HEART OF WEB TELESCOPE SURVIVES DEEP SPACE TEST

FROM:  NASA 

After 116 days of being subjected to extremely frigid temperatures like that in space, the heart of the James Webb Space Telescope, the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) and its sensitive instruments, emerged unscathed from the thermal vacuum chamber at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Webb telescope's images will reveal the first galaxies forming 13.5 billion years ago. The telescope will also pierce through interstellar dust clouds to capture stars and planets forming in our own galaxy. At the telescope's final destination in space, one million miles away from Earth, it will operate at incredibly cold temperatures of -387 degrees Fahrenheit, or 40 degrees Kelvin. This is 260 degrees Fahrenheit colder than any place on the Earth’s surface has ever been. To create temperatures that cold on Earth, the team uses the massive thermal vacuum chamber at Goddard called the Space Environment Simulator, or SES, that duplicates the vacuum and extreme temperatures of space. This 40-foot-tall, 27-foot-diameter cylindrical chamber eliminates the tiniest trace of air with vacuum pumps and uses liquid nitrogen and even colder liquid helium to drop the temperature simulating the space environment. The James Webb Space Telescope is the scientific successor to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. It will be the most powerful space telescope ever built. Webb is an international project led by NASA with its partners, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.  NASA Webb's Heart Survives Deep Freeze Test.  Image Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn.

COURT SHUTS DOWN TECH SUPPORT SCAMMERS WHO SOLD SOFTWARE AVAILABLE FOR FREE

FROM:  FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 

At FTC’s Request, Court Shuts Down New York-Based Tech Support Scam Business

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal court has shut down a company that scammed computer users by tricking them into paying hundreds of dollars for technical support services they did not need, as well as software that was otherwise available for free.

According to the FTC’s complaint, Pairsys, Inc., cold-called consumers masquerading as representatives of Microsoft or Facebook, and also purchased deceptive ads online that led consumers to believe they were calling the technical support line for legitimate companies.

“The defendants behind Pairsys targeted seniors and other vulnerable populations, preying on their lack of computer knowledge to sell ‘security’ software and programs that had no value at all,” said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “We are pleased that the court has shut down the company for now, and we look forward to getting consumers’ money back in their pockets.”

Whether consumers were cold-called by the company or drawn in by deceptive ads, the FTC’s complaint notes that what followed was a deceptive and high-pressure sales pitch conducted by scammers in an overseas call center. The scammers would convince a consumer to allow them to have remote control over the individual’s computer, in order to analyze the supposed issues.

Once they had access to a consumer’s computer, the FTC alleges, the scammers would lead the consumer to believe that benign portions of the computer’s operating system were in fact signs of viruses and malware infecting the consumer’s computer. In many cases, they implied that the computer was severely compromised and had to be “repaired” immediately.

At that point, consumers were pressured into paying for bogus warranty programs and software that was freely available, usually at a cost of $149 to $249, though in some cases, the defendants charged as much as $600 for the supposed products. The FTC’s filings in the case allege that the company made nearly $2.5 million since early 2012.

The defendants have agreed to the terms of a preliminary injunction issued by the court that prohibits the defendants in the case from making misrepresentations to consumers about what company they represent or whether consumers have viruses or spyware on their computer. They are also banned from deceptive telemarketing practices, and may not sell or rent their customer lists to any third party. The injunction requires that their websites and telephone numbers must be shut down and disconnected, and their assets be frozen.

The defendants in the case, Pairsys, Inc., Uttam Saha and Tiya Bhattacharya, are accused by the FTC of violating both the FTC Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule. In its complaint, the FTC asks the court to permanently shut down the company and require the defendants to return their ill-gotten gains. The FTC previously brought cases against a number of tech support scammers in 2012 and has received settlements and judgments totaling more than $5 million in those cases.

The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the complaint was 5-0. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. The stipulated preliminary injunction was entered by the court on Oct. 9. 2014.

NOTE: The Commission files a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. The case will be decided by the court.

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO: AN EBOLA UPDATE FROM THE DESK OF DR. ANTHONY FAUCI

U.S. CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF TURKMENISTAN ON THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Turkmenistan Independence Day

Press Statement

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

October 24, 2014

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Turkmenistan as you celebrate the 23nd anniversary of your nation’s independence on October 27.

When Turkmenistan declared its independence in 1991, the United States celebrated your achievement. Later that year, as the last Republics of the Soviet Union declared their independence, President George H.W. Bush declared that “the challenge for us now is to engage these new states in sustaining the peace and building a more prosperous future.”

Twenty-three years later, our two nations have worked together to forge a more peaceful and stable region. We will continue to work closely with you on common goals – from expanding trade and business ties to promoting professional, cultural, and educational exchanges.

I send the people of Turkmenistan best wishes for a future of peace, progress, and prosperity.

U.S. CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF AUSTRIA ON THEIR NATIONAL DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

On the Occasion of Austria's National Day

Press Statement

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

October 24, 2014

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Austria as you celebrate your National Day on October 26.

Last week I was in Vienna, a city that has played gracious host as the P5+1 nations have held important talks with Iran throughout the past year. You have made our entire delegation feel at home, and I have enjoyed taking a break by riding my bicycle through your countryside.

My family ties go back even further, to my grandparents’ family. As a college student, I even had the chance to see your mountains up close. And lately, I’ve seen firsthand that Americans and Austrians are united in our shared commitment to democracy, peace, and prosperity.

Our governments have built a strong partnership based our shared goal of a Europe whole, free, and at peace. Austria provides peacekeeping forces and technical expertise in Southeastern Europe. You set a powerful example for engagement through your role in the Partnership for Peace and as host to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

On this special day, the United States stands with the people of Austria as a partner and a friend.

SAFARI COMPANY OWNERS INDICTED FOR SELLING ILLEGAL HUNTS FOR RHINOS

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Owners of Safari Company Indicted for Illegal Rhino Hunts

The owners of Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris were charged with conspiracy to sell illegal rhinoceros hunts in South Africa in order to defraud American hunters, money laundering and secretly trafficking in rhino horns, announced Sam Hirsch Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division; George L. Beck, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama; and Dan Ashe, Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  The indictment was unsealed today in Montgomery, Alabama following the federal indictment.

