EFTA00149112.pdf

From: To: Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Tuesday, November 24, 2020 Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2020 11:27:38 +0000 Importanc Normal e: Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. FBI News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020 6:30 AM EST TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • US Charges 15 Reputed Mobsters In Pennsylvania, New Jersey. PROTESTS • Louisville Protest Leader Shot And Killed Monday. • Woman Pleads Guilty To Pointing Laser Pointer At Police Aircraft During Protest. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Judge Declares Mistrial In Massachusetts Attempted Arson Case. • Scottish Court To Hear Appeal Of Libyan Man Convicted Of 1998 Bombing. • O'Brien Says US Sending Missiles, Bombs To Philippines. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Biden Names Prospective Heads Of ODNI, DHS, State, Others. • US Files New Charges Against Florida Navy Officer. • FBI Phoenix Warns Of Chinese Efforts To Steal Data. • Former DO) Official, "Anonymous" Author Miles Taylor Named As Witness In Flynn Probe. • Report: US Has Taken Kim Jong-un's Nephew Into Protective Custody. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Epstein Prosecutors Seek Documents Related To Dubin's Children. • Shooting At Brooklyn Party Leaves One Dead, Six Injured. • Suspect In San Jose Church Stabbing Arrested. • Witness In Mueller Probe Attacked By Knife-Wielding Suspect. • Michigan Man Charged With Kidnapping Texas Girl, Who Is Safe. • North Carolina Man Sentenced To Prison For Racial Threats. • FBI Among Agencies Still Investigating Boy's 1991 Disappearance. • Minnesota Man Arrested After Assaulting Officer, Breaking Into University. • FBI Offering Reward For Information In 1988 Abduction Case. • FBI Identifies Missouri Bank Robbery Suspect After Releasing Surveillance Photos. • Florida Man Awaits Sentencing After Pleading Guilty To Possessing Gun As Felon. • Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty To Paying Bribes To DC Police. EFTA00149112 • Five Arrested In Idaho After Child Enticement Sting Op. • Oregon Corrections Officer Charged With Conspiracy To Smuggle Drugs, Having Sex With Inmate. • "Mr. Potato Head" Pleads Guilty On Three Bank Robbery Charges. • California Man Charged With Murdering College Student Whose Remains Were Found In Mojave. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Former Cincinnati City Council Member Dennard To Be Sentenced Today. • Missouri Woman Sentenced In Walmart Fraud Scheme. • Former New York Medical Firm Owner Sentenced For Healthcare Fraud Scheme. • Maryland Brothers Charged With Money Laundering In Alleged $5M Romance Scheme. • US Charges Former Virginia Attorney With Fraud. • US Charges Nine With Stealing, Selling Boats, Other Vehicles. • Apple's Head Of Global Security Charged With Bribery. • Former Chicago Alderman Faces Years In Prison For Tobacco Settlement Scheme. CYBER DIVISION • UK Said To Be Considering Huawei Installation Ban In 2021. • U Of Vermont Medical Records Back Up One Month After Cyberattack. • US Arrests Man In $1M Airplane Cyber-Scam. • Mountie Testifies He Didn't Ask Huawei CFO For Phone Passcodes. • Congress Finalizing Law On loT Security. • Opinion: Firing Of CISA Director Reflects Vulnerability Of Cybersecurity. • NATO Experimenting With Practice That Exposes Phishing Scammer's Techniques. LABORATORY • Ohio Man Named As Suspect In Florida Cold Case Homicide. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • DO) Reschedules Woman's Execution For January 12. • NYPD To Increase Subway Patrols Amid Increase In Shoving Incidents. • Incoming Congresswoman Asked Capitol Police About Carrying Firearm. • DC Firefighter Shot While Aiding A Shooting Victim. • New York AG Accuses Buffalo Diocese Of Covering Up Sexual Abuse. • Transgender Woman Sues Georgia Department Of Corrections For A Second Time. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Mexican President Denies Deal With US To Capture Cartel Leader For Former Defense Minister. • DEA, FBI Meet With India's NCB To Discuss International Trafficking Networks. LAWFUL ACCESS • UK Officials Say Pedophile Would Not Have Been Caught Under Facebook's Encryption Plans. OTHER FBI NEWS • Sen. Paul: DC US Attorney Won't Probe RNC Protestors Who Confronted Him At Convention. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Trump Says He Has Authorized GSA To Cooperate With Biden Transition. • White House To Hold Indoor Holiday Reception. • Fauci Calls On New York, Other States To Accept A COVID-19 Vaccine Once It Is Approved By FDA. • US To Begin Distributing Regeneron's SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Treatment. • Governors Tighten Restrictions In Bid To Contain Infection Spike. • US Moving Toward Holiday Season As Coronavirus Cases Increase Faster Than Ever. • Airline Travel Surges Despite Guidance Against Holiday Travel. EFTA00149113 • NFL Announces Expansion To Mask Mandate. • Gottlieb Issues Warning About Long-Term COVID Effects. • Maryland Governor Challenges WPost Reporting On Imported COVID Tests. • Study: One In 12 Early COVID Cases Linked To Outbreaks In Meatpacking Plants. • Rule Would Require Visitors To US From Two Dozen Countries To Post Bonds. • Report Says ICE Using Mobile Fingerprinting In Deportation Crackdown. • Rampell: Families Torn Apart At Border Still Not Reunited Or Secure. • Reps. Reed And Gottheimer Say COVID-19 Aid Package Can Be Done. • House Democrats' Disagreement Over Confederate Bases Could Doom Defense Bill. • Major Trump Donor Received $25M Low-Interest Government-Backed Pandemic Loan. • States Plan To File Second Antitrust Suit Against Google In December • Feinstein To Step Down As Top Democrat On Senate Judiciary Committee. • House Democrats Prepare To Govern With Tightest Majority in Two Decades. