Tuesday, September 9, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS ON FORMATION OF NEW GOVERNMENT IN IRAQ
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks on the Formation of the Iraqi Government
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
State Department Briefing Room
Washington, DC
September 8, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY: Good afternoon, everybody. Tonight we mark what is unquestionably a major milestone for Iraq, and what President Obama has made clear will be a cornerstone of our efforts against ISIL.
Just a few hours ago, overcoming the obstacle of ethnic and sectarian divides, the Iraqi parliament approved a new and inclusive government, one that has the potential to unite all of Iraq’s diverse communities for a strong Iraq, a united Iraq, and to give those communities the chance to build the future that all Iraqis desire and deserve.
Now is the time for Iraq’s leaders to govern their nation with the same vision and sense of purpose that helped to bring this new government together in the first place. And in that effort, they should know the United States will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Iraqis as they implement their national plan to overcome the longstanding political and economic grievances that have for too long divided their country.
Tonight Iraq has a unity government. Tomorrow I will travel to the Middle East to continue to build the broadest possible coalition of partners around the globe to confront, degrade, and ultimately defeat ISIL.
On Wednesday, President Obama will lay out in even greater detail our coordinated global strategy against ISIL.
As we build this coalition, I want to underscore that almost every single country on Earth has a role to play in eliminating the ISIL threat and the evil that it represents. For some that will mean military assistance, both direct and in the form of training, arming, and advising, equipping. For some it will mean contributing to the desperately needed humanitarian relief effort. For some it will mean helping to identify, track, and cut off ISIL’s funding, and prevent the flow of foreign fighters. For still others it will mean demolishing the distortion of one of the world’s great peaceful religions and counteracting the propaganda ISIL uses to recruit new supporters. And for all it will mean publicly supporting the new inclusive government in Iraq.
Make no mistake; these are efforts that we and our partners around the globe are already taking. In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have poured millions into humanitarian assistance. The UAE has agreed to take on ISIL’s support networks and beat back against its militant ideological propaganda.
But we also have Canada sending over members of its military to help advise and assist Kurdish forces. We have Estonia and Albania providing military equipment. Our close allies in France and the United Kingdom are contributing in a number of important ways, including by providing military assistance and humanitarian airdrops.
And well beyond the region and Europe we have partners in places like Japan, Australia committing millions in humanitarian aid and Australia agreeing to take in thousands of refugees from Iraq and Syria, and to assist in our military efforts.
Our global, coordinated campaign with a global, coordinated coalition will be built not just in a matter of days or weeks, but it will be built to endure for the months and perhaps even the years to come.
Much more will be done at the UN General Assembly later this month, but our work together will grow and it will coalesce well beyond this month. What we’re working to accomplish will require hard work, sustained commitment, and unwavering focus from all of us. But we are clear that President Obama and I and the entire team absolutely understand this is something we must achieve, and we will be successful.
Thank you.
QUESTION: Secretary Kerry, they still have not filled the two – they still haven’t filled two security posts, sir.
SECRETARY KERRY: They will.
MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FALSIFYING EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATIONS TO ALLOW IMMIGRANTS INTO U.S.
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Thursday, September 4, 2014
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Operating Fraudulent Visa and Payroll Scheme to Facilitate Illegal Immigration
A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today to orchestrating an eight-year scheme to falsify employment certifications to facilitate the illegal entry of Indian immigrants into the United States and to filing a false tax return.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman of the District of New Jersey, Chief Richard Weber of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and Director Bill A. Miller of the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) made the announcement.
Sandipkumar Patel, 41, of Edison, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls of the District of New Jersey to conspiring to defraud the United States and to filing a false federal income tax return. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2015.
According to court documents filed with the plea agreement, from 2001 until 2009, Patel sponsored the visa applications of Indian nationals by falsely claiming to provide employment for them in the United States. Patel falsely certified on the visa applications that he would employ the immigrants in various technical fields at several New Jersey companies, thereby facilitating their illegal entry into the United States. Over the course of the scheme, immigrants paid Patel thousands of dollars for the false certifications to fraudulently secure the visas. To disguise the scheme, Patel issued payroll checks and other payroll forms. Patel required the immigrants to return the money from the checks and also to reimburse him for his payroll tax expenses. Patel used the fraudulent pay stubs and payroll checks to support false applications to extend the visas, and Patel charged the immigrants fees for the visa extensions.
As a result of falsely carrying the immigrant employees on his payrolls, Patel overstated his payroll expenses on his federal income tax returns by more than $1.4 million over four years, under-reporting his tax obligation by over $400,000 for those years.
