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September 8, 2023 ¡ª A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Lawrence E. Smith of Perry Hall, Maryland, for federal wire fraud related to allegations that he fraudulently obtained more than $215,000 in overtime pay and for attempting to avoid paying federal income taxes and filing a false tax return. The indictment was returned on September 7, 2023, and unsealed today upon Smith's arrest.

September 22, 2023 ¡ª A federal jury sitting in Atlanta convicted Jack Fisher and James Sinnott of conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns and subscribing to false tax returns. Fisher was also convicted of money laundering.

Jan. 28, 2025 ¡ª The United States Attorney¡¯s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Charles Lacona, Jr. formerly of Colorado Springs, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $549,274.14 in restitution after being found guilty by a federal jury on two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering related to fraudulent COVID-19 related funds he received through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Feb. 11, 2025 ¡ª Milton C. Grimes, a long-time Los Angeles lawyer, was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison for evading the payment of more than $7.2 million in federal and state taxes over a period of more than two decades.

Feb. 14, 2025 ¡ª A Las Vegas business owner made his initial appearance in court yesterday for allegedly misrepresenting that his company was a profitable, up-and-running artificial intelligence company that mined cryptocurrency, verified cryptocurrency transactions, paid fixed rates of return on investments, and provided a 100% money back guarantee. In total, the defendant obtained approximately $24 million from at least 400 investors.

Feb. 26, 2025 ¡ª A Harlingen resident and former claims specialist with the Social Security Administration (SSA) has been ordered to federal prison for theft of government property and for failure to appear for sentencing, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

March 6, 2025 ¡ª A Hampton Roads duo pled guilty to their roles in a refund scheme involving pandemic relief tax credits.

March 13, 2025 ¡ª A federal grand jury has indicted Jose Vicente Badillo on one count of conspiracy to commit arson in connection with an alleged scheme to burn tow trucks throughout the San Francisco Bay Area in 2023. Badillo made his initial appearance in federal district court this morning.

March 20, 2025 ¡ª An India-based chemical manufacturing company and three high-level employees were charged in federal court in Washington, D.C., today related to illegally importing precursor chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl.

April 1, 2025 ¡ª Today, Adanegbe Gift Osenmwenkhae (Gift) of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pled guilty to serving as manager and supervisor of a large, multi-member, money laundering conspiracy.