U.S. Attorneys
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U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama Recognizes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month
MONTGOMERY, Alabama, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama Recognizes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Today the Middle District of Alabama observes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and joins the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) in reaffirming the administration's commitment to combating all forms of human trafficking and protecting victims and survivors. Human Trafficking Prevention
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MONTGOMERY, Alabama, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama Recognizes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Today the Middle District of Alabama observes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and joins the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) in reaffirming the administration's commitment to combating all forms of human trafficking and protecting victims and survivors. Human Trafficking PreventionMonth presents an opportunity for DHS and DOJ, through Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) to intensify operational efforts, raise public awareness, and strengthen partnerships across federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt trafficking networks, protect vulnerable individuals, and ensure traffickers are brought to justice.
"This Department of Justice is working tirelessly alongside our partners to dismantle human trafficking networks, help survivors, and protect vulnerable populations from being exploited," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "Under this administration we have seen an increase in human trafficking prosecutions, and during Human Trafficking Prevention Month we reaffirm our commitment to prosecuting traffickers and encourage Americans to report instances of human trafficking in their communities."
"Through the Homeland Security Task Force, President Trump is taking the fight directly to human trafficking networks and disrupting their modern-day slave trade while seizing their assets and arresting their kingpins and foot soldiers. The American people should not have to live in fear of cartels, gang bangers, and foreign terrorists preying upon the most vulnerable among us," the United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement. "The Homeland Security Task Force is the largest coordinated campaign against transnational criminal organizations in U.S. history, and I'm proud to co-lead it with Attorney General Bondi."
"During Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the FBI reiterates our work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and national victim-based advocacy groups in joint task forces to protect our communities across the country," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "The horrifying reach of human trafficking spreads far and wide. Homeland Security Task Forces are fighting back to disrupt these perilous networks and put a stop to that reach. The FBI will continue our investigations and bring justice to those exploited by human traffickers.
"Human trafficking is a brutal crime that preys on the most vulnerable members of our communities, and this office is committed to using every available tool to hold traffickers accountable," said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. "Through close coordination with our federal, state, and local partners, the Middle District of Alabama will continue to aggressively pursue traffickers, protect victims and survivors, and ensure that those who profit from exploitation are brought to justice."
In January 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. Section 6 of this order directed the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly establish HSTFs in every state nationwide. The HSTF objective is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) throughout the United States; dismantle cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks; end the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking, with a particular focus on such offenses involving children; and ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States.
Since January 20, 2025, the Middle District of Alabama has made protecting victims from the scourge of human and sex trafficking a top priority. In one recent example, in November 2025, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama, working with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, secured the convictions of two Montgomery men for operating a multi-year sex trafficking enterprise involving multiple victims, including minors. The defendants used physical and sexual violence, threats against victims and their children, firearms intimidation, and the manipulation of victims' drug addictions to coerce victims into engaging in commercial sex acts for their financial benefit. Both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
In January 2026, DHS and DOJ are surging resources to fight and raise awareness about human trafficking, including:
* Identifying ongoing investigations and prioritizing featured operations across 45 federal locations and 10 state locations with an emphasis on border states.
* Coordinating with FBI Human Trafficking Squads and multi-agency Human Trafficking Task Forces to conduct victim recovery.
* Partnering with AMTRAK and FAMS to increase law enforcement resources and distribute posters with QR codes for reporting human trafficking in all station bathrooms and trains.
* Running advertisements related to $250 million recovery from Backpage to distribute to victims and additional victim restitution efforts by DOL-OIG.
* Organizing Human Trafficking seminars and outreach events with DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking at high schools and colleges to highlight the role of HSTFs in addressing human trafficking.
On August 25, 2025, HSTF officially launched its effort to protect the Homeland with a September Surge encompassing 400 operations nationwide. In just 43 days, HSTF nationwide operations resulted in 3,266 arrests and seizures including:
* 1,041 Sinaloa members,
* 856 Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion ("CJNG") members,
* 641 MS-13 members,
* 456 Tren de Aragua members,
* 1,067 weapons
* More than $3,250,000 in currency
* Approximately 91 metric tons of narcotics
If you believe you or someone else are the victim of human trafficking or have information about a potential trafficking situation, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline for confidential help by calling 1-888-373-7888, or texting "HELP" to 233733 (BEFREE), or start a live chat at humantraffickinghotline.org/chat.
