Month: April 2022

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Security News: Robert Lenard Booth Convicted Of Defrauding Investors Of Nearly $2 Million

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Jury Convicts Robert Lenard Booth for Conspiracies to Commit Securities Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering

Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ROBERT LENARD BOOTH, a/k/a “Trevor Nicholas,” was found guilty on all counts of a three-count Indictment that charged him with defrauding victim investors in countries around the world and laundering the proceeds of the fraud. The verdict followed a six-day jury trial in Manhattan Federal Court before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “Robert Lenard Booth stole his victims’ lifesavings and moved the money around the world to hide his elaborate fraud. He thought he could get away with it. Today the jury showed him he was wrong.”

According to the Indictment and the evidence at trial:

From at least June 2019 through August 2021, BOOTH ran, and conspired with others to run, a boiler room operation that impersonated Manhattan-based brokerage firms and sold investors nearly $2 million in securities that they never received. To deceive investors, BOOTH and his co-conspirators created fake identities and false and misleading webpages, email addresses, and phone numbers. On phone calls with investors, BOOTH and others pretended to be licensed brokers, lied, and used high-pressure tactics to pitch stocks for American companies. They followed up by sending the victims false paperwork to confirm the alleged stock purchases and trades.

The victims were directed to wire payments—sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars—to shell company accounts in New York, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The funds were laundered and distributed to BOOTH and his co-conspirators.

BOOTH was convicted of conspiracies to commit securities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. He faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense.

Formerly a resident of Brooklyn, New York, BOOTH, 68, relocated overseas and spent years operating his scheme from Thailand and Panama. In August 2021, BOOTH flew from Thailand into JFK International Airport and was arrested on arrival. Pending trial, BOOTH resided in Brooklyn, where he lived until his conviction today. Judge Rakoff revoked his bail and remanded him following the conviction.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew Jones, Jane Y. Chong, and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the prosecution.

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Security News: New York Man Pleads Guilty To Armed Bank Robbery

Source: United States Department of Justice News

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on April 27, 2022, Michael Muse, age 44, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to the charge of armed bank robbery.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Muse committed armed robbery of the ESSA Bank, located in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County, on September 16, 2021.  During the robbery Muse pointed what appeared to be a firearm (later discovered to be an air pistol) at the bank tellers. Muse stole approximately $9,031. 

Judge Mannion ordered that a presentence investigation take place.  Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

The charge against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Under federal law, Muse faces a maximum sentence of up to twenty-five years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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General Services Administration Issues a Request for Information Regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Practices in the Design and Construction Industry

Source: United States General Services Administration

April 28, 2022

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) issued Requests for Information (RFIs) regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Practices in the Design and Construction Industries.

These RFIs support the set of recently released public buildings goals outlined in GSA’s Equity Action Plan for Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.

Key Focuses of these RFIs:

  • Gather information on the ability of design and construction firms and small businesses to provide actions, processes, and practices that support DEIA impacts in project solicitations.
  • Focus on the goals of the above mentioned Executive Order and Equity Action Plan.
  • Learn more about the impacts of its DEIA initiatives on underserved or disadvantaged communities.

GSA has already engaged with industry trade associations and public sector agencies to learn more about what types of DEIA practices and opportunities exist. The agency is committed to learning from industry regarding barriers to adoption and implementation of DEIA actions, as well as understanding best practices for GSA-funded construction projects. GSA is also seeking opportunities to consistently use such information and specifications in the future to improve DEIA outcomes.

“Leveraging insights from our industry partners is an important part of the work the federal government is doing to move the needle on equity for communities across America,” said Andrea M. O’Neal, Senior Advisor to the Administrator for Equity. “There is much to learn: from identifying best practices for attracting and retaining underrepresented talent in the design and construction career pipelines, to delivering projects in close collaboration with local communities. I look forward to the input we’ll get from these RFIs.”

“The public and private sectors should be learning more from each other about what is catalyzing DEIA actions – and what’s actually working – to impact positive change in industries like design and construction,” said Charles G. Hardy, Acting Chief Architect.

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.

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Defense News: NEXCOM Provides Critical Assistance in Times of Crisis

Source: United States Navy

The worldwide NEXCOM Enterprise is comprised of a workforce totaling over 16,000 among seven separate business lines— the Navy Exchange (NEX), Navy Lodge Program, Navy Gateway Inns & Suites, Ships Store Program, Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility, Uniform Program Management Office and Telecommunications Program Office. Each of these businesses has unique capabilities that provide the U.S. Navy community with distinctive and critical response efforts following events such as hurricanes, wildfires, snowstorms, U.S. Navy ship incidences, pandemics and other humanitarian efforts.

