There was an ongoing investigation, or should I say, investigations, with an 's'.
We have everything, anyway, so that entire "Q is an idiot" propaganda of Loretta Lynch and the SCOTUS appointment is now verified as crap because the cute little "Wanna-Be Junior Spy" graduates from the Naval Academy are absolutely clueless about the entire pro forma Blue Slipping of how one gets to be a Justice.
This is a very sad day of reflection in the open and obvious educational depravity in the history of civil rights, branches of government, and its administration from our Super Secret Smarty Pants institutions of national security.
My question, now, is..."What did they do with all those millions and who are the rest of the individuals involved?"
I bet they were running honey traps, which are nothing more than recording compromising situations with individuals of prominence and power, like elected officials.
Yes, there will be lots and lots of porn with your favorite public figures and I will bet it will be with individuals who hail from the world of foster care and adoption, domestic and international.
I will even standfast and say they were money laundering through child welfare NGOs and funding of political campaigns.
I bet you can even find pictures and videos from child welfare fundraisers, like....oh, I do not know.....let me think of an example... not that I am alleging anyone of any violation of law or policy, nor am I accusing any individual or organization... well, let us just use, as an example, only The Children's Defense Fund.
Simple, both groups use, verbatim, the exact same mission statements, which immediately lets me know that we are probably dealing with "Legal Geniuses" (trademark pending).
To ensure all states have a strong and effective childrens trust or prevention fund capable of leading and investing in strategies, policies and best practices that prevent child abuse and neglect before it occurs. To initiate and engage in national efforts that help State Childrens Trust and Prevention Funds in strengthening families to prevent child abuse and neglect. To promote and support a system of services, laws, practices and attitudes that supports families by enabling them to provide their children with safe, healthy and nurturing childhoods.
This is the work of Loretta Lynch, so do not be confused because this action goes far deeper than we really know as our schools never taught us about our civil rights or the history, thereof.
This is about human trafficking and the trafficking of tiny humans, the term I use for complex, financial fraud schemes in child welfare.
If you think this is wild, just wait until we get to Detroit.
A retired Vice detective and his wife allegedly were the masterminds behind an elaborate prostitution and gambling ringthat had brothels in three counties and led to the indictments of more than four dozen people, including seven active-duty NYPD officers, the Queens district attorney's office said Thursday.
Ex-NYPD detective Ludwig Paz, of Queens, allegedly helmed the sweeping enterprise along with his wife, Arelis Peralta, who prosecutors say helped operate brothels in Queens, Brooklyn and Nassau counties and gambling rooms in beauty salons and other businesses throughout the city.
Seven active members of the NYPD, including detectives and a pair of sibling sergeants, are also named in the indictment for alleged various roles in the operation. Those include 43-year-old Brooklyn South Vice Detective Rene Samaniego, who allegedly helped Paz run both the gambling and prostitution operations and "outed" undercover detectives as they entered the brothels.
Sgt. Carlos Cruz, 41, and detective Giovanny Rojas Acosta, 40, are accused of giving Paz information on law enforcement activities related to prostitution to help him avoid detection. They, along with Paz, all face charges of enterprise corruption, according to the indictment.
Two brothers who are NYPD sergeants -- Cliff Nieves, 37, and Steven Nieves, 32 -- are accused of promoting prostitution and operating an invite-only "pop-up brothel" within another established brothel, the indictment says. Another cop, Giancarlo Raspanti, allegedly gave Paz confidential police information in exchange for discounted sex at a brothel. And yet another sergeant, Louis Failla, allegedly helped Paz get out of a jam following a brothel ride.
Prosecutors say a tip from an officer about gambling and prostitution issues within the department to the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau in 2015 launched the investigation. Queens District Attorney Richard Brown says over the course of the probe, investigators used wiretaps and surveillance, among other techniques, to map out the flow and players in the complicated enterprise.
At the top of that flow chart, Brown said, was Paz, who allegedly ran or helped run the day-to-day operations at seven of eight brothels. He also allegedly used his knowledge of NYPD Vice procedures to set up protocols for new prostitution clients. Knowing that detectives could not expose their genitals during their interactions with prostitutes, Paz allegedly required the new clients to undress and allow themselves to be fondled to pass the brothel’s security screening. The retired detective also allegedly used his contacts within the NYPD to thwart raids by paying for confidential police information, the indictment charges.