Information on the Justice Department's work to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdal/pr/united-states-attorneys-office-middle-district-alabama-recognizes-national-human
San Fernando Valley-Based Rehab Center and Owner Ordered to Pay More Than $1.5 Million to U.S. for Improper COVID-19 Business Loan
LOS ANGELES, California, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for Central District of California posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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San Fernando Valley-Based Rehab Center and Owner Ordered to Pay More Than $1.5 Million to U.S. for Improper COVID-19 Business Loan
A federal court has granted summary judgment to the United States against JMG Investments Inc., a Woodland Hills-based corporation that runs a rehabilitation center, and its owner, Jeffrey Schwartz, finding that they violated the False Claims Act when they knowingly received and retained more than one Paycheck
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LOS ANGELES, California, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for Central District of California posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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San Fernando Valley-Based Rehab Center and Owner Ordered to Pay More Than $1.5 Million to U.S. for Improper COVID-19 Business Loan
A federal court has granted summary judgment to the United States against JMG Investments Inc., a Woodland Hills-based corporation that runs a rehabilitation center, and its owner, Jeffrey Schwartz, finding that they violated the False Claims Act when they knowingly received and retained more than one PaycheckProtection Program (PPP) loan prior to December 31, 2020, in violation of PPP rules.
United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald on January 15 ordered Schwartz and his company to pay the United States a total of $1,565,294.38 in damages and penalties.
"Every pandemic relief dollar improperly used was money other businesses needed to stay afloat," said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. "My office will continue tracking down individuals and companies who unlawfully took advantage of COVID-19 government aid."
"PPP loans were intended to provide critical relief to small businesses," said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department's Civil Division. "The department is committed to pursuing those who knowingly violated the requirements of the PPP and obtained relief funds to which they were not entitled."
"The favorable ruling in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the Department of Justice and other Federal law enforcement agencies to recover the product of this fraud as well as penalties," said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis.
The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A borrower applying for a PPP loan was required to make multiple certifications relating to its eligibility and compliance with program rules. Among other things, PPP loan applicants in 2020 were required to certify that they would not receive more than one PPP loan prior to December 31, 2020.
In August 2024, the United States filed a complaint against JMG Investments and Schwartz alleging that they violated the False Claims Act when Schwartz, on behalf of JMG Investments Inc., improperly received two PPP loans in 2020 in violation of PPP rules, and thereafter knowingly and improperly retained the proceeds of the duplicate loan. According to the government's complaint, Schwartz and JMG Investments Inc. failed to repay the duplicate loan as they were required, which resulted in a loss to the SBA when it purchased the loan guaranty on the duplicate loan. The district court ruled that the United States had shown it was entitled to judgment on all claims asserted against the defendants and, accordingly, awarded the United States summary judgment.
This judgment against JMG Investments Inc. and Jeffrey Schwartz resolves claims brought in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government's recovery. The United States may intervene in the action, as it did in this case. The amount of the whistleblower share in this case has not yet been determined. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Quesenberry v. JMG Investments, Inc., et al., No. 20-cv-8497-MWF (ASx) (C.D. Cal.).
The judgment obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from the SBA's Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.
This matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Jared S. Wiesner and Paden R. Gallagher of the Civil Division, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Paul La Scala of the Civil Division's Civil Fraud Section.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division's Fraud Section, which can be found here (https://www.justice.gov/civil/report-fraud). Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also 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: www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/san-fernando-valley-based-rehab-center-and-owner-ordered-pay-more-15-million-us
Philipsburg Woman Charged With Social Security Fraud
SCRANTON, Pennsylvania, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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Philipsburg Woman Charged With Social Security Fraud
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Misti Weld, age 51, of Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on January 22, 2026, by a federal grand jury for theft of government property, Social Security fraud, and making false statements to the Social Security Administration.
