EFTA00160254.pdf

From: FBI News Briefing To: "FBINewsBriefing" ce. Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Daily News Briefing - January 18, 2023 Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2024 11:10:03 +0000 Importance: Normal View in Browser Federal Bureau of Investigation January 18, 2024 Seal Federal Bureau of Investigation Daily News Briefing (In coordination with the Office of Public Affairs) Email Public Affairs to subscribe to the Daily News Briefing. Mobile version and archive available here. Table of Contents IN THE NEWS • U.S. Navy Carries Out New Round of Strikes Against Houthis in Yemen • The Supreme Court Wrestles With Major Challenges to the Power of Federal Regulators • Chinese-Manufactured Drones `Pose a Significant Risk to Critical Infrastructure and U.S. National Security,' DHS and FBI Warn • Federal Investigators Asked Banks to Comb Customer Data for `MAGA,"Trump' Terms COUNTERTERRORISM • Package Mailed to Rural California Elections Office Tested Positive for Fentanyl, Authorities Say • Donald Day Allegedly Had Buckets of Ammunition and Threatened FBI Agents • Club Q Shooter Faces More Than a Century in Prison for Hate Crime Charges • 14-Year-Old Charged In Connection With School Bomb Threat • Hackers Level Bomb Threats Against Hospitals • Bomb Threats Received at Montana Schools, Investigation Continues • Opinion: Biden Administration May Be Reviving Effort to Label Concerned Parents as 'Domestic Terrorists' COUNTERINTELLIGENCE • Inside Biden's Secret Surveillance Court • Pentagon Faces Questions for Funding Top Chinese Al Scientist • Analysis: The Case for Counterintelligence Against Chinese Espionage CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Trump Lawyers Preview Arguments of 'Political Bias' in Classified Documents Case EFTA00160254  • DOJ Further Acknowledges Hunter Biden's Laptop Is Real • 'Suitcase Killer' Heather Mack Sentenced to 26 Years for Cold-Blooded Murder of Mom Over $1.5m Trust Fund • MS-13 Terrorized Northern Virginia by Killing at Random, Witnesses Say • Man Wanted by FBI for Ponzi Scheme Charged for Stealing $100M From Investors • FBI Investigating Multiple Quickmed Locations • Mistrial for 72-Year-Old Accused of Killing a Deputy Five Decades Ago • Palestinian Students Shot in Vermont Say the Suspect Waited for and Targeted Them • FBI Investigating Oregon Transgender Woman Over Racist, Antisemitic Social Media Posts • FBI Investigating Georgia County's Delayed Waste-To-Fuel Project • Colorado Funeral Home Owners Apparently Sought to Cover Up Money Problems by Abandoning Bodies • Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Reportedly Under FBI Inquiry for Alleged Sex Crimes • Eric Adams Hauls in $650,000 for NYC Mayor's Legal Defense Fund Amid Federal Investigation • Investigation Into High School Student Threatened Online Gets Attention From FBI • Three Arrested in Bay Area Retail Theft Ring That Stole $650K in Merchandise CYBER DIVISION • CISA-FBI Cybersecurity Advisory Details Indicators of Compromise From Androxgh0st Malware Attacks • Continued Reporting: FBI Warns of Escalating Online Sextortion Targeting Minors LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Republicans Unveil Legislation Expanding Federal Law to Prohibit Swatting • Anonymous Tips Work to Prevent School Shootings and Suicides, New Study Finds CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS • Rep. Elise Stefanik Faces Censure Effort for Calling Jan. 6 Defendants 'Hostages' • Proud Boys Member Who Attacked at Least Six Officers on Jan. 6 Sentenced • Maine Court Defers Ruling on Election Official Disqualifying Trump Because of 14th Amendment • The 'Sleeping Giant' Case that Could Upend Jack Smith's Prosecution of Trump • Judge Rejects Donald Trump Motion to Compel Jan. 6 Committee Evidence • Suit Seeking Ken Paxton's Jan. 6 Communications Can Move Ahead • Woman Who Marched With Proud Boys at Capitol Riot Deserves Prison Time: Feds • Jan. 6 Influencer Credited With Turning Insurrection Into Story of Victimhood: Report • Lawmakers Call For IRS Scrutiny of Trump-Backed Nonprofit That Aids Jan. 6 Rioters • Analysis: Jan. 6 Documentary Produced by The Epoch Times • Continued Reporting: Law Enforcement Investigating Remarks Allegedly Made by Roger Stone OTHER FBI NEWS • Chinese Lab Mapped Covid-19 Virus Two Weeks before Sharing Information Globally, Documents Reveal • America First Legal Launches Investigation into the FBI's "Chief Diversity Officer" for Alleged Illegal Racial and Sex Discrimination • FBI's New Orleans Field Office Gets New Special Agent in Charge • FBI El Paso Launches Official Instagram Account EFTA00160255  • Gov. Wes Moore Promises No Tax Hikes, Trims Money for State Programs in a 'Refocus' • Vexed House Committee Calls Mayorkas to Carpet for Ducking Impeachment Testimony INTERNATIONAL NEWS • U.S. Moves to Bar Guatemala's Ex-President From Entry • Pakistan Conducts Airstrikes in Iran • Belgian Customs Seized Record Amount of Cocaine as EU Faces Rise in Drug-Related Violence • China Goes All In on Green Industry to Jolt Ailing Economy • The U.S. Plan for a Postwar Middle East Isn't Gaining Any Traction • Cult Leader in Kenya to Face 191 Charges of Child Murder • Fireworks Factory Explosion in Thailand Kills at Least 20 • He Killed a Man. Turks Wonder Why a Well-Connected Somali Went Free. • UN: Palestinians Are Dying in Hospitals as Estimated 60,000 Wounded Overwhelm Remaining Doctors • A Prosecutor Investigating a TV Studio Attack in Ecuador Has Been Shot Dead in Guayaquil OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Texas Defies Federal Threat to Abandon Border Area, Setting up Legal Showdown • Judge Threatens to Boot Donald Trump From Courtroom Over Loud Talking as E. Jean Carroll Testifies • Johnson Casts Doubt on Border Deal to Unlock Ukraine Aid, Defying Biden • The U.S. Plan for a Postwar Middle East Isn't Gaining Much Traction • Fact Check: 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing Not Linked to Hillary Clinton Whitewater Scandal • Trump Tells New Hampshire Voters He'd 'Never