The indictment charges Dawie Groenewald,  46, and his brother, Janneman Groenewald, 44, both South African nationals, and their company Valinor Trading CC (d/b/a Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris) with conspiracy, Lacey Act violations, mail fraud, money laundering and structuring bank deposits to avoid reporting requirements.   The Lacey Act, the nation’s oldest criminal statute addressing illegal poaching and wildlife trafficking, makes it a crime to sell animal hunts conducted in violation of state, federal, tribal and foreign law.

According to the 18-count indictment, from 2005 to 2010, the Groenewald brothers traveled throughout the United States to attend hunting conventions and gun shows where they sold outfitting services and accommodations to American hunters to be conducted at their ranch in Mussina, South Africa.  During the time period covered by the indictment, Janneman Groenewald lived in Autauga County, Alabama, where Out of Africa maintained bank accounts and is accused of money laundering and structuring deposits to avoid federal reporting requirements.  Hunters paid between $3,500 and $15,000 for the illegal rhino hunts.

The defendants are charged with selling illegal rhino hunts by misleading American hunters.  The hunters were told the lie that a particular rhino had to be killed because it was a “problem rhino.”  Therefore, while no trophy could be legally exported, the hunters could nonetheless shoot the rhino, pose for a picture with the dead animal, and make record book entries, all at a reduced price.  Meanwhile, the defendants are alleged to have failed to obtain necessary permits required by South Africa and cut the horns off some of the rhinos with chainsaws and knives.

The indictment alleges that the defendants then sold the rhino horn on the black market.  Eleven illegal hunts are detailed in the papers filed in federal court, including one in which the rhino had to be shot and killed after being repeatedly wounded by a bow, and another in which Dawie Groenewald used a chainsaw to remove the horn from a sedated rhino that had been hunted with a tranquilizer gun.  The American hunters have not been charged.

“We are literally fighting for the survival of a species today.  In that fight, we will do all we can to prosecute those who traffic in rhino horns and sell rhino hunts to Americans in violation of foreign law,” said Sam Hirsch, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division.  “This case should send a warning shot to outfitters and hunters that the sale of illegal hunts in the U.S. will be vigorously prosecuted regardless of where the hunt takes place.”

“These defendants tricked, lied and defrauded American citizens in order to profit from these illegal rhinoceros hunts,” stated U.S. Attorney Beck.  “Not only did they break South African laws, but they laundered their ill-gotten gains through our banks here in Alabama. We will not allow United States’ citizens to be used as a tool to destroy a species that is virtually harmless to people or other animals.”  

“The fact that defendants used American hunters to execute this scheme is appalling - but not as appalling as the brutal tactics they employed to kill eleven critically endangered wild rhinos,” said FWS Director Ashe. “South Africa has worked extraordinarily hard to protect its wild rhino population, using trophy hunts as a key management tool. The illegal ‘hunts’ perpetrated by these criminals undermine that work and the reputation of responsible hunters everywhere.”

Rhinoceros are an herbivore species of prehistoric origin and one of the largest remaining mega-fauna on earth.   Adult rhinoceros have no known natural predators.  All species of rhinoceros are protected under United States and international law.  Since 1976, trade in rhinoceros horn has been regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a treaty signed by over 170 countries around the world to protect fish, wildlife and plants that are or may become imperiled due to the demands of international markets.  Nevertheless, the demand for rhinoceros horn and black market prices have skyrocketed in recent years due to the value that some cultures have placed on ornamental carvings, good luck charms or alleged medicinal purposes, leading to a decimation of the global rhinoceros population.  Like hair or finger nails, rhino horn is actually composed of keratin and has no proven medical efficacy.  As a result, rhino populations have declined by more than 90 percent since 1970.  South Africa, for example, has witnessed a rapid escalation in poaching of live animals, rising from 13 in 2007 to a record 1004 in 2013.  Illegally killed rhinos like the ones charged in this prosecution are not included in the published statistics of poached animals.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  

The investigation of Out of Africa is part of Operation Crash (named for the term “crash” which describes a herd of rhinoceros), an ongoing nation-wide effort to detect, deter and prosecute those engaged in the illegal killing of rhinoceros and the unlawful trafficking of rhinoceros horns led by the Special Investigations Unit of the Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice.  Thus far there have been 26 arrests and 18 convictions with prison terms as high as 70 months. (See attached Crash Fact Sheet).  Throughout the course of the investigation on the current charges, U.S. authorities received substantial cooperation from South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority and a specialized endangered species unit within the organized crime unit of the South African Police Service.  That unit is known as the Hawks.  Additional assistance has been provided in this case by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, in Montgomery, Alabama and the Autauga County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office.  The Out of Africa case is being prosecuted in the Middle District of Alabama by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon K. Essig and by Richard A. Udell, Senior Litigation Counsel with the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.  The Out of Africa investigation is continuing.    

The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance.

$840 MILLION INITIATIVE ANNOUNCED BY HHS SECRETARY BURWELL

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 23, 2014

HHS Secretary announces $840 million initiative to improve patient care and lower costs

New initiative will support networks that help doctors access information and improve health outcomes

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell today announced an initiative that will fund successful applicants who work directly with medical providers to rethink and redesign their practices, moving from systems driven by quantity of care to ones focused on patients’ health outcomes, and coordinated health care systems. These applicants could include group practices, health care systems, medical provider associations and others. This effort will help clinicians develop strategies to share, adapt and further improve the quality of care they provide, while holding down costs. Strategies could include:
Giving doctors better access to patient information, such as information on prescription drug use to help patients take their medications properly;
Expanding the number of ways patients are able communicate with the team of clinicians taking care of them;
Improving the coordination of patient care by primary care providers, specialists, and the broader medical community; and
Using electronic health records on a daily basis to examine data on quality and efficiency.

