The decision of the Federal Government to implement the Stephen Oronsaye report would not reduce the costs of governance.

This assertion was made recently by the chairman of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Emmanuel Ogundiran.

''The bifurcation and the so-called proliferation of appointments gave rise to the Stephen Oronsaye report. Have those conditions changed? Are those issues no longer there? If they think that the implementation of the report would reduce the costs of governance, they are looking at the worn place.''

''We have always asked, why are civil servants the first to be sacrificed in almost every situation? We are not against the implementation of the Oronsaye report or any reform, but the question is, will it have a meaningful impact on reducing the cost of governance? We also want to ask politicians what has happened to the retinue of aides of political office holders and the proliferation of political appointees. What have they done to them? And if they implement the report, all we are saying is that there should be no job loss and whoever that would be displaced by retirement, sacking or whatever, should be paid immediately if they leave service. ''

''But if that should be the case, what happens when we have a full Minister and a Minister of state for one Ministry, what are they ministering? All these should be considered holistically. ''What we are telling our political leaders is that they should first remove the log in their eyes before removing the speck from the eyes of others. They are killing the civil service by the day. Good luck to them with the implementation,''Comrade Ogundiran concluded.

The Non-Academic Staff Union OF Allied and Education Institutions(NASU) University College Hospital(UCH)branch, Ibadan, Nigeria has declared that its members are yet to be paid hazard allowance as resident doctors.

This Declaration was made by the chairman of the union in the University College Hospital(UCH)branch Ibadan, Nigeria, Comrade Kehinde Abiona.
''Our union and the resident doctors have common demands, we are yet to be paid hazard allowance and  there is a need to improve health services. However, I would urge our members to remain calm and we should continue to work with management to ensure that our members do not suffer. I can only advise my members to remain calm, calculative and composed, '' Comrade Abiona stated.
The Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors(NARD) had given  the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum to meet its demands or it would proceed on an indefinite strike.

 GRAND RAPIDS – A federal jury today convicted two men charged in connection with a conspiracy to kidnap the Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer.

          Adam Fox, of Wyoming, Michigan, and Barry Croft Jr., of Bear, Delaware, were found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap the governor and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property. Croft was additionally convicted of knowingly possessing an unregistered destructive device, specifically an improvised explosive wrapped in pennies for shrapnel.

          According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Fox and Croft intended to kidnap Governor Whitmer from her vacation cottage near Elk Rapids, Michigan and use the destructive devices to facilitate their plot by harming and hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers.

          “Today’s verdict confirms this plot was very real and very dangerous,” said former U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge for the Western District of Michigan, appointed to oversee the trial. “These men posed a threat not only to the Governor personally but also to bystanders. No elected leader should have to contend with what Governor Whitmer faced here. She deserves to live in safety, not in fear, just like everyone else in our State. All of our elected leaders deserve that, and the Justice Department will not tolerate violent extremist plots of this nature seeking to undermine our democracy”

          “These defendants believed their anti-government views justified violence,” said Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “Today’s verdict sends a clear message that they were wrong in their assessment. Violence is never the answer. The FBI will continue to investigate anyone who seeks to engage in violence in furtherance of any ideological cause and hold them accountable.”

          Co-conspirator Ty Garbin was sentenced to six years in prison in August 2021 after pleading guilty to the original indictment charging him with conspiracy to kidnap Governor Whitmer. Co-defendant Kaleb James Franks also pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to kidnap charge in February 2022 and is awaiting sentencing. Co-defendants Daniel Joseph Harris and Brandon Michael-Ray Caserta were acquitted of charges at trial earlier this year.

          The kidnapping conspiracy and the conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction are punishable by up to life in prison. Possession of an unregistered destructive device and the possession of an unregistered short barrel rifle are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The presiding judge, Judge Robert Jonker, will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

          The FBI’s Detroit Field Office investigated the case with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, including Michigan State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

          Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nils Kessler and Chris O’Connor conducted this retrial with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Taryn Meeks of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

Source-Federal Bureau of Investigation

Nigerians have been advised to identify criminals in their communities as a crucial step towards addressing the unending insecurity in the land.

This advice was given on Thursday by the chairman of the Oyo state council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers(NUT), Comrade Raji Oladimeji in a chat at the union's state secretariat in Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria.

