Chinese National in California Pleads Guilty to Exporting Military Items to North Korea
A Chinese national who had been illegally residing in California pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of exporting ammunition and other military items to North Korea, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Wen Shenghua, 42, was arrested in December 2024 and has since been in federal custody. He was accused of purchasing firearms and other items at the direction of North Korean officials, the DOJ said in a
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A scam that targeted elderly victims collected more than $11 million. An Arcadia woman pleaded guilty
A San Gabriel Valley woman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering on Tuesday for her involvement in a scheme that garnered more than $11 million from as many as 180 victims across the United States. Cynthia Song, 43, from Arcadia was arrested in October 2024 by federal authorities and has been in federal custody since, according to a release by the U.S. Department of Justice. For a little under two years, Song worked with a network of co-conspirators to target mainly elderly victims and scam them into sending money to multiple bank accounts in the Los Angeles area, according to authorities. The co-conspirators who contacted the victims worked overseas, impersonating government officials, law enforcement and customer support services. The posers tricked victims with fake threats, like demanding payments to avoid legal consequences and potential computer issues, according to the Department of Justice. The money was sent to bank accounts in the Los Angeles area, controlled by Song and other conspirators she had recruited. It was then immediately sent overseas — mainly to China, the release said. More than 180 victims sent funds to these bank accounts. The payments demanded from victims ranged from $1,000 to $400,000. Once the money was sent overseas, it could not be recovered even after the victim reported the fraud to authorities, according to prosecutors. Read more: Criminal ring with SoCal ties swindled $25 million in COVID relief, small business loans, feds say To take part in the money laundering ring, the release said that Song recruited around 15 people living in the Los Angeles area, mostly of Chinese descent and some who were in the country unlawfully. The recruits were tasked with creating business entities and opening bank accounts, as well as transferring victim payments. Song also trained the recruits to deceive banks from uncovering the fraudulent accounts, according to the release. Documentation from the victims taken by the scammers was used to provide faulty verification for the "large and suspicious wire transfers from victims," the release said. Song and others participating in the scheme took around 5% to 10% of the payments received, before the money was sent overseas, according to prosecutors. Song's next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 16, when she faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years and must pay restitution to her victims, according to the release. Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigations were investigating the case, the release said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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Immigrant shelter whistleblower asking DOJ to investigate 'disturbing pattern' at taxpayer-funded hotels
A former immigrant shelter director in Massachusetts is petitioning Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into the "disturbing pattern" of criminal activity, sexual assaults and financial abuse that he says is widespread in the state-run migrant shelter system. Jon Fetherston, a former director of an immigrant shelter in Marlborough, Massachusetts, first blew the whistle about the widespread abuse in the shelter system after he discovered a Haitian migrant named Ronald Joseph, who was living in his shelter, had repeatedly raped and impregnated his 13-year-old daughter. Fetherston previously told Fox News Digital that as soon as Joseph heard he was losing custody of his daughter, he "reached across the table and grabbed me and got angry with me and started cursing and yelling and screaming and swinging at me because he realized what was happening." However, instead of being arrested immediately, Fetherston was directed to order Joseph a Lyft ride to another shelter in Worcester County. Joseph was not arrested until eight months in February. Us Attorney Alina Habba Announces Rep. Mciver Hit With Federal Charges Over Newark Ice Clash Though this case was particularly egregious, Fetherston said that "there is a lot of undocumented violence that goes on" and that rape, domestic violence, sex trafficking, drug dealing and other crimes are so commonplace in the Massachusetts shelter system that many incidents simply fall through the cracks. Read On The Fox News App Fetherston said, "The entire experience has shaken me to my core." In a letter sent to Bondi on Monday, Fetherston said that this was "not an isolated incident" but despite his raising the alarm, "there has been a deliberate wall of silence. No reforms. No accountability. Just more spin, stonewalling, and bureaucratic excuses." "This is a crisis — one that requires federal action now," he said. Fetherston is now asking Bondi to launch a full investigation into criminal activity and sexual violence within Massachusetts-run migrant shelters, widespread fraud and misuse of federal and state funds, the deliberate refusal to coordinate with federal law enforcement agencies and the pattern of retaliation against those reporting abuse, danger or misconduct. Republican State Ags Seek 'Game Plan' From Fbi, Doj Amid 'Growing Wave Of Antisemitic Domestic Terrorism' The former shelter director turned whistleblower said that "these crimes and failures cannot be brushed aside any longer," because "innocent people — especially children — are being hurt, and the people responsible are being protected by silence and political calculation." Fetherston placed much of the blame for rampant mismanagement and abuse in the shelter system on Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey, who has been extremely critical of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Fetherston said that "the impact of the Healey administration's hotel shelter policy has been devastating for both residents inside the shelters and the local communities surrounding them." "I personally witnessed traumatic incidents — including assaults, fraud, and serious mental health crises — with minimal intervention from the state," he said. Blue State Governor Sounds Off About 'Disturbing' Ice Operations On Affluent Liberal Islands "Families were placed in overcrowded, poorly managed facilities with little to no oversight, where safety was constantly compromised," he explained. "Local communities were never consulted, resulting in growing resentment and fear. Neighborhoods saw increased police calls, strain on emergency services, and the burden of absorbing hundreds of people without additional resources." He said the Healey administration's "lack of transparency and refusal to collaborate with municipalities left both residents and local officials in the dark, with serious consequences." He also claimed he has faced retaliation for speaking out, including "having my safety threatened, being publicly discredited, and physically targeted." "If you challenge the narrative, you're silenced," he said. "That culture of suppression has created a dangerous environment where truth is buried and accountability is nonexistent." Handful Of House Democrats Join Republicans In Sanctuary City Crackdown Healey's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Healey has previously expressed outrage and called for a full audit of the state's shelters after it was discovered that a 28-year-old illegal immigrant, Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, was discovered using a shelter to store an AR-15 and nearly $1 million in illegal article source: Immigrant shelter whistleblower asking DOJ to investigate 'disturbing pattern' at taxpayer-funded hotels
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U.S. Attorney's Office indicts New Orleans man accused of enticing teen
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A New Orleans man accused of enticing a minor was indicted on June 5. Documents filed with the United States Attorney's Office report that between May 1 and May 13, 35-year-old Mark Brooks allegedly attempted to persuade, induce, entice and coerce a 15-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity. Person struck, killed by train: New Orleans police Additionally, between May 1 and May 4, Brooks allegedly attempted to transfer obscene matter to an individual under 16 years old via interstate commerce. If found guilty, Brooks could face either a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years or a maximum life sentence for coercion and enticement and up to 10 years for transmission of obscene to a minor. Slidell man pleads guilty in child sexual abuse material possession case He could also face a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and will be required to register as a sex will let customers shop without crowds (for a price) Where the 'No Kings' anti-Trump military parade protests are planned DOJ calls Newsom legal challenge to National Guard 'crass political stunt' Newsom hits back at DeSantis over offer to send Florida state guard to LA Driver arrested after crash injures 3 children at lemonade stand in North Carolina Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