“The administration is partnering with clinicians to find better ways to deliver care, pay providers and distribute information to improve the quality of care we receive and spend our nation’s dollars more wisely,” said Secretary Burwell.  “We all have a stake in achieving these goals and delivering for patients, providers and taxpayers alike.”

Through the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative, HHS will invest $840 million over the next four years to support 150,000 clinicians. With a combination of incentives, tools, and information, the initiative will encourage doctors to team with their peers and others to move from volume-driven systems to value-based, patient-centered, and coordinated health care services. Successful applicants will demonstrate the ability to achieve progress toward measurable goals, such as improving clinical outcomes, reducing unnecessary testing, achieving cost savings and avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations.

The initiative is one part of a strategy advanced by the Affordable Care Act to strengthen the quality of patient care and spend health care dollars more wisely. For example, the Affordable Care Act has helped reduce hospital readmissions in Medicare by nearly 10 percent between 2007 and 2013 – translating into 150,000 fewer readmissions – and quality improvements have resulted in saving 15,000 lives and $4 billion in health spending during 2011 and 2012.

Building upon successful models and programs, such as the Quality Improvement Organization Program, Partnership for Patients with Hospital Engagement Networks, and Accountable Care Organizations, the initiative provides opportunities for participating clinicians to collaborate and disseminate information. Through a multi-pronged approach to technical assistance, it will identify existing health care delivery models that work and rapidly spread these models to other health care providers and clinicians.

“This model will support and build partnerships with doctors and other clinicians across the country to provide better care to their patients. Clinicians want to spend time with their patients, coordinate care, and improve patient outcomes, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services wants to be a collaborative partner helping clinicians achieve those goals and spread best practices across the nation,” said Patrick Conway, M.D., deputy administrator for innovation and quality and CMS chief medical officer.

Practice Transformation Networks. CMS will award cooperative agreements to group practices, health care systems, and others that join together to serve as trusted partners in providing clinician practices with quality improvement expertise, best practices, coaching and assistance. These practices have successfully achieved measurable improvements in care by implementing electronic health records, coordinating among patients and their families, and performing timely monitoring and interventions of high-risk patients to prevent unnecessary hospitalization and readmissions. Practice Transformation Networks will work with a diverse range of practices, including those in rural communities and those that provide care for the medically underserved.

Support and Alignment Networks. CMS will award cooperative agreements to networks formed by medical professional associations and others who would align their memberships, communication channels, continuing medical education credits and other work to support the Practice Transformation Networks and clinician practices. These Support and Alignment Networks would create an infrastructure to help identify evidence-based practices and policies and disseminate them nationwide, in a scalable, sustainable approach to improved care delivery.

By participating in the initiative, practices will be able to receive the technical assistance and peer-level support they need to deliver care in a patient-centric and efficient manner, which is increasingly being demanded by health care payers and purchasers as part of a transformed care delivery system. Participating clinicians will thus be better positioned for success in the health care market of the future - one that rewards value and outcomes rather than volume.

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO: WEST WING WEEK 10/24/14

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO: WEEKLY ADDRESS: FOR OCTOBER 25, 2014

WHITE HOUSE LETTER ON CONTINUATION OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY REGARDING SUDAN

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

October 24, 2014

Letter - Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Sudan

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date.  In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency with respect to Sudan is to continue in effect beyond November 3, 2014.

The crisis constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of Sudan that led to the declaration of a national emergency in Executive Order 13067 of November 3, 1997, and the expansion of that emergency in Executive Order 13400 of April 26, 2006, and with respect to which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13412 of October 13, 2006, has not been resolved.  These actions and policies continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  Therefore, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13067 with respect to Sudan.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

10/24/14: WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING

DOD VIDEO: EBOLA RESPONSE TEAM TRAINS IN TEXAS

PRESIDENT OBAMA MEETS WITH EBOLA RESPONSE COORDINATOR

SEC SANCTIONS AUDITOR FOR VIOLATING LAWS, REGULATIONS REQUIRING ROTATING OFF AUDIT ENGAGEMENTS

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

The Securities and Exchange Commission today sanctioned a Florida-based auditor for violating federal laws and regulations requiring lead audit partners to periodically rotate off their audit engagements with a publicly traded company in order to preserve the integrity of the financial reporting process.

The lead partner primarily responsible for the audit of a public company is prohibited from performing lead audit partner services for the same issuer for more than five consecutive fiscal years.  The SEC finds that Eliot Berman attempted to circumvent this auditor rotation requirement.  For the audit of a company that he conducted for the previous five years, Berman installed as lead audit partner an employee at his firm who was not a certified public accountant nor otherwise qualified to lead such an audit.  Berman improperly continued to perform many of the lead audit partner functions for that audit.

Berman and his firm Berman & Company, located in Boca Raton, agreed to settle the SEC’s charges.  Berman must pay a $15,000 penalty and is suspended for at least one year from practicing as an accountant on behalf of any publicly traded company or other entity regulated by the SEC.

The case is part of the SEC’s ongoing Operation Broken Gate designed to identify auditors who disregard their gatekeeper roles in violating professional standards and thereby increasing the risk of undetected fraud in financial statements that are not being properly audited.

“When investors receive an audited financial statement, they have a right to expect that the audit was performed by a qualified and independent auditor,” said Paul Levenson, Director of the SEC’s Boston Regional Office.  “Berman attempted to subvert the independence rules by concocting a sham rotation and naming an unqualified employee of the firm to serve as token lead audit partner while he continued to pull the strings.”

The SEC’s order instituting a settled administrative proceeding finds that Berman and his firm engaged in improper professional conduct pursuant to Section 4C(a)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as well as Rule 102(e)(1)(ii) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice.  The order finds that they violated Section 10A(j) of the Exchange Act and caused their client’s violations of Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13a-1.  The order further finds that Berman & Company violated and Berman willfully aided and abetted Rule 2-02 of Regulation S-X.  Without admitting or denying the SEC’s findings, Berman and his firm consented to the order, which censures Berman & Company for its misconduct.

