FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending March 13, 2009

This week’s top ten FBI stories had, as one would expect, the Bernard L. Madoff guilty plea as its lead story. However, it also continued its trend of having various types of financial fraud dominate the list that it publishes at the end of the week.

Six of the ten stories were involved with financial activities related to bribery, money laundering, bankruptcy fraud, and there was even one of an attorney accused of defrauding a charity and his own church. Violent crimes against people seem to have taken a backseat to what is typically referred to as “white collar crime.”

The world has certainly taken a turn when banks are accused of robbing people and computers are used more in stealing than hand guns.

A summary of the list follows and the full details on any of the crimes reported in the top ten may be found at the FBI’s website at www.fbi.gov.

1. New York: Madoff Pleads Guilty

Bernard L. Madoff pled guilty to eleven felony counts related to securities fraud, investment advisor fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, perjury and other federal charges. Madoff faces a statutory maximum sentence of 150 years in prison.

2. Washington Field Office: D.C. Government Employees Charged in Bribery Scheme

Yusaf Acar, acting Chief Security Officer of the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer, and Sushil Bansal, former D.C. employee and current President and CEO of Advanced Integrated Technologies Corp., have been charged for their roles in a bribery scheme and money laundering.

3. Detroit: Assistant Director of U.S. Immigration Sentenced for Bribery and Conspiracy to Defraud the U.S.

Former INS District Director Roy M. Bailey was sentenced for accepting cash and other items of value from numerous individuals who were seeking immigration benefits for themselves, relatives, clients and others. Also, he failed to report an employee who stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from immigration detainees.

4. Washington Field Office: Congressional Staffer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Fraud

Ann Copland admitted to being lobbied by Jack Abramoff and others on matters involving Native Americans and took a variety of official actions beneficial to them. She also admitted accepting items of value in exchange for her actions.

5. Los Angeles: Lamborghini Car Dealer Agrees to Plea Guilty to Bilking Financing Company

Viken Keuylian, owner of two Lamborghini dealerships, agreed to plea guilty to a scheme to bilk the finance company out of millions of dollars. In connection with the investigation, the FBI has taken into custody 13 Lamborghinis.

6. Kansas City: Naval Recruiter and Others Indicted for Sex Trafficking of Child

Operation Guardian Angel, an undercover investigation, led to the indictment of four men charged with the first-ever federal prosecution of the alleged customers of child prostitutes under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

7. Los Angeles: Former Hockey Team Owner Charged With Bankruptcy Fraud

Peter Hugh Pocklington, former owner of the Edmonton Oilers, was arrested on charges of bankruptcy fraud for allegedly concealing assets during bankruptcy proceedings.

8. Philadelphia: Attorney Charged With Defrauding Charity and Church

John P. Karoly, Jr. was charged with mail fraud, failure to report taxable income on his federal income tax returns, money laundering and other federal charges. Karoly not only defrauded his own family but his church as well.

9. San Diego: Agents Return Fugitive from Taiwan

Mark Lee Kaczmarczyk, a federal fugitive, was returned to San Diego from Taiwan to face charges of child abuse and committing a lewd act upon a child. Kaczmarczyk and his wife operated a day care facility where the offenses took place.

10. TSC Recognized for Information Sharing Initiatives

The Terrorist Screening Center was presented an award by the National Fusion Center Coordination Group at its annual conference for information sharing and outreach initiatives.