This case was investigated by the IRS-CI and DSS. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorneys Hope S. Olds and William H. Kenety of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Corcione of the District of New Jersey, with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section.
RECENT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PHOTOS
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Misheff flies the American flag from the back of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter over southern Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Aug. 24, 2014. Pilots and crew chiefs fly American flags that are later presented with certificates to service members as part of aviation tradition. Misheff is a crew chief assigned to the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Lewis.
A landing craft departs the well deck of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown for an equipment onload at White Beach, Okinawa, Japan. The Germantown is forward-deployed and assigned to the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Petty Officer 2nd Class Amanda R. Gray.
U.S. Marines and Malaysian soldiers participate in a combined amphibious assault as part of Malaysia-United States Amphibious Exercise 2014 in Lahad Datu, Malaysia, Sept. 2, 2014. The Marines are assigned to Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Melissa Wenger.
CFTC CHARGES COMPANY AND OWNERS WITH FRAUD AND MISAPPROPRIATION IN COMMODITY INVESTMENT POOL CASE
FROM: U.S. COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION
CFTC Charges Colorado Company R2 Capital Group, LLC, and its owners, Ryan Tomazin, Ryan Madigan, Randell A.Vest, RAST Investor Group, LLC, Madigan Enterprises, Inc., and Bulletproof Vest, Inc. with Fraud and Misappropriation
Defendants allegedly solicited more than $2.4 million from at least four participants in commodity investment pool
Federal court issues restraining orders freezing Defendants’ assets and protecting books and records
Washington, DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that on August 15, 2014, Chief Judge Marcia S. Krieger, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, issued a restraining Order freezing the assets of Defendants Ryan Tomazin of Stamford, Connecticut, Ryan Madigan of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Randell A. Vest of Fort Myers, Florida. The restraining Order was an expansion of the court’s August 7, 2014 restraining Order, which froze the assets of Tomazin’s, Madigan’s and Vest’s holding companies — Defendants RAST Investor Group, LLC, Madigan Enterprises, Inc., and Bulletproof Vest, Inc., respectively — and their Colorado company, Defendant R2 Capital Group LLC (R2 Capital). The restraining Orders also prohibit the Defendants from destroying or altering books and records.
Both restraining Orders arise from a CFTC federal court enforcement action filed on August 6, 2014, charging the Defendants with futures and foreign currency (forex) fraud, and misappropriation. The CFTC Complaint also charges the Defendants with illegally commingling funds received from pool participants with others’ funds by, among other things, transferring pool participant funds directly into the personal bank accounts of Tomazin, Madigan, Vest, their respective holding companies, and R2 Capital.
The Complaint alleges that since at least December 2009 through the present, R2 Capital — owned and operated by Tomazin, Madigan, and Vest, and their respective holding companies — solicited more than $2.4 million from at least four pool participants who invested in an investment pool operated by R2 Capital: R2 Commercial Capital Partners I L.P. (the Commercial Pool). The Commercial Pool traded forex and, later, futures contracts, including E-mini S&P 500 futures contracts and E-mini Dow futures contracts, according to the Complaint.
The Complaint alleges that Defendants falsely and fraudulently concealed from at least two pool participants that 1) Defendants had closed the forex account, 2) that Pool Participants’ funds had been transferred to a new account at a different Futures Commission Merchant, 3) that the Commercial Pool was no longer trading forex, and 4) that the Commercial Pool was now trading E-mini S&P 500 futures and securities products.
In addition, the Defendants allegedly misappropriated more than $1.2 million of pool funds by routinely illegally diverting substantial sums from the R2 Capital and Commercial Pool bank accounts to themselves and their Defendant holding companies until all but a few hundred dollars of the pool participant funds were dissipated. Defendants allegedly then spent these misappropriated funds on personal trips, private school tuition for their children, other investments, and miscellaneous personal expenses.
In its continuing litigation, the CFTC seeks civil monetary penalties, restitution, rescission, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, trading and registration bans, and permanent injunctions against further violations of the federal commodities laws, as charged.
The CFTC appreciates the assistance of the National Futures Association.
CFTC Division of Enforcement staff responsible members for this case are Sophia Siddiqui, Ken Koh, Dmitriy Vilenskiy, Luke Marsh, and Paul Hayeck.
