15-Year-Old Girl Rushed to Hospital After Being Struck by Pickup Truck in Manahawkin

15-Year-Old Girl Rushed to Hospital After Being Struck by Pickup Truck in Manahawkin

by Charlie Dwyer July 14, 2022

By: Charlie Dwyer

STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, NJ – A 15-year-old girl was struck and is in unknown condition at the hospital Wednesday evening. Police said at 7:70 pm, she was struck in the area of West Bay Avenue on Route 72.

On Wednesday evening, July 13th, 2022 at approximately 7:10 PM, the Stafford Township Police Department responded to the report of a pedestrian struck on Route 72 in the area of West Bay Avenue.

The Stafford Township Police Department reported a 2012 black Toyota Tacoma driven by Dale Ritchie, 22 years old of Manahawkin was merging onto Route 72 westbound from West Bay Avenue when his his vehicle struck a 15-year-old female from Barnegat.

” She had been attempting to cross Route 72 from the Holliday Inn with a group of friends when she was struck,” police said. “As a result of the accident, she was taken to Southern Ocean Medical Center, and later flown to Jersey Shore Medical Center with head and lower body injuries. There is no update available on her condition.”

This accident is currently under investigation by the Stafford Township Police Department’s Traffic Safety Bureau, and no charges have been filed.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Financial News

JPMorgan suspends buybacks, warns on global economy as profit slumps

by Reuters July 14, 2022

By: Reuters

By Noor Zainab Hussain and David Henry

(Reuters) -JPMorgan Chase & Co’s Jamie Dimon struck a cautious note on the global economy as America’s largest bank reported a worse-than-expected 28% fall in quarterly profit and suspended share buybacks in the face of growing risks of a recession.

The chief executive also stressed the need to build capital reserves due to increasing requirements from regulators, while flagging a number of concerns including the war in Ukraine, high inflation and the “never-before-seen” quantitative tightening as threats to global economic growth.

Closer to home, however, the economy continues to grow and the job market and consumer spending remain healthy, Dimon said, even as the bank braced for potential loan losses by setting aside more money.

Dimon told reporters that he still believes a storm of uncertain magnitude is coming for the economy. The risks, he said, “are nearer than they were before.”

“The potential outcome ranges from a soft-landing to something much harder,” Dimon said.

Overall, the results presented a grim picture for the three months since the U.S. Federal Reserve started raising interest rates to tame runaway inflation, sending financial markets into a tailspin on fears of slowing growth.

“As far as the things that you don’t want to see, you’ve got pretty much every one of them,” Thomas Hayes, managing member at Great Hill Capital Llc in New York, said.

“Missing the top and bottom line, cutting the buybacks and increasing credit reserves are all things consistent with battening down the hatches for a recession,” he added.

JPMorgan’s shares slid nearly 5% as the bank recorded $1.1 billion in provision for credit losses, including a $428 million boost in loss provisions. Last year, the bank had released $3 billion from its reserves.

The shares were down 4.2% in mid-afternoon.

It posted a profit of $8.6 billion, or $2.76 per share, missing the average analyst estimate of $2.88 per share, according to Refinitiv.

Other large U.S. banks including Citigroup and Wells Fargo will report results this week, while Goldman Sachs and Bank of America will round out big bank earnings season next week.

DEALS DOWN

Investment bankers fared the worst at JPMorgan, with revenue from the business sliding 61% to $1.4 billion. Rival Morgan Stanley also reported a slump in its dealmaking unit.

Lower fees from fewer debt and equity issuances and a $257 million markdown on its book of bridge loans also hurt the investment banking business.

Banks make bridge loans to companies expecting the debt to be refinanced or sold in broader capital markets.

“Our bridge book, it’s smaller than it was because we priced ourself out of the market … a lot of people can lose a lot of money there, and we lost a little,” Dimon told analysts on a call.

Wall Street’s combined book of bridge loans amounts to about $100 billion, only 20% of the size when the financial crisis struck in 2008, Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Barnum told analysts.

Barnum said JPMorgan had made “conscious choices” to give up market share in leveraged finance to reduce risk.

Analysts have been watching for losses on bridge loans, especially since the CFO of Bank of America said last month that his bank would likely record leveraged finance write-downs of as much as $150 million for the quarter.

Like rivals, JPMorgan last year rode the dealmaking wave and advised on several major business combinations, underwrote some of the biggest stock market flotations and helped put together deals involving special purpose acquisition companies.

However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February and fears around an economic recession dealt a blow to merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in 2022.

M&A activity in the United States also plunged 40% to $456 billion in the second quarter.

JPMorgan Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Barnum said that while the bank’s existing underwriting pipeline remains healthy, it may be difficult for older deals to close.

Trading, however, was a bright spot, with total markets revenue up 15%, with fixed income and equity trading both recording jumps.

The bank’s net interest income (NII) rose 19% to $15.2 billion. For the year, it expects NII, excluding markets, to be more than $58 billion, up from its earlier forecast of $56 billion.

Rate hikes benefit big lenders by increasing what they earn from loans, but rapid increases could slow the economy, leaving consumers to absorb higher borrowing costs, in turn slowing loan growth for banks.

