Category: US Department of Justice

Source: United States Department of Justice News

A federal jury convicted a U.S. entertainer and businessman today for orchestrating an unregistered, back-channel campaign beginning in or about 2017 to influence the then-administration of the President of the United States and the Department of Justice to drop the investigation of Jho Low and others for embezzlement and other offenses in connection with the international strategic and development company known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), and to send a Chinese national back to China, as well as conspiring to make and conceal foreign and conduit campaign contributions during the 2012 U.S. presidential election.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, 50, of Coconut Creek, Florida, conspired with Low Taek Jho, aka Jho Low, of Malaysia; Elliott Broidy; Nickie Lum Davis; George Higginbotham; and others to engage in undisclosed lobbying campaigns at the direction of Low and the Vice Minister of Public Security for the People’s Republic of China, respectively, to have the 1MDB embezzlement investigation and forfeiture proceedings involving Low and others dropped and to have a Chinese national sent back to China.

“As proven at trial, the defendant engaged in an extensive conspiracy to use millions of dollars in foreign funds to engage in illegal back-channel lobbying and make unlawful campaign contributions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s verdict demonstrates that anyone who engages in unlawful foreign-sponsored efforts to influence American officials, our elections, or the criminal justice system will be brought to justice.”

Michel also conspired with Low to orchestrate and conceal a foreign and conduit contribution scheme in which they funneled millions of dollars of Low’s money into the 2012 U.S. presidential election as purportedly legitimate campaign contributions, all while concealing the true source of the money. Michel received Low’s money and contributed it both personally and through approximately 20 straw donors. Michel also caused a presidential joint fundraising committee and an independent expenditure committee to submit false reports to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). In addition, Michel personally submitted a false declaration to the FEC, conspired to commit money laundering and make false statements to financial institutions related to the foreign influence campaigns, and attempted to cause witnesses to make false statements to and withhold information from law enforcement officials about the scheme.

“Michel played a central role in a wide-ranging conspiracy to improperly influence top government officials, including the then-President of the United States and the then-Attorney General,” said Special Agent in Charge Harry A. Lidsk of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General  (DOJ-OIG) Cyber Investigations Office. “The DOJ-OIG uncovered this activity in 2017 and led an exhaustive investigation which culminated today with the conviction of the fourth charged conspirator. I would like to thank the members of the jury for their time and careful deliberation of the facts.”

“The defendant brazenly conspired to help a foreign national launder millions of dollars in illegitimate campaign contributions into the 2012 U.S. presidential election,” Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our partners are dedicated to uncovering even the most sophisticated schemes which could undermine our fair and transparent democratic process.”

Michel was convicted of conspiracy, concealment of material facts, making false entries in records, witness tampering, and serving as an unregistered agent of a foreign power. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the top counts. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Broidy pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme on Oct. 20, 2020, in the District of Columbia. He received a full presidential pardon on Jan. 19, 2021.

Higginbotham pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme on Nov. 30, 2018, in the District of Columbia. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Lum Davis pleaded guilty for her role in the scheme on Aug. 31, 2020, in the District of Hawaii. She was sentenced to two years in prison on Jan. 19.

Low was previously indicted and is a fugitive.

The DOJ-OIG and the FBI Los Angeles Field Office and International Corruption Squad in New York investigated the case.

Principal Deputy Chief John D. Keller, Election Crimes Branch Director of Enforcement and Litigation Sean F. Mulryne, and Trial Attorney Nicole R. Lockhart of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely a charge. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that EDWIN CORTORREAL, a/k/a “Crazy Ed,” was found guilty of all three counts at trial, including conspiracy to commit racketeering and two counts for robbing and murdering Kelly Diaz in 2006 in Washington Heights.  The verdict followed a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “In 2006, Edwin Cortorreal conducted a terrifying, gunpoint home invasion robbery in Washington Heights, during which he shot Kelly Diaz in the head, killing him in front of his wife.  Kelly Diaz was only 24 years old at the time.  We hope today’s verdict will bring some solace to the victim’s family and sends the message that we will not rest until justice is done.”

According to the evidence presented in court during the trial:

From at least 2006 to in or about 2013, a violent robbery crew known as the “Hot Boys” committed countless burglaries and robberies and sold narcotics in the Washington Heights area.  EDWIN CORTORREAL was a trusted associate of the Hot Boys.  In 2006, CORTORREAL and four other members and associates of the Hot Boys broke into Kelly Diaz’s apartment in the middle of the night.  During the course of the robbery, CORTORREAL and his co-conspirators duct-taped Diaz to a chair and threw his wife to the ground.  As they were leaving, CORTORREAL came back and shot Diaz point-blank in the head, killing him instantly as his wife looked on.  Less than a year later, CORTORREAL planned to commit another armed robbery, during which he plotted to kill the victims to avoid leaving behind any witnesses. 

*                *                *

CORTORREAL, 36, of the Dominican Republic, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering, which carries a maximum term of life in person; one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison; and one count of the use of a firearm resulting in death, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the judge.

CORTORREAL is scheduled to be sentenced on September 20, 2023.

