Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Bank Robbery in Lakewood, Colorado

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

The FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force and the Lakewood Police Department need your help identifying an individual who robbed the FirstBank located at 1940 South Kipling Parkway, Lakewood, Colorado, at approximately 4:52 p.m. on Thursday, March 11, 2021.

The suspect is described as a Caucasian or Hispanic male in his mid-20s to mid-30s, and approximately 5’3” to 5’6” tall with a medium build. The suspect was wearing a dark baseball cap, a gray neck gaiter as a face mask, a blue and gray plaid shirt, khaki pants, and dark-colored shoes.

Please be on the lookout for anyone matching the suspect’s description. Be aware of anyone similar who might have recently changed their spending habits or discussed coming into money suddenly.

Bank robbery is punishable up to a 20-year prison sentence for each offense and increases if a dangerous weapon is used in the commission of the crime. The FBI continues to provide financial institutions with the best practices for security to make them less vulnerable to robberies.

If anyone has any information on the bank robbery above, or any bank robbery, please call the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force at 303-629-7171; or, you can remain anonymous and earn up to two thousand dollars ($2,000) by calling CRIMESTOPPERS at 720-913-STOP (7867).

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Cryptocurrencies a Growing Target of Theft

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

New Currencies Require the Same Caution

Vallese noted that as the value of certain cryptocurrencies has soared, more people are looking to invest in them. “It’s definitely somewhere people want to be,” he said. “But where there is potential for earning, there is potential for risk and loss.”

While no one can guarantee any investment will retain or gain value, where an investor chooses to hold that investment should have strong protections in place to guard against cyber intrusions and thefts.

“When deciding where to put money, make an informed decision,” Vallese said. “Do your due diligence. Understand if they are a well-established, trusted exchange.” Some important questions to ask are: Where is the exchange located? What kind of security practices are used? What kind of monitoring and regulations are in place?

The FBI is working with a wide array of government and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad to identify and address new cyber threats. The private sector is a key partner in helping gather and share information. And, of course, being aware of cyber threats and taking proper cyber security precautions is the responsibility of every individual.

Even if the investment is a novel one, apply the same rigor as you would with any other financial choice. And as with any online interaction, carefully weigh the possible risks before opening any email, clicking on a link, opening an attachment, or downloading an application.

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Security News in Brief: Man Sentenced to Prison for Sextorting Numerous Children Around the Country

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A Virginia man was sentenced today to 31 years in prison for a years-long sextortion scheme in which he coerced numerous preteen and teenage victims to create and send him images of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The defendant was further sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution to the victims.

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IC3 Releases 2020 Internet Crime Report

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center has released its annual report. The 2020 Internet Crime Report includes information from 791,790 complaints of suspected internet crime—an increase of more than 300,000 complaints from 2019—and reported losses exceeding $4.2 billion. State-specific statistics have also been released and can be found within the 2020 Internet Crime Report and in the accompanying 2020 State Reports.

The top three crimes reported by victims in 2020 were phishing scams, non-payment/non-delivery scams, and extortion. Victims lost the most money to business email compromise scams, romance and confidence schemes, and investment fraud. Notably, 2020 saw the emergence of scams exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic. The IC3 received over 28,500 complaints related to COVID-19, with fraudsters targeting both businesses and individuals.

In addition to statistics, the IC3’s 2020 Internet Crime Report contains information about the most prevalent internet scams affecting the public and offers guidance for prevention and protection. It also highlights the FBI’s work combating internet crime, including recent case examples. Finally, the 2020 Internet Crime Report explains the IC3, its mission, and functions.

The IC3 gives the public a reliable and convenient mechanism to report suspected internet crime to the FBI. The FBI analyzes and shares information from submitted complaints for investigative and intelligence purposes, for law enforcement, and for public awareness.

With the release of the 2020 Internet Crime Report, the FBI wants to remind the public to immediately report suspected criminal internet activity to the IC3 at ic3.gov. By reporting internet crime, victims are not only alerting law enforcement to the activity, but aiding in the overall fight against cybercrime.

Resources:

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Michael A. Christman Named Assistant Director of the Criminal Justice Information Services Division

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News

Director Christopher Wray has named Michael A. Christman as assistant director of the Criminal Justice Information Services Division in West Virginia. He most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh Field Office.

The CJIS Division provides state-of-the-art tools and services to law enforcement, national security and intelligence community partners, and the general public.

Mr. Christman joined the FBI as a special agent in February 1992. He served on the Safe Streets Task Force in Salt Lake City, targeting violent gangs and Mexican drug-trafficking organizations. He also investigated violent crime and other criminal matters. Mr. Christman transferred to the Cleveland Field Office in 1997 and worked drug and terrorism cases.

In 2005, he was promoted to supervisory special agent and assigned to the Criminal Investigative Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He transferred to the Pittsburgh Field Office in 2007, where he supervised violent crime, violent gang, drug, and organized crime programs. He also led the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force.

Mr. Christman was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of Criminal, Intelligence, and Administrative Programs in Pittsburgh in 2014. He was put in charge of Pittsburgh’s Cyber and Intelligence Programs in 2015. Two years later, he was promoted to chief of a Cyber Operations section at Headquarters that managed all of the FBI’s cyber-criminal investigations. He also chaired the International Cyber Crimes Working Group.

In 2018, Mr. Christman was named the deputy assistant director of the CJIS Division’s Operational Programs Branch. He was named special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh Field Office in 2020.

Prior to his appointment with the FBI, Mr. Christman worked for the city prosecutor’s office in Akron, Ohio. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Youngstown State University and a juris doctorate degree from the University of Akron.