The Celestial Goddess of the Woodshed honors the standing armies of the Generals Attorney and Inspector of Michigan, and those who have yet to be unmasked.
Christopher Allen – Office of the Solicitor General
Danielle Bennetts – Sexual Assault Team, Assistant
Attorney General
Josh Booth – Ethics Officer, Chief Legal Opinions
Michelle Brya - Division Chief, Licensing and Regulation
Division
Robyn Liddell – Acting First Assistant Criminal Trial
Appellate Division
Sgt. William Luebs – Dt/Sgt. Michigan State Police
Eric Restuccia – Office of the Solicitor General
Ann Sherman – Office of the Solicitor General
Rebekah Snyder – Victim Advocate
Scott Shea – Special Agent (AG)
This is only the first layer, parsimoniously slivered, as a sample specimen, of what goes on in the residuals of the peculiar institution.
I wonder how the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is doing, or rather, how the appointment of our latest Supreme Court Justice is going, considering the fact that there is a case to shutter in Pennsylvania the day after the election.
This is about Parental Rights.
#maytheheavensfall
#sealsmatter
11 Men See Charges as AG's Clergy Abuse Investigation Hits 2-year Mark
LANSING – Millions of documents have been reviewed and 11 men have been or are being prosecuted by Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office since authorities executed search warrants two years ago on all seven of Michigan’s Catholic dioceses as part of the state's investigation into clergy abuse.
Forty-two Michigan State Police troopers, five officers from different law enforcement agencies and 15 special agents from the Attorney General’s office executed search warrants on Oct. 3, 2018, at Michigan’s seven dioceses. In that effort, they seized 220 boxes of paper documents and more than 3.5 million digital documents.
Due to a slowdown in court operations as a result of COVID-19, no charged cases have been resolved through plea deals or trial since late 2019. However, the review of documents has continued along with other steps to further the investigation. To date, the department has:
Completed the paper document review of the Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing and Marquette dioceses. Of the 220 boxes of paper documents seized, about 78 boxes remain;
Completed the electronic document review of the Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Marquette dioceses;
Hired and trained a full-time victim advocate to support the hundreds of victims identified in the course of the investigation;
Continued to refer the completed criminal investigations back to the respective dioceses; and
Followed up with victims who have not been interviewed with a trauma-informed interviewer – including those whose cases are barred by the Statute of Limitations, where the accused priest has died or any other reason that makes criminal prosecution impossible.
Through the department’s review of paper documents alone, 454 accused priests and 811 reported victims have been identified. That number may change as investigatory efforts continue.
As of Sept. 28, the Attorney General’s Clergy Abuse Investigative Team had reviewed more than 2.24 million of the digital documents seized.
Attorney General Nessel recorded a video message to outline the progress her office has made
.
“I am deeply proud of the work our Clergy Abuse Investigative Team has done – and we are dedicated to continuing this incredibly important work,” Nessel said. “We are committed to ensuring that every case of sexual abuse and assault is thoroughly reviewed and that whenever we are able to pursue justice for a victim, we do so aggressively and relentlessly. We must all commit to breaking down the walls of silence that so often surround sexual assault and abuse. In the end, we hope this investigation provides a voice to those who have suffered in silence for so long and shines a light on those offenders who have escaped punishment for their crimes by hiding in shadows.”
In addition to the paper and digital documents seized from the dioceses, information is also received through the Attorney General’s clergy abuse tip line: 1-844-324-3374. That has generated 750 tips related to abuse, leading to 112 police investigations, 180 victim interviews and 285 police reports.
The Michigan Department of Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation has resulted in 11 cases being prosecuted so far:
Vincent DeLorenzo, who was a priest at Holy Redeemer Church in Burton, Michigan was arrested in Marion County, Florida in May 2019 and charged with three felony counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and three felony counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. A pre-trial hearing in Genesee County is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Nov. 12, 2020. Click here for background.
Jacob Vellian, a former priest at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Benton Harbor, was charged in May 2019 with two counts of rape. His extradition from India is in progress. Click here for background.
Timothy Crowley, who was a priest at St. Thomas Rectory in Ann Arbor, was charged in May 2019 with four felony counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and four felony counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. He was arrested in Tempe, Arizona. Crowley’s case was dismissed after a preliminary examination but the Attorney General’s office filed an appeal in December and it remains pending in Ann Arbor Circuit Court before the Hon. Archie Brown. Click here for background.
Gary Jacobs, a priest at parishes in Ewen and Iron Mountain in the Upper Peninsula, faces a total of 10 criminal sexual conduct charges in five cases. He was arrested in January in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has been bound over for trial and a Walker Hearing is scheduled for Nov. 6, 2020. Click here for background.
Roy Joseph, a priest in Marquette, was charged in Marquette County with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. His extradition from India is in progress. Click here for background.