Allow' a Federal Reserve Digital Dollar • Entrepreneur Ramaswamy Drops Out of White House Race, Endorses Trump • Haley Steps up Attacks on Trump, but Some in N.H. See Her Holding Back • Democratic Denver Mayor to Lead Coalition of Mayors Asking For Federal Help for Immigrants • U.S. Attorney General Met With Uvalde Victims' Families Before DOJ Releases Report on Law Enforcement Response to Massacre BIG PICTURE • New York Times • Wall Street Journal • Washington Post • Financial Times • ABC News • CBS News • NBC News • Fox News WASHINGTON SCHEDULE IN THE NEWS U.S. Navy Carries Out New Round of Strikes Against Houthis in Yemen The Associated Press (01/17, Copp, Baldor) and the Washington Post (01/17, Lamothe) reported that on Wednesday the U.S. military fired another wave of ship- and submarine-launch missile strikes against Houthi- EFTA00160256 controlled sites, according to the U.S. Central Command. The reports stated that U.S. forces carried out the strikes on 14 missiles that the Houthis had "loaded to be fired," military officials said in a statement released by U.S. Central Command. The missiles were on launch rails and "presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships and could have been fired at any time," prompting U.S. forces to strike in self-defense. According to the information, the incident occurred when a one-way attack drone was launched from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen and struck the Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned and -operated MN Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden. According to the Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. would continue to take military action to prevent further attacks. The story was also reported on by ABC News (01/17, Martinez), Al Jazeera (01/18, Staff Writer), Axios (01/17, Falconer), CBS News (01/17, Watson), CNN (01/17, Britzky, Liebermann), Fox News (01/17, Price), The Guardian (01/17, Wintour), The Hill (01/17, Robertson), NBC News (01/17, Schapiro), New York Times (01/18, Staff Writer), Reuters (01/18, Ali, Stewart), and the Wall Street Journal (01/17, Hookway). The Supreme Court Wrestles With Major Challenges to the Power of Federal Regulators The Associated Press (01/17, Copp, Baldor) and the Wall Street Journal (01/17, Bravin) reported that Conservative Supreme Court justices on Wednesday voiced support for weakening the power of federal regulators. According to the articles, the Supreme Court seems poised to reverse a 1984 decision that many business groups and conservative activists believe has granted too much power to unelected executive-branch bureaucrats—a ruling that conservatives during the Reagan era initially praised as a way to reign in overbearing liberal judges. During the oral arguments on Wednesday, it was reported that Justice Neil Gorsuch took the lead in overruling the precedent, Chevron USA v. Natural Resources Defense Council. He added that by allowing agencies to interpret laws, the government always wins even when Congress does not consider the issue. The story was also reported on by ABC News (01/17, Dwyer), Axios (01/17, Baker), CBS News (01/17, Quinn), CNN (01/17, Cole), Fox News (01/17, Bream, Mears), The Hill (01/17, Schonfeld, Frazin), NBC News (01/17, Hurley), New York Times (01/17, Liptak), Politico (01/17, Guillen, Gerstein), Reuters (01/17, Kruzel, Chung), and Washington Post (01/17, Marimow). Chinese-Manufactured Drones 'Pose a Significant Risk to Critical Infrastructure and U.S. National Security,' DHS and FBI Warn ABC News (01/17, Barr) reported that the DHS's Cybersecurity, CISA, and the FBI warned that Chinese- manufactured drones pose a significant risk to U.S. national security and critical infrastructure, potentially allowing for the theft of American data. According to the article, this warning was based on Chinese laws that permit government access to data held by private firms, thus putting any American data connected to these drones at risk. The FBI emphasized the threats posed by these drones, stating, "The use of Chinese-manufactured UAS requires careful consideration and potential mitigation to reduce risk to networks and sensitive information." They also highlighted that a 2021 Chinese law expanded the government's access and control over companies and data within China, enforcing strict penalties for non-compliance and considering data collection as vital for China's Military-Civil Fusion strategy to gain a strategic advantage over the U.S. The article noted that CISA and the FBI urged companies and individuals to isolate Chinese-made drones from their networks and to ensure regular maintenance for adequate security measures. Additional reporting on the story was provided by CNN (01/17, Bertrand), CyberScoop (01/17, Vasquez), The Record (01/17, Smalley), BanklnfoSecurity (01/17, Riotta), and Politico Pro (01/17, Miller). Federal Investigators Asked Banks to Comb Customer Data for 'MAGA,"Trump' Terms The New York Post (01/17, Nava) reported that federal investigators, following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, asked financial institutions to search customer data using terms like "TRUMP" and "MAGA," as disclosed by Rep. Jim Jordan. According to the article, in a letter to FinCEN's former director, Jordan highlighted that FinCEN advised financial institutions to monitor transactions for indications of "extremism," using general terms and including purchases like bus tickets or books with extremist views. The article explained that Jordan requested Director Wray to provide a senior official for an interview regarding the FBI's use of Americans' private information and its engagement with the private sector in law enforcement matters, specifically referencing the FBI's interaction with Bank of America, which, at the FBI's request, scrutinized customer data for specific purchases around the time of the riot. Additional reporting on the story was provided by Newsmax (01/17, Katz), The Epoch Times (01/17, Ozimek), Fox News (01/17, Singman), and Washington Times (01/17, Picket). Back