The Fed is expected to ramp up its battle with 40-year high inflation with a dramatic 100 basis points rate hike this month after a grim inflation report on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain and Niket Nishant in Bengaluru and David Henry in New York; Additional reporting by Bansari Mayur Kamdar; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Nick Zieminski)

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Baltimore News Breaking News Maryland News Police Blotter

15-Year-Old Arrested for Murder in Baltimore Shooting

by Jeff Jones July 14, 2022

By: Jeff Jones

Baltimore, MD – A 15-year-old boy has been charged for the shooting murder of 48-year-old Timothy Reynolds on East Conway Street on July 7th.

On that day, at approximately 4:38 p.m., police officers were dispatched to the intersection of Light Street and Conway Street to investigate a reported shooting.

“When officers arrived at the scene, they located 48-year-old Timothy Reynolds suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to an area hospital and pronounced dead by medical personnel shortly after arrival,” police reported.

“Today’s arrest in the July 7 homicide at Pratt and Conway Streets is another sad reminder that guns are too easily accessible to our young people. We have seen time and time again the willingness of individuals to illegally carry and use these weapons. And we know they make the decision to do so the moment they leave the house, not just when they pull the trigger,” said Police Commissioner Michael Harrison. “We all need to continue to work together to address the root causes of violence and to provide resources and alternatives to these young people. I hope that today’s arrest brings some closure and peace to the family, friends and loved ones of Timothy Reynolds.”

“I want to thank the Baltimore Police Department, School Police and all of our partners for the work done to thoroughly investigate this matter and bring someone into custody. As I’ve said continuously – any person that endangers the safety and well-being of anyone on the streets of Baltimore, they will be held accountable. Now we must all support our community in healing especially the impacted families,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “As we allow this case to be handled by the appropriate parties, we must continue to do all we can to prevent people – especially young people – from having to engage in activities that put the lives of others or their own lives at risk. I remain committed to working with leaders from within my administration as well as partners from the public and private sectors to identify and implement plans that will help us reimagine Baltimore – allowing us to live and work in a city of which we can be proud.”

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Financial News

Analysis-Bank of Canada uses ‘shock and awe’ to bolster inflation-fighting credibility

by Reuters July 14, 2022

By: Reuters

By Steve Scherer and Fergal Smith

OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada unveiled a ‘shock-and-awe’ full-percentage-point interest rate hike on Wednesday, a surprise move that marked a change in messaging for a central bank desperate to show it can tame the worst inflation since 1983, analysts said.

Two previous 50-basis-point rate hikes in April and June were clearly signaled by Governor Tiff Macklem. But the Bank of Canada chief has spoken only once publicly since last month’s increase, saying the central bank was prepared to move “more forcefully,” which was interpreted as opening the way to a 75-basis-point hike.

After that, he remained silent.

“Exceeding forward guidance might have been the point – by delivering more than expected, policymakers may have hoped to magnify the psychological impact on businesses and consumers,” said Karl Schamotta, chief market strategist at Corpay, a business payments firm.

“It’s a ‘shock-and-awe’ strategy,” he added.

Markets took notice, sending the Canadian dollar higher against its U.S. counterpart, while pushing down the main Canadian stock index to its lowest close since March 2021.

Macklem, who took over as governor in the middle of the pandemic, has come under a rare political attack for failing to keep in check inflation, which surged to 7.7% on an annual basis in May, the highest rate since January 1983.

As inflation started to get out of control earlier this year, senior Bank of Canada officials admitted to making “mistakes” and the central bank said on Wednesday it has been consistently underestimating inflation mainly because of global shocks.

In an interview with the Financial Post newspaper published on Thursday, Macklem said the central bank likely would have raised interest rates sooner if it had known a year ago all the things it now knows.

‘BIG RESET BUTTON’

Canada became the first G7 country to make a 100-basis-point rate hike in this economic cycle, and Macklem broke with what had been his rigid approach to messaging.

In July 2020, the Bank of Canada promised to keep interest rates at rock-bottom levels until “the economic slack is absorbed,” which was expected to take years, and sticking to that meant its first rate increase came in March when inflation was already well above the central bank’s 2%-3% target range.

“The Bank is realizing that failing to meet its 2% inflation mandate does far more damage to its credibility than deviating from vague forward guidance,” said Jay Zhao-Murray, market analyst at Monex Canada, a financial services company.

Zhao-Murray added that the surprise 100-basis-point hike is likely going to add to Canadians’ economic anxiety, but down the line it should also result in lower inflation expectations, a less restrictive rate hiking cycle, and reduced price pressures.

In comments after Wednesday’s rate increase, Macklem noted that the credibility of the central bank’s 2% inflation target “is being tested,” citing recent business and consumer surveys that showed inflation is expected to persist.

But analysts, while acknowledging it’s a good move, said the shift in the Bank of Canada’s approach comes at a cost.

The central bank is moving “to provide less guidance,” said Greg Anderson, global head of foreign exchange strategy at BMO Capital Markets in New York.

“And presumably less guidance means less certainty, means wider risk spreads and more risk premia for financial assets.”

Derek Holt, vice president and head of capital markets economics at Scotiabank, said the Bank of Canada has caused “economic anxiety across households and businesses because they had horse blinders on toward any whiff of inflation risk as it was unfolding in real time last year.”

The full-percentage-point hike shows “they just realized they blew it” and “is an acknowledgment that they needed to press a big reset button on what they were doing,” Holt said.