Neil Kalina, who was a priest at St. Kiernan Catholic Church in Shelby Township, was charged in May 2019 with two felony counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and arrested in Littlerock, California. His trial starts Nov. 19, 2020. Click here for background.
Joseph “Jack” Baker, a pastor at St. Mary Parish in Wayne and an associate pastor at Sacred Heart in Dearborn and at St. Hugo of the Hills Parish in Bloomfield Hills, was charged with one count of first degree criminal sexual conduct. He awaits a trial date in Wayne County Circuit Court and his next court date is October 19, 2020. Click here for background.
Joseph Comperchio, a teacher at St. John Elementary in Jackson County, was charged in September with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. He waived extradition and was returned to Michigan on Oct. 1, 2020. His next court date is October 26, 2020. Click here for background.
Gary Berthiaume, a former priest at Our Lady of Sorrows in Farmington, was charged with one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, a 15-year felony. He was arrested in late September in Illinois, waived extradition and was returned to Michigan on Friday. He was arraigned Monday in Farmington District Court and given a $50,000 cash/surety bond. His next court date is Oct. 28 in the 47th District Court in Farmington. Click here for background.
Patrick Casey, who was a priest at St. Theodore of Canterbury Parish in Westland, was charged with one felony count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in May 2019. He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault after a jury trial in Wayne County Circuit Court in October 2019 and served 45 days in the Wayne County Jail. Click here for background.
Brian Stanley, who was a priest at St. Margaret’s Church in Coldwater, was charged with false imprisonment, pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2019 and was sentenced to 60 days in jail, probation and sex offender registration. Click here for background.
For more information on the Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation or to submit information, visit the department’s website. Information may also be provided by calling the investigation hotline at 844-324-3374 (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or send information by email.
In this pastoral play, Jorge goes deep inside the bowels of global Public Private Partnerships' souls via TED, to see what he can Holy See because the IOR is a hot mess and we are almost in Detroit.
His Holiness Pope Francis | Our moral imperative to act on climate change -- and 3 steps we can take
The investment was made under the watch of Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was stripped of his rights as a cardinal by the Pope last month
The Vatican invested some donations for the poor and needy in derivatives that bet on the creditworthiness of Hertz, the US car rental company that defaulted on its debts earlier this year, according to documents seen by the Financial Times.
In 2018, Pope Francis said credit default swaps “encouraged the growth of a finance of chance and of gambling on the failure of others, which is unacceptable from the ethical point of view”. The instruments, he said, were “a ticking time bomb”.
But three years earlier, part of a €528 million Vatican portfolio “derived from donations” bought structured notes containing CDS as part of a bet that Hertz would not default on its debts by April 2020, the documents show. The company filed for bankruptcy the following month, giving the Holy See a narrow escape on the investment, which paid out in full.
The investment was made under the watch of Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was stripped of his rights as a cardinal by the Pope last month over what Cardinal Becciu described as an allegation of “misappropriation”.
Money was invested on behalf of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, the Holy See’s powerful central administration office where Cardinal Becciu was second-in-command from 2011 to 2018. The Secretariat has responsibility for administering donations made to the Church by Catholics around the world.
There appears to be no evidence Pope Francis himself was aware of the investment in the CDS-linked notes, which were held directly through a Secretariat account in Switzerland and made by a third-party consultant on its behalf.
Disastrous
Similar CDS trades have proved disastrous for several hedge funds in a wave of US corporate bankruptcies this year.
CQS, the London-based hedge fund run by billionaire trader Michael Hintze, suffered a roughly 50 per cent drop in the value of its flagship fund in the spring, after defaults including Hertz led to large losses on high-risk derivatives.
Learn more
Other investments made by managers for the secretariat appointed by Cardinal Becciu include financing the 2019 film Rocketman – a biopic of the musician Elton John – according to fund documents seen by the FT.
The secretariat also bought multiple luxury residential properties in London’s Knightsbridge, and securitisations partly comprising invoices owed by the Italian state to Vatican-controlled hospitals.
Late last month Pope Francis asked Cardinal Becciu to resign – relieving him of his position as the man in charge of overseeing the canonisation of Catholic saints – as a result of allegations about the management of Vatican money. The cardinal has not been charged with any crime by the Vatican. He said he has committed no wrongdoing and vowed to clear his name. He and the Vatican did not respond to requests for comment on the derivatives investment.
Swiss bank accounts
The management of Vatican assets held in Swiss bank accounts during Cardinal Becciu’s watch has come under mounting scrutiny after Vatican police last year raided the offices of the secretariat to seize documents linked to a London property deal.
The secretariat’s investment in the London building known as 60 Sloane Avenue was made through a fund in Luxembourg in 2014 in a deal personally authorised by Cardinal Becciu. In June the Vatican’s state news service reported that Holy See prosecutors believe the investment caused “huge losses”.
