Unlikely Trio Linked to Hack of AT&T Data, Attempt to Sell It
Connor Moucka, a Canadian, dropped out of high school and lived with his grandfather. John Binns, an American living in Turkey, feared the FBI and CIA were tracking him. Cameron Wagenius, a US soldier, allegedly Googled how to defect to Russia.
That unlikely trio now faces charges related to an extensive hacking spree that resulted in millions of dollars in ransom payments, a massive cache of stolen mobile phone records, and a warning from FBI leaders that the theft could expose communications between agents and secret sources.
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Los Angeles Times
41 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Immigration raids are threatening businesses that supply America's food, farm bureaus say
VENTURA, Calif. — Large-scale immigration raids at packinghouses and fields in California are threatening businesses that supply much of the country's food, farm bureaus say. Dozens of farmworkers have been arrested recently after uniformed federal agents fanned out on farms northwest of Los Angeles in Ventura County, which is known for growing strawberries, lemons and avocados. Others are skipping work as fear in immigrant communities has deepened as President Donald Trump steps up his immigration crackdown, vowing to dramatically increase arrests and sending federal agents to detain people at Home Depot parking lots and workplaces including car washes and a garment factory. It also comes as Trump sent National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles following protests over his immigration enforcement operations. Demonstrations have since spread to other U.S. cities. Maureen McGuire, chief executive of Ventura County's farm bureau, said between 25% and 45% of farmworkers have stopped showing up for work since the large-scale raids began this month. 'When our workforce is afraid, fields go unharvested, packinghouses fall behind, and market supply chains, from local grocery stores to national retailers, are affected,' she said in a statement on Thursday. 'This impacts every American who eats.' California's farms produce more than a third of the country's vegetables and more than three-quarters of its fruits and nuts. While the state's government is dominated by Democrats, there are large Republican areas that run through farm country, and many growers throughout the state have been counting on Trump to help with key agricultural issues ranging from water to trade. Primitiva Hernandez, executive director of 805 UndocuFund, estimates at least 43 people were detained in farm fields in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties since Monday. The number is from both the Mexican consulate and the group's own estimates from talking with family members of people detained, she said. Elizabeth Strater, the United Farm Workers' director of strategic campaigns, said her group received reports of immigration arrests on farms as far north as California's Central Valley. Lucas Zucker, co-executive director of the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy, said farmworker members reported that agents went to at least nine farms but were turned away by supervisors because they lacked a warrant. 'This is just a mass assault on a working-class immigrant community and essentially profiling,' Zucker said. 'They are not going after specific people who are really targeted. They're just fishing.' In response to questions about the farm arrests, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that the agency will follow the president's direction and continue to seek to remove immigrants who have committed crimes. On Thursday, Trump acknowledged growers' concerns that his stepped-up immigration enforcement could leave them without workers they rely on to grow the country's food. He said something would be done to address the situation, but he did not provide specifics. 'Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace,' he said on his social media account, adding: 'We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!' The California Farm Bureau said it has not received reports of a widespread disruption to its workforce, but there are concerns among community members. Bryan Little, the bureau's senior director of policy advocacy, said the group has long pressed for immigration reform to deal with long-running labor shortages. 'We recognize that some workers may feel uncertain right now, and we want to be very clear: California agriculture depends on and values its workforce,' Little said in a statement. 'If federal immigration enforcement activities continue in this direction, it will become increasingly difficult to produce food, process it and get it onto grocery store shelves.' One worker, who asked not to be named out of fear, said he was picking strawberries at a Ventura County farm early Tuesday when more than a dozen cars pulled up to the farm next door. He said they arrested at least three people and put them in vans, while women who worked on the farm burst out crying. He said the supervisors on his farm did not allow the agents inside. 'The first thing that came to my mind is, who will stay with my kids?' the worker, who is originally from Mexico and has lived in the United States for two decades, said in Spanish. 'It's something so sad and unfortunate because we are not criminals.' He said he didn't go to work Wednesday out of fear, and his bosses told him to stay home at least one more day until things settle down. But that means fruit isn't getting picked, and he isn't getting paid. 'These are lost days, days that we're missing work. But what else can we do?' he said. Taxin and Pineda write for the Associated Press.
