Wednesday, July 2, 2025
- Advertisment -
Google search engine
Home Blog Page 2

Canadian National Patrick Fraser Extradited for Mailing Fraudulent Prize Notices; Faces 20 Years in U.S. Prison

By
Deborah Ojuade
-
0

A Canadian national accused of operating fraudulent prize notice schemes was extradited to the United States and made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, Las Vegas, on June 18, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.

Patrick Fraser, 44, of Alberta, Canada, will face federal charges of conspiracy and mail fraud. Fraser was arrested on June 14, 2023, by Canadian authorities pursuant to a U.S. extradition request and was surrendered to the United States this month.

A detention hearing was held on June 23, and Fraser was ordered detained pending trial.

According to the indictment, the defendant conspired with others to operate fraudulent schemes through which he mailed false prize notifications to individuals in the United States and other countries.

The prize notifications falsely represented that the victims had been specifically chosen to receive a large cash prize, typically over $1 million, and would receive the prize upon payment of a small fee. Many of the victims were elderly and vulnerable.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with the Consumer Protection Branch and our law enforcement partners in the United States and the world to identify and pursue transnational criminals who prey on older Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada.

Fraser is charged in a nine-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Las Vegas. If convicted, Fraser faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Michigan Doctor Sophie Toya Jailed Four Years for $6.3m Medicare Fraud Scheme

By
Bola Akinloye
-
0

A Michigan doctor has been sentenced to four years in prison for a $6.3 million Medicare fraud scheme in which elderly and disabled patients were sent thousands of orthotic braces that they did not need.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sophie Toya, M.D., 56, of Bloomfield Hills, prescribed over 7,900 orthotic braces to more than 2,600 Medicare patients during a six-month period.

The patients were solicited through deceptive television commercials offering free back braces. When they called the advertised telephone number, they were persuaded to accept braces for other parts of their bodies, with the promise that Medicare would pay.

Toya spoke briefly with some of these patients over the phone, and she had no contact with the others at all. Toya nonetheless signed orders prescribing more than 7,900 braces, including prescribing four or more braces to nearly 1,000 patients.

Toya prescribed as many as 136 braces in a day, 12 braces for a single patient, and numerous braces for undercover agents posing as Medicare beneficiaries after speaking with them by telephone for less than a minute.

The prescriptions and accompanying medical records, signed by Toya, falsely represented that the braces were medically necessary and that she had diagnosed the beneficiaries, developed a plan of care for them, and recommended that they receive certain additional treatment.

In the case of one patient, to whom Toya prescribed five braces for which Medicare was billed $3,883, she falsely attested that she evaluated the patient and that the patient was mobile when, in fact, the patient had long been confined to a wheelchair, could not walk or stand, and was suffering from a dangerous spinal infection that could not be treated by braces but instead required spinal surgery.

Toya’s false prescriptions were used by brace supply companies to bill Medicare more than $6.3 million. Toya was paid approximately $120,000 by purported telemedicine companies in exchange for signing the fraudulent prescriptions.

On May 10, 2024, Toya was convicted following an eight-day trial on one count of healthcare fraud and five counts of false statements relating to healthcare matters. Toya was also ordered to pay $3,606,935 in restitution and $120,475 in forfeiture.

My CFR National Honours Award and Message to President Tinubu

By
TCS TheCrimeScene
-
0

By Abubakar Umar

When the president called to inform me of his decision to magnanimously confer on me the national award of Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, on account of my much-advertised role in the struggle for the validation of the June 12 election and affirmation of Chief MKO Abiola’s mandate, my first reaction was why only me and not all those unsung heroes.

Those officers and men who actively participated in that struggle risked their careers and even lives.

