Law Enforcement, Military, and Terrorism News

48th Fighter Wing downed aircraft, pilot found deceased

The aircraft, from the 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom, was on a routine training mission with one pilot on board at the time of the crash. U.K. search and rescue were called to support.

One pilot was killed when their U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle crashed at approximately 9:40 a.m (BST) June 15, in the North Sea.

The name of the deceased pilot is being withheld until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified.

The aircraft, from the 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom, was on a routine training mission with one pilot on board at the time of the crash. U.K. search and rescue were called to support.

Earlier, rescuers found the wreckage of the jet that was on a routine training mission from RAF Lakenheath when it crashed at 9:40 a.m. The cause of the crash wasn’t immediately clear.

Britain’s coast guard located wreckage from the downed fighter, and recovery efforts were underway, the U.S. Air Force said in a statement.

Coast guard officials said in a statement that they received reports the plane went down 74 nautical miles off Flamborough Head on the Yorkshire coast.

(Update) The pilot of the downed F-15C Eagle from the 48th Fighter Wing has been located and confirmed deceased. The name of the pilot will not be released until all next of kin notifications have been made.

This is a tragic loss for the 48th Fighter Wing community, and our deepest condolences go out to the pilot’s family and the 493rd Fighter Squadron.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

AF.mil; Lakenheath.af.mil; 11Alive.com (June 2020) 48th Fighter Wing downed aircraft, pilot found deceased; Pilot of US Air Force jet that crashed in North Sea is dead; UPDATE: 48th Fighter Wing downed pilot located

Iran Poses Greatest Threat to Region, Centcom Commander Says

Iran poses the greatest threat to regional security and stability, the commander of U.S. Central Command said.

Iran poses the greatest threat to regional security and stability, the commander of U.S. Central Command said.

Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. spoke last week at a Middle East Institute webinar titled, “Centcom and the Shifting Sands of the Middle East.”

McKenzie enumerated various threats from Iran:

Funding and arming terrorist organizations;
Propping up the “murderous regime” of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad;
Providing advanced weapons to the Houthi rebels in Yemen;
Direct attack on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz;
Direct attack on oil refineries in Saudi Arabia; and
Attacking U.S. troops in Iraq.

“Iran actively stokes instability and is intent on degrading security all over the region,” McKenzie said. “They use proxies and violence to push other nations in the region to their agenda.”

The State Department is leading the effort to pressure Iranian leaders diplomatically and, through sanctions, to make them renounce their nuclear ambitions, cease work on ballistic missiles and cease exporting terrorism against their neighbors, he said, noting that this effort is a whole-of-government approach that includes allies and partners.

The Defense Department’s role regarding Iran is to deter it from taking direct or indirect military actions against the United States and its allies and partners in the region, he said.

McKenzie noted that the Iranians were surprised by the U.S. killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in January, and have had to recalculate where their red line is drawn with the United States. “They see we have the will to act,” he said.

Beyond Iran, terrorist organizations such as ISIS and al-Qaida still aspire to attack the United States, its allies and even the U.S. homeland, the general said. Vigorous pressure on them prevents them from doing so, he added.

China and Russia also have become involved in the region, trying to use economic leverage to make their influence felt, the general said. Russia, he added, is propping up Assad, who they see as a valued ally with a warm-water port.

The U.S. response has been to have close relationships with nations in the region, McKenzie said, helping them build up their security forces and encouraging them to purchase U.S. foreign military materiel.

An over-the-horizon threat to coalition and partner forces in the region will most likely come from swarms of small unmanned aerial systems that can carry weapons, McKenzie said, noting that the Army is taking the lead on developing counter-UAS measures.

McKenzie noted that the United States is less dependent on Middle East oil than it ever was, but wants to ensure freedom of navigation for partners and allies. He specifically mentioned the importance of ensuring safe passage through the Red Sea, Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

NATO.int (June 2020) Iran Poses Greatest Threat to Region, Centcom Commander Says

NATO launches Counter-Terrorism Reference Curriculum

NATO on Friday, June 12, launched its first ever Counter-Terrorism Reference Curriculum (CTRC). It supports interested Allies and partner countries in enhancing their capacities to develop national skills and improve counter-terrorism strategies.