to Top EFTA00160257 COUNTERTERRORISM Package Mailed to Rural California Elections Office Tested Positive for Fentanyl, Authorities Say The Associated Press (01/17, Nguyen) reported that authorities are investigating a suspicious envelope containing a powdery substance, which tested positive for fentanyl, sent to the Yuba County Registrar of Voters headquarters in California. According to the article, this incident is part of a broader pattern where similar packages were sent to election facilities in at least five states, including California, last November. The article noted that the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service intervened to intercept such packages in the mail system, and election officials nationwide have increased security measures, including training for workers on handling suspicious packages and stocking naloxone, an antidote to fentanyl. Donald Day Allegedly Had Buckets of Ammunition and Threatened FBI Agents The Guardian (01/17, Knaus) reported that Donald Day Jr, an Arizona conspiracy theorist linked to the Wieambilla shooters in Queensland, was arrested by the FBI in December for his involvement in a terrorist attack that left two police officers and a neighbor dead. According to the article, Day had interacted with the shooters, Gareth and Stacey Train, and commented on their YouTube video, expressing a wish to join them. The article added that during his arrest, Day threatened to kill five FBI special agents, stating, "I'll come for every fucking one of you," and faced additional charges for possessing weapons as a convicted felon. His lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that his comments were protected under the First Amendment and did not constitute a "true threat." Club Q Shooter Faces More Than a Century in Prison for Hate Crime Charges BBC (01/17, Drenon) reported that Anderson Aldrich, who killed five people at Club Q, an LGBT nightclub in Colorado in 2022, now faces 74 federal hate crime and weapons charges, with about 50 of these charges being related to hate crimes. According to the article, Aldrich, who already pled guilty to state charges and is serving five life sentences, made a deal with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to the new charges, thus avoiding the death penalty in exchange for multiple concurrent life sentences. The article noted that the sentencing for these federal charges could amount to up to 190 years. The article also noted that on the night of the shooting, Aldrich used various digital and interstate platforms to acquire the necessary equipment for the attack, according to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado. Fox News (01/17, Mion) also reported on the story. 14-Year-Old Charged In Connection With School Bomb Threat Patch (01/17, Taliaferro) reported that after a four-month investigation, Ramapo police, with assistance from officers assigned to the FBI Task Force and the Suffern Police Department, arrested a 14-year-old in connection with a bomb threat at Suffern High School. According to the article, the incident, which occurred on September 21, led to an evacuation of the school and a coordinated response from multiple law enforcement agencies. The article noted that the juvenile was charged with Making a Terroristic Threat and Falsely Reporting an Incident 1st Degree, both 0-felonies, and was processed and released pending a court appearance in Rockland County Family Court. Hackers Level Bomb Threats Against Hospitals Becker's Health IT (01/17, Leighton) reported that on January 12, the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and National Counterterrorism Center announced ongoing bomb threats to various public institutions, including hospitals and health systems across the U.S. The article explained that over 100 threatening messages using similar wording and publicly available encryption tools have targeted more than 1,000 institutions in 42 states and Washington, D.C., since December 8. The article noted that although these threats have been unsubstantiated, government agencies have advised affected institutions to remain vigilant and regularly exchange threat information with local law enforcement authorities. Bomb Threats Received at Montana Schools, Investigation Continues KBZK (CBS-7) (01/17, McDonald) reported that a threatening email was reportedly sent to several schools across Montana, including Bozeman, claiming that bombs were planted in schools. According to the article, Bozeman School District Superintendent Casey Bertram wrote in a press release that law enforcement has informed them that the threat doesn't appear to be credible. The article noted that the Sheriff's Office swept all school facilities, and no suspicious devices were found. Sheriff Grimsrud said his office will continue investigating with the Montana Department of Justice and the FBI. Opinion: Biden Administration May Be Reviving Effort to Label Concerned Parents as 'Domestic Terrorists' EFTA00160258 An opinion piece from the Washington Times (01/17, O'Neil) reported that in 2021, President Biden's White House collaborated with the National School Boards Association to draft a letter comparing concerned parents to domestic terrorists, leading to an FBI memo that was later retracted. According to the article, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), having met with White House officials numerous times, continued this theme by adding parental rights groups to its "hate map," and SPLC President Margaret Huang boasted about the center's involvement in crafting the Biden administration's domestic terrorism strategy. The author assessed that this collaboration and the SPLC's history of labeling parental rights groups as part of an "anti-student inclusion movement" raise concerns that the Biden administration may renew efforts to target concerned parents under the guise of combating domestic terrorism. Back to Top COUNTERINTELLIGENCE Inside Biden's Secret Surveillance Court Politico (01/17, Ng, Sakellariadis) reported that in a secretive move, the