The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has busted several fraud schemes across the country in recent weeks, FBI Director Kash Patel said in his latest weekly update to the agency.
Patel highlighted some of the results of Operation Riptide, which focuses on “criminal actors and the key services they rely on, their infrastructure, their tools and services, their communications platforms, and their money.”
FBI Cleveland, for instance, disrupted a Chinese phishing platform “linked to the theft of millions of credit card numbers and nearly $1.9 billion dollars in losses worldwide,” Patel revealed.
As a result of the efforts of the FBI in Charlotte, two individuals were convicted for operating a business email compromise scheme that stole $25 million from U.S. companies.
“Thanks to FBI Boston, our Cyber Division, and international partners, we helped dismantle a VPN service used by ransomware groups around the world,” Patel said, later adding, “This is exactly what Operation Riptide is about: targeting the cybercriminal ecosystem at every level. And we’re just getting started.”
Fraudsters have also been targeted by the FBI. In Los Angeles, for instance, an Orange County man was arrested “for carrying out a nearly $100-million-dollar bank fraud scheme,” according to Patel.
“Thanks to FBI Milwaukee, a Wisconsin man pleaded guilty to defrauding nearly 190 investors out of more than $14 million dollars. Out of New Orleans, a Texas man was indicted for running a $4-million-dollar investment fraud scam that victimized more than 20 people,” he said, noting that a Texas couple has also been indicted “for stealing more than $2.5 million dollars from vulnerable victims through a years-long psychic fraud scheme” thanks to the FBI Seattle.
Patel added, “FBI Pittsburgh also announced charges against an Ohio woman accused of embezzling more than $460,000 dollars from a law firm while working as a paralegal.”
Further, seven individuals were arrested in Las Vegas for exploiting coronavirus relief programs, and in Alaska, one individual was sentenced to prison for defrauding those programs.
The FBI also targeted violent criminals, taking illegal weapons off the streets.
“In Birmingham, Operation Safer Communities resulted in 36 arrests and the seizure of 11 firearms as part of Summer Heat 2.0. And after a separate, seven-week enforcement effort, FBI Birmingham announced more than 170 arrests and confiscated 22 additional illegal firearms,” Patel revealed, also highlighting the efforts of FBI Little Rock resulting in “arresting 39 subjects and seizing 35 firearms, large quantities of fentanyl, other illegal drugs. ”
In Portland, the FBI saw a man sentenced to prison for assaulting a federal officer during a “violent attack” at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.
Patel reminded agents that their work is saving children. Multiple child predators were sentenced, convicted, or charged as a result of investigations by FBI Tampa, Boston, Kansas City, and Baltimore,
“As of yesterday, for example, one member of 764 was sentenced to 30 years in prison,” he revealed.
Patel concluded, “As always, keep getting after it, and I’ll see you next week.”