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Boomers are getting scammed for billions online — here's how to break the cycle
Last year, Americans over the age of 60 lost nearly $5 billion to online scams. This is an all-time high and a 43 percent jump from 2023, according to the FBI. Those over 60 suffer the largest financial losses of any age group, and the number of complaints is growing. This is not a temporary issue, but a persistent national crisis. The scale is vast, with more than 147,000 victims in 2024 alone, averaging $83,000 in losses per victim. Yet elder fraud rarely receives the national coverage it deserves. While headlines follow ransomware attacks on corporations, the daily, grinding exploitation of our parents and grandparents unfolds largely in silence. In the workplace, we reinforce cybersecurity through mandatory training, simulated phishing tests and modern technical controls. Cognitive defense, the ability to spot and resist manipulation, is cultivated in corporate environments. But what happens after retirement? That cognitive defense fades. At home, there are no IT teams, no robust security processes, no strong authentication, no role separation, no 24/7 monitoring tools. And malicious actors know this. Scam methods are rapidly evolving, especially as AI and deepfake technology become tools for fraudsters. Investment scams cost older Americans $1.8 billion in 2024, often fueled by crypto frauds initiated on social media or dating sites. Tech support scams resulted in almost $1 billion in losses, with new 'Phantom Hacker' schemes where criminals impersonate support staff, government officials and bankers in a single, multi-stage operation. Government impersonation scams extracted over $200 million, often convincing victims to move cash, buy gold, or use crypto kiosks, sometimes with AI-powered voice calls and couriers sent to their homes. The most vulnerable among us — the very people who built the country — are now the most targeted. And as a nation, we aren't talking about it enough. At home, seniors don't have access to security experts, but they have you. What actually works? Not more gadgets or apps, but human connection. You can help by staying in touch. Regularly check in with the older adults in your life. Listen to their stories and concerns. If something about their financial activity or technology use feels 'off', gently ask questions. Spend time — and even just 15 minutes can help. The awareness campaigns we run in workplaces also work at home. Sit down and talk with your parents or older neighbors about the latest scams. Most elder scams today involve government impersonation, tech support fraud and investment fraud. Point out the red flags and remind your older loved ones never to rush a financial decision based on a call, text or email. Trusted resources such as the Federal Trade Commission and the FBI provide free and useful resources. Take time to visit these websites and discuss the content with them. America's silent cyber crisis will not resolve itself. We cannot leave the protection of our seniors to chance or to technology alone. It is up to all of us (families, communities, lawmakers and industry) to care, connect and empower our older adults with the knowledge and support they need to stay safe. Solving this crisis primarily requires more than just new laws or better software. It demands human attention, compassion and community action. The solution starts with a simple question: When will you spend 15 minutes this month talking with a senior about online scams? Our parents and grandparents built the America we defend digitally every day. Now it's time to defend them. Yuksel Aydin is country chief information security officer and data protection officer at RSM.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
FBI warns Americans of elderly abuse ahead of Elder Abuse Awareness Day
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – The state of Virginia ranked 11th in overall losses for elderly Americans that are victims in fraud, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning people against those who seek to take advantage of the vulnerable and growing population. This warning comes ahead of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, which is on June 15. In 2024 there was a total of $4.885 billion in losses from 147,127 complaints, a 46 percent increase in complaints and 43 percent of revenue losses. 'Elder abuse isn't just a betrayal of trust—it's a serious crime that shatters the safety and dignity of those who helped build our communities,' said Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Norfolk. The FBI says the elderly are frequently targeted by criminals, as they are perceived to be more trusting. Here are some tips to help protect your information: Search online for the contact information of any unknown source which reaches out to you, as well as the proposed offer. Verify the legitimacy of businesses on websites such as Better Business Bureau. Resist the pressure to act quickly. Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers. Never give or send to unverified people or businesses any personally-identifiable information, money, checks, gift cards, or wire information. Take precautionary measures to protect your identity should a criminal gain access to your device or account. Immediately contact your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts and monitor for suspicious activity. If you believe you or someone you know is a victim of fraud, report the incident to your local FBI field office or other law enforcement agency by calling 1-800-CALL FBI, online at or to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
