FBI Daily News Briefing - January 29, 2024
Federal Bureau of Investigation - January 29, 2024
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Daily News Briefing
(In coordination with the Office of Public Affairs)
Email Public Affairs to subscribe to the Daily News Briefing. Mobile version and archive available here.
Table of Contents
IN THE NEWS
• Three U.S. Troops Killed in Drone Attack in Jordan
• Shooting Hoops, Changing Perceptions: D.C. Students Face off vs. FBI
• Feds To Dispatch More Resources To Fight Washington's Violent-Crime Surge
• Feds Announce Drug Enforcement Task Forces Arrest Nearly 200 Suspected Drug Traffickers
• Justice Department Finds Cuomo Sexually Harassed Employees And Settles With New York State
• Nikki Haley Targeted in 'Swatting' Incident at Her Home
• Pelosi Wants FBI to Investigate Pro-Palestinian Protesters
• House GOP Unveils Mayorkas Impeachment Articles Despite Lack of Evidence
• Anti-Trump Ex-FBI Official Posts Who Shut down Hunter Biden Lines of Investigation Violated Hatch Act With
COUNTERTERRORISM
• Ex-FBI Officials Warn Congress of 'New and Imminent' Border Danger
• Man Charged in 20-Plus Calls of False Threats in U.S., Canada Pleads Guilty
• Police Arrest Teen Said to Be Linked to Hundreds of Swatting Attacks
• Last of NY 'Newburgh Four' Bomb Plot Co-defendants Set to Leave Prison
• FBI Probes Antisemitic Comments Directed at Connecticut Common Council
• Opinion: As Iran-Backed Militias Attack Americans, Biden Tries to Save Tehran Terrorists
• Opinion: Predator or Prey? Undercover Federal Agents Target Vulnerable Teens
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
• Chinese Music Student Convicted of Stalking Pro-Democracy Activist at Berklee
• FBI Scrambles to Review 22 Years of High-Level Cases Over Fears of Compromise by Convicted Spy Charles McGonigal
• The Pentagon Tried to Hide That It Bought Americans' Data Without a Warrant
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS
• Former Los Angeles Council Member Sentenced To 13 Years In Prison For Pay-To-Play Corruption Scandal
• A British Painting Stolen by Mobsters Is Returned to the Owner's Son — 54 Years Later
• Sexual Assaults Hit New High in 2023 For Cruise Passengers Says FBI
• Russian Man Who Flew on Los Angeles Flight Without Passport or Ticket Found Guilty of Being Stowaway
• Cross Burning In South Carolina Stirs Debate Over Hate-Crimes Laws
• Man Who Ran Dogfighting Ring With More Than 50 Dogs Training at His Property Sentenced
• Colorado Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Aiming Laser Pointer at Denver Police Helicopter
• Two Women Tried to Expose Jeffrey Epstein Three Decades Ago. Why Didn't the FBI Stop Him?
• Couple Working as Chauffeurs Accused of Stealing $34M From Oregon Publishing Giant in Exaggerated and Bogus Charges
• Insider Trader Who Made $1Million on Merck's Pandion Deal Gets Five Months
• Ex-Gang Leader Who Spent Years in Witness Protection Charged in Fire That Killed Kids, Pregnant Women
• Republican State Senator Asks Possibility of Reopening AG Paxton Impeachment Case
• Arkansas Squatters Stake Claim on Land, Says It Belongs to Them Since They Are Part of Exclusive Group
• FBI Searching for "Fledgling Bandit" Wanted for Robbing Four Banks in Colorado
CYBER DIVISION
• Sextortion Training Materials Found on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube, According to New Report
• FBI Dismantles Blackcat, Triggering Strong Reaction
CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS
• Supreme Court Is Urged to Rule Trump Is Ineligible to Be President Again Because of the Jan. 6 Riot
• Peter Navarro Decries Contempt of Congress Charges Violates Constitution's Separation of Powers
• Judge 'Shocked' by Efforts to 'Rewrite History' of Jan. 6 Attack, Those Who Label Perpetrators 'Hostages'
• Illinois Hearing Officer, Ex-G.O.P. Judge, Says Trump Engaged in Insurrection
• Houston Man Charged After Found Taking Seines and Videos in Capitol During Jan. 6 Siege
• Milwaukee Man Arrested for Allegedly Assaulting Capitol Police With Chemical Spray During Jan. 6
• Cheney Recirculates Stefanik Jan. 6 Statement After She Reportedly Deletes It
OTHER FBI NEWS
• 23andMe Breach Targeted Jewish and Chinese Customers, Lawsuit Says
• International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Saturday
• FBI Springfield Urges Identity Theft Protection
• Last Victim of Maui Wildfires Identified Months After Disaster
• Opinion: Sam Altman Says OpenAl Has a Plan to Combat Election Misinformation
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
• Kim Jong Un Supervised Tests of Cruise Missiles Designed to Be Fired From Submarines, North Korea Says
• U.N. Says Gaza Aid Is at Risk as Nations Pause Relief-Agency Funding
• Iran Launches 3 Satellites Into Space That Are Part of a Western-Criticized Program as Tensions Rise
• Two Masked Attackers Kill 1 in Shooting at Istanbul Church
• After Two Years of Bloody Fighting, Ukraine Wrestles With Conscription
• This Ambush Shows How Ukraine Is Holding the Line
• Houthi Attacks Disrupt Shipping, Draw U.S. Into Direct Conflict
• Israel Struggles to Destroy Hamas's Gaza Tunnel Network
• After Help From Kenyan Police Is Blocked, Haitians Ask: What Now?