''The spate of insecurity in different parts of the country is alarming. We have to go back to the drawing board. That is why we have to appeal to the parents forum to rejig the security apparatus in our various communities. Schools are located within communities. Let us identify those who constitute a nuisance within the community. Let us also be our brother's keeper,'' Comrade Oladimeji stated.

The chairman vowed to pursue the advancement of the welfare of union members to a logical conclusion, saying, ''believe in your leaders, our constant discussion and engagement with the Government is yielding results, the issue of leave bonuses has been resolved, other issues shall be resolved.''

He commended the state government for reinstating 120 primary school teachers who were previously laid off, adding,'', to us a responsible body, it is a welcome decision, it is a good development.''

Revitalize the culture of integrity; promote functional education and ethical professional practices.

Let all active players in the scheme of community service and national building realize that the houses of God agree with the culture and the educational institutions in this respect.

Let us equally realize that each citizen in the community and the nation has his/her Faith where he/she practices his/her religion.

It is, therefore, imperative to use the teaching effect of Culture, Education and Religion to promote peace for ease of promoting an Inclusive society in the area of functional democracy for justice, equity and Sustainable Development to naturally promote peace and harmony which all religious goals stand for, through the chosen houses of God.

Members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions(NASU) have been called upon to be security conscious and report suspicious activities promptly.

This call was made by the chairman of the union in the University College Hospital(UCH)branch Ibadan, Nigeria, Comrade Kehinde Abiona. ''Information is key to all we do.  We must be our brother's keeper. I call on all NASU members and Nigerians to be security conscious and report all suspicious activities around them in good time. We always sensitize and educate our members on basic security measures, Comrade Abiona disclosed. He appealed to the hospital's management and government to speedily facilitate the implementation of all that is due to the workers.''

''Many of the negotiated terms of contracts should be respected. The issue of promotion letters should also be resolved. Our members who have been promoted are yet to receive their promotion letters. And the is also the issue of promotion arrears for 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Another major issue is the lack of working tools for our members. Most of these tools are purchased personally by the workers. They personally purchase their raincoats, torch-lights, cutlasses among others. Of worry is that our members go for self development programs, in the absence of interventions by the management'', Comrade Abiona concluded.

The chairman  fiurther stated that the union  was fully prepared for  the outbreak of the monkeypox and other diseases, stressing that it successfully made provisions for members during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Workers in Nigeria have continuously lamented their poor conditions of service and poor welfare. In this interview, the Chairman Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals(NUAHP), Oyo state council, Comrade Oladayo Olabampe insists that his union has similar challenges. Excerpts :

How has been in journey so far, as regards addressing issues of leadership in your union?

God has being helping us. And members of the union have been cooperative with the help of God we have had a smooth journey. Although it has not been easy, we have tried our bets. God has helped us in most of the issues while we are still discussing some others, the Government is giving attention to a number of the issues and some are still undergoing some struggle.

What are the highlights of your achievements?

The major achievements start with the fact that we have a listening Governor, and we also interact with organs of the Government. When we have issues they listen to us, when we have some issues the state Government listens to us. Committees have sat and the outcome of their sittings are recommendations awaiting favorable implementations. There is the issue of teaching allowances, for years my members have been denied teaching allowances. These allowances are given to staff who are not employed to teach, but find themselves teaching. To teaching allowances are given to them as compensation. For some time now the Government has denied them the teaching allowances. In addition, the Government shall implement the CONHESS (Consolidated Health Salary Structure)salary scale for health professionals, this is the equivalent used for physicists, CONMESS(. We have made a case for the consequential adjustment of CONHESS(Consolidated Health Salary Structure for our members. This has also received attention, and it is awaiting implementation. When we mounted the saddle we commenced the compilation of data of health professionals who are gainfully employed. The result is the acute shortage of health professionals. Although the Government has employed some health professionals, there is an improvement, we are still expecting more.

What about the challenges confronting your union? Our challenges are not different from other unions.

Our number one challenge is that the Government always complains of lack of funds. We have made a strong case for our members regarding welfare. A major challenge is the mass exodus of our members to foreign countries to seek greener pastures. The exodus has created a lot of vacancies at both the State, Federal and Local Governments. The rate of exodus is not in tandem with the rate of recruitment. This has resulted in the shortage of health professional in the health sector. The brain drain has also not helped matters. However, we want our members to practice in their fatherland, but we hope the Government at all levels shall create an enabling environment.

