News

Three Sacramento Airport Workers Indicted for Mail Theft Conspiracy

SACRAMENTO - A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment today against Domingo Ene, 27, of Roseville; Joshua Hopoi, 22, of Sacramento; and Raymond Su, 29, of Sacramento, charging them with a conspiracy to steal U.S. mail and possession of stolen U.S. mail, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, from April 2018 to July 2018, the three men conspired to steal mail that was passing through Sacramento International Airport. All three defendants worked at Sacramento International Airport as employees of a company that provided ground services. They were responsible for loading U.S. mail from the Sacramento area onto departing flights, as well as unloading incoming mail from arriving flights. The indictment alleges that they opened containers of mail and stole items, especially greeting cards. The defendants removed cash and gift cards from the stolen mail items, and they used the gift cards to make purchases.

Riverdale Man Indicted on Firearms Charges

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Rodger Riquez Rodriguez, 33, of Riverdale, charging him with being a prohibited person in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, on May 22, 2018, Rodriguez was found in possession of a silver Kel-Tec P-3AT handgun. On July 24, 2018, he was found in possession of a weapon made from a rifle, Izhmash, Model SVD. Rodriguez was prohibited from possessing firearms based on a prior felony conviction and prior misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Clovis Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McKeon is prosecuting the case.

Wells Fargo Agrees to Pay $2.09 Billion Penalty for Allegedly Misrepresenting Quality of Loans Used in Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities

SAN FRANCISCO - The Justice Department announced today that Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and several of its affiliates (Wells Fargo) will pay a civil penalty of $2.09 billion under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA) based on the bank’s alleged origination and sale of residential mortgage loans that it knew contained misstated income information and did not meet the quality that Wells Fargo represented. Investors, including federally insured financial institutions, suffered billions of dollars in losses from investing in residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) containing loans originated by Wells Fargo.

“This settlement holds Wells Fargo accountable for actions that contributed to the financial crisis,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio. “It sends a strong message that the Department is committed to protecting the nation’s economy and financial markets against fraud.”

Three Members of Notorious International Cybercrime Group “Fin7” In Custody for Role in Attacking Over 100 U.S. companies

SEATTLE - Three high-ranking members of a sophisticated international cybercrime group operating out of Eastern Europe have been arrested and are currently in custody facing charges filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes for the Western District of Washington and Special Agent in Charge Jay S. Tabb Jr. of the FBI Seattle Field Office.

According to three federal indictments unsealed today, Ukrainian nationals Dmytro Fedorov, 44, Fedir Hladyr, 33, and Andrii Kolpakov, 30, are members of a prolific hacking group widely known as FIN7 (also referred to as the Carbanak Group and the Navigator Group, among other names). Since at least 2015, FIN7 members engaged in a highly sophisticated malware campaign targeting more than 100 U.S. companies, predominantly in the restaurant, gaming, and hospitality industries. As set forth in indictments, FIN7 hacked into thousands of computer systems and stole millions of customer credit and debit card numbers, which the group used or sold for profit.

Three Sentenced in Fresno for Immigration Offenses

FRESNO - Three citizens of Mexico were sentenced on Monday for immigration offenses related to their prior deportations, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. U.S. v. Julio Cesar Delgadillo (1:18-cr-050) Delgadillo, 47, Mexican national residing in Visalia, was sentenced Monday to five years and three months in prison for being a deported alien found in the United States.

He was indicted on March 8, 2018, and pleaded guilty on June 18, 2018. According to court records, Delgadillo was deported on December 1, 2016, following a prior conviction and sentence for being a deported alien found in the Unites States. According to the 2012 indictment, Delgadillo was convicted in Tulare County in 2003 of assault with a firearm and sentenced to three years in prison.

Disneyland Resort Closes Deal With Largest Labor Unions For One of the Highest Minimum Wages in the Country

ANAHEIM - The Disneyland Resort announced today that it has reached agreement with its largest labor unions for a minimum wage rate increase of 40 percent within two years of the agreement. This will put cast members represented by Master Services Council at $15 per hour by 2019, which will be one of the highest minimum wages in the country. This agreement, benefitting more than 9,700 cast members, is one of the most aggressive entry-level offers in the country and demonstrates Disney's commitment to its valued cast members.

"Disneyland Resort has long taken pride in providing an exceptional employee experience, and this agreement sets a new bar with minimum wages that are among the highest in the country. Our unprecedented offer shows our commitment and care for our cast members and is the largest increase in our history," said Josh D'Amaro, president, Disneyland Resort. "Our cast members are at the heart of making our guests' dreams come true and this meaningful pay increase reflects the valuable roles they play at the resort."

Criminal Investigations Uncovers Alleged Fraud Issues in Madera County Fire Department: Whistle-Blower Feels Punished by County

MADERA – While the brave men and women of Cal-Fire fight the Ferguson Fire in Madera, Merced and Mariposa Counties, a criminal investigation conducted by the Madera County Sheriff’s Department was turned over this week to the Madera County Distrcit Attorney’s Office regarding the Madera County Fire Department. The existence of the criminal investigation isn’t being discussed in the open Board of Supervisors meetings but it was confirmed last week to BVN by Madera County Council Regina Garza.

The county, which contracts its county-wide fire services though the State of California, provides office support staff to the state which houses its offices on the first floor of the Madera County Government Center in Madera. Earlier this year the county was informed by a whistle-blower within the department of an employee, who may have access to approve her own hours on the county’s payroll system, had allegedly padded her paycheck with over 100 unearned hours.