The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Patrick Noone and Marc Jones, and the case was supervised by Kevin Currid.  The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH KOREA FOREIGN MINISTER BYUNG-SE

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Remarks With Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se After Their Meeting

Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

October 24, 2014

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good morning. I want to start by welcoming my friend and my colleague, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, back to Washington, who is here along with South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo. We had a very productive what we call 2+2 meeting this morning – it is the third such dialogue that we have conducted – during which Secretary Hagel and I restated the degree to which we are deeply committed to building on today’s discussions and reinforcing the very close partnership that we have with the Republic of Korea.

It is safe to say – and everybody reiterated this today – that the U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance is stronger than ever. And thanks to the agreement that Defense Minister Han and Secretary Hagel signed yesterday, it’s about to become even stronger. This new agreement is going to serve as a blueprint for how and when South Korea will assume wartime operational control of the combined forces. And the goal of the agreement is to ensure that as South Korea continues to build up its own defense capabilities, our combined forces will be ready and able to provide the best possible defenses for the Korean people.

Our shared security is at the heart of the U.S.-ROK alliance. But ultimately, I want to make it clear that our alliance is about much more than that. It is the linchpin of security, stability, and prosperity in Northeast Asia and increasingly beyond there. Today, for instance, we discussed a number of important issues where our partnership is not only valuable, but it’s really essential.

Obviously, at the top of the list is the subject of North Korea. Secretary Hagel and I reiterated that the United States remains committed to a peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through authentic and credible negotiations. We remain open to dialogue with North Korea, but there is no value in talks just for the sake of talks. North Korea must demonstrate that it is serious about denuclearization, and we need to be certain that it is prepared to live up to its international obligations and abide by international norms of behavior. In the meantime, we will remain vigilant against the clear threat that North Korea poses.

We also spent time today discussing our shared efforts on a number of other issues. We all understand that infectious disease in Africa, extremism in the Middle East, and territorial aggression in Eastern Europe pose threats that extend far beyond those regions. And both South Korea and the United States believe that our alliance will not only deepen our – not only deepen as we continue to step up our efforts to address those threats, and we will do so because we share a sense of responsibility about international leadership and the importance of these challenges to the norms of international behavior.

We were very grateful to hear from both Foreign Minister Yun and from Defense Minister Han that South Korea intends to continue cooperating closely with us in regard to these international efforts, and in fact wants to step up its efforts in a number of regards.

For example, we are very pleased that South Korea has announced that it will send additional healthcare experts to assist the international response in West Africa on top of the experts and supplies that it has already sent. And last month, as part of the global response to ISIL, South Korea contributed another $4 million in humanitarian assistance to Iraq, bringing its total contributions today to more than 5.2 million.

The Republic of Korea has emerged as a key global player dedicated, as the United States is, to universal values like human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. And as we discussed today, I pointed out it was only a few years ago that the Republic of South Korea was a recipient of aid; but because of its own ingenuity and its own commitment to growth and development and stability and democracy, now the Republic of Korea is itself a donor country assuming increasing responsibilities willfully and effectively on a global basis. And we welcome that and we’re grateful for it.

I mentioned that our alliance has, in fact, never been stronger. But given the staggering range of challenges that we face today, neither has it been more important. And with the help of our new ambassador to South Korea, Mark Lippert, who I will have the privilege of swearing in later today, we look forward to continuing our work with our South Korean allies and with our friends for many years to come.

Minister Yun, I’m delighted to turn the floor to you.

FOREIGN MINISTER YUN: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. (Via interpreter) First, I’d like to thank Secretary Kerry and Secretary Hagel for hosting the 2+2 meeting in Washington today. This year, the 2+2 meetings have been held for the third time from 2010 to 2012, and this is the first one since the Park Geun-hye administration. In 2010, we had focused on our response to North Korean aggressions. Today, we were able to focus on our alliance beyond the Korean Peninsula, on global issues as well. This demonstrates that the Korea-U.S. alliance has gone beyond serving as a linchpin for peace and stability on – in Asia-Pacific region. It is now a global partnership.

Through two summit meetings since the Park Geun-hye administration, we have been able to establish the fact that our relationship is the best ever since 1953. It is the strongest alliance in the world as well. I believe that this is based on mutual trust as well as continuous development at an adaptation of our relationship. Today, we were able to discuss various issues ranging from our alliance management as well as North Korean nuclear issues and other global issues as well.

In today’s meeting, we were able to express elation about the progress we’ve made within the last one and a half years, and we were able to reach a successful agreement on the defense cost-sharing special session last year. And yesterday, we were able to reach agreements on conditions-based OPCON transfer as well. Currently, Korea-U.S. nuclear agreement is likely to come to a successful conclusion. If that happens, we will have had the most successful agreements on most of our major issues.

On the other hand, there are other areas on which we need to see cooperation – cyber security as well as space projects – and I think our efforts are moving beyond these forces and into the new horizon. Recently, North Korean nuclear missile threats as well as other challenges have reinforced the fact that the combined defense readiness between Korea and U.S. will be the most effective in deterring aggression from North Korea and promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. And the unpredictability and the fluidity of the situation in Korea help us agree that we need a comprehensive, multidimensional response.

And I believe that denuclearization, human rights in North Korea, as well as a conducive environment for unification is the holistic approach that we also need to focus on. And to that end, we have to create more creative ideas on how to bring this about. We need to be able to ensure a safe life to North Koreans and bring about real human rights compliance in the country. By doing that, we’ll be able to create an environment conducive to unification, and I believe denuclearization will act as the engine in bringing this about.

Historical, territorial, and maritime issues have threatened Northeast Asia’s security environment. Since the Cold War has ended, this has been the most tense situation in the Northeast Asian region. Based on the Korea-U.S. alliance, we’ll be able to create an environment that will be able to create real solutions to these issues. In particular, the rebalancing of the Asia-Pacific region is going to contribute to peace and stability in Northeast Asia.

Finally, our alliance has moved beyond just the Korean Peninsula. We are very happy to announce that our alliance is contributing to resolving global issues. We are happy to report that we are collaborating on stopping the spread of the Ebola virus as well as other global issues. We will be sending more aid toward that area and considering this more than a health issue, but a serious issue to security in the world.