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • AstraZeneca-Oxford Coronavirus Vaccine Data Indicates Shot Is Up To 90% Effective. • European Governments Prepare To Ease Lockdowns For December Holidays. • UK's Johnson Lays Out Plans To Lift Lockdown Next Week. • Italian Virologist Says He Is Unable Even To Get A Flu Shot. • Spain's King Felipe Quarantining After Close Contact With COVID-19 Case. • Canadians Pushing To Keep Schools Open Despite Resurgence Of COVID-19 Infections. • Mexico's Roman Catholic Church Cancels Guadalupe Pilgrimage. • Shanghai Airport Employees Sealed In For COVID-19 Testing. • Hong Kong Hoping To Encourage COVID-19 Testing With Cash Payments. • South Korean Delivery Drivers' COVID-19 Deaths Prompt Calls For Worker Protections. • COVID Threatens Comeback After South Asian Countries Appear To Have Beaten First Wave. • Senior Administration Officials: White House Considering Joint Alliance Against Beijing. • EU, Canada, Other Countries Agree To Measures Eliminating Export Curbs Amid COVID-19 Battle. • Afghan Youths Escape Reality In Violent Video Game With "Cultlike Following." • G-20 Meeting Demonstrates Relief From Leaders At Prospect Of Biden Presidency. • Jordan's King Expresses To Biden "Keenness" To Continue Partnership With US. • Central European Countries Prepare For Changes Under Biden. • Corruption Trial For Former French President Sarkozy Opens. • Pope Hosts NBA Players To Discuss Social Justice Activism. • Armenian Troops In Nagorno-Karabakh Feel Loss Of Azerbaijan Territory. • Israeli PM Reportedly Met With Saudi Crown Prince. • Yemeni Rebels Fire Missile On Saudi Oil Facility Monday. • China Says It Has Eliminated Extreme Poverty. • Hong Kong Activists Plead Guilty To Unauthorized Assembly Charges. • China Launches Unmanned Spacecraft Toward Unexplored Part Of Moon. • Netflix's "A Suitable Boy" Entangles Streaming Service With Religious Tensions In India. • UN Council Rebukes Japan's Imprisonment Of Ghosn. • Tropical Cyclone Gati Hits Somalia As Nation's Strongest Storm On Record. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. EFTA00149114 LEADING THE NEWS US Charges 15 Reputed Mobsters In Pennsylvania, New Jersey. NJ News (11/23, Atmonavage, 1.72M) reports, "More than a dozen alleged organized crime members and associates were indicted Monday on charges of operating a criminal enterprise in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, the U.S. Attorney's office of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced. The superseding indictment alleges members of La Cosa Nostra based in Philadelphia engaged in "acts of illegal gambling, loansharking, drug trafficking, and extortion, among other crimes, for the purposes of enriching the organization and its members." In total, 15 organized crime members and associates were indicted Monday." NJ News adds, "While the indictment mostly focuses on the organization's activities in Philadelphia, it alleges that La Cosa Nostra used its reputation and influence `to exercise control over criminal rackets, like bookmaking and loansharking' in southern New Jersey, particularly Atlantic City." The Inquirer (PA) (11/23, Vella, 347K) reports, "The Philadelphia mob has limped along on life support for the past decade, its former leaders, Joseph `Uncle Joe' Ligambi and Joseph `Skinny Joey' Merlino, out of the picture after high-profile federal prosecutions," but "reports of La Cosa Nostra's demise have been greatly exaggerated, according to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed Monday by U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain. In fact, the mafia was adding new soldiers to its ranks as recently as 2015, prosecutors say, in ceremonies overseen by veterans of those former regimes." The Inquirer adds, "Fifteen mobsters have been indicted on racketeering, extortion, gambling and drug trafficking charges, according to the indictment. Chief among them is Steven `Stevie' Mazzone, 56, the reputed underboss of the organization who once served under Ligambi." The New York Post (11/23, Rosenberg, Sheehy, 4.57M) reports, "A reputed wiseguy nicknamed `Tony Meatballs' is among more than a dirty dozen alleged South Philly mobsters charged in a sweeping federal indictment unsealed Monday. The suspects are accused of everything from illegal sports betting to heroin-peddling to offering loans at 400 percent interest - not to mention plotting to kidnap and possibly murder a drug dealer to save their reputations after the guy sold them fake narcotics." The Post adds, "Anthony `Tony Meatballs" Gifoli, 72, was named in the superseding grand-jury indictment along with others including accused La Cosa Nostra underboss Steven `Stevie' Mazzone and alleged capo Domenic `Mr. Hopkins' Grande, the feds said. Underlings targeted by the indictment include Louis `Louie Sheep' Barretta, Joseph `Joey Electric' Servidio and Daniel `Harry' Castelli, the FBI said." The Garfield-Lodi (Ni) Daily Voice (11/23) reports, "Over the past five years, in fact, new leadership of the Philly and Atlantic City La Cosa Nostra beefed up the ranks, commanding illegal sports gambling, extorting victims through loansharking, selling cocaine, heroin and opioids - even conspiring to kidnap a drug dealer who sold them bad dope, they said. The FBI in Philadelphia began building a new organized crime case in October 2015. That's when, the indictment says, Mazzone joined" Grande, 41, and Mazzone, 55, "in a ceremony inducting several new soldiers at a South Philly residence." The New York Daily News (11/23, Matthews, 2.52M) reports, "Prosecutors allege in the indictment that each of the men are members and associates of the Sicilian criminal outfit La Cosa Nostra, colloquially known as the mafia or mob. Prosecutors said the men operated their criminal enterprise beginning in August 2015 and focused their activities in Philadelphia and Atlantic City by allegedly working to `reclaim territory in Atlantic City by extorting local bookmakers and loansharks' and trying to muscle in on the area's cocaine, oxycodone, heroin and fentanyl sellers. The men also allegedly threatening and assaulted numerous people who had been unable to repay extremely high-interest loans." The AP (11/23) reports from Philadelphia, "Federal prosecutors allege the crime family sought to use its `reputation and influence to exercise control over criminal rackets, like bookmaking and loansharking, in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, particularly Atlantic EFTA00149115 City."The Philadelphia mob isn't what it used to be, and thank God for that,' said U.S. Attorney McSwain in a statement. 