News Blog
Laser Pointer Attacks Taking Off: Pose Serious Threat to Aviation Security
The number of laser attacks on aircraft in the U.S. is on the rise. Incidents are projected to reach 3,700 this year—compared to just 283 in 2005. That’s a rise of more than 1,100 percent. And that ...
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| Lasers directed at aircraft can disorient and temporarily blind pilots. |
Laser Pointer Attacks Taking Off: Pose Serious Threat to Aviation Security
If you’ve ever thought about pointing a hand-held laser at an aircraft of any kind, think again. It’s highly dangerous and a federal crime.
The number of laser attacks in the U.S. is on the rise. Incidents are projected to reach 3,700 this year—compared to just 283 in 2005. That’s a rise of more than 1,100 percent. And that doesn’t include the thousands of attacks that go unreported every year.
George Johnson, a supervisory federal air marshal who is a liaison officer with the FBI, says the number of attacks is almost reaching an “epidemic level.”
| An aircraft pilot reports a laser pointer and helps direct police to the scene to make an arrest. |
In recent years, technology has improved the performance and power of handheld lasers; the Internet has also made these gadgets cheaper and easier to purchase.
These incidents are dangerous to pilots in the cockpit, passengers aboard the plane, and people on the ground. Captain Robert Hamilton of the Air Line Pilots Association, International was landing a plane when he was struck by a laser light. “I had temporary blindness. My eyes were burning. It caused disorientation, and it was distracting,” he says.
To combat the threat, the FBI recently established a Laser Strike Working Group National Initiative, which includes law enforcement partners and private entity stakeholders. The idea came from the FBI’s Sacramento Division, which created the first Laser Strike Working Group in 2008 to reduce incidents in the area. It worked—the number of attacks against commercial aircraft arriving and departing from the Sacramento International Airport decreased 75 percent.
Those who aim a laser pointer at an aircraft can be prosecuted under two federal statutes. A law put into effect this year makes pointing a laser at an aircraft a crime punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $11,000 per violation. Under a law already on the books, those who interfere with the operation of an aircraft can receive up to 20 years in prison and be fined $250,000.
“Use a laser pointer for what it’s made for. Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft is dangerous and reckless. Just don’t do it,” says Johnson.
To report a laser attack, dial 911. You can also e-mail the Federal Aviation Administration at laserreports@FAA.gov or contact your nearest FBI field office.
National Takedown Targets Medicare Criminals
Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in seven cities have led to charges against 91 people—including doctors, nurses, and other licensed professionals—for their alleged participation in Medicare ...
National Takedown Targets Medicare Criminals
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| FBI Associate Deputy Director Kevin Perkins speaks at a press conference in Washington, D.C. |
Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in seven cities have led to charges against 91 people—including doctors, nurses, and other licensed professionals—for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving $429.2 million in false billing. FBI Associate Deputy Director Kevin Perkins joined Attorney General Eric Holder, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and other government officials at a Washington, D.C. press conference announcing the takedown.
The largest number of defendants were charged in Miami—a total of 33 for their alleged participation in various fraud schemes involving a total of $204.5 million in false billings for home health care, mental health services, occupational and physical therapy, and durable medical equipment. Other defendants were charged in Los Angeles (16), Brooklyn (15), Dallas (14), Baton Rouge (4), and Chicago (2).
According to court documents, defendants were charged in schemes to submit claims to Medicare for treatments that were medically unnecessary and often never provided. In many cases, patient recruiters, Medicare beneficiaries, and others were allegedly paid kickbacks in return for supplying beneficiary information to the providers who submitted the fraudulent claims.
Perkins, who called the strike force’s partnerships “a critical piece of our strategy” to “protect the integrity of Medicare and the health care system at large,” also offered steps that the public—especially Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and their family members—can take to help prevent fraud:
- Beware of suspicious activity, including marketers offering money, gifts, or free services to patients;
- Review explanation of benefits forms sent by your insurance company (and contact your company immediately if you see any suspect billings);
- Protect your insurance card information the same way you would protect your credit card information;
- Report any suspicious activity to your local FBI office or HHS’ Office of Inspector General.
