tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151205092008-05-11T16:42:08.448-05:00McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comBlogger500125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-17239833586370536592008-05-11T16:32:00.003-05:002008-05-11T16:42:03.671-05:00

Alleged international arms dealer Viktor Bout, arrested in March in Thailand during a joint operation involving agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, was indicted by a federal grand jury this week on charges of conspiracy and supporting terrorism.[1] As previously reported in this blog, Bout had been accused of trafficking arms to various blacklisted rebel groups and governments,

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-81476943587402109872008-04-28T17:01:00.002-05:002008-04-28T17:10:06.883-05:00

Earlier this week, Attorney General Michael Mukasey announced the US Department of Justice will be increasingly targeting international crime groups, which have been called “mobsters without borders,”[1] as these groups have become an growing threat to homeland security. “These international criminals pose real national security threats to this country,” said Mukasey during a speech at the

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-7284013585722271392008-04-20T18:57:00.002-05:002008-04-20T19:06:27.497-05:00

Charles Gillespie, former regional manager of Manuli Rubber Industries, a Milan-based marine hose manufacturer, pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges late last week in federal court. Prosecutors charged Gillespie with conspiracy related to the rigging of bids and price fixing in the marine hose markets in the US and abroad.[1] Under the terms of the plea, Gillespie agreed to serve one year in

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-28146656575604238142008-04-13T13:21:00.004-05:002008-04-13T13:29:26.889-05:00

In a decision issued last month, the United States Supreme Court ruled that US Courts were not required to comply with international rules regarding the guarantee of consular rights to accused criminal defendants. The decision directly contradicts a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which held that the Vienna Convention guarantees defendants the right to seek assistance from

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-27771369661905169492008-04-08T19:38:00.005-05:002008-04-08T20:00:09.407-05:00

Sanjaya Bahel, who once served as chief of the United Nations Commodity Procurement Section, was sentenced to eight years in prison last week in U.S. District Court. Bahel was found guilty last June of bribery, wire fraud, and mail fraud for assisting a friend gain $100 million in UN contracts in exchange for cash and discounted luxury apartments in Manhattan. [1] In addition to his prison

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-49473891230102378082008-03-29T08:30:00.005-05:002008-03-29T08:41:48.669-05:00

A civil suit against aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. has been halted to allow for a criminal investigation into allegations that the company bribed officials in Bahrain. On Thursday, US District Judge Donetta Ambrose granted a Justice Department request to stop a civil suit brought by rival Alba against Alcoa for reportedly bribing foreign officials via shell companies in Asia and Europe.[1] Alba,

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-24868425471932090872008-03-22T08:30:00.003-05:002008-03-22T08:43:24.238-05:00

Seven art dealers from the United States and Europe were indicted by federal authorities this week for allegedly selling counterfeit art. The dealers included three Europeans and four Americans, who sold the prints in the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, and Europe. [1] The group reportedly received over $5 million in profits from selling fake works by numerous well-known artists, including Pablo

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-22487393188699024472008-03-15T19:42:00.005-05:002008-03-15T20:11:16.206-05:00

Paul Gunter, 58, and his daughter, Zibah, 25, were arrested in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday following a joint investigation by members of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the US Secret Service, and the City of London Police. The pair, suspected of defrauding over 15,000 British pensioners out of at least $70 million through the sale of illegal securities, now face up to 95 years in

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-46772441256281950972008-03-09T12:18:00.004-05:002008-03-09T15:12:18.579-05:00

A Russian businessman arrested last week in Thailand following an American-led sting operation targeting alleged arms trafficking will be held by Thai authorities, despite United States efforts to extradite.[1] Viktor Bout, 41, who was arrested on March 6 and charged by US authorities with conspiracy for allegedly trafficking arms to Colombian rebels,[2] will be investigated by Thai officials

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-62551004087557335942008-03-06T18:13:00.002-06:002008-03-06T18:33:45.394-06:00

Every year tens of thousands of people arrive in the United Arab Emirates seeking to benefit from the country’s booming economy. However, the wealth of the gulf nation has also attracted human traffickers.[1] Although prostitution and even adultery are illegal in the UAE, there are still bars and nightclubs where women are available for sex.[2] In a 2007 report, the U.S. State Department put

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-36957821011840698782008-02-25T08:26:00.002-06:002008-02-25T08:41:19.606-06:00

An alleged Nigerian rebel leader has been accused of participating in killings, arms dealing, oil smuggling and other crimes, according to Nigerian Police.[1] Henry Okah, the alleged rebel leader, was extradited from Angola to Nigeria a week ago. His detainment has led to increased tension in the anarchic Niger delta, Africa's largest oil producing region.[2] Militants who see Okah as a freedom

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-69465225371348428852008-02-18T17:29:00.002-06:002008-02-18T17:43:07.973-06:00

Alleged Medellin-based narcotics trafficker Carlos Mario Jimenez Naranjo (a.k.a. "Macaco") has been recently designated as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker pursuant to Executive Order 12978 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In addition, OFAC also targeted seven companies and seven individuals accused of comprising Jimenez Naranjo's

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-65814507622895107152008-02-15T23:30:00.003-06:002008-02-15T23:53:21.989-06:00

