we're going to see, I think, without providing them the munitions that they've used so effectively in the past which I believe are the key to a serious negotiation down the road." U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro Pushes for Release of FBI, CIA Files on Latino Civil Rights Leaders The San Antonio Express-News (03/12, Wermund) reported that U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro called on U.S. intelligence leaders to declassify and release files on the surveillance of Latino civil rights leaders, including labor leader Cesar Chavez. According to the article, Castro sought commitments from CIA Director William J. Bums and Director Wray to improve the historical record by releasing materials related to the surveillance of Latino civil rights organizations, to which they responded positively. The request was part of efforts to correct historical records and ensure transparency regarding the monitoring and information collection on activists and organizations within the Latino civil rights movement, highlighting the need to confront and address past overreaches by U.S. intelligence agencies. Robert Hur Defends Special Counsel Report at Tense House Hearing on Biden Documents Probe CNN (03/12, Herb, Cohen) and Associated Press (03/12, Megerian) reported that former Special Counsel Robert Hur testified before Congress about his investigation into President Joe Biden's mishandling of classified documents, leading to no charges against Biden. According to the articles, Hur refuted claims that Biden was "senile," despite describing him as an "elderly man with a poor memory" in his report. Hur emphasized that his report did not "exonerate" Biden, a point of contention during the hearing. The articles explained that the hearing, charged with political undertones ahead of the 2024 presidential election, saw Democrats highlighting differences between the cases of Biden and former President Donald Trump, while Republicans questioned the fairness in the decision not to prosecute Biden. The articles noted that Hur maintained a neutral stance, focusing solely on the findings of his report and avoiding political speculation. Newsmax (03/12, Morley III) and Breitbart (03/12, Gilbertson) reported that during a congressional hearing, Director Wray declined to confirm if President Joe Biden mishandled classified information post-vice presidency in 2017, following revelations from Robert Hur's investigation. According to the articles, despite Hur's report indicating Biden retained and likely shared classified documents with his book's ghostwriter, Director Wray, when questioned by Rep. Elise Stefanik, refrained from commenting on the specifics of the mishandling and cited "counterintelligence" for his vague responses. The articles assessed that this stance was consistent with Director Wray's previous behavior of evasion in congressional testimonies, including a 2022 incident where he left a Senate oversight hearing early for a family vacation. Additional reporting on the story was provided by The National Desk (03/12, Denean), NBC News (03/12, Memoli), The Hill (03/12, Staff Writer), New York Times (03/12, Thrush, Broadwater), two articles from Fox News (03/12, EFTA01655829 Pandolfo, Spunt), two articles from Politico (03/12, Adragna), two articles from Axios (03/12, Doherty, Rubin), Al Jazeera (03/12, Staff Writer), Washington Post (03/12, Blake), ABC News (03/12, Bruggeman, Mallin, et al.), two articles from USA Today (03/12, Crowley, Robledo, et al.), NPR (03/12, Lucas, McDaniel, Keith), two articles from CBS News (03/12, Farhi), BBC (03/12, Zurcher), and The Guardian (03/12, Greve). The Wall Street Journal (03/12, Editorial) provided an editorial on the story. TikTok Focuses on Senate as House Heads Toward Divestment Vote Reuters (03/12, Shepardson) reported that the U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on a bill that would require ByteDance to divest TikTok within six months or face a ban, amid concerns about the app's Chinese ownership and potential risks to American users. The article explained that ahead of the vote, the FBI, Justice Department, and Office of the Director of National Intelligence provided a classified briefing to House members, highlighting the risks posed by the Chinese Communist Party through TikTok's operations. While the bill aims to protect U.S. national security and user data by removing Chinese ownership of TikTok, its fate in the Senate remains uncertain, even as President Joe Biden indicated he would sign it. The article noted that the legislation has sparked debate over free expression rights and the impact on business owners and content creators. Additional reporting on the story was provided by Associated Press (03/12, O'Brien), Bloomberg (03/12, Flatley, Wasson, Barinka), The Economist (03/12, Staff Writer), Washington Post (03/12, Gregg, Strong), Wall Street Journal (03/12, Woo, Wells, Huang), Politico (03/12, Kern), CNN (03/12, Fung), Rolling Stone (03/12, Ramirez, Suebsaeng), The Hill (03/12, Klar, Shapero), The Atlantic (03/12, Kelley), and Axios (03/12, Sabin). Newsweek (03/12, Tracey) posted on opinion on the story. A Former Boeing Manager Who