Biden administration established the Data Protection Review Court in October 2022 to address conflicts between European and American data privacy laws, impacting the flow of consumer data and the operations of U.S. intelligence agencies. According to the article, the court, authorized to make binding decisions on surveillance practices without being challenged by federal agencies, including the FBI, has caused concern within the intelligence community. The article explained that critics and experts are apprehensive about the court's secretive nature and its potential to impose new restrictions on intelligence operations, as highlighted by Adam Klein's reference to Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser who was surveilled by the FBI but had limited recourse under U.S. law. Pentagon Faces Questions for Funding Top Chinese Al Scientist Newsweek (01/17, Tatlow) reported that U.S. lawmakers are questioning the Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) for funding Chinese-born scientist Song-Chun Zhu, who has been transferring sensitive Al research to China. According to the article, Zhu, who received over $30 million in U.S. grants, moved to Beijing in 2020 to lead Al institutes and returned to China to build its Al capabilities. The FBI had investigated Zhu, but no outcome was made public. The article noted that lawmakers are concerned about the loss of advanced technology to China, a major competitor in military and scientific fields, and have demanded complete documentation of all DoD grants given to Zhu, including a breakdown of his research and a list of grant recipients currently in China. The DoD and UCLA, where Zhu previously worked, have been asked to address this security concern. Analysis: The Case for Counterintelligence Against Chinese Espionage An opinion piece from Georgetown Security Studies Review (01/17, Bryja) emphasized the urgent need for robust counterintelligence measures to combat pervasive industrial espionage by China. The article highlighted Director Wray's statements on the scale of Chinese espionage, including his remark that "the PRC is targeting our innovation, our trade secrets, and our intellectual property on a scale that's unprecedented in history. They have a bigger hacking program than that of every other major nation combined. They have stolen more of Americans' personal and corporate data than every nation combined." According to the article, in 2018, the FBI calculated the cost to the U.S. economy as between $225 and $600 billion every year. The article added that the FBI is investigating nearly 2,500 additional Chinese operations and opens a new China-related counterintelligence case every 10 hours, representing a significant increase in cases over the last decade. The article also noted that one of the CCP's favorite espionage tools is recruiting insiders because they understand, as former FBI Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Bill Priestap pointed out, "One malicious actor on the inside of a company can undermine almost any security system, be it physical or virtual." The author concluded that to counter the Chinese Communist Party's espionage and protect the United States' economic and national security, policymakers and executives must enhance counterintelligence efforts, educate the private sector, and strengthen cybersecurity infrastructure. Back to Top CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Trump Lawyers Preview Arguments of 'Political Bias' in Classified Documents Case EFTA00160259 NBC News (01/17, Concepcion) reported that Donald Trump's lawyers on Tuesday night previewed their defense arguments in the case over the former president's handling of classified documents, saying they plan to rebut prosecutors' accusations that sensitive government documents were stored at insecure locations on his Mar-a-Lago estate. The article noted that in a motion filed Tuesday, Trump lawyers signaled they will argue that prosecutors carried out a "politically motivated and biased" investigation into his handling of classified documents, with the intent to damage the former president's 2024 campaign. The article mentioned that Trump's lawyers said they are seeking communications between prosecutors at the DOJ and associates of President Joe Biden, alleging without providing evidence that the Biden administration is orchestrating legal efforts to interfere with Trump's campaign. The Independent (01/17, Reinstein), Law 360 (01/17, Karp), the Hill (01/17, Beitsch), Epoch Times (01/17, Yang), and Washington Post (01/17, Stein) also reported on the story. DOJ Further Acknowledges Hunter Biden's Laptop Is Real Fox News (01/17, Wehner) reported that federal prosecutors further acknowledged in court documents filed Tuesday, that the laptop Hunter Biden dropped off at a computer store is in fact real, adding that the contents on the laptop matched what had previously been obtained through a search warrant on the president's son's Apple iCloud. The article added that in the court documents, Biden's DOJ said the IRS and FBI obtained a search warrant for tax violations in August 2019 and were able to get access to Hunter's Apple iCloud account. By September 2021, Apple produced backups of data from various electronic devices Hunter backed up to his iCloud account. The article mentioned that in 2020, John Paul Mac Isaac, a computer repair shop owner who turned over the laptop belonging to the president's son to authorities and members of the press, said a man he believed to be Hunter dropped off three laptops in his store in April 2019. Only one of the laptops was salvageable, and while repairing the laptop, Isaac said he discovered disturbing material. 