Tag: FBI
Sefton Stewart, Nationwide Fraud, Michigan 2026
⏱ 2 min read A Jamaican national, Sefton Stewart, 40, has pleaded guilty in a Michigan court for his role in a nationwide fraud scheme that swindled at least $3.4 million from over 25 victims across the United States. The scheme, which took place between October 2019 and September 2024, involved Stewart and his co-conspirators,…
Troy Barbone Jr and Tyren Barbone, Assault with a dangerous weapon, New Mexico 2026
⏱ 2 min read Troy Barbone Jr, 43, and his brother Tyren Barbone, 40, enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, have been indicted for a brutal assault that left a man seriously injured in Cuba, New Mexico, on March 3, 2026. The brothers allegedly attacked the victim, John Doe, with a metal bar and shovel,…
Jin Zhao Chi, Pesticide Smuggling, Oklahoma 2025
⏱ 2 min read Two employees of a state-registered marijuana farm in Seminole County, Oklahoma, have been indicted on federal charges relating to the use of illegal foreign pesticides. Jin Zhao Chi, 44, and Dian Lin Jiang, 65, allegedly smuggled and distributed unregistered and misbranded pesticides from Hong Kong into the United States between February…
Errick Waikaniwa, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, New Mexico 2026
⏱ 2 min read Errick Waikaniwa, a 39-year-old enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, allegedly unleashed a brutal hammer attack on two victims at a Zuni, New Mexico residence on July 5, 2026. The assault left both victims with severe injuries, including significant facial trauma and a skull fracture, and they were rushed to…
Charles D. Katz, Loan Fraud, Massachusetts 2025
⏱ 3 min read Charles D. Katz, a 64-year-old CPA from Sudbury, paid an executive $1.6 million in under-the-table compensation and fringe benefits, while also making a fraudulent application for $179,000 in pandemic relief. This scheme, which took place over several years, allowed Katz to avoid paying taxes and enabled the executive, Stephen Hochberg, to…
Harshpreet Singh, Unlawful Gun Possession, Pennsylvania 2024
⏱ 2 min read Harshpreet Singh, a 25-year-old Indian national, was in the United States illegally when he possessed firearms in Bethel, Pennsylvania. On August 28, 2024, a home invasion and shooting occurred, and Singh was found with a co-defendant and a gunshot victim at a nearby gas station. The incident led to the discovery…
Timothy J. Pughsley, Sports Betting Operation, Alabama 2025
⏱ 2 min read In a shocking case that has made headlines nationwide, nine defendants have pleaded guilty in the Northern District of Alabama to running a massive $2 billion sports betting operation. The defendants, including Timothy J. Pughsley, Nathan Burdette, and Christopher Burdette, were involved in a sophisticated scheme that accepted wagers from sports…
Debbie Norris Woodell, Federal Program Theft, North Carolina 2016
⏱ 2 min read Debbie Norris Woodell, the 64-year-old former director of the Dunn Housing Authority in North Carolina, has been sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for conspiring to commit federal program theft. Between 2016 and 2021, Woodell exploited her position to steal over $200,000 from the agency, which provides affordable housing to…
Mark Craythorn Thompson, Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Michigan 2023
⏱ 2 min read A 63-year-old Michigan man, Mark Craythorn Thompson, has been sentenced for his role in an Arizona-based fentanyl conspiracy. On September 28, 2023, Thompson picked up a package in Detroit containing 997.3 grams of powdered fentanyl, which had been shipped from Arizona via the U.S. Mail. Thompson intended to deliver the fentanyl…
Peter Stokes, Cyber Conspiracy, Illinois 2023
⏱ 2 min read Peter Stokes, a 19-year-old dual citizen of the US and Estonia, has been extradited from Finland to face federal cyber conspiracy charges in the Northern District of Illinois. Stokes is alleged to be a member of the notorious hacking group Scattered Spider, also known as Octo Tempest, UNC3944, and 0ktapus. The…