Allegedly Hid Cryptocurrency, a Yacht, Real Estate and Other Properties in Nominee Names to Evade Taxes
An indictment was unsealed today charging John David McAfee with tax evasion and willful failure to file tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee. The June 15, 2020 indictment was unsealed following McAfee’s arrest in Spain where he is pending extradition.
According to the indictment, John McAfee earned millions in income from promoting cryptocurrencies, consulting work, speaking engagements, and selling the rights to his life story for a documentary. From 2014 to 2018, McAfee allegedly failed to file tax returns, despite receiving considerable income from these sources. The indictment does not allege that during these years McAfee received any income or had any connection with the anti-virus company bearing his name.
According to the indictment, McAfee allegedly evaded his tax liability by directing his income to be paid into bank accounts and cryptocurrency exchange accounts in the names of nominees. The indictment further alleges McAfee attempted to evade the IRS by concealing assets, including real property, a vehicle, and a yacht, in the names of others.
If convicted, McAfee faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison on each count of tax evasion and a maximum sentence of one year in prison on each count of willful failure to file a tax return. McAfee also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Dunavant commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney William Guappone of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Wilson and Damon Griffin, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
That would mean we have a situation of Reinstatement of Parental Rights, but probably for the purposes of Termination of Parental Rights.
It is just a seals thing.
NOTE TO SELF: MAP OUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS OF THE SEALS
Now, you know darn well DeutscheBank is not going to make a peep, which probably why BuzzFeed dropped that leaked traunch of leaked SARs, to divert attention to the first leaked SARs, that were caught up in that bleachbit SAR scandal over there at FinCEN.
BuzzFeed, or rather Jason Leopold, is going ass out, considering that leaking stolen national classified documents, like what Cernovich did, could be considered as some form of statutory treachery.
If you talk about DeutscheBank, well, you do know you are going to end up talking about Detroit, right?
Then, if you talk about Detroit, you are going to talk about GoldmanSachs.
If you say all three names, then, you are going to have to talk about the Clinton Foundation, which never incorporated like the Detroit Land Bank Authority never incorporated, but is hiding Archdiocese of Detroit assets, so they do not have to face an action, where there is going to be alot going on after the defrockings.
I would say the Vatican is liquidating Peter's Pence in, oh, I do not know, some kind of quiet title Corporate Shape Shifting scheme until the next TARP 8.0 comes out so they can go back to doing what they do so well.
ROME (AP) — The powerful head of the Vatican’s saint-making office, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, resigned suddenly Thursday from the post and renounced his rights as a cardinal amid a financial scandal that has reportedly implicated him indirectly.
The Vatican provided no details on why Pope Francis accepted Becciu’s resignation in a statement late Thursday. In the one-sentence announcement, the Holy See said only that Francis had accepted Becciu’s resignation as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints “and his rights connected to the cardinalate.”
Becciu, the former No. 2 in the Vatican’s secretariat of state, has been reportedly implicated in a financial scandal involving the Vatican’s investment in a London real estate deal that has lost the Holy See millions of euros in fees paid to middlemen.
The Vatican prosecutor has placed several Vatican officials under investigation, as well as the middlemen, but not Becciu. Becciu has defended the soundness of the original investment and denied any wrongdoing, and it’s not clear whether the scandal itself was behind his resignation or possibly sparked a separate line of inquiry.
But the late-breaking news of his resignation, the severity of his apparent sanction, the Vatican’s tight-lipped release and the unexpected downfall of one of the most powerful Vatican officials all suggested a shocking new chapter in the scandal, which has convulsed the Vatican for the past year.
The last time a cardinal’s rights were removed was when American Theodore McCarrick renounced his rights and privileges as a cardinal in July 2018 amid a sexual abuse investigation. He was subsequently defrocked altogether by Francis last year for sexually abusing adults as well as minors.
Before him, the late Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien in 2015 relinquished the rights and privileges of being a cardinal after unidentified priests alleged sexual misconduct. O’Brien was, however, allowed to retain the cardinal’s title and he died a member of the College of Cardinals, the elite group of churchmen whose main job is to elect a pope.
In the Vatican statement, the Holy See identified Becciu as “His Eminence Cardinal Angelo Becciu,” making clear he remained a cardinal but without any rights.
At 72, Becciu would have been able to participate in a possible future conclave to elect Francis’ successor. Cardinals over age 80 can’t vote. But by renouncing his rights as a cardinal, Becciu has relinquished his rights to take part.
Becciu was the “substitute,” or top deputy in the secretariat of state from 2011-2018, when Francis made him a cardinal and moved him into the Vatican’s saint-making office. He straddled two pontificates, having been named by Pope Benedict XVI and entrusted with essentially running the Curia, or Vatican bureaucracy, a position that gave him enormous influence and power.
