EFTA00160553.pdf

From: FBI News Briefing To: "FBINewsBriefing" < @ic.fbi.gov> Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL) - FBI Daily News Briefing - June 28, 2023 Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2023 10:15:02 +0000 Importance: Normal View in Browser r aFederal Bureau of Investigation - Seal June 28, 2023 Federal Bureau of Investigation Daily News Briefing (In coordination with the Office of Public Affairs) Email Public Affairs to subscribe to the Daily News Briefing. Mobile version and archive available here. Table of Contents IN THE NEWS • FBI Downplayed Threats of Violence by Trump Supporters Ahead of Jan. 6 • Report on Epstein's Death Finds Errors and Mismanagement at Manhattan Jail • Trump's Aide Walt Nauta Again Delays Plea in Federal Documents Case • Over $200 Billion Potentially Stolen From U.S. COVID Relief Programs, Watchdog Says • Continued Reporting: Director Wray To Testify Before House Judiciary Committee Amid Calls To Resign COUNTERTERRORISM • Club Q Shooter Pleads Guilty in Court COUNTERINTELLIGENCE • Montana Congressman Calls for More Transparency Over Balloon Flights • New Images Show Chinese Spy Balloons Over Asia CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS EFTA00160553 FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Bankman-Fried Loses Bid to Toss Criminal Charges Over FTX's Collapse CYBER DIVISION • The Lowly DDoS Attack Is Showing Signs of Being Anything But • Siemens and UCLA Say Data Compromised in MOVEit Data Breach LABORATORY • Illegal Trade In Al Child Sex Abuse Images Exposed INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • A Three Year Probe of Encrypted Phones Led to the Seizure of Hundreds of Tons of Drugs, Prosecutors Say • U.S. Arrests Four Mexican Nationals in 2022 Deaths of 53 Migrants Trapped in Hot Tractor-Trailer • Trial Pushed Back for Prime Natalee Holloway Suspect CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS • Georgia Secretary of State to Interview With Special Counsel Jack Smith as Part of Jan. 6 Probe • Rudy Giuliani Interviewed in Special Counsel's 2020 Election Interference Probe • DOJ 'Likely' To Indict Trump's 'Whole Criminal Gang' for Conspiracy to 'Overthrow the Government': Legal Expert • Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Charge • North Carolina Man Faces Jail for Capitol Riot Actions • Jan. 6 Defendant Questions Son Who Turned Him In • Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach • Florida Pair Gets Jail Time for Jan. 6 Capitol Riot OTHER FBI NEWS • Ohio Moms Fight Back After Being Reported to FBI for Opposing School • Opinion: The Glaring Omission in John Durham's Four-Year Investigation • The Night 17 Million Precious Military Records Went Up in Smoke INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Prigozhin in Belarus as Wagner Prepares to Hand Over Weapons in Russia • Russian Turmoil Shows a Forever War in Ukraine Hurts Putin • U.S. Considers New Curbs on Al Chip Exports to China • Islamists Wield Hidden Hand in Sudan Conflict, Military Sources Say • South Koreans Become a Year or Two Younger as Traditional Way of Counting Age Scrapped • China Crackdown Pushes LGBT Groups Into the Shadows • Israel Embraces Cutting-Edge Al To Thwart Cyberattacks, Foil Terrorism EFTA00160554 • U.S. Sanctions Wagner's Gold and Diamond Mining Operations • U.S. to Send Its Biggest Sub to Korean Peninsula in Message to North and South • The Unexpected Rescuers Who Found Colombia's Missing Children OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Continued Reporting: Donald Trump Indictment • Continued Reporting: Hunter Biden Investigation • Supreme Court Upholds State Courts' Power to Prevent Gerrymanders • Biden Is Eager To Run on the Economy But Voters Have Their Doubts • A Look at the U.S. Supreme Court's Major Rulings This Year • Judge Suggests He's Unlikely To Move Trump's New York Criminal Case to Federal Court • Poll: 68% Of Voters Have Worries About Biden's Mental and Physical Health BIG PICTURE • New York Times • Wall Street Journal • Washington Post • Financial Times • ABC News • CBS News • NBC News • Fox News WASHINGTON SCHEDULE IN THE NEWS FBI Downplayed Threats of Violence by Trump Supporters Ahead of Jan. 6 The Associated Press (06/27, Jalonick) reported that a Senate panel has released a report asserting that the FBI and the DHS overlooked or ignored substantial intelligence ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. According to the article, among the overlooked intel was a tip to the FBI that members of the far-right extremist group Proud Boys planned to be in Washington, D.C., with the intent to harm people during the certification of Joe Biden's victory. The report suggested that the intelligence community has yet to fully recalibrate its focus on domestic terrorism threats. Additionally, the Senate committee found that the FBI repeatedly asserted there were no credible threats despite receiving multiple warnings. The article noted that in response to the report, the FBI said it has since increased its focus on swift information sharing and improved the flow of information to ensure more timely notification to other entities. Director Wray defended the agency's handling of intelligence leading up to the attack, including a report that cited online posts foreshadowing a possible "war" in Washington. Reuters (06/27, Cowan), CBS News (06/27, MacFarlane, Sganga), BBC News (06/27, Evans), Al Jazeera (06/27, Staff Writer), NBC News (06/27, Nobles, Reilly), Forbes (06/27, Durkee), The Hill (06/27, Shapero), ABC News (06/27, Barr), Washington Post (06/27, Barrett), Courthouse News (06/27, Weiss), New York Times (06/27, Broadwater), Business Insider (06/27, Griffiths), CNN (06/27, Cohen, Grayer, Lybrand), NPR (06/27, Sprunt), MSNBC (06/27, Jones), and two articles from the Washington Examiner (06/27, Jacobs) also reported on the story. Report on Epstein's Death Finds Errors and Mismanagement at Manhattan Jail Reuters (06/27, Lynch) reported that the DOJ's internal watchdog released a report criticizing the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for its handling of accused sex offender Jeffrey Epstein before his suicide in 2019. According to the article, the report by Inspector General Michael Horowitz highlighted misconduct by 13 BOP employees, who failed EFTA00160555 to search Epstein's cell and did not check on him for hours, allowing him to be unmonitored from 10:40 p.m. on Aug. 9, 2019, until he was discovered dead the next morning. The report cited negligence, misconduct, and operational failures, including inadequate camera surveillance and understaffing, as contributing factors. In response, BOP Director Colette Peters acknowledged the failures and agreed to implement recommended reforms. The article noted that the FBI conducted a separate investigation, concluding that Epstein's death was not the result of a criminal act such as murder, a finding that the report did not contradict. Washington Post (06/27, Berman), New York Times (06/27, Thrush, Weiser), Associated Press (06/27, Sisak, Whitehurst), BBC News (06/27, Halpert), Politico (06/27, Orden), Fox News (06/27, Ruiz, Edson), Business Insider (06/27, Musumeci, Haroun), NPR (06/27, Diaz), ABC News (06/27, Katersky, Barr, Shapiro), CBS News (06/27, Legare), The Guardian (06/27, Luscombe), CNN (06/27, Lybrand), NBC News (06/27, Dilanian), CNBC (06/27, Mangan), USA TODAY (06/27, Lee, Jansen), Forbes (06/27, Roeloffs), The Daily Beast (06/27, Melendez), Rolling Stone (06/27, Grow), New York Magazine (06/27, Stieb), New York Post (06/27, DeGregory), and Wall Street Journal (06/27, Gurman) also reported on the story. Trump's Aide Walt Nauta Again Delays Plea in Federal Documents Case The Wall Street Journal (06/27, Barber) reported that Donald Trump's personal aide, Walt Nauta, was unable for a second time to formally plead