Director Christopher A. Wray

Bright Stars and glorious Stripes emanate the pride of great accomplishments of America. We are forever grateful for our freedom and opportunities. Happy birthday to the United States!
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FBI Director Christopher Wray spoke to partners in the financial and legal sectors today about the FBI's work to protect our citizens, our companies, and our economy from financial crime, including COVID-19 fraud and money laundering. With help from financial institutions, we are fighting back. Just last week, the Justice Department announced the results of an initiative that took action against more than 2,000 money mules. ...

We’re engaging with leaders, like you, in the banking and technology industries to enhance the FBI’s capabilities and exchange information. ... While financial criminals have access to more technological tools and institutions than ever before, we do, too, and we have each other; Director Christopher A. Wray

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 9, 2023
Virginia Man Sentenced For Assault on Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach
Assailant Sprayed Chemical Irritant at Officers
WASHINGTON — A Virginia man was sentenced today for assaulting law enforcement during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

Markus Maly, 49, of Fincastle, Virginia, was sentenced to 72 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release. Maly was found guilty of interfering with police during a civil disorder; two counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon; entering and remaining in a restricted building with a dangerous weapon; disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon, all felonies; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and act of physical violence in a Capitol building or grounds. Maly was found guilty on Dec. 6, 2022, following a jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta.

According to court documents and evidence presented by the government at trial, on the afternoon of Jan. 6, Maly pointed and sprayed a chemical irritant at a line of police officers attempting to secure the area of the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol Building. He additionally assisted co-defendants Jeffrey Scott Brown and Peter Schwartz with spraying law enforcement by taking a can of spray from Schwartz and handing the can to Brown. Later in the afternoon, Maly exited the tunnel area with a riot shield and testified that he intended to take the shield home as a trophy.

On Jan. 6, Maly messaged his girlfriend in response to her concern about violence at the Capitol, and wrote, “I know …I’ve got stories though,” and “I[t] was so fun …” The following day, he stated in one conversation on social media that, “I stood my ground and went back for seconds and thirds even.” He also told another individual through social media, and later admitted on the stand at trial, that his participation in the events of January 6 was “fun.”

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Field Office’s Roanoke Resident Agency, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Maly as #324 in its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.

In the 29 months since Jan. 6, more than 1,000 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. Director Christopher A. Wray

The launched its first social media account in 2008. Today, we have more than 70 separate pages or sites. You can view the latest list of official Bureau accounts; Director Christopher A. Wray

Justice Department Investigation Leads to Takedown of Darknet Cryptocurrency Mixer that Processed Over $3 Billion of Unlawful Transactions
Vietnamese Operator of ChipMixer Charged with Laundering Money for Ransomware Perpetrators, Darknet Markets, Fraudsters, and State-SponsoThe Justice Department announced today a coordinated international takedown of ChipMixer, a darknet cryptocurrency “mixing” service responsible for laundering more than $3 billion worth of cryptocurrency, between 2017 and the present, in furtherance of, among other activities, ransomware, darknet market, fraud, cryptocurrency heists and other hacking schemes. The operation involved U.S. federal law enforcement’s court-authorized seizure of two domains that directed users to the ChipMixer service and one Github account, as well as the German Federal Criminal Police’s (the Bundeskriminalamt) seizure of the ChipMixer back-end servers and more than $46 million in cryptocurrency.

Coinciding with the ChipMixer takedown efforts, Minh Quốc Nguyễn, 49, of Hanoi, Vietnam, was charged today in Philadelphia with money laundering, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and identity theft, connected to the operation of ChipMixer.

“This morning, working with partners at home and abroad, the Department of Justice disabled a prolific cryptocurrency mixer, which has fueled ransomware attacks, state-sponsored crypto-heists and darknet purchases across the globe,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today’s coordinated operation reinforces our consistent message: we will use all of our authorities to protect victims and take the fight to our adversaries. Cybercrime seeks to exploit boundaries, but the Department of Justice’s network of alliances transcends borders and enables disruption of the criminal activity that jeopardizes our global cybersecurity.”

“Today's announcement demonstrates the FBI's commitment to dismantling technical infrastructure that enables cyber criminals and nation-state actors to illegally launder cryptocurrency funds,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “We will not allow cyber criminals to hide behind keyboards nor evade the consequences of their illegal actions. Countering cybercrime requires the ultimate level of collaboration between and among all law enforcement partners. The FBI will continue to elevate those partnerships and leverage all available tools to identify, apprehend and hold accountable these bad actors and put an end to their illicit activity.”