The brothels used online ads to attract customers and after passing the screenings, clients would be allowed to choose a prostitute and paid anywhere from $40 for 15 minutes of sexual activity up to $160 for a full hour, according to the indictment. And between August 2016 and September 2017, prosecutors say the prostitution ring took in more than $2 million.
At the same time, Brown said Paz and his wife allegedly profited from several illegal lottery businesses set up at a deli and beauty salon in Queens.
The bust also snared nearly three dozen civilians on various charges. The seven active NYPD members all pleaded not guilty at their arraignments Thursday; all of their attorneys declined comment. Paz's arraignment was still pending Thursday afternoon, and court officers said the rest of the dozens of arraignments would likely take place through the day Thursday into Friday.
Officials for the PBA, DEA and SBA unions representing officers, detectives and sergeants, did not have immediate comment on the arrests.
NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill praised the tipster who came forward and blasted the officers in a statement Thursday afternoon, saying, "Whenever officers betray trust by engaging in criminal behavior, they tarnish the shields they wear. The New Yorkers we serve will never tolerate this, and neither will this police department."
UPDATE: It seems Sorcha Faal has used me as a citation source.
The following is a publication of True Pundit, not me.
What I do is capture everything, preserve it, and add it to my bucket of crap I like to scrape off the internet, or what many will understand as propaganda.
Sorcha Fall sucks because it was mean to my Sweetie.
I know I feel better now that I have clarified my position on Sorcha Faal using my work, improperly, as a source of citation.
I even have a copyright they violated because they used my work to make money and give legitimacy to its propaganda.
This is about child welfare, and not once, has anyone, but me, has said one word about it.
This looks like a pathetic effort to make me look bad.
Since you have found yourself here, enjoy going through my database, for I have dedicated my entire blog for justice to be served, though the heavens shall fall.
#32819#
~END~
I am just going to leave this right here for now.
Get ready.
Money launderers who bragged on a secret federal wire tap that they could employ Clinton Foundation connections to funnel and cleanse millions in illicit cash have sparked a newly-minted FBI investigation into the embattled charity run by Hillary Clinton and her family, federal law enforcement officials confirm.
The money laundering allegations being probed by the FBI have been buoyed by recent revelations and evidence discovered by the NYPD from a laptop confiscated from Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin’s Manhattan residence. According to NYPD, several of the emails recovered on the hard drive disclosed sensitive financial details of the Clintons and their charity. That evidence is now in the hands of the FBI too, whose New York field office has opened a parallel Clinton Foundation investigation.
Federal law enforcement sources said the Los Angeles-based money launderers, who are part of a separate federal investigation, discussed previously using Clinton Foundation personnel to domesticate foreign funds that could not be legally brought into the United States through traditional bank wires and deposits.
NYPD sources said Weiner’s email treasure trove contained correspondences regarding a company linked to President Bill Clinton and at least one offshore company, a South American affiliate of the Clinton Foundation. The emails also contained offshore financial correspondences, the source said.
Federal agents said one U.S.-based company is owned by Bill Clinton and according to linked banking intelligence discovered in emails, that entity disbursed millions of dollars via wire transfers through global banks to additional accounts controlled by the Clinton family and its charity. NYPD intelligence sources versed in anti-money laundering, said the emails and other items obtained from Weiner’s laptop paint a portrait of a complex corporate umbrella strategically formulated to seemingly operate and avoid law-enforcement detection.
“There’s sophistication in how this works and distributes cash to other accounts,” a federal intelligence source said. “Do we think this involves gun-running or drug-dealing criminals? Not intentionally, but the infrastructure is set up almost identically. Proceeds and income are being hidden the same way.”
Has the Clinton Foundation and/or affiliates underwritten or profited from terror groups? It is distinctly possible it has conducted business with terror-backed financial concerns, federal agents said based on a cache of suspicious financial activity reports filed by institutions with the U.S. Treasury which flagged transactions with known terror-linked cartels, including Islamic factions.