(Reporting by Steve Scherer and Fergal Smith; Editing by Paul Simao)

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Financial News

IMF hopes to soon resume Sri Lanka high-level discussions

by Reuters July 14, 2022

By: Reuters

By Rodrigo Campos

(Reuters) -The International Monetary Fund is still in contact with officials at technical levels within the Sri Lankan government and hopes to be able to resume discussions with higher-level officials, an IMF spokesman said on Thursday, after Sri Lanka’s president announced his resignation.

“We hope for a resolution of the current situation that would allow for our resumption of a dialogue on an IMF-supported program,” IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said in a scheduled press briefing.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sent a resignation letter on Thursday after fleeing to Singapore. He had first fled to the Maldives on Wednesday to escape a popular uprising over his family’s role in a crippling economic crisis.

Rice said the IMF still has technical counterparties in Sri Lanka’s central bank and the Ministry of Finance and hopes to be able to have high-level discussions with the authorities to begin discussions on a program “as soon as possible.”

He said any new loan program for Sri Lanka would require adequate assurances on debt sustainability.

Clifford Lau, a money manager at William Blair, a holder of Sri Lankan bonds, said it was difficult to say when a deal could be reached with the IMF because the country needs to rebuild its government.

“I still believe that an IMF deal will eventually happen as there is the consensus amongst the political elites that it is the most credible way forward to restore confidence from within and outside,” Lau said. “What needs to stop now is the political infighting, and elect an all-parties leader to resume bailout talks as soon as possible.”

(Reporting by David Lawder in Washington, Rodrigo Campos in New York and Karin Strohecker in London; Editing by Leslie Adler)

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Financial News

Bank of America picks ex-Prudential exec for EMEA financial institutions top job

by Reuters July 14, 2022

By: Reuters

By Pamela Barbaglia

LONDON – Bank of America has promoted former Prudential executive James Gill to lead its financial institutions franchise for Europe, the Middle East and Africa as it seeks to win more business from the region’s biggest banks and fintech clients.

The move comes as one of the bank’s most senior members of its European financial institution group (FIG), Arif Vohra, quit in June to join Barclays.

In a memo signed by Bank of America’s global co-heads of the FIG investment banking business – Will Addas, Giorgio Cocini and Gary Howe – the bank said Gill would oversee relationships with key clients and broaden its commercial focus in the region.

Gill, a former Morgan Stanley dealmaker, will be based in London and work closely with Addas, Cocini and Howe while also reporting to Matt Cannon, head of Bank of America’s EMEA investment banking.

He joined the bank in 2020 from Prudential Plc where he was in charge of the group’s strategy and M&A deals and led the spin-off of Prudential’s UK and European insurance and asset management business M&G.

(Reporting by Pamela Barbaglia; Editing by Richard Chang)

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Financial News

UK’s Aston Martin to raise over 500 million pounds via Saudi fund, rights issue – FT

by Reuters July 14, 2022

By: Reuters

(Reuters) – Aston Martin is closing in on a deal to raise over 500 million pounds ($589.30 million) by bringing in Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund as a major shareholder and launching a rights issue for investors, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.

The proposal will result in Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) investing up to 200 million pounds for a near 20% shareholding and a seat on the British luxury carmaker’s board, the newspaper said, citing two people.

The planned financing also involves a rights issue of at least 300 million pounds, and could be considerably higher, the report said.

Last month, Financial Times reported that PIF, which owns stakes in electric carmaker Lucid and British supercar group McLaren, was in early talks with Aston Martin about taking a stake in the business.

Aston Martin declined to comment, while PIF did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours.

($1 = 0.8485 pounds)

(Reporting by Aby Jose Koilparambil in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

Rocky Mount Man Arrested for Illegally Selling Firearms Stolen Guns and High-Capacity Rifles Seized

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Rocky Mount man was arrested today on charges of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. If convicted, Antonio Joseph Santos, 49, faces a maximum penalty of 120 months.

“Our violent crime strategy in Rocky Mount is focused on bringing those contributing to violent crimes to swift justice and getting illegal guns off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Our close collaboration and partnership across federal, state and local law enforcement enables us to move quickly to bring charges when they are warranted.”

“ATF is committed to keeping firearms out of the hands of prohibited individuals,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “We’ll continue to support the collaborative efforts of our local, state, and federal partners to stop illegal firearms sales.”

“My appreciation goes to the US Attorney’s Office and ATF for working so closely with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rocky Mount Police Department. This case is an example of how partnerships between agencies make our communities safer,” commented Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone. “As we have always done, we will continue to fight the guns, gangs, and drugs in our communities.”

Edgecombe County Sheriff Cleveland Atkinson stated, “It is always great when agencies can partner together. It’s even greater when these partnerships span across several counties to disrupt and prevent criminal activity.”

“The Rocky Mount Police Department will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to make our city safer,” said Police Chief Robert Hassell. “Through our partnerships, we will continue to conduct investigations to identify those involved directly or indirectly with illegal gun use, possession, and sales. In addition, we will continue placing more resources on dealing with gun violence in our city.”

According to court documents, between May and July 2022, Santos, 49, sold eight (8) firearms illegally to a confidential informant employed by law enforcement in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Of the eight (8) firearms, one (1) had an obliterated serial number, two (2) had an extended or high-capacity magazine, and two (2) were previously reported stolen. Federal and local agents also surveilled Santos traveling to a storage unit facility in Rocky Mount prior to the various firearm transactions.