not guilty to charges of conspiring with Trump to retain and conceal secret government records at Mar-a-Lago, due to his inability to retain a Florida attorney and inclement weather. During the investigation, federal prosecutors tried without success to persuade Nauta to cooperate with the criminal inquiry and suspected that he lied to investigators. According to the article, the indictment alleges that Nauta removed 64 boxes of records after a May 2022 subpoena demanded the return of classified documents, and returned only half of these. Nauta, a Navy veteran, faces six charges, including conspiracy to obstruct justice, with some carrying a potential 20-year prison sentence. The article noted that despite being prohibited from discussing the case with Trump, Nauta continues to remain close to the former president, raising concerns among some Trump advisers. Reuters (06/27, Thomsen), Associated Press (06/27, Licon, Tucker), Washington Post (06/27, Barrett, Stein), New York Post (06/27, Christenson), Washington Examiner (06/27, Dunleavy), The Guardian (06/27, Lowell), Independent (06/27, O'Connell), Business Insider (06/27, Leonard), CBS News (06/27, Legare, MacFarlane), NBC News (06/27, Concepcion, Gile), CNBC (06/27, Mangan), Fox News (06/27, Wallace), CNN (06/27, Rabinowitz, Polantz, Herb), ABC News (06/27, Rubin, Steakin) also reported on the story. Over $200 Billion Potentially Stolen From U.S. COVID Relief Programs, Watchdog Says USA TODAY (06/27, Nguyen) reported that according to a report by the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), more than $200 billion in COVID-19 relief loans and grants for small businesses may have been fraudulently obtained. According to the article, Inspector General Hannibal "Mike" Ware noted in the report that fraudsters found vulnerabilities and coordinated schemes to bypass controls and gain easy access to funds meant for eligible small businesses. The report suggested that 17% of the $1.2 trillion disbursed through the SBA's pandemic assistance loan programs, particularly the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and the Paycheck Protection program, could have been stolen by fraudulent actors. The article noted that Bailey DeVries, SBA's acting associate administrator for capital access, disputed the report's estimates and argued that the majority of fraud occurred in the first nine months of the program's operation. The SBA introduced additional fraud controls in 2021, and according to DeVries, SBA data from June 2023 shows that only 12% of loan dollars went to overdue borrowers. Reuters (06/27, Singh), Associated Press (06/27, Lardner, McDermott), CNBC (06/27, Kimball), NBC News (06/27, Strickler), NPR (06/27, Kaste), ABC News (06/27, Stewart, Haslett, Bruggeman), Forbes (06/27, Faguy), CBS News (06/27, Chasan), Fox News (06/27, Pandolfo), Axios (06/27, Doherty), and The Daily Beast (06/27, Hippensteel) also reported on the story. Continued Reporting: Director Wray To Testify Before House Judiciary Committee Amid Calls To Resign Fox News (06/27, Richard) reported that Director Wray is set to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on July 12. According to the article, several Republican lawmakers who have accused Director Wray of politically weaponizing the FBI will be present. The hearing comes as House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan and other Republicans call for an investigation into President Biden and his family. The article noted that Director Wray is also accused of mishandling a probe into President Biden's son, Hunter Biden, with Republicans criticizing the terms of his plea deal. Several Senate Republicans, including Sen. Josh Hawley and Sen. JD Vance, have urged Wray to resign over his leadership of the FBI. Axios (06/27, Solender) noted that Attorney General Merrick Garland is scheduled to testify to the panel for a hearing on Sept. 20 focused on DO1 oversight. The article added that the next step EFTA00160556 for House Republicans will be to try to restrict funding to the DOJ, FBI, and other relevant agencies, as well as trying to force policy changes, as part of the appropriations process later this year. CBS News (06/27, King) also reported on the story. Back to Top COUNTERTERRORISM Club Q Shooter Pleads Guilty in Court The New York Times (06/27, Healy, Manley) and the Associated Press (06/27, Slevin, Bedayn) reported that the 23- year-old perpetrator of a fatal shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, identified as Anderson Lee Aldrich, pled guilty to dozens of charges of murder and attempted murder, along with 'no contest' to two state hate-crime charges. The plea agreement, reached after months of discussions with survivors and relatives of the victims, resulted in multiple life sentences with no chance of release. According to the articles, the plea allowed Aldrich to avoid a prolonged trial over the attack which targeted the LGBTQ+ community. Aldrich, who identifies as nonbinary, has been condemned as a "bigot", "coward", and "animal" by survivors and relatives. District Attorney Michael J. Allen labeled the shooting as a hate-based terror attack, stating there was "zero evidence" Aldrich identified as nonbinary before the shooting. The articles noted that the FBI's Denver office, in conjunction with the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department, is currently investigating the shooting. Some victims have initiated a legal action against the El Paso County Sheriff's Office in Colorado Springs, claiming that under Colorado's red-flag laws, Aldrich's guns should have been seized following a bomb threat made by them in 2021. Back to Top COUNTERINTELLIGENCE Montana Congressman Calls for More Transparency Over Balloon Flights Fox News (06/27, Casiano) reported that Montana Congressman Matt Rosendale has called for more transparency from the federal government after acknowledging people were tracking a high-altitude balloon over his state. The balloon, registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), was flying at 57,000 feet and was operating within regulations, according to the FAA. According to the article, Rosendale contacted the Department of Defense, who confirmed that they were aware of the balloon but opted not to investigate due to its size and the low likelihood of it conducting surveillance. Despite this, Rosendale demanded more clarity, referencing a previous incident involving a Chinese balloon that traversed the United States before being shot down, criticizing the Biden administration for their perceived lack of protection. The article noted that the FAA and the North American Aerospace Defense Command confirmed that the balloon was privately owned and was operating within FAA requirements. New Images Show Chinese Spy Balloons Over Asia BBC News (06/27, Corera) reported that the outlet has discovered evidence of China's spy balloon program, including flights over Japan and Taiwan. According to the article, using data analysis from artificial intelligence company Synthetaic, images of balloons crossing East Asia have been found, with suspicions that they are launched from China. The balloons are believed to be equipped for signals intelligence, capable of collecting and geo-locating communications. The article noted that these findings have escalated concerns about China's surveillance operations and its incursions into foreign territories. The balloons, which could gather extensive data on targets below, were discovered to have flown close to sensitive sites like a nuclear air force base in Montana, USA. Back to Top CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Continued Reporting: Audio of Trump Suggests He Discussed Classified Iran Document The New York Times (06/27, Haberman, Feuer) reported that an audio recording of former President Donald J. Trump in 2021 