Nigerians are to blame  for the prevalence of corruption in the country.                   
This assertion was made on Wednesday by a former Chief Judge of Oyo state, retired Justice Badejoko Adeniji at the official commissioning of the Ogunelu Aaare Alasa Dynasty Mediation and Conciliation Center(Igbejo), Oajaba, Ibadan, Oyo state Nigeria.
''We are all to blame for corruption. It was not so during Awolow's time,'' Justice Adeniji stated.
In his welcome address, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke admonished Nigerians to be peace-loving, saying, ''when we love one another there shall be peace in society.''

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt

-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Former Oyo state Governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja has called on Nigerians to pray fervently and ceaselessly for the emergence of competent leaders who shall possess the ability to deliver at all levels of Government.

Sen. Ladoja made this call recently in an interaction with journlaists, some hours after his elevation to the postion of Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland by the Olubadan, Oba Olalekan Blaogun, at hsi Ondo street, Bodiaj, Ibadan, Nigeria home.

''Nigerians should continue to pray for peace and unity. They should also pray for the emergence of competent leaders that shall be able to deliver. We need to be paryerful. Let us continue to pray to God,'' the fomrer Governor stated.

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-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Hearing of the suit between Andreww Emelieze and 5 others Vs Alade Bashir and two others begins on Wednesday 8 June 2022 at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria(NICN) Abuja Division(Court 1).

The case with suit No. NICN/ABJ/69/2022 is before the President of the NICN, Hon. Justice B.B Kanyip, PhD FNIALS.

Prior to the enactment of the Constitution (third alteration) Act, 2010, National Industrial Court was established by the Trade Dispute Decree, 1976, where matters relating to labour, trade union dispute, employment, conditions of service, welfare of employees were adjudicated upon.

The court is empowered to adjudicate trade disputes, labour practices, matters related to the Factories Act, Trade Disputes Act, Trade Unions Act, Workmen's Compensations Act and appeals from the Industrial Arbitration Panel.

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-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Nigerian workers deserve the best. But this is elusive. Why is this not so ? The people want to know.

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-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

BOSTON – A Belgian and Lebanese national holding an Illinois law license has been convicted by a federal jury of fraud and money laundering charges in connection with multiple scams that defrauded victims in several states.

Hassan A. Abbas, 64, of Belgium, was convicted following a six-day jury trial of one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of money laundering, two counts of unlawful monetary transactions and two counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 2022. Abbas was indicted in January 2020 and subsequently charged in a superseding indictment in November 2020.

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt

“The defendant was part of a scheme that toyed with people’s emotions, deceiving them to take their money. The funds he swindled were supposed to be used as the down payment on a home or to fund a comfortable retirement. There are real victims in financial frauds and my office fights for victims. We always have and we always will.” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins.

- Legalizing Crime and Criminality

“Hassan Abbas should be ashamed of himself for using his law license as a shield to exploit the hopes and dreams of innocent victims to line his own pockets. He targeted, preyed upon, and systematically ripped them off without a second thought,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Last year, Massachusetts residents reported losing more than $83 million due to romance and business email compromise scams, and the FBI is committed to holding the criminals behind these scams accountable for the harm they do to everyday citizens and our financial institutions.”

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

Between June 2017 and January 2019, Abbas and others defrauded victims through a series of romance, business email compromise (BEC), and other scams designed to trick victims into wiring monies to bank accounts they controlled. A BEC scheme is a sophisticated fraud often targeting individuals and businesses involved in wire transfer payments. The fraud is carried out by compromising and/or “spoofing” legitimate business email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques, to cause victims to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the scammers. In romance scams, perpetrators generally create fictitious online personas to develop online romantic relationships with individuals in the U.S., and then leverage those relationships to obtain money and/or property. 

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

Abbas created sham corporate entities and opened bank accounts in the name of those entities. Under false pretenses, both individual and corporate victims were then instructed to wire funds into the accounts Abbas controlled. Some victims were in the process of buying homes and believed the funds were for that purpose, including two Massachusetts victims who were tricked into wiring money to an individual they believed was their real estate broker. Others, including a third Massachusetts victim, believed they were transferring funds on behalf of or for the benefit of their romantic partners. Corporate victims were targeted as part of the scheme as well and were deceived into remitting invoice payments to the accounts Abbas controlled. 