'But it is still a problem and is still allegedly committing serious federal crimes." The AP adds, "The announcement is part of a long-running investigation involving the FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania office of the Attorney General, and the Philadelphia Police Department." NBC News (11/23, 6.14M) reports, "Ten of the defendants were charged with allegedly conspiring to conduct and participate in activities related to the mob, according to court papers. The remaining five were charged with other offenses, including conspiracy to extort money and distribute controlled substances, the indictment said." The Washington Examiner (11/23, Smith, 448K) reports, "A statement from the Justice Department said the case was being investigated by the FBI as well as local authorities. Per court documents, all 15 men will appear before U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick on Jan. 8. 'This group should've learned by now that the FBI is as committed to eradicating organized crime as wise guys are to embracing it,' Michael Driscoll, special agent in charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division, said in a statement." The Daily Beast (11/23, Briquelet, 1.39M) and the Daily Caller (11/23, Lancaster, 716K) also report. PROTESTS Louisville Protest Leader Shot And Killed Monday. USA Today (11/23, Loosemore, Gardner, Aulbach, 10.31M) reports Hamza "Travis" Nagdy, 21, "a young protest leader known for his energy and optimism amid Louisville's movement for racial justice became a new symbol of gun violence when he was shot and killed early Monday." Nagdy is described as "a regular at Jefferson Square Park, where protesters have gathered to demand justice for Breonna Taylor since late May," and "was frequently seen leading chants and marches." Woman Pleads Guilty To Pointing Laser Pointer At Police Aircraft During Protest. The Washington Post (11/23, 14.2M) reports Virginia woman Amanda Robinson "pleaded guilty Monday to aiming a laser pointer at a police aircraft during the protest of a Confederate memorial in Richmond in the spring, authorities said." Robinson "traveled to the Robert E. Lee Monument traffic circle in Richmond, where she directed a laser pointer at a Cessna aircraft flying above, US Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia said in a statement." She will be sentenced in March. COUNTER-TERRORISM Judge Declares Mistrial In Massachusetts Attempted Arson Case. The Springfield (MA) Republican (11/23, Barry, 395K) reports, "After roughly eight hours of deliberating, jurors in an attempted arson case reported they were hopelessly deadlocked — forcing a judge to declare a mistrial on the primary counts in the indictment." John Rathbun "faced two criminal counts related to accusations he tried to set a Jewish nursing home on fire with a half-filled gas container with a Christian church pamphlet stuck in its spout as a wick. Rathbun was charged in a third count with making two false statements to an FBI agent about where he had been for the first two weeks in April, and his familiarity with the elder care campus off Converse Street. The jury found him guilty of lying about his whereabouts over those two weeks." US District Judge Mark Mastroianni "declared a mistrial on counts one and two, the most onerous of the bunch tethered to a 20-year maximum prison sentence." Scottish Court To Hear Appeal Of Libyan Man Convicted Of 1998 Bombing. EFTA00149116 Reuters (11/23) reports, "Scotland's High Court will begin hearing an appeal on Tuesday against the conviction of a Libyan man found guilty of the 1988 Lockerbie aircraft bombing." Abdel Basset al-Megrahi was jailed for live in 2001 and "died in Libya in 2012 after being released three years earlier by Scotland's government on compassionate grounds following a diagnosis of terminal cancer." This year, "an independent Scottish review body ruled his family could launch an appeal after concluding there might have been a miscarriage of justice." O'Brien Says US Sending Missiles, Bombs To Philippines. The Hill (11/23, Choi, 2.98M) reports National Security Adviser O'Brien on Monday "announced that the US government was sending the Philippine military an arsenal of missiles and bombs in an apparent show of support to its ally as it deals with Islamic militants and territory disputes." At a ceremony, O'Brien "announced the delivery of the weapons on behalf of President Trump. According to Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Trump pledged $18 million worth of missiles when speaking to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte during a phone conversation in the spring." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Biden Names Prospective Heads Of ODNI, DHS, State, Others. CNN (11/23, Mucha, Krieg, 83.16M) reports that on Monday, Joe Biden "unveiled a slate of top foreign policy and national security picks." Biden's team confirmed that Antony Blinken would be tapped as Secretary of State, while Avril Haines was selected for DNI and Alejandro Mayorkas was named as Biden's selection for DHS Secretary. Former Secretary of State John Kerry, meanwhile, has been selected "to serve as Biden's climate czar." Biden said, "These individuals are equally as experienced and crisis-tested as they are innovative and imaginative. Their accomplishments in diplomacy are unmatched, but they also reflect the idea that we cannot meet the profound challenges of this new moment with old thinking and unchanged habits - or without diversity of background and perspective. It's why I've selected them." The Washington Post (11/23, 14.2M) reports that "other high-profile choices announced Monday were Jake Sullivan, a Biden adviser who will become national security adviser, and Linda Thomas-Greenfield, a longtime diplomat tapped to represent the United States at