Monday, September 8, 2014
U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS FOR SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
CONTRACTS
DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY
Booz Allen Hamilton, of McLean, Virginia, is being awarded a $95,500,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide support services for countering weapons of mass destruction situational awareness, intelligence, operations, and data visualization support that enables the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to monitor global situational awareness of WMD threats and activities. Work will be performed at Fort Belvoir, and is expected to be completed in September 2022. Fiscal 2013 research and development funds in the amount of $1,690,000 are being obligated on the first task order. This contract was a competitive acquisition, with three bids received. The contracting activity is Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (DTRA1-14-D-0016).
NAVY
Granite Construction Company Guam, Watsonville, California, is being awarded a maximum amount $75,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for paving construction services at U.S. government shore-based facilities in Guam. The work to be performed provides for the construction, alteration, repair, and/or maintenance of asphalt concrete roads, streets, highways, alleys, parking areas, and their associated facility, such as but not limited to concrete sidewalks, curbs and gutters, guardrails, U-ditch, drainage pipe, traffic striping, pavement marking, and related work. Work will include cold milling, excavation, embankment grading or subbase and base course, compaction, density test, bituminous surface treatment, seal coating, asphalt concrete paving, adjustment of existing utilities and structures and other related work. Work will be performed in Guam, and is expected to be completed by September 2019. Fiscal 2014 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $25,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Marianas, Guam, is the contracting activity (N40192-14-D-2830).
AAI Corp., Hunt Valley, Maryland, is being awarded a $27,316,800 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to produce AN/GLM -11 (V) 1 and (V) 2 universal test sets and provide engineering services and program and configuration management in support of the AN/GLM-11 series. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by September 2017. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $3,092,939 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00174-14-D-0002).
A&D GC, Inc.,* Santee, California, is being awarded $13,525,000 for firm-fixed-price task order 0014 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-09-D-1658) to repair and restore Bachelor Enlisted Quarters 520420 at the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton. Work includes, but is not limited to, analysis and updates to bring the building up to current seismic requirements; removal and disposal of hazardous materials including asbestos, lead, and mold; replace damaged wall, floor, double hung windows, and ceilings finishes. Areas affected by repair shall be in compliance with anti-terrorism/force protection, fire suppression, seismic, accessibility, and leadership in energy and environmental design requirements. The task order also contains one planned modification, which if exercised, would increase cumulative task order value to $15,325,000. Work will be performed in Oceanside, California, and is expected to be completed by March 2016. Fiscal 2014 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $13,525,000 are being obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.
RQ-BERG JV, Carlsbad, California, is being awarded a maximum amount $9,653,651 to increase the dollar value of task order 0007 under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N62473-10-D-5482) for the complete restoration and repairs to fire damaged electrical and communication distribution systems on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Seal Beach Detachment Fallbrook. The work to be performed includes replacement of fire damaged poles, wire and equipment to restore power and communication services to: Area 33; Ranges 102 and 103 (Wilcox Range Area); Area 32 (including but not limited to the 320937 Reservoir Lift Station); Area 43 (including but not limited to Sewage Treatment Plant 3 at Sewer Treatment Facility, fire station, pistol range, Basilone Road, the chlorination station and the Waste Disposal Facility); the Northern Area Range Control Communications Tower and Range 314 south/east of Area 62; NWS Seal Beach Detachment, Fallbrook (including but not limited to Romeo Magazine, Building 350, old housing area, sewer lift station at Building 332, Building 336, Building 301 and Building 231). After award of this modification, the total cumulative task order value will be $9,653,651. Work will be performed in Oceanside, California, and is expected to be completed by May 2015. Fiscal 2014 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $5,623,767 are being obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.
ARMY
Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $43,293,745 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for services to support the Royal Saudi Land Forces. Services in the contract include consulting, intensive management, logistics support, and contracting support within the United States, for the Royal Saudi Land Forces. In addition, an office will be established in Saudi Arabia for local purchasing and local hires to sustain the fleet of Abrams tanks purchased and sustained through the foreign military sales program. Fiscal 2014 other funds in the amount of $15,000,000 were obligated at the time of award. Work will be performed in Saudi Arabia with an estimated completion date of Sept. 8, 2017. Bids were solicited via the Internet, with one received. This contract involves foreign military sales to Saudi Arabia. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-14-C-0048).
Carnegie Robotics LLC,* Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $22,783,433 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for an autonomous mine detection system that is being developed to provide the war fighter with capability to detect, mark and neutralize explosive hazards in support of the full spectrum of military operations. Fiscal 2013 and 2014 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $14,638,737 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be performed in Woburn, Massachusetts ($3,236,616; 14 percent); King of Prussia, Pennsylvania ($4,113,115; 18 percent); and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ($15,433,702; 68 percent), with an estimated completion date of March 1, 2018. Bids were solicited via the Internet, with three received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-14-C-0075).