• Finland's Presidential Election, First Since Joining NATO, Heads to Runoff
OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS
• Donald Trump Must Pay An Additional $83.3 Million To E. Jean Carroll In Defamation Case, Jury Says
• Biden Calls Regional Partners Ahead of CIA Chief's Meeting in Push for Another Gaza Hostage Deal
• Texas Attorney General Refuses To Grant Federal Agents Full Access To Border Park
• U.S. Condemns Ban on Venezuelan Opposition Leader's Candidacy and Puts Sanctions Relief Under Review
• Don't Delete Slack Or Signal Chats, U.S. Agencies Warn Companies
• GOP Lawmaker Moves To Defund 'Sanctuary' Cities, Slams 'Hypocrisy' As They Seek Federal Aid For Migrant Crisis
• U.S. Court Skeptical of Florida Challenge to Biden 'Catch and Release' Border Policy
• Many Black Men Wonder What Biden Has Done For Them
• A Drug Test Cost a D.E.A. Agent His Job. He Sued, and Got It Back.
• U.S. And China To Hold High-Level Talks Aimed At Curbing The Fentanyl Crisis
• FIFA Convictions Are Imperiled by Questions of U.S. Overreach
• Palestinian Americans' Lawsuit In Oakland Seeks To Halt U.S. Support For Israel
• U.N. To Investigate Claim That Employees Participated In Oct. 7 Attack
• Investigators Sought Jeff Bezos' Tax-Return Leaker; They Stumbled Upon Donald Trump's
• Trump's $50 Million Mystery Debt Looks Like 'Tax Evasion'
BIG PICTURE
• New York Times
- Wall Street Journal
• Washington Post
• Financial Times
• ABC News
• CBS News
• NBC News
• Fox News
WASHINGTON SCHEDULE
White House
President Biden
• 10:00 AM: The President participates in a political event at St. John the Baptist Church
• 3:55 PM: The President departs Columbia, South Carolina en route to Joint Base Andrews
• 5:30 PM: The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route to the South Lawn
• 5:40 PM: The President arrives at the White House
Vice President Harris
• No events scheduled.
US Senate
• No events scheduled.
US House of Representatives
• Hearing: The Future of Data Privacy and Artificial Intelligence at VA — 3:30 PM — Host: Committee on Veterans' Affairs
• Business Meeting: H.R. 5585 Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act H.R. 6976 Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act H.R. 6678 Consequences for Social Security Fraud Act H.R. 6679 No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act — 4:00 PM — Host: Committee on Rules
Cabinet Members
• Secretary of State Blinken meets with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Department of State at 9:30 AM.
• Secretary Blinken meets with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley at the Department of State at 11:00 AM.
• Secretary Blinken meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Department of State at 2:00 PM.
• Secretary Blinken holds a joint press availability with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Department of State at 3:15 PM.
Visitors
• Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani meet with Secretary Blinken at the Department of State.
• Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley meets with Secretary Blinken at the Department of State.
• NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg meets with Secretary Blinken at the Department of State.
