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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Secret Government Study Exposes Infiltration Attempts by Mexican Drug Cartels

bordeland beat

The Examiner

A government study kept under wraps for more than a year describes at least 15 attempts by Mexican drug cartels to infiltrate the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency.

An internal study for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security describes 15 incidents in which known associates of Mexican drug cartels tried to inflitrate the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, according to the Center for Investigative Reporting.
The same study detailed "turf battles, internal dysfunction and other troubles" that have hobbled the agency in its efforts "to get a handle on corruption and other misconduct within its ranks," CIR said.

The internal study was conducted by the Homeland Securities and Analysis Institute, which is an internal think tank for DHS. The study has been kept under wraps for more than a year, according to CIR. The study's authors said there may have been many more attempts by drug cartels to infiltrate the U.S. government in addition to the 15 discussed in their document.

"As part of lie detector tests, prospective hires have admitted to drug trafficking, human smuggling and other illegal activity, according to examples the agency previously provided to the Center for Investigative Reporting," CIR said.

"One applicant told examiners that he smuggled 230 people across the border and shuttled drug dealers around border towns so they could conduct their business," CIR said. "Another admitted to various crimes, including transporting $700,000 in drug money and 50 kilograms of cocaine across the Southwest border."

A total of 146 agency officers and agents have been charged with or convicted of corruption-related offenses since Oct. 1, 2004. Among the offenses charged were accepting bribes to allow drugs to enter the U.S. and stealing tax money.

Go here for CIR's complete report on the study.

Miami therapist headed to prison for Medicare fraud
A 35-year-old Miama-area therapist is going to federal prison for four years for her role in a $205 million Medicare fraud scheme exposed by the Inspector-General of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Nickole Eckert was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Seitz in the Southern District of Florida. Seitz also ordered Eckert to pay more than $72 million in restitution to the government (jointly and severally with her co-defendants), and to serve three years of supervised release. Eckert was convicted Nov. 15, 2012, on one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud following a 16-day trial.

"Evidence at trial demonstrated that the defendant and her co-conspirators caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare through ATC, a Florida corporation headquartered in Miami that operated purported partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) in seven different locations throughout South Florida and Orlando," according to the Department of Justice.

A PHP is a form of intensive treatment for severe mental illness. The defendant and her co-conspirators also used a related company, American Sleep Institute, to submit fraudulent Medicare claims, DOJ said.

"Evidence at trial revealed that Eckert fabricated therapist notes and other documents for patient files and submissions, and taught others to fabricate them, to make it appear both that ATC patients were qualified for PHP treatment and that they were receiving the intensive, individualized treatment PHP is supposed to be," the department said.

Eckert's conviction is the latest of hundreds resulting from creation of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force in 2009. To date, 1,480 individuals and corporations have been charged with fraudulent billings worth more than $4.8 billion. The MFSF includes elements from DOJ, HHS, the HHS-IG and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid in HHS.


25 comments:

  1. Like the Departed... a lot of criminal organizations did it this way...

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  2. They already infiltrated along time ago

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  3. Is this a political statement, sir? Why pair these two stories up? Good job, anyway. Thank you for all your work, Don.

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  4. Details Emerge on Possible Mexican Military Incursion
    HIDALGO COUNTY - CHANNEL 5 NEWS obtained more information about an area where a Mexican military incursion may have occurred.

    The incident happened Friday just south of Penitas in a federal wildlife refuge. No-trespassing signs line what was once a public-access road to the site. U.S. Fish and Wildlife operates the section of land off Military Highway.

    A fence now surrounds the property. A Mexican helicopter apparently touched down in that area just north of the Rio Grande. CHANNEL 5 NEWS is working to confirm if the rotorcraft invaded American airspace or if it landed on U.S. soil.

    U.S. federal agents confirmed that the Mexican military was training in the area. No state agency commented about any activity in the region.

    The Mexican military said training information is not disseminated to the media.

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  5. I must have been one of the first ones through there polygraph process because the person interviewing me wanted me to admit that a cartel had sent me. It felt like a detainee interrogation no food and little water for atleast 8 hours. At the end i was just agreeing with what he was saying to get out of there. He litteraly put words in my mouth. l felt mistreated by the interagator and at the end he wanted to convert me to a paid snitch. I was never in the game or could have provided information for them and they wanted to put my life and my familys for money. Yeah thats how they do it.

