GREENBELT, MD—A foreign national has been sentenced to prison after fraudulently opening bank accounts in Maryland. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has sentenced Daniel Velcu, 43, of Baltimore, to 34 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. As part of his sentence, Velcu will be required […]
BALTIMORE, MD—A Maryland man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a $1.2 million bank fraud scheme. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Daniel Ongele, 33, of Bowie, to 33 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. […]
ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Wes Moore this week announced the appointment of Paul Monteiro as first secretary of the newly created Department of Service and Civic Innovation. “Paul’s nomination is the result of a months-long, nationwide search to find someone with the vision, the experience, the integrity, and the skill to unleash the full potential of this new department.” said Governor Moore. […]
BALTIMORE, MD—An officer with the Baltimore County Police Department has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes. William R. Johnson Jr., 33, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty this week to a federal charge of honest services wire fraud, for seeking and accepting bribes and kickbacks, totaling at least $16,804, to falsely certify that applicants for Maryland handgun qualifying licenses (HQL) and wear and […]
BALTIMORE, MD—Laboratory Corporation of America has agreed to pay the U.S. $2,100,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act by overbilling the Department of Defense for genetic tests performed by GeneDx, LLC, a third-party reference laboratory used by Labcorp to perform genetic tests for military members. The civil settlement was announced by United States Attorney for […]
GREENBELT, MD—A Maryland man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a massive Ponzi scheme. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has sentenced John Erasmus Frimpong, 42, of Upper Marlboro, to 114 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and securities fraud, in […]
BALTIMORE, MD—A Maryland man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for illegally transporting firearms with obliterated serial numbers and smuggling firearms to Nigeria. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett this week sentenced Eric Fru Nji, 42, of Fort Washington, to 63 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy, for transporting firearms […]
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is warning the American public of a sharp increase in the trafficking of fentanyl mixed with xylazine. Xylazine, also known as “Tranq,” is a powerful sedative that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved for veterinary use. “Xylazine is making the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, fentanyl, even deadlier,” said Administrator […]