discussing what he called a "highly confidential" document about Iran that he acknowledged he could not declassify because he was out of office appears to contradict his recent assertion that the material he was referring to was simply news clippings. According to the article, portions of a transcript of the two-minute EFTA00160557 recording of Mr. Trump were cited by federal prosecutors in the indictment of Mr. Trump on charges that he had put national security secrets at risk by mishandling classified documents after leaving office and then obstructing the government's efforts to retrieve them. The article added that the recording captured his conversation in July 2021 with a publisher and writer working on a memoir by Mr. Trump's final chief of staff, Mark Meadows. In it, Mr. Trump discussed what he described as a "secret" plan regarding Iran drawn up by Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Defense Department. Mr. Trump was citing the document in rebutting an account that General Milley feared having to keep him from manufacturing a crisis with Iran in the period after Mr. Trump lost his re-election bid in late 2020. The audio, which is likely to feature as evidence in Mr. Trump's trial in the documents case, was played for the first time in public on Monday. NBC News (06/27, Video), Washington Examiner (06/27, Hamilton), Forbes (06/27, Ray), Newsweek (06/27, Fung), the Hill (06/27, Mastrangelo), New York Post (06/27, King), a second Washington Examiner (06/27, Schilke) article, ABC News (06/27, Scott, Ibssa, Kim, Cathey), Huffington Post (06/27, Visser), Allazeera (06/27, Staff Writer), the Independent(06/27, Sharp), and the Rolling Stone (06/27, Bort) also reported on the story. Competing Accounts of Del's Handling of Hunter Biden Case The New York Times (06/27, Thrush, Schmidt) reported that at a Senate hearing in March, Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, spent seven minutes grilling Attorney General Merrick B. Garland about the Hunter Biden investigation, reading a series of unusually specific queries from a paper in his hands. According to the article, that encounter has taken on new significance after House Republicans released testimony last week from a senior Internal Revenue Service investigator on the case that appeared to contradict Mr. Garland's assurances to Mr. Grassley and others that Mr. Weiss had all the freedom and authority he needed to pursue the case as he saw fit. The article noted that the IRS official, Gary Shapley, oversaw the agency's role in the investigation of Mr. Biden's taxes and says his criticism of the DOJ led to him being denied a promotion. He told the House Ways and Means Committee that Mr. Weiss had been rebuffed by top federal prosecutors in Los Angeles and Washington when he had raised the prospect of pursuing charges against the president's son in those jurisdictions. The article mentioned that Mr. Shapley, testifying under what Republicans say are whistle-blower protections, also said that he had witnessed Mr. Weiss saying last year that he would not be the "deciding official" regarding whether to prosecute Mr. Biden, and that Mr. Weiss had been turned down when he sought special counsel status, which would have allowed him greater flexibility in handling the case. The article stated that in providing accounts of internal discussions at odds with Mr. Garland's testimony, Mr. Shapley gave Republicans a fresh opening to raise questions about the case and to cast doubt on the DOA repeated statements that Mr. Weiss had complete control of the investigation with no political interference. Bryan Kohberger's Attorney Spars With Idaho Prosecutors Over Evidence The New York Post (06/27, Pagones) reported that Bryan Kohberger's legal team and Idaho prosecutors sparred in court Tuesday over whether his defense should be privy to certain documents, including FBI records related to the brutal murders of four local university students. Wearing a black suit and tie, Kohberger — accused of the murders, which shocked the nation last November — entered the courtroom Tuesday afternoon flanked by his lawyers and looking solemn. The article added that during proceedings his lead defense attorney Anne Taylor maintained her effort to obtain further case records for her client was "not a fishing expedition," to see what evidence the prosecution have against her client. "We've asked for several things that we still need," Taylor told the court. Taylor is seeking discovery materials, including records related to certain police officers' training and cell phone investigations, including those that led police to seek out a Hyundai like the one driven by Kohberger. The article noted that the District Court Judge, John C. Judge, ultimately ordered prosecutors to hand over at least one of the requested documents, an FBI forensics report, by July 14. But the prosecution argued Tuesday that Kohberger's legal team "has everything that the State has," other than certain FBI forensics records, which are still under review, according to reports. An additional New York Post (06/27, Land) article, Fox News (06/27, Ruiz), CNN (06/27, Romine, Yan), CBS News (06/27, Chasan), a third New York Post (06/27, Land) article, the Daily Mail (06/27, Poleo), ABC News (06/27, Whitworth, Margolin, Pezenik), the Independent (06/26, Sharp, Blanco), and an additional Independent (06/26, Sharp, Blanco) article also reported on the story. Pennsylvania Woman Charged in $14 Million COVID Business Loan Fraud KDKA (CBS-2) (06/26, Staff Writer) reported that a Pittsburgh credit repair specialist and a Detroit accountant are charged with falsifying applications for more than $14 million in loans from the COVID-era Paycheck Protection Program. The article stated that a federal grand jury indicted Virginia R. Humphries of Pittsburgh and Matthew EFTA00160558 Lloyd Parker Jr. of Detroit on ten counts, the DOJ announced on Tuesday. According to the indictment, Humphries and Parker recruited hundreds of small businesses in Pittsburgh and Detroit and falsified Paycheck Protection Program loan applications. The Small Business Association approved 226 totaling $14.5 million. The article noted that the DOJ said it's the largest known PPP fraud in the western district of Pennsylvania. Humphries and Parker face a maximum total sentence of 50 years in prison, a fine of $1,250,000 or both. The USPS and FBI conducted the investigation leading to the indictment. California Man Gets Prison for Nearly $9M Phony Cow Manure-To-Green Energy Investment Scheme The Associated Press (06/27, Staff Writer) reported that a California man is going to prison for running a cow dung- to-green energy scheme that authorities say was a load of manure. The article stated that Ray Brewer, 66, of Porterville, was sentenced Monday to six years and nine months in federal prison in a years-long scam that bilked investors out of $8.75 million, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office. Brewer ran a scheme from 2014 through 2019 in which he claimed to be building anaerobic digesters at dairies in California's Fresno, Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties and in Idaho, prosecutors said. The New York Times (06/27, `loon) also reported on the story. Labor Group Requests Ethics Probe of Kentucky GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Over Campaign Solicitation The Associated Press (06/27, Schreiner) reported that a prominent labor group on Tuesday requested an ethics investigation of Kentucky Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron for soliciting and accepting campaign donations from executives of a substance abuse treatment organization under scrutiny by his office since last year. According to the article, the Kentucky State AFL-CIO, which has strong Democratic ties, asked the state Executive Branch Ethics Commission to