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  6. who cares about the medicare fraud... what does it have to do with the mexican drug wars?

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  7. Thank god ... or allah ... for al jazeerah otherwise there would be no such reporting at all for US consumers.

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  8. I just looked it up and 52% of the border patrol agents are Hispanic. I also looked up arrests for border agents that smuggled guns into Mexico and people and drugs into the USA. Also caught assisting the cartels. I swear I could not find one that was not Hispanic. The problem is a lot of these people are converted Mexicans to USA citizenship. Also many are Hispanic Americans born in the USA. I just read in the El Paso times about a man that was loading the pot onto his car and a woman who had been aiding the cartels for a long time. The sad part is that many of these people have family ties to criminals and drug cartels in the USA. If you were a Mexican criminal would you try do do business with someone by the name of Smith or Gonzalez. Also could threaten the agents families in Mexico if they did not play ball. Why would they not balance it out so that it was equal across the board to as to the percentage of ethnic diversity in the USA. It seems like everyone screams discrimination when one ethnic group is not represented well in a business. So why not in the border patrol. I believe that less people would be lured into the business because they have no ties to Mexico. If it was not true then most being arrested would not be Hispanic. What are your thoughts? I know a Hispanic agent brought down the woman agent. But look who she went to for help. Another agent with a Hispanic name. Do not call me racist as I live in Mexico and my wife is Mexican as well as all of my friends. This is just something that is true and worth talking about. One corrupt agent can do a lot of damage.

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    Replies
    1. You are a moron for thinking that way. Yes, there are people that betray what they swore to protect but just because people are of mexican decent will be easier to corrupt.

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    2. We shoukd stop profiling I mean why randomly check Muslims at the airport? We know all the terrorists are white. Why would mexicans have ties to mexican cartels? We know all mexican cartels of full of white guys... yes you are a moron for thinking that way... jk 8:03 you are a idiot

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    3. Oklahoma = white Sandy Hook = white Columbine = white postal Office = white ... Do you really think racial profiling is correct?

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  9. CIA-DEA MEXICO
    atte ThinkTank 28.7 Narcovision

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  10. gun battle in zapata county krgv
    Extra Resources Sent to Zapata After Gunbattle in Mexico ZAPATA COUNTY - CHANNEL 5 NEWS confirmed a gunbattle broke out in Mexico across from Falcon Lake. We're working to find out if the battle crossed into the U.S.

    There are several reports of people crossing the border as a result. U.S. federal, state and local authorities are trying to confirm that. Extra resources were called in from Starr County and DPS to help Border Patrol and the Zapata County Sheriff's Office.

    We're told the epicenter for this is inside the Zapata city limits. Extra law enforcement is also present in the state park, which is outside the city.

    CHANNEL 5 NEWS has two crews en route. We'll bring you more details as soon as they're available.

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  11. Details Emerge on Possible Mexican Military Incursion

    Toggle Photos/Video

    Posted: Jan 31, 2013 9:48 PM

    Updated: Jan 31, 2013 10:17 PM
    3

    HIDALGO COUNTY - CHANNEL 5 NEWS obtained more information about an area where a Mexican military incursion may have occurred.

    The incident happened Friday just south of Penitas in a federal wildlife refuge. No-trespassing signs line what was once a public-access road to the site. U.S. Fish and Wildlife operates the section of land off Military Highway.

    A fence now surrounds the property. A Mexican helicopter apparently touched down in that area just north of the Rio Grande. CHANNEL 5 NEWS is working to confirm if the rotorcraft invaded American airspace or if it landed on U.S. soil.

    U.S. federal agents confirmed that the Mexican military was training in the area. No state agency commented about any activity in the region.

    The Mexican military said training information is not disseminated to the media.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Former Lawman Pleads Guilty to Gun Charges


    Posted: Jan 31, 2013 3:23 PM

    Updated: Jan 31, 2013 3:47 PM

    BROWNSVILLE - A former Rio Hondo police officer has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to export firearms and failure to appear. The plea was entered Wednesday in a Brownsville court.