According to United States Attorney Brian
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SCRANTON, Pennsylvania, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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Philipsburg Woman Charged With Social Security Fraud
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Misti Weld, age 51, of Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on January 22, 2026, by a federal grand jury for theft of government property, Social Security fraud, and making false statements to the Social Security Administration.
According to United States Attorney BrianD. Miller, the indictment alleges that from January 2016 through June 2023, in Centre County, Pennsylvania, Weld claimed Social Security benefits as a representative payee for the support of her children, while knowing that she was not entitled to claim such benefits because her children did not live in her household. Additionally, Weld made a false statement in an application to the Social Security Administration in which she falsely claimed that her children were members of her household.
The Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 35 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/philipsburg-woman-charged-social-security-fraud
Fresno Baker Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for SNAP Fraud
SACRAMENTO, California, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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Fresno Baker Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for SNAP Fraud
Jorge Luis Rivera, 56, of Fresno, was sentenced today to three years in prison and ordered to pay $3,499,999 in restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud offenses, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, beginning in 2011 and continuing through August 2018, Rivera, the then-owner of El Ranchito Bakery in Fresno, exchanged Supplemental
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SACRAMENTO, California, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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Fresno Baker Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for SNAP Fraud
Jorge Luis Rivera, 56, of Fresno, was sentenced today to three years in prison and ordered to pay $3,499,999 in restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud offenses, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, beginning in 2011 and continuing through August 2018, Rivera, the then-owner of El Ranchito Bakery in Fresno, exchanged SupplementalNutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for cash and also accepted SNAP benefits for unauthorized items at the request of customers. Rivera, in exchanging SNAP benefits for cash, did so at significant discount and thereby pocketed millions in ill-gotten profits. Rivera's sentence was also enhanced as he directed the participation of two lower-level employees of the bakery who engaged in the fraud. The two employees pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and were sentenced last year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chan Hee Chu and Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/fresno-baker-sentenced-3-years-prison-snap-fraud
Former Brundidge Police Chief Ordered to Forfeit Three Properties Connected to Federal Rental Assistance Fraud
MONTGOMERY, Alabama, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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Former Brundidge Police Chief Ordered to Forfeit Three Properties Connected to Federal Rental Assistance Fraud
A former Brundidge Police Chief has been ordered to forfeit three residential properties connected to a scheme to fraudulently obtain federal pandemic assistance funds.
On January 21, 2026, a federal judge entered a final order of forfeiture against Samuel Cornelius Green, 51, requiring him to forfeit his interest in three rental
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MONTGOMERY, Alabama, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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Former Brundidge Police Chief Ordered to Forfeit Three Properties Connected to Federal Rental Assistance Fraud
A former Brundidge Police Chief has been ordered to forfeit three residential properties connected to a scheme to fraudulently obtain federal pandemic assistance funds.
On January 21, 2026, a federal judge entered a final order of forfeiture against Samuel Cornelius Green, 51, requiring him to forfeit his interest in three rentalproperties located in Troy, Alabama. The forfeiture follows Green's guilty plea to illegally receiving funds through the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).
The federal government implemented ERAP in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide financial assistance to households unable to pay rent or utilities, as well as to landlords seeking reimbursement for tenants' unpaid rent during the pandemic.
According to Green's plea agreement and other court records, beginning in March 2021, Green submitted multiple ERAP applications containing false and misleading information regarding tenants, rental arrangements, and payment histories in order to obtain funds to which he was not entitled. In some of the fraudulent applications, Green submitted counterfeit and altered utility bills. The scheme continued through November 2021.
In October 2025, Green pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His co-conspirator, Schemillia Levera Fenn, of Troy, Alabama, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for her role in the scheme.
At sentencing hearings held on January 14, 2026, the court ordered Green and Fenn to pay $118,175 in restitution to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The court also imposed a $1,000 fine against Green.