investigate "circumstances surrounding" the donations to Cameron's gubernatorial campaign. State AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan said it raises "serious concerns" about Cameron's compliance with campaign finance laws. It continued a back-and-forth over campaign finances in the Kentucky governor's race. Cameron is challenging Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in one of the nation's most closely watched elections this year. The article noted that Beshear's campaign was put on the defensive recently by an influx of campaign donations — linked to a single credit card — that went to the Kentucky Democratic Party and his campaign, resulting in refunds of more than $200,000 in donations. Cameron's office asked the FBI to investigate the Democratic-related matter. The article added that Beshear's campaign was put on the defensive recently by an influx of campaign donations — linked to a single credit card — that went to the Kentucky Democratic Party and his campaign, resulting in refunds of more than $200,000 in donations. Cameron's office asked the FBI to investigate the Democratic-related matter. Meanwhile, Cameron's campaign has said it refunded $7,600 in donations from executives with Edgewater Recovery Centers. Asked to respond Tuesday to the investigation request in the Edgewater matter, Cameron's campaign referred to its previous statement in the matter. In that statement, Cameron said his "approach" to the Edgewater-related campaign donations has been to "review, recuse and refund." The article mentioned that Edgewater has been under investigation since 2022 by the Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse in the attorney general's office. Lawyer Accused of Decades-Old Boston Rapes Indicted on New Sexual Assault Charges ABC News (06/27, Deliso) reported that a lawyer arrested last month in connection with an alleged string of decades-old sexual assaults in Boston has been accused of committing other attacks in the city around the same time. The article stated that Matthew Nilo, 35, of New Jersey, was indicted by a grand jury on multiple charges, including rape, for allegedly attacking four women, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced Tuesday. The article mentioned that Hayden said that assistance from the Boston Police Department and the FBI also "played a major role in our ability to secure today's indictments and to give the survivors of these crimes the ability to see their attacker held accountable for his actions,". Possible Threat Made Against Minnesota Church Was False Alarm, Sheriff Says WCCO (CBS-4) (06/27, Staff Writer) reported that authorities say a reported threat made against a church in a southwestern Minnesota town turned out to be unfounded. The Kandiyohi County Sheriffs Office says it was alerted by authorities in Lee County, Florida, that a resident "may pose a threat" to the First Christian Reformed Church, located in Prinsburg, Minnesota. The article noted that the FBI and ATF joined in with Minnesota and Florida investigators to probe the threat further, while the Prinsburg church put a safety plan in place. Investigators eventually determined that there actually was no threat made to the church. The sheriff's office says the presumptive suspect had been "suffering from an acute mental health crisis" and was hospitalized for treatment, but they still may face criminal charges in Florida for "evidence found." EFTA00160559 Southwest Passenger Accused of Grabbing Flight Attendant, Demanding Kiss, Faces Federal Charges USA TODAY (06/27, Alund) reported that a man is facing federal charges after authorities say he assaulted two flight attendants and demanded a kiss from one of them during a flight from California to Las Vegas. The article added that the suspect was charged with two counts of simple assault after the FBI filed a complaint with the U.S. District Court of Nevada on Friday. The incident took place on a Southwest flight from Palm Springs to Las Vegas in October, according to a five-page criminal complaint filed by the FBI. About 100 passengers, including the suspect and three flight attendants, were on board the plane when the alleged assault took place. FBI Searches for Chicago Bank Robbery Suspect WBBM (CBS-2) (06/27, Staff Writer) reported that the FBI is looking for a suspect in a bank robbery that took place Tuesday afternoon in Oak Lawn. According to the article, the suspect demanded money and showed a silver handgun. He was described as a 5-foot-10 male with a thin build and wearing khaki shorts. The agency released images of the suspect. Back to Top FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS Bankman-Fried Loses Bid to Toss Criminal Charges Over FTX's Collapse Reuters (06/27, Cohen) reported that a federal judge on Tuesday rejected Sam Bankman-Fried's bid to throw out most of the U.S. government's criminal case accusing the FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder of orchestrating a multibillion-dollar fraud. According to the article, the decision by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan paves the way for an Oct. 2 trial of Bankman-Fried, a 31-year-old former billionaire. Prosecutors accused Bankman- Fried of stealing billions of dollars in FTX customer funds to plug losses at his Alameda Research hedge fund. They also accused Bankman-Fried of misleading investors and lenders and contributing illegally to U.S. political campaigns in the names of colleagues. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty and denied stealing funds while acknowledging that FTX had inadequate risk management. The article noted that Bankman-Fried in May asked Kaplan to dismiss at least 11 of the 13 fraud and conspiracy charges he faced. Bankman-Fried said some charges relied on a fraud theory -- where a defendant could be convicted for depriving someone of economically valuable information and not just tangible property -- the U.S. Supreme Court last month deemed invalid. But the judge agreed with prosecutors that the theory, known as the right to control, did not apply to Bankman-Fried. CNN (06/27, Morrow) also reported on the story. Back to Top CYBER DIVISION The Lowly DDoS Attack Is Showing Signs of Being Anything But The Washington Post (06/27, Starks) reported that on a Friday evening earlier this month, Microsoft revealed that a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack caused outages for Outlook email and other elements of its software suite. According to the article, DDoS, which involves flooding a target with fake traffic, has often been thought of as a nuisance by cyber experts. It's looked down upon because it's an older kind of attack requiring little technical ability — with services that enable DDoS attacks even purchasable over the dark web for hundreds of dollars. The article stated that the Microsoft incident served as a reminder that they can do much more harm, even if DDoS attacks don't tend to involve any data theft. And it came during a time when DDoS is surging, showing signs of increasing sophistication and being aimed against new kinds of targets. The article mentioned that the DOJ has announced at least two major actions against DDoS services in the past seven months, including one in May. