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Affluent Upper East Side explodes in outrage over controversial homeless shelter: 'Unacceptable!'
Chaos and fury erupted Monday in New York City’s affluent Upper East Side, as residents packed a public meeting in protest of a planned homeless shelter they said "reeks of a for-profit intent."
The women's shelter, which was converted from a men’s facility following massive public pushback, is slated to open around April and will accommodate up to 250 women.
At a Community Board 8 Manhattan meeting hosted by Housing Solutions of New York (HSNY), opponents sounded alarms over the shelter’s proximity to schools and daycares. Residents also accused city officials of deliberately rushing the process to limit community input, fast-tracking a deal they say appears lucrative for developers with little regard for neighborhood well-being.
The city reportedly told local leaders in early 2025 that the project was indefinitely shelved, only to reannounce it as an active and nearly completed facility in January 2026, leaving the community with just weeks to organize before it opens.
SMALL NEW YORK LANDLORDS 'AT THEIR BREAKING POINT' UNDER MAMDANI'S HOUSING POLICIES: REPORT
"What we’re offended by is the lack of notification and the wrong location. It shouldn't be here," community member Bonnie Barend said, criticizing the site's suitability.
"And I'm also offended by the way you've been talking to these great citizens here tonight. They care about their community. They care about your safety, their children’s safety. We shouldn’t be denigrating anyone here."
In response, city representatives and some locals emphasized the urgent need for homeless services in districts that lack proper resources.
To address concerns, the board said the facility will feature heavy security, strict curfews, and a ban on residents with specific criminal histories, especially women on probation or parole for sex offenses due to the nearby school.
MAMDANI ANNOUNCES $2.1M SETTLEMENT WITH MAJOR LANDLORD AS TENANTS DESCRIBE 'NIGHTMARE' CONDITIONS
However, when HSNY Chief Program Officer Dr. Xellex Rivera explained that they only ask newcomers about their criminal history, the crowd erupted in outrage, with one resident shouting, "Unacceptable! That is not a background check."
Rivera responded, "That is fair. I 100% agree with everybody. That is fair," adding that while they can check sex offender registries, they cannot conduct a full criminal background check.
Other residents raised concerns about the shelter’s proximity to a legal cannabis dispensary and a Home Depot, arguing that tools sold there could be used as weapons and suggesting that guards should be armed. A local father also cited a recent tragedy at a shelter in Long Island City to highlight potential risks to children.
MAMDANI BREAKS WITH ADAMS, VOWS NYC WILL STOP CLEARING HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS IN JANUARY
Tensions remained high as community members and city representatives continued to clash, with one resident shouting at board chairperson Valerie Mason, "You're not advocating for us!"
During the uproar, the moderator added, "There are valid concerns being expressed but if you’re going to yell at me, it doesn’t help to get them aired."
Board member Todd "TJ" Stein also expressed disappointment with the process, saying, "This was just unfortunately, not a really well-run meeting. And that just sucks... we as a community had three weeks to basically be thrown this information."
In closing remarks, Valerie Mason acknowledged the atmosphere: "I know it didn't start off that great, but people were a little hot-tempered and not willing to understand how the process works."
Trump FTC sends letter to Apple about alleged political bias in its news app
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent a letter to Apple about allegations the tech giant's news curation app has a political bias.
In a letter addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook Wednesday, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson warned that Apple News could be in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices.
"The First Amendment protects the speech of Big Tech firms. But the First Amendment has never extended its protection to material misrepresentations made to consumers, nor does it immunize speakers from conduct that Congress has deemed unfair under the FTC Act, even if that conduct involves speech," Ferguson told Cook.
APPLE NEWS BOOSTS LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS, SHUTS OUT CONSERVATIVE SOURCES: WATCHDOG
"Accordingly, Big Tech companies that suppress or promote news articles in their news aggregators or feeds based on the perceived ideological or political viewpoint of the article or publication may violate the FTC Act if that suppression or promotion (1) is inconsistent with the terms and conditions of service; (2) is contrary to consumers’ reasonable expectations such that failure to disclose the ideological favoritism is a material omission; or (3) when those practices cause substantial injury that is neither reasonably avoidable nor outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or competition."
