Washington, DC - The Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell marks its fifth anniversary on June 24. Established in 2015 under Presidential Policy Directive 30 (PPD-30), the HRFC is the U.S. government’s team that coordinates efforts dedicated to recovering Americans held hostage abroad. A critical part of this effort is supporting the families of hostages during captivity and the hostages and their families after release.

Los Angeles, California - A Mexican Mafia associate who ordered murders and assaults in Orange County’s jail system on the prison gang’s behalf was sentenced today to 210 months in federal prison for his racketeering conspiracy conviction.

San Jose, California - Hao Zhang, 41, of China, was found guilty of economic espionage, theft of trade secrets, and conspiring to commit both offenses Friday, announced the Department of Justice.  The ruling was handed down by the Honorable Edward J. Davila, U.S. District Judge, following a four-day bench trial.

Las Vegas, Nevada - One of the leaders of the Infraud Organization pleaded guilty Friday to RICO conspiracy.  Infraud was an Internet-based cybercriminal enterprise engaged in the large-scale acquisition, sale, and dissemination of stolen identities, compromised debit and credit cards, personally identifiable information, financial and banking information, computer malware, and other contraband. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.

Washington, DC - On June 25, the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate passed identical bills, H.R. 7036 and S. 3377, to repeal the sunset provision of the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act (ACPERA). 

Arlington, Virginia - A Russian national was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison for his operation of two websites devoted to the facilitation of payment card fraud, computer hacking, and other crimes before Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III in the Eastern District of Virginia.