Cybercrime cases
United States v. Ashtor
Five defendants — two alleged North Korean IT workers (Jin Sung-Il and Pak Jin-Song), two U.S.-based facilitators (Erick Ntekereze Prince and Emanuel Ashtor), and a Mexican national (Pedro Ernesto Alonso De Los Reyes) — were charged in the Southern District of Florida with conspiracies to damage protected computers, commit wire and mail fraud, launder money, transfer false identification documents, and, as to Jin and Pak, violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, arising from a scheme in which North Korean IT workers fraudulently obtained remote employment at dozens of U.S. companies and funneled the proceeds to the North Korean regime. Erick Ntekereze Prince pled guilty to Count 2 (conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud) on November 6, 2025, and was sentenced on May 6, 2026 to 18 months' imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment, with Counts 1, 3, and 4 dismissed; a preliminary order of forfeiture of $89,000 was also entered against him.
Date filed 2025-01-21Last filing date 2026-06-16
United States v. Knoot
3:24-cr-00151 (M.D. Tenn.) — Matthew Isaac Knoot, a Nashville resident, was charged with conspiracy to damage protected computers, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, intentional damage to a protected computer, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to cause the unlawful employment of aliens, arising from his role as a U.S.-based facilitator for a North Korean IT worker scheme in which he hosted employer-issued laptops and installed remote desktop software to enable overseas workers to fraudulently obtain employment at American companies under a stolen identity. Knoot pled guilty to Count One (conspiracy to cause damage to protected computers) on September 29, 2025, after the court dismissed Count Six on his motion; the remaining counts were dismissed on the government's motion following sentencing. He was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, one year of supervised release, $15,100 in restitution distributed among four victim companies, and a $100 special assessment, with a self-surrender deadline of June 30, 2026; he has appealed.
26-5455 (6th Cir.) — Matthew Knoot, a Nashville resident, was charged with conspiracy to cause damage to protected computers, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, intentional damage to a protected computer, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to cause the unlawful employment of aliens, based on his role as a U.S.-based facilitator who hosted laptops and installed remote desktop software to help a North Korean IT worker fraudulently obtain employment at American companies under a stolen identity. Knoot pled guilty to Count One (conspiracy to cause damage to protected computers), and the remaining counts were dismissed on the government's motion. He was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, one year of supervised release, $15,100 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment, with a self-surrender deadline of June 30, 2026; he has since appealed his conviction.
Upcoming events- JUN30DeadlineDefendant's self-surrender to BOP facility2:00 PM CDT · M.D. Tenn.
- JUN30DeadlineSchneider Acknowledgement Sentencing4:00 PM EDT · 6th Cir.
Date filed 2024-08-07Last filing date 2026-06-24
United States v. Zhenxing Wang
Zhenxing Wang, a New Jersey resident, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit identity theft, and conspiracy to damage a protected computer, arising from his role as a U.S.-based facilitator for a scheme in which North Korean IT workers used stolen identities to obtain remote employment at more than 100 U.S. companies and funnel the proceeds overseas. Wang pled guilty to Counts One and Two on January 7, 2026. He was sentenced to 92 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release, with a $200 special assessment; Counts Three and Four were dismissed on the government's motion, and Wang must self-surrender by June 9, 2026.
Date filed 2025-06-26Last filing date 2026-05-19
United States v. Kejia "Tony" Wang
Kejia Wang, a/k/a "Tony Wang," a New Jersey resident, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit identity theft in the District of Massachusetts, based on his role as a U.S.-based facilitator for a scheme in which North Korean IT workers used stolen American identities to obtain remote employment at more than 100 U.S. companies and funnel the proceeds overseas. Wang pled guilty to all three counts on September 3, 2025, and was sentenced to 108 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release, with $29,236.03 in restitution to Snaplogic, Inc. and a $300 special assessment; the court also entered a forfeiture money judgment of $400,000. Wang is required to self-surrender to the Bureau of Prisons by July 10, 2026.
Upcoming events- JUL10DeadlineSelf-surrender to Bureau of Prisons2:00 PM EDT · D. Mass.
Date filed 2025-06-27Last filing date 2026-06-04
United States v. Didenko
CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2
Oleksandr Didenko, a Ukrainian national, was charged in the District of Columbia with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and related offenses for operating "UpworkSell," a business that created hundreds of fraudulent online identities and ran U.S.-based laptop farms to help overseas IT workers — including North Koreans — fraudulently obtain remote employment at American companies in violation of U.S. sanctions. Didenko pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud (Count 1) and aggravated identity theft (Count 4) on November 10, 2025, and was sentenced on February 19, 2026, to 36 months on Count 1 and 24 months on Count 4, to run consecutively for a total of 60 months imprisonment, followed by 12 months of supervised release on each count to run concurrently, with $46,547.28 in restitution to Trinity Technology Partners and a $200 special assessment; the remaining counts were dismissed on the government's motion. The court also entered a forfeiture money judgment of $1,420,185.64 against Didenko, with credit for identified cryptocurrency and account assets seized pursuant to the plea agreement.
