Source: United States Department of Justice News
A federal grand jury in Las Vegas, Nevada, returned an indictment today charging VDA OC LLC (formerly Advantage On Call LLC), a health care staffing company, and Ryan Hee, a former manager of the company, with entering into and engaging in a conspiracy with a competitor to allocate employee nurses and to fix the wages of those nurses, in violation of the Sherman Act.
Source: United States Department of Justice News
The Justice Department announced today that its Civil Rights Division, together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, has reached a settlement with Village Realty of Staten Island Ltd. and Denis Donovan, a sales and former rental agent at Village Realty, to resolve a lawsuit filed last year alleging discrimination against African Americans in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
Source: United States Department of Justice News
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement, through a consent decree, with the City of Orlando resolving allegations that the City violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it discriminated and retaliated against Dawn Sumter, a female Assistant Fire Chief with the Orlando Fire Department (“Fire Department”).
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
HOUSTON, TX—The FBI Violent Crime Task Force seeks assistance from the public to identify and locate a suspect, dubbed the “Yankees Cap Crook,” who is responsible for a Houston area bank robbery.
On January 4, 2021, a man entered the Woodforest Bank located within a Walmart store at 1313 Fry Road in Katy at approximately 6:45 p.m. He requested a withdrawal slip from a teller, then made a written demand for cash. The suspect proceeded to the Money Center area of the store and approached an employee assisting a customer who was making a payment. The man demanded cash from the transaction with the customer and lifted his jacket, exposing the grip of a black semi-automatic pistol. The employee gave the cash to the robber. The suspect left with an undisclosed amount of money and is also wanted in connection with a robbery that occurred later that night at a Walmart located at 8538 IH-35 in San Antonio.
Witnesses describe the “Yankees Cap Crook” as a Black male in his late 20s, approximately 5’6” to 6’0″ tall, medium build wearing a black New York Yankees baseball cap, two-tone gray over navy blue hooded jacket, camo pants, black shoes, and a beige face mask. He was seen in a dark-colored sedan.
Bank surveillance photos of the suspect and his car are posted on Twitter @FBIHouston and attached.
Crime Stoppers may pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, charging and/or arrest of the suspect in this case. Information may be reported by calling 713-222-TIPS (8477), submitted online at www.crime-stoppers.org or through the Crime Stoppers mobile app. Only tips and calls DIRECTLY TO Crime Stoppers are anonymous and eligible for a cash reward.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
Press release available in both English and Spanish.
The FBI has seen a recent increase in phone calls that spoof the Bureau’s phone number as part of various scams, but most recently in trying to obtain personal banking information or gift card/wire transfer payments from unsuspecting citizens in the El Paso and West Texas communities. The callers will often “spoof,” or fake, the FBI El Paso’s main phone number, 915-832-5000 and Midland’s main phone number, 432-570-0255, so the call appears to be coming from the FBI on the recipient’s caller ID. In this scam, fraudulent callers posing as an FBI agent inform victims that they are under investigation. The scammers provide a fake name and nonexistent case number to trick the victim into believing they are a FBI agent. The scammers then tries to obtain personal information, such as a name, social security number, date of birth, and banking information.
These calls are fraudulent; any legitimate law enforcement officer will not demand cash or gift cards from a member of the public. The FBI defines this type of scam as government impersonation fraud, in which criminals impersonate government officials in an attempt to collect money. The criminals often threaten to extort victims with physical or financial harm to obtain personally identifiable information. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated and organized in their approach, are technologically savvy, and often target young persons and the elderly.
According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), 12,334 people reported being victims of government impersonation scams in 2020, with losses totaling more than $106 million. In 2020, Texas reported 1,171 victims reported $6.1 million in losses. There were 29 victims in El Paso totaling $1.3 million in losses. As of March 5, 2021, 141 victims had already reported $3.2 million in losses in the state of Texas. In El Paso, there have been nine victims reporting $321,850 in losses. Midland/Odessa are reporting zero incidents in 2020 and so far in 2021. This may indicate that individuals haven’t reported the scam to the FBI’s IC3.
To protect yourself from falling victim to this scam, be wary of answering phone calls from numbers you do not recognize. Do not send money or gift cards to anybody that you do not personally know and trust. Never give out your personal information, including banking information, Social Security number, or other personally identifiable information, over the phone or to individuals you do not know.
Anyone who feels they were the victim of this or any other online scam should report the incident immediately using the IC3 website at www.ic3.gov. More information about government impersonation schemes and other online fraud schemes can be found at https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes.
El FBI Advierte de Estafadores que Engañan con Números Telefónicos de la Oficina del FBI Fraude de Personificación
El FBI ha visto un incremento recientemente de llamadas telefónicas engañosas que muestran el numero del Buro como parte de varios fraudes, recientemente han tratado de obtener información personal bancaria o tarjeta de regalo/pagos de ciudadanos confiados por medio de transferencias bancarias en las comunidades de El Paso y Oeste de Texas. Las personas que llaman usualmente engañan o fingen llamar de la Oficina del FBI en El Paso del número 915-832-5000 o de la Oficina del FBI en Midland del número 432-570-0255, así la llamada pareciera que es del FBI en el Identificador de llamadas del usuario. En este tipo de engaño, las personas que llaman se hacen pasar por Agente del FBI e informa a la victima que esta bajo investigación. Los estafadores proveen un nombre falso y un numero de caso no existente para engañar a la victima a que crean que es un Agente del FBI. El estafador entonces trata de obtener información personal, como su nombre, número de seguro social, fecha de nacimiento e información bancaria.
Estas llamadas son fraudulentas; cualquier oficial de la ley legitimo no pedirá efectivo o tarjetas de regalo de algún miembro del público. El FBI define este tipo de engaño como Fraude de Personificación del Gobierno, en el cual los criminales personifican a oficiales gubernamentales en un intento por colectar dinero. Los criminales usualmente amenazan con extorsionar a las victimas por medio de daño físico o financiero para obtener información identificable personal. Los estafadores se han vuelto mas sofisticados y organizados en su abordar, son más tecnológicamente astutos, y usualmente se dirigen a los jóvenes y ancianos.
De acuerdo al Centro de Denuncias de Crímenes por Internet (Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) 12,334 personas reportaron haber sido víctimas de engaños de Personificación del Gobierno en el 2020, con perdidas totales de mas de $106 millones de dólares. En 2020, Texas reporto 1,171 víctimas con pérdidas de $6.1 millones de dólares. Hubo 29 victimas en El Paso que equivale a $1.3 millones de dólares en pérdidas. Desde el 5 de marzo, 2021, 141 victimas ya han reportado $3.2 millones en perdidas en el estado de Texas. En El Paso, ha habido nueve victimas reportando $321,850 dólares en pérdidas. Midland/Odessa reporto cero incidentes en el 2020 y 2021 hasta ahora. Esto puede indicar que las personas no han reportado el fraude a IC3 del FBI.
Para protegerse de caer ser victima de este fraude, tenga cuidado al contestar llamadas telefónicas de números que usted no reconoce. No envié dinero o tarjetas de regalo a nadie que usted no conozca personalmente y confié en ellas. Nunca de su información personal, incluyendo su información bancaria, numero del seguro social u otra información personal identificable por teléfono o a individuos que no conoce.
Cualquiera que sienta haber sido víctima de esto u otro fraude en línea debe reportar el incidente inmediatamente usando la página web IC3 en www.ic3.gov. Mas información sobre los esquemas de Personificación del Gobierno y otros fraudes en línea pueden encontrarse en https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes.