U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Jerome Brown, 42, of Detroit, Michigan, to five years in federal prison for his role in laundering money stolen from federal and North Carolina state-tax refunds. Additionally, Brown was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $604,889.64.  On…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Missouri KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in separate cases this week for illegally re-entering the United States after they were previously deported. Mexican National charged with Immigration and Child Exploitation Offenses According to a superseding indictment returned this week, Erik Santana-Garcia,…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas HOUSTON – The second ringleader in an international fraud scheme victimizing the elderly has been ordered to prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Hardik Jayantilal Patel, 37, illegally resided in Lexington, Kentucky. He pleaded guilty Dec. 1, 2023. U.S. District…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 23, 2025 Media Inquiries: oig.press@ssa.gov SSA’s Project Resulted in Increased Wait Times, Disconnected Calls, Unanswered Calls, and Customer Dissatisfaction Key findings from a Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Audit Report (02234) revealed SSA’s contract for an updated telephone system with Verizon Business Network Services, Inc. (Verizon)…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of New York ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Wendy Stone, 63, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to conversion/unlawful conveyance of government money, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of West Virginia CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston today announced the detention of four Mexican nationals following their arrest in the Southern District of West Virginia. Maximino Montalvo Salas, 20, Federico Montalvo Salas, 22, and Bernabe Montalvo Salas, 24, are each charged with illegally reentering the United States.…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey TRENTON, N.J. – An owner of several New Jersey businesses admitted to fraudulently obtaining over $3.2 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Daniel Dadoun, 48, of Israel, formerly of South Plainfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DANIEL IGNACIO MEJIA-CASTILLO (“MEJIA”), age 32, a native of Honduras, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to 144 months in imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts BOSTON – A Spencer woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits. Gina Llerena-Donohue, 62, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for July 23, 2025. From February 2006 through May 2021,…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted fraudulently obtaining a student visa and admission to the University of Missouri and admitted using the visa to obtain a Social Security card, a driver license, a bank account and an apartment. Mercy Ojedeji, 24,…