Date filed 2024-04-29Last filing date 2026-03-18
United States v. Kim Kwang Jin et al.
Four North Korean nationals — Kim Kwang Jin, Kang Tae Bok, Jong Pong Ju, and Chang Nam Il — were charged in the Northern District of Georgia with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy for allegedly posing as non-North Korean IT workers to infiltrate U.S. and foreign technology companies, steal more than $900,000 in cryptocurrency from victims' smart contracts, and launder the proceeds through virtual currency mixers and exchange accounts opened under fraudulent identities; Kim Kwang Jin faces additional substantive wire fraud counts. The defendant information sheet filed at indictment indicates that Kim Kwang Jin had not yet been arrested at the time of filing and that arrest was anticipated.
Date filed 2025-06-24Last filing date 2025-11-24
United States v. Jong Song Hwa et al.
Fourteen North Korean nationals — Jong Song Hwa, Ri Kyong Sik, Kim Ryu Song, Rim Un Chol, Kim Mu Rim, Cho Chung Pom, Hyon Chol Song, Son Un Chol, Sok Kwang Hyok, Choe Jong Yong, Ko Chung Sok, Kim Ye Won, Jong Kyong Chol, and Jang Chol Myong — were charged in the Eastern District of Missouri with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and identity theft offenses arising from a scheme in which DPRK IT workers used stolen U.S. identities to fraudulently obtain remote employment at American companies and nonprofits, generating at least $88 million in revenue for North Korea's weapons programs between approximately April 2017 and March 2023. The defendants, associated with two sanctioned DPRK front companies — Yanbian Silverstar in China and Volasys Silverstar in Russia — also extorted some U.S. employers by threatening to publish stolen proprietary data, and laundered proceeds through U.S. money transfer services to banks in China. Eight of the defendants face an additional count of aggravated identity theft for using victims' identifying information during and in relation to the wire fraud conspiracy.
Date filed 2024-12-11Last filing date 2024-12-12
United States v. Moucka
Connor Riley Moucka and co-defendant John Erin Binns were charged in the Western District of Washington with conspiracy, computer fraud, extortion in relation to computer fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, arising from an alleged international scheme to hack into at least ten organizations' cloud computing environments, steal billions of sensitive customer records, and extort victims for approximately $2.5 million in bitcoin. Moucka was arraigned on July 3, 2025, pleaded not guilty to all counts, and was ordered detained; the case is set for a pretrial conference on October 9, 2026, and a jury trial on October 19, 2026, with pretrial motions due by July 6, 2026.
Upcoming events- JUL6DeadlinePretrial Motions4:00 PM PDT · W.D. Wash.
- OCT9HearingPretrial Conference10:00 AM PDT · W.D. Wash.
- OCT19HearingJury Trial9:00 AM PDT · W.D. Wash.
Date filed 2024-10-10Last filing date 2026-03-24
United States v. Chapman
Christina Chapman, a U.S. national from Arizona, was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering conspiracy, and related offenses for operating a "laptop farm" that helped North Korean IT workers fraudulently obtain remote employment at hundreds of U.S. companies — including Fortune 500 firms — by hosting their work laptops, validating stolen American identities, and laundering their wages. Chapman pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and was sentenced on July 24, 2025 to an aggregate term of 102 months' imprisonment — consisting of concurrent 78-month terms on the wire fraud and money laundering counts plus a consecutive 24-month mandatory term on the aggravated identity theft count — along with a $300 special assessment and an obligation to pay restitution. The court also entered an order of forfeiture covering specific seized funds and a forfeiture money judgment, and the remaining counts were dismissed on the government's motion.
Date filed 2024-05-08Last filing date 2026-02-06
United States v. Vong
Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong was charged in the District of Maryland with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, based on allegations that he conspired with a foreign national in China to fraudulently obtain remote software developer jobs at at least 13 U.S. companies — including contractors supporting the FAA, Census Bureau, and other federal agencies — collecting more than $970,000 in salary for work he never performed while transmitting the bulk of the proceeds overseas. Vong pled guilty to Count One of the indictment on April 15, 2025, admitting that between 2020 and 2024 he allowed his overseas co-conspirator to use his credentials to perform the work and access sensitive government systems, while retaining 20–30% of the wages for himself. Sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2025.