GOOGLE, APPLE URGED BY HOUSE COMMITTEE TO PULL APPS TRACKING ICE AGENTS
The FTC chair suggested that alleged bias in Apple News' algorithm may violate the platform's own terms of service with its consumers.
"The FTC is not the speech police; we do not have authority to require Apple or any other firm to take affirmative positions on any political issue, nor to curate news offerings consistent with one ideology or another. But Congress has mandated that we protect consumers from material misrepresentations and omissions, including when the product or service offered to consumers is a speech-related product," Ferguson wrote.
Ferguson closed his letter by urging Cook to "conduct a comprehensive review" of Apple's terms of service to make sure its curation practices aren't in violation and to "take corrective action swiftly" if they are.
Neither Cook nor representatives for Apple responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
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A recent study from the Media Research Center, a conservative watchdog group, examined the content featured on Apple News, the news aggregator installed on Apple devices.
Of 620 stories shared between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 440 originated from outlets rated as left-leaning, while 180 originated from centrist outlets. Zero originated from right-leaning outlets, according to the study.
Rogan defends Democratic senator who faced backlash from party for supporting voter ID
Podcaster Joe Rogan spoke to actress Cheryl Hines Tuesday about the risks of going against the grain, citing Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., as a prime example.
"Once you get in, for the most part, you have to adhere to the mindset of all the other people that are in your business. And if you don't, you get cast — like John Fetterman — like you get cast out. They hate that guy now. They're mad at him because he says, ‘I think you should probably have ID to vote," Rogan said.
Hines, who had spoken earlier about the backlash her husband, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennery Jr., received agreed, "I know. I like John Fetterman."
"He's great. He's a sweet guy," Rogan said. "He's authentic. Well, that guy genuinely worked in charities for his whole life. Like, he genuinely worked in doing philanthropy work and, like, real stuff. Like, he’s not a greedy guy. He walks around in a Carhartt hoodie and shorts."
Rogan argued the Republican Party has the same problem of cracking down on politicians when they break ranks on a key set of issues.
"But the thing is, like, you have to adhere, and if you don't, you're not allowed to have a deviating opinion," Rogan said. "If you do, you get cast out. You know, like Thomas Massie. You see the same thing in the Republicans. Like, anybody that has an opinion that (deviates from) the groupthink, you get cast out. They'll call you a traitor. They'll say terrible things about you."
"There's a lot of theatrics," Hines agreed.
"There's a lot of that, and I think there's a lot of people that are in that business that start off with really good intentions," Rogan said. "And then you see them slowly give in. They slowly succumb to the weight of what that position is."
HAKEEM JEFFRIES PRESSED ON DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION TO VOTER ID
Voter ID is a key issue dividing the two parties as Democrats refuse to support the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which would require states to verify voter eligibility using documentary proof of citizenship.
Republicans argue the act would strengthen election integrity, while Democrats say it could make voting harder for people without photo ID, going so far as comparing it to "Jim Crow-era" laws.
Fetterman said voter ID is not an "unreasonable" ask and pointed to states like Wisconsin that already have similar protections.
"It's not a radical idea for regular Americans to show your ID to vote," said Fetterman, who also rejected the Jim Crow comparisons.
Judge orders ex-NFL player Darron Lee held without bond as prosecutors weigh death penalty
Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee will remain behind bars as he faces a first-degree murder charge in Tennessee.
Lee was taken into custody last week. In addition to the murder charge in the death of his girlfriend, Lee faces a charge of tampering with or fabricating evidence.
On Wednesday, a Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge ruled that Lee, who spent the first three years of his professional football career with the New York Jets, would stay jailed without bond.
Lee is not scheduled to return to court until next month, but prosecutors on Wednesday signaled the case could qualify for the death penalty.
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While Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp made it clear there is no final decision concerning the pursuit of the death penalty, he did cite factors that could result in the case becoming eligible for capital punishment.
"Mr. Lee was in a home with a female (who) was, for lack of a better term, beaten to death," Wamp said in court, arguing for the judge to withhold bond. "And the explanation that he gave doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
"You walked in the door, there were boxes," Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Det. Brian Lockhart said, according to NewsChannel9.