Forty-eight people were indicted Thursday for allegedly participating in an immigrant trafficking ring. The indictment includes charges for human smuggling and money laundering.[1] According to Phoenix Police Lt. Vince Piano, the alleged top leaders of the group brought in as much as $130,000 a week moving people from Naco, Mexico, to its center of operations in Phoenix and then on to locations

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-2554495069506052052008-02-10T18:52:00.000-06:002008-02-10T19:50:35.870-06:00

The Justice Department recently announced that Esteban Lopez Estrada, the Mexican national charged with smuggling and money laundering in connection with the smuggling of sea turtle and other exotic skins and skin products into the United States from Mexico pled guilty to those charges in U.S. District Court in Denver.[1] Lopez Estrada and six other individuals were arrested on Sept. 6, 2007 in

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-21557229517255568502008-02-01T16:51:00.000-06:002008-02-01T16:56:45.574-06:00

Jorge Caraveo of El Paso, Texas, and Carlos Leal Barragan of Jalisco, Mexico, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Denver to felony charges in connection with the smuggling of sea turtle and other exotic skins and skin products into the United States from Mexico.[1] Caraveo pleaded guilty to three counts of smuggling, and Leal Barragan pleaded guilty to one count of smuggling and one

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-33911285235101993982008-01-28T22:31:00.000-06:002008-01-28T22:40:58.412-06:00

Four years ago, the music industry set off a legal barrage, and public relations nightmare, when it sued 261 music file-swappers.[1] This is a move that has reshaped the peer-to-peer, file-sharing world and pushed more invention in pirating technologies.[2] The legal storm commenced September 8, 2003 when members of the Recording Industry Association of America started the litagtion, and they

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-51760599101251581352008-01-24T00:59:00.000-06:002008-01-24T01:04:38.584-06:00

On Tuesday, January 22, a court convicted Daniel Kopp of illegally trading arms with several countries, and sentenced him to four years and nine months in prison.[1] Kopp evaded custody for several years, and was accused of buying and selling weapons and ammunition without a license in 1998-2004, said Miroslava Sedlackova, spokeswoman for the regional court in Brno, 200 kilometers (125 miles)

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-87068033243044339792008-01-20T17:22:00.000-06:002008-01-20T17:23:38.043-06:00

Jose Olivas Jr., a former Border Patrol agent, was sentenced Friday to three years in federal prison.[1] Prosecutors said that as a border agent Olivas befriended a member of the ring and was eventually drawn into the smuggling, serving as a scout when he was off duty.[2] It was asserted that Olivas helped smuggle more than 100 people into the United States and shared internal documents with

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-47478947786789392572008-01-10T17:35:00.000-06:002008-01-10T17:54:18.123-06:00

Garret Smith is facing federal charges for allegedly conspiring to import protected tortoises into the United States and selling them.[1] U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott filed a 21-count indictment against Garret Smith, and an unknown international conspirator dubbed "Turtle Man."[2] The indictment includes charges of smuggling protected wildlife, false labeling of wildlife, unlawful sale of

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-80572911976966853722008-01-08T23:19:00.000-06:002008-01-08T23:27:27.784-06:00

An international expert in the trade in blood diamonds will be the first witness to testify at the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor when it resumes six months after it adjourned.[1] Taylor is accused of terrorizing the people of Sierra Leone by orchestrating atrocities committed by militias known for hacking off their victims' limbs during the country's 10-year civil

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-43328883897159027712007-12-30T18:18:00.001-06:002007-12-30T18:18:54.755-06:00

On December 3, the U.S. and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries pledged to enhance regional cooperation to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons in the region.[1] The U.S. State Department asserts that Illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons poses a serious threat to the security of the Western Hemisphere because this thriving black

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-59014846360200461762007-12-29T17:05:00.000-06:002007-12-29T17:11:03.992-06:00

According to a recent study, more than one-third of the world's personal computers are unlawfully pirating copyrighted material, or at least have the program installed to do so.[1] According to the study by Digital Music News and BigChampagne, about 36 percent of the world's personal computers are equipped with LimeWire. LimeWire is a peer-to-peer program file sharing program that is currently

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-21762758158411822502007-12-23T14:56:00.000-06:002007-12-29T16:21:53.699-06:00

In May 2007, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, working in conjunction with U.S. Secret Service (USSS), the Puerto Rico Bureau of Special Investigations, and officials of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the Recording Industry of America (RIAA), launched the first phase of an operation dubbed Operation Digital Pirates.[1] The first phase of the operation,

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-63082513725921200052007-12-18T22:25:00.000-06:002007-12-29T16:23:58.254-06:00

Three men linked to an alleged cocaine ring have been arrested after agents found 50 kilograms of Cocaine hidden in a fruit shipment in Bridgeport, CT.[1] Antonio Miguel Arias, Nelson B. Santiago, and Raymond Pacheco have been charged in a federal criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.[2] Arias was arrested in Pennsylvania Tuesday, and Santiago and

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15120509.post-8068923440482679762007-11-16T14:12:00.000-06:002007-11-16T16:16:42.025-06:00

Boats are disappearing at an ever-increasing rate, especially in Florida. The state leads the nation in vessel thefts. "South Florida is certainly the hot spot," said Lt. John Humphreys of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.[1] According to state figures, from the beginning of the year through the end of September, 76 boats were stolen in Broward County, a 52 percent jump over

McNabb Associates, P.C.noreply@blogger.com