American official driving FBI policy and leadership since 2025
Federal prosecutors have charged Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old OpenAI engineer, after the company has found a sophisticated audio recorder concealed in an executive conference-room television on Sept. 30. OpenAI has fired the engineer, used its models to trace the device to him, and referred the matter to the FBI; Alfozan has been held in federal custody and appeared in court.
Reports have emerged that Israeli intelligence alerted US officials to a new Iranian assassination plot against President Trump, while the president has used an older Air Force One on a July NATO trip after Secret Service security advice. Separately, Palm Beach International Airport has been renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport, with its IATA code set to change to DJT on Aug. 18.
Trump Media & Technology has unveiled Truth API, a paid low‑latency feed that will deliver real‑time posts from the platform’s top 10 accounts from August 1. Executives have discussed charging institutional customers up to $100,000 a month (or $60,000 on three‑year plans). Lawmakers and ethics experts have warned it will let traders profit from presidential posts and raise conflict‑of‑interest and market‑manipulation concerns.
A Florida woman has been charged in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, accused of helping secure more than $32 million in COVID-19 relief funds before fleeing to Jamaica and later being captured in a US-led operation. Several co-defendants have already been convicted or sentenced in the ongoing case.
Indonesia has-received artefacts linked to Papuan Dani, Asmat and Lake Sentani communities, recovered in cooperation with the FBI. The artefacts, smuggled out of Indonesia, will be housed at the National Museum, as part of efforts to restore cultural sovereignty. This follows recent repatriations including bronze Buddhist sculptures and other items.
The Department of Justice has withdrawn grand jury subpoenas that sought New York Times reporters' testimony and phone records after a federal judge sharply questioned the government's handling of the leak probe into reporting about President Trump's new Air Force One. The DOJ has said the investigation remains ongoing.
The White House Correspondents’ Association re-stages a scaled dinner after a chaotic April event. Trump has attacked the press during the event, amid broader tensions over media access and First Amendment rights. Organisers and critics debate whether the gala can uphold press freedoms while the president remains adversarial.
A UNODC report estimates that scams caused up to $114 billion in losses in the Asia-Pacific in 2025. Authorities are cracking down on border-area centers in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, while a U.S.-fueled regional summit seeks stronger international cooperation. Cambodia plans an international conference on cyber scams in September.
The indictment unsealed in Chicago alleges Cloth solicited over $100 million from investors for film and entertainment projects, but diverted funds to other ventures and to repay earlier investors. He faces seven counts of wire fraud and forfeiture of more than $12 million; investors are urged to contact the FBI if they believe they were harmed.
Federal agencies and state officials have reported coordinated cyberattacks that have targeted internet-connected controllers at water and wastewater utilities in at least a dozen states since late July. Operators have had passwords changed and been locked out, forcing many plants to revert to manual control; officials say drinking water remains broadly safe while investigations continue.
Prosecutors have moved to dismiss charges against former Olympian David Hearn after new documents show the Reflecting Pool damage resulted from a botched installation by a contractor, not vandalism. The White House has championed the project as part of America’s 250th anniversary preparations. The development follows Pirro’s admission of mischaracterizing the evidence and the Interior Department’s role in the case.
New Mexico has filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C., alleging the U.S. Department of Justice is withholding unredacted materials crucial to state investigations of Jeffrey Epstein’s activities at the Zorro Ranch. The suit seeks judicial intervention to compel disclosure, as state probes press for accountability for survivors and witnesses.
Truth Social has launched Truth API, a paid, real-time feed that gives institutional clients earlier access to posts from high-profile accounts including the platform's largest user. The service is charging up to six figures per month, and publishers report it has prompted legal, ethical and market-fairness concerns from regulators, trading firms and critics.
Trump Media & Technology Group has launched Truth API, a paid, millisecond‑latency feed selling prioritized access to posts from the platform's top accounts to institutional clients, including high‑frequency trading firms and news organisations. The feed has already been linked to large, rapid market moves and has drawn legal and congressional scrutiny over conflicts of interest.
Beirich faces charges in a government case accusing the SPLC and its former intelligence chief of directing more than $4 million in donor funds to individuals linked with violent extremist groups, including KKK informants. The indictment portrays alleged schemes of fictitious accounts and payments, while defense lawyers argue the charges are politically motivated.
The White House has authorised a program that will allow vetted U.S. private companies to carry out government-directed cyber surveillance and disruptive operations against overseas transnational criminal organisations. The memorandum has required Justice and Homeland Security oversight, a $1m escrow for participating firms, and a 60-day deadline for agencies to set participation rules.
Reports show a continued decline in violent crime and property crime across the U.S., with homicide hitting near historic lows. President Trump has spotlighted these figures on a campaign stop, while experts caution that the reasons behind the trend are complex and not tied to any single policy.
Federal agents have seized electronic devices from former Rep. Eric Swalwell and searched his San Francisco home as part of investigations into sexual misconduct allegations. The chronology places the events in the days surrounding Swalwell’s resignation from Congress and his earlier gubernatorial bid. Multiple outlets corroborate the seizure and an ongoing inquiry extends to other jurisdictions.