Press Release l Attorney General Remarks l Assistant Attorney General Remarks l Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT)
Russian Agent, 10 Others Indicted for Exports to Russian Military
Russian Agent and 10 Others Indicted for Exports to Russian Military
An indictment unsealed in New York yesterday charges 11 members of a Russian military procurement network with illegally exporting high-tech microelectronics from the United States to Russian military and intelligence agencies.
Alexander Fishenko, an owner and executive of companies that operate in the U.S. and Russia is also charged with operating as an unregistered agent of the Russian government inside the U.S. by illegally procuring the high-tech microelectronics on behalf of the Russian government.
According to the court documents, the defendants went to great lengths to conceal their procurement activities for the Russian military. The microelectronics included analog-to-digital converters, static random access memory chips, microcontrollers, and microprocessors. These commodities have applications and are frequently used in a wide range of military systems, including radar and surveillance systems, missile guidance systems, and detonation triggers.
“In this day and time, the ability of foreign countries to illegally acquire sensitive and sophisticated U.S. technology poses a significant threat to both the economic and national security of our nation,” said Houston FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen L. Morris. “While some countries may leverage our technology for financial gain, many countries hostile to the United States seek to improve their defense capabilities and to modernize their weapons systems at the expense of U.S. taxpayers. The FBI will continue to work aggressively with our partners in the U.S. Intelligence Community to protect this technology and hold accountable those companies that willfully choose to violate our U.S. export laws.”
Help Us Catch a Terrorist
The FBI today announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Ahmad Abousamra, a U.S. citizen from Massachusetts charged with traveling to Pakistan and Yemen to seek ...
Help Us Catch a Terrorist
The FBI today announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Ahmad Abousamra, a U.S. citizen from Massachusetts charged with traveling to Pakistan and Yemen to seek military training so he could kill American soldiers.
Deputy Director Focuses on Collaboration at IACP Conference
FBI Deputy Director Sean Joyce, speaking on October 1 before the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) annual meeting in San Diego, told the assembled group that all in law enforcement ...
Deputy Director Focuses on Collaboration at IACP Conference
Deputy Director Sean Joyce, speaking on October 1 before the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) annual meeting in San Diego, told the assembled group that all in law enforcement share the same mission to “keep our citizens safe,” but we must continue to work together and share information in order to succeed. He said that while the FBI is already working together with its law enforcement partners on many fronts, he’d like to use this week’s conference to “make progress in areas of mutual concern”—airing issues that may be hampering efforts to do more together, identifying ways to resolve these issues, and developing and moving forward with ideas about other areas of collaboration. Joyce then highlighted three specific areas law enforcement can work on to improve collaboration—leveraging technology, increasing and improving training, and protecting personnel.
Living a Lie
For 22 years, John Doe assumed the identity of a man whose wallet was stolen from his car in 1989.
Living a Lie
That’s because the man—now imprisoned and officially known as John Doe—had a stack of government-issued identification acquired during the 22 years he had been using a living victim’s identity. That included a passport, driver’s license, birth certificate, Social Security card, and identification allowing him unescorted access to a port and military installation. And it all started back in 1989, when the victim’s car was broken into and his wallet was stolen.
National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2012
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month—for the ninth straight year. For its part, the FBI is strengthening its cyber operations to sharpen its focus on the greatest cyber threats to ...
National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2012:
Are You the Weakest Link?
Well, since last October, the threat has continued to grow even more complex and sophisticated. Just 12 days ago, in fact, FBI Director Robert Mueller said that “cyber security may well become our highest priority in the years to come.”
For its part, the FBI is strengthening its cyber operations to sharpen its focus on the greatest cyber threats to national security: computer intrusions and network attacks. We are enhancing the technological capabilities of all investigative personnel and hiring additional computer scientists to provide expert technical support to critical investigations. We are creating two distinct task forces in each field office: Cyber Task Forces, focused on intrusions and network attacks that will draw on our existing cyber squads; and Child Exploitation Task Forces, focused on crimes against children. We are also increasing the size and scope of the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force—the FBI-led multi-agency focal point for coordinating and sharing cyber threat information to stop current and future attacks.
The FBI also runs several other cyber-related programs, including the Innocent Images National Initiative—which combats online child predators—and the Internet Crime Complaint Center—a partnership between the Bureau and the National White Collar Crime Center that serves as a clearinghouse for triaging cyber complaints and provides an easy-to-use online tool for reporting these complaints.
Because of the interconnectedness of online systems, every American who uses digital technologies at home or in the office can—and must—play a part in cyber security. For example, if you open a virus-laden e-mail attachment at work, you could infect your entire company’s computer network. Don’t be the weakest link: get educated on cyber safety.
Here are a few basic steps you can take to be more secure:
- Set strong passwords, and don’t share them with anyone.
- Keep a clean machine—your operating system, browser, and other critical software are optimized by installing regular updates.
- Maintain an open dialogue with your family, friends, and community about Internet safety.
- Limit the amount of personal information you post online, and use privacy settings to avoid sharing information widely.
- Be cautious about what you receive or read online—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Visit the links below for more tips on protecting your computers and other electronic devices, information on cyber threats, and details on how to report cyber crimes or scams:
- Report Cyber Crime
- How to Protect Your Computer
- Emerging E-Scams | Internet Fraud
- Keep Safe on Social Networking Sites
For more information:
- FBI Cyber Crime Webpage
- Department of Homeland Security Stop.Think.Connect. Campaign
- Department of Homeland Security’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month Website
- StaySafeOnline Website
FBI National Academy Celebrates a Milestone
The FBI’s National Academy, known as one of the premier law enforcement training programs in the world, graduated its 250th class earlier this month, and the graduates—like thousands who preceded ...
FBI National Academy Celebrates a Milestone
Established in 1935, the National Academy provides advanced investigative, management, and fitness training to senior officers who are proven leaders within their organizations. In addition to undergraduate and graduate-level college courses offered in areas such as law, behavioral and forensic science, understanding terrorism and terrorists, and leadership development, students forge lasting connections that strengthen global law enforcement partnerships.
Undercover Women Agents
In the four decades since women have served as FBI agents, they’ve taken on one of the most difficult—yet vitally important—roles in the Bureau: going undercover. Recently, we talked with three ...
Undercover Women Agents
In the four decades since women have served as FBI agents, they’ve taken on one of the most difficult—yet vitally important—roles in the Bureau: going undercover.
Recently, we talked with three current female agents about their undercover experiences. Despite the challenges of the job, all are passionate about their work and believe that women bring unique perspectives that enhance their effectiveness on the job. This story is part six in a continuing series.
Two Executives Brief Congress on Threats to Nation
FBI Associate Deputy Director Kevin Perkins and Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Michael Clancy testified before a Senate committee and subcommittee, respectively, on the ...
Two Executives Brief Congress on Threats to Nation
This morning, FBI Associate Deputy Director Kevin Perkins, speaking on behalf of Director Robert Mueller, updated members of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on the increasingly complex threats faced by the nation and how the FBI is continually evolving to counter those threats. Addressing topics from counterterrorism to cyber security, Perkins provided several examples of the challenges we are confronted with and the transformations the Bureau has made to ensure that we carry out our mission while protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of the people we serve.
In the same vein, this afternoon, Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Michael Clancy focused on a more specific threat—that posed by domestic extremists. Speaking to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights, Clancy discussed recent domestic terrorism events and the potential for greater volatility within domestic extremism this year as well as the FBI’s efforts to fight this problem.
For more details, read the full testimonies of both executives.