On another front, we are fighting ISIL and foreign terrorist fighters, and to that end we agree to the UN resolution and look forward to a thorough implementation. And since the joint statement on the 60th anniversary of the alliance, through these meetings we were able to add substance and detail to the vision and roadmap of the Korea-U.S. relationship. And I hope that, based on mutual trust, we’ll be able to improve on the already good relationship between the two.

Minister Han and I look forward to be able to reciprocate the warm hospitality to Secretary Kerry and Secretary Hagel on their next visit to Korea. Thank you.

MODERATOR: From Abigail Williams with NBC News.

QUESTION: First, Foreign Minister Yun, is it true that North Korea has closed its border citing Ebola fears?

And to Secretary Kerry, if true, how will this and the recent release of American Jeffrey Fowle impact negotiations over the release of the other two detained Americans? What does this – and what does this signal about internal politics in North Korea given Kim Jong-un’s 40-day absence?

Also, are you in a position to confirm reports --

SECRETARY KERRY: I’m sorry.

QUESTION: Sorry, one more. Are you --

SECRETARY KERRY: I hate to do this to you, but can you repeat the first part of your question? Because it got swallowed up. I couldn’t hear it.

QUESTION: Sure.

FOREIGN MINISTER YUN: From the beginning, yes.

SECRETARY KERRY: Yeah. From the beginning.

QUESTION: Okay. If true that North Korea has closed its borders citing Ebola fears, how will this and the recent release of American Jeffrey Fowle impact negotiations over the release of the other two detained Americans, and what does this signal about internal politics given Kim Jong-un’s 40-day absence?

Also, are you in a position to confirm reports that IS militants have used chlorine gas on Iraqi troops, and how will this change U.S. strategy?

FOREIGN MINISTER YUN: (Via interpreter) In recent months, North Korea has shown very unique behaviors. On the one hand, it is using continuous aggression, but on the other hand, they’re looking for dialogue. In the past few weeks, North Korea has launched aggressions on the DMZ as well as on maritime fronts, and they have fired at some of the flyers that were sprinkled in balloons. Just one month ago during the Asian games, high-level officials, however, visited Korea, and they proposed a high-level talk. So what they speak and what they do seem to be inconsistent. But for the second high-level meetings that we proposed, if North Korea accepts and if we are able to have the talks, then I believe we can find a path to improvement of relationship for peace on the Korean Peninsula as well as an environment conducive to unification. We are making various efforts to try and provide that kind of an environment.

SECRETARY KERRY: I can’t tell you how their decision will or won’t affect anything with respect to the other Americans who are being held. They have made some statements about their expectations of what the United States should do with respect to that. We’ve made it clear that no apology or other statement is in the offing. They need to release these people because they’re being held inappropriately. And our hope is that they will recognize the goodwill that could be built and the gesture that it would offer to the world of their willingness to try to open up a different diplomatic track. So our hope is for the humanitarian reason alone that they will behave differently and see fit to release these people. We’re grateful that Jeff Fowle was released, back in Ohio now. We’re delighted with that. But we are still deeply concerned about the other two Americans who are being held.

With respect to the chlorine, you asked me am I in a position to confirm it, and the answer is no. I am not in a position to confirm it, but I can tell you that we take these allegations very, very seriously, in particular, the most recent allegations about the use of chlorine as a chemical weapon. Chlorine by itself is not on the chemical weapons list, therefore it was not among those things removed under the agreement we reached with the Russians and the Syrians’ regime.

But when mixed in certain ways and used in certain ways, it can become a chemical weapon that is prohibited under the chemical weapons agreement. And therefore these allegations are extremely serious and we are seeking additional information in order to be able to determine whether or not we can confirm it. The use of any chemical weapon is an abhorrent act. It’s against international law, and these recent allegations underscore the importance of the work that we are currently engaged in. It will not change our strategy. It obviously can affect tactical decisions within that strategy, but our fundamental strategy remains absolutely clear and we are step by step bringing the coalition further and further down the road to being able to shore up the Iraqi army itself and to take measures against ISIL.

We’ve said in the beginning this will take time. And it will evolve, as it is, day by day as General Allen and our teams are working to come together; important meetings have been held during the course of this past week; and I expect to see further progress over the course of the next weeks.

MS. PSAKI: The final question will be from Shim of Yonhap News.

QUESTION: Okay, my name is In Sung Shim from the Yonhap News Agency in Korea. I have a question to you, the first to --

(Via interpreter) North-South Korea relations are improving and U.S. alliances stronger. I believe the Six-Party Talks is most important in continuing this trend, so I would like to ask for your opinion on that and --

The U.S. prepared to reduce its military presence in Asia if North Korea rejoining – if rejoin nuclear negotiation. Can you be more specific what it means – (inaudible) --

And one more last question. Can --

SECRETARY KERRY: What was the second part?

QUESTION: Second, do you have any plan to talk or negotiate with North Korea about that?

PARTICIPANT: (Inaudible.)

QUESTION: Yeah. Nuclear negotiation. And then one more last question is: Can you visit North Korea and to meet North Korea leader Kim Jong-un, if they release two – I mean two – the other detainee – American detainee?

SECRETARY KERRY: Can we what?

QUESTION: Can you go – I mean, can you visit --

SECRETARY KERRY: Oh, can I visit? (Laughter.)

QUESTION: Yes. Can you visit North Korea and to meet North Korea leader Kim Jong-un if they release the other two American detainee? Okay, thanks.

SECRETARY KERRY: Do you know something about an invitation that I – (laughter) --

Go ahead.

FOREIGN MINISTER YUN: Should I first?

SECRETARY KERRY: Yeah.

FOREIGN MINISTER YUN: Okay.

(Via interpreter) On the prospects of the Six-Party Talks, the North Korean nuclear development, as well as its efforts toward economic development, these have to be given up. As stated in our joint statement, we need to have a clear stance on their nuclear policy, North Korea’s denuclearization, and a halt to the sophistication of its nuclear weapons. All of these have to be real. It has to lead to real solutions. To that end, between Korea and U.S. and between Korea, U.S., and China, we have had many talks with the governments. We have had many talks. And Secretary Kerry has also recently reiterated that in order to advance these – a resolution to these issues, we need to be able to generate more creative ideas. So we will have more consultations on that.