Although I was one of the leaders of that movement within the military, my contribution was by no means bigger than theirs. While I have been recognised and celebrated, including this national honour by the president, they have remained anonymous.
It is, therefore, incumbent upon me to reveal the identity of these patriots if only to acknowledge and commend their contributions to the emergence of the current democratic dispensation.
The fact that Chief Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12 election, won over 80% of the armed forces’ votes clearly demonstrated the contribution of the other members of the military. I should add that this list is by no means exhaustive.
There are a lot more participants who have remained unknown to me since they served under others. I apologise to all those whose names I must have missed.
May God recognise and reward your sacrifice.
Top on my list is my deputy at the Armoured Corps Centre and School, Col MA Garba, whose commitment was so strong that he continued with the execution of our plans after some of us were arrested, detained, and mercifully retired in October 1993. He went on, as he should, to attain the enviable rank of a Major General in the army.
Others are:
-Lt Col Lawal Jaafaru Isa.
-Lt Col UF Ahmed.
-Lt Col MS Dasuki.
-Lt Col ML Gwadabe.
-Lt Col J. Temlong.
-Lt Col Musa Shehu.
-Lt Col Chris Eze.
-Lt Col HM Dzarma.
-Lt Col Isa Jibrin.
-Lt Col JOS Oshanupin.
-Lt Col A Oloruntoba (Kabiesi Olugbede of Gbede kingdom).
-Lt Col Moke.
-Lt Col Happy Bulus.
-Lt Col Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
-Col J Okai.
-Col E. Ndubueze.
-Lt Col Yakubu Muazu.
-Lt Col Yahaya Abubakar (current Etsu Nupe).
-Major Saad Abubakar (current Sultan of Sokoto).
-Maj Abba Maimalari.
-Maj Jamil Tahir.
-Maj Buzugbe.
-Maj LP Aprezi.
-Maj MK Yake.
-Maj J Dawah.
-Maj Suleiman Wali.
-Maj Dauda Komo.
-Maj Lucky Torrie.
-Maj JS Zaruwa.
-Maj M Sumaye.
-Maj Sani Bawa.
-Maj Ndaliman.
Maj Ahmed.
-Maj M Bawa.
-Lt Col JB Ahmadu.
-Capt Junaid Bindawa.
-Capt Lar.
I, therefore, accept this award with all sense of humility on behalf of all these officers and men. Obviously, it goes without saying that this award will be doubly more meaningful if the democracy we all fought for delivers the real dividends.
This can happen only if leaders at all levels govern with the fear of God and in accordance with the tenets of democracy. It remains the hope and prayers of all patriots that nothing is done to derail this infant democracy.
To achieve the stability and progress of our democracy, leaders must prioritise good governance over politicking for self-aggrandisement. The three co-equal branches of government must operate independently while cooperating with each other.
One enduring lesson from the conduct of the officers and men is their decision to operate above sycophancy but to hold their superior officers to account.
Sadly, this does not appear to have a positive impact on our political leaders. Sycophancy everywhere has become the scourge of selfless and accountable leadership. It is the reason for the arrogance and vanity we see in our leaders at all levels. Men of straw are widely and falsely being elevated to the position of icons by self-seeking sycophants.
Mr President must lead in a war against sycophancy in all its forms. This must allow for no exceptions, including the rapidly growing trend of naming and renaming public institutions, facilities and other infrastructure after a president or state governor while in office.
The other day, the Senate president was reported to have predicted that President Bola Tinubu would win the 2027 election with 99.9% of the votes!
Even allowing for the fact that this Senate president is widely known for his humorous incitement, Mr President will do well to shun such oracles.
God bless Nigeria.

Abubakar Dangiwa Umar,
Colonel (Retd)

From Risk to Reward: Why Nigerian SMEs Must Lead the Sustainability Revolution

By
TCS TheCrimeScene
-
1

By Eugene Itua

By 2028, a new era of corporate accountability will dawn in Nigeria.

The Federal Government’s decision to mandate the adoption of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (IFRS S1 and S2) is not just a regulatory update.

It is a fundamental shift in the business landscape. This moment is not just a crossroads. It is a call to action. Nigerian companies must act now to turn this into a strategic masterstroke, unlocking investment and building lasting value. 

The truth is that many companies are not ready. Sustainability is often treated as a peripheral, box-ticking exercise managed by a siloed department and viewed as a cost. This exposes a critical capacity gap that, if left unaddressed, could leave Nigerian businesses at a significant disadvantage on the global stage. 