Raised Safety Concerns Appears to Have Taken His Own Life, Coroner Says The Associated Press (3/12, Staff Writer) and the New York Times (3/12, Ember) reported that a former manager at Boeing who was a whistleblower about safety practices about the company was found dead outside of a hotel in Charleston, SC in an apparent act of suicide. The articles stated that John Barnett, a former quality manager at Boeing, was found dead in a car outside a Holiday Inn from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The articles explained that Barnett had been involved in several whistleblower cases regarding concerns over quality and safety at Boeing, including discarded metal shavings near wiring for flight controls, and problems with the oxygen system on the Boeing 787. The articles noted that the Charleston County Police Department is actively investigating the case, and awaiting a formal cause of death, as well as any additional findings that might shed light on the circumstances of Barnett's death. The Washington Post (3/12, Duncan, Aratani) added that at the time of his death, Barnett was due to finish the final day of depositions ahead of a June trial date in another whistleblower case he filed against Boeing in 2017. The article also explained that the previous week, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report about an incident in which a United Airlines 737 Max experienced a stuck rudder pedal, and which Boeing said it had addressed the problem. This story was also reported on by CNN (3/12, Riess, Alonso), NPR (3/12, Chappell), Reuters (3/12, Staff Writer), ABC News (3/12, Ordonez, Maile), Bloomberg (3/12, Vercoe), NBC News (3/12, Smith, Li, Sheeley), CBS News (3/12, Breen), Al Jazeera (3/12, Staff Writer), The Guardian (3/12, Jones), USA TODAY (3/12, Lagatta), Fox Business (3/12, Vacchiano), and Forbes (3/12, Garcia). Pentagon Will Give Ukraine $300 Million in Weapons Even As It Lacks Funds to Replenish US Stockpile The Associated Press (3/12, Groves) and the Wall Street Journal (3/12, Youssef, Gordon) reported a White House announcement on Tuesday that the Pentagon plans to send about $300 million in weapons to Ukraine after finding some cost savings in its contracts. The articles stated that while this is the first announced security package since December, it wasn't until recently that Pentagon officials publicly acknowledged they weren't just out of money to buy replacement weapons, but $10 billion overdrawn. The articles explained that US officials have insisted for months that the US wouldn't be able to resume weapons deliveries until Congress provided additional replenishment funds, which are part of the supplemental spending bill stalled in Congress. The articles added that the Pentagon also has a separate Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows it to fund longer-term contracts with the defense industry to produce new weapons for Ukraine. The articles also described a last effort by House Democrats to force a vote on the aid bill for Ukraine and Israel, as they would begin accepting signatures on a discharge petition Tuesday morning which allows rank-and-file members to bypass House leaders and put legislation directly on the floor provided they can garner 218 signatures—or a majority of the seats in the House. This story was also reported on by the New York Times (3/12, Cooper, Schmitt), Reuters (3/12, Stone, Ali, Zengerle, Mason), ABC News (3/12, Stoddart, Seyler, Gomez), Axios (3/12, Saric), CNN (3/12, Liebermann, Britzky, Bertrand), EFTA01655830 NBC News (3/12, Kube, Lee, Alba), Politico (3/12, Seligman, Ward), The Hill (3/12, Mitchell), USA TODAY (3/12, Brook, Collins), and Barron's (3/12, Kemp). Uvalde Police Chief Who Was on Vacation During Robb Elementary Shooting Resigns The Associated Press (3/13, Coronado) and the Washington Post (3/12, Kaur) reported that the Uvalde police chief who was on vacation during the Robb Elementary School shooting submitted his resignation Tuesday, less than a week after a report ordered by the city defended the police department's response to the attack but outraged some family members of those who were killed. The articles stated that before an Uvalde City Council meeting, Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez submitted his resignation letter, and then did not attend the meeting. The articles noted that the US DOJ had carried a report submitted last January that laid out critical failures of the Uvalde Police Department during the shooting. The New York Times (3/12, Sandoval) added that the chief's resignation would be effective on April 6, and in the meantime an assistant chief of police, Homer Delgado, would serve as the interim police chief while a search for a replacement is conducted. This story was also reported on by NBC News (3/12, Burke, Helsel), Reuters (3/12, Brooks), CBS News (3/12, Falcon), Axios (3/12, Habeshian), The Hill (3/12, Timotija), Fox News (3/12, Wehner), and USA TODAY (3/12, Gomez). Back to Top COUNTERTERRORISM Man Who Sent Bomb Threat to Arizona Election Officials Jailed for 42 Months The Guardian (03/12, Pilkington) reported that James Clark, a 38-year-old Massachusetts man, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for threatening to bomb the Arizona Secretary of State in 2021, as part of a broader wave of threats against election officials following false claims about the 2020 presidential election. According to the article, the sentence, delivered by Judge Michael Liburdi, aimed to deter such threats and protect democracy, highlighting the impact of intimidation on election officials' willingness to serve. The article noted that the case was prosecuted by the election threats task force within the Justice Department, and the FBI arrested individuals in separate incidents for violent threats against election officials in Arizona, demonstrating federal efforts to combat this trend of harassment against public servants. Opinion: The FBI's Silent Battle Against Iranian Sleeper Cells An opinion piece from the Jerusalem Post (03/12, Fard) reported that the FBI is engaged in a silent battle against Iranian sleeper cells within the United States, focusing on the threat these cells pose to national security. According to the article, these cells are linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran and are part of a broader strategy to destabilize through fear and retaliation. The FBI's efforts extend to monitoring various entities with ties to Tehran, amidst concerns over Iran's tactics, including the assassination of key figures associated with former President Donald Trump. The author assessed that the FBI's engagement in a silent but critical battle against Iranian sleeper cells represents a vital front in the broader struggle to safeguard national security and democratic values against the threats of foreign-sponsored terrorism and espionage. Back to Top COUNTERINTELLIGENCE U.S. Lawmaker Cited NYC Protests in a Defense of Warrantless Spying WIRED (03/12, Cameron) reported that in a closed-door presentation aimed at defending warrantless spying under Section 702, House Intelligence Chair Mike Turner suggested ties between NYC anti-war protesters and Hamas to argue against privacy reforms. According to the article, this session, and a parallel briefing for Democrats, aimed to dissuade support for reforms that would require the FBI to obtain warrants before accessing Americans' communications collected under the program. The article noted that the FBI conducted "tens of thousands" of queries related to "civil unrest" between 2020 and early 2021, illustrating the broad use of surveillance powers and sparking concerns over the potential for reverse targeting and the erosion of privacy rights in the context of political protests and beyond. Bob Menendez's Bribery Case Reminds Us Why Proving Corruption Is So Hard The New York Times (03/12, Feuer) reported that Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey was arraigned in a federal bribery case brought by an FBI investigation, facing new charges for accepting cash, gold bars, and a Mercedes- EFTA01655831 Benz convertible in exchange for attempting to disrupt criminal cases and misuse his Senate Foreign Relations Committee position. According to the article, this follows a 2017 trial where jurors were uncertain if the gifts and favors he received were illegal or typical of friendship. The Supreme Court's 2016 decision, which narrowed the definition of corruption by requiring a specific quid pro quo for conviction, has made prosecuting such cases challenging. However, recent retrials and a focus on explicit quid pro quo have led to convictions, signaling a potential shift in how these cases might be approached, including Menendez's, which relies on new charges. Back to Top CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Ghislaine Maxwell's Lawyer Tell Appeals Judges That Jeffrey Epstein's Florida Plea Deal Protects Her The Associated Press (03/12, Neumeister) reported that imprisoned British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyer asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to toss out her sex trafficking conviction and 20-year prison sentence, saying Jeffrey Epstein's 2007 non-prosecution deal with a U.S. attorney in Florida should have prevented her prosecution. The article added that attorney Diana Fabi Samson's argument was repeatedly challenged by one judge on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals before the three-judge panel reserved decision. Lawyers for Maxwell are challenging her December 2021 conviction on multiple grounds, but the only topic at oral arguments was whether the deal Epstein struck in Florida to prevent a federal case against him there also protected Maxwell in New York. Samson said it did. A prosecutor said it didn't. Maxwell, 62, is serving her sentence at a low-security federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida, where yoga, Pilates, and movies are available. According to the article, Epstein's lawyers made a similar argument about the force of his non-prosecution deal in Florida after his July 2019, sex trafficking arrest in Manhattan. But the legal question became moot in his case after he took his own life a month later in a federal lockup as he awaited trial. ABC News (03/12, Katersky, Hill), BBC (03/12, Wendling), Business Insider (03/12, Shamsian), Independent (03/12, Bedigan), Fox News (03/12, Ruiz), Washington Examiner (03/12, Deese), Reuters (03/12, Stempel), New York Post (03/12, Kochman), and the Daily Beast (03/12, Briquelet) also reported on the story. Republicans Subpoenaed 15 Years of Hunter Biden Phone Records, Democrats Reveal The Hill (03/12, Beitsch) reported that House Republicans have subpoenaed AT&T for 15 years of Hunter Biden's phone records, Democrats revealed on Tuesday, the latest sign that GOP lawmakers are plowing ahead with their impeachment inquiry into President Biden despite his son testifying that his father was not involved in his business ventures. The article added that the subpoena — issued last week but first disclosed in a Democratic memo — asks AT&T to provide information "regarding the account information, communication records, and payment history of all AT&T accounts affiliated with Robert Hunter Biden," as part of the GOP impeachment inquiry into the president. The article mentioned that House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) said the records are "probative" of whether Joe Biden communicated with Hunter Biden's business associates if Hunter Biden was communicating with his father during important parts of his business dealings, and if the president's son was speaking with other Executive Branch officials. The article noted that the move by Comer comes after the FBI arrested a former informant on charges related to lying to the agency about the president accepting a bribe — undercutting a key element of the GOP's probe. But the memo from House Democrats criticizes Republicans for failing to disclose the recent subpoena as it has with other demands of the president's family. The Huffington Post (03/12, Delaney), and the Daily Mail (03/12, Phillips) also reported on the story. Ex-Mar-a-Lago Employee Says He Unwittingly Helped Load Trump Classified Papers Onto Plane The Independent (03/12, Baio) reported that Brian Butler, a former Mar-a-Lago employee who has publicly identified himself as a witness in the classified documents case against Donald Trump, recounted how he unknowingly helped load boxes of those documents onto the former president's plane on CNN's The Source with Kaitlin Collins. The article added that Butler, a valet and manager at Mar-a-Lago, said that in June 2022 he and Walt Nauta, another former employee who is also a co-defendant in the case, loaded approximately 10 to 15 white banker's boxes from a car to Trump's plane. The article stated that Butler said he had "no clue" the boxes contained potential national security secrets at the time. He recalled that he often helped load the Trump family's luggage or the former president's things from cars to the plane. It wasn't until later that Butler realized those boxes, the same ones that appeared in the government's indictment, contained classified information. The article noted that Butler, who revealed himself to be "Trump Employee 5" in the government's case against the former president, said he is EFTA01655832 coming forward with his story and identity now to get ahead of speculation before the trial begins. MSNBC (03/12, Benen) also reported on the story. Analysis: There's New Reason to Think Trump Still Has Classified Documents An analysis piece by the Washington Post (03/12, Bump) stated that the central reason that Donald Trump was indicted for retaining documents marked as classified but President Biden was not is that Trump tried to retain the documents once the government sought their return. This is not a matter of opinion; it is, instead, the distinction drawn by special counsel Robert K. Hur when he declined to seek charges against Biden. Trump was known to have documents and tried to keep them. Hence the indictment. The author noted that on Monday afternoon, CNN published an interview with a former Mar-a-Lago employee that bolsters one of the lingering possibilities surrounding Trump's action; that he may still have documents at one of his other properties. The author mentioned that the FBI's 2022 search for documents was limited to Trump's Palm Beach estate. The FBI gathered scores of documents from a storage room near the pool and from Trump's personal office. New Mexico Launches Real-lime Data Portal for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People KRQE (CBS-13) (03/12, Segarra) reported that New Mexico's attorney general has launched a site for real-time data on missing Indigenous people. The idea is to help boost communication around the issue. The article added that the portal currently lists 201 missing Indigenous people in New Mexico. The average time missing is 2,886 days, the data reveals. Most of the current missing individuals are middle-aged, although the data shows 31 missing Indigenous individuals below the age of 20. On the portal, individuals can find info on filing new reports for missing individuals. The portal is just one part of the larger effort to reduce the number of missing and murdered Indigenous people. The federal government recently released info in its efforts to address the problem as well. The article quoted FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda, who said, "We