More than 300 charged in $14.6 billion health care fraud schemes takedown, Justice Department says
Law enforcement seized more than $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets as prosecutors warned of a growing push by transnational criminal networks to exploit the U.S. health care system. As part of the sweeping crackdown, officials identified perpetrators based in Russia, Eastern Europe, Pakistan, and other countries.
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Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gangs promoting small boats crossings on social media face jail under new crackdown
Gangs promoting small boat Channel crossings on social media will face up to five years in prison as part of a new crackdown announced by the government. An amendment to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill – currently going through parliament – will introduce a new, UK-wide offence to criminalise the creation of material for publication online which promotes or offers services facilitating a breach of UK immigration law. This could include small boat crossings, the creation of fake travel documents like passports or visas, or explicitly promising illegal working opportunities in the UK. While facilitating illegal migration is already a crime, the government said the proposed changes would 'add another string to law enforcement's bow, better enabling them to disrupt the gangs while they are publicising people smuggling activities and provide an additional tool when building a case against those peddling this content'. Approximately 80 per cent of migrants arriving via small boats told officials that they used social media during their illegal journey to the UK, including to locate or communicate with an agent or facilitator associated with an organised crime group, according to Home Office analysis. Individuals caught by the offence could receive a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine. It comes after the number of migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel topped 25,000 in record time, after some 898 people made the journey in 13 boats on Wednesday – the third highest daily number of crossings this year. The home secretary said ministers are 'determined to do everything we can' to prevent people smuggling gangs from helping people to make the dangerous crossing. 'Selling the false promise of a safe journey to the UK and a life in this country – whether on or offline – simply to make money, is nothing short of immoral', said Yvette Cooper. 'These criminals have no issue with leading migrants to life-threatening situations using brazen tactics on social media.' She added: 'We have to stay one step ahead of the ever-evolving tactics of people-smuggling gangs and this move, part of our Plan for Change to boost border security, will empower law enforcement to disable these tactics faster and more effectively, ensuring people face proper penalties.' Rob Jones, director general of the National Crime Agency, said: 'We know many of the people-smuggling networks risking lives transporting people to the UK promote their services to migrants using social media. 'The majority of migrants arriving in the UK will have engaged with smugglers in this way. This is why we work with social media companies to target smugglers' accounts, and we've increased the pace of takedowns.' In 2025 so far, 25,436 people have made the dangerous journey across the Channel – up 51 per cent on this point last year (16,842) and 73 per cent higher than at this stage in 2023 (14,732), according to PA news agency analysis. It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 25,000 mark has been passed since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018. Last year, the figure was passed on 22 September, and in 2023, it was on 2 October. With Nigel Farage's Reform UK surging in the polls, the figures come as a fresh blow to Sir Keir Starmer, whose pledge to tackle small boat crossings is a central pledge of his mission for government. The high numbers of crossings come despite the prime minister announcing a major 'one in, one out' returns deal with France last month. While it is hoped the deal will bring the spiralling numbers under control, the crossings have so far continued at pace.
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Orlando woman without medical license arrested after botched ‘double chin' surgery which she tried eight times to correct: police
A woman in Orlando was arrested after she provided an Endolaser treatment to a customer's "double chin" without holding a medical license, according to the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation. Investigators said that Gabriela Pereira, 29, performed the surgery at Tonya Beauty in Orlando on April 16, 2024, according to an affidavit obtained by News 6 in Florida. During the procedure, the patient reportedly was burned by the laser after it was left sitting for too long on her chin. The burn reportedly caused blistering and necrosis, according to investigators. Pereira allegedly had the customer return eight times for follow up treatments in an attempt to correct the damage. Investigators allege that she posed as a technician with a medical license. 'Pereira provided the services in exchange for (the patient) allowing Tonya Beauty to use her photos online as a model,' the affidavit says. Investigators said the patient who was burned learned of the clinic via recommendations online. 'Tonya Beauty is a very popular clinic among Brazilians, with a lot of actresses and singers coming from Brazil to get procedures done,' the affidavit says. 'They are very popular on social media, including Instagram, and are known to have gained the trust of Brazilians for cosmetic procedures in the United States.' The Independent has requested a comment from Tonya Beauty. An arrest warrant for Pereira was filed on July 29. She is currently facing nine counts of practicing medicine without a license, nine counts of practicing a health care profession without a valid license, and two counts of dispensing medical drugs without a license, according to investigators. Police shut down another unlicensed clinic in Florida in early July after a woman complained that she had experienced facial paralysis after receiving a botox injection. Unlike Tonya Beauty, that clinic was operating out of a shed in a woman's backyard in Port St Lucie, Florida. In that case, a woman named Rosa Mena was allegedly operating without a license from her backyard spa. She claimed to have been a doctor in the Dominican Republic, but her documentation was out of date. A search warrant at Mena's property turned up medical beds, vials, needles, fat sculpting machines, micro-needling equipment, laser hair removal equipment, and liposuction machines. Mena was charged with three counts of aggravated batter causing bodily harm and three counts of practicing medicine without an active license, and two fraud counts.
Politico
26 minutes ago
- Politico
Office of Special Counsel to probe potential Hatch Act violations by former Special Counsel Jack Smith
Trump and his allies have argued that Smith — who was chosen by former Attorney General Merrick Garland to lead the federal criminal investigations into Trump for his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and his handling of classified documents — was conducting a 'witch hunt.' Two weeks before the election, Trump said that Smith should be 'thrown out of the country.' 'Jack Smith should be considered mentally deranged and he should be thrown out of the country,' Trump said on a radio show in October. The Justice Department has focused much of its resources and time — as it deals with the fallout and criticism from its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein saga — on the alleged wrongdoings of former Biden DOJ officials, including Smith. Earlier this year, it launched the 'Weaponization Working Group,' which is tasked with, among other things, reviewing efforts by Smith's team during the Biden administration. The investigation was first reported on Friday by the New York Post. Neither the White House nor a representative for Smith immediately responded to requests for comment. Since Smith is a former government employee, it's not entirely clear what action the independent agency could take if it finds he violated the Hatch Act. When asked about potential actions against Smith, an OSC spokesperson declined to comment.