Date filed 2024-05-16Last filing date 2025-11-24
United States v. Travis
CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2
Alexander Paul Travis, an active-duty U.S. Army soldier stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia, was charged with wire fraud conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. § 1349 for allowing North Korean IT workers to use his identity to fraudulently obtain remote employment with eight U.S. companies, earning over $193,000 in salary while Travis personally received at least $51,397. Travis pled guilty to Count One on November 13, 2025, and sentencing is scheduled for March 18, 2026. The court entered a final order of forfeiture of $193,265 on January 22, 2026.
Date filed 2025-09-04Last filing date 2026-02-06
United States v. Salazar
CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2
Jason Salazar was charged in the Southern District of Georgia with one count of wire fraud conspiracy for allegedly allowing North Korean IT workers to use his identity and home address to fraudulently obtain remote employment with at least fourteen U.S. companies, which paid those workers over $409,000 in salary while Salazar received at least $4,500 for his participation. Salazar pled guilty to Count One on November 13, 2025, and the court entered a final order of forfeiture of $409,876.30; sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2026.
Date filed 2025-09-04Last filing date 2026-02-25
United States v. Phagnasay
Audricus Phagnasay was charged in the Southern District of Georgia with one count of wire fraud conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. § 1349, for allegedly allowing North Korean IT workers to use his identity and home address to fraudulently obtain remote employment with at least ten U.S. companies, which paid those workers over $680,000 in salary. Phagnasay pled guilty to Count One on November 13, 2025, and a final order of forfeiture of $681,926 was entered on January 22, 2026; sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2026.
Date filed 2025-09-04Last filing date 2026-02-25
United States v. Dubranova
Nine defendants — Victoria Eduardovna Dubranova, Valeriy Valeriyovich Zaborovsky, Maksim Nikolaevich Lupin, Mikhail Evgenievich Burlakov, Roman Omelchenko, Olga Denisovna Evstratova, Vitaly Anatolyevich Zubets, Nikita Alexandrovich Petukhov, and Andrei Stanislavovich Abrosimov — were charged in the Central District of California with conspiracy to damage protected computers under 18 U.S.C. § 371, arising from their alleged membership in NoName057(16), a Russia-aligned hacktivist group that conducted coordinated DDoS attacks against government, financial, and critical infrastructure targets worldwide using the group's proprietary DDoSia malware. The court granted an ex parte application to seal the indictment and related documents on August 21, 2025 (entry 44); some subsequent docket activity may not be publicly visible.
Date filed 2025-08-21Last filing date 2025-08-28
United States v. Martino
Angelo Martino, a former ransomware negotiator employed by a cyber-incident response firm, was charged in the Southern District of Florida with conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by extortion, based on allegations that he secretly fed confidential client information — including insurance policy limits and negotiating strategies — to ALPHV BlackCat ransomware actors while ostensibly negotiating on victims' behalf, and also directly participated in ransomware attacks against multiple companies alongside co-conspirators Ryan Clifford Goldberg and Kevin Tyler Martin. Martino pled guilty to the sole count of the information on April 14, 2026, and the court adopted the recommendation adjudicating him guilty. Sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2026.
Upcoming events- JUL9HearingSentencing2:00 PM EDT · S.D. Fla.
- JUL20DeadlineRelease of Transcript Restriction for Change of Plea transcript4:00 PM EDT · S.D. Fla.
Date filed 2026-02-25Last filing date 2026-06-29
United States v. Volkov
Aleksei Olegovich Volkov, a Russian national, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in the Southern District of Indiana, arising from his role as an initial access broker who sold stolen network credentials to the Yanluowang ransomware group, enabling attacks on U.S. businesses that demanded at least $24 million in ransom. He was sentenced to 47 months imprisonment and two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $9,167,198.19 in restitution to six identified victims, along with a $200 special assessment; the court also entered a forfeiture money judgment of $1,552,023.00 and ordered forfeiture of an ASUS laptop, an Apple iPhone 13 Pro, and a USB flash drive.
Upcoming events- JUL20DeadlineRelease of Transcript Restriction4:00 PM EDT · S.D. Ind.
Date filed 2025-10-30Last filing date 2026-05-08
United States v. Zolotarjovs
Deniss Zolotarjovs, a Latvian national operating under the alias "Sforza\_cesarini," was indicted in the Southern District of Ohio on charges of money laundering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and Hobbs Act extortion conspiracy for his alleged role in the Karakurt ransomware group, which hacked into victim companies' computer systems, encrypted their data, and extorted ransom payments in cryptocurrency from approximately 2021 through 2023. Zolotarjovs pled guilty to counts one and two of the indictment, and was sentenced to 102 months in federal custody, three years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment. The court dismissed count three on the government's motion, and an amended judgment ordered Zolotarjovs to pay $56,551,689.19 in restitution to more than fifty victim companies and entities.