'Suitcase Killer' Heather Mack Sentenced to 26 Years for Cold-Blooded Murder of Mom Over $1.5m Trust Fund The Associated Press (01/17, Savage) reported that an American woman who pleaded guilty to helping kill her mother and stuffing the body in a suitcase during a luxury vacation in Bali was sentenced in Chicago Wednesday to 26 years in prison. The article noted that federal prosecutors had recommended a 28-year prison sentence for Heather Mack for conspiring with her boyfriend to kill Sheila von Wiese-Mack in 2014. Mack's attorney Michael Leonard said he expects Mack, 28, will be locked up for roughly 20 years including good behavior credits available to all federal prisoners. His estimate also accounts for the judge giving Mack credit for the two-plus years she spent in custody in Chicago after completing a jail term in Indonesia. She was deported to the U.S. in 2021. A DOJ press release indicated that the FBI was involved in the case. The New York Post (01/17, Donlevy), New York Times (01/17, Jimenez), Chicago Tribune (01/17, Meisner), People (01/17, Neumann), the Independent (01/17, Sharp), Forbes (01/17, Gleeson), Daily Mail (01/17, Potter), Fox News (01/17, Ruiz), New York Daily News (01/17, Wilkinson), Patch (01/17, Arnold), and WBBM (CBS-2) (01/17, Feurer, Molina, Perlman) also reported on the story. MS-13 Terrorized Northern Virginia by Killing at Random, Witnesses Say The Washington Post (01/17, Rizzo) reported that the MS-13 members had been cruising all night in a gray Mercedes, searching for rival gang members to kill in Maryland or Virginia so they could bolster their street cred and expand their turf. They were coming up empty as dawn approached on Sept. 24, 2019. The article noted that then they spotted Antonio Smith, 37, leaving a 7-Eleven in Dumfries, Va. He was a stranger carrying a plastic bag filled with a frozen pizza and a gallon of orange juice, but the MS-13 members were desperate for a kill, according to federal prosecutors. The article quoted Mario Guevara, 28, who testified, "I shot him in the back. That was the first shot, and with the second one, he fell to the ground, he started screaming at us not to do it, he was saying in English, 'Oh, my God; and in Spanish, Amigo: He also said, 'Stop, stop:" According to the article, although MS-13's code requires members to kill rival gang members, or "chavalas," to be promoted within the organization, prosecutors, FBI agents, witnesses and Virginia police officials have narrated in painstaking detail over the course of several recent investigations how MS-13 members often get desperate for promotions and decide to target random people with no known gang ties, passing the victims off as rivals to dupe their superiors in El Salvador into granting them higher ranks. Man Wanted by FBI for Ponzi Scheme Charged for Stealing $100M From Investors WJBK (Fox-2) (01/17, Komer) reported that an investment firm operator has been charged with running a Ponzi scheme that amassed $100 million from investors in Detroit federal court, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced Wednesday. The article noted that Darren Anthony Robinson, 53, a U.S. citizen who has operated out of EFTA00160260 the country of Panama, was charged with committing wire fraud. Robinson appeared today in federal court in Detroit to make his initial appearance. Robinson faces up to 20 years in prison on the charge of wire fraud. The article mentioned that Robinson had been wanted by the FBI for wire fraud and money laundering and had purported ties to Panama, the United Arab Emirates, and Columbia. The article quoted James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office, who said, "This defendant allegedly orchestrated a large-scale, multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme with victims across the globe, investment fraud can be crippling for its victims, and the FBI is committed to identifying and working with anyone impacted by this scheme." CBS News (01/17, Dawson) also reported on the story. FBI Investigating Multiple Quickmed Locations WFMJ (NBC-21) (01/17, Mosca, Gessner, McFerren) reported that agents with the FBI are on the scene at multiple Quickmed locations in Ohio. The article noted that FBI Cleveland Public Affairs Officer Susan Licate said that the FBI conducted "court-authorized activity" at the Liberty QUICKmed Urgent Care, QUICKmed Corporate, and additional locations. The article added that the FBI was also speaking with some YCSD board members about contracts that the district had entered into during former CEO and Superintendent Justin Jennings's time in Youngstown, including contracts involving QuickMed. WKBN (Fox-8) (01/17, Bemder, Simeon), and the Tribune Chronicle (01/17, Staff Writer) also reported on the story. Mistrial for 72-Year-Old Accused of Killing a Deputy Five Decades Ago The Washington Post (01/17, Morse) reported that the trial of a 72-year-old man charged with murder in the decades-old killing of a Maryland sheriff's deputy ended in a mistrial Wednesday, the latest turn in a case that had gone dormant until detectives recently revisited the investigation. The article noted that a jury in Montgomery County began deliberating Friday after a week-long trial that turned on whether Larry David Smith was recently coaxed into admitting to the crime. Jurors informed Circuit Judge Cheryl A. McCally on Wednesday afternoon that they had reached an impasse and couldn't reach a unanimous verdict. The article mentioned that the trial took jurors back to Oct. 23, 1971, when James Hall was working a night security detail outside the Manor Country Club. He came upon at least two men who had just broken into a nearby home, police say, and one of them shot him in the head. Hall died three days later. The article added that Montgomery County Cold Case detectives reopened the case in 2021. They found an old reel-to-reel recording of an interview in case files, had it digitally converted by the FBI, and heard the voice of Smith, which in their minds put him at the scene of the crime. Palestinian Students Shot in Vermont Say the Suspect Waited for and Targeted Them NBC News (01/17, Llamas, Alsharif) reported that it took Hisham Awartani some time to realize he'd been shot after falling to the ground during a walk near his grandmother's house with two friends, Kinnan Abdalhamid and Tahseen Ali Ahmad. According to the article, on Nov. 25, as they walked