While the sophistication of the financial structuring and money movement may seem familiar to law enforcement, this case is anything but a normal investigation, notwithstanding its targets include a former U.S. president and secretary of state. Normal joint operating protocols between the FBI and Justice Department have been abandoned. FBI agents in the Los Angeles field office, where the money laundering probe launched have been continuously hassled by Justice Department naysayers who want the investigation spiked. Likewise, Justice Department officials have instructed FBI agents in New York City to stand down and abandon the inquiry. However, the Bureau has refused to buckle, especially after receiving corroborating evidence from the NYPD, FBI officials said.
Is the Clinton Foundation federal probe the work of FBI agents gone rogue? No. The FBI agents, with approval from headquarters in Washington D.C., have been sanctioned to continue the investigation, ignoring directives from Attorney General Loretta Lynch and her underlings, including Leslie Caldwell, Lynch’s point running the Justice Department’s criminal division.
Neither Lynch nor Caldwell were available for comment.
The FBI’s probe of the Clinton Foundation is actually a compartmentalized investigation. Field offices in Los Angeles and New York are spearheading the case but other offices are involved and contributing, sources said.
According to federal sources, transactions linked to Clinton corporate holdings have raised several regulatory eyebrows even beyond of the Justice Department, specifically in the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury that reports to the Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. FinCEN’s mission is to combat and pinpoint money laundering for personal profit or underwriting terrorism through the collection, analysis, and dissemination of financial intelligence and strategic use of financial authorities, namely banks and investment houses.
According to federal sources, FinCEN is warehousing numerous Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) forwarded to Treasury from financial institutions for transactions from Clinton-owned entities, both in the United States and globally, all triggered by anti-money laundering safeguards. These reports are confidential but federal agents are using these filings as key pieces to the Clinton Foundation financial puzzle.
According to details gleaned from FinCEN, federal agents acknowledge the Clinton Foundation operates a menagerie of subsidiaries and corporate structures beyond the parent charity. According to law enforcement sources, the FinCEN revelations coupled with the emails recovered by the NYPD detail a complex myriad of shell corporations linked to the Clintons and their charity. FBI sources describe these financial entanglements as vast and global. And many defy normal operating procedures of legitimate charities, officials said.
Has the Clinton Foundation underwritten or profited from linked terror groups per the intelligence warehoused in FinCEN’s vast Treasury database? It is distinctly possible the Clinton Foundation has conducted business — knowingly or not — with terror-backed financial concerns or groups, federal agents said, especially because these are the exact suspicious transactions the U.S. Treasury mandates compliance and security officials in U.S. financial institutions to report to FinCEN under threat of hefty fines and imprisonment.
Triggered by such anti-money laundering controls, federal investigators, for example, said they have examined a Clinton-affiliated offshore entity that essentially is a multi-million dollar private for-profit equity firm operated like an unsanctioned U.S. hedge fund outside the regulatory reach of the Securities and Exchange Commission. That for-profit business however, is controlled by New York-based Clinton Foundation, a not-for-profit registered charity. Also, while the profits of the offshore company are taxable in its foreign domicile, the parent company — the Clinton Foundation — is exempt from the same annual taxes in the United States.
Likewise, because the affiliate of the Clinton Foundation operates as a private offshore company, no one — including regulators in the United States — is privy to its clients, its investments or whether it perhaps served as a front company to secretly commission pay-for-play political schemes and favors during Hillary Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state.
The challenge for the investigators? The Clinton Foundation and family have dozens of such affiliates and companies, an intricate corporate tapestry confusing to outsiders and intentionally complex by design.That’s why FBI agents in more than five separate field offices are working this case, federal sources said.
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security’s (“DHS”) Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) in New York, and Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the arrest of TRACY REYNOLDS, a/k/a “Sara,” and IZHAK COHEN, for money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with their ownership and operation of VIP Escorts, a nationwide multimillion-dollar business offering high end prostitution services, as well as the seizure of bank accounts and 391 websites related to the VIP Escorts business. REYNOLDS was arrested this morning at Tampa International Airport while boarding a flight to Mexico and was presented today in Tampa federal court. COHEN was arrested by Israeli authorities in Hadera, Israel. The United States Attorney’s Office will seek COHEN’s extradition to stand trial in the United States.