The financial problems date from 2014, when the Vatican entered into a real estate venture by investing over $200 million in a fund run by an Italian businessman. The deal gave the Holy See 45% of the luxury building at 60 Sloane Ave. in London’s Chelsea neighborhood.
The money came from the secretariat of state’s asset portfolio, which is funded in large part by the Peter’s Pence donations of Catholics around the world for the pope to use for charity and Vatican expenses.
The Holy See decided in November 2018, after Becciu had left the secretariat of state, to exit the fund, end its relationship with the businessman and buy out the remainder of the building. It did so after Becciu’s successor determined that the mortgage was too onerous and that the businessman was losing money for the Vatican in some of the fund’s other investments.
The buyout deal, however, cost the Holy See tens of millions of euros more and sparked the Vatican investigation that has so far implicated a half-dozen Vatican employees.
Becciu has insisted he wasn’t in power during the 2018 buyout deal and always acted in the sole interests of the Holy See. In the Vatican prosecutor’s initial warrant, Becciu is not named, and it remains unclear if his role in managing the secretariat of state’s vast asset portfolio was connected with the resignation.
His former boss, Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, has said the whole matter was “opaque” and needed to be clarified. Francis, for his part, has vowed to get to the bottom of what he has said was evidence of corruption in the Holy See.
Francis would meet regularly with Becciu in the Italian’s role as prefect of the saint-making office, since every month or two he would present lists of candidates for possible beatification or canonization for Francis to approve.
In addition, since the beginning of his pontificate, Francis had an annual luncheon date at Becciu’s apartment along with 10 priests on the Thursday of Holy Week leading up to Easter. The Vatican always reported the get-togethers were a chance for the pope to chat informally with Becciu and priests of his diocese on the day the church celebrates the institution of the priesthood.
The luncheon didn’t happen this year amid the Vatican’s coronavirus lockdown.
Why would UNICEF want to start championing the welfare of the child?
I am going to say the Children's Trusts, but in the implementation of the blockchain by giving the money to the children, not the Public Private Partnerships that like to indulge in the trafficking of tiny humans like the Vatican and its Queen.
Has there been a global asset forfeiture of those Privateers who like to go a-stealin'the children, land & vote?
A global asset forfeiture of the Meanies is really not that difficult if you use the transposable models I have constructed.
I believe it is time we prepare to rebuild the kingdom, for it was never supposed to be this way.
Children in the world’s richest countries are grappling with mental health concerns, obesity and poor social and academic skills, according to a new study published on Thursday by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The report by UNICEF’s Office of Research Innocenti, urges governments to improve and protect child well-being in the face of the economic, social and educational fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Many of the world’s richest countries – which have the resources they need to provide good childhoods for all – are failing children”, said Gunilla Olsson, Director of the research office, which is located in Florence, Italy.
“Unless governments take rapid and decisive action to protect child well-being as part of their pandemic responses, we can continue to expect soaring child poverty rates, deteriorating mental and physical health, and a deepening skill divide among children.”
Annual report card
The study is the latest in UNICEF’s Report Card Series, now in its 20th year, which ranks countries in the European Union (EU) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation (OECD) on childhood.
Worlds of Influence: Understanding what shapes child well-being in rich countries uses pre-pandemic data from 41 nations on children’s mental health, physical health, and academic and social skills.
The report suggests that among these countries, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway are the best places to be a child.
Researchers also ranked countries based on their policies that support child well-being and other factors including the economy, society and environment, with Norway, Iceland and Finland topping the list.
Unhappy young lives
Key findings from the report include that in most countries, less than four-fifths of children, report being satisfied with their lives. Turkey posted the lowest rate of satisfaction, followed by Japan and the United Kingdom.
Coronavirus Portal & News Updates
Readers can find information and guidance on the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from the UN, World Health Organization and UN agencies here.
For daily news updates from UN News, click here.
“Significantly poorer” mental health rates were found among children from less supportive families or those who are being bullied.
Suicide is a leading cause of death among people aged 15-19 years in rich countries, with Lithuania, New Zealand and Estonia recording the highest rate of young people who take their own lives.
Obesity on the rise
Overweight and obesity rates have risen in recent years, according to the report. Roughly one in three children in the EU and OECD nations are either obese or overweight, with rates in Southern Europe sharply increasing.
Researchers further found that on average, 40 per cent of children do not have basic reading and maths skills by age 15. Children in Bulgaria, Romania and Chile were deemed the least proficient.
Additionally, at least one in five children lack confidence in their social skills to make new friends, with children in Chile, Japan and Iceland listed as the least confident in this area.
The pandemic threat
Despite also highlighting progress in child well-being, such as the 95 per cent enrollment rate for pre-school aged learners, the authors fear COVID-19 could rollback these “important gains”.
Due to the pandemic, most children were kept out of school for more than 100 days, and young lives were impacted by stressors such as loss of family members and friends, poor access to healthcare, and lack of support, combined with economic loss.