Shortly after receiving the victim funds, Abbas transferred the funds to overseas accounts, domestic personal accounts or spent the funds on personal expenses.  

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property. The charge of unlawful monetary transaction provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie A. Queenin and David Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.

Source : FBI

Workers in Nigeria are now face to face with the fact that those elected(or selected) to defend and protect their interests, now nurture contrary motives.

These motives have over time impoverished the generality of workers in Nigeria and they are complaining bitterly. What is to be done ?

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt

-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

The cost of kerosene has gone beyond the reach of millions of Nigerians, there is no regular supply of electricity and the people lack potable water, yet political office holders still aspire to occupy various offices in 2023 and beyond. Interesting.

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt                                                    -Legalizing Crime and Criminality

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality                

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

The Zambia Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested the country's  former Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba and one other for fraud to the tune of US$33million.
Mr. Yamba, 62, of Lusaka was arrested and charged with one count of willful failure to comply with applicable law and procedure relating to procurement contrary to Section 34 (2) (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt
In 2018, Yamba did not follow the procedure when he authorized an advance payment of US$33, 750,000.00 to China Energy Engineering Group – Hunan Electric Power Design Institute Co. Ltd for the construction of FTJ Chiluba University in Mansa and Kasama under the Ministry of Higher Education. The amount  was paid to the contractor but till the present moment, construction is yet to commence.

-Legalizing Crime and Criminality
Also arrested  alongside Yamba is Joseph Phiri, an architect at the Ministry of Higher Education, for attempting to fraudulently facilitate a payment amounting to US$ 29,186,169.09 to China Energy Engineering Group–Hunan Electric Power Design Institute Co. Ltd.

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality
Mr Phiri, 57 of Lusaka  was charged with one count of fraudulent facilitation of payment contrary to section 34 (2) (a) as reading together with section 40(2) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012.
Phiri,  attempted to fraudulently facilitate payment to China Energy Engineering Group–Hunan Electric Power Design Institute Co. Ltd by signing and issuing an Interim Payment Certificate No. 2 valued at US$ 29,186,169.09 with an inflated sum of US$7,578,772.41 for goodstha were not  supplied.

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Obtained personal identifying information of more than 20,000 Americans to submit fraudulent claims for more than $2 million in federally funded payments since 2017

Tacoma – A 45-year-old resident of Lekki, Nigeria, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for using stolen identities to claim hundreds of thousands of dollars in pandemic-related unemployment benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Abidemi Rufai has been in custody since his arrest at New York’s JFK airport in May 2021.  At the time of his arrest, Rufai was the Special Assistant to the Governor of Nigeria’s Ogun State. 

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt

According to the plea agreement, since 2017, Rufai unlawfully obtained the personal identifying information for more than 20,000 Americans to submit more than $2 million in claims for federally funded benefits under a variety of relief programs.  The various agencies involved paid out more than $600,000.

The largest amount of fraud was committed against the Washington State Employment Security Department, which paid out $350,763 in fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims to accounts controlled by Rufai.  Rufai also submitted fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims in at least 17 other states. 

-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

Rufai also defrauded the Small Business Administration (SBA) by attempting to obtain Economic Injury Disaster loans (EIDL) tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Between April 8, 2020, and June 26, 2020, he submitted 19 fraudulent EIDL applications.  SBA paid out $10,000 based on the applications.

Between 2017 and 2020, Rufai attempted to obtain more than $1.7 million in IRS tax refunds by submitting 675 false claims.  The IRS paid out $90,877 on these claims.

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

Rufai’s efforts to enrich himself with false disaster claims did not start with COVID-19.  In September and October 2017, he submitted 49 disaster relief claims connected to Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.  He filed $24,500 in false claims and was paid on 13 claims totaling $6,500.

Rufai has agreed to pay full restitution to the defrauded agencies.