    Armando Duenez, 31, was employed as an officer with the Rio Hondo Police Department when the crimes happened. He admitted to working with Raymond Martinez, a former Palm Valley police officer, to buy firearms and sell them for a profit to people who intended to take them to Mexico.

    Duenez admitted to purchasing more than 15 semi-automatic rifles that were later sold in Mexico.

    Duenez was arrested in July 2008. He fled to Mexico after being released on bond. He remained in Mexico until he surrendered to the U.S. Marshal's Service in December.

    His sentencing has been scheduled for May 1.
    krgv

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  13. I'm scared I wanna cry.

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  14. The reason more Mexican Americans are hired is simple: they know the language and the culture of the target population. I haven't done the research, but I would like to see what the mix is on the Canadian border, for example. In other words, of those 52% Hispanics who make up the agency, according to the 2:26 pm comment, what are the percentages actually assigned to the southern versus the northern borders. If despite the mix, the vast majority of the agents assigned to the U.S.-Mexico border are Hispanic, it is no surprise that most of the bad apples caught are likewise Hispanic.
    Statistics are tricky.

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  15. i read your comments and i was upset, just because you live in mexico and have a mexican wife does give you the right to make such a stupid coment about hispanics, you just stated opinions and did not do your homework, mister you need to do a better job researching before you make such a stupid coment..........anyone working along the southwest border or northern border can be aproached by you and posibly corupt but coruption does not discriminate on only hispanics dont be a racist.....

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  16. They arent infiltrating, they are being RECRUITED! Washington DC has declared war on Texas and the other border states and are paying and arming Mexicans to do their dirty work. Chaos is the best method for the revolutionary Leftists to bring down America. Texas stands against DC so Texas is the #1 target. Note murder in Dallas courthouse parking lot, incursions etc.

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  17. It is Mexican connections. Not Mexican heritage that is the problem. For instance are Mexican gangs, black gangs, KKK (white gang), Asian gangs. They recruit from within there own ethnicity. Again if you look it up and study it on the internet you will see for yourself. Yes other ethnicity are corrupt for other things. But this is something that is happening and not hard to see. Now if you live in Mexico all the Mexicans say the government is corrupt and also do not trust anyone on the open road. that does not make them racist. That makes them want to be safe.

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  18. You just did it. You are right about the things you just wrote. It is a problem and needs to be addressed also. Do not just sweep everything under the carpet. Find out why. Get to the heart of the problems and do something to stop the crimes. It is what it is. People just want to throw everything up a racial profiling and not worry about the victims. Here in Mexico I am stopped all the time at revisions and they check all my paperwork. I get pulled over just about every time. I do not think of it as racial profiling. I call it doing their jobs.

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  19. I've been working at and with the Movimiento por la Paz con Justicia y Dignidad Binacional Encuentro here in Mexico City, meeting fellow peace and justice activists, and making important connections in Mexico, as well as from the US and Canada, so that we can all work together in order to stop the drug war hyper-violence here in Mexico, as well as drug war related violence in the US. The Binational Meeting was very productive and encouraging for all involved and I ask you to please join us in ending the so-called "war on drug" by spreading the word about Movimiento por la Paz con Justicia y Dignidad (Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity (MJPD) and Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (L.E.A.P.) which are working together to end the violence in Mexico and prohibition in the United States. Please share the links below with your friends. We have a lot of work to to to stop the violence, end prohibition, get justice for the many families whose loved ones have been disappeared or murdered, and to attain dignity for the people here in Mexico and those especially oppressed by the violence and the injustice system in the United States: the black community. It's time for a new paradigm in dealing with the drug problem. Prohibition has and is causing more deaths and violence than is the use and abuse of drugs, which is a public health and welfare issue, and the 40 year long "war on drugs" has come to a failed and bloody conclusion. It's time to end prohibition, and end the violence and injustice NOW!