According to court documents, ChipMixer – one of the most widely used mixers to launder criminally-derived funds – allowed customers to deposit bitcoin, which ChipMixer then mixed with other ChipMixer users’ bitcoin, commingling the funds in a way that made it difficult for law enforcement or regulators to trace the transactions. As detailed in the complaint, ChipMixer offered numerous features to enhance its criminal customers’ anonymity. ChipMixer had a clearnet web domain but operated primarily as a Tor hidden service, concealing the operating location of its servers to prevent seizure by law enforcement. ChipMixer serviced many customers in the United States, but did not register with the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and did not collect identifying information about its customers.

As alleged in the complaint, ChipMixer attracted a significant criminal clientele and became indispensable in obfuscating and laundering funds from multiple criminal schemes. Between August 2017 and March 2023, ChipMixer processed:

$17 million in bitcoin for criminals connected to approximately 37 ransomware strains, including Sodinokibi, Mamba and Suncrypt;
Over $700 million in bitcoin associated with wallets designated as stolen funds, including those related to heists by North Korean cyber actors from Axie Infinity’s Ronin Bridge and Harmony’s Horizon Bridge in 2022 and 2020, respectively;
More than $200 million in bitcoin associated either directly or through intermediaries with darknet markets, including more than $60 million in bitcoin processed on behalf of customers of Hydra Market, the largest and longest running darknet market in the world until its April 2022 shutdown by U.S. and German law enforcement;
More than $35 million in bitcoin associated either directly or through intermediaries with “fraud shops,” which are used by criminals to buy and sell stolen credit cards, hacked account credentials and data stolen through network intrusions; and
Bitcoin used by the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), 85th Main Special Service Center, military unit 26165 (aka APT 28) to purchase infrastructure for the Drovorub malware, which was first disclosed in a joint cybersecurity advisory released by the FBI and National Security Agency in August 2020.
Beginning in and around August 2017, as alleged in the complaint, Nguyễn created and operated the online infrastructure used by ChipMixer and promoted ChipMixer’s services online. Nguyễn registered domain names, procured hosting services and paid for the services used to run ChipMixer through the use of identity theft, pseudonyms, and anonymous email providers. In online posts, Nguyễn publicly derided efforts to curtail money laundering, posting in reference to anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) legal requirements that “AML/KYC is a sellout to the banks and governments,” advising customers “please do not use AML/KYC exchanges” and instructing them how to use ChipMixer to evade reporting requirements.

“ChipMixer facilitated the laundering of cryptocurrency, specifically Bitcoin, on a vast international scale, abetting nefarious actors and criminals of all kinds in evading detection,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Platforms like ChipMixer, which are designed to conceal the sources and destinations of staggering amounts of criminal proceeds, undermine the public’s confidence in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. We thank all our partners at home and abroad for their hard work in this case. Together, we cannot and will not allow criminals’ exploitation of technology to threaten our national and economic security.”

“Criminals have long sought to launder the proceeds of their illegal activity through various means,” said Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “Technology has changed the game, though, with a site like ChipMixer and facilitator like Nguyen enabling bad actors to do so on a grand scale with ease. In response, the FBI continues to evolve in the ways we ‘follow the money’ of illegal enterprise, employing all the tools and techniques at our disposal and drawing on our strong partnerships at home and around the globe. As a result, there’s now one less option for criminals worldwide to launder their dirty money.”

“Together, with our international partners at HSI The Hague, we are firmly committed to identifying and investigating cyber criminals who pose a serious threat to our economic security by laundering billions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency under the misguided anonymity of the darknet,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown of Homeland Securities Investigations (HSI) Arizona. “HSI Arizona could not be more proud to work alongside every agent involved in this complex international case. We thank all our domestic and international partners for their support.”

Nguyễn is charged with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, money laundering and identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.

The FBI, HSI Phoenix and HSI The Hague investigated the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is prosecuting the case.

German law enforcement authorities took separate actions today under its authorities. The FBI’s Legal Attaché in Germany, the HSI office in The Hague, the HSI Cyber Crimes Center, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, EUROPOL, the Polish Cyber Police (Centralnego Biura Zwalczania Cyberprzestępczości) and Zurich State Police (Kantonspolizei Zürich) provided assistance in this case.red

Texas Woman Sentenced For Fraud And Money Laundering Conspiracies Targeting Federally Funded Meal Programs For Underprivileged Youth

PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced yesterday in federal court for her role in defrauding federally funded meal programs, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab sentenced Tanisha Jackson, 50, of Dallas, Texas, to 36 months’ incarceration following her guilty plea to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Schwab also ordered Jackson to pay restitution to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the amount of $1,500,000 and to forfeit more than $427,000.