On July 8, 2022, agents executed search warrants at Santos’ residence and his storage unit. Inside Santos’ residence, law enforcement located an additional two (2) firearms: one (1) AR-style rifle with a high-capacity magazine and one (1) AK-style rifle that did not bear a serial number. At Santos’ storage unit, law enforcement located an additional four (4) firearms: three (3) rifles and one (1) revolver. One (1) of these firearms was previously reported stolen. Agents also found assorted ammunition and magazines, and pistol conversion kits.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Nash County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO), Rocky Mount Police Department (RMPD), and Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aakash Singh is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:22-MJ-1656-BM.

A(n) indictment/criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

Glendale Man Charged with Transporting 14 Illegal Aliens

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

TUCSON, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Saif Ali Al Najafi, 25, of Glendale, Arizona, was charged by criminal complaint with Transporting Illegal Aliens while Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Another.

According to the complaint, on July 8, 2022, Border Patrol Agents stopped a U-Haul box truck that Al Najafi was driving near Naco, Arizona. An undocumented non-citizen sat in the front passenger seat. Inside the box of the U-Haul truck, agents discovered 13 more undocumented non-citizens, including two minor children.

One witness inside the U-Haul stated the driver opened the cargo door for the group to enter and closed it behind them. The witness said he could hear the driver place a lock on the door, at which point the witness became frightened.

A conviction for Transporting Illegal Aliens while Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Another carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine, or both.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER: MJ-22-4680-LCK
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-117_Al Najafi

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

Rioter Sentenced to Federal Prison for Torching Providence Police Cruiser

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Cranston, RI, man who admitted to torching a Providence Police cruiser when he sprayed a flammable liquid into the cruiser during a June 2020 riot in downtown Providence, fueling and intensifying a fire that ultimately destroyed the vehicle, was sentenced today to three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Nicholas L. Scaglione, 32, previously admitted to a federal judge that he climbed atop the unoccupied police cruiser; threw an object at the vehicle; joined with others in an unsuccessful attempt to flip the vehicle onto its side; and ultimately sprayed a flammable liquid into the vehicle, intensifying a small fire already burning. The fire consumed the vehicle, rendering it unrecognizable.

Scaglione pleaded guilty on April 14, 2022, to conspiracy to commit arson.

“This defendant chose to quite literally fan the flames of a riot,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “Incinerating a police car, he needlessly endangered the lives of law enforcement and the public, and dishonored the proud legacy of Americans who have worked for change through peaceful means. Arson is not advocacy. Today’s sentence should make it abundantly clear that this type of lawless conduct cannot, and will not, be tolerated.”

“Nicholas Scaglione’s reckless and violent behavior deprived others of their right to peacefully protest, contributed to chaos, inspired lawlessness, and put the safety of police officers and the public in danger,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Today’s sentence makes it crystal clear to others that we have zero tolerance for anyone committing violence in our communities, especially when that violence is directed towards police.”

Providence Police Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr., added, “The Providence Police Department is appreciative of the collaboration of our law enforcement partners in holding this defendant accountable for his actions.”

According to court documents, in a text message, Scaglione took responsibility for what he did and defiantly professed that he would do it again: “But that police cruiser that went up in flames last night can be replaced… I was pissed. I’ve been pissed. That was pent up years of rage and frustration with the way I’ve seen and been treated by police. That cop car can be replaced. Peoples lives cannot… Then I go out fighting and standing up for [sh*t] I believe in. Cuz I know for a fact if it was you or anyone else I was close to I’d burn the whole police force down and not even blink.”

Today, U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Scaglione to 36 months in federal prison to be followed by two years of federal supervised release. Scaglione was ordered to pay restitution to the Providence Police Department in the amount of $52,166.80.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by the Providence FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, Providence Police Department, and Rhode Island State Police.

United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Rhode Island State Police for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.

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July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

Monte Vista Man Pleads Guilty to Burglary of a United States Post Office

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Edward Anthony Medina, age 60, of Monte Vista, CO, pleaded guilty to burglary of a United States Post Office.

According to the plea agreement, on December 19, 2021, the defendant knowingly broke into the Monte Vista Post Office, located at 150 Washington Street, Monte Vista City, Colorado, with the intent to commit larceny. Once inside, Medina accessed multiple safes and stole $702.91 in cash belonging to the United States Postal Service.

United States District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore presided over the change of plea hearing on July 12, 2022. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for September 23, 2022.

The United States Postal Inspection Service in Denver, CO, and the Monte Vista Police Department conducted a joint investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Albert Buchman handled the prosecution of the case.

Case Number: 22-cr-00060

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

Former Louisiana State Senator and Chair of a State Political Party Charged with Wire Fraud for Role in Nearly Seven-Year Scheme to Defraud Campaign Entity, Donors, and Political Party Organization

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

NEW ORLEANS – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that former Louisiana State Senator and Chair of State Political Party “A”,KAREN CARTER PETERSON, age 52, from New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged today in a one-count bill of information with wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.