    See: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) - http://www.leap.cc/

    See: LEAP Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/CopsSayLegalizeDrugs

    See: Movimiento por la Paz con Justicia y Dignidad (MPJD) - http://movimientoporlapaz.mx

    See: MPJD Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Movimiento-por-la-Paz-con-Justicia-y-Dignidad/124809987605763

    See: Summer of Justice (SOJ) Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/makethedreamareality

    See: SOJ Philosophy and Plan of Action - http://ajmacdonaldjr.wordpress.com/philosophy-and-plan-of-action-summer-of-justice-2012-dc/

    See: Verano de Justicia Filosofia y Plan de Accion - http://ajmacdonaldjr.wordpress.com/el-verano-de-justicia-2012-dc/

    VIDEO - MSNBC Rachel Maddow Show - Legalizing Marijuana What's Next? Cheryl Shuman Video Diary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb3vcz5TXAE

    VIDEO - Mexican Poet Javier Sicilia Brings Peace Caravan Into U.S. to Condemn Deadly Drug War - http://youtu.be/y6T71eL5_tQ

    VIDEO - 40 Years of Drug War Failure: LEAP's Neill Franklin: http://youtu.be/qj3gnIGANhs

    VIDEO - Drug Wars - Silver or Lead?: http://youtu.be/n1VlEWBcm9w

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  20. @5:59, 10:33, and 3:42
    I don't know if you are all the same person, but I am proud of what you wrote. I know people say a lot of ignorance stuff. You can tell a lot about people by what they say. Thank you for speaking up, you were refreshing.
    To those who show up to Borderland Beat to dump negative frustration and blame others...
    Please, do yourself a favor. Slow down. Take a deep breath. Just try... seeing things from someone elses point of view. Even if you are so sure that you are right.
    What if you could admit that you didn't have it all figured out? Wouldn't that be freeing? None of us are capable of solving all the worlds problems by carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders.
    Life sometimes is short, but often longer than we expected! For those of us in safer parts of the world, we must remember to thank the creator. Our lives are not as complicated as they could be.
    For those utterly exhausted and dejected by this war, for those who have lost loved ones, my prayers are with you. Peace to everyone in Mexico, the US, C.A., S.A., and the rest of the world.

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  21. It is amazing how everyone loves to play the race card. If a Mexican says the same thing about problems at customs at border on either side, and you are white and you repeat what he said you are a racist. I was coming back to Chihuahua from El Paso two days ago. The guy that went with me is Mexican with a visa. The aduanas on the Mexican side made up some incredible charges. They were going to take my car and put us both in my friend and I in jail after detaining us 5 hours in Juarez. My friend and the other detainees spoke about how corrupt the aduanas in Mexico are. Fortunately my friend is friends with the boss of the aduanas and lives in Chihuahua. He made a call that literally saved my life. I will be sure to not repeat the things they said as that would make me a racist. I am always nervous about crossing at customs about 20 miles into Mexico. You never know what they are going to make up or do to get money. Even if you are doing nothing wrong. Fortunately I live in Mexico and when I talk about the problems here it seems that everyone agrees and they even expound on the situation. They do not play the race card. It only seems that people on the American side use the race card the most. I was with a group of female school teachers here in Mexico the other day. One has a Tarrahumara Indian that cleans her house in Guachochi. She said you have to watch them closely as they will steal from you. They all agreed. Was that good advice or racist crap. Should I repeat that to a friend who is hiring a Tarrahumara to clean his house or let him learn the hard way. Yes I know the whole world has its problems, but here this is all news about problems in Mexico. So one cannot say what is obvious without someone turning everything into racism. Come down here and walk into some areas at night where the cholos hang out, and lets see how long you make it. I am guessing 10 minutes. I guess I need to have one of my Mexican friends speak for me, like a puppet so that makes me politically correct as it came from his lips.

    Another thing when it is a Mexican problem why is it always turned into the USA has problems too. Of course they do. But I go to CNN news to express my concerns in blogs there. Kind of like trying to gloss over the topic.

    I am having about 20 people coming to my house for the super bowl. Everyone will be Mexican. Since I live here and they know I have no racist motive, I will be able to express myself freely without being called a racist. If they start talking about problems in the USA, I can talk to them about that also and will not think of them as racists.

    Please do not feel sorry for me either as someone stated. I am happy and free to speak my mind and what I see here in Mexico. Most people will agree, or tell me different here without throwing out the race card.

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  22. Acacia or Aurora? Aurora

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