To turn this mandate into a national competitive advantage, we must move beyond a compliance mindset. We must initiate a national conversation about integrating sustainability into the core of our business strategies as a fundamental driver of innovation, resilience, and profitability. 

Not Just for the Big Players: Why SMEs Must Embrace Sustainability 

It is a common misconception that sustainability strategy is a luxury reserved for large corporations with dedicated departments. In Nigeria, where Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are the engine of the economy, this thinking is not just flawed—it is dangerous. SMEs have the potential to lead the way in sustainability, not just follow the footsteps of larger corporations. 

Sustainability is a critical issue for SMEs for several key reasons. 

Supply Chain Integration

SMEs are the lifeblood of the supply chains of larger corporations. As these corporations begin reporting on their value chain risks and impacts (a requirement under the new standards), they will demand greater transparency and better sustainability performance from their SME partners. Being unprepared means risking valuable contracts. 

Access to Capital 

Increasingly, banks and investors are scrutinising the environmental and social performance of businesses before lending or investing, regardless of their size. Strong sustainability practices can unlock new financing opportunities for SMEs. 

Operational Efficiency 

Sustainability is about more than just the environment; it is about efficiency. Reducing energy consumption, minimising waste, and optimising resource use directly lower operational costs and improve the bottom line. 

Innovation and Agility 

Being smaller, SMEs can often innovate and adapt more quickly. For instance, embracing sustainability can open up new markets, such as the growing demand for eco-friendly products, spur the creation of green products and services, and attract top talent looking to work for purpose-driven companies. These are not just theoretical benefits, but real opportunities that sustainability can bring to SMEs. 

The 2028 mandate will affect the entire business ecosystem. For SMEs, building capacity now is not optional—it is essential for survival and growth. 

A Strategic Framework for Future-Proofing Your Business 

To truly capitalise on this shift, Nigerian businesses should adopt a strategic framework built on three interconnected pillars of value. 

Pillar 1: From Reporting to Real Impact 

The new IFRS standards provide a standardised language (IFRS S1 for general disclosures and IFRS S2 for climate-related disclosures) that investors understand and trust. However, the data reported is useless without a framework for action.

This is where standards like the SDG Impact Standards, developed by the UNDP, become invaluable. They provide the internal management logic to act on that data, helping companies turn sustainability from a cost of compliance into a core competitive strategy, enabling them to make informed, impactful decisions that drive growth. 

Pillar 2: The Link Between Biodiversity and the Bottom Line 

The phrase ‘there is no business on a dead planet’ is not a slogan; it is a fundamental principle of enterprise risk management. Nigerian businesses heavily depend on ‘natural capital’—assets such as clean water, a stable climate, and biodiversity. Forward-thinking companies must learn to measure, manage, and value this relationship.

Doing so mitigates hidden supply chain risks, sparks innovation in resource efficiency, and builds profound business resilience, positioning them as attractive, future-proof, ‘Nature-Positive’ businesses. A ‘Nature-Positive’ business is one that not only minimizes its negative impact on the environment but actively contributes to its restoration and preservation. 

Pillar 3: Weaving Sustainability into Your Corporate DNA 

The ultimate goal is to integrate sustainability so deeply that it becomes an inseparable part of financial performance. This means using sustainability insights to inform the highest levels of corporate strategy.

It requires aligning everything—from product development and supply chain management to capital allocation—with long-term sustainability goals. This is where companies will move beyond mere compliance to unlock profound, long-term value, securing their future and attracting the capital needed to thrive. 

A Call for Pioneers: Seizing Nigeria’s Sustainable Future 

The 2028 deadline is not an endpoint; it is the starting line. It is a call to action for a new generation of Nigerian business leaders who are willing to look beyond the next quarter’s earnings. It is a call to embrace sustainability, a decision that will shape the future of your business and the Nigerian economy. 