According to the allegations in the Complaint sworn out in Manhattan federal court:[1]
From at least 2012 to the present, REYNOLDS and COHEN have operated an online high-end prostitution business through their company and its affiliates known as “VIP Escorts.” VIP Escorts maintains a website, http://wvvw.vipescorts.com (the “VIP Escorts Website”), which it used to promote its prostitution services and was registered to COHEN. VIP Escorts also operates an array of affiliated escort websites, which also advertised its prostitution services, with names such as “Prestige Escorts,” “American Escorts,” “Russian Escorts,” and “Manhattan Exotics,” all of which are registered to COHEN.
As part of their prostitution business, REYNOLDS and COHEN arranged for escorts to meet clients in Manhattan and in numerous other locations for prostitution services, charging them thousands of dollars. REYNOLDS and COHEN required escorts to deposit the proceeds of their commercial sex acts into a large number of bank accounts that they controlled, many of them in the name of fake entities. REYNOLDS and COHEN then laundered the money through thousands of domestic and international financial transactions. In total, over $10 million passed through various personal and business accounts controlled by REYNOLDS during the course of this conspiracy, and over $1 million was sent from REYNOLDS in the United States to COHEN in Israel in thousands of small transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds.
REYNOLDS and COHEN then used the proceeds of the prostitution scheme for personal gain and to further their illegal prostitution business. They paid, for example, over $295,000 from bank accounts under their control to advertise the VIP Escorts business on a known advertising platform for the prostitution industry.
* * *
REYNOLDS, 45, of Alamosa, Colorado, and Cohen, 53, of Hadera, Israel, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and two counts of money laundering, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years 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 the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI, NYPD, and the El Dorado Task Force, and expressed his sincere gratitude to the Israel National Police and the Israel Ministry of Justice for their support and assistance with the investigation. He also thanked the Office of International Affairs of the U.S. Department of Justice for their assistance in the arrest of COHEN.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Herman is in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Keith A. Bonanno, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (“DOJ OIG”) Cyber Investigations Office, and Guido Modano, Special Agent in Charge of the DOJ OIG New York Field Office, announced today the arrest and filing of charges against FREDERICK L. SCHEININ. The Complaint charges that between October 2019 and January 2020, SCHEININ attempted to produce child pornography and entice a minor to have sex. SCHEININ was arrested yesterday and will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker in Manhattan federal court.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As a diversion investigator at the DEA, Frederick Scheinin’s foremost responsibility was to protect the public from illegally diverted drugs. Instead of fulfilling this worthy mission, Scheinin allegedly spent months attempting to prey on a 14-year-old boy. This arrest exemplifies that no one is above the law. Our law enforcement partners will continue to bring all necessary tools to bear to apprehend individuals who wish to do harm to young children, no matter who they are.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “I want to commend the U.S. Attorney and our federal partners who, together with our NYPD investigators, work every day to protect the innocent against such alleged reprehensible predators. I am proud of the undercover work in this case, which has now led to criminal charges against a law enforcement officer who allegedly betrayed his sacred oath.”
DOJ OIG Cyber Investigations Office Special Agent in Charge Keith A. Bonanno said: “The OIG and our law enforcement partners will thoroughly investigate allegations of abuse or exploitation of children by DOJ employees. Those who are found guilty of this type of criminal behavior will be brought to justice.”
Up until the time of his arrest, SCHEININ was a diversion investigator in the New York Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”). According to the allegations in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court today[1]:
Between October 2019 and January 2020, SCHEININ used a multimedia messaging application on his cellphone to communicate with an undercover law enforcement officer (“UC‑1”) who was posing as a 14-year-old boy. SCHEININ repeatedly sent sexually explicit images and videos to UC-1 in an attempt to persuade UC-1 to transmit sexually explicit images, photos, and live visual depictions of UC-1 to SCHEININ. In particular, SCHEININ repeatedly asked UC-1 to transmit images and videos of UC-1’s penis. The Complaint further alleges that SCHEININ attempted to arrange a meeting with UC-1 at which SCHEININ planned to have sex with UC-1. Law enforcement arrested SCHEININ yesterday in New York, New York, at a location where SCHEININ said he would meet UC-1. SCHEININ was in possession of condoms and lubricant at the time of his arrest.
SCHEININ, 29, of Sunnyside, New York, is charged with one count of attempted production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and one count of attempted enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and 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 the defendant will be determined by the judge.
The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* * *
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and the DOJ OIG New York Field Office and Cyber Investigations Office.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Chiuchiolo is in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
El Chapo returns in a tale of espionage, intrigue and some hard core playas.