they saw a man standing across the road come down the porch of a home, pull out a pistol, and shoot them. Awartani and Abdalhamid believe the man may have seen them before and was possibly waiting for them that day. The article added that Jason Eaton, 48, was arrested two days later in connection with the shooting. He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of second- degree attempted murder. Police have not yet revealed a presumed motive for the shooting, saying the investigation is ongoing. The article mentioned that the agencies handling the investigation include the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). FBI Investigating Oregon Transgender Woman Over Racist, Antisemitic Social Media Posts The National Desk (01/17, Lewis) reported that the FBI is investigating a transgender woman for allegedly using social media to repost a mass shooting, upload sinister racial content, and threaten her "transphobic" coworkers. The article noted that Elizabeth West, 56, who lives in Oregon, reposted livestreamed footage of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting on Dec. 3, according to a federal affidavit. The original post's caption allegedly read, "and it'll stop one way or another." The article mentioned that in September, the FBI received a tip for one of West's Facebook posts in which she allegedly appeared to threaten violence toward her coworkers. According to the article, upon searching her home last week, FBI agents seized 16 rifles, 11 handguns, tens of thousands of ammunition rounds, gun accessories, 48 drawings, a composition notebook, and a "black shadow" journal. The drawings depict West's "veil mistress," who wields a sword and stabs, hangs, and mutilates Black men, according to the affidavit. FBI Investigating Georgia County's Delayed Waste-To-Fuel Project EFTA00160261 WAGA (Fox-5) (01/17, Edwards) reported that a stalled recycling center that's come under fire from irate taxpayers has caught the attention of the FBI. With the backing of the county government, the Lamar County Regional Solid Waste Management Authority took out a $27.5 million state loan in 2014 to build a waste-to-fuel project at the landfill that's now more than 6 years past its original completion date, with loan repayments starting in April. The article noted that some of the loan money flowed to a top landfill official who promoted the project, with a group of angry taxpayers demanding the county launch an investigation. An FBI spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that the agency has launched an investigation. Colorado Funeral Home Owners Apparently Sought to Cover Up Money Problems by Abandoning Bodies The Associated Press (01/17, Slevin, Brown) reported that two Colorado funeral home owners sought to cover up their financial difficulties by abandoning nearly 200 bodies that they had agreed to cremate or bury, instead storing the remains in a neglected building in many cases for years, a Colorado judge said Wednesday as he ruled that the criminal case against one of the defendants can go to trial. The article noted that Judge William Moller cited evidence from prosecutors in deciding that Return to Nature Funeral Home co-owner Carie Hallford can face trial on 260 counts of corpse abuse, money laundering, forgery, and theft. At the request of her attorney, the judge also sharply reduced Hallford's bond, from $2 million to $100,000, increasing the chances that she can get out of jail while the trial is pending. Moller said the crimes the Hallfords are accused of were not violent and noted that Carie Hallford had no prior criminal record. The article stated that during a hearing last week, FBI agent Andrew Cohen testified about the gruesome conditions at the building in Penrose, Colorado where the decomposing bodies were found last year, stored at room temperature and stacked on top of one another. Flies and maggots were found throughout the building. Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Reportedly Under FBI Inquiry for Alleged Sex Crimes The Guardian (01/17, Oladipo) reported that the former CEO of the clothing brand Abercrombie & Fitch is reportedly being investigated by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies for alleged sex crimes. The article noted that Mike Jeffries and his partner Matthew Smith are being investigated by federal agencies following allegations that they sexually exploited and abused young men at parties they hosted. The article mentioned that the FBI and the US attorney's office in the eastern district of New York are reportedly interviewing witnesses and issuing subpoenas as part of their investigation. The New York Post (01/17, Thaler), and the Independent (01/17, Ross) also reported on the story. Eric Adams Hauls in $650,000 for NYC Mayor's Legal Defense Fund Amid Federal Investigation The Washington Examiner (01/17, Kaminsky) reported that New York City Mayor Eric Adams has raised more than $650,000 in connection to a legal defense fund he launched amid a federal corruption investigation into the Democrat. The article mentioned that the FBI and federal prosecutors are investigating whether the Adams campaign in 2021 unlawfully conspired with the Turkish government to receive contributions, an allegation that came under the spotlight after law enforcement in November raided the Brooklyn residence of Adams's friend Brianna Suggs, a major fundraiser for him. The article stated that employees of New York City are permitted to set up legal defense funds so they may receive assistance for certain expenses and bills, according to the city's Conflicts of Interest Board. Adams is being represented by the law firm WilmerHale, and the investigation centers on the possibility that the Adams campaign provided kickback benefits to a Brooklyn construction company with ties to Turkey, as well as to officials in Turkey. Investigation Into High School Student Threatened Online Gets Attention From FBI WTKR (CBS-13) (01/17, Kavanagh) reported that a Virginia student said he was sent images of a decapitated head and