Category: FBI

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

Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta is pleased to announce the selection of Ms. Sheila Duncan as the Boston Division’s recipient of the 2020 Director’s Community Leadership Award.

The award was established in 1990 to honor individuals and organizations for their efforts in engaging the community in the areas of education and crime prevention. Every year, the Boston Division of the FBI can select an individual or organization that has gone above and beyond the call to service by making extraordinary contributions to their communities, and a significant difference in the lives of others.

As the founder of the Kennek Foundation, co-creator of Trouble the Dog, and the author of three children’s books, Sheila Duncan has worked tirelessly to bring comfort and hope to children in need. She and her nonprofit have delivered thousands of plush toys and books to Boston-area hospitals, and police and fire departments all over the United States. Most recently, through her partnership with the FBI Boston Division’s Citizens Academy Alumni Association and the Stone Family Foundation, she has donated dozens of Trouble the Dog toys and books to the Division’s victim specialists to help soothe kids in crisis in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

“The commitment, kindness, and compassion Sheila Duncan has demonstrated to law enforcement and the communities we serve in raising awareness of victim services is an example for others to follow,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Sometimes, our agents, task force officers, and victim specialists encounter children on the worst day of their lives. They’re sad, scared, and searching for answers but when we give them Trouble the Dog, it immediately brings a smile to their faces, and is a temporary source of solace. The FBI is grateful for Ms. Duncan’s work and her continued partnership.”

“I am truly humbled to receive the FBI Director’s Community Leadership award. When I see what is happening in today’s world, especially for children, it makes me more determined to provide Trouble comfort Dogs wherever there is a need. First responders and Victim Witness Specialists have shared real-life experiences about how they are utilizing Trouble the Dog to comfort children. This inspires me to do more. I am grateful to the corporations, businesses, and individual donors that have stepped up to make a significant difference to those in need and bring comfort and hope to children around the world,” added Sheila Duncan.

Ms. Duncan is one of 41 individuals and organizations to receive the Director’s Community Leadership Award this year. In light of health and travel concerns related to COVID-19, the annual ceremony honoring this year’s recipients was canceled. Instead, SAC Bonavolonta presented Ms. Duncan with the award during a ceremony held at FBI Boston’s headquarters in Chelsea, MA.

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

Welcome to the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment. Today: Building a digital defense against ride share scams.

Oregonians are reporting a new kind of scam to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center these days—and given the massive growth of ride share services in the past couple of years, it’s not surprising.

Here’s one driver’s story. When he arrived at the pickup point, he received a call that he believed was from his company. The person on the other end told him he was a great driver and was receiving a $250 bonus.

Using the driving app, the bad guy asked the driver to message him some personal info, including his sign-on information for the ride share app, his Social Security number, his debit card number, and his PIN number. The driver noticed almost immediately that the fraudster was attempting to drain money credited to his ride share account and his bank account. He realized the scam at this point and immediately started working with his bank to stop the transactions.

How can you protect yourself?

• Be wary of anyone offering you free money. If you work for a company such as one of the big ride share operations, they do not need you to give them your bank account info to pay you. They should already have it.
• If anyone asks you to give your login credentials to any of your work or personal accounts, don’t do it.
• If you feel as though you may have been scammed, be sure to notify your bank right away.

If you are the victim of an online fraud, you should also report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your FBI local office.

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

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

Director Christopher Wray has named Cathy L. Milhoan as the new assistant director of the FBI’s Office of Public Affairs. She has served as the director of communications for the U.S. Secret Service since 2016, running the agency’s public affairs program.

Ms. Milhoan’s appointment as assistant director of OPA marks her return to the FBI. She worked at the FBI for more than five years beginning in 2004, including as a national spokesperson. She also designed and led the FBI’s Media Training for Executives program and has trained international law enforcement executives in media and crisis communications.

She left the FBI in 2010 to serve as the deputy assistant director of the Office of Public Affairs at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. At ICE, Ms. Milhoan was responsible for daily operations of the Office of Public Affairs and managed the administrative and strategic communications branches.

In 2013, Ms. Milhoan was named the director of DoD Production at the Defense Media Activity at Fort Meade in Maryland. The DMA provides news, information, and entertainment to U.S. forces around the globe.

Prior to joining the federal government, Ms. Milhoan was a journalist for several newspapers in Delaware and North Carolina.

Ms. Milhoan retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 2018 after serving in a variety of public affairs and leadership assignments, including chief of public affairs for the Reserve Wing at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, as a squadron commander, and as a spokesperson for the secretary of the Air Force at the Pentagon.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and a master’s in administration of justice from Wilmington University.

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

Director Christopher Wray has named Joseph Gonzalez as the special agent in charge of the San Juan Field Office in Puerto Rico. Mr. Gonzalez most recently served as the FBI’s legal attaché in Mexico City.

Mr. Gonzalez began his FBI career as a special agent in 2003 and reported to the New York Field Office to investigate white-collar crime. He was also a member of New York’s Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team and its Rapid Deployment Team.

In 2006, Mr. Gonzalez transferred to the San Juan Field Office for the first of several assignments in the office. He initially investigated organized crime, international drug trafficking and money laundering, and violent gangs. He was also a crisis negotiator and a crisis management coordinator. Mr. Gonzalez was promoted in 2011 to supervisory special agent of San Juan’s Criminal Enterprise Squad and served as the coordinator for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. In 2012, he became supervisor of the Public Corruption/Civil Rights squad, which was responsible for dismantling networks of corrupt law enforcement officers throughout Puerto Rico.

Mr. Gonzalez was named chief of the Public Corruption Unit in the Criminal Investigative Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington in 2014. He also served as the acting section chief of the Public Corruption Civil Rights Section.

In 2016, Mr. Gonzalez was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Special Operations Branch of the Newark Field Office in New Jersey. As an ASAC, he had oversight of surveillance and aviation operations, human intelligence, security, language services, the undercover program, and several other programs.

Mr. Gonzalez was promoted in 2017 to chief of the Operational Support Section in the International Operations Division at Headquarters, where he had oversight of several units. He was appointed legal attaché in Mexico City in 2018, serving as the primary liaison to the FBI’s Mexican counterparts.

Prior to working for the FBI, Mr. Gonzalez was a certified public accountant. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University in 1999.