During Jackson’s plea hearing on May 18, 2022, she admitted, among other things, that she and co-conspirators Charles Simpson and Paige Jackson—Jackson’s daughter—operated HOIN, Inc. (HOIN), a Texas-based non-profit organization. Jackson caused HOIN (a/k/a Helping Others In Need) to enroll as a “sponsor” in two programs funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the purpose of providing meals to underprivileged youth—the Child and Adult Care Feeding Program (CACFP) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) (collectively, “the feeding programs”). CACFP funded after-school meal service during the school year, while SFSP operated in the summer months. In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PADOE) administered the USDA-funded feeding programs. Jackson also acknowledged that she previously had been excluded from participating in the same feeding programs in Texas and Arkansas.

As part of the conspiracy, Jackson admitted that she caused the submission of false enrollment documentation to PADOE on behalf of HOIN in connection with its participation in CACFP and SFSP between 2015 and 2019. Among other misrepresentations, HOIN’s applications to PADOE used aliases for Jackson and Simpson to obscure their involvement and falsely certified that none of the entity’s principals had been excluded from the feeding programs. Jackson further admitted causing HOIN to submit reimbursement claims for hundreds of thousands of meals that were never served to eligible children by either inflating the number of meals that, in fact, were served, or by seeking reimbursements for meals purportedly served on days on which the identified feeding site was not operating at all. To conceal their fraudulent conduct and justify HOIN’s claimed meal service, Jackson and Simpson submitted fabricated documents to PADOE in connection with periodic program reviews. On certain occasions, Jackson would impersonate her daughter Paige Jackson in interactions with PADOE.

Likewise, Paige Jackson used a fictitious name in dealings with PADOE. In total, PADOE issued reimbursement payments to HOIN in excess of approximately $4 million between 2015 and 2019.

In connection with the money laundering conspiracy, Jackson admitted that she and Simpson engaged in numerous financial transactions involving the proceeds of the fraud. Specifically, Jackson and Simpson spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in HOIN reimbursements on shopping sprees at high-end apparel stores, personal air travel and lodging, and the acquisition of at least nine luxury vehicles, including a Bentley, two Land Rovers, two Maseratis, two Mercedes, a Hummer, and a Porsche. Jackson and Simpson also withdrew cash from HOIN bank accounts in excess of $10,000 on more than a dozen occasions.

Simpson and Paige Jackson separately pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy and were sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and three years’ probation, respectively. When announcing Jackson’s sentence, Judge Schwab rejected her claim that she was less culpable than Simpson, noting that Jackson had brought her own daughter, Paige Jackson, into the conspiracy.

Assistant United States Attorneys Eric G. Olshan and Nicole Vasquez Schmitt prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation of the defendants in this case.

"...keeping calm and not panicking is the key to staying safe."
USERT, or the FBI's Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team comprises a group of highly trained FBI special agents tasked with searching for and recovering evidence underwater.

Of the $10.3 billion lost in 2022 to internet crime, almost one-third involved investment fraud, a staggering 127% increase from 2021. Within those numbers, investment fraud increased a mind-blowing 183%. Check out the latest report.

Many thanks to our partners in the successful international takedown of ChipMixer, which laundered $3 billion+ of unlawful funds. is proud to help disable a site that let criminals exploit technology and threaten our national/economic security.

If a cyber attack impacted your organization, what would your next step be? Don't wait until it's too late. Call Pittsburgh at 412-432-4000 and make an incident response plan today.

73 years ago, the Ten Most Wanted list was created. Since its inception, 529 fugitives have been on the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list, and 494 have been apprehended or located

The honors Special Agent Gregory W. Spinelli, who was shot and killed by a suspected bank robber in 1973. Another agent arrested the shooter, who received a life sentence for murdering Spinelli.

Wray stood before immense paintings of an eagle and an American flag at the field office here last week to talk about how agents had used a tip from Ireland to help save a local hospital from a ransomware attack.

Director Christopher Wray on Thursday addressed the ongoing controversies about classified documents, saying that people with access to those materials need to be more “conscious of the rules.”

