Federal Judge reveals fortune cookie for Chinese national: NASA worker had U.S. technology on take-out orders to China; will spend 15 months in slammer

During the latter part of 2003 and into early 2004, in an effort to obtain technological components for use by Allray, Huang falsely represented to three U.S. companies that he was employed by NASA and was working on a joint project between NASA and Allray. No such joint project existed. The components which Huang sought included cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) and mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) wafers, considered dual-use technology subject to U.S. export controls. These products were unrelated to Huang’s former work at NASA.

In order to make it appear as though NASA was involved in procuring these products, Huang directed that purchased items be shipped to an associate employed at Goddard; used a Goddard e-mail account to communicate with the companies and subsequently redirect e-mails to his personal e-mail account; faxed (or had faxed) a purchase order from a number associated with Goddard; and presented his former business card to companies that identified him as a contract employee of NASA/Goddard.

In late October 2003, as a result of his false representations, Huang obtained five CZT wafers from Company 1 and four silicon wafers from Company 2. Huang directed his associate working at Goddard to ship two of the CZT wafers to Company 2 so it could apply a specific growth process to add a layer of MCT to the wafers. Huang also directed his associate to buy 10 additional CZT wafers for $10,620 from Company 3.

Company 3 subsequently determined that Allray was a Chinese company headed by Huang, and that the shipping/billing address provided for the purchase was a residential address. Accordingly, Company 3 did not sell the CZT wafers, and the MCT wafers were never manufactured. If successful, the MCT growth process requested by Huang would have fabricated a type of infrared detector suitable for military applications, such as night vision and missile detection, that would have been controlled for export to China. The 10 CZT wafers sought from Company 3 were similarly controlled for export.

Crooked police dispatcher dispatched to prison for text bribery scheme with tow truck operator

Between February 2011 and December 2013, Parsley operated a bribery scheme through which she collected weekly payments totaling more than $35,000 from three tow truck operators, now her co-defendants, in exchange for providing them with certain confidential information, including accident and disabled vehicle locations, and the personal identifying information of accident victims. Parsley did this by secretly sending text messages from her personal cellphone, in a purposeful end-run around PPD policies and procedures. In this way, the defendant provided an unfair economic advantage to her bribers, at the expense of other tow truck operators who relied on the proper functioning of the PPD’s rotational towing program

Legislative Audit of Morgan State Univ.: Financial Systems Are Slipshod, Sloppy and Vulnerable to Massive Fraud

This report includes findings relating to conditions that we consider to be significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal control that could adversely affect MSU’s ability to maintain reliable financial records, operate effectively and efficiently, and/or comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Our report also includes findings regarding significant instances of noncompliance with applicable laws, rules, or regulations

Post declines to endorse Judge Cougar, cites her boy-toy burglar

During most election seasons, it’s hard to get less dramatic races than those for Montgomery County Circuit Court judges. Rarely does anyone challenge the judges in office, who got their positions after going through a complicated nominating process.

This year, as recent primary vote totals show, things are different.

The race, to be decided in November, involves a salacious controversy, allegations of misconduct, and a courthouse filled with lawyers who are at once fascinated and panicked about the whole thing.

“It’s a huge concern for every lawyer I know,” says Joe Fitzpatrick, a longtime local lawyer and former president of the Bar Association of Montgomery County.

The main players are incumbent Judge Audrey Creighton and challenger Daniel Patrick Connell.

Six weeks ago, Creighton, 53, admitted to having an affair with a violent felon who was arrested after allegedly attacking her in her house, where he had been living. The suspect, Rickley Senning, 24, has been jailed on charges of assault, kidnapping and other counts.

16 Puerto Rico cops plead guilty to shaking down drug dealers for cash, committing crimes and running gang of Bad Badge Boys of Blue from police headquarters

The defendants frequently shared with one another the proceeds they illegally obtained, and used their power, authority and official positions as police officers to promote and protect their illegal activity. Among other things, the defendants used POPR firearms, badges, patrol cars, tools, uniforms and other equipment to commit the crimes, and then concealed their illegal activity with fraudulently obtained court documents and falsified POPR paperwork that made it appear they were engaged in legitimate police work.

Vipinkumar Patel and Jigar Patel entered guilty pleas to massive fraud of Medicaid and Medicare for prescriptions

According to their plea agreements, the Patels held the positions of pharmacy technician and lead pharmacy technician, starting at $10/hour and eventually becoming salaried employees, making approximately $1,400 biweekly. In addition, the Patels were provided with housing and transportation, making their total salary and benefits between $70,000 and $120,000. The value of the housing and transportation benefits were not disclosed on the Patels’ income tax returns.

Larayne Whitehead revealed how easy it is to scam Uncle Sam; FBI showed that they can nab crooks

As a result of the scheme, Whitehead and co-conspirator Christopher Johnson received at least 144 bank deposits from governmental agencies totaling approximately $2,321,058.95 which was reasonably foreseeable to Whitehead. The scheme involved between 50 and 250 business victims.

In addition, on June 28, July 16 and August 10, 2010, Whitehead submitted duplicate charges to a government credit card that the Department of Homeland Security had provided to her to pay for goods provided pursuant to a government contract. The resulting loss to the federal government was $39,983.16.

Board of Public Works passes out millions for development rights for land unlikely to have ever been developed….follow the money

Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program provides funding to preserve large tracts of forestry and agricultural land and natural resources, and for environmental protection while sustaining land for natural resource-based industries. Enacted by the General Assembly in 1997, Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program has to date provided over $249 million to protect approximately 78,000 acres of valuable farmland, forests, and natural areas. The 11-member Rural Legacy Advisory Committee and the Rural Legacy Board, which is comprised of Maryland’s Agriculture, Natural Resources and Planning Secretaries, reviews grant applications annually

Navy Military Sealift Command Contractor Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Conspiracy

At his plea hearing, Miserendino admitted that he solicited and accepted regular cash bribes, as well as other things of value, from two Chesapeake, Virginia contracting companies, referred to as Company A and Company B in court documents, in exchange for providing favorable treatment to those companies in connection with U.S. government contract work. More specifically, Miserendino admitted that he accepted $3,000 in cash bribes per month from various employees at Company A, including co-conspirators Dwayne A. Hardman, Roderic J. Smith, Michael P. McPhail, and Adam C. White. Miserendino also admitted that he, along with Toy, accepted a cash bribe payment of $50,000 in May 2009, from Company B’s founders, Hardman and Timothy S. Miller.

Two retailers convicted for food stamp fraud; scheme netted more than a million each

BALTIMORE, MD—A federal jury convicted Abdulmalik Abdulla, age 37, and Ahmed Mohssen, age 54, both of Baltimore, today on charges of food stamp fraud and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to illegally redeem food stamp benefits in exchange for cash.

The convictions were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William G. Squires, Jr. of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; and Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“Retailers who trade food stamp credits for cash are on notice that federal authorities are on their trail,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Taxpayers fund the program to provide food for needy recipients, not to turn retail store cash registers into ATM machines.”