the United Nations." The team named by Biden "have longtime relationships with many Republicans. As a group, they inject a new diversity into the foreign policy leadership and signal that Biden intends to show the world a different face after the Trump years." On NBC Nightly NewsVi (11/23, story 2, 1:45, Holt, 6.28M), Geoff Bennett said that after four years of President Trump "often at odds with the foreign policy establishment," Biden "is pulling from that group for his first Cabinet picks." On the CBS Evening NewsVi (11/23, story 5, 1:45, Brennan, 4.43M), Nikole Killion said Biden's national security team is "notable for their diverse personal backgrounds, but all with something in common. They served under President Obama." The New York Times (11/23, Al, Crowley, 18.61M) reports Haines "served as deputy director of the C.I.A. in the Obama administration before succeeding Mr. Blinken as Mr. Obama's deputy national security adviser. She, too, is a former aide to Mr. Biden, serving as deputy chief counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 2007 to 2008 while Mr. Biden was chairman. Ms. Haines also served as counsel to Mr. Obama's National Security Council, helping him navigate legal issues around counterterrorism operations and pressing for more restraint to reduce civilian casualties." Bloomberg (11/23, Strohm, 4.73M) reports that, if confirmed, Haines would "be the first woman to serve" as DNI. NPR (11/23, Jones, 3.12M) says that Haines "has the respect of many in the intelligence community, former director of the CIA John Brennan told NPR. Her intelligence career spans over a decade: from the White House to the CIA, the NSC to the EFTA00149117 Department of State." Brennan "said that her varied and extensive intelligence background will help the Biden administration hit the ground running in January." CNN (11/23, Mucha, Krieg, 83.16M) reports that SSCI Vice Chair Mark Warner (D-VA) "immediately leaned on his Republican colleagues to confirm Haines to lead the intelligence community." Reuters (11/23, Landay, Hosenball) reports that Republican and Democratic "Senate sources said Haines is expected to win confirmation - but not without some hard questioning about her role as deputy CIA director from August 2013 to January 2015 and her views on national security challenges, from Russia to cyber warfare." The Washington Post (11/23, Harris, Nakashima, 14.2M) reports that former PDDNI Sue Gordon, "who was also said to be under consideration for the job," said, "I have a great deal of respect for Avril. Her relationship with the president-elect and her experience with the CIA should serve her, the community and the nation well as she leads the [intelligence community] into a very dynamic future that will require not only focus but change." Still, the New York Times (11/23, Barnes, 18.61M) reports that the selection of Haines "prompted concern from some human rights groups, which questioned her role as the architect of the Obama administration's program targeting terrorists with drones, some of which killed civilians. But her defenders argue that Ms. Haines helped put in place safeguards on the use of force and greater transparency for the drone program." NBC News (11/23, Dilanian, Bennett, 6.14M) reports that since leaving the Obama administration, Haines "has been affiliated with Columbia University and the Brookings Institution, and has consulted for various companies, including the national security data contractor Palantir, according to a Brookings biography unearthed by the Intercept. A source familiar with her work for Palantir confirmed it to NBC News, saying she advised the firm on diversity and advancing roles for women in technology." US News & World Report (11/23, Shinkman, 2.4M) also reports on Haines' selection, as does CQ Roll Call (11/23, 154K), Bloomberg (11/23, Faries, Strohm, 4.73M), and the Washington Examiner (11/23, Dunleavy, 448K), among others. Politico (11/23, Forgey, 4.29M) reports that Mayorkas "will become the first Latino secretary of Homeland Security." ABC News (11/23, Nagle, Finnegan, 2.97M) reports that Mayorkas, "who was born in Cuba and came as a refugee to the United States with his family when he was a baby," tweeted in reaction to the announcement, "When I was very young, the United States provided my family and me a place of refuge. Now, I have been nominated to be the DHS Secretary and oversee the protection of all Americans and those who flee persecution in search of a better life for themselves and their loved ones." MeriTalk (11/23, Curran) reports that Mayorkas "cut his teeth as a U.S. attorney in the 1980s and 1990s, went into private law practice, then headed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the first Obama administration." The Hill (11/23, Bemal, 2.98M) reports that Mayorkas's "selection shows the incoming Biden administration is targeting President Trump's executive overhaul of the immigration system, regardless of the likelihood of congressional gridlock on the legislative end." Reuters (11/23, Hesson) reports that Biden "has pledged to undo many of Trump's restrictive immigration policies. The hundreds of planned changes could take months or years to implement. Some pro-immigrant activists favored Mayorkas for the DHS role." Still, USA Today (11/23, Jansen, 10.31M) says that immigration "didn't come up much on the campaign trail, so it's not clear how much Biden will change Trump's policies." Bloomberg (11/23, Strohm, 4.73M) adds that the Biden transition team's "announcement on Monday didn't say who his picks for other key agencies will be, including secretary of defense or CIA director. Some names floated for those jobs include former Under Secretary of Defense Michele Flournoy and former deputy CIA Director Michael Morrell." Finally, Politico (11/23, Bender, Meyer, 4.29M) reports that some of the selections come from the firm WestExec Avisors, which was founded by Blinken and at which Haines was once one of its former principals. EFTA00149118  Sources Say Yellen Is Favorite For Biden Treasury Secretary. Citing unnamed sources, the Wall Street Journal (11/23, Al, Timiraos, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports on its front page that Biden will choose former Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen as Treasury secretary. On ABC World News TonightVi (11/23, story 5, 2:15, Muir, 7.67M), Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz said that if Yellen is confirmed, she "would be the first woman ever to serve as Treasury Secretary, a remarkable first given that she would succeed 75 men who have filled the position and more important than ever during this critical period in the pandemic economy." Reuters (11/23, Lawder, Hunnicutt) says Yellen is "an experienced policymaker respected by Congress, international finance officials, progressives and business interests alike." The AP (11/23, Rugaber, Balsamo) similarly reports that Yellen is "widely admired in the financial world," and Bloomberg (11/23, Greifeld, Leach, 4.73M) says the reports of her selection "landed gently on Wall Street," as "traders intensely familiar with the former Federal Reserve chair cheered the pick in anticipation of her working well with the central bank to help the economy bounce back from the pandemic." The New York Times (11/23, Al, Smialek, 18.61M) reports on its front page that while Yellen "is not the type of firebrand nominee some progressives might have hoped for - she has warned that the United States is borrowing too much money, a fact that some liberals count against her - she has paid consistent, careful attention to inequality and labor market outcomes, even when doing so earned her backlash from lawmakers." Reuters (11/23, Shalal) reports Institute of International Finance President and CEO Tim Adam on Monday said, "Janet Yellen is an extraordinary choice for Treasury Secretary, and should be swiftly confirmed by the Senate." Adam added, "She is a world class economist and dedicated public servant, and will be a trusted, steady, and pragmatic hand on the helm as the U.S. navigates the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic." In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (11/23, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) says that if Biden does select Yellen for Treasury Secretary, she is likely to have more extensive influence than her recent predecessors. The Journal says lawmakers should focus the confirmation hearings on her position on federal debt. US Files New Charges Against Florida Navy Officer. The Florida Times-Union (11/23, Patterson, 203K) reports, "Prosecutors have stopped trying to prove that an indicted Jacksonville Navy officer was part of a Chinese CEO's smuggling conspiracy, but have expanded firearms charges tied to his relationship with the CEO." Lt. Fan Yang "was the subject last week of a new indictment replacing one filed last year that charged him in an export conspiracy alongside his wife and two Chinese business people. The three co- defendants have already pleaded guilty, leaving only Yang, who had been assigned to Naval Air Station Jacksonville before being jailed last year, scheduled for trial in March." US Magistrate James Klindt "has scheduled an arraignment on the new set of charges, called a superseding indictment, for Dec. 3. The new indictment simplifies the case against Yang, 35," charging him "with twice buying handguns in his name that were really for the CEO's use and lying on a security review to hide the extent of his connection to the business executive." FBI Phoenix Warns Of Chinese Efforts To Steal Data. KTAR-FM Glendale, AZ (11/23, Zetino, 125K) reports from Phoenix, Arizona, "The Phoenix FBI office warns that attempts from the Chinese government to steal sensitive information happen all across the country and even right here in Arizona. The targets are usually people whose jobs give them access to sensitive U.S. government or business information. `We have seen cases where individuals are being recruited, being incentivized to return to China and take a job for more money,' Assistant Special Agent Craig Moringiello said." Moringiello "is in charge of counterintelligence and cyber for the Phoenix FBI office. Just last week, a former engineer at Raytheon Missiles and Defense in Tucson was sentenced to more than three years in prison for taking sensitive military-related technology data in his company-issued computer to China. Wei EFTA00149119 Sun had been working with the company for 10 years and had access to information directly related to defense-related technology." Former DO) Official, "Anonymous" Author Miles Taylor Named As Witness In Flynn Probe. The Washington Times (11/23, Mordock, 492K) reports that former DHS official Miles Taylor was named as a "witness in the FBI's investigation into Michael Flynn, two Senate-panel chairmen said Monday." Taylor "authored an op-ed vowing resistance to President Trump." Sens. Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) "cited a newly-declassified May 2017 Justice Department document summarizing the FBI's efforts in its Russian collusion probe." The document "names Mr. Taylor as a witness in the Flynn investigation, but doesn't explain the FBI's interest in him or his connection to Flynn, who briefly served as Mr. Trump's national security adviser." The document says, "Witness interview of Miles Taylor, mentioned in the [Foreign Agents Registration Act] documents, indicated Flynn Intel Group's involvement with a late 2016 Turkey-related briefing to the now-National Security Adviser to the Vice President." National Review (11/23, Evans, 731K) reports that Johnson and Grassley have asked D0J to declassify notes from the Taylor interview. They wrote in a letter to AG Barr, "We request all records relating to the FBI's interview of Miles Taylor, including all 302s and notes, to better understand his role in the Flynn investigation." The Washington Examiner (11/23, Dunleavy, 448K) adds that Johnson and Grassley wrote, "We believe that further declassification is appropriate at this time because, among other factors, the Inspector General's review of Crossfire Hurricane is closed; the investigation has already been the subject