FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending August 1, 2008

1. Atlanta: Registe Added to FBI’s List of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives

Michael Jason Registe, of Columbus, Georgia, wanted for the murder of two individuals in 2007, has been added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Registe is also wanted on an unrelated charge of aggravated assault in Columbus, Georgia, for a shooting that occurred in 2005. A reward of up to $100,000 is being offered for any information leading directly to his arrest.

2. Anchorage: U.S. Senator Indicted on False Statement Charges

United States Senator Theodore F. Stevens of Alaska was charged in an Indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia with seven counts of making false statements related to Stevens’ financial disclosure forms. The seven-count Indictment charges Sen. Stevens, the former chairperson of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, with engaging in a nearly eight-year scheme to conceal his receipt of more than $250,000 in things of value from VECO Corporation, formerly a multi-national oil services company based in Alaska, and Bill J. Allen, the Chief Executive Officer of VECO at the time.

3. New York: Private Banker Arrested In Argentina on Charges Of Embezzling More Than $5 Million From Bank Clients

Hernan Arbizu was arrested in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and 15-count Indictment was unsealed charging him with the embezzlement of more than $5 million dollars from the accounts of bank customers at UBS AG and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

4. FBI Headquarters: FBI Warns of Storm Worm Virus

The FBI and its partner, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), have received reports of recent spam e-mails spreading the Storm Worm malicious software, known as malware. These e-mails direct e-mail recipients to click on a link to view an article about the FBI and Facebook, a popular social networking website. Clicking on the link downloads malware onto the Internet connected device, causing it to become infected with the virus and part of the Storm Worm botnet.

5. Washington D.C.: U.S. Army Officer Pleads Guilty in Iraq Wire Fraud Scheme

Debra Harrison, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the Coalition Provisional Authority - South Central Region in Al-Hillah, Iraq.

6. Tampa: Four Charged in $82 Million Mortgage Loan Fraud

A 47-count Indictment was returned charging four individuals with conspiracy, making false statements in connection with bank loans, a scheme to defraud seven FDIC ­insured banks, and money laundering. The defendants conspired to obtain $82,790,000 in loans from seven financial institutions in the Tampa/Sarasota area by making false statements to those banks.

7. Miami: Italian Company and Executives Strike Plea Agreement in Worldwide Bid-Rigging Conspiracy

Manuli Rubber Industries SpA, a marine hose manufacturer based in Milan, Italy, and Robert L. Furness, the former president of the company’s former Plantation, Florida-based subsidiary have agreed to plead guilty and pay more than $2 million in criminal fines for participating in a conspiracy to rig bids, fix prices, and allocate market shares of marine hose sold in the United States and elsewhere.  Furness has agreed to serve 14 months in prison and pay a $75,000 criminal fine. Additionally, Giovanni Scodeggio, an Italian citizen who is the manager of Parker ITR S.r.l.’s Oil & Gas Business Unit, another marine hose manufacturer located in Veniano, Italy, has also agreed to plead guilty for participating in the same conspiracy.

8. New York: Genovese Family Associate Found Guilty of $50,000 Extortion

Angelo Nicosia, an associate of the Genovese Organized Crime Family of La Cosa Nostra, was found guilty of extortion and extortion conspiracy after a one-week jury trial. According to the Indictment and the evidence at trial, Nicosia was an associate in the crew of Genovese Family capo Angelo Prisco. Nicosia was hired as a sub-contractor on a construction job, and later claimed that the contractor owed him thousands of dollars for work that he had not actually completed. When the contractor resisted making payment, Nicosia and other Genovese associates repeatedly threatened the contractor until he paid them $50,000.

9. Washington Field: Former Airline Executive Agrees to Plead Guilty to Price Fixing Conspiracy

Timothy Pfeil, the former highest-ranking cargo executive in the United States for SAS Cargo Group A/S (SAS), a Scandinavian-based airline, has agreed to plead guilty and serve six months in jail for participating In a conspiracy to fix prices for air cargo rates. According to court documents, Pfeil conspired with competitors to fix the rates charged to U.S. and international customers on air cargo shipments, in violation of the Sherman Act. In July 2008, SAS pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay a $52 million criminal fine for conspiring to fix prices on air cargo rates.

10. New York: Former Owner of Coletronic Computer, Inc. Sentenced for Trafficking Counterfeit Cisco Systems Products

Charles Lacy-Thompson, the former owner of Coletronic, Computer, Inc., was sentenced to 30 months in prison for trafficking in counterfeit Cisco Systems, Inc. products. He was also ordered to pay $2.2 million in forfeiture and restitution.