KRSW Joint Venture*, Boise, Idaho, was awarded a $22,469,577 firm-fixed-price contract for repairs and improvement to Mountain Home Air Force Base Runway 12/30, Taxiway Alpha and connector taxiways, due to deteriorating pavement conditions identified in the airfield pavement evaluation. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $22,469,577 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be performed in Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, with estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2015. Bids were solicited via the Internet, with four received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle, Washington, is the contracting activity (W912DW-14-C-0022).
Birdon America, Inc.*, Denver, Colorado, was awarded a $9,679,841 modification (P00005) to firm-fixed-price contract W56HZV-14-C-0015 to exercise the government format technical data package option with additional rights for the bridge erection boats. Fiscal 2014 other funds in the amount of $9,679,841 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be performed in Denver, Colorado, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 23, 2016. U.S. Army Contracting Command – Tank and Automotive, Warren, Michigan is the contracting activity.
Highland Engineering,* Inc., Howell, Michigan, was awarded an $8,500,000 indefinite- delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the production and delivery of military working dogs worldwide deployable kennel systems and logistics support documentation. Work and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 7, 2017. Bids were solicited via the Internet, with three received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Alexandria, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W909MY-14-D-0012).
*Small business
A NEW VOLCANIC ISLAND
 |
| Credit: Photograph Landsat 8 - OLI. |
FROM: NASA
Still Huffing and Puffing
Nine months after a new island broke through the surface of the western Pacific Ocean, the volcanic eruption at Nishino-shima continues. The tiny new volcanic island (“Niijima” in Japanese) merged into Nishino-shima last winter and continued to grow. Steady flows of lava are enlarging the merged island, which is now 1.39 square kilometers (0.54 square miles). Part of the Ogasawara chain, the island lies about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) south of Tokyo at 27°14’ North, 140°52’ East.
According to observers, lava is still flowing on the east side of the island at a rate of 200,000 cubic meters per day and could eventually lead to some instability. “If lava continues to mount on the eastern area, it will be deposited on steep slopes,” wrote University of Tokyo scientist Fukashi Maeno in an email to Earth Observatory. “This could cause instability on the slope, so a partial collapse of the island may occur. We need to carefully observe the growth process.”
After flights on August 26 (photo below), Japan Coast Guard officials told local media that there is also a mound of congealed lava inside a volcanic vent on the north side of the island. The officials suggested such a mound could “seal off passages of magma and raise interior pressure if it continues to grow, resulting in a large-scale explosion.” Though no such eruption is imminent, the Coast Guard warned mariners to keep their distance from the island.
SECRETARY HAGEL COMMENTS ON GEORGIA'S STATUS AS ENHANCED NATO PARTNER
Right: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is escorted past an honor cordon by Georgian Minister of Defense Irakli Alasania during a ceremony welcoming Hagel to the defense ministry in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sept. 7, 2014. DoD Photo by Glenn Fawcett.
Hagel: U.S. Backs Georgia’s New NATO Standing, Boosts Defense Support
By Cheryl Pellerin
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel made his first official visit to Georgia today following his participation at the NATO Summit in Wales, meeting with government and military leaders and congratulating the U.S. military partner on its new status as an enhanced NATO partner.
Hagel began his 16th international trip Sept. 3; a six-day visit that included participation in the NATO Summit in Wales last week and meetings with government and military leaders in Georgia and Turkey.
Meeting with the defense minister
This morning, after an official welcoming ceremony at the Ministry of Defense in Tbilisi, Hagel met with Defense Minister Irakli Alasania. During a press conference that followed the meeting, both reaffirmed their nations’ close defense partnership and the shared goal to build even stronger military ties.
“I also expressed the gratitude of the American people for the … significant contributions Georgia has made to operations in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Over more than a decade of fighting together, our two militaries have forged a deep and enduring friendship and a strong and vibrant partnership,” Hagel said.
In 2012, the U.S. and Georgian presidents agreed to an enhanced defense cooperation program to accelerate Georgia's defense reforms and modernization, increase Georgia's level of NATO interoperability and improve the nation's defense capabilities.
As a result of the agreement, the United States and Georgia have increased cooperative training events and dialogues among subject matter experts.