The Curriculum will also serve as a reference document to address partner nation defense educational institution requirements and will provide helpful guidelines for relevant existing NATO courses. Drawing on historical examples, the CTRC provides an overview of terrorist ideologies, motivations and methods, as well as contemporary counter-terrorism practices and potential future projections.

Launching the Curriculum, Dr. Antonio Missiroli, NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges stated: “Security challenges like terrorism are not diminishing because of the global pandemic. Terrorism undermines our safety and the very values that underpin and inspire our societies. The Alliance is committed to address this threat with all available means. Supporting improved awareness, strengthening resilience and building counter-terrorism capacity of both Allies and partners are all part of this effort, and the CTRC perfectly fits these objectives. I would like to thank all those who helped make this Curriculum possible, including the United Nations, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).”

Partners can significantly benefit from using the CTRC for the development of their own tailored courses on Counter-Terrorism. This support will be provided and facilitated in the framework of NATO’s Defense Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP). Dr. John Manza, NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Operations, highlighted: “The Counter-Terrorism Reference Curriculum will be available to all interested partners and Allies. DEEP will work diligently to help partners who request support in implementing tailored versions of the curriculum for their professional military education institutions. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and reflecting other longer-term trends, NATO will also work to implement the Counter-Terrorism Reference Curriculum as a distance course, available to all partners who wish to use it in their institutions. Supporting our partners in this way makes us all stronger in the face of a common threat.”

Dr. Sajjan M. Gohel, the CTRC’s co-editor and academic project lead from the Asia-Pacific Foundation and the London School of Economics (LSE) added: “The CTRC is designed to provide users with a robust, holistic and nuanced comprehension of terrorism as well as improve potential counter-terrorism outcomes for NATO members and partners. The curriculum reflects NATO’s innovative best.”

The NATO Counter-Terrorism Reference Curriculum is the result of close cooperation between the Defense Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) and NATO`s Counter-Terrorism Section, as well as the Partnership for Peace Consortium. Over 100 experts from nations across five continents, including from Tunisia, Jordan and Mauritania, as well as multiple international organizations contributed to the writing, drafting, and editing of the final product.

NATO.int (June 2020) NATO launches Counter-Terrorism Reference Curriculum

China Demolishes House Church One Month After Violent Raid

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on June 11, local authorities brought in more than 100 officers from four different agencies to demolish Xingguang Church in China’s Xiamen city, Fujian province.

All Property at Xingguang Church Destroyed or Removed

The demolition came a month after the violent May 3 raid of the house church, during which several members were injured.

Around 9:00 a.m., dozens of chengguan, or Urban Management Law Enforcement officials, lined up outside of Xingguang Church in Jimei district, before storming the church located on the fifth floor with other dozens of fire fighters, public security officers, and religious affairs bureau staff.

The house church, purchased by the members and also the home of several members, was soon was reduced to rubble. Since the authorities barred the church members from entering, when a churchgoer managed to record the demolition, a chengguan yelled, “What are you filming with your cell?” while attempting to knock away the phone.

The furniture and personal property stored at the church were also confiscated by the authorities illegally. A member documented the aftermath and debris left behind by the authorities in a video.

Preacher Yang Xibo from Xunsiding Church, shared his anger on Facebook.

He said, “Xiamen Xingguang House Church now encounters a forceful demolition, which targets a private property, someone’s home. The Property Law [in China] is nothing but a wastepaper. The government of Xiamen has been gansterized…This also gives you a glimpse of how China has been gansterized in recent years.”

The church has already been raided twice this year – on April 19 and on May 3. The church’s preacher, Titus Yu, was threatened with a notice that his church would face disbandment as punishment if he did not correct his ‘illegal’ act.

A house church pastor from Zhejiang told ICC, “As far as I know, I haven’t heard about the arrest of Xingguang Church’s preacher [as part of the demolition].”

Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager for Southeast Asia, said, “As stated in the latest United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) report by commissioner Johnnie Moore, ‘There is no question that China is the world’s foremost violator of human rights and religious freedom.’ China’s rule of law is merely a slogan, since the authorities can simply crack down on anyone whom they consider a threat. We regret to see the Xiamen authorities’ continuous oppression against Xingguang Church. This serves as a great example of the absence of religious liberty in the communist country.”

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.

Persecution.org (June 2020) China Demolishes House Church One Month After Violent Raid

Fifteen Defendants Plead Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy in International Cyber Fraud Scheme

Fifteen defendants have pleaded guilty to-date for their roles in a transnational and multi-million dollar scheme to defraud American victims through online auction fraud.

Four of the guilty pleas took place in the past 24 days before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew A. Stinnett of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Bogdan-Stefan Popescu, 30, of Romania, pleaded guilty on June 11, 2020, to one count of RICO conspiracy. According to plea documents, Popescu operated a car wash in Bucharest, Romania, where he managed co-conspirators in the RICO enterprise. From at least December of 2013, Popescu oversaw an operation whereby he knowingly negotiated fraudulently obtained Bitcoin.

He did so in many ways.

For example, he would sometimes receive cryptocurrency from co-conspirators who obtained the funds through online fraud scams, transfer the cryptocurrency to other conspirators such as co-defendant Vlad-Călin Nistor.

He would then direct that Nistor exchange the cryptocurrency for fiat currency, and deposit the fiat currency into bank accounts held in the names of various employees and family members. According to court documents, in addition to providing money laundering services, Popescu also coordinated the dissemination of tools used to defraud American-based victims, such as the language and photographs for fake advertisements as well as usernames and passwords for IP address anonymizing services. Popescu also assisted members of the RICO conspiracy by connecting them with other members who could provide call center services—that is, who would impersonate eBay customer service representatives over the phone.

Liviu-Sorin Nedelcu, 34, of Romania, pleaded guilty on June 11, 2020, to one count of RICO conspiracy. According to court documents, Nedelcu worked in conjunction with others to post advertisements for goods online. To maintain the appearance of legitimacy, Nedelcu created fictitious entities through which he purported to sell vehicles. Once Nedelcu and his co-conspirators convinced victims to purchase falsely advertised goods, they sent the victims invoices for payment that appeared to be from legitimate sellers, such as eBay Motors. Upon receiving payment, Nedelcu and his co-conspirators engaged in a sophisticated money laundering scheme to convert the victim payment into Bitcoin.

Vlad-Călin Nistor, 33, of Romania, pleaded guilty on May 19, 2020, to one count of RICO conspiracy. According to plea documents, Nistor was the founder and owner of the Romania-based Bitcoin exchange Coinflux Services SRL. He exchanged cryptocurrency into local fiat currency on behalf of the Romania-based members of the conspiracy, knowing that the Bitcoin represented the proceeds of illegal activity. According to plea documents for example, Nistor exchanged over $1.8 million worth of Bitcoin for co-defendant Bogdan Popescu.

Beniamin-Filip Ologeanu, 30, of Romania, pleaded guilty on May 19, 2020, to one count of RICO conspiracy. According to court documents, Ologeanu worked in conjunction with others in the conspiracy to post advertisements for goods to auction websites, including eBay, and sales websites, including Craigslist. Once Ologeanu or his co-conspirators convinced victims to purchase and provide payment for falsely advertised items, Ologeanu reached out to U.S.-based conspirators to convert the victim payment into other forms of payment and transfer part of it to Ologeanu in Bitcoin. Ologeanu also purchased fraud proceeds from other co-conspirators, typically in the form of prepaid debit cards, to be laundered by U.S.-based co-conspirators.

“Today’s modern cybercriminals rely on increasingly sophisticated techniques to defraud victims, often masquerading as legitimate businesses,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These guilty pleas demonstrate that the United States will hold accountable foreign and domestic criminal enterprises and their enablers, including crooked bitcoin exchanges that swindle the American public.”

