U.S. Attorney Breon S. Peace
Recent News About U.S. Attorney Breon S. Peace
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Former Abercrombie CEO charged with sex trafficking alongside two others
A 16-count indictment was revealed in federal court in Central Islip, charging Michael Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., along with Matthew Smith and James Jacobson, with sex trafficking and interstate prostitution. The indictment alleges that from December 2008 to March 2015, the three men used force, fraud, and coercion to traffic men while operating a prostitution enterprise. All three were arrested today.
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Mohammad Bazzi pleads guilty to sanctions evasion
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct and cause United States persons to conduct unlawful transactions with a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. Bazzi also agreed to forfeit nearly $830,000 involved in the illegal transaction and will be removed from the United States upon completion of his sentence. When sentenced, Bazzi faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
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New whistleblower pilot program announced by U.S. Attorney's Office for Eastern District of New York
United States Attorney Breon Peace announced today the implementation of a new Whistleblower Non-Prosecution Pilot Program by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. The program, effective immediately, aims to encourage individuals to disclose original and actionable information about previously unknown criminal conduct by public or private entities. It offers transparency on conditions under which voluntary self-disclosure of criminal conduct, coupled with full cooperation in investigations, may make an individual eligible for a non-prosecution...
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Senior fund executives charged with $60M pre-IPO fraud scheme
Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, a five-count indictment was unsealed charging John Cangialosi, Peter Girgis, Gene Sarabella (also known as “Jerry”), Enrico Carini (also known as “Ed”), and Caner Otar (also known as “John”) with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. These charges are in connection with their scheme to defraud investors in Max Infinity Management LLC, Elder Fund Management LLC, and related funds collectively referred to as "Max...
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Pakistani national indicted on terrorism charge linked to foiled plot targeting US officials
An indictment was filed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Asif Merchant, also known as "Asif Raza Merchant," with attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries and murder-for-hire. The charges are part of a scheme to assassinate a U.S. politician or government official on American soil. Law enforcement foiled the plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant, who was previously arrested and charged by complaint in July 2024, remains in federal custody. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.
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Registered sex offender sentenced for attempting exploitation and distribution offenses
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Davis Burgos-Collazo was sentenced by United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen to 45 years in prison for five counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, two counts of distributing child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography with intent to view it, and one count of committing a felony sexual offense involving minors while being a registered sex offender. As part of the sentence, the Court ordered Burgos-Collazo to pay restitution of $33,000. Burgos-Collazo was convicted by a federal jury in July 2022...
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Former NY state official charged with acting as agent for China
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Linda Sun with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy. Sun is alleged to have acted on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Sun’s husband and co-defendant Chris Hu was also charged with money laundering conspiracy, as well as conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of means of identification.
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Dark web vendor pleads guilty to distributing fentanyl through mail
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Ryan Scott Cochran, also known as “namedeclined,” pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine through the United States mail. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. As part of his guilty plea, Cochran agreed to forfeit more than $200,000 in cash, cryptocurrency, and money in bank accounts already seized by law enforcement and agreed to forfeit an additional $900,000 at a later date. When sentenced, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years’ imprisonment.
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Brooklyn man sentenced for role in multi-million dollar moving company fraud scheme
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Andre Prince was sentenced by United States Circuit Judge Denny Chin to 24 months in prison for his participation in a fraudulent moving company scheme. Prince was convicted in December 2023 of conspiracy to commit wire fraud following a one-week trial. As part of the sentence, Prince was ordered to pay forfeiture amounting to $100,000.
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Former correction officer pleads guilty to smuggling contraband into Brooklyn detention center
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Fabienne Osias, a former federal correction officer employed by the United States Bureau of Prisons (BOP), pleaded guilty to smuggling cell phone chargers into the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Marcia M. Henry. When sentenced, Osias faces up to one year in prison. Osias resigned from the BOP on August 23, 2024.
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Two NYC police detectives among four charged in PPP fraud scheme
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging John Bolden and Anthony Carreira, detectives employed by the New York City Police Department (NYPD), along with Jacqueline Johnson and Christian McKenzie, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The defendants were charged with engaging in a scheme to submit fraudulent applications for loans under the United States Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which Congress created as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Bolden, Johnson,...
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Montenegrin citizen extradited from Italy on maritime narcotrafficking charges
Milos Radonjic, a Montenegrin citizen known as the “Pirate of the Unknown,” was extradited from Italy to the Eastern District of New York to face maritime narcotrafficking charges. Radonjic, charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy and attempt to violate the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, was arrested in Italy on October 6, 2023, following a provisional arrest warrant. He had entered Italy to participate in an international yacht race as a captain. Radonjic will be arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn on Monday, July 29, 2024, before United States Magistrate...
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Defendants plead guilty in scheme involving stolen identities from homeless individuals
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Olabanji Otufale and Marc Lazarre pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto. The defendants pleaded guilty as jury selection and trial were set to begin this morning. When sentenced, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 32 years’ imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment.
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U.S Attorney announces new leadership for criminal division
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today the appointment of Alixandra E. Smith as Chief of the Criminal Division and John J. Durham as Chief of the Long Island Division and Chief of the Criminal Section of the Long Island Division. Additionally, in September 2023, Richard K. Hayes was named Chief of the Civil Division.
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Five juvenile center employees charged with bribery-related contraband smuggling
Five criminal complaints were unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn, charging current New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) employees Da’Vante Bolton, Roger Francis, Christopher Craig, and Nigel King, along with former ACS employee Octavia Napier, with conspiracy to commit Travel Act bribery. All five defendants were Youth Development Specialists at the Crossroads Juvenile Center in Brownsville, Brooklyn. They were arrested this morning and are scheduled for initial appearances this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo.
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Former Popular Bank executive convicted on multiple fraud charges linked with COVID-19 relief schemes
Anuli Okeke, the former vice president and manager of a New York branch of Popular Bank, was convicted yesterday afternoon by a federal jury in Brooklyn on all four counts of an indictment charging her with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. The charges arose from a scheme led by Okeke to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The verdict followed a one-week trial before...
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Staten Island men sentenced for drug trafficking causing death
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Keith Wyche was sentenced by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry to 40 years in prison for the distribution of heroin and fentanyl causing the death of a Staten Island man, distribution of heroin causing the overdose of a Staten Island woman, conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Wyche and co-defendant Oneil Allen were convicted by a federal jury in February 2023 following a three-week trial. Allen was previously sentenced to 30 years in prison.