"A lot of stuff in the living room. The deceased was in the floor lying on her back. There was blood going up the staircase. On the hand railing there was blood. On the walls, there was blood. On the floor in the living room there was blood. On the floor in the hallway and the stairs."
The victim in the case had been living in a rental home with Lee. The house is also believed to have been the site where Lee is alleged to have carried out the crime over an estimated 10-day period, Lockhart testified Wednesday.
The detective said he was present during the autopsy and learned the potential cause of death was blunt force trauma homicide. An autopsy report has not yet been released.
According to an arrest affidavit, first responders on Feb. 5 went to a home in the Chattanooga suburb of Ooltewah for a call of CPR in progress, where they found the woman already dead.
Lee told deputies the woman might have fallen in the shower, but, according to an arrest affidavit, there were extensive amounts of blood in different areas of the house that were inconsistent with Lee's statement.
Authorities carrying out a search warrant found multiple types of trauma to the woman's body, including a stab wound to her abdomen, an apparent human bite mark on her shoulder, a large bruise on her head, black eyes with heavy swelling and dried blood on her face and neck, according to the affidavit.
Investigators also found alcohol, narcotics and a gun, the affidavit said.
The affidavit said Lee had a facial injury, lacerations on his hands, wounds on his chest and blood inside the case of his cellphone.
Detectives also identified blood that someone attempted to clean up in multiple areas of the house, in addition to cleaning supplies near where testing confirmed there had been blood stains but no blood was visible, the affidavit said.
Wamp said Lee was on probation in Florida for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in one county and battery in another and on probation in Ohio for attempted battery.
Mike Little, a deputy public defender representing Lee, told The Associated Press it was premature for him to make any statements.
The Jets selected Lee in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He later played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, last appearing in an NFL game in 2020.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Trump threatens 'consequences' after 6 House Republicans voted to reverse his Canada tariffs
President Donald Trump is threatening to back election challengers against the six House Republicans who joined Democrats in voting to reverse his tariffs on Canada.
The president sent out an ominous warning to GOP lawmakers in the House and Senate just before his agenda suffered a blow on Capitol Hill Wednesday evening.
"Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!" Trump posted on Truth Social.
He argued that the trade deficit was reduced significantly while U.S. financial markets hit significant high points because of his tariff policies.
TRUMP'S TARIFFS COULD BE UNDONE BY ONE CONSERVATIVE DOCTRINE: 'LIFE OR DEATH'
"In addition, TARIFFS have given us Great National Security because the mere mention of the word has Countries agreeing to our strongest wishes," Trump continued.
"TARIFFS have given us Economic and National Security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege."
Democrats successfully got a vote on a measure to reverse Trump's national emergency at the northern border using a mechanism for forcing votes over the objections of House majority leadership called a privileged resolution.
TRUMP'S SIGNATURE TARIFFS HANG ON KEY QUESTION ABOUT CONGRESS' POWER BEFORE SUPREME COURT
The six Republicans who voted in favor of the measure were Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash.; Kevin Kiley, R-Calif.; Don Bacon, R-Neb.; Jeff Hurd, R-Colo.; and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.
One Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, voted with the majority of Republicans on the matter. It passed 219-211.
It's not clear how much impact Trump's threat will have, however.
Neither Newhouse nor Bacon is running for re-election in the 2026 midterms, and Trump is already endorsing a primary challenger against Massie.
Kiley, whose district was heavily altered by California Democrats' new congressional map, has not yet said whether he will run for re-election or where he will do it.
He told Fox News Digital when asked for a response to Trump, "This was a resolution regarding the emergency declared by the president over fentanyl from Canada. Congress has an obligation under the National Emergencies Act to evaluate every six months if the emergency still exists. Canada has now significantly cracked down on fentanyl, so there’s no basis to extend the emergency another six months."
Fitzpatrick and Hurd are both well-liked incumbents in their districts, which are top targets for Democrats come November.
Hurd told Fox News Digital his constituents were "directly affected by these policies."
"Today’s vote is grounded first and foremost in the Constitution. Article I gives Congress the authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations and to levy tariffs. Over time, Congress has delegated limited authority to the executive branch, particularly in matters involving national emergencies. But those delegations were never intended to serve as a permanent vehicle for sweeping, long-term trade policy," he added.