of years of oversight, public hearings, and document productions; and there is a strong public interest in knowing and understanding what really transpired between and among federal government officials relating to Crossfire Hurricane." Report: US Has Taken Kim Jong-un's Nephew Into Protective Custody. War Is Boring (11/23, 695K) reports that the CIA "took the family of Kim Jong-nam, the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, after Kim Jong-nam was murdered in February 2017, although it is unclear where the family resides now, said a Korean American writer." Suki Kim, in a New Yorker article titled "The Underground Movement Trying to Topple the North Korean Government," discussed "the activities of Adrian Hong, the leader of Free Joseon, a group that has helped North Korean defectors reach third countries safely." According to the activist group, "Kim Jong-nam's son Han-sol called Hong for help because the Macao police who had been guarding his house disappeared after his father was killed by a nerve agent that two women smeared on his face at the Kuala Lumpur airport on Feb. 13, 2017." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Epstein Prosecutors Seek Documents Related To Dubin's Children. The New York Post (11/23, Vincent, 4.57M) reports, "US Virgin Islands prosecutors are demanding billionaire MoMA benefactor and board member Glenn Dubin turn over all communications that his friend Jeffrey Epstein had with Dubin's three children. A subpoena seeks 'all documents and communications related to any of your three children, Maye, Celina or Jordan, which also relate in any way to Jeffrey Epstein or any Epstein entity.' The islands' Attorney General is probing alleged racketeering by the late billionaire pedophile and has issued subpoenas to numerous Epstein associates, including lawyers, accountants and bankers." The Post adds, "Epstein, who hanged himself in a Manhattan lockup last year, had openly declared his plans to marry Celina Dubin, sources told Business Insider last year. Epstein and Celina developed 'an especially close relationship' when Celina was 12 and it continued into adulthood, according to the Palm Beach Post." EFTA00149120  Maxwell Placed In Quarantine After Jail Staffer Tests Positive For Corona virus. Bloomberg (11/23, Burnson, Hurtado, 4.73M) reports US prosecutors said Monday that Ghislaine Maxwell "has been placed in quarantine after a staff member of the jail where she is being held tested positive for the coronavirus." In a letter to the judge handling Maxwell's criminal case, prosecutors said a rapid test found her to be free of COVID-19. Maxwell "will remain in quarantine for 14 days - and will then be re-tested - at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York." Shooting At Brooklyn Party Leaves One Dead, Six Injured. The New York Times (11/23, Watkins, Schweber, Zaveri, 18.61M) reports one woman was killed and six others were injured when "at least two people opened fire" at a party in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. The Times adds, "The incident reflected a stark rise in shootings in the city. ... Shootings have doubled compared with last year, with at least 1,660 incidents, and murders have risen by about 37 percent, to about 400." The Wall Street Journal (11/23, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) provides similar coverage. Suspect In San Jose Church Stabbing Arrested. The New York Times (11/23, Opam, Joseph, Zhuang, 18.61M) reports police in San Jose, California have "arrested a suspect in connection with a stabbing attack at a Baptist church on Sunday night in which two people died and three others were wounded." The Rev. David Robinson, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, "where the attack took place, said on Monday that the victims and the suspect were among a group of homeless people who had been sheltering there." Witness In Mueller Probe Attacked By Knife-Wielding Suspect. The Washington Times (11/23, Mordock, 492K) reports W. Samuel Patten, who was "a key witness" in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, "was brutally attacked by a knife- wielding suspect in Washington" on Thursday. Patten "was stabbed twice in the head and six times in the back during the attack." Patten, "who was convicted of steering illegal foreign money to [President) Trump's inaugural committee," was "treated at a hospital the night of the attack and later released." Michigan Man Charged With Kidnapping Texas Girl, Who Is Safe. The Traverse City (MI) Record-Eagle (11/23, Kansier, 65K) reports that a Michigan man "has been charged in the suspected kidnapping of a Texas girl authorities said they rescued in a predawn raid." The man "was charged with 'transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.' He made a first appearance in federal court Monday." The girl "disappeared from her home in Lubbock" on November 13, according to FBI Spokeswoman Mara Schneider. Discovery of the girl's phone and laptop - which "led investigators to believe she'd been talked into a rendezvous and taken out of state by someone she'd been chatting with online" - prompted "FBI involvement and a much larger-scale investigation, according to the FBI release." WXYZ-TV Detroit (11/23, 236K) reports that according to the Michigan State Police, "troopers, the FBI, U.S. Attorney's Office and Antrim County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant Sunday and located Worley inside the home with an adult man." She was "turned over to Child Protective Services and then transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation." The suspect "is currently behind held by police in Michigan." North Carolina Man Sentenced To Prison For Racial Threats. WCTI-TV Greenville, NC (11/23, Basden) reports that a North Carolina man "has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for threats of force against an African American family because of their race and because they were renting a home, officials say." DO) officials EFTA00149121 say in a hearing in the Eastern District of North Carolina, the man "pled guilty to one