This New York tale spans the globe, through the ages, but for now, we enjoy the possibilities of this New York Officer being a whistleblower, which is what an undercover officer is, not saying he is, nor am I saying El Chapo is a whistleblower, but I thought I would just present plausible scenario, considering the fact that Loretta Lynch was hard on the New York Police, and the New York Police had their psyoptic moments.
Ishmael Bailey, 36, was arrested Wednesday and arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on five counts
NYPD officer Ishmael Bailey gestures as he exits the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse, in the Brooklyn borough of New York, U.S., July 17, 2019.
A New York police officer who worked an off-duty job as a bodyguard for the wife of drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán faces felony drug charges after he was accused of accepting cash in exchange for police protection in a cocaine operation.
Ishmael Bailey, 36, was arrested Wednesday and arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on five counts, including criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance, receiving bribes and official misconduct. The 12-year veteran of the force was suspended without pay after his arrest. If convicted, he would face up to 15 years in prison.
Prosecutors at Bailey’s arraignment mentioned his work for the Sinaloa Cartel boss’s wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, earlier this year, escorting her to and from the Brooklyn federal courthouse in July, when her husband was sentenced for running the world’s largest narcotics trafficking group.
Bailey’s attorney, Jeffrey Cohen, said his client’s side jobs are “irrelevant.”
“He’s not being brought up on charges for that,” Cohen told The Washington Post. “What’s happening now is, he’s pled not guilty, and I’m investigating the matter.”
NYPD officer Ishmael Bailey escorts Emma Coronel Aispuro, the wife of Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, from the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse, following the sentencing of Guzman in the Brooklyn borough of New York, U.S., on July 17, 2019.
Bailey’s prosecution involves conduct that postdates Guzman’s trial and does not involve the Sinaloa Cartel, according to the district attorney’s office.
According to the criminal complaint, Bailey met with an undercover officer last month, who he believed was a drug dealer. On two occasions, he agreed to provide security as packages of cocaine were transported from location to location; he was allegedly paid in cash per kilogram moved.
Bailey earned $2,500 on Sept. 4 for driving a duffel bag filled with drugs to a parking lot in Queens, prosecutors said. The following week, Bailey again acted as a security guard for the undercover officer, according to the complaint, and he was paid $10,000 to pick up two kilograms of cocaine.
The acting district attorney of Queens County, John Ryan, said Bailey “took an oath to enforce the law. Today, sadly, he is accused of taking part in an illicit drug operation.”
New York Police Commissioner James O’Neill also condemned Bailey’s alleged acts.
“There is no place for corruption within the NYPD,” O’Neill said at a news conference after the arrest. “When an individual officer intentionally tarnishes the shield worn proudly by thousands before him, he will be held to the highest account the law provides.”
Bailey is next scheduled to appear in court Oct. 3.
Jeffrey Epstein Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Sex Trafficking Of Minors
Alleged Conduct Occurred in both New York and Florida over Multiple Years, Involving Dozens of Victims
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that JEFFREY EPSTEIN was arrested Saturday and charged with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. The indictment unsealed today alleges that, between 2002 through 2005, EPSTEIN sexually exploited and abused dozens of underage girls by enticing them to engage in sex acts with him in exchange for money. Epstein allegedly worked with several employees and associates to ensure that he had a steady supply of minor victims to abuse, and paid several of those victims themselves to recruit other underage girls to engage in similar sex acts for money. He committed these offenses in locations including New York, New York, and Palm Beach, Florida. EPSTEIN is expected to be presented in Manhattan federal court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Jeffrey Epstein abused underage girls for years, operating a scheme in which girls he victimized would recruit others for Epstein to exploit and abuse. Epstein exploited girls who were vulnerable to abuse, enticed them with cash payments, and escalated his conduct to include sex acts, often occurring at his residence on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. While the charged conduct is from a number of years ago, the victims – then children and now young women – are no less entitled to their day in court. My Office is proud to stand up for these victims by bringing this indictment.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “We are asking anyone who may have been victimized by Jeffrey Epstein, or anyone who may have information about his alleged criminal behavior, to please call us. The number is 1-800-CALL-FBI. We want to hear from you, regardless of the age you are now, or whatever age you were then, no matter where the incident took place. The bravery it takes to call us might empower others to speak out about the crimes committed against them. It is important to remember there was never, nor will there ever be an excuse for this type of behavior. In the eyes of the FBI, the victims will always come first.”