Because Georgia is a committed and dependable U.S. partner, the defense secretary said, the Defense Department fully supports Georgia's defense modernization efforts and will continue to help the nation fulfill its Euro-Atlantic aspirations -- including membership in NATO.
New NATO status
Hagel and Alasania discussed how the substantial package of measures for Georgia that NATO leaders endorsed at the Wales summit will strengthen the country’s relationship with NATO, Hagel added. These include expanded defense capacity-building efforts, more joint training exercises and enhanced interoperability capabilities.
Georgia was one of five nations to achieve the new elevated status of NATO enhanced-opportunities partners, and Hagel said the United States would make a substantial contribution to the new alliance effort and to continuing bilateral U.S.-Georgia capacity-building efforts.
“Today the minister and I discussed the necessary steps for Georgia to acquire the U.S. military helicopters that they have requested,” Hagel said, adding that Georgia's new status would help the nation advance its preparations toward NATO membership.
Russia
Hagel said the deepening ties between NATO and Georgia are especially important given the “dangerous and irresponsible actions of President [Vladimir] Putin toward Ukraine.”
Putin’s illegal annexation of Crimea, which the United States does not recognize, the secretary noted, “and the ongoing military campaign that Russia is mounting in eastern Ukraine, pose grave threats to regional stability, as had its actions inside Georgia's internationally recognized borders.”
The United States continues to call on Russia to fully withdraw its forces from Georgia's borders, Hagel said, adding that the United States welcomes the restraint Georgia has shown in this situation.
“Russia's actions here and in Ukraine pose a long-term challenge that the United States and our allies take very seriously. But President Putin's actions have also brought the United States and our friends in Europe, including Georgia, closer together,” Hagel said.
Battling terrorism
“We will need a close partnership to counter another key security challenge -- the growing threat of violent extremism,” the secretary added.
Hagel said he and Alasania discussed ways Georgia could play an important role in a partnership with the United States, Iraq and coalition partners to destroy the ISIL threat.
“This is a galvanizing moment for NATO and our partners,” Hagel added. “I believe that the summit in Wales put us on the right path to respond to President Putin's challenge over the long term, as well as the threat of ISIL.”
After the press conference, Hagel made his way to a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili, stopping first at Heroes Square to lay a wreath.
Heroes Square
Heroes Square, built in 2009, honors those who died protecting Georgia’s territory. Etched into the main monument, a tall pillar of marble and methacrylate, are the names -- about 4,000 in total -- of Georgian military cadets who died fighting the Red Army in 1921, the leaders of an anti-Soviet revolt in 1924, and those who died during military actions in Abkhazia in 1992-1993 and in the five-day war in South Ossetia in August 2008.
Across the street, facing the obelisk, an eternal flame is flanked by an honor guard of two soldiers.
Afterward, Hagel met with the prime minister at the State Chancellery and later in the day at the President’s Palace with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili.
Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby provided readouts of the meetings.
In his meeting with the Georgian president, Hagel thanked Margvelashvili for his leadership and for the contributions Georgia continues to make in Afghanistan and other peacekeeping missions.
Georgia in Afghanistan
Georgian armed forces members have served in Afghanistan since 2004. The first full Georgian unit deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. Georgia is the largest non-NATO troop contributor to the International Security Assistance Force, with more than 10,000 soldiers having operated with Marines in Helmand Province.
To date, 29 Georgian soldiers have died and 276 have been wounded during their service in Afghanistan. Beyond 2014, Georgia has agreed to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Security Forces and has pledged financial assistance.
Meeting with the defense minister
Kirby said Hagel also praised the efforts of Defense Minister Alasania in helping the two militaries maintain a strong defense relationship, and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to working with Georgia on a range of bilateral and alliance initiatives.
The two leaders discussed a host of regional security issues, the admiral said, including Russia's continued aggression inside Ukraine and the threat its actions pose to the regional and international order, and the threat posed by ISIL in the Middle East.
Common concern
One concern was common to Hagel’s meeting with Margvelashvili, and earlier in the day with the prime minister, Kirby said; the problem of foreign fighters flowing into Syria to join extremist groups and the threat those fighters represent to their homelands.
Hagel updated Margvelashvili and Gharibashvili on U.S. efforts to build a coalition of nations willing to contribute to continued operations inside Iraq and against ISIL, Kirby added. And the secretary thanked the Georgian leaders for their willingness to consider ways to support that initiative.
“In both his meetings this afternoon,” the admiral said, “Secretary Hagel pledged to continue the close dialogue and cooperation between our two countries.”
