The U.S. Justice Department has charged 28 members and leaders of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, including three sons of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, with fentanyl trafficking, weapons and money laundering. The Chapitos are accused of fentanyl trafficking and money laundering, and more charges are expected to be filed in the future as part of the Justice Department's larger effort to combat the opioid crisis in the United States.
Posts tagged as “Office for the Southern District of”
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has filed a federal lawsuit against House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and the House Judiciary Committee, accusing them of attempting to interfere in his office's investigation and prosecution of former President Donald Trump. The lawsuit seeks to block the committee from enforcing a subpoena sent to a former prosecutor and other demands for confidential documents and testimony. Bragg alleges that the committee’s actions are part of a “transparent campaign to intimidate and attack” the district attorney and interfere in his office’s case against Trump, and is asking the court to block the committee from enforcing the subpoena and other demands.
Irvin Cartagena, also known as "Green Eyes," pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogue in relation to the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams. Cartagena faces a minimum of five years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3, 2022. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York has warned those who seek to profit from the distribution of deadly drugs and urged anyone struggling with addiction to seek help.
Exiled Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui has been arrested by federal authorities in New York on charges of fraud and money laundering. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York alleges that Guo and an associate created a series of fraudulent businesses worth $1 billion, and the FBI is currently executing a search warrant at Guo's residence. This case is part of the U.S. government's efforts to combat financial crimes, particularly those committed by Chinese nationals.
Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of crypto trading platform FTX, is facing 16 criminal charges, including conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering. Prosecutors allege that Bankman-Fried directed tens of millions of dollars of illegal campaign contributions to elected officials as part of a “multibillion-dollar fraud.” If convicted, Bankman-Fried could face up to 20 years in prison.
On February 2nd, Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow in Pennsylvania and saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. Groundhog Day has become an American tradition that is celebrated by millions of people each year, and it originated with a badger predicting the weather in folklore. Phil has been faithfully predicting the weather for over 130 years, and this year his prediction was made as a deadly storm wreaked havoc in the South.
A powerful winter storm has caused chaos across the South, resulting in three deaths on the roads and nearly 2,000 flight cancellations. The storm has spread from the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area to Memphis, Tennessee, and officials are urging motorists to stay off the roads until Thursday. Airlines have warned passengers to check their flight status before travelling to the airport, as dangerous travel conditions, tree damage and power outages are likely across the Mid-South.
A winter storm bringing a triple threat of ice, sleet and snow to parts of the South and central US has caused officials to close roads and schools and cancel over 1,700 flights. One person has been confirmed dead in a 10-car pileup in south Austin, and two Texas law officers have been seriously injured in crashes. People in the affected areas are urged to take extra precautions when traveling.