With GDP expected to fall in practically all of the countries studied, UNICEF warned that child poverty rates will rise unless governments take immediate remedial action.
“As the economic, educational and social fallout of the pandemic continues to take hold, without concerted effort, there will be a worsening, devastating impact on the well-being of today’s children, their families and the societies they live in,” said Ms. Olsson. “But these risks do not have to become the reality, if governments take decisive action now to protect children’s well-being.”
Support families, invest in children
That decisive action includes reducing income inequality and poverty so that all children will have access to the resources they need.
“In times of crisis and calm, families need supportive governments and workplaces in order to raise the next generation of happy and healthy citizens”, said Fayaz King, Deputy Executive Director at UNICEF. “An investment in children is a direct investment in our future.”
The UNICEF researchers also called for addressing the “serious gap” in mental health services for children and youth, and expanding family-friendly policies, especially access to quality childcare that is flexible and affordable.
Another recommendation is to ensure budgets that support child well-being are protected from austerity measures.
I am much more curios about the crowdfunding website process in its financial mechanisms because it sorta sounds like a vehicle for money laundering and grifting without any reportability duties.
Not having reportability duties, like SARs, would not be a good thing.
I wonder if we will be able to see the journey of these funds because I bet they will go through various trafficking tiny humans trust funds.
I bet some of the funding was invested in other online grifting operations, but, hey, what do I know?
I know that I just adore transposable models.
I wonder what is the next cyber grifting organization will be next
I know thou shalt not bear false witness for they shall fall from the heavens.
#maytheheavensfall
Leaders Of ‘We Build The Wall’ Online Fundraising Campaign Charged With Defrauding Hundreds Of Thousands Of Donors
Steve Bannon
Brian Kolfage, Stephen Bannon, and Two Others Alleged to Have Funneled Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars From the Organization to Kolfage; All Four Defendants Allegedly Profited From Their Roles in the Scheme
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced the unsealing of an indictment charging BRIAN KOLFAGE, STEPHEN BANNON, ANDREW BADOLATO, and TIMOTHY SHEA for their roles in defrauding hundreds of thousands of donors in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign known as “We Build the Wall” that raised more than $25 million. The defendants were arrested this morning. KOLFAGE will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon in the Northern District of Florida. BANNON will be presented today in the Southern District of New York. BADOLATO will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Wilson in the Middle District of Florida. SHEA will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kristen L. Mix in the District of Colorado. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in the Southern District of New York.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, the defendants defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction. While repeatedly assuring donors that Brian Kolfage, the founder and public face of We Build the Wall, would not be paid a cent, the defendants secretly schemed to pass hundreds of thousands of dollars to Kolfage, which he used to fund his lavish lifestyle. We thank the USPIS for their partnership in investigating this case, and we remain dedicated to rooting out and prosecuting fraud wherever we find it.”
Inspector-in-Charge Philip R. Bartlett said: “The defendants allegedly engaged in fraud when they misrepresented the true use of donated funds. As alleged, not only did they lie to donors, they schemed to hide their misappropriation of funds by creating sham invoices and accounts to launder donations and cover up their crimes, showing no regard for the law or the truth. This case should serve as a warning to other fraudsters that no one is above the law, not even a disabled war veteran or a millionaire political strategist.”
According to the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
Starting in approximately December 2018, BRIAN KOLFAGE, STEPHEN BANNON, ANDREW BADOLATO, and TIMOTHY SHEA, and others, orchestrated a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors, including donors in the Southern District of New York, in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign ultimately known as “We Build The Wall” that raised more than $25 million to build a wall along the southern border of the United States. In particular, to induce donors to donate to the campaign, KOLFAGE repeatedly and falsely assured the public that he would “not take a penny in salary or compensation” and that “100% of the funds raised . . . will be used in the execution of our mission and purpose” because, as BANNON publicly stated, “we’re a volunteer organization.”
Those representations were false. In truth, KOLFAGE, BANNON, BADOLATO, and SHEA received hundreds of thousands of dollars in donor funds from We Build the Wall, which they each used in a manner inconsistent with the organization’s public representations. In particular, KOLFAGE covertly took for his personal use more than $350,000 in funds that donors had given to We Build the Wall, while BANNON, through a non-profit organization under his control (“Non-Profit-1”), received over $1 million from We Build the Wall, at least some of which BANNON used to cover hundreds of thousands of dollars in BANNON’s personal expenses. To conceal the payments to KOLFAGE from We Build the Wall, KOLFAGE, BANNON, BADOLATO, and SHEA devised a scheme to route those payments from We Build the Wall to KOLFAGE indirectly through Non-Profit-1 and a shell company under SHEA’s control, among other avenues. They did so by using fake invoices and sham “vendor” arrangements, among other ways, to ensure, as KOLFAGE noted in a text message to BADOLATO, that his pay arrangement remained “confidential” and kept on a “need to know” basis.