guns. He said people he met online were threatening to kill him and hunt him down at his high school. The article noted that it started back in mid-December when 16-year-old Tyler Shonyo said people on Instagram offered him $600 for the rights to use his high school football photos he posted on social media. He said he regrettably cashed the electronic check. The article added that then, violent threats started as the people online were demanding the money back. They started to send disturbing images, threatening to track him down at school and kill him. They claimed to know his exact location. He said they were repeatedly calling, texting, and harassing him. The article mentioned that after a news investigation aired, the FBI got involved. The article quoted an FBI statement, which said, "Internet fraud is a growing threat to businesses and individuals alike. The perpetrators of these scams are sophisticated, and their techniques are constantly being refined. While the FBI is active in working to prevent and mitigate these types of scams, we encourage organizations and individuals to remain vigilant. Resources and tips for prevention can be found on the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center website. If you EFTA00160262 believe you have fallen victim to internet fraud and wish to report it, please file a complaint with IC3. Additionally, if there is a direct threat to life, contact law enforcement immediately." Three Arrested in Bay Area Retail Theft Ring That Stole $650K in Merchandise KOVR (CBS-13) (01/17, Fang) reported that three people suspected of being part of a retail theft ring responsible for more than two dozen burglaries and attempted burglaries have been arrested, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Wednesday. According to a statement from Bonta's office, the three were suspected in about 25 incidents at smoke shops, liquor stores, and high-end-retail stores between September 8, 2023, and November 14, 2023. The thefts resulted in more than $650,000 in losses. All three suspects are facing multiple felony charges, including grand theft and second-degree burglary. The suspects' identities have not been released. The article quoted Chief Jamie Knox of the Walnut Creek Police Department, who said, "Walnut Creek detectives worked diligently and thoroughly on this investigation, we appreciated the partnership with the Concord Police Department, FBI Safe Streets, and the Attorney General's Office among others to bring this complex case to a successful conclusion." Back to Top CYBER DIVISION CISA-FBI Cybersecurity Advisory Details Indicators of Compromise From AndroxghOst Malware Attacks ExecutiveGov (01/17, Bennet) reported that a joint advisory from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and FBI is warning organizations against the spread of a Python-scripted malware known as AndroxGhOst. The article noted that in a document released Tuesday, the two agencies listed tactics, techniques, and procedures being followed by threat actors that deploy the virus, which targets confidential files in applications such as Microsoft Office 365 and those of Amazon Web Services. The article mentioned that AndroxGhOst uses a botnet to exploit vulnerable networks and file formats such as .env and simple mail transfer protocols. Aside from AWS and Microsoft, other companies that have been affected are marketing e-mail platform SendGrid and its parent company Twilio, according to the cybersecurity advisory. CISA and FBI also listed known indicators of compromise, including uniform resource identifiers and POST request strings and attempted credential exfiltration. The article added that the two agencies urged organizations to prioritize patching such vulnerabilities in internet-facing systems, make sure that only necessary servers have online accessibility, and investigate unauthorized use of credentials listed in .env files. Continued Reporting: FBI Warns of Escalating Online Sextortion Targeting Minors WACH (Fox-57) (01/17, Johnson) reported that the FBI Columbia Field Office is warning parents, educators, caregivers, and children about the dangers of online activity that may lead to a minor engaging in sexual activity. Sextortion involves an offender coercing a minor to create and send explicit images or videos. The article noted that from October 2021 to March 2023, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations received more than 13,000 reports of online financial sextortion of minors. The sextortion involved at least 12,600 victims, mostly boys, and led to at least 20 suicides. In the six-month period from October 2022 to March 2023, the FBI saw at least a 20% increase in reporting of financially motivated sextortion incidents involving minor victims compared to the same six-month span the previous year. The article quoted Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office, who said, "Sextortion and financial sextortion take an emotional and psychological toll on victims, we encourage parents and guardians to have open dialogues with their children to stress the importance of exercising appropriate online behavior. We also want victims to know that the FBI takes these crimes seriously and our pursuit of the criminals behind these acts is relentless." KNXV (ABC-13) (01/17, Dao), KGUN (ABC-9) (01/17, Smith), WIBW (CBS-13) (01/17, Jones), WIAT (CBS-42) (01/17, Holliday), KVOA (NBC-4) (01/17, Abbas), KOLD (CBS- 13) (01/17, Wallace), and CBS News (01/17, Sganga) also reported on the story. Back to Top LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES Republicans Unveil Legislation Expanding Federal Law to Prohibit Swatting The Hill (01/17, Nazzaro) reported that a pair of Republican lawmakers are seeking to crack down on "swatting" incidents, introducing legislation on Wednesday to prohibit such calls under the federal criminal hoax statute. The EFTA00160263 article noted that Republican Sens. Rick Scott (FL) and Tommy Tuberville (AL) on Wednesday unveiled the bill, titled the Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act, which