fully support our partners at the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ) as they roll out this important initiative, although our state, and the Navajo Nation, has access to the most accurate data on missing persons in the country, their work will offer families transparency while providing additional state focused tools to ensure proper reporting for their loved ones. Along with support from our partners, this more robust MMIP effort undertaken by the NMDO1 makes all of New Mexico a safer place." Warden Ousted From Federal Women's Prison Plagued by Sex Abuse The New York Times (03/12, Arango) reported that the warden of a federal women's prison in Northern California that has long been plagued by rampant sexual abuse was ousted from his job after a raid on the facility by FBI agents. The article added that the federal government said in a court filing on Monday that it had removed the acting warden, Arthur Dulgov, as well as the associate warden and two other top leaders at the Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin. The Federal Bureau of Prisons said it had installed new leaders to overhaul the facility in Dublin, Calif., about 40 miles east of San Francisco. The article noted that the scandal has resulted in an avalanche of litigation and allegations that sexual abuse has continued despite past leadership shake-ups. A spokesman for the Bureau of Prisons, in a statement, said the firings and the appointments of new leaders were meant to "create a positive change in culture" at the minimum-security prison. Nancy T. McKinney, a longtime Bureau of Prisons official, was installed as the interim warden. According to the article, the changes came hours after FBI agents raided the prison, carried away documents and computers, and sought to interview prison employees. Forbes (03/12, Pavlo) also reported on the story. Officials Warn of 'Alarming Increase' in Sex Attacks on Female Plane Passengers The Independent (03/12, Gooding) reported that two offenders have pleaded guilty to separate incidents of sexual assault on planes flying into Seattle, as prosecutors warn that reports of incidents keep on coming. On Friday, Jack Roberson, 69, entered his guilty plea over an incident on a flight from Vancouver in July 2023. The article noted that the FBI investigated 27 sexual misconduct cases aboard aircraft in 2018. By 2022 that number had more than tripled to 90 cases. By August 2023 62 cases were under investigation. That trend appears to have continued, with the attorney announcing another indictment in the past week. The article mentioned that in August 2023, FBI Special Agent Richard A Collodi said the bureau was committed to investigating such crimes. The article quoted Collodi, who said, "It is imperative for people to understand those who commit these types of crimes aboard aircraft will be held accountable, I'm concerned at the increase of these incidents and assure the traveling public the FBI and our partners will continue to investigate and prosecute any offender who victimizes someone on a plane." In 2022, the FBI explained that sexual assaults on aircrafts were often different to other scenarios, as the victims tend to not know the perpetrator. EFTA01655833 FBI Warns Families of Sextortion, a Growing Threat Targeting Teen Boys in Philadelphia CBS News (03/12, Crawford) reported that sextortion is on the rise in the Philadelphia area, and the FBI wants minors and families to be aware of the crime. Sextortion is when someone online poses as a young person, convinces a real teenager to send them explicit photos and then once they have the photos, the scammer blackmails the young person for money. The threats become so intense, that the FBI says sextortion has led to at least 20 suicides nationwide. The article added that according to the FBI, the connection between criminals and teens can start anywhere young people communicate online, including a messaging platform, app, or video game. Step one for the scammer is getting a sexually explicit picture from a teenager. The article quoted Alexis Krieger, a victims specialist with FBI Philadelphia, who said, "That reciprocity. I'll show you if you show me. Sometimes they have photos from other victims that they then use to entice that child, almost a catfishing kind of scam," The article stated that the crime has become more common in the last few years. According to FBI statistics, there were 14 reports of sextortion in 2021 in the Philadelphia region. In 2022, that number jumped to 110, and in 2023, there were 130 reports. The article quoted Donald Asper, a Supervisory Special Agent with FBI Philadelphia, who said, "It's not just a single actor, you're looking at organizations, you're looking at people that this is their sole source of income, often they're overseas, so this makes it harder to track down." Border Shooting in California: Marksman Killed Man Assaulting Migrants The Los Angeles Times (03/12, Toohey) reported that a man fatally shot by a border patrol marksman earlier this month near the California-Mexico border was gunned down because he was threatening migrants with a firearm, federal officials said. The U.S Customs and Border