* * *
KOLFAGE, 38, of Miramar Beach, Florida, BANNON, 66, of Washington, D.C., BADOLATO, 56, of Sarasota, Florida, and SHEA, 49, of Castle Rock, Colorado, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the USPIS and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. She also thanked the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida for their assistance.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicolas Roos, Alison G. Moe, and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
Each year, we celebrate National Tiny Human Forfeiture Asset Management Month by glorifying the work of the tax exempt god by promulgating propaganda for the purposes of maintaining sustainability in the residuals of the peculiar institution in the trafficking of tiny humans.
Always remember, once goods are acquired, they must be processed and warehoused for gerrymandering, predictive modeling crap, to maximize revenues with your taxpayer dollars for the purposes of stealin' the children, land & vote.
Happy Foster Care Tiny Human Forfeiture Asset Management System Month!
It's a time to recognize that we each can play a part in enhancing the lives of children and youth in foster care. Find resources and information to help ensure that their future is bright.
The coronavirus pandemic has upended routines for Cynthia Johnson and her three foster children.
The Oakland County resident is busy caring for a 1-year-old while crafting a curriculum for the elder boys, ages 5 and 6, to ensure they continue learning while out of school as a statewide precaution.
Johnson and her husband, Michael, also arrange for more frequent phone contact with the boys' relatives, the mother of the younger two, who are siblings, as well as the father of the eldest child, since social distancing has left them unable to see their birth families face-to-face.
"My job is to make sure that these kids are safe," said Johnson, 62, adding she's stopped all in-person visits with her own three grown children, grandchildren and friends. "We have to look out for ourselves, and we both have to look out for the kids."
Child welfare agencies in Michigan are navigating a unique set of challenges in the wake of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's "stay home, stay safe" order. The emergency directive has cut off most birth parents from in-person visits with their children, and it's prompting worry that households providing foster care or completing certification will pause amid job losses and health and safety concerns for their own families.
Janet Reynolds Snyder, executive director of the Michigan Federation for Children and Families, said the face-to-face contact restrictions are meant to guard health. But access to biological family members is critical for foster children, she said, and alternative efforts to connect by phone and video applications are now being made "on a regular, if not an elevated basis."
"We understand that all families are under strain," said Snyder, who heads the Lansing-based association that encompasses about 60 family support and child welfare service agencies statewide. "Those who have children who are out of their homes right now are understandably worried."
JooYeun Chang, executive director of Michigan's Children’s Services Agency with the state's Department of Health and Human Services, said discontinuing in-person contact was not a measure taken lightly.
The move, she said, was "controversial" and "frankly, really painful" for the administration.
"We waited until all evidence suggested it was a public health issue and we needed to do what we needed to do to protect the health and wellness of families, birth parents and our workers," Chang told The News.
There are currently about 12,500 children in foster care in Michigan, according to MDHHS.
Children enter the foster care system because they are determined to be at risk due to child abuse or neglect by their parent or caregiver. Suspected abuse is reported to the state's Children's Protective Services, MDHHS spokesman Bob Wheaton said.
"In many instances, when abuse or neglect is found, MDHHS provides services to the family to keep the children in their homes safely," he said in an email. In 2019, about 54% of the children in the system ultimately returned home to their biological families.
Starr Allen-Pettway, branch director for Bethany Christian Services of Detroit, understands Whitmer's order "is very important for us to flatten the curve related to COVID-19," but she doesn't want the children and their needs to be forgotten.
The Christian services agency serves 171 children in Michigan through its three offices, about 65% of which are from Wayne County, Allen-Pettway said.
"Families working really hard to reunify with their children are unable to physically touch and see them as a result of the stay home, stay safe order," she said. "Now the kids are unable to visit with their parents at all. These could be very young children now struggling with 'why am I not seeing my family.'"
Jillian Gismondi, a licensed professional counselor with the Child and Family Solutions Center in Farmington Hills, said she's expecting children to struggle as they try to regain normalcy. Being separated from their friends and regular routine amplifies the feeling of "grief and loss," she said.
"Kids are missing a huge chunk of their world right now," she said. "Globally, this is uncharted territory for all of us."
Equally as troubling, school district and community activity shutdowns mean there "aren't eyes on the children the same way" to monitor their physical and mental well-being, Snyder and Allen-Pettway noted.
Chang said the state's abuse and neglect hotline usually gets about 200,000 calls each year and about 90,000 investigations are conducted annually by child protective services. Most calls, she said, are allegations of neglect and enable struggling families to get resources to help.
There has been a drop in calls since the schools closed last month under the governor's order and that's a risk, said Chang, noting housing instability, poverty and mental health and substance abuse issues that many struggle with.