SECRETARY KERRY: So let me make it absolutely clear that the mere entering into talks is not an invitation to take any actions regarding troops or anything else at this point. It would be way too premature to have any thought or even discussion about such a thing. The only purpose of entering the talks is to come to an understanding regarding, first, the denuclearization, and then following the denuclearization, obviously, whatever relationship might be appropriate. But it is entirely premature to be talking about any troop reductions or anything else at this point in time, as it is also premature to have any thoughts about visits at this point in time.

The first thing you have to do is come to a competent, real, authentic set of talks about denuclearization, and that is the prerequisite to any other possibilities thereafter.

MS. PSAKI: Thank you, everyone.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you all very much, appreciate it.

FOREIGN MINISTER YUN: Thank you very much.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you. Thank you, sir.

TWO CHARGED, ONE PLEADS GUILTY IN COSTA RICAN TELEMARKETING SCHEME

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Two Individuals Charged, Third Pleads Guilty For Roles In Costa Rican Telemarketing Schemes Targeting U.S. Residents

A California woman pleaded guilty today for her role in a half-million-dollar “sweepstakes fraud” scheme that was run from Costa Rica and targeted U.S. residents.  A Costa Rican national and an Ohio resident were also indicted for their roles in separate but similar schemes earlier this week.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Anne M. Tompkins of the Western District of North Carolina made the announcement.

Patricia Diane Clark, 56, of Sacramento, California, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer of the Western District of North Carolina to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, all in connection with a Costa Rican telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted U.S. residents.

According to Clark’s plea agreement, from approximately 2007 through February 2013, her co-conspirators called U.S. residents from Costa Rican call centers, falsely informing them that they had won a substantial cash prize in a “sweepstakes.”  The victims, many of whom were elderly, were told that in order to receive the prize, they had to send money for a purported “refundable insurance fee.”  Clark admitted that she picked up money from the victims and sent it to her co-conspirators in Costa Rica.  Clark also admitted that she managed others who picked up money from the victims in the United States and that she kept a portion of the victims’ payments.

Also according to Clark’s plea agreement, once the victims sent money, Clark’s co-conspirators contacted the individuals again and falsely informed them that the prize amount had increased, either because of a clerical error or because another prize winner was disqualified.  The victims then had to send additional money to pay for new purported fees to receive the now larger sweepstakes prize.  The attempts to collect additional money from the victims continued until an individual either ran out of money or discovered the fraudulent nature of the scheme.

Clark admitted that, along with her co-conspirators, she was responsible for approximately $640,000 in losses to hundreds of U.S. citizens.  

Additionally, earlier this week, Marco Vinicio Fallas Hernandez, 41, a Costa Rican citizen, was charged in a superseding indictment in the Western District of North Carolina with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, ten counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and nine counts of international money laundering in connection with a similar telemarketing scheme.  According to the indictment, Hernandez and his co-conspirators were responsible for causing approximately $10,000,000 in losses to hundreds of U.S. citizens, many of whom are elderly.  Eight individuals, including Hernandez, are charged in the superseding indictment.

Separately, Paul Ronald Toth Jrj., 38, a resident of Bloomingdale, Ohio, was indicted in the Western District of North Carolina this week on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and six counts of international money laundering.  According to the indictment, between November 2009 and November 2010, Toth and others he supervised received money from victims of a Costa Rican telemarketing scheme.  Toth allegedly kept some of the proceeds and wired the remainder to Costa Rica using numerous persons as senders and recipients, all in a manner designed to conceal and disguise the fraudulent source and nature of the transactions.  Toth is alleged to have received more than $300,000 of illegal proceeds during the scheme.

The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

These cases were investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, Internal Revenue Service, Federal Trade Commission, and Department of Homeland Security.  These cases are being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Patrick Donley and Trial Attorneys William Bowne and Anna Kaminska of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

COURT ORDERS WORK-AT-HOME COMPANY, PRESIDENT TO PAY $25 MILLION JUDGEMENT

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Federal Court Enters Order and $25 Million Judgment Against Los Angeles Area Work-at-Home Scheme

An order of permanent injunction against The Zaken Corp. of Thousand Oaks, California, and company president Tiran Zaken, of Calabasas, California, was entered today by U.S. District Court Judge Dean D. Pregerson, finding that they made false and misleading statements in marketing work-at-home business opportunities and promising commissions to consumers, the Justice Department announced.  In a written opinion entered Sept. 18, the court found that 110,000 consumers had bought the defendants’ program and “more than 99.8 percent never earned any commission whatsoever.”  The court ordered the defendants to pay $25,406,781 as redress for consumer injury.

“This order reflects the Department of Justice’s commitment to protecting consumers from fraud schemes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Joyce R. Branda of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.  “Those who take advantage of Americans searching for an honest day’s work, depriving them of their savings, will be held accountable.”

The Zaken Corp. sold consumers a “Wealth Building Home Business Plan” called QuikSell.  For an initial investment of $148, consumers became Associates of QuikSell Liquidations and received a manual including instructions on how to locate excess inventory.  The defendants represented that once purchasers of the opportunity identified businesses interested in selling excess inventory, The Zaken Corp. would find a buyer for the inventory.  If The Zaken Corp. succeeded in negotiating a sale of the inventory, it promised to give the associate a “commission” equal to half the profit on the sale.

The Zaken Corp. and Tiran Zaken lured customers with claims that purchasers of their program could expect that “two to four hours a week working this business will earn participants an average of $3,000 to $6,000.”  They further claimed that “the average commission checks associates get … will be approximately $4,280!”  In the court’s written decision, Judge Pregerson of the Central District of California found that “fewer than one percent of consumers ever earned any income at all.”