Protection recently released new details about the March 3 shooting, which killed a 32-year-old Mexican citizen not far from the Otay Mesa Port of Entry border checkpoint. The article added that according to the federal agency, a border patrol tactical unit was set up that day near a paved road that runs through the Otay Mountains, a few miles east of the Otay Mesa border crossing, after reports of armed robberies and assaults targeting migrants trying to cross into the U.S. The border agents, who were in a concealed position, saw the man threaten a group of migrants by loading a firearm and pointing it at them, according to the border patrol statement. At that point, a border patrol precision marksman fired one shot at the armed man, fatally striking him. The article stated that U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not release video from the shooting but said it was "committed to expeditiously releasing the body-worn camera footage of this incident as soon as is appropriate to do so and without impacting the ongoing law enforcement investigations." The San Diego County Sheriff's Department, the FBI, and the Border Patrol's Office of Professional Responsibility are continuing to investigate, officials said. Maine Man Charged by FBI Over Online Threats to Kill President Biden, Immigrants The Portland Press Herald (03/12, Calder) reported that a Maine man who allegedly threatened in online posts to kill President Biden, other politicians, and immigrants has been arrested by the FBI. The article added that Benjamin Brown, 45, used YouTube comments over the past several years to make threats toward elected officials and immigrants and claimed he was stockpiling weapons in preparation for a violent civil war in the U.S., according to a criminal complaint and probable cause affidavit filed in court by Jonathan Duquette, an FBI task force officer. The article mentioned that Kristen Setera, spokeswoman for the FBI Boston Division that covers Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, said Tuesday in an email that Benjamin Brown was taken into custody without incident Monday. Bryan Kohberger Attorney's Appeal of Grand Jury Indictment Denied by Idaho Supreme Court Fox News (03/12, Wehner, Ruiz) reported that a pretrial appeal filed with the Idaho Supreme Court by Bryan Kohberger's public defenders was denied Tuesday, though the reasoning behind the denial was not provided. Kohberger's attorneys claimed prosecutors indicted their client improperly on four counts of first-degree murder and a single count of burglary, to the grand jury. The article added that while the grand jury was working toward an indictment, prosecutors said they must reach an indictment if the case reaches the higher legal standard of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, instead of the standard of probable cause. The one-page ruling by the Idaho Supreme Court did not provide any reasoning for their denial of Kohberger's attorney's filed appeal, and the matter was closed. The article noted that the suspect was attempting to delay proceedings by appealing one of the judge's individual decisions to a higher court, which was denied. Specifically, Kohberger wanted the Supreme Court to overturn the judge's decision not to toss the indictment. The article mentioned that it took police more than six weeks to capture a suspect. They arrested Kohberger at his parent's house in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains EFTA01655834 after a lengthy investigation that included help from the FBI and police across multiple states. A judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger's behalf at his arraignment in May. He could face the death penalty if convicted. FBI Technology Being Used to Help Solve Suburban Chicago Teen's Murder CBS News (03/12, Gray) reported that new FBI technology could help solve the murder of a suburban teenager. The 14-year-old's mother is still seeking justice six months after her son's death. The article added that Marshawn Mitchell was shot and killed leaving a football game at Hillcrest High School last year. The FBI hopes someone who recorded the incident last year will upload the video to their website. Marshawn Mitchell's mother said it's been six months since her son was murdered, and she's hoping that this technology will bring clarity as to who killed her son. Mitchell was shot right in front of his school, Hillcrest High School, in September of last year. The article noted that someone shot and killed the 14-year-old after the school's homecoming football game. Country Club Hills Police Department started the investigation, but the FBI said the police department asked for their help late last year. The FBI said the police department reached out to them because they have resources that could identify the killer or suspects. 