General Events
• CSIS: El Salvador's 2024 Elections: Voting in a One-Party State? — Monday, January 29, 2024. Location: Online Event, 10:00 AM. Please join the Americas Program for a timely conversation on elections and the future of democracy in El Salvador. With general elections in El Salvador slated for February 4, the re-election of Nayib Bukele seems a foregone conclusion. More troubling however is the possibility that a set of electoral reforms shrinking the size of the Legislative Assembly and modifying the process for counting votes from Salvadorans living abroad will serve to engineer a legislature in which the opposition may not garner a single seat, effectively transforming El Salvador into a one-party state with the patina of democratic legitimacy. In light of the already troubling restriction of civil and political rights under Bukele's first term, such a development is a concerning portent for El Salvador and the region at large. This event will seek to raise awareness of the electoral reforms pushed by Bukele and his allies to constrain the ability of opposition candidates to compete. It will also evaluate scenarios for a post-election El Salvador, and how the opposition and civil society can respond in the event they are excluded from government. Finally, it will consider the implications for the United States of potential one-party rule in El Salvador.
• CSIS: The Impossible State Live Podcast: Slow Boil: What to Expect from the DPRK in 2024— Monday, January Jong-un, 29, 2024. there Location: will likely be Online an uptick Event, in 11:00 North AM. Korean Though belligerence it appears in things 2024. could CSIS data not get shows any North worse Korea with Kim tends to ramp up provocations in U.S. election years. Please join the Impossible State podcast for a special discussion on what to expect from North Korea in 2024. The conversation will be moderated by Dr. Ellen Kim and feature Dr. Victor Cha, Senior Vice President and Korea Chair at CSIS. During this episode, Dr. Kim and Dr. Cha will discuss the Korea Chair's latest publication, Slow Boil: What to Expect from the DPRK in 2024, and more.
• AEI: US International Trade Policy and the Agricultural Sector in 2024 and Beyond — Monday, January 29, 2024. Location: AEI, 1:00 PM. The past seven years have left the US trade agenda in shambles. The Trump Trans-Pacific administration Partnership, reversed crippling a 75-year the World trend Trade toward Organization more-open (WTO) global Dispute markets—pulling Settlement the Body, US out imposing of the supplemental tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, and plunging the US in a costly trade war with China. Hopes that the Biden administration would be better were short-lived. Supplemental tariffs remain in place, now-candidate and minimal Donald progress Trump has promises been made to impose toward a WTO 10 percent reform. tariff Looking on all ahead foreign to the imports, presidential putting election, US agriculture at risk of retaliatory actions by major trading partners. Join AEI scholars and a panel of experts as they analyze what to expect in 2024 and beyond.
• Atlantic Council: How Ukraine fights Russian disinformation: Beehive vs mammoth — Monday, January 29, 2024. Location: Online Event, 9:00 AM. In 2023, the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats and the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab interviewed two dozen Ukrainian officials and experts leading the country's efforts to counter Russian information operations. The result is a groundbreaking new report documenting how they've been doing it, what's working, and their advice for Western governments also facing Russian information threats. This event, featuring report co-authors Jakub Kalensky* and Roman Osadchuk, will discuss the main lessons learned by Ukraine over the last decade, and explore how Ukraine's resilience can serve as a model for Europe and elsewhere.
• Atlantic Council: War in Sudan: Risks of prolonged conflict and regional instability— Monday, January 29, 2024. Location: Online Event, 9:00 AM. After nearly ten months of fighting in Sudan, civilians remain caught in the middle of devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). As the crisis continues, global concerns about widespread internal displacement and potential ethnic cleansing are on the rise. In fits and starts, regional leaders have attempted to mediate between the SAF and RSF: For example, the African Union recently formed a panel tasked with helping Sudan restore peace. But a ceasefire remains elusive. With outside actors supporting, arming, and resupplying different sides in the conflict, the potential for continued violence and a human rights disaster remains high. Join us for a panel with high-level experts discussing the war in Sudan and pathways towards peace on Monday, January 29, at 9 a.m. Et
• Atlantic Council: Digital transformation in Saudi Arabia and its impact on women — Monday, January 29, 2024. Location: Online Event, 11:00 AM. Join the Win Fellowship, part of the Atlantic Council's empowerME initiative, for a dynamic workshop on Monday, January 29th at 11:00 AM EST (7:00 PM KSA). Delve into the transformative power of digital technology in Saudi Arabia's startup ecosystem, exploring its impact on women entrepreneurs. Saudi Arabia is undergoing a significant digital revolution, fueled by the ambitious goals of Vision 2030. Government initiatives and widespread technology adoption are propelling the nation towards becoming a leading digital economy. This exciting landscape presents a wealth of opportunities for entrepreneurs of all backgrounds to build and thrive in a dynamic environment. In 2021, women's participation in the technology sector in Saudi Arabia was recorded at 28 percent, higher than the European average of 17.5 percent and a significant increase from previous years.