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “Today’s charges serve as a warning to individuals who continue to prey upon some of our society’s most vulnerable population: we are coming for you. I thank and commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District and the FBI for their tireless efforts to ensure child predators are taken off our streets. The NYPD will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to eradicate the trafficking of children in our city and nation and work to bring justice to victims of these heinous crimes.”
If you believe you are a victim of the sexual abuse perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI, and reference this case.
According to the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
From at least 2002 through at least 2005, JEFFREY EPSTEIN enticed and recruited, and caused to be enticed and recruited, dozens of minor girls to visit his mansion in New York, New York (the “New York Residence”), and his estate in Palm Beach, Florida (the “Palm Beach Residence”), to engage in sex acts with him, after which he would give the victims hundreds of dollars in cash. In order to maintain and increase his supply of victims, EPSTEIN also paid certain victims to recruit additional underage girls whom he could similarly abuse. In this way, EPSTEIN created a vast network of underage victims for him to sexually exploit, often on a daily basis, in locations including New York and Palm Beach.
EPSTEIN’s victims were as young as 14 at the time he abused them, and were, for various reasons, often particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Moreover, EPSTEIN knew that many of his victims were under 18, including because, in some instances, victims expressly told him they were underage.
In creating and maintaining this network of minor victims in multiple states to abuse and exploit sexually, EPSTEIN worked with others, including employees and associates who facilitated his conduct by, among other things, contacting victims and scheduling their sexual encounters with EPSTEIN at the New York Residence and at the Palm Beach Residence.
In both New York and Florida, EPSTEIN perpetuated this abuse in similar ways. Victims were initially recruited to provide “massages” to EPSTEIN, which became increasingly sexual in nature and would typically include one or more sex acts. EPSTEIN paid his victims hundreds of dollars in cash for each encounter.
In particular, during encounters at the New York Residence, victims would be taken to a room where they would perform a massage on EPSTEIN, during which EPSTEIN would frequently escalate the nature and scope of physical contact with his victims to include, among other things, sex acts such as groping and direct and indirect contact with the victims’ genitals. In connection with the encounters, EPSTEIN, or one of his employees or associates, typically paid each victim hundreds of dollars in cash. Once minor victims were recruited, EPSTEIN or his employees or associates would contact victims to schedule appointments for “massages.” As a result, many victims were abused by EPSTEIN on multiple subsequent occasions.
To further enable him to abuse underage girls, EPSTEIN asked and enticed certain of his victims to recruit additional minor girls to perform “massages” and similarly engage in sex acts with EPSTEIN. When a victim would recruit another underage girl for EPSTEIN, he paid both the victim-recruiter and the new victim hundreds of dollars in cash. Through these victim-recruiters, EPSTEIN maintained a steady supply of new victims to exploit, and gained access to dozens of additional underage girls to abuse.
* * *
JEFFREY EPSTEIN, 66, is charged with one count of sex trafficking of minors, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The statutory maximum and mandatory penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD. He also thanked the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Rossmiller, Alison Moe, and Maurene Comey are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from the Office’s Human Trafficking Co-Coordinator, Abigail Kurland.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is 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.
I bet Boo Boo Barr does not want to start there, or even go there, but have not fear, for the heavens are falling and we are in Detroit.
