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FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending December 17, 2010

Washington, D.C. December 17, 2010

FBI National Press Office

1. Portland: Federal Indictment Charges Three in Scheme to Evade Iran Embargo and Defraud the IRS with False Charitable Donations
   A jury charged Hossein Lahiji, Najmeh Vahid, and Ahmad Iranshahi in a two-count indictment for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and to commit money laundering. The defendants allegedly transferred purported donations totaling more than $1.8 million to a Portland charity and invested the funds in Iran, in violation of the Iranian embargo. Full Story
   
2. New York: Three Insiders at Public Companies and One Executive of Expert-Networking Firm Charged with Conspiring to Distribute Inside Information to the Firm's Clients
   James Fleishman was arrested on wire fraud and conspiracy charges for conspiring to provide confidential information, including material, nonpublic information, to the firm's clients, including hedge funds. Three additional individuals were arrested on wire fraud charges. Full Story
   
3. Indianapolis/Headquarters: Seeking Information in Alternate Billing Corporation Matter
   The FBI is seeking information from consumers who believe they were improperly charged on their telephone bill for services neither ordered nor authorized related to Alternate Billing Corp., or any of its affiliated companies or services. Full Story
   
4. Phoenix: Fugitive Extradited from Mexico to Face Trial
   
   Victor Flores was extradited to the U.S. from Hermosillo, Mexico and had his initial appearance. The defendant will be detained until his trial on February 8, 2011. Full Story
   
5. Columbia: "Three Hebrew Boys" Sentenced in $82 Million Ponzi Case
   
   The men who call themselves the "Three Hebrew Boys"—Tony Pough, Joseph Brunson, and Timothy McQueen—were sentenced to the highest fraud sentences in the history of the federal district and ordered to pay $82 million in restitution to those they defrauded. Full Story
   
6. Honolulu: FBI Captures Fugitive Couple in Arizona
   Daphne Hearn, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Honolulu Field Office, announced the arrest of fugitive husband and wife Perry and Rachelle Griggs in Kingman, Arizona. Full Story
   
7. Albuquerque: Former APD Officer Convicted on Obstruction of Justice Charge
   
   Brad Ahrensfield, a former Albuquerque police officer, was convicted on an obstruction of justice charge. He remains out of custody on conditions of release pending his sentencing hearing and faces up to 20 years in prison. Full Story
   
8. San Diego: Reward of $20,000 Offered in "Geezer Bandit" Investigation
   The FBI, local law enforcement, and several local banks are offering a combined reward of $20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the "Geezer Bandit." The Geezer Bandit"is believed to be responsible for robbing 12 banks since August 2009. Full Story
   
9. Miami: Alonzo Mourning to Receive the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award
   
   John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Office, announced Alonzo Mourning as the recipient of the 2010 Director's Community Leadership Award at the Overtown Youth Center in Miami, Florida. Full Story
   
10. Minneapolis: Former IRS Agent Sentenced for Soliciting a Bribe
    
    Roger Combs, a former Internal Revenue Service agent, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for soliciting and receiving a $9,700 bribe. Full Story

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MUSIC VIDEO: Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today) The Temptations

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President Obama Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place - BALL OF CONFUSION

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President Obama Signs Tax Bill Within Hours of House Vote
CLICK HERE FOR MORE

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13M get unexpected tax bill from Obama tax credit

(AP) – 1 day ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — About 13.4 million taxpayers may be getting unexpected tax bills because they were awarded too much money under President Barack Obama's Making Work Pay tax credit, a government audit said Thursday.
The tax credit, which expires Jan. 1, was designed to increase take-home pay by about $8 a week through new tax withholding tables. The credit was capped at $400 for individuals and $800 for married couples filing jointly.
However, the credit put millions of taxpayers at risk for not having enough taxes withheld from their paychecks, resulting in a tax bill when they file their returns, said the audit by J. Russell George, the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.
Those at risk included people with multiple jobs, married couples who both work, Social Security recipients who also work, and young workers who are also claimed as dependents on their parents' tax returns.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY

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FLASHBACK:
Barack Obama "Public Will Have 5 Days To Look At Every Bill That Lands On My Desk"


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UPDATED: RESCUED via HELICOPTER Deer trapped on ice floe in Mississippi River

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UPDATE:
The deer that have been stranded on ice in the Mississippi River survived another night and have been spotted Friday morning.
The deer were moving on Friday morning and could be seen attempting to get up and walk, but it was too slippery.

Alton, Ill. (KSDK) -- Drivers are slowing on a stretch of the Great River Road to watch two deer stranded on ice in the Mississippi River.

The two yearlings can be seen trying to stand on the ice and appear confused as to what they need to do to get to dry land.

The deer are about a quarter mile from shore and too far out to be reached.
Click Here for more VIDEOS.

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BIG SIS MISS: Secret Tests At LAX, O'Hare, Newark Show TSA Screeners Overlook Guns, Bombs (VIDEO REPORT)

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LOOKING IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES!!!


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MUSIC VIDEO: Tom Petty - I Won't Back Down

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‘Santa Claus’ donates $100,000 to Joplin Missouri Salvation Army

 Capt. Jason Poff, director of the Salvation Army in Joplin, on Tuesday shows off $100,000 worth of cashier’s checks he says were donated anonymously to the Christian organization via one of its red kettles Monday in Joplin.
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The Joplin Salvation Army has once again gotten an early Christmas gift from “Santa Claus.”


Five checks totaling $100,000 were dropped into the Salvation Army’s red kettle at Walgreens, 20th and Main streets, sometime between 5 and 9 p.m. Monday, Capt. Jason Poff said.


“They were folded and hidden within dollar bills,” he said. “Really, it feels surprising, shocking, amazing all at the same time when you open up a bucket and $20,000 checks start falling out.”
CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY
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Secret Santa Drops Thousands in Salvation Army Kettle in Fort Oglethorpe Tennessee

. Click Here for more info.

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Congress sends tax bill to President Obama in time to avoid a Jan. 1 spike in income taxes

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Acting with uncommon speed, Congress sent President Barack Obama sweeping, bipartisan legislation late Thursday to avoid a Jan. 1 spike in income taxes for millions and renew jobless benefits for victims of the worst recession in 80 years.

The measure also will cut Social Security taxes for nearly every wage-earner and pump billions of dollars into the still-sluggish economy.

The 277-148 vote came less than 24 hours after the Senate cleared the bill, 81-19.

The legislation was the result of a reach across party lines between Obama and top Republicans in Congress - stubborn adversaries during two years of political combat that ended when the GOP emerged the undisputed winner in midterm elections on Nov. 2.

It would also renew an expiring program of benefits for the long-term unemployed, and enact a reduction in Social Security taxes for 2011 that would amount to $1,000 for an individual earning $50,000 a year. The bill's cost, $858 billion over two years, would be tacked on to the federal deficit, a sore spot with deficit hawks in both parties. . Click Here for more info.

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