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HSI Arizona investigation leads to takedown of cryptocurrency mixer that processed over $3 billion in unlawful transactions
March 15, 2023
|Cyber Crimes, Financial Crimes
Coinciding with the ChipMixer takedown efforts, Minh Quốc Nguyễn, 49, of Hanoi, Vietnam, was charged today in Philadelphia with money laundering, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and identity theft connected to ChipMixer’s operation.
Nigerian national extradited from UK to face fraud charges
February 23, 2023
|Cyber Crimes, Financial Crimes
Ezennia Peter Neboh, 48, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, 51, and Prince Amos Okey Ezemma, 49, of Madrid, Spain; and Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham, 44, Emmanuel Samuel, 39, and Jerry Chucks Ozor, 43, of London, face federal charges in Miami.
HSI launches new awareness campaign for digital romance scams on Valentine’s Day
February 15, 2023
|Cyber Crimes, Financial Crimes
As part of ongoing efforts to combat cyber crimes and online financial fraud, HSI launched an awareness campaign yesterday – Valentine’s Day – to educate the public on dangers associated with online romance scams and how individuals can protect themselves and loved ones.
HSI San Diego investigation results in Mexican businessman admitting to brokering spyware
February 7, 2023
|Cyber Crimes
Mexican American businessman Julio Santamaria, 49, pleaded guilty Feb. 7 after admitting he conspired to sell and use private computer-hacking tools in Mexico and the U.S. to monitor political and business rivals.
HSI, federal partners issue national public safety alert on sextortion schemes
December 19, 2022
|Cyber Crimes, Child Exploitation
A large percentage of these sextortion schemes originate outside the United States, primarily in West African countries such as Nigeria and Ivory Coast. As children enter winter breaks this holiday season, HSI and whole-of-government partners encourage parents and caregivers to engage with kids about sextortion schemes to help prevent them from becoming victims.  
Homeland Security Investigations graduates new class of military veterans trained to combat child exploitation
Homeland Security Investigations graduates new class of military veterans trained to combat child exploitation
December 9, 2022
|Child Exploitation, Cyber Crimes
HSI welcomed seven new forensic analysts into its ranks during the HERO Corps graduation ceremony Dec. 8.
HSI Chicago brings cyber, financial threat expertise to annual Secure Cash and Transport Association conference
October 21, 2022
|Partnership and Engagement, Cyber Crimes, Financial Crimes
The briefing covered trends in cryptocurrency, cyber-enabled crimes, bulk cash smuggling, and money laundering. Briefers also discussed the role that intelligence and technology play in combatting these crimes and how these crimes permeate the breadth of HSI’s investigative mission set.
HSI Baltimore-led investigation results in breakup of largest known NFT scheme to date
July 5, 2022
|Cyber Crimes
Le Anh Tuan, 26, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering in connection with a scheme involving the “Baller Ape” non-fungible tokens (NFT).
ICE launches digital romance scams awareness campaign
February 22, 2022
|Financial Crimes, Cyber Crimes, Document and Benefit Fraud
The multi-agency awareness campaign runs Feb. 7 to Mar. 11, to help individuals protect their heart and their wallet and illustrates to the public how to recognize the scams before they give any money or assets and provides steps to take if they are victimized.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations partners in investigation leading to 2 arrests for alleged conspiracy to launder $4.5 billion in stolen cryptocurrency
February 8, 2022
|Cyber Crimes, Financial Crimes
Ilya Lichtenstein, 34, and his wife, Heather Morgan, 31, both of New York, New York, were scheduled to make their initial appearances in federal court today at 3:00 p.m. in Manhattan.
ICE HSI investigation results in prison sentence and restitution for international hacking group members who stole millions in cryptocurrency
November 30, 2021
|Cyber Crimes, Financial Crimes
After previously pleading guilty, Garrett Endicott, 22, of Warrensburg Missouri, was sentenced to serve 10 months in prison and pay restitution in the amount of $121,549.37. He was the final defendant to be sentenced in this case, which was indicted in 2019.
ICE HSI supports extensive international operation targeting Darknet opioid traffickers
November 1, 2021
|Cyber Crimes
Operation Dark HunTor led to 65 arrests in the United States, one in Bulgaria, three in France, 47 in Germany, four in the Netherlands, 24 in the United Kingdom, four in Italy, and two in Switzerland. A number of investigations are still ongoing.
HSI and Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office seize 2 domain names attempting to impersonate Walmart website and purporting to sell COVID-19 treatment or prevention drugs
HSI and Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office seize 2 domain names attempting to impersonate Walmart website and purporting to sell COVID-19 treatment or prevention drugs
July 22, 2021
|Cyber Crimes, Covid-19
The fraudulent websites allegedly offer a number of drugs for sale for the experimental and unapproved treatment or prevention of COVID-19. Instead, the domains were allegedly used to collect the personal information of individuals visiting the sites in order to use their information for nefarious purposes, including fraud, phishing attacks and/or deployment of malware.
HSI investigation leads to seizure of 9th fraudulent website seeking to capitalize on COVID-19
HSI investigation leads to seizure of 9th fraudulent website seeking to capitalize on COVID-19
May 3, 2021
|Covid-19, Cyber Crimes
According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizure, the HSI Intellectual Property Rights Center (“IPRC”) and the HSI Cyber Crimes Center (“C3”) discovered an apparent fraudulent website, named “freevaccinecovax.org.” A domain analysis conducted by HSI indicated the domain name was created on April 27, 2021, using an IP address located in Strasbourg. The registrant country was listed as Russia.
HSI investigation results in seizure of 3 domain names purporting to be biotechnology company websites with COVID-19 treatments
April 7, 2021
|Covid-19, Cyber Crimes
According to the affidavits filed in support of these seizures, these investigations began in March 2021. Homeland Security Investigations and the National Intellectual Property Rights Center received notification of two fraudulent websites, “genobioscience.com” and “healthbridgescience.com.” The third site, “global-pandemic-vaccines.com,” was discovered by Homeland Security Investigations’ Cyber Crimes Center (C3) during ongoing investigations for malicious websites. The cases were referred to HSI Baltimore for investigation.
Foreign nationals sentenced for roles in transnational cybercrime following an HSI Las Vegas investigation
March 19, 2021
|Cyber Crimes, Financial Crimes
Sergey Medvedev, aka “Stells,” “segmed,” and “serjbear,” 33, of Russia, pleaded guilty in the District of Nevada to one count of racketeering conspiracy in June 2020, and was sentenced today to 10 years in prison. Marko Leopard, aka “Leopardmk,” 31, of North Macedonia, pleaded guilty in the District of Nevada to one count of racketeering conspiracy in November 2019 and was sentenced today to five years in prison.
HSI partners with NCA to identify 'SIM swapping' attack on US celebrities
February 17, 2021
|Cyber Crimes
The NCA-led investigation into these attacks identified numerous victims, including well-known influencers, sports stars, musicians and their families. On Feb. 9, eight suspected members of the criminal group aged 18-26 were arrested in England and Scotland.
Fraudulent Regeneron Website
ICE investigation led to seizure of 2 fraudulent websites purporting to be biotechnology companies developing treatments for COVID-19 vaccine
December 18, 2020
|Covid-19, Cyber Crimes, Intellectual Property Rights and Commercial Fraud
"This operation illustrates the ongoing efforts of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, private industry and international law enforcement agencies in keeping our communities safe and free from corruption."
National Colombian Police with Special Agent Miguel Palomino (second from left), Regional Attaché Brian Vicente (fourth from left), Ops Manager Randy Richardson (far right).
ICE Cartagena opens forensic lab to combat transnational cyber crime
September 29, 2020
|Cyber Crimes