count of criminal interference with the Fair Housing Act back in August." The man "admitted he drove to the family's home in December 2014 and yelled racial slurs, telling them they did not belong there and threatening to shoot the family — including four minor children - as well as any other African American that entered the property." He also "brandished a metal rod in a 'threatening manner' and the family moved out of the neighborhood a few days later." FBI Among Agencies Still Investigating Boy's 1991 Disappearance. The Press of Atlantic City (NJ) (11/23, Bilinski, 177K) reports that New Jersey officials "continue search for 11-year-old Middle Township boy who disappeared almost 30 years ago." Local police are asking "anyone with information about the 1991 disappearance of a young boy to come forward." The outlet adds, "Township police, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office and the FBI are still investigating." Minnesota Man Arrested After Assaulting Officer, Breaking Into University. The St. Cloud (MN) Times (11/23, 64K) reports that a Minnesota man "faces six felony charges and one misdemeanor charge following a daylong manhunt Thursday, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday in Stearns County District Court." The man "is accused of assaulting an officer, driving while intoxicated, fleeing police, breaking into a dorm at St. John's Preparatory School and threatening a man." After assaulting a Minnesota State Trooper, the man "entered the campus area of St. John's University, causing a lockdown." A burglary was then "reported at the St. John's Preparatory School dorms at about 11 a.m." FBI was among the 16 agencies involved in the search, along with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Department of Corrections. FBI Offering Reward For Information In 1988 Abduction Case. KRON-TV San Francisco (11/23, Rehman, 87K) reports, "The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information that can help them arrest and convict" the person who abducted a California girl 32 years ago. In 1988, the girl "and her friends were at the market when an unknown man moved their scooter closer to his car. When Michaela tried to get the scooter, he grabbed her and drove away with her in his car." FBI Identifies Missouri Bank Robbery Suspect After Releasing Surveillance Photos. The Springfield (MO) News-Leader (11/23, Keegan, 103K) reports that after the FBI released bank surveillance photos of a bank robbery suspect, "tips started pouring in." Agents then visited the suspect's family members "who said they believed he was the man in the surveillance photos." They tracked him down later that day, and he "confessed to the bank robbery, saying he was at the end of his rope and needed some fast cash." The man is "being held in the Greene County Jail on a federal bank robbery charge." KYTV-TV Springfield, MO (11/23, 169K) also reports. Florida Man Awaits Sentencing After Pleading Guilty To Possessing Gun As Felon. The Ocala (FL) Star-Banner (11/23, Miller, 81K) reports that a Florida man "is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon." The man "made the admission on Friday at the federal courthouse in Ocala, government officials said in a press release." The man, "who was indicted in August, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars." The case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the FBI. Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty To Paying Bribes To DC Police. The Washington Patch (11/23, O'Connell, 1.03M) reports, "A Maryland woman pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to paying more than $6,500 in bribes to an employee of the Metropolitan Police Department," according to DOJ. The woman "pleaded guilty to a criminal EFTA00149122 information charge before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia." She was "charged with one count of bribery of a public official, which carries a fine of up to $250,000 and penalties up to 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release." She "admitted to paying at least $6,500 in bribes to an MPD clerk, who provided her with confidential reports so that she could contact and solicit potential clients." Five Arrested In Idaho After Child Enticement Sting Op. The Idaho Press Tribune (11/23, Heersink, 2K) reports, "Five men were arrested last week during a two-day police sting on child enticement charges in Caldwell." The men "were taken into custody Thursday and Friday, Caldwell police said in a news release issued Saturday." Three of them "were...booked in the Canyon County Jail on a charge of enticing a child through use of the internet or communication device, a felony offense." One was also "charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, both a felony and misdemeanor, and possession of drug paraphernalia." The FBI Metro Task Force was among the agencies partnering in the investigation, along with DHS, Canyon County Prosecutor's Office, US Attorney's Office (Idaho), Canyon County Sheriff's Office (narcotics division), the US Marshal's Office, USPS, and District III Probation & Parole. Also reporting is the Idaho Statesman (11/23, Scholl, 200K). Oregon Corrections Officer Charged With Conspiracy To Smuggle Drugs, Having Sex With Inmate. The Oregonian (11/23, Bernstein, 1M) reports, "A corrections officer who worked at the Oregon women's prison admitted Monday in court that he conspired to smuggle heroin, methamphetamine and cellphones into the prison and also had sex with an inmate." The Oregon man "pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances in U.S. District Court in Portland." He is "expected to plead guilty to first-degree custodial sexual misconduct," which "does not involve the use of force but recognizes that the guard held an `inherently coercive' role in regard to the inmate, according to the prosecutor." He worked at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. The Oregonian adds, "The FBI, Oregon State Police and Oregon Department of Corrections' Office of Inspector General handled the investigation, which is