The Department of the Treasury's Office of Inspector General investigated this case, with assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle R. Turner, Russell T. Duraski, and J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted the case.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdal/pr/former-brundidge-police-chief-ordered-forfeit-three-properties-connected-federal
Florida Laboratory Owner Pleads Guilty to $52M Medicare Fraud Scheme Involving Genetic Tests
MIAMI, Florida, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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Florida Laboratory Owner Pleads Guilty to $52M Medicare Fraud Scheme Involving Genetic Tests
A Florida man pleaded guilty on Jan. 15 for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare by submitting over $52 million in false and fraudulent claims for genetic testing that Medicare beneficiaries did not need and that were based on prescriptions purchased through illegal kickbacks and bribes.
According to court documents, Sean Alterman, 38, of Lake
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MIAMI, Florida, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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Florida Laboratory Owner Pleads Guilty to $52M Medicare Fraud Scheme Involving Genetic Tests
A Florida man pleaded guilty on Jan. 15 for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare by submitting over $52 million in false and fraudulent claims for genetic testing that Medicare beneficiaries did not need and that were based on prescriptions purchased through illegal kickbacks and bribes.
According to court documents, Sean Alterman, 38, of LakeWorth, Florida, owned and operated two laboratories, Live Beyond Medical MGMT, LLC and Dynix Diagnostics LLC, through which he purchased doctors' orders for expensive genetic testing from patient recruiters. The patient recruiters ran deceptive telemarketing campaigns that targeted Medicare beneficiaries and persuaded them to agree to take the tests to justify the fraudulent billing.
As part of the scheme, the patient recruiters used a tactic known as "doctor chasing" - faxing physicians false and misleading requests for prescriptions designed to trick them into signing off on tests their patients did not need. The faxes and accompanying materials falsely stated, among other things, that the prescription requests were made on behalf a mutual patient. But they were generated by call centers that deceived the Medicare beneficiaries to agree to the tests without being examined or treated by physicians for the diseases underlying the tests.
Alterman's laboratories billed approximately $52 million to Medicare for the false and fraudulent claims, of which Medicare paid approximately $36 million. Alterman made roughly $5.5 million from the scheme, much of which he received through shell companies he owned called Shivv LLC and Shank LLC. As part of his plea agreement, Alterman agreed to forfeit his Lake Worth estate and a 2022 Rolls Royce Ghost purchased with money traceable to the scheme:
Alterman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to offer and pay kickbacks. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16 and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chris Caldwell of the FBI; and Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Reginald Cuyler Jr. and Aisha Schafer Hylton of the Justice Department's Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadya Cheatham for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/florida-laboratory-owner-pleads-guilty-52m-medicare-fraud-scheme-involving-genetic-tests
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Threatening a United States Probation Officer
DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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Des Moines Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Threatening a United States Probation Officer
A Des Moines man was sentenced on January 23, 2026, to six years in federal prison for threatening to assault and murder a United States Probation Officer, while on supervised release.
According to public court records, Rodger Dawayne Gardner, Jr., 41, was convicted in 2020 for failing to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration
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DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa posted the following news release on Jan. 26, 2026:
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Des Moines Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Threatening a United States Probation Officer
A Des Moines man was sentenced on January 23, 2026, to six years in federal prison for threatening to assault and murder a United States Probation Officer, while on supervised release.
According to public court records, Rodger Dawayne Gardner, Jr., 41, was convicted in 2020 for failing to register as required by the Sex Offender Registrationand Notification Act in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. In late 2022, Gardner was released from federal prison and began a seven-year term of supervised release. In December 2024, probation officers discovered Gardner was purchasing and distributing synthetic marijuana in Des Moines. The officers directed Gardner to report to the U.S. Probation Office. Gardner failed to report as directed, fled to Missouri, and made multiple threats to assault and murder the U.S. Probation Officer.
After completing his six-year prison term for the threats, Gardner will be required to serve an additional two year term of imprisonment for violating his supervised release conditions in his prior federal case. When his prison terms are complete, he will serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by United States Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Kerndt, along with retired Assistant United States Attorney Laura M. Roan.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/pr/des-moines-man-sentenced-6-years-federal-prison-threatening-united-states-probation
