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For Immediate Release
June 19, 2009
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Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691
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FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending June 19, 2009
1. Houston: Stanford Financial Group Executives and Former Chairman of Antiguan Bank Regulator Indicted for Fraud and Obstruction
Robert Allen Stanford, chairman of the Houston-based Stanford Financial Group (SFG), three SFG executives, and the former chief executive officer of the Antiguan bank regulatory agency were indicted on fraud and obstruction charges related to a $7 billion scheme to defraud investors. Full Story
2. Los Angeles: RICO Indictment Expands Case Against Clique of 18th Street Gang
Federal and local law enforcement authorities arrested eight of 39 members and associates of one of the most entrenched “cliques” of the 18th Street Gang. Federal criminal charges allege that the gang operated a racketeering enterprise responsible for the October 2007 attempted murder of a street vendor that resulted in the fatal shooting of a 3-week-old infant, a murder of an innocent young man that occurred in 2001, and other crimes. Full Story
3. Knoxville: Twenty-Three People Indicted for Racketeering
Sixteen men and seven women were indicted on charges including conducting a racketeering enterprise, racketeering conspiracy, operation of a chop shop, interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles and property, receipt of stolen motor vehicles, altering identification numbers on motor vehicles and parts, trafficking in motor vehicles with altered identification numbers, and conspiring to distribute cocaine and marijuana. Full Story
4. New York: Nine Members of Interstate Gang Operating in New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania Charged
On June 16, 2009, an indictment was unsealed charging Artem Cherne, Yevgeny Dynkin, Andrew Burban, Anthony Kalika, Anton Husyev, Leonid Vodvozov, Aleh Masalakov, Robert Wojicki, and Roman Likhadziyevski with offenses stemming from their membership in a criminal group involved in retail store burglaries, extortion, firearms offenses, marijuana trafficking, credit card fraud, identity theft, and other crimes. Full Story
5. Boston: Maine Men Plead Guilty in Scheme to Bribe Government Official
Paul M. Hurlburt and Robert J. Subilia both entered guilty pleas to charges of conspiracy relating to a scheme to bribe a government official formerly employed by the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) in Huntsville, Alabama. In addition, Hurlburt pled guilty to a separate charge of scheming to defraud the government by use of wire transactions. Full Story
6. Chicago: Philip J. Baker of Lake Shore Asset Management Indicted on Federal Fraud and Obstruction Charges
Philip J. Baker, foreign managing director of a Chicago-based hedge fund, is facing federal fraud, obstruction of justice, and criminal contempt charges for allegedly fraudulently soliciting more than $300 million from at least 700 wealthy investors worldwide. Full Story
7. Detroit: Rebecca Sharp Pleads Guilty in Medicare Kickback Scheme
Rebecca Sharp, owner of a health care agency and one of eight defendants charged in a scheme to solicit and pay kickbacks in exchange for Medicare patients, pled guilty on June 15, 2009, United States Attorney Terrence Berg announced. According to the indictment, between 2002 and 2005, Rebecca Sharp received over $1.1 million in kickbacks for referring Medicare beneficiaries to home health care agencies. Full Story
8. Philadelphia: Corruption Charges Filed Against Philadelphia Police Detective
On June 16, 2009, an indictment was unsealed against Rickie Durham, a Philadelphia police detective, charging that Durham, through a third party, warned drug dealer Alton "Ace Capone" Coles of a forthcoming search by federal law enforcement agents. Coles, in turn, called his associates to share the information. Durham is charged with obstruction of justice, giving advanced notice of a search, and making false statements to federal law enforcement officers. Full Story
9. Kansas City: Dena Delores Riley Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping
Dena Delores Riley pled guilty to one count of kidnapping on June 15. 2009. She admitted that on May 25, 2005, she and co-defendant Richard Davis kidnapped a 5-year-old child who they took from Kansas to Missouri. On May 25, 2006, a 5-year-old child who was a member of the family was allowed to join Riley and Davis on a ride to McDonalds for lunch. Instead of going to the restaurant, Riley and Davis drove the child to Missouri for the purpose of engaging in sex with her. Full Story
10. Richmond: Allen Leon Sammons Admits Making Online Threats
Allen Leon Sammons, of Oakwood, Virginia, pled guilty last week to charges related to threats of violence the defendant posted online. Sammons threatened to travel to several universities and “take school shootings to a new level.” Full Story