• Atlantic Council: Qatar's prime minister on regional de-escalation, war in Gaza, and US-Qatar relations — Monday, January 29, 2024. Location: Online Event, 12:00 PM. The Atlantic Council is hosting a virtual #ACFrontPage conversation featuring Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Qatar, on Monday, January 29, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET. With the continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas and the looming threat of a broader regional war, Al-Thani will outline Doha's role in current negotiations over the war in Gaza and Qatar's strategic vision for de-escalating tensions and promoting regional security and prosperity in the Middle East. As a major non-NATO ally of the United States, Qatar plays a pivotal role in seeking and proposing solutions to the current conflict and other regional and global issues of crucial importance to the United States. Al-Thani will also discuss US-Qatar relations, Doha's role in ensuring regional security, and Qatar's foreign-policy vision.
. Atlantic Council: Industry Minister Victor Bison6 on the Dominican Republic's economic growth and resilience — Monday, January 29, 2024. Location: Atlantic Council, 3:00 PM. As the Dominican Republic prepares to host the IDB annual meeting and the sixth Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) Ministerial Meetings in March and the tenth Summit of the Americas in 2025, the year ahead presents a unique opportunity to spotlight strides in the country's economic development and leadership including its fast-growing and dynamic private sector. Minister Bison6 will address the steps taken to become a destination for nearshoring and to bring in new foreign investment. What are the Dominican Republic's plans for advancing its role as part of the broader drive toward greater supply chain resilience in the Americas? What are the specific policies, and how are historic impediments being addressed, to attract foreign businesses and investors? What are the sectors and product opportunities that might catapult the Dominican Republic's economic growth?
. Atlantic Council: Adapting our defense capacities to a changing world: A discussion with Commissioner Thierry Breton — Monday, January 29, 2024. Location: Atlantic Council, 5:45 PM. The Atlantic Council's Europe Center is delighted to host a conversation with European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton. This conversation will take place in-person on Monday, January 29 from 5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. Since Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, the European Union and the United States have provided steadfast support for Ukraine, delivering unprecedented and world-leading levels of military, humanitarian, and financial aid. For transatlantic partners to continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, military support including artillery shells and defense systems will be instrumental as Ukraine's fight for survival continues. The EU has played an increasingly important role in Europe and Ukraine's security. To secure the future of its defense industry production and keep up the drumbeat of support for Ukraine, the EU is also drafting new proposals in support of Europe's defense industry and capabilities to build a stronger Europe and to bolster NATO and the transatlantic alliance.
• Wilson Center: Bystander Society: Conformity and Complicity in Nazi Germany and the Holocaust — Monday, January 29, 2024. Location: Online Event, 4:00 PM. Drawing on personal accounts of experiences in the Third Reich and in wartime Poland, Latvia and Lithuania, Bystander Society explores the conditions for widespread passivity in face of violence against others. Fulbrook reconceives 'bystanding' in terms of changing interpersonal relations: indifference, ignorance (or choosing to ignore), and a sense of impotence, are historically produced. Many became increasingly complicit or involved in wartime perpetration; a few sought retreat or resistance; but remaining an 'innocent bystander' was largely a postwar myth.
• The Hudson Institute: A Conversation with Rep. Darrell Issa on US—South Asia Relations — Monday, January 29, 2024. Location: The Hudson Institute, 2:00 PM. The South Asian and Indian Ocean regions are critical for America's national security interests and will be key to countering China's military and economic rise through a United States—led Indo-Pacific coalition. As part of this coalition, the US has placed a strategic bet on India, demonstrated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's June 2023 state visit to Washington and President Joe Biden's September 2023 visit to New Delhi. Meanwhile, American policymakers have an interest in maintaining political and economic stability and monitoring extremism and terrorism across South Asia. This year will also be a crucial moment for countries in this region, as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka will all hold elections. For a conversation about US relations with South Asia and a look ahead at the challenges and opportunities in the coming year, Hudson Institute's Dr. Aparna Pande will host Representative Darrell Issa. They will discuss where relations stand between the United States and the countries of South Asia, especially in the context of American interests in the Indo-Pacific and the region's relevance to American strategy and policy
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