FBI

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Blagojevich Sought Cabinet Post for Obama's Senate Seat

FBI tapes reveal wish for health secretary post

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich had said he wanted “something real good” in exchange for his choice of a replacement for the president-elect in the Senate, Politico reports. Otherwise, he said in FBI tapes the day before the election, “I’ll just send myself.” A Senate seat is a "...

Guard: Blackwater Baghdad Massacre Was Unprovoked

Chilling details emerge in indictments of five guards in deaths of 17 Iraqis

(Newser) - Five guards working for the Blackwater security company in Baghdad opened fire without provocation and massacred Iraqi civilians on a busy Baghdad intersection in 2007, according to chilling indictments filed against the men. The guards, protecting a convoy, used automatic weapons and grenade launchers to fire on cars, houses, a...

FBI Corruption Probe Clears Nevada Gov.

No charges after investigation into defense contractor ties

(Newser) - No charges will be filed against Nevada's governor after an 18-month FBI investigation into his ties with defense contractors, reports the Washington Post. Jim Gibbons, a former Vietnam fighter pilot, was suspected of helping to engineer federal contracts for defense firms in exchange for gifts while he was a member...

New Take on Old Law Stymies FBI Probes of Congress

Constitutional clause being used as shield

(Newser) - The FBI is doing its best to root out corruption on Capitol Hill—Robert Mueller called it the bureau’s “top criminal priority”—but investigators are being thwarted by a new twist on a constitutional provision, the Washington Post reports. The “speech or debate” clause was intended...

FBI Sex-Ring Bust Frees 47 Kids

Multi-agency crackdown snares more than 600 adults involved in '21st century slavery'

(Newser) - A huge nationwide crackdown has smashed apart a dozen child prostitution rings and rescued 47 juveniles, the Washington Post reports. The joint effort from the FBI, Justice Department, and local law enforcement agencies led to the arrest of more than 600 adults in 29 cities, including 73 pimps. Ten of...

Mutant Anthrax Cells Led, Slowly, to Ivins

FBI probe required inventing new type of forensic science

(Newser) - The anthrax poisoning case against Bruce Ivins won't be made in court, but it is compelling, the FBI says. Although the late Army scientist's lawyer dismisses the case as “heaps of innuendo,” federal records reveal a far-reaching, exhaustive investigation that required newly invented technology and depended on mutant...

Oprah Sued for $180M in Extortion Case

Louisiana man claims false charges and FBI arrest damaged his reputation

(Newser) - A Louisiana man is suing Oprah Winfrey and the FBI for $180 million for falsely accusing him of extortion and damaging his reputation, Access Hollywood reports. Keifer Bonvillian was arrested in 2006 after recording conversations with—and accepting money from—a Harpo Productions employee. The extortion charges were dismissed after...

Subprime Crime Wave Floods FBI Casebook

(Newser) - A short-staffed FBI is laboring to keep up with white collar crime linked to the nation's financial crisis, the New York Times reports. FBI officials predicted millions of dollars' in mortgage fraud years ago, but the Justice Department wanted agents focused on counter-terror. When the FBI warned of a fraud...

FBI Opens Preliminary ACORN Probe
FBI Opens Preliminary ACORN Probe

FBI Opens Preliminary ACORN Probe

Fake voter registrations from 'Mickey Mouse,' others raise concern

(Newser) - The FBI is investigating whether the community activist group ACORN helped foster voter registration fraud around the nation. A senior law enforcement official says the agency is looking at results of recent raids on ACORN offices in several states for any evidence of a coordinated national scam. The group denies...

Jury Hears Secret Tapes in Stevens Trial

Alaska senator curses, claims innocence in talks with key witness

(Newser) - Jurors heard tapes yesterday of Ted Stevens cursing federal investigators and declaring his innocence in conversations he did not know were being recorded, reports the Anchorage Daily News. Stevens was speaking with former Veco CEO Bill Allen, the prosecution’s chief witness in the Alaska senator’s corruption trial. "...

MySpace Hoaxer Drew Bragged About Deadly Prank

Woman said she was 'playing a joke' on teen who would commit suicide

(Newser) - Missouri mother Lori Drew proudly boasted to her hairdresser and others about her MySpace prank before it led to Megan Meier's suicide, reports the Smoking Gun. Drew “denied any untoward purpose and dismissed concerns over her ‘prank,’” court filings say. But after Meier died, Drew tried...

FBI Begins Probe of AIG, Lehman, Fannie, Freddie

(Newser) - The FBI is investigating four major US financial institutions whose collapse helped trigger a $700-billion bailout plan by the Bush administration. The agency is looking at potential fraud by mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, insurer AIG and Lehman Brothers. The inquiries will focus on the companies and...

Feds Dig Into Price-Fixing by Egg, Tomato Processors

New inquiries add to list of investigations

(Newser) - The Justice Department is investigating allegations of price-fixing by tomato and egg processors, the Wall Street Journal reports today. California processor SK Foods is facing allegations it bribed buyers at six companies to pay inflated prices for tomato paste and chili peppers. Tomato prices have surged 16% over the past...

FBI Raids Suspected Palin Hacker

Tennessee student's home raided

(Newser) - A 20-year-old student suspected of hacking into Sarah Palin's Yahoo email account found himself on the wrong end of an FBI search warrant while throwing a party Saturday night, reports NBC affiliate WBIR-TV in Knoxville. David Kernell, a student at the University of Tennessee, is the son of a prominent...

Foley Won't Be Charged in Page Scandal

Investigators come up dry in case against former congressman

(Newser) - Investigators haven’t turned up enough evidence to indict former Florida congressman Mark Foley on charges he sent salacious emails to underage pages, the AP reports. Both Florida and federal officials have been investigating the charges for two years, but with Congress blocking access to House computers, they've had little...

Passport Frauds Used Identities of Deceased

Fake documents used by illegal immigrants, military deserters

(Newser) - More than 100 people stole the identities of dead people to cover up their immigration status, military desertion or drunken-driving convictions, federal authorities say after an investigation called “Operation Deathmatch.” Some of the accused even hid their true selves from spouses and children, and had been using the...

Senate Grills FBI on Anthrax, Ivins

Lawmakers raise doubts that suspect acted alone

(Newser) - Senators cast strong doubts today on the FBI's conclusion that Bruce Ivins acted alone in the 2001 anthrax scare, reports the Washington Post, with many demanding a more public vetting of the investigation into America’s largest bioterror attack. "There are others out there who should be charged...

Chloroform Found in Caylee Car Trunk

Chloroform web searches also found on mom's computer

(Newser) - FBI tests have found traces of chloroform in the trunk of the car belonging to the mother of missing toddler Caylee Anthony, a source told CNN. Mom Casey Anthony's computer also revealed web searches about chloroform, which can be used to incapacitate people but is fatal in excessive doses.

Obama Plot Not a 'Credible Threat': Cops

FBI joins investigation of plan against Dem candidate

(Newser) - Authorities say the armed man arrested near Denver on Sunday never posed a "credible threat" to Barack Obama despite reports he threatened the Democratic candidate, AP reports. "We're absolutely confident there is no credible threat to the candidate, the Democratic National Convention, or the people of Colorado,"...

FBI Looks to Expand Powers of Investigation

Agency wants to open cases without reason for suspicion

(Newser) - The Department of Justice is aiming to relax restrictions on the FBI so agents can investigate people without any clear reason for suspicion, congressional Dems tell the New York Times. The plan, which may be revealed in September, has attracted concern, including a letter from four Democratic senators warning that...

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