Fresno, California - A federal grand jury returned an eleven-count indictment today against Nahed Mishmish, 46, of Bakersfield, charging him with wire fraud, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme that caused more than $900,000 in losses to the financial institutions, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

Los Angeles, California - Federal authorities Thursday morning arrested nine defendants, most of whom allegedly were involved in a sophisticated money laundering scheme that moved tens of millions of dollars derived from tax fraud and health care fraud schemes.

Sacramento, California - A Florida man was indicted Thursday for distributing heroin, oxymorphone, oxycodone, and fentanyl as the narcotics vendor “chlnsaint” on Empire Market, a darknet hidden service, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

Sacramento, California - A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment Thursday against Joshua Paul Doyle, 38, of Susanville, charging him with two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

Fresno, California - Raymond Brewer, 64, of Porterville, was arrested on a 24-count indictment charging him with wire fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. A grand jury returned an indictment on October 29, and it was unsealed Thursday.

Los Angeles, California - A San Pedro man has been extradited from Mexico to Los Angeles to face federal charges that he perpetrated a “virtual kidnapping” scam where at least 30 victims in Southern California and elsewhere were duped via telephone into paying thousands of dollars in ransom to free their family members, who in reality hadn’t been kidnapped at all.