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, along with the FBI and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, offered a guide last fall to defend against them. Siemens and UCLA Say Data Compromised in MOVEit Data Breach Reuters (06/27, Steitz, Satter) reported that Siemens Energy (ENR1n.DE) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) said on Tuesday they were among victims of the MOVEit hack that has affected scores of corporations, governments, and other institutions in recent weeks. According to the article, the hackers behind the wide-ranging breach, CI0p, had earlier boasted on their website about stealing data from UCLA and Siemens. CI0p also claimed to have stolen data from biopharmaceutical company Abbvie Inc (ABBV.N) and French industrial group EFTA00160560 Schneider Electric (SCHN.PA). The article noted that the FBI said in a statement it was "aware of and investigating the recent exploitation of a MOVEit vulnerability by malicious ransomware actors".The article added that the MOVEit software is used by organizations around the world to share sensitive data. Last week, U.S. pension fund Calpers and insurer Genworth Financial (GNW.N) said the personal information of their members and customers had been compromised as part of the hack. An additional Reuters (06/27, Satter) article also reported on the story. Back to Top LABORATORY Illegal Trade In Al Child Sex Abuse Images Exposed BBC News (06/27, Crawford, Smith) reported that pedophiles are utilizing artificial intelligence (Al) technology to create and distribute highly realistic child sexual abuse material, a BBC investigation reveals. According to the article, the Al software being used is known as Stable Diffusion, initially designed for art or graphic design applications, but is being exploited to generate illicit imagery. Subscription accounts on mainstream content- sharing platforms, including Patreon, have been identified as hosting such content. Notably, the UK treats these Al- generated images, also known as 'synthetic' or 'pseudo images', with the same severity as real images - they are illegal to possess, publish, or transfer. The article noted that law enforcement officials warn that such synthetic images can contribute to an escalation in pedophile behavior, potentially leading to the actual abuse of children. Back to Top INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS A Three Year Probe of Encrypted Phones Led to the Seizure of Hundreds of Tons of Drugs, Prosecutors Say The Associated Press (06/27, Corder) reported that investigations triggered by the cracking of encrypted phones three years ago have so far led to more than 6,500 arrests worldwide and the seizure of hundreds of tons of drugs, French, Dutch, and European Union prosecutors said Tuesday. According to the article, the announcement underscored the staggering scale of criminality — mainly drugs and arms smuggling and money laundering — that was uncovered as a result of police and prosecutors effectively listening in to criminals using encrypted EncroChat phones. The article noted that EncroChat is not the only secret communications network used by criminals that have been infiltrated by law enforcement authorities. The article added that the FBI and other law enforcement agencies went a step further and created an encrypted service — ANOM — that was marketed to criminals in a global sting that led to the arrest of more than 800 suspects and seizure of more than 32 metric tons (35.2 tons) of drugs, including cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines and methamphetamines. U.S. Arrests Four Mexican Nationals in 2022 Deaths of 53 Migrants Trapped in Hot Tractor-Trailer The Associated Press (06/27, Vertuno, Gay) reported that U.S. authorities on Tuesday announced the arrests of four men they say were part of a human smuggling effort last year that ended in the deaths of 53 migrants, including eight children, who were left in a tractor-trailer in the scorching Texas summer. According to the article, authorities said on the anniversary of the June 27, 2022, tragedy that the four Mexican nationals had a planning role in the smuggling operation, and were aware that the trailer's air-conditioning unit was malfunctioning and would not blow cool air to migrants trapped inside during the sweltering three-hour ride from the border city of Laredo to San Antonio. When the trailer was opened in San Antonio, 48 migrants were already dead. Another 16 were taken to hospitals, where five more died. The article quoted Attorney General Merrick Garland, who said, "Human smugglers prey on migrants' hope for a better life — but their only priority is profit, tragically, 53 people who had been loaded into a tractor-trailer in Texas and endured hours of unimaginable cruelty lost their lives because of this heartless scheme." The New York Times (06/27, Yoon), and Fox News (06/27, Casiano) also reported on the story. Trial Pushed Back for Prime Natalee Holloway Suspect Fox News (06/27, Sabes) reported that a federal judge on Tuesday pushed back the possible trial for Natalee Holloway suspect loran van der Sloot to fall. According to the article, the order comes after Joran van der Sloot filed a waiver of his right to a speedy trial on Tuesday. Van der Sloot is the prime suspect in the May 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba during a Mountain Brook High School, Alabama, senior trip. He's being charged with extortion and wire fraud after allegedly attempting to sell Natalee's mother, Beth Holloway, information regarding the location of her daughter's body. Federal prosecutors allege that the Dutch national asked EFTA00160561 for $250,000 - $25,000 upfront for the information, and the rest to be paid out when the body of Natalee Holloway was positively identified. The article noted that he was temporarily transferred from a Peruvian prison to American custody on June 8 by FBI agents. Back to Top CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS Georgia Secretary of State to Interview With Special Counsel Jack Smith as Part of Jan. 6 Probe The Associated Press (06/27, Brumback) reported that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is set to meet with federal prosecutors from the office of special counsel Jack Smith, who is investigating efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. According to the article, previously, Raffensperger received a subpoena from Smith's team for communications involving Trump, his campaign, and associates. The article noted that this meeting is part of a broader investigation led by Smith, appointed by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, which includes probing the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, and Trump's handling of classified documents. Fox News (06/27, Singman), CBS News (06/27, Linton), The Hill (06/27, Mueller), NBC News (06/27, Alexander, Gile, Concepcion), and ABC News (06/27, Bruggeman) also reported on the story. Rudy Giuliani Interviewed in Special Counsel's 2020 Election Interference Probe CNN (06/27, Reid, Murray) reported that former attorney to Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, has recently been interviewed by federal investigators as part of special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, according to anonymous sources. According to the article, the special counsel's office has been keenly interested in several members of Trump's post-election legal team, including Giuliani, for their role in Trump's post-election response. The article noted that this comes after a number of federal subpoenas sought the communications of more than a dozen attorneys, some of whose phones were seized by the FBI last year. "The appearance was entirely voluntary and conducted in a professional manner," said Ted Goodman, a Giuliani political adviser, while a spokesman for the special counsel's office declined to comment. The Associated Press (06/27, Tucker), Reuters (06/27, Pitas), MSNBC (06/27, Video) also reported on the story. DOJ 'Likely' To Indict Trump's 'Whole Criminal Gang' for Conspiracy to 'Overthrow the Government': Legal Expert Raw Story (06/27, Badash) reported that Harvard University Professor Emeritus Laurence Tribe predicts that Special Counsel Jack Smith will "likely" indict Donald Trump and his associates for conspiring "to overturn the presidential election and overthrow the government." According to the article, this follows news of investigators from the Special Counsel's office planning to interview Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who Trump had previously pressured to "find" him votes in a recorded call. The article noted that the DOJ's investigation is particularly interested in several lawyers, including Rudy Giuliani, who were involved in attempts to challenge Joe Biden's election victory; some of these lawyers had their phones seized by the FBI previously. Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Charge WFLA (NBC-8) (06/27, Tucker) reported that Corinne Montoni, a 33-year-old woman from Lakeland, pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct connected to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, where she was part of a crowd that tried to stop the certification of votes in the 2020 presidential election. According to the article, an online tip led the FBI to Montoni's social media pages, where they found multiple incriminating posts that helped establish her involvement in illegally entering the Capitol building. The article noted that Montoni posted various statements on her Parler account related to breaching the Capitol, and in a Facebook post, she declared her intent to return on Inauguration Day with other Trump supporters. She now faces a potential sentence of up to five years in prison. UPI (06/27, Schrader) also reported on the story. North Carolina Man Faces Jail for Capitol Riot Actions The Charlotte Observer (06/27, Gordon) reported that Nathan Baer, a 43-year-old classically trained vocalist from Asheville, North Carolina, has been charged with the felony offense of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and three related misdemeanors in connection with his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. According to the article, Baer was identified in photos and videos from the riot, including one where he stands near Michael Fanone, a Washington D.C. police officer who was later dragged away by the mob. The FBI, after receiving EFTA00160562 a tip from a former classmate, traced Baer to his YouTube channel, "The American Patriot," where he performed George Frideric Handel's work, "Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rage." The article noted that the FBI affidavit does not accuse Baer of attacking Fanone, but instead states he was part of the mob attempting to overwhelm the police lines. Jan. 6 Defendant Questions Son Who Turned Him In Newser (06/27, Dier) reported that Brian Mock, a defendant in the Jan. 6 insurrection case, questioned his son, Al Mock, who had reported him to the FBI, during a bench trial hearing. According to the article, Brian Mock faces 11 counts, including assaulting and impeding officers and using a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors allege that he pushed two law enforcement officers to the ground and bragged about "beating the s---" out of a police officer. The article added that Al Mock, who criticized his father's actions as treasonous in a text message, was initially set to testify for the prosecution but was eventually called as a defense witness by his father. Despite their political disagreements and what he termed a "love-hate relationship," AJ Mock said he regretted turning his father in and didn't want to see him go to prison. The article noted that Brian Mock expressed love and pride for his son, and both were reportedly emotional after the testimony concluded. Brian Mock is expected to testify in his own defense on July 11. MSNBC (06/27, Video) also reported on the story. Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach Alabama.com (06/27, Robinson) reported that Bobby Wayne Russell, a 49-year-old man from Falkville, Alabama, has pleaded guilty to his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. According to the article, the FBI's Birmingham Field Office and Washington Field Office, which identified Russell as #492 on its seeking information photos, handled the case's investigation. During the Capitol riot, Russell was seen resisting police orders, clinging onto a bicycle barricade, and physically engaging with Metropolitan Police Department officers. After the incident, he also refused to leave the area near the Senate wing doors and confronted an officer. The article noted that with over 1,000 people charged in relation to the Capitol breach, Russell now faces a maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison. Florida Pair Gets Jail Time for Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Tampa Bay Times (06/27, Spata) reported that Carol Kicinski and Jon Heneghan, residents of Pinellas County, have been sentenced to 20 days of incarceration and a year of probation for their involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. According to the article, the pair had traveled to Washington, D.C. for the Stop the Steal rally, then entered the Capitol and filmed inside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's offices. They were later apprehended after investigators used cell phone location data. The sentencing follows a plea deal where both Kicinski and Heneghan pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge of entering a restricted building, leading to all other charges being dropped. The article noted that prosecutors called for jail time, stating that the attack on the Capitol posed a severe threat to democracy. Back to Top OTHER FBI NEWS Ohio Moms Fight Back After Being Reported to FBI for Opposing School Fox News (06/27, Hill) reported that two Ohio moms took legal action against their kids' former school after claiming it facilitated a bullying campaign against them, reporting them to the FBI after shedding light on controversial financials and CRT-riddled curriculum. According to the article, Amy Gonzalez and Andrea Gross filed suit against Columbus Academy (CA) after the alleged move, while also claiming they were reported to the local police department for their efforts to expose the institution's left-wing ideology. The pair said the school tried to make staffers "fearful" of them after they raised questions about money spent and controversial class material, although the school denies these claims. Opinion: The Glaring Omission in John Durham's Four-Year Investigation The Washington Examiner (06/27, Stauffer) published an opinion piece where the author stated that at the end of a four-year investigation, special counsel John Durham determined the FBI should never have opened Crossfire Hurricane, its spurious counterintelligence investigation into then-candidate Donald Trump's presidential campaign. He concluded that the investigation opened on July 31, 2016, was begun for purely political reasons. The author added that the Durham report states that on Aug. 3, 2016, then-President Barack Obama and his national security EFTA00160563 team were briefed by then-CIA Director John Brennan on the Hillary Clinton campaign's plan to use a bogus dossier to deflect from the growing scandal around her use of a private server as secretary of state. Briefing attendees included then-Vice President Joe Biden, then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and then-FBI Director James Comey. The author mentioned that Durham's May 12 report concluded; there was no legal basis for the investigation or the Mueller inquiry that followed. According to Durham, the DOJ, and the FBI had "failed to uphold their important mission of strict fidelity to the law." The author noted that no one was held responsible for the hoax that had preoccupied the nation for nearly three years. The Night 17 Million Precious Military Records Went Up in Smoke WIRED (06/27, Greenwell) reported that in July 1973, a massive fire engulfed the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, destroying crucial pieces of American history, including the records of veterans