'Mastermind' of International Marriage Fraud Ring Gets 22 Months Behind Bars The Daily Beast (03/12, Rohrlich) reported that the "mastermind" of an international marriage fraud ring that prosecutors say arranged at least 600 sham weddings has been sentenced to 22 months in federal prison, the DOJ announced Tuesday. The article added that Marcialito Biol Benitez, a Philippine citizen who goes by "Mars," ran the illicit business under the guise of a temp agency in offices near the Koreatown section of Los Angeles, according to court filings. Foreign nationals needing U.S. green cards to live and work in the country paid Benitez between $20,000 and $35,000 in cash to marry an American, which was handled by a crew of recruiters and facilitators, prosecutors say. The article noted that Benitez operated the scam from October 2016 through March 2022, according to prosecutors. Shortly before the feds arrested Benitez in April 2022, an undercover FBI agent was able to get inside his offices by posing as a food delivery person, the detention memo states. The agent was able to surreptitiously snap a photo of Benitez meeting with a client and their prospective spouse, it says. Back to Top CYBER DIVISION Feds Seize $1.4 Million of Tech Support Scam Proceeds With the Help of Crypto Firm The Record (03/12, Reddick) reported that the cryptocurrency company Tether seized $1.4 million on behalf of U.S. law enforcement investigating a tech support scam targeting elderly citizens, the company announced Tuesday — as it attempts to burnish its reputation amid accusations that its USDT coin is the currency of choice for online fraudsters. The article noted that much of the funds were then transferred to USDT, a stablecoin that is pegged to the U.S. Dollar, and then transferred elsewhere by the cyber criminals. According to the affidavit, the FBI identified wallets holding funds stolen from five victims, which Tether froze at their request. The article mentioned that Tether and law enforcement have partnered in the past to seize illicit funds. In November, the DOJ announced the seizure of $9 million in USDT stolen from more than 70 victims in so-called pig-butchering scams. The same week, Tether announced that it had "voluntarily" frozen USDT worth $225 million "linked to an international human trafficking syndicate in Southeast Asia responsible for a global 'pig butchering' romance scam." Healthcare Hit Hardest by Ransomware Last Year, FBI IC3 Report Shows Health IT Security (03/12, McKeon) reported that the healthcare sector suffered more ransomware attacks than any other critical infrastructure sector last year, according to complaint data examined in the FBI's 2023 Internet Crime Report. The article added the top ransomware variants observed in 2023 attacks were LockBit and ALPHV/BlackCat, two groups that are known for targeting healthcare. LockBit accounted for 175 of the critical infrastructure ransomware attacks reported to IC3, and ALPHV/BlackCat was associated with 100 attacks. The article quoted the FBI, which said, "As the cyber threat continues to evolve, the FBI remains appreciative of those who report cyber incidents to IC3. Information reported to the FBI helps advance our investigations. Your reporting is critical for our efforts to pursue adversaries, share intelligence with our partners, and protect your fellow citizens,". Scammers Raked in $1.3B From Impersonation Scams in 2023, FBI Says EFTA01655835 Axios (03/12, Sabin) reported that Americans lost roughly $1.3 billion in 2023 to scammers pretending to be from the government or tech support, according to new FBI data. The article added that scammers pretend to be government officials, tech support agents, or customer service representatives to trick people into sending money or other sensitive information their way. These impersonators typically call with fake stories that would motivate someone to share their private identifiable details with them. The article noted that U.S. adults' losses from tech support and government impersonation scams have grown more than sevenfold since 2019, according to the FBI's annual internet crime report, released last week. What Happens When Cyberattacks Do Physical Harm? CBS News (03/12, Video) posted a video that stated that for months, Director Wray has warned about the risk of cyberattacks leading to physical disruptions, such as forcing a power plant to overheat and potentially explode. The video featured Dr. Charles Clancy, chief technology officer at the national security-focused not-for-profit MITRE, who assessed the threat of these real-world scenarios. Back to Top INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS FBI Seeks Location of New Jersey Man Who Went Missing in Italy in 2019 News 12 (03/12, Trapani) reported that the FBI is asking the public for help locating a New Jersey man who has been missing overseas since 2019. Liam Biran had been living with his family in Marlboro before he went missing in Europe. The article added that the FBI says Biran left the United States on April 8, 2019, to visit family in Israel. He was then traveling to Italy and France. He was supposed to return to the United States on May 16, 2019, but was not present on his flight back home. According to the article, the FBI says Biran's last known location was on May 9, 2019, when a credit card he was known to use was accessed to purchase a train ticket from Turin, Italy, to the Aosta Valley, Italy. They say his belongings were found in a remote location in the Aosta Valley. He has not been he