Once consumers purchased the QuikSell program, they were inundated with advertisements to purchase additional business “tools” costing hundreds or thousands of dollars.  The court found that consumers were encouraged to spend an additional $2,300 if they were “serious about this business and … really wanted to make the kind of money others have made.”  However, after making this additional investment, consumers received only a directory consisting of “largely outdated telephone numbers of companies who were out of business.”

The court found that The Zaken Corp. and Tiran Zaken violated the Federal Trade Commission Act by making false claims regarding the earnings potential of QuikSell.  The court also found that The Zaken Corp. and Tiran Zaken violated the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s Business Opportunity Rule, which requires sellers of business opportunities to provide specific, truthful information to help consumers evaluate a business opportunity prior to purchase.  The FTC promulgated an updated Business Opportunity Rule in 2012, in order to protect consumers from exactly this sort of work-at-home scheme, in which sellers lure victims with false representations of substantial earnings.

Pursuant to the injunction issued by the court, The Zaken Corp. and Tiran Zaken are permanently banned from advertising or selling any work-at-home opportunity or business opportunity.

This case was brought by the Department of Justice as part of “Operation Lost Opportunity,” a sweep of business opportunity fraud cases coordinated by the FTC.  Trial Attorneys Ann Entwistle and Lisa Hsiaoof of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch litigated this case with support from Dana Barragate of the FTC’s East Central Region, the FTC’s Division of Marketing Practices and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anoiel Korshid in the Central District of California.

FISH DEALER RECEIVES PRISON SENTENCE FOR ROLE IN UNDER-REORTING FOUNDER HARVEST

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Brooklyn Fish Dealer Sentenced To Four Months For Wire Fraud

WASHINGTON – Alan Dresner, a federally-licensed fish dealer from Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today in federal court in Central Islip, New York, for violations stemming from his role in systematically underreporting fluke (summer flounder) that was being harvested as part of the federal Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division announced.

On April 23, 2014, Alan Dresner pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. The scheme involved his personal falsification and internet submission of at least 120 fisheries dealer reports from July 2009 to December 2011, as part of a scheme to defraud the United States of 246,376 pounds of overharvested and underreported fluke valued at $510,000.

As part of his sentence, Dresner will serve four months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant was fined $6000 and ordered to make a $15,000 community service payment to the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County in order to pay for the enhancement of fluke habitat in the waters of Long Island through the C.C.E.’s Marine Meadows Program. Dresner was ordered to pay $510,000 in restitution to the Marine Resources Account of the New York State Conservation Fund. Dresner was also ordered to surrender his federal dealer license and was banned from accessing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) SAFIS computer system.

“Today, Dresner was held accountable for his role in defrauding a federal research program, a program whose purpose is to help ensure the long-term sustainability of Long Island’s fisheries,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Sam Hirsch for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We are committed to protecting the natural resources that the American people depend on today and for future generations as well.”

“This scheme to land tremendous amounts of overages for profit was not only detrimental to the RSA program, but also to the law abiding fishermen who will not be able to participate in this program in 2015,” said NOAA Special Agent Logan Gregory. “The Office of Law Enforcement will continue to focus on ensuring a level playing field by investigating these types of environmental crimes.”

Alan Dresner is “Fish Dealer X” as that person is identified in the related case of U.S. v. Anthony Joseph. As a federal fish dealer, Dresner had a NOAA permit to purchase fish directly from commercial fishing vessels without having to go through an intermediary. In July 2009, Dresner learned that Anthony Joseph, captain of the F/V Stirs One, was consistently overharvesting fluke through Joseph’s abuse of the RSA Program. By July 2009, Dresner was making regular purchases of illegal fluke from Joseph at the Point Lookout, New York, waterfront.

In order to cover-up his illegal fishing, Joseph would mail falsified fishing logs, known as FVTRs, to NOAA.  However, falsified FVTRs were just one side of the coin. This is because fish dealers are required to report their purchases to NOAA on an electronic form known as a dealer report. The dealer reports include information such as date of landing, port of landing, catch vessel, corresponding FVTR numbers, commercial grade, species, price, and weight. NOAA utilizes the data in the dealer reports to set quotas and implement other management measures designed to ensure a sustainable fisheries. The dealer reports also serve as a check on the information that is submitted in FVTRs.  In other words, for their scheme to work, the false data on the FVTRs had to match the false data on the dealer reports. A mismatch would have indicated a serious error or fraud, and would have been a red flag for fisheries managers.  Accordingly, during July 2009 to December 2011, the defendant schemed with Anthony Joseph to file at least 120 false dealer reports with NOAA, representing a loss of 246,376 pounds of fluke valued at $510,000.

Theft of domestic marine resources has far-reaching consequences beyond illicit financial gain. Fisheries managers operate on the basic assumption that fishers and dealers make accurate and honest reports to NOAA. When harvested fish is misreported or unreported, the integrity of fisheries statistics and associated mathematical models are jeopardized. Recently, based in large part on the recently quantified illegal fluke harvesting revealed by the guilty pleas in the Jones Inlet Seafood, Charles Wertz Jr., Anthony Joseph, and Dresner cases, on Aug. 12, 2014, the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council voted to suspend the RSA Program for 2015 in order analyze the effect illegal fishing has had on the soundness of the RSA Program.

Anthony Joseph pleaded guilty to wire fraud, mail fraud, and falsification of federal records on April 11, 2014, for his fisheries fraud crimes related to Alan Dresner and Jones Inlet Seafood. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2015.

The case was investigated by agents of NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, with assistance from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police. The case is being prosecuted by Christopher L. Hale of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division.

DOJ ANNOUNCES FARC TERRORIST MEMBER RECEIVES 27 YEAR PRISON FOR 2003 HOSTAGE-TAKING

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Friday, October 24, 2014

Member of FARC Terrorist Organization Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison on Hostage-Taking Charges in 2003 Capture of U.S. Citizens

Alexander Beltran Herrera, 38, a commander of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) terrorist organization, was sentenced today to 27 years in prison on federal hostage-taking charges stemming from the 2003 capture of three U.S. citizens in Colombia.  All told, members of the FARC held the Americans hostage for 1,967 days.

The sentence was announced by John P. Carlin, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia  and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Division.