"If we normalize broad emergency trade powers today, we should expect that a future president — of either party — will rely on the same authority in ways many of us would strongly oppose. Institutional consistency matters. The Constitution does not shift depending on who occupies the White House. My responsibility is to defend the separation of powers regardless of political convenience."
Trump signed an executive order in February 2025, enacting an additional 25% tariff on most goods from Canada and Mexico. Energy from Canada was subject to an additional 15% tariff.
At the time, the White House said it was punishment for those countries' unwillingness to do more to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs into the U.S.
Opponents of Trump's tariff strategy have criticized his moves against Canada in particular, arguing it was unjustly harming one of the closest allies and trading partners of the U.S. to the detriment of Americans.
But Republicans who voted against the legislation pointed out that Trump said the fentanyl crisis was the reason for issuing the emergency in the first place, adding the drug was still killing Americans.
The legislation now heads to the Senate, where Republicans have voted to rebuke Trump's tariff strategy in the past despite similar warnings from the president.
Norwegian Olympian regrets revealing affair after winning medal: 'Not thinking clearly'
Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid apologized and admitted he regrets confessing to cheating on his ex-girlfriend after winning a bronze medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
"I deeply regret sharing this personal story on what was a day of celebration for Norwegian biathlon," Laegreid said in a statement issued by the Norwegian team Wednesday.
"I am not quite myself these days and not thinking clearly. My apologies go to Johan-Olav (Botn), who deserved all the attention after winning gold. They also go to my ex-girlfriend, who unwillingly ended up in the media spotlight. I hope she is doing well. I cannot undo this, but I will now put it behind me and focus on the Olympics. I will not answer any further questions about this."
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Laegreid initially became one of the most viral stories of the Milan Cortina Olympics this week when he admitted to his affair after the men's biathlon Tuesday. He fought back tears as he shared "the biggest mistake" of his life.
"There's someone I wanted to share it with who might not be watching today. Six months ago, I met the love of my life — the most beautiful and kindest person in the world. Three months ago, I made my biggest mistake and cheated on her," Laegreid told NRK in Norway.
AMERICAN ASHLEY FARQUHARSON CAPTURES RARE OLYMPIC LUGE MEDAL AT WINTER GAMES
"I told her about it a week ago. It's been the worst week of my life."
He was distraught, crying and hugging friends after the race. During a news conference, he explained why he decided to tell the world about his personal situation on the broadcast.
"It was the choice I made. We make different choices during our life, and that's how we make life," he told a room full of reporters. "So, today I made a choice to tell the world what I did, so maybe, maybe there is a chance she will see what she really means to me. Maybe not.
"There are probably many who look at me with different eyes, but I only have eyes for her," he added. "Sport has taken a slightly different place in my life the last few days. Yes, I wish I could share it with her."
Laegreid's ex-girlfriend indicated she was not willing to take him back in an anonymous interview with a Norwegian news outlet.
"It is hard to forgive. Even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world. I did not choose to end up in this situation, and it hurts to have to be in it. We have been in contact, and he is aware of my views on this," she told VG.
"(I am grateful) to my family and friends who have embraced me and supported me during this time. Also to everyone else who has thought of me and sympathized without knowing who I am."
Fox News Digital’s Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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49ers player 'in great spirits' after surgery from gunshot wound in San Francisco
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Keion White is "in great spirits" after surgery for a gunshot wound he suffered early Monday morning in San Francisco.
The team announced Monday White was the victim of a non-life-threatening wound from the shooting.
"Thank you to everyone who has reached out with their prayers and concerns on my behalf. I’ve undergone successful surgery," White wrote on his Instagram story, via TMZ.
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"For those who know me, ya’ll know this won’t stop me from spreading peace and joy to the world. Full steam ahead. I’m in great spirits and ready to make the most of this off-season."
The San Francisco Police Department released a statement saying at approximately 4:06 a.m., Monday, officers "responded to a business located on the 1700 block of Mission Street regarding a shooting."
Upon arrival, officers found White suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to his ankle. It was determined to be non-life-threatening, and he was transported to a hospital.
"A preliminary investigation revealed a verbal altercation occurred between two groups inside a business," the statement continued. "The victim was injured when shots were fired by an unknown suspect. All information is preliminary at this time, and more information will be provided as it becomes available."