This is the moment for every CEO, board member, and entrepreneur to ask the hard questions: Is our business model resilient for a resource-constrained future? Do we truly understand our impact and dependencies on society and the environment? Are we building an enterprise that will thrive for the next 50 years, not just the next five? 

The path to a sustainable future requires courage, innovation, and a radical shift in perspective. Those who begin the journey now—re-evaluating their strategy, investing in capacity, and embracing transparency—will not only ensure their success but will also be at the forefront of shaping a more competitive, resilient, and prosperous Nigerian economy for all. Let’s build that future together. 

 

Dr. Eugene Itua is CEO of Natural Eco Capital & ED, Africa Green Economy & Sustainability Institute

Kuwaiti-born Jordanian Medical Doctor Yousif Abdulraouf Alhallaq Charged With U.S. Naturalisation Fraud

By
Bola Akinloye
-
0

A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a former medical doctor with naturalisation fraud, for providing false answers on a U.S. citizenship application and during an in-person interview.

According to the factual allegations in the indictment, Yousif Abdulraouf Alhallaq, 46, of Canton, was born in Kuwait but was a Jordanian citizen at the time he entered the United States on an H1B visa in 2006.

In 2011, Alhallaq filed an application to become a permanent resident of the United States, which was approved and granted him lawful status. Since approximately 2012, Alhallaq has worked as a medical doctor in Northeast Ohio. \

Then, in December 2014, the defendant poisoned a victim who was pregnant with his child, in an attempt to terminate the pregnancy without her knowledge.

On March 18, 2021, Alhallaq was indicted in the Stark County Court of Common Pleas and charged with one count of attempted murder and two counts of felonious assault for trying to purposely cause the termination of the victim’s pregnancy and knowingly causing serious physical harm to the victim and her unborn child.

In September 2021, Alhallaq pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to four years in prison.

Before Alhallaq was indicted and sentenced in 2021, Alhallaq mailed a federal application, Form N-400, in late 2017 to become a naturalised U.S. citizen. In the application, he submitted “no” answers to the following questions:

  • 14C – Were you ever involved in any way with killing or trying to kill someone?
  • 14D – Were you ever involved in any way with badly hurting, or trying to hurt a person on purpose?
  • 22 – Have you ever committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?

In March 2018, Alhallaq continued with the process of applying for U.S. citizenship and was interviewed by an immigration officer to review the previously submitted naturalisation application. Under oath, the defendant verbally confirmed answers to questions 14C, 14D, and 22 as “no”, which matched those initially submitted by mail.

On May 4, 2018, the defendant became a naturalised U.S. citizen during a ceremony in Stark County, Ohio.

The grand jury charges that although Alhallaq knowingly committed acts of attempted murder and felonious assault against his unborn child in 2014, he nonetheless proceeded to sign his naturalisation application in 2017 and then provided verbal confirmation to an immigration official during an interview in 2018 and in both instances attested to the truthfulness of the information he provided, which resulted in being granted U.S. citizenship.

Alhallaq faces a maximum of up to 10 years in prison for naturalisation fraud.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, his role in the offence, and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

Justice Department Begins Investigation of University of California System for Race, Sex-based Employment Practices

By
Deborah Ojuade
-
0

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation into the University of California system, including its individual campuses, concerning potential race- and sex-based discrimination in university employment practices.

The University of California’s ‘UC 2030 Capacity Plan’ directs its campuses to hire “diverse” faculty members to meet race- and sex-based employment quotas.

These initiatives openly measure new hires by their race and sex, which potentially runs afoul of federal law.

The Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section will investigate whether the University of California is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, sex, and other protected characteristics, pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“Public employers are bound by federal laws that prohibit racial and other employment discrimination,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Institutional directives that use race- and sex-based hiring practices expose employers to legal risk under federal law.”

Eureka Chiropractor Carrie Musselman Jailed 20 Months, to Repay $2.3m for Defrauding Medicare

By
Bola Akinloye
-
0

Carrie Musselman, 48, of Eureka, Illinois, was sentenced on June 24, 2025, to 20 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution following her convictions on multiple charges related to her scheme to defraud Medicare and twelve other insurance companies.

