Month: February 2021

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

“He was essentially throwing this family’s money away, and they gave him more and more over time,” Sampson said.

Van Auken created a lengthy paper trail to back up his lies. He told the family their investments were profitable.

But warning signs did start to show. The Montana woman noticed a change in Van Auken’s behavior, and he admitted lying to her about some of the investments.

The victim did not know where to turn until a friend encouraged her to contact the FBI.

“The victim in this case was very brave,” Sampson said. “She made a mistake in getting Van Auken involved in her family’s lives, but she contacted us and saw the case through to the end.”

Investigators began digging into the financials and learned that where the actual money went was not consistent with what the documents said.

The family collectively lost more than $700,000. Much of that was the woman’s parents’ retirement accounts, and some of the funds belonged to the original victim herself and her young adult children.

The impact was devastating. While the younger victims will have time to recover financially, the woman’s parents are now deceased, and they lost their entire retirement savings. They’d hoped to pass those funds on to their children and grandchildren.

Additionally, Van Auken claimed to be paying taxes on the family’s funds, but he never did. So the surviving relatives are also dealing with tax debt, Sampson said.

Van Auken pleaded guilty in January 2020 to wire fraud, money laundering, and filing a false tax return. In May 2020, he was sentenced to 28 months in prison.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

Trending social media topics seem fun, but they may be putting your personal identifiable information in jeopardy.

Once you have received your COVID-19 vaccine, the FBI is asking that you don’t post a photo of your CDC vaccination card on social media.

These cards can contain your name, date of birth, patient number, insurance information, and location where you received your vaccine. Bad actors can use these images to steal your identify and commit fraud.

You can run the risk of the posted image being widely shared if the privacy settings on your preferred social platforms are not strict.

If you have already posted a photo of a vaccine card, here are some options: Remove it and update your profile picture with a banner or a sticker advising that you took your vaccine. The main goal is to not jeopardize your identity.

Scammers are also using the vaccination cards placed onto social media to forge vaccination cards and selling them for profit.

If you feel that you have been a victim of identify theft, contact your financial institutions immediately and monitor your credit reports.

As always, if you have been victimized you can report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

PORT CHESTER, NY—The FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and Port Chester Police Department are asking for help in identifying possible victims in a sextortion investigation involving a man from Port Chester, New York. Investigators arrested Jose Zafra on January 9, 2021, and charged him with production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), or what is commonly known as child pornography.

Based on the criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of New York, investigators allege Zafra asked for and received sexually explicit photos and videos from a 9-year-old girl in the Panama City, Florida, area. They also allege Zafra extorted his victims by using flattery, lies and other methods to get them to produce CSAM. Other victims have been identified across the United States to include Columbus, Georgia, and Austin, Texas. Agents believe there may be many other possible victims.

Zafra used the social media application Snapchat to communicate with most of his victims. His usernames include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Definitely jose
• Bigdickdaddy
• Jose.zafra
• Openshit

If anyone has information about Jose Zafra, or believe they may have been a victim or know a victim, they are asked to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), or submit a tip online at https://www.fbi.gov/tips.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

(TAMPA)—An Orlando man is charged in a federal criminal complaint for violating national defense airspace after FBI agents detected his drone flying in a restricted area. Henry Alejandro Jimenez, (33), faces a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison.

On February 3, 2021, FBI agents saw an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly referred to as a “drone,” flying near the Barrymore Hotel Tampa Riverwalk—an area within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR).

Jimenez, who is an FAA-licensed remote pilot UAS operator, stated that he was aware that a TFR was in place for the Super Bowl.

Since the Super Bowl TFR went into effect on January 29th, (27) drone operators were contacted, the majority of whom were given verbal warnings.

“Our goal is your safety this week and part of that effort is enforcing the NO DRONE ZONE,” said Michael McPherson, special agent in charge of FBI Tampa. “This is a perfect example of the serious consequences drone operators face when they choose to ignore the temporary flight restrictions.”

The FBI was given countering unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) authority in 2018 with the passage of the Preventing Emerging Threats Act. We are prepared to utilize that authority if such a decision is made to maintain the security of an event.

The FBI continues to work closely with our state and local law enforcement partners to assess any potential threats to public safety. As always, the FBI asks the public to maintain awareness of your surroundings and to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.

For more information about the FAA restrictions visit: https://www.faa.gov/superbowl/ Drone pilots should check the FAA’s app to determine when and where they may fly. Where Can I Fly App

The public should be reminded the above allegations are merely allegations and that all persons are to be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

Colleagues, family, and friends gathered this weekend to honor the lives of FBI Special Agents Laura Schwartzenberger and Daniel Alfin, who were killed in the line of duty February 2, 2021, in Sunrise, Florida, while serving a federal search warrant in a crimes against children investigation.

Memorial services were held Saturday and Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Law enforcement officers escorted the caskets to the stadium, where both agents were eulogized by FBI Director Christopher Wray. The services included an honor guard salute, a riderless horse, a pipe and drum corps, and a helicopter flyover. Director Wray also presented the American flags that had draped the caskets to the agents’ families.

“On Tuesday, we lost not one of our own, but two,” Wray said at the services. “Two warriors who took on one of the hardest jobs in the FBI, crimes against children. Two best friends who shared the same passion, the same determination, and—in spite of all they had witnessed in their extraordinary careers—the same sense of optimism and hope that comes from work that matters.”

We will always honor and remember our fallen FBI Family members. And in the words of Director Wray, “We take inspiration from their example and the sacrifices they heroically made for all of us.”