FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending May 18, 2012

Washington, D.C.
May 18, 2012 FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691

1. Headquarters: FBI Releases 2011 Preliminary Statistics for Law Enforcement Officers Killed in the Line of Duty
The FBI announced that 72 of the nation’s law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty during 2011.

2. Seattle: Financial Advisor Indicted in $46 Million Investment Fraud Scheme Mark F. Spangler, a long-time Seattle financial advisor, was charged with wire fraud, money laundering, and investment advisor fraud.

3. Dallas: Reward for Information About the Recent Mailings of White Powder Letters in the North Texas Area
Representatives from FBI Dallas and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, prosecution, and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the recent mailings of letters containing white powder in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

4. Phoenix: State Representative Charged in Bribery Scheme
Paul Ben Arredondo, a member of the Arizona House of Representatives, was charged with bribery, fraud, attempted extortion, and false statements in connection with receiving more than $6,000 in tickets to sporting and special events.

5. Birmingham: Former Organ Center Executive Sentenced for Fraud
Demosthenes Lalisan, the former director of the Alabama Organ Center, was sentenced to 13 months in prison for his role in a scheme to take kickbacks from a funeral home that did business with the organ center. Full Story

6. Los Angeles: Manager of International Computer Hacking Ring Sentenced for Defrauding Banks
Nichole Michelle Merzi was sentenced to five years in prison for her role in an international phishing operation that used spam e-mails and bogus websites to collect personal information in an effort to defraud American banks.

7. Washington: Former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Manager Pleads Guilty in Alleged $30 Million Bribery and Kickback Scheme
Kerry F. Khan, a former program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, pled guilty for his participation in a scheme that allegedly involved more than $30 million in bribes and kickback payments and the planned steering of a government contract potentially worth $1 billion.

8. Jacksonville: Man Indicted for Sextortion and Cyberstalking
Christopher P. Gunn was indicted on multiple charges involving the online sextortion and cyberstalking of girls ranging in age from 13 to 17 years old.

9. Baltimore: Chief Financial Officer Sentenced in $78 Million Dream Home Mortgage Fraud Scheme
Carole Nelson was sentenced to 29 months in prison for money laundering in connection with her participation in a massive mortgage fraud scheme that falsely promised to pay off homeowners’ mortgages on their “Dream Homes.”

10. San Francisco: Mongols Motorcycle Gang Member Sentenced for Murder
Christopher Bryan Ablett, a member of the Modesto Chapter of the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of the president of the San Francisco chapter of Hells Angels.