A jury found Musselman guilty of one count of healthcare fraud and five counts of wire fraud after a 13-day trial in February 2025.

At the sentencing hearing before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the government presented evidence that Musselman, a chiropractor in Eureka, engaged in a multi-year fraud to steal more than $2.5 million from Medicare and other insurance companies.

As part of the scheme, Musselman submitted fraudulent insurance claims which indicated that services had been performed by medical doctors when they were actually performed by mid-level providers.

That resulted in automatic pay increases for Musselman to which she was not entitled.

Musselman also made claims that falsely asserted patients had received services that were never provided. These claims included purportedly providing patients with allergy injections when no such injections were given.

Instead, patients were sent home with oral drops that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, were considered “experimental,” and had not been proven to be effective.

Musselman misrepresented services that were provided, again resulting in her receipt of payments to which she was not entitled. One of Musselman’s most highly reimbursed services, the placement of an electroacupuncture device, which she falsely billed as a surgically implanted neurostimulator, would not have qualified for any payment but for her deception.

Also at the hearing, Judge Mihm found that Musselman had committed perjury in her testimony. In doing so, the judge noted that Musselman’s statements lacked credibility. He stated that Musselman was well aware of the fraud she was committing and that she had directed and encouraged the fraud.

“This case should serve as a warning to anyone who would commit fraud against health insurance,” said Acting United States Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “We will seek out fraud, waste, and abuse and prosecute those who engage in it. Providers who take advantage of the trust placed in them to line their own pockets abandon their ethical responsibilities and raise health insurance costs for vulnerable patients.”

“The submission of false claims undermines the integrity of our federal healthcare system,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “We remain committed to holding healthcare providers accountable for complying with Medicare regulations so that enrollees can continue to rely on the program and receive the care they deserve.”

“Bad actors in healthcare, such as Dr. Musselman, think they can cover up fraud through clouded paperwork and technical healthcare jargon all while they commit illegal acts such as false claims, fraudulent services, and in this case, services not even rendered,” said Christopher J.S. Johnson, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Springfield Field Office. “This sentencing and ordered restitution are a testament to the FBI’s commitment to working these types of cases. It doesn’t matter how clouded the paperwork, or how many files there are to go through, if there is a victim, then there will be an agent investigating it.”

Wakpala Woman Malania Rose Fast Horse Jailed 13 Years for Killing Her Mother

By
Deborah Ojuade
-
0

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced Friday that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Wakpala, South Dakota, woman convicted of voluntary manslaughter.

The sentencing took place on June 23, 2025.

Malania Rose Fast Horse, 25, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Fast Horse was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025. She pleaded guilty on March 6, 2025.

Fast Horse quarrelled with her mother in their Wakpala, South Dakota, home, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation, on Christmas Eve 2024. Fast Horse lost her temper and stabbed her mother several times in the chest, arm, and hand.

Fast Horse ambled to her grandmother’s home next door and told her grandmother and brother she had stabbed her mother. She then grabbed some cigarettes and left. Fast Horse’s brother ran next door, finding his mother lying in a pool of blood on the floor, alive but incoherent.

Although EMS was promptly dispatched, Fast Horse’s mother later succumbed to her injuries.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this matter because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court, rather than state court.

Fast Horse was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

U.S. Convicts Nec Bullion CEO Charles Uchenna Nwadavid of Multimillion-dollar Scam, Money Laundering

By
Olaoluwa Fabuyi
-
0

A Nigerian national pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Boston to his involvement in the theft of more than $2.5 million from six romance scam victims by transferring their money to cryptocurrency accounts that he controlled.

Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, 35, of Abuja, Nigeria, pleaded guilty to mail fraud, aiding and abetting money laundering and money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 23, 2025.

Nwadavid was arrested in April 2025 upon arrival at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport after a flight from the United Kingdom. In January 2024, a federal grand jury in Boston indicted Nwadavid on charges of mail fraud and money laundering.