would amend the federal criminal hoax statute and establish strict penalties for swatting, including up to 20 years in prison if the attempt or attempts lead to serious injury. The article added that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sounded the alarm over the uptick in swatting incidents last year and called on the FBI to track such attempts. The FBI launched a national database to track the incidents last June. Anonymous Tips Work to Prevent School Shootings and Suicides, New Study Finds CNN (01/17, Campbell) reported that anonymous reporting systems used by schoolchildren to report concerning behavior among their peers has resulted in the prevention of numerous instances of suicide, school violence, and planned attacks, according to a study published Wednesday. The article noted that researchers studied data from the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System, operated by the violence prevention group Sandy Hook Promise, which includes an around-the-clock crisis center staffed by trained counselors who review tips submitted by phone and online and notify appropriate responders. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, was funded by the Chaiken Foundation and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and its lead authors were affiliated with the University of Michigan and Sandy Hook Promise. The article quoted former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole, who said, "You have to educate the student body that this is not an effort to rat out your fellow student or get a fellow student in trouble, educate the students and the faculty to what the red-flag behaviors are ... and make it so that students can call in on a confidential line." Back to Top CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS Rep. Elise Stefanik Faces Censure Effort for Calling Jan. 6 Defendants 'Hostages' UPI (01/17, Walsh) reported that Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman introduced a resolution to censure Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik for her support of Jan. 6 defendants, whom she referred to as "hostages." According to the article, Goldman condemned Stefanik's actions from the House floor, stating her support for the insurrectionists was contemptuous and a betrayal of her oath of office. He also criticized Stefanik for raising concerns about the 2020 election results and her criticism of special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into the Jan. 6 case against Trump, concluding that her rhetoric must be condemned in the strongest terms. Additional reporting on the story was provided by The Independent (01/17, Graziosi), New York Post (01/17, Christenson), The Daily Beast (01/17, Olmstead), Axios (01/17, Solender), Fax News (01/17, Elkind), New York Times (01/17, Karni), The Hill (01/17, Schnell), Forbes (01/17, Dorn), HuffPost (01/17, Delaney), and Washington Examiner (01/17, Gorman). Proud Boys Member Who Attacked at Least Six Officers on Jan. 6 Sentenced Axios (01/17, Habeshian) reported that Kenneth Bonawitz, a Florida Proud Boys member, was sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting at least six law enforcement officers during the Capitol riot, as announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for D.C. According to the article, Bonawitz, who was armed with a knife and prepared for violence, inflicted injuries on one officer, a first responder to the September 11 terrorist attack at the Pentagon, forcing the officer into retirement from the U.S. Capitol Police. The article noted that the DOJ detailed Bonawitz's violent actions, including tackling officers to the ground, placing one in a chokehold, and lifting the officer by the neck, causing significant distress. Additional reporting on the story was provided by the Washington Post (01/17, Jackman), Associated Press (01/17, Kunzelman), New York Times (01/17, Mayorquin), The Hill (01/17, Fortinsky), and Courthouse News Service (01/17, Knappenberger). Maine Court Defers Ruling on Election Official Disqualifying Trump Because of 14th Amendment ABC News (01/17, Murray) reported that Maine's top trial court deferred a ruling on whether to uphold the decision of Secretary of State Shenna Bellows to disqualify former President Donald Trump from the 2024 primary ballot under the 14th Amendment's "insurrection clause." According to the article, Bellows, citing Trump's involvement in the events of Jan. 6, 2021, had ruled him ineligible, a decision Trump vigorously appealed. The article noted that the court's deferment came as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to consider a similar 14th Amendment challenge to Trump out of Colorado, with oral arguments scheduled for Feb. 8, emphasizing the significant legal implications of Trump's conduct related to Jan. 6 and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Additional reporting on the story was provided by the New York Times (01/17, Russell), NPR (01/17, Staff Writer), and The Guardian (01/17, Pengelly). EFTA00160264 The 'Sleeping Giant' Case that Could Upend Jack Smith's Prosecution of Trump Politico (01/17, Wehle) reported that the Supreme Court's decision to hear Joseph W. Fischer v. United States, a case questioning the use of a 2002 law (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) in prosecuting Jan. 6 defendants, could significantly impact Special Counsel Jack Smith's prosecution of Donald Trump. The article explained that the law, originally aimed at curbing financial crimes, has been used by the Department of Justice to charge over 300 people involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection, but if the court sides with Fischer, it could invalidate these charges, including those against Trump. The article noted that Smith's indictment of Trump includes charges under this law, and the case's outcome could affect the legality of these charges, potentially undermining the prosecution and affecting the convictions of many Jan. 6 defendants. Judge Rejects Donald Trump Motion to