According to court documents, PETERSON served as a Louisiana State Senator for the 5th District from about 2010 until about April 8, 2022, and as the Chair of State Political Party A between about 2012 and 2020. As a Louisiana State Senator, PETERSON formed and maintained a campaign organization, the “Karen Carter Peterson Campaign Fund (“KCPCF”),” to solicit and raise campaign funds from individual and corporate donors. The campaign funds were solicited based upon the representations and premise that the funds would be used to facilitate PETERSON’S reelection for the position of State Senator. In furtherance of her scheme, PETERSON diverted, and caused her friends and associates to divert, campaign funds from the KCPCF to PETERSON’S personal use for the purpose of obtaining and using money and property from contributors to the KCPCF by means of materially false and fraudulent representations and promises for nearly seven (7) years. She did so by writing checks drawn on the KCPCF account to her friends and associates and directing them to cash the checks and then to give most or all of the proceeds to her. PETERSON used the funds to pay for personal expenses unrelated to her campaign or the holding of public office, including to pay gambling-related expenses, and, in the course of soliciting additional contributions, failed to disclose to potential contributors that PETERSON had already used funds contributed to the KCPCF for her personal benefit. Further, PETERSON caused the public filing of false and misleading campaign finance reports that mischaracterized expenditures as being for legitimate purposes related to her campaign or the holding of public office, but were, in fact, unrelated to such purposes and, instead, were diverted to PETERSON’S personal use.

Additionally, in her role as Chair of State Political Party A, PETERSON oversaw the strategic decision-making, operations, outreach, and direction of Party A and supervised its permanent staff, including individuals who had signatory authority of State Political Party A’s financial accounts. PETERSON exploited her position to choose entities (“ Companies”) operated by her associates, purportedly to provide campaign-related services to State Political Party A, and to determine the amount that Party A would pay each of the Companies. In fact, the Companies provided either no or minimal services for State Political Party A. PETERSON then directed the Companies to remit a portion of the funds paid to them by State Political Party A to PETERSON through either checks drawn on the accounts of the Companies or in cash.

If convicted, PETERSON faces a maximum term of twenty (20) years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

The United States Attorney’s Office reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The United States Attorney’s Office praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and Forensic Accountant Josephine M. Beninati, CPA, CFE in this matter and thanks the Metropolitan Crime Commission for its assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Corruption Unit, and Jonathan L. Shih are in charge of the prosecution.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

South Carolina Jury Convicts Man Of Robbing A Restaurant At Gunpoint

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

CHARLESTON, S.C. – A federal jury in Charleston has returned a guilty verdict against Brandon Lloyd Daniels, 30, of North Charleston, South Carolina, for the 2018 armed robbery of the Tavern and Table restaurant in Mount Pleasant, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks presided over the three-day trial, which ended late yesterday.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in South Carolina, and Chief Mark Arnold of the Mount Pleasant Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

“Daniels used a gun to rob a restaurant he previously worked at and, in the process, he shot at his former co-workers, seriously injuring one of them. Today’s guilty verdict holds Daniels accountable for his dangerous and reckless criminal actions and ensures that he can no longer pose a threat to the community,” said U.S. Attorney King, whose office is in charge of the prosecution, upon recusal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.

“The combined efforts of our local and federal agencies have helped bring a very dangerous individual to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Mims. “ATF is proud to join our law enforcement partners in addressing gun violence and making communities safer.”

“I would like to thank the ATF and U. S. Attorney’s Office for their collaborative effort to ensure the safety of our citizens,” said Chief Arnold.

According to filed court documents and evidence presented at trial, on the evening of April 4, 2018, officers with the Mount Pleasant Police Department responded to reports of a robbery and shooting at the Tavern and Table restaurant, located at 100 Church Street in Mount Pleasant. Trial evidence established that around 11:30 p.m., shortly after the restaurant closed for the evening, Daniels entered the restaurant through the back door wearing a face covering and went into the restaurant’s office, where several employees were gathered. Daniels pointed his firearm at the employees and demanded money. According to trial evidence, Daniels aimed his firearm at the restaurant’s assistant manager and shot him in the lower back. The victim sustained serious, permanent injuries from the gunshot.

Following the shooting, the employees complied with Daniels’ demands and handed him several of the restaurant’s cash drawers. As Daniels fled the scene, he fired two more shots inside the restaurant in the direction of another employee.

The jury convicted Daniels on charges of Hobbs Act robbery, discharging a firearm during and in relation to the robbery, and possessing ammunition while a felon.

This was the second trial in this matter. On October 21, 2021, Judge Hendricks convicted Daniels of possessing a sawed-off shotgun and possessing a firearm while a felon following a bench trial. These convictions stemmed from investigators’ discovery of a sawed-off shotgun in Daniels’ bedroom during execution of a search warrant in connection with the Tavern and Table robbery. Daniels was a convicted felon and not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition.

Daniels remains in custody. A sentencing hearing for both trial convictions will be set at a later date.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the ATF and the Mount Pleasant Police Department for their investigation of the case and thanked the FBI for their substantial assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Taylor Stout, Regina Pack, and Erik Lindahl, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina in Charlotte, are prosecuting the case.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

South Texas man admits to hauling onions…and 68 people in trailer

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 45-year-old Pharr resident has pleaded guilty to illegally transporting undocumented aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Leonardo Davila Sr. admitted to smuggling the individuals while driving an 18-wheeler.