The incident occurred just hours after the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, White’s home field.
PAT MCAFEE SAYS SAN FRANCISCO WASN'T THE 'S---HOLE' HE THOUGHT IT MAY BE DURING SUPER BOWL WEEK
White was spotted on his Instagram account wearing Patriots gear while attending the Super Bowl. He played five games with the Patriots this season before joining the 49ers in a trade prior to the NFL deadline.
The 49ers sent a 2026 sixth-round draft pick to the Patriots in exchange for White and a 2026 seventh-round pick.
White recorded 1½ sacks and 12 combined tackles with six quarterback hits over his nine games (two starts) for the 49ers this season. He also recorded a sack and four tackles in two playoff games for San Francisco.
Another 49ers player, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, was shot in the chest during a robbery attempt in August 2024. Pearsall missed the first six games of his rookie year due to the injury, from which he fully recovered.
Fox News' Scott Thompson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Washington Post shed roughly half its staffers in recent years
The Washington Post has become a much smaller news organization because of several rounds of layoffs and voluntary buyouts.
At an employee town hall Wednesday, one week after the paper underwent a brutal round of layoffs, Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray said roughly 1,300 total staffers remain, according to The Guardian's Jeremy Barr, a former Post media reporter.
In October 2023, the Post reported it had employed "about 2,500 people across the entire company."
WASHINGTON POST BOMBARDED WITH ‘CAKE' PARTIES FOR DEPARTING STAFFERS
The number of journalists in the Post newsroom has taken a worse beating. Murray said 400 people remained in what he called a "well-stocked newsroom." But, in 2022, the Post newsroom reportedly had 1,000 journalists.
While Murray told staffers he doesn't anticipate more layoffs, he acknowledged he couldn't be certain there wouldn't be.
The Washington Post did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
WASHINGTON POST'S TOP EDITOR BACKS JEFF BEZOS AS CRITICS LASH OUT OVER STRUGGLING PAPER'S LAYOFFS
Last week, Murray delivered the highly anticipated news that hundreds of Post staffers would be dismissed. Several departments, including Sports, Books and Metro were gutted, as well as its foreign correspondents and photojournalists.
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Murray acknowledged "morale has been a challenge at the Post for a while."
"The Post has been dealing with different kinds of problems for some number of years now," Murray said. "We want to be in a different period [after] this painful exercise, and that's a period of collaboration, growth, innovation and reinventing the place for the future."
WASHINGTON POST CEO STEPS DOWN AMID ONSLAUGHT OF BACKLASH FOLLOWING MASS LAYOFFS
On Saturday, Washington Post CEO and Publisher Will Lewis abruptly resigned after a two-year stint at the paper, and critics slammed his absence during the painful layoffs while drawing outrage after he was spotted at a pre-Super Bowl event in San Francisco.
The Post announced that Jeff D’Onofrio, who joined the paper in June 2025 as its chief financial officer, was taking over as acting CEO and publisher effective immediately.
The paper's billionaire owner, Jeff Bezos, has also taken heat as critics accuse him of being disinterested in saving the paper he bought more than a decade ago.
Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.
Illegal alien youth coach could face death penalty after allegedly murdering, raping teen player
Child sex charges continue to pile up against an illegal alien soccer coach accused of sexually attacking and murdering one of his players.
Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 44, an illegal immigrant "gotaway" from El Salvador, faces more child sex charges after he was charged with raping and murdering a teen boy he coached. He was also charged with sodomy and oral copulation with a minor under 16.
Garcia-Aquino, after entering the United States, established himself in the San Fernando Valley as a soccer coach. His work managing these teams made him a visitor of Whitsett Fields Park in North Hollywood, where youth soccer games are played and where Garcia-Aquino allegedly met 13-year-old Oscar Hernandez, who he allegedly sexually assaulted and then murdered.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office filed nine more child sex charges against Garcia-Aquino this week — eight counts of sodomy of a person under age 16 and one count of oral copulation of a minor under 16, according to an amended complaint obtained by Fox News Digital.
Garcia-Aquino reportedly pleaded not guilty to the additional charges through his attorney, according to local media reports. Fox News Digital inquired with the LA County Public Defender's Office but did not receive a response in time for publication.