U.S. CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF MACEDONIA ON THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Macedonia's National Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
September 5, 2014
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Macedonia as you celebrate your Independence Day on September 8th.
Macedonia's diverse population is a source of strength that continues to offer ideas, energy, and drive to move Macedonia and the region forward.
The United States proudly supported Macedonia's development and transition over the last 23 years. We remain committed to helping Macedonia strengthen the rule of law, promote media freedom, and build strong democratic foundations for an inclusive, multi-ethnic society.
We celebrate all that the people of Macedonia have achieved since your independence. We pledge to continue our work together toward a democratic, secure, and prosperous future.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
U.S. EXTENDS BEST WISHES TO PEOPLE OF ANDORRA ON THEIR NATIONAL DAY
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Statement on the Occasion of Andorra's National Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
September 7, 2014
On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I extend my best wishes to the people of Andorra as they celebrate Our Lady of Meritxell’s Day on September 8.
Our strong bilateral ties with Andorra expand beyond our almost 20 years of diplomatic relations. Andorra is a valued partner with the United States in the United Nations and other international organizations, where we have collaborated extensively based on our common values of democracy, human rights, and justice for all.
I wish all Andorrans a happy holiday and success and prosperity in the coming year.
ALLEGED SECURITIES KICKBACK SCHEMERS GET CAUGHT BY FBI UNDERCOVER OPERATION
FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Judgments Entered Against Company and Former CEO in Securities Kickback Scheme
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that on September 4, 2014, the federal court in Boston, Massachusetts, entered judgments against Massachusetts corporation ZipGlobal Holdings, Inc. and its former Chief Executive Officer and President, Michael Lee of Hingham, Massachusetts, in a fraud action that was filed in December 2011. The fraud involved a kickback scheme that was exposed by an undercover operation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston office. Among other things, ZipGlobal and Lee were permanently enjoined from violating an antifraud statute, Lee was held liable for disgorgement of $105,603 of ill-gotten gains, and Lee was permanently barred from serving as an officer or director of public companies or participating in offerings of penny stock.
ZipGlobal and Lee are two of several parties charged on December 1, 2011 by both the Commission and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, alleging that they used kickbacks and other schemes to trigger investments in various thinly-traded stocks. According to the Commission's complaint, the schemes involved secret kickbacks to an investment fund representative in exchange for having the investment fund buy stock in certain companies; the kickbacks were to be concealed through the use of sham consulting agreements. What the participants in the scheme did not know was that the purported investment fund representative was actually an undercover agent of the FBI.
The Commission's complaint alleged that in October 2010, Lee met with an individual who purported to be a Boston, Massachusetts-based representative of a major hedge fund. In fact, the hedge fund representative was an undercover FBI agent. The complaint alleged that Lee and the hedge fund representative agreed to a scheme whereby the hedge fund would purchase $5 million of ZipGlobal stock in return for the payment of kickbacks to the hedge fund representative. Lee and the hedge fund representative agreed to structure the transaction in such a way that it would avoid detection by the hedge fund's compliance personnel and securities regulators. Among other things, they agreed to structure the transaction into smaller "tranches" of securities purchases, and to make the kickback payments to the hedge fund representative through a shell corporation pursuant to a consulting agreement to make it appear that the kickback payments were compensation for consulting services. The complaint alleged that, from November 2010 to January 2011, ZipGlobal and Lee followed through by entering agreements whereby the hedge fund purchased a total of $113,775 worth of ZipGlobal stock and kickbacks totaling $39,821 were funneled back to the hedge fund representative.
In the related criminal action, Lee was sentenced on March 6, 2014 to three years of probation (the first nine months to be served in home confinement with electronic monitoring) and was ordered to forfeit $105,603 after pleading guilty on January 11, 2012 to one count of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy.
The judgments in the Commission's action permanently enjoin ZipGlobal and Lee from violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The judgment as to Lee holds him liable for $105,603 in disgorgement, but deems his disgorgement satisfied by the forfeiture order for the same amount of money in the related criminal action. The judgment also prohibits Lee from acting as an officer or director of any issuer that has a class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act or that is required to file reports pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, and prohibits Lee from participating in any offering of penny stock, pursuant to Section 21(d)(6) of the Exchange Act.
The Commission suspended trading in the stock of ZipGlobal on December 1, 2011.
The Commission's cases remain pending against James Wheeler, MicroHoldings US, Inc., Edward Henderson, and Paul Desjourdy, who were also charged on December 1, 2011 as a result of the FBI undercover operation.
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