On May 4, 2021, Davila drove a tractor trailer into the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Falfurrias. At inspection, a K-9 alerted authorities to the presence of concealed humans. Law enforcement opened the trailer and discovered 68 undocumented individuals among pallets of onions.

The individuals in the trailer were from Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala and Peru. They were all determined to be in the United States illegally.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing Oct. 13. At that time, Davila faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Davila has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman is prosecuting the case.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

St. Louis County man sentenced to 12+ years for two carjackings

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Thursday sentenced a St. Louis County man to 12 years and 10 months in prison for his role in carjacking two drivers in 2021.

On Feb. 9, 2021 Joman Williams and another man stole a 2018 Honda Civic from a man outside his apartment in St. Louis. Williams was armed with a pistol with a distinctive blue-colored laser sight.

Three and a half hours later, at 11:15 p.m., the men pulled up at a gas station in Brentwood in the stolen Civic and Williams stole a 2017 BMW 320i at gunpoint. Williams got into the BMW, but switched back to the Civic before both vehicles drove off.

Richmond Heights police quickly spotted both stolen cars, triggering a chase involving multiple police departments that reached speeds of 112 m.p.h. Police eventually stopped the Civic in Maryland Heights, on the Maryland Heights Expressway near Prichard Farm Road. Williams ran away and was later found hiding in a wooded area. He had a Glock pistol with a blue laser sight and a credit card belonging to the Civic’s owner.

Williams, 22, pleaded guilty March 24 to two counts of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The gun crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, consecutive to other charges.

Williams’ companion has not been identified.

The case was investigated by the FBI and multiple area police departments, including St. Louis, Brentwood and Maryland Heights. Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Boyce prosecuted the case.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

Career Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses Following High-Speed Chase

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

INDIANAPOLIS – Santana Kendall, 30, of Indianapolis, was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, on August 11, 2021, Kendall led police on a high-speed chase after police attempted to stop him for speeding. Kendall ran a red light, drove on the wrong side of traffic, and ran several stop signs during the chase. After evading police, Kendall parked the vehicle at a residence and fled on foot. Kendall discarded a backpack he was carrying, which was later recovered by police. The backpack contained a loaded firearm, sizeable amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, crack cocaine, oxycontin pills, syringes, marijuana, a digital scale, and $5,517 in U.S. currency. Kendall was later found by police and arrested. Kendall admitted in his guilty plea that he possessed the controlled substances with the intent to distribute them and possessed the gun in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. Under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Kendall is a career offender as a result of his multiple prior felony drug-dealing convictions.

Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, made the announcement.

ATF investigated the case. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department also provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James Patrick Hanlon following Kendall’s guilty plea. As part of the sentence, Judge Hanlon also ordered that Kendall be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Blackett who is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

Woonsocket Businessman Sentenced for Defrauding the IRS

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Woonsocket businessman described in court documents as a “vital cog” in a tax fraud conspiracy that defrauded the United States of millions of dollars was sentenced today to three years probation, the first fifty-two weekends to be served in detention at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Jesus Jose Mendez, 44, co-owner of J&J Drywall, Inc., a subcontracting business incorporated in Massachusetts and operating in Rhode Island, and his fugitive business partner, paid the bulk of their employees, mostly undocumented workers, cash “under the table,” skirting tax laws and unemployment programs.

According to court documents, from 2013 to 2017, Mendez and his business partner, Jamie Zambrano, 37, of Woonsocket, allegedly used check-cashing businesses to cash more than 600 business receipt checks totaling more than $16 million dollars. While under law enforcement surveillance, Mendez and Zambrano allegedly cashed checks at a Rhode Island check-casher, then travelled to construction sites carrying backpacks full of cash, which they left at the construction sites to be used to pay their employees.

During the same period, Mendez and Zambrano made just over $4 million in deposits in the business’s bank accounts, frequently structured in amounts of less than $10,000. Most of the remaining millions were allegedly used to fund a cash payroll for under-the-table laborers. With the exception of a small number of employees placed on an official payroll and paid by check, it is alleged that income and employment taxes were not withheld or paid to the IRS, and unemployment contributions were not made.

The IRS calculated the total federal tax loss at $2,821,463; the Massachusetts Department of Labor calculated a loss of unemployment contributions to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at $62,730. At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., ordered Mendez to pay the full amounts due the Internal Revenue Service and the Massachusetts Department of Labor.

Zambrano is currently a fugitive facing an indictment charging him with conspiracy to defraud the United States (IRS); 17 counts of failure to collect and pay over taxes; tax evasion; and eight counts of structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.

The matter was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Labor-Management Standards in Boston and the Rhode Island State Police.

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July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

Louisiana Woman Sentenced to Prison in False Tax Return Scheme

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

WASHINGTON – A Louisiana woman was sentenced on July 12, 2022 to 40 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States.

According to court documents, Carlanda Isaac, of New Orleans, worked for Pelican Income Tax and Bookkeeping Services LLC, and later for Taxes by J.A.D.A., another tax preparation business. Isaac, together with others, sought inflated tax refunds for clients by claiming on their return’s false income, withholding and education credits. Isaac charged her clients a fee for preparing false tax returns.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry ordered Isaac to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $283,378 in restitution to the United States.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Jessica Kraft of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

Georgia woman indicted for COVID-19 scheme that fraudulently netted more than $2 million

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

SAVANNAH, GA: A Gwinnett County woman has been charged in a federal indictment with leading a scheme to submit dozens of fraudulent applications for COVID-19 small business relief funding.