“Obviously I can’t comment on any specific investigation, but we have had, for quite a number of years, any number of mishandling investigations,” Wray told reporters during a Justice Department news conference where it announced the takeover of the so-called Hive ransomware group.

There are times that my name and image have been used to fraudulently victimize well-meaning people. My team reports imposter accounts to Facebook for removal, but I urge you to be smart about your online activity and learn how to recognize and combat cyber-crimes. You will NEVER receive a personal friend request from me. If you are talking to someone claiming to be me on Facebook or any other platform, you are talking to an imposter. Be , Together, we can combat this growing problem for our community and our Nation

NEW ALBANY- Christopher Hill, 35, of Louisville Kentucky, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for distributing m**hamphetamine. Hill was convicted on all charged counts at the conclusion of a two-day jury trial.

According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on November 5, 2020, Jeffersonville Police (JPD) Officers stopped Christopher Hill for a suspected traffic violation. At the time, Hill was the subject of two outstanding arrest warrants from Louisville, Kentucky, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for crimes of violence involving drug trafficking. During the arrest, two baggies filled with approximately 101.6 grams of m**hamphetamine fell from Hill’s pocket. A further search of Hill’s vehicle uncovered multiple cellular devices, ma*****na, and $5,000 in cash. Further investigation revealed that Hill used Facebook messages to advertise that he had controlled substances for sale, and used Facebook and text messaging to arrange drug transactions.

“Drug dealers must be held accountable for the harm that their m**hamphetamine does to people and families impacted by substance use disorders,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The sentence imposed here reflects the seriousness of these crimes and the need to protect the community. I commend the work of the FBI and the Jeffersonville Police Department for their efforts to get this m**h trafficker off our streets.”

The FBI investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by the Jeffersonville Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Chief Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Hill be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys William L. McCoskey and Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results

The first Internet attack 30 years ago was a wake-up call for the country and the cyber age to come. On this , learn about how the Cyber team helped take down the Morris Worm, unleashed in 1988.

Today at the 2023 Homeland Security Symposium and Expo at Christopher Newport University Director Christopher Wray discussed how the Bureau's partnerships are crucial for disrupting cyber threats and keeping Americans safe.
During the conference, Director Christopher Wray stated that the Bureau views success as disrupting adversaries by leveraging our capabilities, tools, and resources to get ahead of attacks as early as possible.

This week, Director Christopher Wray visited , where he met with community partners. He reiterated the Bureau's commitment to partnering with local law enforcement and how those bonds help combat violent crime and keep communities safe.

, the FBI has elite teams of evidence collectors, with experts responding to underwater searches or hazardous scenes. Learn more about the FBI’s Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team

, the FBI has had a primary role in bank robbery investigations since the 1930s. If you have any information about any bank robbery, contact your local FBI field office or submit it to

The honors Special Agent Paul Wilson, who responded to the United Airlines Flight 93 crash site following the attacks. He died in 2007 from an illness attributed to his work.

30 years ago, we remember the World Trade Center bombing that killed six people and injured over 1,000 others. The & New York Joint Terrorism Task Force led a massive investigation lasting years & involving over 700 agents

Jewelry thieves endanger lives and steal millions of dollars each year. the FBI has the Jewelry and Gem Theft Program to help combat this crime?

The honors Special Agent Lee E. Morrow, who was killed in a motor vehicle accident during the course of his investigative duties in 1960.

Cyber Deputy Assistant Director David Scott recently participated in FutureScot's Cyber Security 2023 conference in Glasgow, Scotland. He delivered a keynote speech about how international partnerships are vital in fighting cybercrime worldwide. Additionally, he participated in a panel discussion with Lindy Cameron, CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre; Conrad Trickett, Chief Superintendent of Police Scotland; and Gavin Sullivan, Territory Account Manager at Blackberry—the group discussed the role of partnerships, community, and knowledge exchange in cyber resilience.

Electronics Technicians, you have until 11:59 p.m. EST today to submit your application. Don’t miss this opportunity to join the .

On March 4, the narrowly defeated its hockey rivals, the U.S. Secret Service, in a 2-1 win. The sold-out charity game was expected to raise at least $20,000 to benefit the families of fallen law enforcement officers.

is here, and the proudly honors the commitment and sacrifice of our female special agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff throughout the Bureau’s history and into today. Their dedication to the FBI mission helps safeguard our nation

On this , current and aspiring leaders from the gathered at the Bureau's Headquarters for a leadership symposium focused on equipping female leaders with the tools to overcome challenges and redefine their success on the international stage.