continuing." "Mr. Potato Head" Pleads Guilty On Three Bank Robbery Charges. PeopleNewspapers (TX) (11/23, Erickson, Snyder) reports that a Texas man "pleaded guilty to three counts associated" with a series of bank robberies. The man had a "penchant for wearing fake mustaches and beards when he robbed Preston Hollow and Park Cities banks last year earned him the FBI nickname `Mr. Potato Head." He was "accused of robbing Oakwood Bank at Preston Center on Sept. 30, 2019, Legacy Bank at Preston and Royal on Oct. 17, 2019, and Bank of America at Preston Center on Oct. 30, 2019." His arrest came "July 29 after an FBI investigation traced his alleged purchases of online child pornography to IP addresses that led to his home and to the school that were associated with social media and PayPal accounts he used to obtain and pay for videos and photos of male minors." California Man Charged With Murdering College Student Whose Remains Were Found In Mojave. The My News LA (CA). (11/23) reports that a California man "was charged Monday with murdering a 21-year-old community college student whose remains were found in a remote area of the Mojave Desert nearly two months after he went missing in South Los Angeles." The man "appeared in a downtown courtroom and pleaded not guilty in the killing of Juan `Cookie' Carlos Hernandez, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office." Another man, "who is charged with being an accessory after the fact, also entered a not guilty plea." The primary suspect "faces a possible maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison," while the accessory "could be sentenced to up to three years in prison. Bail is set at $10 million for EFTA00149123 each defendant." LAPD worked with the FBI to investigate the disappearance, and "'their efforts provided detectives with a sequence of events to find Hernandez,' according to a police statement." FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS Former Cincinnati City Council Member Dennard To Be Sentenced Today. WCPO-TV Cincinnati (11/23, Murphy, 139K) reports, "A federal judge will sentence former Cincinnati City Council member Tamaya Dennard on Tuesday for her role in the first of three corruption scandals to rock City Hall this year." WCPO-TV adds, "The U.S. Probation Office recommends a sentence of 24 to 30 months in prison for Dennard, according to the pre- sentence report the office prepared in her case," but "Dennard's attorney is asking for home confinement, in part due to COVID-19 fears. Her attorney also believes Dennard, a Democrat who won a council seat in a storybook election in 2017, has suffered enough." FBI agents "arrested Dennard on Feb. 25 near a Downtown Starbucks before a council committee meeting. At the time, longtime politicians said they could not remember a corruption scandal of this magnitude in the city's history," but "they were unaware of the scope of the FBI's probe, or that two more council members would be arrested on corruption charges...months later." Pastor Suspended From Cincinnati City Council After Bribery Arrest. The Cincinnati Enquirer (11/23, Coolidge, 223K) reports, "Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Pastor has been suspended, a process initiated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost after Pastor was arrested on federal bribery charges. Pastor accepted the suspension without a fight. Pastor will be paid his $65,000 salary while temporarily suspended. 'While allegations of public corruption are resolved in the courtroom, a suspension is the right course of action as even the appearance of corruption has no place in government,' Yost said." Pastor "is one of three Cincinnati councilmembers arrested and accused of pay-to-play schemes this year. Councilwoman Tamaya Dennard was arrested in February and pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud in July. Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld was arrested Nov. 21 on federal bribery charges alleging he sold a vote on a development deal in exchange for campaign contributions." WXIX-TV Cincinnati (11/23, Baker, 42K) reports that Pastor "is facing felony charges of bribery, extortion, wire fraud, money laundering and other crimes. The Republican, 36, has pleaded not guilty and remains free on his own recognizance. The arrangement would allow Pastor to keep collecting his $65,000 annual council salary and healthcare benefits for not only him but his family, including his pregnant wife and four children, according to the source." Ohio AG Asks State Supreme Court To Begin Suspension Proceedings Against Sittenfeld. WXIX-TV Cincinnati (11/23, Baker, 42K) reports, "Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has asked the Ohio Supreme Court to begin suspension proceedings against Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld. 'While allegations of public corruption are resolved in the courtroom, a suspension is the right course of action even as the appearance of corruption has no place in government,' Yost wrote in a statement Monday." Sittenfeld (D) "was considered by many to be the front-runner in Cincinnati's 2021 mayor's race with more than $700,000 amassed in his campaign war chest," but "now Sittenfeld is the third member of the nine- person council arrested by the FBI and indicted on bribery, attempted extortion and other corruption-related charges this year for allegedly taking bribes for favorable votes on development deals." WLWT-TV Cincinnati (11/23, 319K) reports, "Word of the 36-year-old Sittenfeld's arrest at his East Walnut Hills home Thursday morning sent shockwaves through City Hall, where there have been calls for him to step down. The Hamilton County Democratic Party issued a statement saying if the allegations are true, Sittenfeld should resign." Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley "called it 'a sad day' and, although he said Sittenfeld is entitled to due process, he should focus on that and resign from his elected position. According to the six-count indictment, two years ago this month at a downtown restaurant, Sittenfeld met with someone he thought