FBI Agent Exposes Taliban Glizzy’s Heist Ring

Gretchen, an accountant at Swisher Sweets, orchestrated a scheme to embezzle $5.7 million. She manipulated federal tobacco tax returns, diverting overpayments into her husband's bank account. Additionally, she created a false invoice scheme, funneling money to a friend who then kicked it back. The funds were primarily used by her husband to acquire gold, silver, a beachfront condo, a 460-acre farm in Georgia, dozens of guns, and nine collector's cars, all in preparation for the 'fall of the US government.' Gretchen also used some money for regular trips to Disney. Both Gretchen and her husband pleaded guilty, receiving 42-month sentences.

Gretchen, an accountant at Swisher Sweets, diverted federal tobacco tax refunds and used a false invoice scheme to embezzle $5.7 million. Her husband spent the money on gold, silver, real estate, guns, and cars for a 'prepper' lifestyle. Both received 42-month sentences.

Al Roman, operating 'Remain in Control LLC,' ran a Ponzi scheme by promoting a non-existent 'bullet trading program.' He claimed to offer high-return, risk-free investments in medium-term notes and standby letters of credit, a known urban legend in fraud circles. Investors were promised 30-60% returns. Roman paid early investors with new investor funds, causing the scheme to go viral before its inevitable collapse. He defrauded victims of nearly $2 million, spending most of it on an extravagant lifestyle. Roman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 71 months.

Al Roman's 'Remain in Control LLC' was a Ponzi scheme based on a fake 'bullet trading program' involving medium-term notes and standby letters of credit. He defrauded investors of $1.9 million, used new money to pay old investors, and spent the rest on himself. He received a 71-month sentence.

Dave Smotherton, a commodities trader at Trammo in New York, was incompetent at trading liquid petroleum gas futures. To conceal his massive losses, he made false entries into the company's accounting system, making his losing trades appear profitable. This deception allowed him to hide $240 million in losses and collect $15 million in performance bonuses. A discrepancy in a trade eventually exposed his fraud, leading to his resignation and an audit that revealed the company's dire financial state, forcing hundreds of layoffs. Smotherton pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to three years in prison, despite the astronomical losses.

Dave Smotherton, a commodities trader, hid $240 million in trading losses at Trammo by falsifying accounting entries, while collecting $15 million in bonuses. His fraud led to company layoffs. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud and received a three-year sentence.

Trevor Wright, known as hip-hop artist 'Taliban Gizzy,' led an armed crew in a series of jewelry store robberies across the East Coast, targeting Asian-owned stores selling high-purity gold. His crew, armed with automatic weapons and sledgehammers, stole nearly $5 million in jewelry. They used rented cars with stolen license plates for getaways. The operation unraveled when a crew member left an AR-15, used in a heist, in an Uber. This led the FBI and ATF to trace the weapon, identify the crew, and ultimately arrest Gizzy and 14 co-conspirators. Gizzy, as the ringleader, pleaded guilty and received an 18-year, 3-month sentence.

Hip-hop artist 'Taliban Gizzy' (Trevor Wright) orchestrated armed robberies of jewelry stores, stealing nearly $5 million. The crew used automatic weapons and stolen license plates. An AR-15 left in an Uber led to his arrest and a federal charge. Gizzy pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 years and 3 months.

The Iranian government hired three Azerbaijani-Russian mobsters for $500,000 to assassinate Masi Alina, a US-citizen journalist critical of Iran's human rights abuses. Khaled Mediev, the designated triggerman, purchased an assault rifle, ammunition, gloves, and a mask, and began surveilling Alina's home. The FBI, already monitoring Russian mobsters and Iranian officials, intercepted the plot. NYPD officers, working with the FBI, pulled over Mediev, finding the AK-47, cash, gloves, and ski mask. Mediev pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. The other two conspirators, Rafett and Pollod Amarov, went to trial, were found guilty, and each received 25-year sentences for their role in the murder-for-hire plot.

The Iranian government paid $500,000 to Azerbaijani-Russian mobsters to murder US journalist Masi Alina. The FBI intercepted the plot, arresting the triggerman, Khaled Mediev, who had an AK-47 and other tools for the assassination. Two co-conspirators, Rafett and Pollod Amarov, were found guilty at trial and each received 25-year sentences.

Katherine Buchanan, a campaign treasurer for several high-profile political campaigns and PACs (including those for US Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner), embezzled $840,000 over four years. She siphoned funds donated by supporters, using the money to pay personal credit card bills, take vacations, and obtain cash advances. Buchanan created fake accounting records to conceal her actions. Her suspicious activity was flagged, leading to an audit and an FBI investigation. She pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and tax evasion, but received a surprisingly lenient sentence of one year and one day in prison.

Katherine Buchanan, a political campaign treasurer, embezzled $840,000 from campaigns and PACs, using the money for personal expenses and creating fake records. She pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and tax evasion, receiving a sentence of one year and one day.

Dr. Anissa Maru, a psychiatrist, began illegally distributing controlled substances like Xanax, Adderall, and Subutex. Instead of providing therapeutic services, she took cash payments from 'customers' who slid money under her office door, then wrote prescriptions without any accompanying treatment or warnings about drug dangers. She even advised them to 'pharmacy shop' to avoid detection. An investigation sparked by a cooperating customer led to her arrest. Dr. Maru pleaded guilty to distributing and dispensing controlled substances and was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Dr. Anissa Maru, a psychiatrist, illegally wrote prescriptions for Xanax, Adderall, and Subutex for cash, without treatment, and advised 'pharmacy shopping.' She pleaded guilty to distributing controlled substances and received a 15-month sentence.

An FBI undercover operation targeting child exploitation platforms identified Sasha Abshshire, who was using the username 'Sasha.' She offered to sell sexually explicit photos of her own six-year-old daughter to the undercover agent. After sending graphic proof, the FBI used her Telegram phone number and Facebook profile to confirm her identity and the authenticity of the photos (matching her home's decor). Abshshire was arrested, her daughter taken by child protective services, and she confessed to exploiting her child for money. She pleaded guilty to production of child exploitation material and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Sasha Abshshire was caught by an FBI undercover agent selling sexually explicit photos of her six-year-old daughter online. Evidence from Telegram and Facebook confirmed her identity and the crime. She confessed and pleaded guilty to production of child exploitation material, receiving a 30-year sentence.

Angelo Lombardo, a 26-year-old pimp, trafficked four young women across state lines, forcing them into prostitution through abuse, threats, and isolation. He confiscated IDs, beat them, and held a gun to one's head when she tried to quit. His operation was exposed when a police officer in Boston pulled him over, separated the girls, and heard their stories of enslavement. A search of his hotel room revealed a handgun with a laser sight and a large-capacity magazine, which was significant as Lombardo was a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force and being a felon in possession of a firearm, receiving a 13-year sentence.

Angelo Lombardo ran an interstate sex trafficking operation, controlling four young women through violence and threats. He was arrested with a handgun (as a felon) and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force and felon in possession of a firearm, receiving a 13-year sentence.