and federal government workers from the 20th century. According to a detailed report from a two-month FBI investigation, arson was initially suspected due to the location and rapid spread of the fire. According to the article, investigators focused on two potential sources of the fire: anti-war interns working with Vietnam War records, and previous incidents of small fires throughout the building. However, no concrete evidence of arson was found. The article noted that the FBI's investigation was complicated by the building's poor fire safety standards, including the absence of sprinklers and firewalls. The investigation was officially closed in September 1973, with the cause of the fire remaining undetermined. However, months after the closure, a custodian confessed to inadvertently causing the fire by improperly extinguishing a cigarette in the building, but he was not prosecuted due to a lack of evidence. Back to Top INTERNATIONAL NEWS Prigozhin in Belarus as Wagner Prepares to Hand Over Weapons in Russia • Wall Street Journal: Prigozhin in Belarus as Wagner Prepares to Hand Over Weapons in Russia • Washington Post: After Putin Speech on Deal With Mercenaries, Russia Confronts Divisions Russian Turmoil Shows a Forever War in Ukraine Hurts Putin • Wall Street Journal: Russian Turmoil Shows a Forever War in Ukraine Hurts Putin U.S. Considers New Curbs on Al Chip Exports to China • Wall Street Journal: U.S. Considers New Curbs on Al Chip Exports to China Islamists Wield Hidden Hand in Sudan Conflict, Military Sources Say • Reuters: Islamists Wield Hidden Hand in Sudan Conflict, Military Sources Say South Koreans Become a Year or Two Younger as Traditional Way of Counting Age Scrapped • Reuters: South Koreans Become a Year or Two Younger as Traditional Way of Counting Age Scrapped China Crackdown Pushes LGBT Groups Into the Shadows • BBC News: China Crackdown Pushes LGBT Groups Into the Shadows Israel Embraces Cutting-Edge Al To Thwart Cyberattacks, Foil Terrorism • Fox News: Israel Embraces Cutting-Edge Al To Thwart Cyberattacks, Foil Terrorism U.S. Sanctions Wagner's Gold and Diamond Mining Operations • Wall Street Journal: U.S. Sanctions Wagner's Gold and Diamond Mining Operations U.S. to Send Its Biggest Sub to Korean Peninsula in Message to North and South • Wall Street Journal: U.S. to Send Its Biggest Sub to Korean Peninsula in Message to North and South EFTA00160564 The Unexpected Rescuers Who Found Colombia's Missing Children • New York Times: The Unexpected Rescuers Who Found Colombia's Missing Children Back to Top OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS Continued Reporting: Donald Trump Indictment • Washington Post: Sean Hannity's Desperate Attempt To Spin the New Trump Tape • Washington Post: It's Not Just Mar-A-Lago: Trump Charges Highlight His New Jersey Life • New York Times: The Attention Was All on Mar-a-Lago. Some of the Action Was at Bedminster. • Washington Times: Trump's Classified Docs Held Military Secrets, Spy Data on Foreign Foes Continued Reporting: Hunter Biden Investigation • Fox News: Larry Kudlow Says It Was 'Clear' That Garland's DOJ Was 'Protecting' Hunter Biden • CBS News: IRS Whistleblower Criticizes Hunter Biden Plea Deal • CBS News: IRS Whistleblower in Hunter Biden Probe Says He Was Stopped From Pursuing Investigative Leads • Fox News: Biden Repeatedly Denied Discussing Business Deals With Hunter, but Evidence Suggests Otherwise Supreme Court Upholds State Courts' Power to Prevent Gerrymanders • Wall Street Journal: Supreme Court Upholds State Courts' Power to Prevent Gerrymanders • Fox News: Supreme Court Justices Rule State Lawmakers Do Not Have Exclusive Control Over Elections in Key Decision • Washington Post: Editorial: The Supreme Court Rejected a Radical Theory on Elections. Phew. Biden Is Eager To Run on the Economy But Voters Have Their Doubts • Associated Press: Biden Is Eager To Run on the Economy But Voters Have Their Doubts • Politico: Biden Puts All His Chips on the Table With a Push on 'Bidenomics' • New York Times: Can Bidenomics Save Biden's Re-Election Bid? A Look at the U.S. Supreme Court's Major Rulings This Year • Reuters: A Look at the U.S. Supreme Court's Major Rulings This Year Judge Suggests He's Unlikely To Move Trump's New York Criminal Case to Federal Court • Washington Post: Judge Suggests He's Unlikely To Move Trump's New York Criminal Case to Federal Court Poll: 68% Of Voters Have Worries About Biden's Mental and Physical Health • NBC News: 68% Of Voters Have Worries About Biden's Mental and Physical Health Back to Top BIG PICTURE New York Times • Court Rules State Control Of U.S. Voting Has Limits • Putin Recasts A Bold Mutiny As His Victory • Russian General Knew Rebellion Was Imminent • Indigenous Guardsmen Become Colombia's Unexpected Heroes • Garland Facing Fresh Questions On Biden's Son EFTA00160565 • Isolated Guam Is a Litmus Test Over Abortions Wall Street Journal • Justices Back Role Of State Courts in Elections • The Drugs That Power Tech: Ketamine, LSD, Mushrooms • Mutiny, Lengthy War Raise Risks for Putin • Lordstown Motors Files for Bankruptcy Amid EV Challenges • South Korea Will Turn Back Time • U.S. Pressure on China Led Sequoia to Split Washington Post • No Escaping D.C. Evictions • Liberal Groups Fight Back as 'Parents' Rights' Notches Wins • Shake-up of Election Rules Is Rejected • Divisions in Russia After Failed Mutiny • COVID Isn't Over, but Americans Are Over It Financial Times • Putin Says Wagner Paramilitaries Paid Billions by Russian State • Ivanka Trump Cut Loose From Trump Organization Fraud Lawsuit • China's $7TN Energy Overhaul Sparks Battery 'Gold Rush' ABC News • ER Visits up in Texas Due to Heat-Related Emergencies, Pets at Risk for Heat Problems; Supreme Court Overturns Online Stalking Conviction, Citing 1st Amendment; Nikki Haley Seemingly Softens Stance on Saudi Crown Prince She Once Called 'Responsible' for Death of Jamal Khashoggi CBS News • Passengers Left Stranded as Severe Weather Causes Flight Cancellations, Delays; Ryan Seacrest to Take Over as "Wheel of Fortune" Host NBC News • Flight Delays and Cancellations Already Plaguing July 4th Weekend; Audio Recording Reveals Trump Apparently Discussing Classified Documents; Liz Cheney Speaks One-On-One With Lester Holt; And More on Tonight's Broadcast. Fox News • How Will Leaked Trump Audio Regarding Classified Docs Affect Him Politically?; Prison Officials Warned Jeffrey Epstein Was a Suicide Risk: Oig Report; China Is an Adversary That Views Us as a Foe: Robert Lighthizer Back to Top WASHINGTON SCHEDULE White House President Biden • 9:10 AM: The President departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews • 9:30 AM: The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Chicago, Illinois EFTA00160566 • 10:15 AM: Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton will gaggle aboard Air Force One en route to Chicago, Illinois • 11:15 AM: The President arrives in Chicago, Illinois (10:15 AM Local) • 11:25 AM: The President departs en route to Soldier Field Landing Zone, Chicago, Illinois (10:25 AM Local) • 11:35 AM: The President arrives at Soldier Field Landing Zone, Chicago, Illinois (10:35 AM Local) • 1:00 PM: The President delivers a major address on "Bidenomics"— his vision for growing the economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top-down (12:00 PM Local) • 2:15 PM: The President participates in a campaign reception (1:15 PM Local) • 5:30 PM: The President departs en route to O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois (3:30 PM Local) • 5:50 PM: The President departs Chicago, Illinois en route to Joint Base Andrews (4:50 PM Local) • 7:35 PM: The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route to the White House • 7:45 PM: The President arrives at the White House Vice President Harris • No events scheduled. US Senate • No events