FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending October 16, 2009

Washington, D.C. October 16, 2009

New York: Hedge Fund Managers, Fortune 500 Executives, and Management Consulting Director Charged in Historic Insider Trading Case

Six individuals were charged in connection with their alleged involvement in the largest hedge fund insider trading case in history. All are charged with participating in insider trading schemes that together netted more than $20 million in illegal profits. This case represents the first time that court-authorized wiretaps have been used to target significant insider trading on Wall Street.

New York: Forty-One Defendants Charged in Coordinated Mortgage Fraud Takedown Across New York State

An indictment was unsealed charging 41 defendants, in eight separate cases, with allegedly engaging in various mortgage fraud scams that defrauded lenders out of more than $64 million in home mortgage loans on more than 100 properties across New York State. Among those charged are six lawyers, seven loan officers, three mortgage brokers, an accountant, and a residential property appraiser.

Detroit: Chinese National Charged With Stealing Ford Trade Secrets

Xiang Dong Yu of Beijing, China was charged with theft of trade secrets, attempted theft of trade secrets, and unauthorized access to a protected computer. According to the indictment, Yu was a product engineer for the Ford Motor Company from 1997 to 2007 and had access to Ford trade secrets, including Ford design documents. Before his departure from Ford, Yu copied 4,000 Ford documents onto an external hard drive, including sensitive design documents. Yu also allegedly used stolen Ford design documents in an effort to obtain employment with a Chinese automotive company in 2005 and again in 2006

Sacramento: Operation TRAPS Targets Internet Predators

Approximately 150 law enforcement officers from 26 federal, state, and local agencies participated in a two-day child predator sweep organized by the Sacramento FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force. The sweep, code named Operation TRAPS, targeted child predators and pornographers and was in support of the FBI’s Innocent Images National Initiative, a program designed to reduce the sexual exploitation and abuse of children over the Internet.

Kansas City: Leader of Asian Massage Parlor Scheme Sentenced for Coercing Prostitution, Money Laundering, Identity Theft

Ling Xu, the owner and operator of Asian massage parlors in Johnson County, Kansas, was sentenced to eight years and two months in federal prison for leading and organizing a criminal scheme to coerce her employees, whom she recruited from China, to engage in prostitution. Xu, who also pleaded guilty to money laundering and identity theft, is subject to deportation upon the completion of her sentence.

Philadelphia: Financial Fraudster Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison

Jason Bloom was sentenced to 90 months in prison for wire fraud stemming from a scheme to defraud homeowners, lenders, title insurance companies, and the City of Philadelphia of more than $1.7 million. Bloom engaged in this scheme from 2004 to 2008, acting as a settlement agent and title insurance agent for real estate sales and refinancings.

New Orleans: Man Convicted of Federal Hate Crime for Burning His Neighbors’ Home

Johnny D. Mathis pleaded guilty to firing three shots from a shotgun at the home of three Hispanic men and, after they fled, entering the home and setting a fire that burned it to the ground.

Chicago: Defense Contractor to Pay $25 Million to Settle Contract Fraud Claims

MPC Products Corp., a defense contractor based in Skokie, Illinois, agreed to pay the United States a $2.5 million criminal fine and an additional $22.5 million civil judgment to settle federal allegations that it overcharged the government in a series of military contracts extending over a decade, ending in 200The company also agreed to simultaneously resolve both criminal and civil matters.

New Haven: Former United Rentals Executive Admits to Conspiring to Falsify Company Books

John N. Milne pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to falsify the books and records ofUnited Rentals, Inc. while he served as its Chief Financial Officer.

Minneapolis: Packaged-Ice Company, Three Former Executives Plead Guilty to Customer Allocation Conspiracy

Arctic Glacier International Inc., a packaged-ice company headquartered in St. Paul, agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $9 million criminal fine for allocating customers. In addition, three of the company’s former executives pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy to suppress and eliminate competition by allocating packaged-ice customers in the Detroit metropolitan area and southeastern Michigan.