Part of the child welfare network is based upon the concept of "see something, say something." With fewer eyes on kids, Chang said, "that's not going to happen."
"That's the thing that keeps me up at night," she said. "The reality is, there's some level of having less surveillance. What we have right now is an invisible problem."
To cope, the state is working with community partners and philanthropic organizations on targeted services and support to reduce risks as well as with the office of the state's superintendent to ensure teachers who engage virtually with students also are vigilant.
For all families, the circumstances can be stressful as they navigate their way through the new normal. For those already struggling, it will be even more challenging, Gismondi added.
"Anyone who has an additional stressor in their life, this pandemic placed on top of it is going to make an individual even more anxious," she said.
As of March 20, there were 5,531 active licensed foster families in Michigan. The average length of stay for children exiting care in 2019 was 760 days, according to MDHHS.
Chang said not all foster homes are ready and willing to take a child today, and most days, officials struggle to find the right bed for a child.
About 40% of foster children are with relatives, she said. If the number of children needing placement goes up, they hope to continue with that trend.
"We have more homes than kids who need a bed today," she said. "We need to be ready in case we do have a surge in the number of kids that come into foster care at any one point."
Snyder said there is some concern foster parents are pausing to assess how the health emergency goes. Even in the best of conditions, she said, organizations are always looking to recruit new families.
"It's definitely a concern. Will interest in fostering children stay the same, will it increase, will it decrease? Time will tell here," she said. "We really don't know the full extent of that just yet."
Kristyn Peck is chief executive officer of the West Michigan Partnership for Children, an organization that works with five foster care agencies and accounts for the care of close to 800 children under a public-private partnership in Kent County. The willingness of fosters there hasn't slowed yet, but it could, she said.
"I would anticipate as there is more fear about the spread of COVID-19, that would be a very natural reaction especially for families with people in their home at higher risk," she said.
In Kent County, there hasn't been a surge in coronavirus cases like the east side of the state has experienced.
"We're trying to make sure that we're preparing for that and also keeping up on our recruitment of foster families," Peck said. "There's just never enough foster families already."
Peck said the emergency restrictions prompted her organization to cancel community recruitment events, including two large-scale programs for foster parents, a resource fair and annual spring conference, each expected to draw a crowd of more than 100 adults and children.
"It takes seven times for a person to interact with a foster parent recruiter before they sign up," she said. "It's more of a concern of losing momentum in people where the seed has been planted."
Peck said her group is planning and preparing for a potential upswing in the need for placement. It also is doing what it can to support the existing foster base, sending out virtual e-cards for Amazon shopping and grocery delivery, "to ease as much as we can and provide that type of support," she said.
Debora Matthews, CEO of the Children's Center in Detroit, said her group has about 125 children in foster care. Its independent living program — which includes those ages 16 and older who don't want to be adopted — accounts for another 65 youths.
Lynda Dandridge, director of child welfare services for the children's center, said the agency's foster families have stepped up, and the need is great. The agency hasn't closed its intake and foster parents are still taking in kids.
"Foster parents have not said ‘no, I’m not going to take them.’ We haven’t had that," Dandridge said. "They’ve been taking the kids, which is really a true blessing because these babies still need stability and some love."
Then, the foreign corporate parents who have legal guardianship of the foster kids got the checks.
Brooklyn Man Arrested for Stealing U.S. Mail, Including Government Stimulus Checks
A criminal complaint was filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Feng Chen with theft of mail, including credit cards, multiple checks and nine Economic Impact Payments (“EIP”) from the United States Treasury Department, otherwise known as “stimulus payments.” Chen was arrested yesterday and will make his initial appearance via videoconference this afternoon before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), J. Russell George, Treasury Office of Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrest.
"For many families, these stimulus checks are a lifeline in these difficult times and anyone who tries to cut that lifeline will face the full weight of the law,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office will vigorously prosecute all those who seek to take advantage of the public health crisis. I commend the NYPD police officers for their truly outstanding work and service under difficult conditions.”
Mr. Donoghue urged the public to report suspected fraud related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address disaster@leo.gov. For information on how to identify or report fraud involving Economic Impact Payments, visit tips.tigta.gov.
“The COVID-19 crisis has placed tremendous stress on underserved communities across this country. The Economic Impact Payments are, in many cases, the lifeline needed by these individuals to stay afloat during this crisis. When Mr. Chen stole these checks, he robbed recipients of these much needed funds. Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners have no tolerance for the theft of mail, especially during these unprecedented times”, stated USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Bartlett.
“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) is the agency responsible for protecting the integrity of the Internal Revenue Service, including the theft of Economic Impact Payments. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate any individual that engages in criminal activity to victimize taxpayers and exploit this national crisis for their own benefit,” stated TIGTA George.