Mr. Williams thanked the New York Healthcare Fraud Unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and NYPD Task Force Officers assigned to the United States Attorney’s Office for their work on the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew Andrews, David Denton, Courtney Heavey, Adam Hobson, Emily Johnson, Ni Qian, Justin Rodriguez, and Hagan Scotten are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of paralegal specialist Mia Vuckovich.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

The Justice Department today filed a complaint challenging Tennessee Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), a recently enacted law that denies necessary medical care to youth based solely on who they are. The complaint alleges that SB 1’s ban on providing certain medically necessary care to transgender minors violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The department is also asking the court to issue an immediate order to prevent the law from going into effect on July 1, 2023.

SB 1 makes it unlawful to provide or offer to provide certain types of medical care for transgender minors with diagnosed gender dysphoria. SB 1’s blanket ban prohibits potential treatment options that have been recommended by major medical associations for consideration in limited circumstances in accordance with established and comprehensive guidelines and standards of care. By denying only transgender youth access to these forms of medically necessary care while allowing non-transgender minors access to the same or similar procedures, SB 1 discriminates against transgender youth. The department’s complaint alleges that SB 1 violates the Equal Protection Clause by discriminating on the basis of both sex and transgender status. Doctors, parents and anyone else who provides or offers to provide the prohibited care faces the possibility of civil suits for 30 years and other sanctions.

“No person should be denied access to necessary medical care just because of their transgender status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The right to consider your health and medically-approved treatment options with your family and doctors is a right that everyone should have, including transgender children, who are especially vulnerable to serious risks of depression, anxiety and suicide. The Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department will continue to aggressively challenge all forms of discrimination and unlawful barriers faced by the LGBTQI+ community.”

“SB1 violates the constitutional rights of some of Tennessee’s most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Henry Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Left unchallenged, it would prohibit transgender children from receiving health care that their medical providers and their parents have determined to be medically necessary. In doing so, the law seeks to substitute the judgment of trained medical professionals and parents with that of elected officials and codifies discrimination against children who already face far too many obstacles.”

Today’s filings are the latest action by the Justice Department to combat LGBTQI+ discrimination, including unlawful restrictions on medical care for transgender youth. On March 31, 2022, Assistant Attorney General Clarke issued a letter to all state attorneys general reminding them of federal constitutional and statutory provisions that protect transgender youth against discrimination. On April 29, 2022, the Justice Department intervened in a lawsuit challenging a law in Alabama (Senate Bill 184) that imposes a felony ban on medically necessary care for transgender minors. As a result of that litigation, the most significant provisions of Alabama’s Senate Bill 184 have been preliminarily halted from going into effect, and the United States continues to challenge its constitutionality.

Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work to uphold and protect the civil and constitutional rights of LGBTQI+ individuals is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/lgbtqi-working-group. Complaints about discriminatory practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through its internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to violating the Church Arson Prevention Act for setting fire to a house of worship.

Benjamin Ruckel, 25, of Pickerington, pleaded guilty to a single-count information charging him with setting fire to the Mount Zion Church in Baltimore, Ohio, on Nov. 27, 2021. According to court documents, Ruckel broke into the church and spread accelerant before setting the church ablaze, causing extensive damage. During the hearing, Ruckel admitted to intentionally setting the fire because of the religious character of the church.

“The defendant in this case is being held accountable for a devastating church arson that impacted an entire community of worshipers,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The freedom to congregate in churches across our nation and the liberty to exercise one’s religious beliefs must be shielded and protected. The Justice Department is committed to protecting our houses of worship and ensuring that all people are able to freely engage in religious practice free from violence and forceful interference.”

“Every resident in the Southern District of Ohio should be free to worship without any criminal acts occurring against them or the place in which they come together to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “Combatting these types of unlawful acts is a priority for my office, and together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to vigorously use every criminal enforcement tool at our disposal to address civil rights violations.”

“All Americans have the right to practice their religion without fear,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to defend that right and hold those individuals accountable who would prevent the free exercise of that right.”

The sentencing date has not yet been set. Ruckel faces up to 20 years in prison for the violation of the Church Arson Prevention Act.

The FBI Columbus Field Office investigated the case. 

Deputy Criminal Chief Brian Martinez for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Daniel E. Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Brandon T. Greenfield-Logan, 33, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law for violating the constitutional rights of a handcuffed prisoner. The plea was entered before United States District Judge Jia M. Cobb, who sentenced Greenfield-Logan to one year of probation and ordered him to perform 50 hours of community service.

            According to the plea documents and as discussed in the plea hearing, on September 27, 2021, the defendant was working as a Special Police Officer. On that date, while in full uniform and vested with police powers, Greenfield-Logan was called to assist other Special Police Officers at the Trinity Tower Apartments, located on 14th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. At approximately 12:30 a.m., an individual identified as W.S. was in the custody of Special Police Officers at the Trinity Tower Apartments. W.S. was seated in a chair with his hands handcuffed behind his back. Defendant Greenfield-Logan slapped W.S. across the face without warning or legal justification in violation of the individual’s constitutional rights

            This matter was investigated by the Internal Affairs Bureau of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Truscott.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely.