Washington, DC - Friday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $7 million toward the research and development (R&D) of innovative subsurface geothermal technologies. DOE’s Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) will fund projects that will focus on improving geothermal drilling efficiency and cost reduction by addressing two of the most significant barriers: state of stress and lost circulation events.

Los Angeles, California - A long-time international fugitive who is charged with nine felonies for allegedly participating in a $9 million bank fraud scheme against Wells Fargo has been taken into federal custody in Los Angeles.

San Francisco, California - A federal grand jury indicted Danhong “Jean” Chen, a/k/a Maria Sofia Taylor, and her business partner Jianyun “Tony” Ye in connection with an immigration visa fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, Securities and Exchange Commission Office of the Inspector General, Inspector General Carl Hoecker.  The 14-count indictment, filed March 7, 2019, and unsealed late yesterday, alleges the defendants committed visa fraud and related crimes to obtain immigration benefits for more than 100 foreign investors through the government’s Employment-Based Immigration Fifth Preference, or “EB-5,” visa program.

Washington, DC - Thursday, members of the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team announce the results of Operation SaboTor, a coordinated international effort targeting drug trafficking organizations operating on the Darknet. This is J-CODE’s second coordinated action and follows the success of last year’s Operation Disarray.

San Jose, California - South Bay doctor Venkat Aachi pleaded guilty to distributing hydrocodone outside the scope of his professional practice and without a legitimate medical need, and to health care fraud, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan, and the California Department of Justice Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (BMFEA).

Los Angeles, California - Members of two alleged Los Angeles County crime rings have been charged in separate federal criminal cases alleging they conspired to use the Darknet to illicitly and secretly sell methamphetamine and other illegal narcotics nationwide, including one shipment of heroin in a stuffed animal that led to the fatal overdose of a customer in Tennessee.