Ashlee Parker, 39, of Dacula, Ga., is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Bank Fraud; seven counts of Wire Fraud; False Document; Money Laundering Conspiracy; and False Statement, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The primary charge carries a statutory penalty upon conviction of up to 30 years in federal prison followed by up to five years of supervised release, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution to the U.S. government. There is no parole in the federal system.

“The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was funded to help small businesses struggling from the effects of a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “In far too many cases, however, it has been exploited by those seeking to milk these relief programs for their personal profit. With our diligent law enforcement partners, we will continue to identify and hold accountable anyone who violates the law to siphon money from these programs.”

As described in the indictment, Parker is owner of Proficient Tax LLC, The Harris Parker Group LLC, and AMP Credit Solutions LLC. The indictment alleges that from about May 2020 to April 2021, Parker submitted more than two dozen fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to the U.S. Small Business Administration in her name on behalf of The Harris Parker Group LLC, AMP Credit Solutions LLC, and other companies. Co-conspirators also allegedly paid Proficient Tax LLC in exchange for Parker submitting fraudulent applications on their behalf for EIDL and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding.

The indictment alleges that “as a result of Parker’s scheme the United States was defrauded out of over $2 million,” and that Parker transferred $13,955 of the fraudulent proceeds to a cosmetic surgery clinic “for a breast augmentation procedure and abdominoplasty with flank liposuction.”

Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan A. Porter and Ryan C. Grover.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

Richmond man arrested for making illegal referrals

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

HOUSTON – A 43-year-old health care marketer has been indicted in a conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Authorities took Patrick Osemwengie, Richmond, into custody today. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray at 2 p.m.

The indictment, returned July 12, alleges Osemwengie paid Medicare beneficiaries to sign up for home health services and made referrals to specific companies.

Osemwengie allegedly received more than $25,000 in kickback payments for referring patients to Grace Healthcare Services and Ebra Health Care Services. The health care companies submitted claims to Medicare using the patients Osemwengie referred according to the charges.

Medicare rules and federal law prohibits paying and receiving money for referrals.

If convicted, Osemwengie faces up to five years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

The Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and FBI conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Abdul Farukhi is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

A federal grand jury today returned a 27-count indictment charging Payton Gendron, 19, of Conklin, New York, with 14 violations of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Shepard-Byrd Act) and 13 firearms offenses in connection with the mass shooting at the Tops grocery store on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo, New York. The announcement was made by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross for the Western District of New York, and Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia of the FBI Buffalo Field Office.

The indictment alleges that on or about May 14, Gendron opened fire with a Bushmaster XM rifle and shot multiple individuals in and around the Tops grocery store, which resulted in the deaths of 10 Black people, as well as injury to three others. The indictment charges that Gendron violated the Shepard-Byrd Act by willfully causing the death of the victims because of their actual and perceived race and color.

In total, the 27-count indictment charges Gendron with 10 counts of hate crimes resulting in death, three counts of hate crimes involving an attempt to kill three injured individuals, and one hate crimes count alleging that Gendron attempted to kill additional Black people in and around the Tops grocery store. The indictment also charges Gendron with 13 counts of using, carrying, or discharging a firearm in relation to the hate crimes, and seeks forfeiture of items, including the weapon used in the shooting. The indictment further includes special findings alleging, among other things, that Gendron committed the offense after substantial planning and premeditation to commit an act of terrorism.

“Today, a grand jury has indicted Payton Gendron with hate crime and firearms offenses following the horrific attack on the Black community of Buffalo that killed 10 people and injured three others on May 14, 2022,” said Attorney General Garland. “The Justice Department fully recognizes the threat that white supremacist violence poses to the safety of the American people and American democracy. We will continue to be relentless in our efforts to combat hate crimes, to support the communities terrorized by them, and to hold accountable those who perpetrate them.”

Upon conviction, the charges in the indictment carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or the death penalty. The Attorney General will decide whether to seek the death penalty at a later time. Should the Attorney General determine that the circumstances of the offense are such that a sentence of death is justified, the law requires that notice be filed with the court at a reasonable time before trial. Gendron is currently in state custody pending state criminal charges.

The indictment is the result of an investigation by the FBI Buffalo and Albany Field Offices; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Buffalo Office; the Buffalo Police Department; the New York State Police; and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph M. Tripi, Brendan T. Cullinane, and Brett A. Harvey of the Western District of New York and Trial Attorney Shan Patel of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

More information about the Department’s hate crimes efforts, including facts and statistics, case examples, and a searchable collection of the Department’s resources for law enforcement, community groups, researchers, and others are available at www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