The White House aide known for proximity to Donald Trump has published letters from 2023 expressing deep devotion, apologizing for past actions and seeking forgiveness. Reports detail her daily proximity, lack of security clearances, and intimate messages, raising questions about access and influence during Trump’s re-election bid.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe has visited Moscow after a U.S. C-17 transport landed at Vnukovo, flight-tracking data shows. Russian and U.S. officials have not detailed the meetings. U.S. sources told Axios that Washington asked Kyiv to pause strikes while the delegation travelled; Moscow later confirmed Ratcliffe met Russian security officials.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe has flown to Moscow for undisclosed talks with Russian intelligence officials. The Kremlin has said President Vladimir Putin was briefed but did not meet Ratcliffe. U.S. officials and the CIA have declined to comment. Washington told Kyiv in advance and asked Ukraine to pause strikes on parts of Russia while the delegation was in the capital.
The Justice Department and FBI have seized web domains for two hacking platforms, QScan and QTRouter, that investigators say a China-linked group, QTFY, used since 2018 to hide the origin of intrusions into US government agencies and private firms including DOE labs, NIH, NASA, the Federal Reserve and the US Senate.
Federal prosecutors allege that a gang known as Los Baja Deo trafficked fentanyl, cocaine and other drugs from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, generating nearly $50 million and driving violence. The operation involved drug distribution through public housing, use of the USPS, and violence to protect the conspiracy. The DOJ seeks assets totaling about $49.7 million.
The FBI has broadened how it evaluates past conduct in recruitment, allowing contextual consideration of prostitution allegations instead of automatic disqualification. The change is aimed at addressing staffing pressures while maintaining high standards amid ongoing scrutiny of hiring practices.
CBC News has clarified its language guidance on 9/11, emphasizing attribution for terrorism-related reporting while preparing extensive coverage for the 25th anniversary. The move follows backlash over a leaked memo and public scrutiny from U.S. officials and Canadian authorities.
A downtown Minneapolis shooting has left at least one dead and several others injured. Police say two officers are among the wounded as emergency services respond and residents are urged to avoid the area.
A hacking group calling itself ShinyHunters has claimed it has stolen two to three terabytes of FBI-related data, including a 5,000-line sample with names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and assignment details for thousands of current and former FBI employees. The FBI has said it is aware of the claims, has taken the jobs portal offline and has opened an active investigation.
Alex Saab has pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering in Miami and will forfeit $195 million as part of a deal to cooperate with US investigations. The plea follows a long-running case tied to alleged bribes, shell companies, and the CLAP program in Venezuela.
Federal prosecutors have mounted and shifted several politically charged investigations. A judge has ruled that withholding funds from a named project violates the law and the government has dropped a challenge. Separately, the Justice Department has unsealed charges against five alleged Russian intelligence operatives, and a high‑profile DOJ advisor, Joe diGenova, has resigned from a Florida investigation.
The FBI has moved to consider applicants who previously engaged in activities such as prostitution or bestiality only if their conduct occurred before age 18. The change aims to protect victims and avoid automatic disqualification, but it faces sharp questioning from Senate Republicans about the agency’s standards and staffing.
Western intelligence agencies warn that Iran's state-linked hackers have used CHOSEN BRICK spyware to steal emails, messages and device data via spear-phishing on WhatsApp and Telegram, with victims linked to dissidents and activists. The advisories from the FBI, NCSC and AIVD say the operation has been active since Autumn 2023, with further developments this year.
The ShinyHunters cybercrime group is linked to a Dutch arrest after claims it breached the FBI’s jobs portal. Authorities say a 24-year-old Amsterdam suspect is in custody, suspected of involvement with the group and of seeking two murders. FBI and Dutch police are pursuing leads as the case expands across the United States and Europe.
The government has spent millions on TV ads featuring President Trump and other officials, labeled as public service announcements. Democratic senators have demanded answers, arguing the funding may be illegal and constituted a misuse of taxpayer dollars as midterms approach. The ads have drawn broad criticism and questions about independence of agencies.
Measles has surged nationwide with thousands of cases reported this year. Pennsylvania leads with over 1,000 cases and several deaths. The CDC is coordinating investigations while states expand vaccination outreach and seek federal aid to bolster surveillance and immunization efforts.
The FBI director has become engaged to country singer and commentator Wilkins, who publicly shared a photo of their ring with the caption “Went and got the law involved.” The couple have been dating since before the director’s 2025 appointment. Previous coverage highlights Wilkins’ music career and ties to conservative circles, with attention on travel aboard an FBI jet and a non-partisan political event appearance.
An 18-year-old from Richfield, Minnesota has been arrested after attempting to purchase a firearm and ammunition in a sting operation. He planned a mass casualty attack at the Mall of America, targeting non-Muslims during a community event, and pledged allegiance to ISIS in messages with an undercover FBI source. The FBI and local authorities disrupted the plot, with the suspect facing terrorism-related charges.
The United States has filed a new indictment charging Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores with conspiracy to commit torture, adding to existing drug-trafficking and weapon charges. The couple, captured in Caracas and detained in Brooklyn, plead not guilty and await trial set for June in New York as prosecutors portray a system of repression linked to narcoterrorism and organized crime.
Prosecutors have charged Abdulrahman Alfozan, a former OpenAI engineer, with using a device to intercept oral communications. They say he sought to flee to Saudi Arabia; OpenAI has terminated him. The case hinges on new court filings and travel plans connected to Saudi ties.
OpenAI faces questions about security after a Saudi engineer allegedly planted a covert device in San Francisco offices. Investigations show concerns over espionage, intellectual property, and the governance of AI research as global powers compete for supremacy. Authorities say the case highlights urgent national security implications of AI development.
A teen attacker has died after a mass shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. Three children aged five, eight and 11, and a teacher have died. A seven-year-old and another teacher are in critical condition. A community member who engaged the suspect is hailed as a hero. Investigations are ongoing.