FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending September 18, 2009

Washington, D.C. September 18, 2009

FBI Headquarters: FBI Releases 2008 Crime Statistics

According to figures released by the FBI, the estimated number of violent crimes in the nation declined for the second year in a row. Property crimes also declined in 2008, marking the sixth straight year the collective estimates for these offenses dropped below the previous year’s total.

Los Angeles: Film Executives Guilty of Bribing Thai Official for Lucrative Contracts

Gerald Green and Patricia Green, Los Angeles-area film executives, were found guilty of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and money laundering laws of the United States, as well as substantive violations of the FCPA and U.S. money laundering laws. The two participated in a sophisticated bribery scheme to obtain a series of Thai government contracts, including valuable contracts to manage and operate Thailand’s yearly film festival.

New York: Al Qaeda Supporter Sentenced to Life in Prison

Oussama Abdullah Kassir was sentenced to life in prison for his participation in an effort to establish a jihad training camp in Bly, Oregon, and his operation of several terrorist websites. Kassir was found guilty of all 11 counts against him, including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists; providing material support to terrorists; conspiracy to provide material support to al Qaeda; providing material support to al Qaeda; conspiracy to kill or maim persons overseas; and distributing information relating to explosives, destructive devices, and weapons of mass destruction.

Miami: Attorney Pleads Guilty in Florida to Role in $194 Million Hedge Fund Collapse

Attorney Won Sok Lee pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and one count of wire fraud in connection with the operation of a hedge fund formerly run by the KL Group LLC in Florida and California.

Boston: Pfizer Subsidiary Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Marketing

Pharmacia & Upjohn Company, Inc., a subsidiary of Pfizer, Inc., pled guilty to a felony violation of the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act, for misbranding the drug, Bextra, with the intent to defraud or mislead. Pharmacia & Upjohn Company, Inc. agreed to pay a criminal fine of $1.195 billion, the largest criminal fine ever imposed in the United States for any matter. Pharmacia & Upjohn Company, Inc. also agreed to forfeit $105 million, for a total criminal resolution of $1.3 billion.

Albany: Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with $11 Million Mortgage Fraud Scheme

Benjamin Osmanson pled guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering related to his scheme to defraud mortgage lenders by submitting false loan applications in the names of investors. Osmanson admitted his scheme caused over $11 million in losses to mortgage lenders as properties purchased during the scheme went into foreclosure.

Newark: New Jersey Man Sentenced for Running Guns from Georgia to New Jersey

Terrek K. Parker was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison for having a straw buyer purchase handguns in Georgia, which he then transported to New Jersey.

Sacramento: Folsom Ponzi Scheme Operator Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Prison

Stefan A. Wilson was sentenced to 236 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of over $12 million for running a Ponzi scheme that financially devastated approximately 80 victims and their families.

Denver: Boulder Company Sentenced for Trading with Cuba

Platte River Associates, a Boulder company, was sentenced to a fine of $14,500 for trading with Cuba. In an unrelated case, the President of Platte River Associates, Jay E. Leonard, was sentenced to serve 12 months of supervised probation for unauthorized access of a protected computer.

Kansas City: State Employee Charged with Making Threatening Calls to Trooper

Timothy L. Wyrick was charged with making threatening telephone phone calls to a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper. Wyrick is employed by the Kansas Highway Patrol as a motorist assist technician.