#maytheheavensfall
DOJ: GHISLAINE MAXWELL CHARGED IN MANHATTAN FEDERAL COURT FOR CONSPIRING WITH JEFFREY EPSTEIN TO SEXUALLY ABUSE MINORS
Maxwell is Alleged to Have Facilitated, Participated in Acts of Abuse
Additionally Charged With Perjury in Connection With 2016 Depositions
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that GHISLANE MAXWELL was arrested this morning and charged with enticing a minor to travel to engage in criminal sexual activity, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, conspiracy to commit both of those offenses, and perjury in connection with a sworn deposition. The Indictment unsealed today alleges that between at least in or about 1994 through 1997, MAXWELL and co-conspirator Jeffrey Epstein exploited girls as young as 14, including by enticing them to travel and transporting them for the purpose of engaging in illegal sex acts. As alleged, knowing that Epstein had a preference for young girls, MAXWELL played a critical role in the grooming and abuse of minor victims that took place in locations including New York, Florida, and New Mexico. In addition, as alleged, MAXWELL made several false statements in sworn depositions in 2016. MAXWELL is expected to be presented this afternoon in the in federal court in New Hampshire. This case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Ghislaine Maxwell facilitated, aided, and participated in acts of sexual abuse of minors. Maxwell enticed minor girls, got them to trust her, and then delivered them into the trap that she and Jeffrey Epstein had set. She pretended to be a woman they could trust. All the while, she was setting them up to be abused sexually by Epstein and, in some cases, Maxwell herself. Today, after many years, Ghislaine Maxwell finally stands charged for her role in these crimes.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Preserving the innocence of children is among the most important responsibilities we carry as adults. Like Epstein, Ms. Maxwell chose to blatantly disregard the law and her responsibility as an adult, using whatever means she had at her disposal to lure vulnerable youth into behavior they should never have been exposed to, creating the potential for lasting harm. We know the quest for justice has been met with great disappointment for the victims, and that reliving these events is traumatic. The example set by the women involved has been a powerful one. They persevered against the rich and connected, and they did so without a badge, a gun, or a subpoena - and they stood together. I have no doubt the bravery exhibited by the women involved here has empowered others to speak up about the crimes of which they've been subjected.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “The heinous crimes these charges allege are, and always will be abhorrent for the lasting trauma they inflict on victims. I commend our investigators, and law enforcement partners, for their continuing commitment to bringing justice to the survivors of sexual assault, everywhere.”
If you believe you are a victim of the sexual abuse perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI, and reference this case.
According to the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
From at least 1994 through at least 1997, GHISLAINE MAXWELL assisted, facilitated, and participated in Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Jeffrey Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims known to MAXWELL and Epstein to be under the age of 18. The victims were as young as 14 years old when they were groomed and abused by MAXWELL and Epstein, both of whom knew that their victims were in fact minors. As a part and in furtherance of their scheme to abuse minor victims, MAXWELL and Epstein enticed and caused minor victims to travel to Epstein’s residences in different states, which MAXWELL knew and intended would result in their grooming for and subjection to sexual abuse.
As alleged, MAXWELL enticed and groomed minor girls to be abused in multiple ways. For example, MAXWELL attempted to befriend certain victims by asking them about their lives, taking them to the movies or taking them on shopping trips, and encouraging their interactions with Epstein. MAXWELL also acclimated victims to Epstein’s conduct simply by being present for victim interactions with Epstein, which put victims at ease by providing the assurance and comfort of an adult woman who seemingly approved of Epstein’s behavior. Additionally, to make victims feel indebted to Epstein, MAXWELL would encourage victims to accept offers of financial assistance from Epstein, including offers to pay for travel or educational expenses. MAXWELL also normalized and facilitated sexual abuse by discussing sexual topics with victims, encouraging them to massage Epstein, and undressing in front of a victim.
As MAXWELL and Epstein intended, these grooming behaviors left minor victims vulnerable and susceptible to sexual abuse by Epstein. MAXWELL was then present for certain sexual encounters between minor victims and Epstein, such as interactions where a minor victim was undressed, and ultimately MAXWELL was present for sex acts perpetrated by Epstein on minor victims. That abuse included sexualized massages during which a minor victim was fully or partially nude, as well as group sexualized massages of Epstein involving a minor victim where MAXWELL was present.
As alleged, minor victims were subjected to sexual abuse that included, among other things, the touching of a victim’s breasts or genitals, placing a sex toy such a vibrator on a victim’s genitals, directing a victim to touch Epstein while he masturbated, and directing a victim to touch Epstein’s genitals. MAXWELL and Epstein’s victims were groomed or abused at Epstein’s residences in New York, Florida, and New Mexico, as well as MAXWELL’s residence in London, England.
Additionally, in 2016, while testifying under oath in a civil proceeding, MAXWELL repeatedly made false statements, including about certain specific acts and events alleged in the Indictment.
* * *
GHISLAINE MAXWELL, 58, is charged with one count of enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, one count of conspiracy to entice a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, one count of transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, one count of conspiracy to transport a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and two counts of perjury, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Rossmiller, Alison Moe, and Maurene Comey are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is 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. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