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

Wire fraud in relation to a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.  Aggravated identity theft is punishable two years in prison to follow any prison term imposed on another charge.  Prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than 71 months in prison.  The recommendation is not binding on U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle, who will determine the appropriate sentence on August 15, 2022, after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the United States Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General.  The Washington Employment Security Department is cooperating in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Wilkinson and Cindy Chang of the Western District of Washington.

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form athttps://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form

Source-FBI

Former Oyo State Governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja has advised Nigerians to cultivate the virtue of tolerance.

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt                                        -Legalizing Crime and Criminality
Senator Ladoja gave this advice on Monday, in an interaction with journalists at his Ondo Street, Bodija home in Ibadan, Nigeria.
''The lessons you learned during the Ramadan fast should be put to practice-discipline and tolerance. Tolerate one another. Let's learn to tolerate each other. If you love your fellow human being you will not kill,'' the former Governor stated.

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

The Presidents of Botswana and Zimbabwe have expressed gratitude to Rwanda for the role it played in checkmating the activities of terrorists in the  Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique.

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt
Their gratitude is contained in a joint communique they issued after the two-day Botswana-Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission held in Zimbabwe's prime resort area, Victoria Falls, at the weekend.
''The Heads of State expressed their gratitude to His Excellency Paul Kagame, of the Republic of Rwanda, for the deployment of Rwandan troops to Cabo Delgado to assist in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism,'' the communique stated.

-Legalizing Crime and Criminality                       -Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach            -Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Nigerians have been called upon to cultivate good nutrition habits to remain healthy and sound.
This call was made on Thursday by a Health Nutritionist, and President of BEWEM Services/Berg Live Healthy Foundation, Ms. Betty Folarin-Akinlosotu during a Health, Nutrition, and wellness workshop with Theme- Learning Healthy Habits and Lifestyles that Helps you prevent and cure diseases in the most affordable ways- in Ibadan.
 
''Micronutrients are very good for the body. It provides vitamins essential for the human body. You can get it from foods and vegetables. Good nutrition keeps you healthy and sound. Eat lots of vegetables to keep you healthy. Observing regular sleep and rest in addition to embarking on exercises  will keep you healthy and sound.''
In his remarks, the Vice President of the Foundation, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke outlined the role of nutrition in healthy living.
''Nutrition is a hyper-critical part of health and development because the child and maternal health, stronger immune systems, lower risk of non-communicable diseases(for example, diabetes and cardiovascular disease), and longevity are functions of good and healthy nutrition. Malnutrition is a diverse issue that needs support from multiple sectors-Nutritionists, Dieticians, the Medic, etc. The determinants of malnutrition are multiple and extremely complex. So encouraging quality and safety of the food as a lifelong behavioral trait is the duty of all general and nutrition specialists in particular.''

Four Russian Government Employees Charged in Two Historical Hacking Campaigns Targeting Critical Infrastructure Worldwide

Defendants’ Separate Campaigns Both Targeted Software and Hardware for Operational Technology Systems

The Department of Justice unsealed two indictments today charging four defendants, all Russian nationals who worked for the Russian government, with attempting, supporting and conducting computer intrusions that together, in two separate conspiracies, targeted the global energy sector between 2012 and 2018. In total, these hacking campaigns targeted thousands of computers, at hundreds of companies and organizations, in approximately 135 countries.

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt

A June 2021 indictment returned in the District of Columbia, United States v. Evgeny Viktorovich Gladkikh, concerns the alleged efforts of an employee of a Russian Ministry of Defense research institute and his co-conspirators to damage critical infrastructure outside the United States, thereby causing two separate emergency shutdowns at a foreign targeted facility. The conspiracy subsequently attempted to hack the computers of a U.S. company that managed similar critical infrastructure entities in the United States.

An August 2021 indictment returned in the District of Kansas, United States v. Pavel Aleksandrovich Akulov, et al., details allegations about a separate, two-phased campaign undertaken by three officers of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and their co-conspirators to target and compromise the computers of hundreds of entities related to the energy sector worldwide. Access to such systems would have provided the Russian government the ability to, among other things, disrupt and damage such computer systems at a future time of its choosing.

-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

“Russian state-sponsored hackers pose a serious and persistent threat to critical infrastructure both in the United States and around the world,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Although the criminal charges unsealed today reflect past activity, they make crystal clear the urgent ongoing need for American businesses to harden their defenses and remain vigilant. Alongside our partners here at home and abroad, the Department of Justice is committed to exposing and holding accountable state-sponsored hackers who threaten our critical infrastructure with cyber-attacks.” 