“The NYPD recognizes how the COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for a variety of malicious, criminal scams. In this case, I applaud our alert detectives and federal partners for interrupting an alleged scheme to victimize New Yorkers by stealing important mail and stimulus money meant to aid them during this unprecedented crises,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.
According to the complaint and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of April 28, 2020 in Sunset Park, New York, NYPD police officers observed Chen look inside the medical collection bin at a closed medical office and then walk to a nearby residential building and examine mail left at the door. Chen then walked into the gated area of a second residential building and left carrying what appeared to be mail. Chen saw the police officers and tossed mail on the sidewalk. The officers exited their vehicle and observed a bulge in Chen’s jacket pocket. The officers searched Chen and recovered checks, EIPs totaling more than $12,000, credit cards, opened envelopes and letters bearing the names of various individuals and mail addresses.
The chargein the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Chen faces a maximum of five years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Grubin is in charge of the prosecution.
Then, to cover up stealin' the stimulus checks of the foster kids, this happened....
LANSING, Mich. – Officials in Michigan are helping children in foster care return to permanent homes amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) are partnering on a project called Rapid Permanency to get children home quickly and safely.
The project involves public and private child welfare caseworkers, lawyers and judges who analyze cases eligible for reunification, officials said. More than 200 children in Michigan’s foster care system have been identified as close to returning home to one or both parents, according to officials.
“The department believes that children should not be in foster care for any longer than absolutely necessary,” said JooYeun Chang, executive director of MDHHS Children’s Services Agency. “Even though we are facing numerous challenges right now, the urgency to achieve permanency for children and their families should not be slowed due to COVID-19.”
Officials say the project includes: “assessment of parent progress, implementing strategies to address remaining barriers to reunification, creation of a family-specific plan to ensure child safety and well-being, referrals to in-home family reunification services and obtaining agreement among team members and the Court to assure safe return.”
Under the project, SCAO is helping courts to hold virtual hearings and resolve issues without hearings when possible, officials said.
“During a time of crisis, taking steps to make sure children are with their parents is the right thing to do," Justice Megan Cavanagh said. "The goal of this partnership is to remove barriers to bringing families together as quickly as possible, and judges statewide are committed to making well-informed decisions that are in the best interest of every child.”
Officials say their approach to expedited permanency has shown success in other states.
Emergency Manager Emperor Pence & His Procurement Consortia Task Force focused on profit.
My favorite chick seems to be a Predictive Modeling Crapper who was strongly encouraged to put a human spin on the subject of children, where she spoke of her own children.
Well, at least that was a start to get them to focus on the humans, and not revenue maximization for the Public Private Partnerships.
Verily, Google’s sister company, has launched a screening website for those who want to get tested for COVID-19, but it’s limited to people in the Bay Area of California, the Verge reported.
“It’s more of a pilot program than a public health utility,” the website reported.
You have be 18 years of age or older, be able to speak English, and be a U.S. resident, according to the story. It resembles the program a Verily spokesperson described last week, “not the expansive triage system that the Trump administration promised,” the Verge said.
The initial question is “Are you currently experiencing severe cough, shortness of breath, fever, or other concerning symptoms?” the story said.
A “yes” answer prompts a message that the website is “not the right fit” and to seek medical attention.
“This screener was developed in partnership with government health officials,” a Verily spokesperson told the Verge. “The initial question is meant to ensure that anyone who is seriously ill does not come to our sites because they are not prepared to provide medical attention. We are early in this pilot and are going to be learning more that will help us refine this COVID-9 risk screening and testing.”
A “no,” answer prompts the user to sign in with a Google account and sign a consent form allowing data to possibly be shared with public health officials. A series of questions follows including questions about symptoms, travel and work responsibilities. It takes about three minutes to read and respond, the story said.
“Ultimately, our goal is to help local authorities expand testing access in California as the need continues to increase,” the company said. “The program is in its early stages, and we will take the time to assess operations at pilot sites in the Bay Area before rolling out to additional sites. We are working closely with Governor Newsom’s office, federal authorities and local public health authorities to ensure we have the right capabilities in place to help more people over the coming weeks.”
How many times did Emperor Pence say, "Public Private Partnerships"?
Hot mess.
Where's Azar?
Emperor Pence got questioned on why he announced a Public Private Partnership with Google when Google issued a statement that they knew nothing about it. Emperor said he heard Google was working on a website and was looking forward to working with them.
Media asked, "Where's Azar?" The Emporer said the task force would be 'rotating'.
This chick is talking about "people under 20 years may be asymptomatic and function as carriers". She refused to say children. I see CPS in your future....
"What is being done in public housing?" asked a reporter, Carson responds with the "OK" hand sign and says, "Alot."
Waiting for the Social Impact Bonds because it worked with TARP.
EXCLUSIVE: Behind the scenes footage of Emergency Manager Emperor Pence in the secret meeting "rotation" in members of the Procurement Consortia Task Force.
