Washington, June 13 (IANS) A ship captain accused of transporting sanctioned Iranian oil and leading the US Coast Guard on a weeks-long chase across the Atlantic Ocean has pleaded guilty in a federal court in Washington, the Justice Department said.Avtandil Kalandadze, 47, a citizen of Georgia and former master of the tanker Bella 1, pleaded guilty to failing to obey an order from the US Coast Guard to stop his vessel during an interdiction operation.“Kalandadze’s guilty plea today should se…
Latest FBI News & Updates
Washington, June 11 (IANS) The US Justice Department and the FBI have seized 13 websites allegedly used by operatives linked to China to recruit current and former US government employees and obtain sensitive information from people with security clearances. Following the operation on Wednesday (local time), officials said the websites posed as consulting firms and advertised jobs such as “Senior Analyst” and “International Affairs Consultant” while seeking access to individuals with gov…
Washington, June 5 (IANS) The Chinese government’s efforts to silence critics beyond its borders have come under fresh scrutiny in the US Congress, as lawmakers, state officials and democracy activists described what they called an expanding campaign of intimidation, surveillance and coercion targeting people living in America. At a hearing of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), held on the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, lawmakers argued that Beijing’s me…
Washington, June 3 (IANS) Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Tuesday that U.S. authorities are preparing for an unprecedented security operation ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the tournament as “78 Super Bowls in 38 days” as millions of fans are expected to travel across North America for the event.During Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the Department of Homeland Security’s fiscal year 2027 budget request, lawmakers questioned the department’s readiness…
Washington, May 31 (IANS) Arcadia’s former Mayor pleaded guilty to being an illegal agent of China in the US, local media reported. As per the court filings, Eileen Wang (56) was charged in April and agreed to plead guilty to accusations that she was asked by the Chinese government to promote propaganda in the US from 2020-2022.Wang was elected to the City Council in 2022 and assumed the position of Mayor, a post that rotates among the Council members, Los Angeles Times reported.In April, she re…
New Delhi, May 28 (IANS) US authorities have charged a Google software engineer for allegedly using confidential company information to generate approximately $1.2 million in profits via trading placed on a prediction market platform, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).Michele Spagnuolo — a 36-year-old Italian citizen residing in Switzerland — was charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering in connection with an alleged insider trading scheme involving prediction …
Washington, May 27 (IANS) The FBI has warned that a cybercrime group is targeting US law firms by posing as internal IT staff through phone calls, phishing emails and even in-person visits to offices.In a FLASH alert issued on May 26, the FBI said the Silent Ransom Group (SRG), also known as Luna Moth, Chatty Spider and UNC3753, has consistently targeted US-based law firms since Spring 2023.The agency said the group uses social engineering tactics to gain access to company computers and steal se…
Washington, May 27 (IANS) An American journalist and political commentator who worked for several Chinese state media outlets has been charged in the United States with acting as an unregistered agent for China, according to federal court documents unsealed in Virginia.Federal prosecutors alleged that Thomas Weir Pauken II, also known as “Tom McGregor”, worked under the direction of individuals linked to China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) and sought to cultivate sources in the United…
Washington, May 24 (IANS) A gunman who opened fire near the White House on Saturday evening was shot dead by Secret Service officers after an exchange of gunfire close to the executive complex, officials said. A bystander was also struck during the shooting, while President Donald Trump was inside the White House and was not injured.The shooting happened shortly after 6 p.m. near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, close to the White House grounds and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building…
Washington, May 24 (IANS) The White House North Lawn was cleared by the US Secret Service on Saturday evening after the sound of apparent gunfire triggered a major security response near the White House complex, according to US media reports.Reporters on the White House grounds were instructed to sprint immediately into the White House press briefing room as security personnel moved swiftly to secure the area. Streets surrounding the White House were flooded with dozens of police officers and la…