U.S. Attorney’s Office Files Suit against Chicago Cubs Alleging Wrigley Field Renovations and Expansion Violated Americans with Disabilities Act

by DOJ Press July 14, 2022

By: DOJ Press

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois today filed a federal civil lawsuit against the CHICAGO CUBS, alleging the team failed to ensure that recent additions and alterations at Wrigley Field were appropriately accessible to individuals with disabilities, including people who use wheelchairs, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The lawsuit alleges that the team’s renovation, rehabilitation, expansion, and reconstruction of Wrigley Field – a multi-year undertaking known as “the 1060 Project” – discriminated against individuals with disabilities. To facilitate the changes made by the 1060 Project, the Cubs rebuilt a sizable portion of the preexisting Wrigley Field facility, including demolishing and reconstructing the bleachers and tearing down most of the lower grandstand and rebuilding it. These extensive changes were subject to the ADA’s requirements for design, construction, and alterations, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit alleges that throughout the 1060 Project, the Cubs failed to provide wheelchair users with adequate sightlines as compared to standing patrons or incorporate wheelchair seating into new premium clubs and group seating areas. In the general admission areas, the Cubs designed and constructed the wheelchair seating so that it is largely clustered in the last row of seating sections – in violation of the requirements of the ADA Standards for Accessible Design – and failed to remove architectural barriers to access in unaltered portions of Wrigley Field where it was readily achievable to do so, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, names as defendants the Cubs and other corporate owners and operators of the Wrigley Field facility – CHICAGO BASEBALL HOLDINGS LLC, WRIGLEY FIELD HOLDINGS LLC, and WF MASTER TENANT LLC. The suit seeks declaratory, injunctive, and monetary relief to remedy the alleged ADA violations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham J. Souza and Patrick W. Johnson represent the government.

“The Cubs rebuilt much of Wrigley Field and had ample opportunity – and a significant ADA obligation – to incorporate wheelchair seating and other accessible elements into the updated facility,” said John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to ensuring equal accessibility for individuals with disabilities.”

“For 32 years, the ADA has set clear requirements to ensure that public venues such as sports facilities are accessible,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously enforce the law to ensure that fans with disabilities and their families are able to enjoy their ballpark experience.”

Title III of the ADA prohibits public accommodations, such as sports stadiums, from excluding people with disabilities from enjoying goods, services, privileges, facilities, and advantages provided. To learn more about the obligations of public accommodations under federal disability rights statutes, call the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301, 800-514-0383 (TTY).

For more information regarding the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat discrimination in public accommodations, please visit the official ADA government website.

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Top Headlines US and World News

Biden immigration enforcement memo prioritizes family unity, replaces Trump guidance

by Reuters July 14, 2022

By: Reuters

By Ted Hesson

WASHINGTON -U.S. law enforcement officers will ask, when detaining immigrants in the country illegally, whether they are parents or guardians to avoid separating families under a Biden administration policy launched on Thursday.

The directive, an effort by President Joe Biden to reverse former President Donald Trump’s more restrictive policies, also allows for previously deported parents or guardians to return to the United States temporarily for child custody hearings.

The new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) directive replaces Trump-era guidance issued in 2017 that did not explicitly require officers to inquire about, or record, parental status or guardianship.

A Democrat, Biden campaigned on a promise to build a more humane and orderly immigration system to counter that of Trump, his Republican predecessor.

On taking office early last year Biden prioritized immigration enforcement against those convicted of more serious crimes. As a result, arrests and deportations of immigrants living illegally in the United States plummeted compared with a year earlier.

But federal courts in recent months have blocked Biden’s efforts to focus on serious criminal offenders and Republicans have criticized the administration’s approach, saying fewer detentions and deportations have encouraged more illegal crossings.

In another departure from Trump administration policy, the new guidance applies to parents or guardians of incapacitated adults as well as children.

ICE Acting Director Tae Johnson said in a statement that officers will preserve family unity “to the greatest extent possible.”

Some immigration activists on Thursday said the measures did not go far enough. Heidi Altman, policy director at the National Immigrant Justice Center, which provides legal services to refugees and asylum seekers, called the memo the “bare minimum.”

After taking office in January 2021, Biden implemented a series of measures to reverse what he called “cruel and senseless” Trump policies that separated thousands of children and parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. Biden launched a task force to reunite families that were still apart.

(Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Additional reporting by Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Editing by Mica Rosenberg and Howard Goller)

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Financial News

IMF says hopes to start lending from new resilience trust in October

by Reuters July 14, 2022

By: Reuters

By David Lawder

WASHINGTON – The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday it hopes to begin lending from its new Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) for vulnerable low and middle-income economies in October at the time of its annual meeting.

IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told a news briefing that funding pledges for the new RST, for which about three quarters of IMF members will be eligible, have now reached about $37 billion. The Fund hopes to reach its initial goal of $45 billion soon, he added.

The IMF conceived of the new trust as a way for wealthier countries to channel their shares of last year’s $650 billion distribution of IMF monetary reserves known as Special Drawing Rights to poorer and vulnerable countries, including middle income countries.

Rice said that unlike most IMF lending programs, the new facility would be able to provide long-term financing with 20-year maturities and a 10.5-year grace period. The facility would require high-quality policy reforms and overall debt sustainability, he added.

(Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Aurora Ellis)

July 14, 2022 0 comments

Top Headlines US and World News

Grand jury issues hate crimes, firearms charges on Buffalo mass shooting suspect

by Reuters July 14, 2022

By: Reuters

WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury on Thursday issued a 27-count hate crimes and firearms indictment on the man who shot and killed 10 Black people and wounded three others in an alleged racist attack in May at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket, the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement.

Authorities said he targeted the store because it was a hub in the predominantly Black neighborhood.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Chris Reese)

July 14, 2022 0 comments

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