Northville, Michigan – Over the next few years, the U.S. Department of Defense plans to spend approximately $130.1 billion on research and development. The world is rapidly changing and the U.S. is facing a different kind of adversary that inhabits the cyberworld and launches attacks on the nation. The main focus over the next three…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California LOS ANGELES – A former college football player and Orange County man pleaded guilty today to orchestrating a scheme that fraudulently sought more than $1 million and obtained more than $280,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits. Abdul-Malik McClain, 24, most recently of Coto de Caza, pleaded guilty…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Louisiana SHREVEPORT– United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Edward L. Angel, Sr., 71, of Shreveport, has been sentenced for theft of government funds and making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced Angel to 3 years of…

Download a PDF of this Scam Alert Scammers are circulating misinformation around a $600 fake Social Security benefit increase that they are alleging will be issued in June 2024. Any information regarding a current $600 increase is false and should be ignored. SSA will announce a new COLA in October, if it applies. The COLA…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man admitted today that he defrauded the government of more than $200,000 in Social Security and Medicaid benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Dennis Gaudette, 72, of Franklinville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts BOSTON – A New Bedford man has been charged with stealing over $450,000 in disability benefits issued by the United States Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) intended for a 20-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).   Joseph Smith, 71, was…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Threatening Letter Results in 20-Month Sentence of Incarceration A Louisiana man was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to sending threatening communications to an SSA employee. According to court documents, James Gantt, age 55, received a 20-month prison sentence after he wrote and mailed a letter threatening injury to an Social…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TROVOY DIXON, 31, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for laundering criminal proceeds of…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TAMIKA CHAPPELL (“CHAPPELL”), age 40, of New Orleans, LA, pleaded guilty on May 23, 2024 before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier to three-counts, including making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Michael Barrington Douglas (52, Winter Garden) to two years and one day in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for aggravated identity theft and false representation of a Social Security number. As…