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Maine man pleads guilty to trafficking whale and bird parts in federal wildlife case

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Maine

Maine man pleads guilty to trafficking whale and bird parts in federal wildlife case

PORTLAND, ME – Sergey Bachkovsky, of Greene, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to trafficking protected wildlife items, including whale and bird parts, in violation of the Lacey Act. According to court records, from June 2023 to March 2024, Bachkovsky imported various wildlife items from Eastern Europe and sold them online to buyers across the United States. The items included sperm whale and marine mammal teeth, scrimshaw carvings, blue whale and Antarctic minke whale ear bones, and a broad-winged hawk carcass. A notice of forfeiture lists additional items Bachkovsky intended to sell, including bear and whale bones, and feathers and wings from eagles, hawks, owls, and vultures. The Lacey Act prohibits trade in wildlife taken or sold in violation of federal or st...

DOJ and FTC sue Sendit app maker over deceptive practices targeting children and teens

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California

DOJ and FTC sue Sendit app maker over deceptive practices targeting children and teens

LOS ANGELES, CA – The U.S. Department of Justice, in coordination with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), has filed a civil lawsuit against Iconic Hearts Holdings Inc. and its founder and CEO Hunter Rice, alleging violations of federal consumer protection laws related to the Sendit social media messaging app. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the complaint accuses the defendants of violating the FTC Act, the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA), and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The lawsuit alleges the company generated and sent millions of anonymous and often romantic or sexual messages to users—many of whom are minors—falsely implying the messages were from social media contacts. Defendants allegedly mis...

Man sentenced to 31 months in prison for attempting to export military-grade radios to Russia

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Washington D.C.

Man sentenced to 31 months in prison for attempting to export military-grade radios to Russia

WASHINGTON, DC – Bence Horvath, 47, a dual citizen of Hungary and Spain residing in the United Arab Emirates, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 31 months in prison for conspiring to illegally export U.S.-origin radio communications equipment to Russian end users without the required license. Horvath pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully export goods to Russia. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates ordered Horvath to serve three years of supervised release and pay a $5,000 fine. He will be deported following completion of his sentence. According to court records, beginning in or around January 2023, Horvath and co-conspirators initiated contact with a small U.S.-based radio distribution company to proc...

China-based toy maker Apitor settles COPPA case over collection of children’s data

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Washington D.C.

China-based toy maker Apitor settles COPPA case over collection of children’s data

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Justice, in coordination with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announced today that a federal court has entered a stipulated order resolving allegations that Apitor Technology Co., Ltd., a China-based toy manufacturer, violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) through its programmable robotic toys and associated mobile app. According to the civil complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Apitor allegedly collected geolocation data from children under 13 who used its mobile app to control robotic toys, without notifying parents or obtaining verifiable parental consent as required by COPPA. “The Justice Department will vigorously work to ensure businesses respect parents’ rights...

Justice Department files suit to shut down Paige Tax and its owners for alleged fraudulent tax preparation practices

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Louisiana

Justice Department files suit to shut down Paige Tax and its owners for alleged fraudulent tax preparation practices

NEW ORLEANS, LA – The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil injunction suit today in federal court seeking to bar multiple individuals associated with Paige’s Income Tax Services (Paige Tax) from preparing federal tax returns and operating or owning any tax preparation business. The suit names Unnisha Paige, Rosetta Jones, Capriata Oatis, Keyante St. Cyr, Leah Smith, Laporscha Thompson, Deshira Horton, and India Toppins as defendants. The Justice Department also seeks a court order requiring the defendants to disgorge all fees obtained through allegedly false or fraudulent return preparation. According to the complaint, Unnisha Paige is a full or partial owner of each Paige Tax franchise and sells tax preparation software and training to individuals who want to start tax busin...

Justice Department launches civil rights investigation into UNLV over possible discrimination

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Washington D.C.

Justice Department launches civil rights investigation into UNLV over possible discrimination

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Justice announced today the launch of a civil rights investigation into the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) to determine whether the institution has violated federal laws by denying individuals equal treatment based on race or national origin. According to the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the investigation will review whether UNLV, a recipient of federal financial assistance, has engaged in discriminatory practices in violation of Title IV and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The focus of the investigation centers on the university’s handling of antisemitism on campus. “Publicly-funded universities are barred from discriminating based on race, national origin, or religion,” said Assistant Attorney General Harme...

Denver executives and forklift companies indicted for defrauding federal government and avoiding tariffs

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Colorado

Denver executives and forklift companies indicted for defrauding federal government and avoiding tariffs

DENVER, CO – A federal grand jury has indicted two Denver-area forklift companies and their top executives in a scheme to defraud the U.S. government and avoid import tariffs on Chinese-made forklifts. According to court documents, the indictment was returned on August 21, 2025, charging Endless Sales Inc., Octane Forklifts Inc., executives Brian Firkins and Jeffrey Blasdel, and former executive J.R. Antczak. The defendants are accused of conspiring to import forklifts from China, disguise their origin, and fraudulently market and sell them to federal agencies, including FEMA and the Department of Defense, as U.S.-made products. The indictment further alleges the companies and individuals collaborated with an unnamed Chinese national and manufacturer to falsify invoices, underval...

Photos: 18-wheeler crash shuts down multiple lanes on US-290 at Tidwell

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Texas

Photos: 18-wheeler crash shuts down multiple lanes on US-290 at Tidwell

HOUSTON, TX – A major crash involving an 18-wheeler shut down multiple westbound lanes of US-290 Northwest Freeway at Tidwell on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Only one lane remained open but the scene was cleared by 3 p.m. The cause of the crash and whether there were any injuries are unknown at this time. Houston Police Department and Houston Fire Department personnel were on scene assisting with the response.

Man fatally shot during domestic disturbance in apartment complex in north Harris County

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Harris County

Man fatally shot during domestic disturbance in apartment complex in north Harris County

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – A man was fatally shot during a domestic disturbance outside an apartment complex in the 23900 block of Birnam Wood Boulevard around 9:41 a.m. https://youtu.be/mvt1njEzm8s According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrived and found a man, approximately 50 years old, unresponsive from an apparent gunshot wound. EMS personnel pronounced the man deceased at the scene. Investigators stated the man's ex-wife or ex-girlfriend said there had been a domestic dispute between the two that escalated into a physical altercation. She told deputies that she discharged a firearm, striking the man near the parking lot area outside the apartment. Another adult female was also present during the incident but was not injured. Investigators confirmed that chil...

Lyft’s new feature may leave low-tipping riders waiting longer in Houston

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Texas

Lyft’s new feature may leave low-tipping riders waiting longer in Houston

HOUSTON, TX – Lyft drivers in Houston are reporting that the company has added new information to the trip request screen when they decide whether to accept or reject a ride. Previously, drivers could see the pickup and drop-off location, estimated distance and time, and an estimated hourly rate based on continuous rides. The upfront pay amount has remained accurate, while hourly estimates often vary in practice. This week, Lyft began displaying two additional items to some Houston-area drivers. The first indicates whether a rider is usually ready at pickup, based on their history of being on time. The second shows the percentage of rides in which the passenger tips through the app. In one example provided by drivers, the request screen showed the following information: $2...