HSI Cartagena and the National Police of Colombia marked an important milestone in Cartagena’s fight against the cybercrimes that have impacted the community with the opening of TC2IL Sept. 28. During the inauguration of the TC2IL, HSI Operations Manager Randy Richardson, Assistant Attaché Antonio Crespo, and Regional Attaché Brian Vicente were awarded the Colombian National Police Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol Medal for Meritorious Service.

ICE participates in international crackdown targeting darknet dealers
ICE participates in international crackdown targeting darknet dealers
September 22, 2020
|Cyber Crimes
Andres Bermudez, 37, of Palmdale, allegedly supplied methamphetamine to the “Stealthgod” crew, was named in a criminal complaint filed Sept. 18. An affidavit in this case outlines how Bermudez allegedly supplied methamphetamine to the “Stealthgod” drug trafficking organization and details negotiations involving transactions of 30 pounds and 40 pounds of methamphetamine. Bermudez is currently a fugitive sought by federal authorities.
Malware author pleads guilty for role in transnational cybercrime organization responsible for more than $568 million in losses
July 31, 2020
|Cyber Crimes, Financial Crimes

Valerian Chiochiu, aka “Onassis,” “Flagler,” “Socrate,” and “Eclessiastes,” 30, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge James C. Mahan in the District of Nevada. Chiochiu is a national of the Republic of Moldova, but resided in the United States during the period of the conspiracy. His plea came just over a month after the co-founder and administrator of Infraud, Sergey Medvedev of Russia, separately pleaded guilty June 26. Sentencing for Chiochiu has been scheduled for Dec. 11.

ICE HSI arrests 4 in international telemarketing fraud ring targeting senior citizens
May 27, 2020
|Cyber Crimes

HSI Jackson special agents arrested James Haynes, 65, Jarvis Haynes, 29, and Neman Zahid, 32, of Jackson, Miss., after an original indictment returned by a federal grand jury on March 19, 2019, charged the defendants with defrauding multiple victims as part of an international tech support and telemarketing fraud scheme.

NYC pharmacist charged with hoarding and price gouging of N95 masks
NYC pharmacist charged with hoarding and price gouging of N95 masks
May 26, 2020
|Cyber Crimes, Covid-19

Richard Schirripa, a/k/a “the Mask Man,” a licensed pharmacist, is charged with violating the Defense Production Act by hoarding and price gouging scarce N95 masks; making two false statements to law enforcement; committing healthcare fraud; and committing aggravated identity theft.

South Korean national and hundreds of others charged worldwide in the takedown of the largest darknet child pornography website funded by bitcoin
October 16, 2019
|Cyber Crimes

Jong Woo Son, 23, a South Korean national, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia for his operation of Welcome To Video, the largest child sexual exploitation market by volume of content.

HSI Tampa leadership supported CFA Nathan Cruz at the Viva Tampa Bay Hispanic Heritage Hero Award program. ASAC Hector Colon, DSAC Kevin Sibley, Group Supervisor Tim Westlove, Kim Cruz, CFA Nathan Cruz, ASAC Micah McCombs and SAC James C. Spero
HSI computer forensic analyst honored as Tampa Bay Hispanic Hero
October 4, 2019
|Cyber Crimes

Nathan Cruz began his time with HSI as a HERO (Human Exploitation Rescue Operative) Child Rescue Corps and was just honored at the 2019 Viva Tampa Bay Hispanic Heritage Awards Ceremony as a Hispanic Military Hero.

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Updated: 03/10/2023