Beltran Herrera, aka Jhon Alexander Beltrain Herrera, aka Rodrigo Pirinolo, pled guilty on March 18, 2014, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to three counts of hostage-taking.  He was sentenced by the Honorable Senior Judge Royce C. Lamberth.

 “In February 2003, the FARC – a Colombian terrorist organization – kidnapped three American citizens and held them captive for nearly 2,000 days,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  With the sentence handed down today, Alexander Beltran Herrera is being held accountable for his role in those offenses.  This case underscores our resolve to pursue and bring to justice those who target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world.  I want to thank all of the prosecutors, agents, and analysts who made this result possible.”

 “This Colombian terrorist will spend the next 27 years in an American prison for his role in holding three U.S. citizens captive overseas,” said U.S. Attorney Machen.  “Our fellow citizens were held hostage for more than five years under brutal conditions.  This extradition, prosecution, and incarceration should chasten terrorists who doubt our resolve to serve justice on those who harm American citizens on foreign soil.”

 “Alexander Beltran Herrera, a former terrorist commander for the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), will now be held accountable for his role in holding three U.S. citizens hostage in Colombia for 1,967 days,” said Kelly M. Darden, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Division.  “Essential to bringing Beltran Herrera to justice was our close cooperation with the Colombian National Police.”

According to the government’s evidence, the FARC is an armed, violent organization in Colombia.  Since its inception in 1964, it has engaged in an armed conflict to overthrow the Republic of Colombia, South America’s longest-standing democracy.  The FARC has consistently used hostage taking as a primary technique in extorting demands from the Republic of Colombia, and hostage taking has been endorsed and commanded by FARC senior leadership.  The FARC has characterized American citizens as “military targets” and has engaged in violent acts against Americans in Colombia, including murders and hostage taking.  The FARC was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State in 1997 and remains so designated.

Beltran Herrera, a commander in the FARC, was involved in the hostage taking of three United States citizens: Marc D. Gonsalves, Thomas R. Howes, and Keith Stansell.  These three, along with Thomas Janis, a United States citizen, and Sergeant Luis Alcides Cruz, a Colombian citizen, were seized on Feb. 13, 2003, by the FARC, after their single-engine aircraft made a crash landing in the Colombian jungle.

Members of the FARC murdered Janis and Cruz near the crash site.  Gonsalves, Howes, and Stansell were held by the FARC at gunpoint and were advised by FARC leadership that they would be used as hostages to increase pressure on the government of Colombia to agree to the FARC’s demands.  At various times, the FARC marched the hostages from one site to another, placing them in the actual custody of various FARC fronts.

At the conclusion of one 40-day long march, in or about November 2004, the hostages were delivered to members of the FARC’s 27th Front, who imprisoned the hostages for nearly two years.  During part of this period, Beltran Herrera was responsible for moving the hostages and keeping them imprisoned.  Throughout the captivity of these three hostages, FARC jailors and guards used choke harnesses, chains, padlocks and wires to restrain the hostages, and used force and threats to continue their detention and prevent their escape.  In July 2008, the Colombian military conducted a daring operation which resulted in the rescue of the hostages.

Beltran Herrera was indicted in February 2011 and was extradited to the United States from Colombia in March 2012.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Division.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Asuncion and Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez from the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney David Cora, from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.  The case was indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Kohl, of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The FBI’s Miami Division partnered in the investigation with the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Department’s Judicial Attachés in Colombia, and the FBI’s Office of the Legal Attaché in Bogota, Colombia.  The Directorate of Intelligence (DIPOL) and the Anti-Kidnapping Unit (GAULA) of the Colombian National Police also provided valuable support during the investigation.

REMARKS WITH SIR ELTON JOHN BEFORE THEIR MEETING

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Outer Office

Washington, DC

October 24, 2014

SECRETARY KERRY: It’s my enormous pleasure to welcome Sir Elton John here to the State Department. We met a few years ago when we were talking and I was still in the Senate about the challenge of PEPFAR and creating the next AIDS-free – the AIDS-free generation. I want to thank Sir Elton for his tremendous leadership almost from the beginning of the challenge of HIV/AIDS. And his foundation, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, has been critical in bringing hope and help to a lot of people.

So it’s my pleasure today to be able to announce a $7 million partnership between PEPFAR and the Elton John Foundation which will help bring additional assistance to people and help us meet this goal of an AIDS-free generation. And I want to thank him very, very much for his extraordinary leadership. We’re going to continue to work together to bring this help to all those folks, particularly in the LGBT community, who need this particular assistance. And we think it’ll make a difference, as he has through the years. So thank you, sir.

SIR ELTON JOHN: Thank you. I’d like to thank Secretary Kerry for taking the time to see me, for his tireless work from the word “go” to create an AIDS-free world. He has been relentless in that. And also, hearing the Obama Administration’s loud, loud voice that everyone in the world should be – we should be living in an AIDS-free world, and that people, no matter who they love, who they are, should have a right to be AIDS-free.

To be able to combine with PEPFAR, from our foundation’s point of view, is a dream come true, because together, you double the effect. I think from the beginning of the AIDS crisis, there were so many different foundations, and what’s happened is that now, there’s a few of us left. We’re probably the smallest of them all, but we combine with PEPFAR and everybody else. We all work together to ensure that in this day and age, nobody gets left behind no matter what their sexuality, their color, or whatever. It’s important. If people get left behind, the disease will get left behind, and we will face an enormous uphill battle.

So this partnership that we’re doing today is an incredibly important step to, again, ensuring that people in the future will be living in an AIDS-free society. That’s been my goal ever since we started this foundation, and I know it’s Secretary Kerry’s goal as well and the Obama Administration’s goal. Together, we’re fighting it, and I’m very optimistic that we can make a huge difference. This is a very, very big deal. We’re opening this and doing this in South Africa, and – this first joint venture and it’s a historic adventure – a venture and an adventure.

So thank you, Senator Kerry, for your help; thank you, PEPFAR; and together, I think we will do great work, and we have a lot more work to do, but this is a good start.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, sir, very, very much. Thank you. Nice comments.