As a Navy command, NEXCOM stands ready to support the U.S. Navy and its military members wherever and whenever it is called upon around the world. “We are a worldwide command with a value-added mission and purpose,” said Capt. Craig Abraham, Deputy Commander Military Services at NEXCOM. “NEXCOM’s mission essential capabilities, tactical business model and global locations, provide our Navy with a timely response and strategic support following any type of crisis.”

In the past few years in particular, NEXCOM contributed much needed services and products to help sustain and support first responders, the military community and the Fleet following U.S. Navy ship accidents while underway, the fire aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6), countless natural disasters, and humanitarian efforts. NEXCOM’s support included food, lodging, personal care items, internet services and uniform availability.

As an example, NEXCOM was there to lend a hand when the USS John McCain (DDG-56) and USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) were involved in collisions at sea. NEXCOM provided lodging for displaced Sailors, made Navy uniforms available for those Sailors who needed replacements and the NEX Yokosuka Flower Shop created the memorial flowers for those Sailors who made the ultimate sacrifice.

In 2020, during the fire aboard USS Bonhomme Richard, NEXCOM headquarters, along with NEX San Diego, provided water, sports drinks and ice as well as snacks to the first responders. In coordination with Naval Base San Diego leadership, NEX San Diego delivered 4,450 meals as well as personal care items to emergency responders and displaced Sailors.

In the aftermath of natural disasters, like Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Hurricane Irma in 2017,  Hurricane Michael in 2018 and the earthquake at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif., in 2019, NEXCOM ensured all of its business lines were utilized to assist. Following Hurricane Katrina, NEXCOM provided free phone banks, delivered gasoline and deployed five Military Retail Facilities (MRF) to provide much needed food, drinks, electronics and health and comfort items. Also, NEXCOM’s Uniform Program Management Office instituted an emergency Deferred Payment Plan that allowed Sailors to purchase up to $500 worth of uniform items and pay for them over a 12-month period, interest free. After Hurricane Michael, NEXCOM sent a MRF to assist the mission essential personnel and NEXCOM’s Telecommunication Program Office established Wi-Fi hotspots. In addition, Navy Lodge Pensacola, Fla., made rooms available for those displaced due to the storm. In 2015, NEXCOM was also at the ready when Naval Support Activity Mid-South, Tenn., was hit with unprecedented rain and flooding. NEXCOM provided emergency supplies, including diapers, dog food, gasoline and lodging.

Most recently, NEX Bahrain and NEX Naples, Italy, teams assisted in the Afghan humanitarian effort. NEXCOM personnel coordinated support with their respective installations to ensure the daily needs of individuals who evacuated Afghanistan were met with essentials like health and comfort items, masks, water and baby products.

“NEXCOM is uniquely qualified to support our Navy and our patrons during times of crisis,” said Abraham. “Our seven business lines can offer a wide variety of products and services such as lodging, fuel, food service, telecommunications and more. Through the course of our retail business, we have contracts with a variety of businesses that are invaluable when supplies are needed in an emergency situation. We also have stock on-hand in our NEX locations and distribution centers that we can quickly mobilize to send to where it is needed.”

Quick Facts

The Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) serves as a strategic asset around the globe for the U.S. Navy’s crisis response.

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Defense News: Pearle Vision Centers now open at more NEX locations

Source: United States Navy

“NEXCOM is continually looking to bring services to our NEX locations that will enhance the quality of life of our valued patrons,” said Mary Margaret Caragan, Services Program Manager at NEXCOM. “NEXCOM opened its first Pearle Vision Center at NEX Oceana, Va., in 2019. Since that time, we’ve opened more locations so we can offer eye care service to even more of customers.”

The Pearle Vision Centers have on-site optometrists to give eye exams and write prescriptions. In addition to eyeglass frames, customers can also purchase contact lenses on-site. The vision centers work with all major health and vision plans including Tricare, Aetna, EyeMed, VSP and United Healthcare Vision. 

Pearle Vision Centers are currently open at NEX Oceana, Va.; NEX Pearl Harbor; NEX San Diego and NEX North Island, Calif.; NEX Bethesda and NEX Annapolis, Md.; NEX Jacksonville, Fla.; and NEX Guam. A Pearle Vision Center at NEX Memphis, Tenn., is expected to open summer 2022.                         

Quick Facts

The Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) recently opened new Pearle Vision Centers at NEX Little Creek and NEX Norfolk, Va. With these two openings, there are now 10 Pearle Vision Centers providing a much needed service to NEX customers.