The LA County District Attorney's Office, which is prosecuting the case against Garcia-Aquino, declined to comment further on the ongoing case.
A complaint from the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles indicates that, on March 28, Garcia-Aquino murdered 13-year-old Oscar Hernandez while sexually assaulting him. The same complaint also accuses Garcia-Aquino of a second sexual assault and rape of a child in December 2022.
PRITZKER JOINS CHORUS OF DEM GOVERNORS BOYCOTTING WHITE HOUSE DINNER AFTER SNUB IGNITES ‘CHAOS’
A separate case involving an alleged sexual assault by Garcia-Aquino on Feb. 22, 2024, was also reportedly added to the case later. He allegedly assaulted this minor numerous other times between September 2022 and July 2023, according to the complaint.
Now, as the charges pile up against the illegal immigrant soccer coach, he could face the death penalty.
"Thirteen-year-old Oscar ‘Omar’ Hernandez was an innocent child who was exploited and killed by this depraved illegal alien who should have never been in this country," the Department of Homeland Security said last year.
"Under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, child predators, pedophiles and murderers will be hunted down and removed from America’s communities."
Hernandez was reportedly last seen leaving his home in Sun Valley to meet the soccer coach, according to family members, but he was later found dead along the side of a road.
In one of the other cases, involving the sexual assault of a 14-year-old boy, Garcia-Aquino reportedly "befriended" a family through a local soccer program and the teen's parents eventually let the teen stay the night at Garcia-Aquino's home, officials say.
The murdered boy's brother told CBS News that he believed Garcia-Aquino targeted families who did not have the proper legal status to live in the United States.
Chinese criminal gang allegedly recruited Navy members for sham marriages and base access
Eleven people were charged in Florida in an alleged marriage fraud scheme that involved the recruitment of U.S. military service members to marry Chinese citizens.
The scheme was orchestrated by a Chinese transnational gang that recruited military members to participate in fraudulent marriages so that Chinese citizens could obtain immigration benefits and access cards for U.S. military installations, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
"This investigation underscores the critical role that HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) plays in protecting our nation from transnational criminal organizations that seek to exploit our customs and immigration laws and threaten our national security," said HSI Tampa acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Cochran.
"Through the dedication and expertise of our agents and partners, we have successfully investigated, disrupted and dismantled a sophisticated criminal network operating across borders."
CHINESE NATIONAL CHARGED WITH PHOTOGRAPHING US STEALTH BOMBER BASE AFTER ILLEGAL ENTRY
The sham marriages took place around the country, including in Jacksonville, Florida, as well as in New York, Connecticut and Nevada.
To bolster claims that the marriages were genuine, the suspects took photographs of the couples to create evidence that could be presented to immigration authorities to suggest they were in loving, committed relationships.
In reality, the suspects had agreed to a payment plan whereby the U.S. citizen spouse would receive a cash payment up front for marrying the Chinese national, a second payment when legal immigration status was obtained and a final payment after a divorce.
FORMER US NAVY SAILOR LEARNS SENTENCE FOR SPYING FOR CHINA
Five people were charged with marriage fraud conspiracy between March 2024 and February 2025:
Raymond Zumba, Brinio Urena, Morgan Chambers and Jacinth Bailey, former U.S. Navy service members, have all pleaded guilty to charges related to the same scheme. Their sentences are pending.
Federal prosecutors also allege that Anny Chen, Hailing Feng and Kin Man Cheok conspired to bribe a public official. Zumba, who served in the Navy Reserve, allegedly offered to bribe an unidentified source and the source’s spouse who worked at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in the personnel office that issues Department of War identification cards.
Zumba allegedly asked whether the spouse would be willing to issue real, but unauthorized, ID cards for an under-the-table payment. The source reported the plan to authorities and continued to communicate with Zumba.
After driving from New York, Zumba arrived in Jacksonville Feb. 13, 2025, with Anny Chen, Feng and Cheok.
He brought them to the Naval Air Station Jacksonville, where the source’s spouse let them into the personnel office after business hours and initiated the process for Chen and Cheok to receive ID cards. The following day, Zumba met with the source, who allegedly gave him two cards in exchange for $3,500.
Zumba was promptly arrested, and the cards were recovered, authorities said.