Tag: Miami
Shelton Thompson, Possessing a Firearm as an Illegal Alien, Florida 2024
⏱ 2 min read A 38-year-old Bahamian national, Shelton Thompson, who was wanted for murder in the Bahamas and had been living in the US illegally since August 2024, has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as an illegal alien in South Florida. Thompson was caught during a traffic stop, and a subsequent search of…
Carleen Noreus, Diploma Mill Operation, Florida 2025
⏱ 2 min read Carleen Noreus, a 52-year-old nursing school owner, has pleaded guilty to running a massive diploma mill in South Florida, selling thousands of fake nursing diplomas to individuals seeking licenses and employment. The scheme, which operated from April 2018 to October 2025, involved Noreus and others selling bogus diplomas and transcripts to…
Brandon Sartor, Sex Trafficking, Florida 2024
⏱ 2 min read Brandon Sartor, a 33-year-old Maryland man, has been accused of forcing two adult women into prostitution in Miami and other locations. The alleged sex trafficking occurred from December 2024 to April 2025, with Sartor transporting the victims across state lines for his financial gain. The indictment, returned by a federal grand…
Terrance Wallace, Cocaine Importing, Florida 2025
⏱ 2 min read A Bahamian national, Terrance Wallace, 32, was convicted for his role in a multi-vessel smuggling operation that brought hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and dozens of unauthorized migrants from the Bahamas to South Florida on August 30, 2025. The smuggling operation was detected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and…
Victor Manuel Rocha, Unregistered Agent, Florida 1978
⏱ 2 min read A high-ranking government official turned Cuban spy, Victor Manuel Rocha, is facing the music in Miami. The native Colombian was convicted of serving as an unregistered agent for the Republic of Cuba and now the US Department of Justice is seeking to revoke his citizenship. Rocha, who naturalized in 1978, had…
Kelvin Owusu Nkwantabisa, Wire Fraud, California 2022
⏱ 2 min read A brazen transnational crew swiped over $38 million from unsuspecting victims across the US and abroad in a sophisticated email scam. The scheme, which began in August 2022, involved infiltrating email accounts, monitoring financial transactions, and impersonating trusted business partners to redirect payments to shell accounts. Four defendants – Kelvin Owusu…
David Rivera, Secretly Lobbying, Florida 2020
⏱ 3 min read A former US Congressman and lobbyist, David Rivera, was found guilty of secretly lobbying for the Venezuelan government, laundering millions of dollars, and violating the Foreign Agent Registration Act. The scheme, which spanned from 2018 to 2020, involved Rivera and his co-defendant Esther Nuhfer, using coded messages and shell companies to…
Boise Cascade, Timber Trafficking, Idaho 2023
⏱ 2 min read A $25 million to $65 million timber trafficking scheme has finally been busted, with Miami-based Boise Cascade taking the hit. The company pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act for its role in the scheme, which saw them import and sell illegally sourced plywood. The scheme, which lasted for years, involved…
Colonel James Johnson, Larceny, Florida 2020
⏱ 2 min read Miami – In a stunning turn of events, US Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones has been promoted to Colonel in the US Air Force Reserve, with an impressive 23-year military career spanning infantry, operational law, national security, and combat advising. Since the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel, Colonel Reding…
Natacha Maria Lezcano, Wire Fraud, Florida 2020
⏱ 3 min read A brazen betrayal of trust unfolded in Miami, where a 63-year-old mom and her 33-year-old son allegedly exploited an elderly woman’s age and trust to swindle her out of thousands of dollars. Natacha Maria Lezcano and Daniel Romero are accused of using the victim’s identity and credit cards to make unauthorized…