“The guilty pleas announced today are a direct result of the extraordinary cooperation and partnership among law enforcement agencies at the local, state, federal, and international levels,” said U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “These partnerships helped dismantle a sophisticated organized crime group who preyed upon victims across the United States. I commend the exceptional work conducted by our law enforcement partners and trial team members who worked diligently to hold these defendants accountable.”

“Through the use of digital currencies and trans-border organizational strategies, this criminal syndicate believed they were beyond the reach of law enforcement,” said Assistant Director Michael D’Ambrosio, U.S. Secret Service, Office of Investigations. “However, as this successful investigation clearly illustrates, with sustained, international cooperation, we can effectively hold cyber criminals accountable for their actions, no matter where they reside. I commend the hard work and perseverance of all those who joined together in this investigation and prosecution. This includes our partners in Europe, as well as those closer to home.”

“Today’s guilty pleas serve as a reminder that IRS-CI special agents will uncover illegal activity here and abroad, pierce the perceived veil of anonymity provided by cryptocurrencies, and bring those responsible for unlawful acts to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Larsen of the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) New York Field Office. “We will continue to push the agency to the forefront of complex cyber investigations and work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners to ensure the United States financial system is protected.”

“These are scam artists who hide behind a wall of technology which allows them to prey upon innocent victims throughout the United States,” said Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer. “The dismantling of this criminal enterprise was made possible because of the incredible level of cooperation between the law enforcement community here in Kentucky.”

According to court documents, the defendants participated in a criminal conspiracy that engaged in a large-scale scheme of online auction fraud. Specifically, Romania-based members of the conspiracy posted false advertisements to popular online auction and sales websites—such as Craigslist and eBay—for high-cost goods (typically vehicles) that did not actually exist. Members of the conspiracy would convince American victims to send money for the advertised goods by crafting persuasive narratives, for example, by impersonating a military member who needed to sell the advertised item before deployment.

According to court documents, members of the conspiracy created fictitious online accounts to post these advertisements and communicate with victims, often using the stolen identities of Americans to do so. They also delivered invoices to the victims bearing trademarks of reputable companies in order to make the transaction appear legitimate. Members of the conspiracy also set up call centers, impersonating customer support, to address questions and alleviate concerns over the advertisements.

Once victims were convinced to send payment, the conspiracy participants engaged in a complicated money laundering scheme wherein domestic associates would accept victim funds, convert these funds to cryptocurrency, and transfer proceeds in the form of cryptocurrency to foreign-based money launderers.

The 15 defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case have yet to be sentenced. Two other defendants in the case are scheduled for trial starting on Sept. 14, 2020, before the Honorable Robert E. Wier of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Three others are fugitives.

In addition to pleading guilty in this case, on Jan. 13, 2020, Adrian Mitan pleaded guilty in a related money laundering conspiracy, arising from online schemes, including a credit card phishing and brute-force attack scheme, designed to steal money from Americans. According to court documents, Mitan phished for payment card information of U.S. customers, hacked into the electronic systems of American businesses, and then conducted a brute-force attack on their point-of-sale systems for the purpose of stealing the remaining payment card information. Mitan then directed American money launderers to create clone payment cards with the stolen information, which were used to extract money from the customers’ accounts. These fraudulent proceeds were then returned to Mitan in the form of Bitcoin.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, Kentucky State Police, Lexington Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and supported by the Justice Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and the International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2). Assistance was provided by the Romanian National Police (Service for Combating Cybercrime) and the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (Agency for Prosecuting Organized Crime). The Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section provided significant support and the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support in securing and coordinating the arrests and extraditions from Romania of more than a dozen defendants.

This case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Timothy C. Flowers and Senior Counsel Frank H. Lin of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn M. Anderson and Kenneth R. Taylor of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Individuals believing they may be victims of the advanced fee and online auction fraud or brute-force attack schemes described herein are encouraged to visit the following website to obtain more information: https://justice.gov/usao-edky/information-victims-large-cases.

Tips to avoid becoming a victim of online auction fraud can be found here on the U.S. Secret Service’s website.

Justice.gov (June 2020) Fifteen Defendants Plead Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy in International Cyber Fraud Scheme