“The FBI, along with our federal and international partners, is laser-focused on countering the significant cyber threat Russia poses to our critical infrastructure,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “We will continue to identify and quickly direct response assets to victims of Russian cyber activity; to arm our partners with the information that they need to deploy their own tools against the adversary; and to attribute the misconduct and impose consequences both seen and unseen.”

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

“We face no greater cyber threat than actors seeking to compromise critical infrastructure, offenses which could harm those working at affected plants as well as the citizens who depend on them,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The department and my office will ensure that those attacking operational technology will be identified and prosecuted.”

“The potential of cyberattacks to disrupt, if not paralyze, the delivery of critical energy services to hospitals, homes, businesses and other locations essential to sustaining our communities is a reality in today’s world,” said U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard for the District of Kansas. “We must acknowledge there are individuals actively seeking to wreak havoc on our nation’s vital infrastructure system, and we must remain vigilant in our effort to thwart such attacks. The Department of Justice is committed to the pursuit and prosecution of accused hackers as part of its mission to protect the safety and security of our nation.”

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

In addition to unsealing these charges, the U.S. government is taking action to enhance private sector network defense efforts and disrupt similar malicious activity.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has already released numerous Technical Alerts, ICS Alerts and Malware Analysis Reports regarding Russia’s malign cyber activities, including the campaigns discussed in the indictments. These are located at: https://www.cisa.gov/shields-up

United States v. Evgeny Viktorovich Gladkikh – defendant installed backdoors and launched malware designed to compromise the safety of energy facilities

In June 2021, a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment charging Evgeny Viktorovich Gladkikh (Евгений Викторович Гладких), 36, a computer programmer employed by an institute affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Defense, for his role in a campaign to hack industrial control systems (ICS) and operational technology (OT) of global energy facilities using techniques designed to enable future physical damage with potentially catastrophic effects.

According to the indictment, between May and September 2017, the defendant and co-conspirators hacked the systems of a foreign refinery and installed malware, which cyber security researchers have referred to as “Triton” or “Trisis,” on a safety system produced by Schneider Electric, a multinational corporation. The conspirators designed the Triton malware to prevent the refinery’s safety systems from functioning (i.e., by causing the ICS to operate in an unsafe manner while appearing to be operating normally), granting the defendant and his co-conspirators the ability to cause damage to the refinery, injury to anyone nearby, and economic harm. However, when the defendant deployed the Triton malware, it caused a fault that led the refinery’s Schneider Electric safety systems to initiate two automatic emergency shutdowns of the refinery’s operations. Between February and July 2018, the conspirators researched similar refineries in the United States, which were owned by a U.S. company, and unsuccessfully attempted to hack the U.S. company’s computer systems.

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

The three-count indictment alleges that Gladkikh was an employee of the State Research Center of the Russian Federation FGUP Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics’ (Государственный научный центр Российской Федерации федеральное государственное унитарное предприятие Центральный научно-исследовательский институт химии и механики, hereinafter “TsNIIKhM”) Applied Developments Center (“Центр прикладных разработок,” hereinafter “ADC”). On its website, which was modified after the Triton attack became public, TsNIIKhM described itself as the Russian Ministry of Defense’s leading research organization. The ADC, in turn, publicly asserted that it engaged in research concerning information technology-related threats to critical infrastructure (i.e., that its research was defensive in nature).

The defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to cause damage to an energy facility, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, one count of attempt to cause damage to an energy facility, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher B. Brown and Luke Jones for the District of Columbia, in partnership with the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, are prosecuting this case. The FBI’s Washington Field Office conducted the investigation.

The U.S.-based targets of the conspiracy cooperated and provided valuable assistance in the investigation. The Department of Justice and the FBI also expressed appreciation to Schneider Electric for its assistance in the investigation, particularly noting the company’s public outreach and education efforts following the overseas Triton attack.

United States v. Pavel Aleksandrovich Akulov, Mikhail Mikhailovich Gavrilov, and Marat Valeryevich Tyukov – defendants undertook years-long effort to target and compromise computer systems of energy sector companies

On Aug. 26, 2021, a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging three computer hackers, all of whom were residents and nationals of the Russian Federation (Russia) and officers in Military Unit 71330 or “Center 16” of the FSB, with violating U.S. laws related to computer fraud and abuse, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and causing damage to the property of an energy facility.

The FSB hackers, Pavel Aleksandrovich Akulov (Павел Александрович Акулов), 36, Mikhail Mikhailovich Gavrilov (Михаил Михайлович Гаврилов), 42, and Marat Valeryevich Tyukov (Марат Валерьевич Тюков), 39, were members of a Center 16 operational unit known among cybersecurity researchers as “Dragonfly,” “Berzerk Bear,” “Energetic Bear,” and “Crouching Yeti.” The indictment alleges that, between 2012 and 2017, Akulov, Gavrilov, Tyukov and their co-conspirators, engaged in computer intrusions, including supply chain attacks, in furtherance of the Russian government’s efforts to maintain surreptitious, unauthorized and persistent access to the computer networks of companies and organizations in the international energy sector, including oil and gas firms, nuclear power plants, and utility and power transmission companies. Specifically, the conspirators targeted the software and hardware that controls equipment in power generation facilities, known as ICS or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. Access to such systems would have provided the Russian government the ability to, among other things, disrupt and damage such computer systems at a future time of its choosing.

According to the indictment, the energy sector campaign involved two phases. In the first phase, which took place between 2012 and 2014 and is commonly referred to by cyber security researchers as “Dragonfly” or “Havex,” the conspirators engaged in a supply chain attack, compromising the computer networks of ICS/SCADA system manufacturers and software providers and then hiding malware – known publicly as “Havex” – inside legitimate software updates for such systems. After unsuspecting customers downloaded Havex-infected updates, the conspirators would use the malware to, among other things, create backdoors into infected systems and scan victims’ networks for additional ICS/SCADA devices. Through these and other efforts, including spearphishing and “watering hole” attacks, the conspirators installed malware on more than 17,000 unique devices in the United States and abroad, including ICS/SCADA controllers used by power and energy companies.

In the second phase, which took place between 2014 and 2017 and is commonly referred to as “Dragonfly 2.0,” the conspirators transitioned to more targeted compromises that focused on specific energy sector entities and individuals and engineers who worked with ICS/SCADA systems. As alleged in the indictment, the conspirators’ tactics included spearphishing attacks targeting more than 3,300 users at more than 500 U.S. and international companies and entities, in addition to U.S. government agencies such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In some cases, the spearphishing attacks were successful, including in the compromise of the business network (i.e., involving computers not directly connected to ICS/SCADA equipment) of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation (Wolf Creek) in Burlington, Kansas, which operates a nuclear power plant. Moreover, after establishing an illegal foothold in a particular network, the conspirators typically used that foothold to penetrate further into the network by obtaining access to other computers and networks at the victim entity.

During the Dragonfly 2.0 phase, the conspirators also undertook a watering hole attack by compromising servers that hosted websites commonly visited by ICS/SCADA system and other energy sector engineers through publicly known vulnerabilities in content management software. When the engineers browsed to a compromised website, the conspirators’ hidden scripts deployed malware designed to capture login credentials onto their computers.

The conspiracy’s hacking campaign targeted victims in the United States and in more than 135 other countries.

Akulov, Gavrilov and Tyukov are charged with conspiracy to cause damage to the property of an energy facility and commit computer fraud and abuse, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Akulov and Gavrilov are also charged with substantive counts of wire fraud and computer fraud related to unlawfully obtaining information from computers and causing damage to computers. These offenses carry maximum sentences ranging from five to 20 years in prison. Finally, Akulov and Gavrilov are also charged with three counts of aggravated identity theft, each of which carry a minimum sentence of two years consecutive to any other sentence imposed.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask, Christopher Oakley and Ryan Huschka forthe District of Kansas, and Counsel for Cyber Investigations Ali Ahmad and Trial Attorney Christine Bonomo of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting this case. The FBI’s Portland and Richmond field offices conducted the investigation, with the assistance of the FBI’s Cyber Division.

Numerous victims, including Wolf Creek and its owners Evergy and the Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, cooperated and provided invaluable assistance in the investigation.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Source-FBI