According to the charging documents, “romance scams” recruit victims through advertisements for online relationships on dating or social media websites. Individuals perpetuating romance scams create fictitious profiles and then use them to gain victims’ trust through a purported romantic relationship.

Perpetrators then direct their victims to send money or to conduct financial transactions involving other victims’ money under false pretences, such as an urgent need for money to secure a multimillion-dollar inheritance or to pay for an unexpected hospitalisation.

Between approximately 2016 and September 2019, Nwadavid participated in romance scams that tricked victims into sending money abroad. In an effort to conceal the ultimate recipient of the victims’ funds, a victim from Massachusetts was tricked into receiving funds from five other victims around the United States.

The victim then passed the funds to Nwadavid through a series of cryptocurrency transactions. Nwadavid repeatedly accessed accounts in the victim’s name from overseas to transfer the victims’ funds to accounts he controlled at LocalBitcoins, an online cryptocurrency platform.

The mail fraud charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the loss to the victim, restitution, and forfeiture.

The money laundering charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the laundering transactions, restitution, and forfeiture.

The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Ecuador Captures Notorious Los Choneros Drug Kingpin José Adolfo Macías Villamar ‘Fito’ in Dramatic Raid

By
Samuel Nwite
-
0

Ecuador’s year-long manhunt for its most wanted criminal ended dramatically this week with the capture of José Adolfo Macías Villamar, alias ‘Fito’, the notorious leader of the Los Choneros gang.

Fito, whose escape from prison in early 2024 plunged the country into chaos, was apprehended in his coastal hometown of Manta following a tense 10-hour operation involving both military and police forces.

The raid, which unfolded late Tuesday and into Wednesday, was hailed by President Daniel Noboa as a major victory in Ecuador’s ongoing battle against organised crime.

“The security block, armed forces and national police — after an operation of 10 hours, we achieved the capture of Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, alias Fito. A successful operation of the security block,” Interior Minister John Reimberg announced.

Military footage released to the public showed the moment Fito was discovered hiding in a cramped space beneath a kitchen counter, an armed officer confirming his identity at gunpoint.

Fito’s capture marks the end of a 17-month saga that exposed the vulnerabilities of Ecuador’s prison and security systems. In January 2024, Fito vanished from Guayaquil Regional Prison, where he was serving a 34-year sentence for murder and drug trafficking.

His disappearance was only discovered when soldiers arrived to transfer him to a higher-security facility, finding his cell empty. The escape triggered an unprecedented wave of violence: riots erupted in seven prisons, explosions and attacks rocked cities, and armed men stormed a live television broadcast.

In response, President Daniel Noboa declared an internal armed conflict, militarised the streets, and labelled Los Choneros and 21 other criminal organisations as terrorist entities.

The United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on both Fito and his gang for their roles in international drug trafficking and violent crime.

Fito’s criminal reach extended far beyond Ecuador’s borders; a U.S. indictment accuses him of smuggling tons of cocaine into the United States in collaboration with Mexican cartels, as well as orchestrating arms trafficking and assassinations.

Despite his imprisonment, Fito maintained control over Los Choneros, orchestrating criminal operations from behind bars and even releasing videos flanked by armed associates. His influence was so pervasive that the government recently offered a $1 million reward for information leading to his capture.

The operation to recapture Fito comes amid heightened scrutiny of Ecuador’s security forces, especially after the recent escape of another gang leader, Federico Gómez, alias “Fede”. Authorities say Fito will now face extradition proceedings to the United States, where he is wanted on multiple charges related to drug and weapons trafficking.

President Noboa and his administration have celebrated Fito’s arrest as a turning point in their campaign to reclaim the country from organised crime.

123...393Page 2 of 393

WORLD'S MOST WANTED

GALLERY OF ROGUES

TOP CATEGORIES

ABOUT US

TheCrimeScene is committed to rights and justice advocacy. It offers a platform for promoting security and safety.

Contact us: info@thecrimesscene.com
                     editor@thecrimesscene.com

Advert Placement: advert@thecrimesscene.com

FOLLOW US

© Developed by Fabnex. All Rights Reserved.