scheduled. US House of Representatives • No events scheduled. Cabinet Member • Secretary of Defense Austin hosts an enhanced honor cordon and meeting welcoming German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to the Pentagon at 1:30 p.m. EDT on the steps of the River Entrance. • Secretary of State Blinken participates in a conversation on the Biden-Harris Administration's approach to foreign policy, moderated by Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass, in New York City, New York at 10:30 AM. • Secretary Blinken attends a lunch with foreign policy experts, hosted by Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass, in New York City, New York at 11:30 AM. • Secretary Blinken meets with staff from the New York Passport Agency in New York City, New York at 2:05 PM. Visitors • German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius meets with Secretary Austin at the Pentagon. General Events • CSIS: Thirteenth Annual South China Sea Conference — Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Location: CSIS, 9:00 AM. The CSIS Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative are pleased to present the Thirteenth Annual South China Sea Conference on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, from 9:00 am-4:00 pm ET. This full-day conference will provide opportunities for in-depth discussion and analysis of developments in the South China Sea over the past year and potential paths forward. Panels will address the state of play in the EFTA00160567 South China Sea, legal developments and dispute management, evolving alliance networks, and the role of outside parties, such as the Quad, AUKUS, and Europe. . Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Beyond the Counter-offensive: Where Is Ukraine Headed? — Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Location: Online Event, 11:00 AM. Uncertainties abound as Ukraine begins its much-anticipated counter-offensive. Will it change the trajectory of the war or represent simply another phase in a lengthy stalemate? Meanwhile, next month's NATO summit will mandate some tough choices about the war, Ukraine's potential membership, and the unity of the alliance. To what extent will domestic politics in Washington, Moscow, Kyiv and key European capitals shape decision-making? And what are the long-term security options for Ukraine as the confrontation drags on? Join Aaron David Miller as he sits down with Carnegie's Kateryna Shynkaruk and Eric Ciaramella to discuss these and other issues. . Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Distinguished Speaker Series: Dennis Wilder on Stabilizing U.S.-China Relations — Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Location: Online Event, 9:00 AM. U.S.-China relations have entered the most difficult period since bilateral normalization in the 1970s. Security and trade tensions remain unresolved, high-level dialogues are infrequent, and differences over the war in Ukraine are adding an additional strain to bilateral ties. Even so, a series of recent dialogues indicate the potential for a thaw in relations prior to Chinese President Xi Jinping's possible visit to the United States for the Asia Pacific Economic Conference in November 2023. What is driving tensions in U.S.-China relations? How can Washington and Beijing stabilize the relationship? Can China and the United States establish a sustainable framework for managing bilateral competition in the 21st century? Paul Haenle will sit down with Dennis Wilder to examine current challenges in U.S.-China relations. This discussion is the third of Carnegie China's 2022 Distinguished Speakers Series and will also be recorded and published as a China in the World podcast. • PIIE: CBDC projects gradually take shape — Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Location: Online Event, 9:00 AM. The debate about central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) is gradually evolving from a high level of abstraction to more specific consideration of concrete projects. The Bank of England has made a significant contribution in the form of a consultation paper published in February 2023. This episode of Financial Statements starts from that basis to discuss the broader policy questions raised by CBDCs. • Atlantic Council: How should the US reshape its Russia policy? — Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Location: Online Event, 10:00 AM. Ukrainian forces' stunning ability to resist Russia's full-scale invasion has transformed the potential future of both Ukraine and Russia itself. The Kremlin's large invasion in February of 2022 has left Russia more diplomatically and economically isolated than ever before, while the failure of the invasion to achieve Putin's maximalist objectives has led to tensions in Moscow. Cracks in the once tightly controlled edifice of the Putin regime are growing. Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has stepped up rhetorical attacks on Kremlin leadership and Russian security services have struggled to repel a spate of recent attacks on Russian soil. Political repression at home forced Russian opposition groups abroad, reinvigorating initiatives that aim to shape a post-Putin Russia. • Atlantic Council: Stepping into focus: Africa, BRICS, and the war in Ukraine — Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Location: Online Event, 12:00 PM. The upcoming 2023 BRIGS Summit in South Africa and the recent trip to Kyiv and Moscow by a peace delegation of African leaders raise the question: What are African expectations around these international appearances? How will the continent step up on the global stage next as a strategic actor, shedding the image of a collateral victim of Russia's war in Ukraine? What kind of support can they expect from the powers competing on their soil? To discuss the significance of this agenda, the Africa Center convenes senior directors from across the Atlantic Council's centers and programs for a unique conversation. Particularly, since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, African leaders and governments have attempted to mitigate the impact of the conflict on their food security, manage their varied positions and partnerships, mobilize their natural and human resources, and influence the global policy agenda in multilateral bodies. With decades of experience in addressing peace and security challenges, bolstering trade and development, and representing a key voting bloc in the United Nations, African governments are ready to contribute to the new world agenda far beyond their borders. • Atlantic Council: USAID Administrator Samantha Power on advancing LGBTQI+ inclusive development — Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Location: Atlantic Council, 3:00 PM. Please join the Atlantic Council on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. ET for an #ACFrontPage conversation with United States Agency for EFTA00160568 International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power about the United States' efforts to advance global LGBTQI+ human rights and USAID's commitment to global inclusion. This fireside chat will focus on the progress, opportunities, and challenges of the current moment for LGBTQI+ human rights, and the role U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance can play in supporting LGBTQI+ communities. It will be followed by a brief Q&A. This special LGBTQI+ Pride Month edition of #ACFrontPage will take place in person at the Atlantic Council Studios in Washington, DC, and will be followed by a networking reception. In-person attendance is limited and will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis through registration. The event will also be live-streamed on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. 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