Date filed 2023-11-28Last filing date 2026-05-18
United States v. Zewei
Xu Zewei, a Chinese national and general manager of Shanghai Powerock Network Co. Ltd., was charged with conspiracy to cause damage to and obtain information from protected computers, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, among other counts, in connection with alleged computer intrusions conducted on behalf of the Shanghai State Security Bureau targeting U.S. universities and a law firm between 2020 and 2021. Xu was arrested in Italy in July 2025 at U.S. request and extradited to the United States in April 2026, after which he was arraigned and ordered detained pending trial. The court granted the government's agreed motion to designate the case as complex under the Speedy Trial Act, tolling the speedy-trial clock and continuing all current deadlines, with a revised scheduling order to follow; a pretrial conference had been set for July 2, 2026, and jury selection for July 6, 2026, though those dates are subject to the revised docket control order.
Upcoming events- JUN25DeadlineProposed Voir Dire4:00 PM CDT · S.D. Tex.
- JUL2HearingPretrial Conference2:30 PM CDT · S.D. Tex.
- JUL6HearingJury Selection9:00 AM CDT · S.D. Tex.
Date filed 2023-11-02Last filing date 2026-05-27
United States v. Akhter
CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2 · 3
Muneeb Akhter and Sohaib Akhter, brothers and former employees of a government software contractor, were charged in the Eastern District of Virginia with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and destroy records, intentional damage to protected computers, theft of government records, aggravated identity theft, and related offenses, after allegedly deleting approximately 96 federal agency databases, stealing IRS and EEOC data, and using AI tools to cover their tracks following their termination in February 2025; Sohaib Akhter faces additional counts of unlawful firearm possession and witness tampering, while Muneeb Akhter faces additional wire fraud and access-device charges. Muneeb Akhter pled guilty to intentional damage to a protected computer, obtaining information from a computer without authorization, and two counts of wire fraud, with sentencing scheduled for August 12, 2026. Sohaib Akhter proceeded to trial pro se and a jury was convicted at trial of conspiracy (Count 1), password trafficking (Count 7), and unlawful firearm possession (Count 8), but was acquitted of witness tampering (Count 13), with sentencing scheduled for September 9, 2026; a government response to Sohaib Akhter's motion for a new trial is due June 4, 2026.
Upcoming events- AUG12HearingSentencing - Muneeb Akhter10:00 AM EDT · E.D. Va.
- AUG17DeadlinePublic release deadline for 4/15/2026 status/plea transcript4:00 PM EDT · E.D. Va.
- AUG17DeadlinePublic release deadline for 5/5/2026 trial transcript4:00 PM EDT · E.D. Va.
- SEP9HearingSentencing - Sohaib Akhter11:00 AM EDT · E.D. Va.
Date filed 2025-11-13Last filing date 2026-06-08
United States v. Gholinejad
4:24-cr-00016 — CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2
4:24-cr-00016 (E.D.N.C.) — Sina Gholinejad, an Iranian national, pled guilty to intentional damage to protected computers and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a multi-year ransomware scheme in which he and co-conspirators deployed the "Robbinhood" ransomware against city governments, hospitals, and other organizations — including the cities of Baltimore, Greenville (N.C.), and Yonkers — causing tens of millions of dollars in losses. He was sentenced on November 3, 2025, to 72 months' imprisonment and three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $14,655,096.24 in restitution to eighteen victims, along with a $200 special assessment; the remaining counts were dismissed. Gholinejad has appealed the judgment and is in federal custody.
25-4607 (4th Cir.) — Sina Gholinejad is appealing his conviction for intentional damage to protected computers and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, to which he pled guilty, after being sentenced to 72 months in prison, three years of supervised release, a $200 special assessment, and $14,655,096.24 in restitution to victims including the City of Baltimore, the City of Greenville, and sixteen other organizations. Briefing in the Fourth Circuit is underway, with the reply brief due June 12, 2026.
Date filed 2024-04-04Last filing date 2026-06-11
United States v. Tymoshchuk
CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2 · 3
Volodymyr Viktorovych Tymoshchuk and Artem Aleksandrovych Stryzhak were charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and related offenses arising from their alleged roles in the LockerGoga, MegaCortex, and Nefilim ransomware schemes, which targeted hundreds of companies worldwide between 2018 and 2021; Tymoshchuk faces seven counts while Stryzhak is charged on Count Five, the Nefilim conspiracy. Stryzhak pled guilty to Count Five of the superseding indictment on December 19, 2025, and the court entered a preliminary order of forfeiture requiring him to forfeit one Apple MacBook Pro seized in Barcelona, Spain. Sentencing for Stryzhak is scheduled for August 11, 2026.
Upcoming events- AUG11HearingSentencing - Stryzhak11:00 AM EDT · E.D.N.Y
Date filed 2024-05-07Last filing date 2026-06-24
United States v. Lytvynenko
CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2
Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, also known as Alexsey Alexseevich Litvinenko, was charged in the Middle District of Tennessee with conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his alleged role in the Conti ransomware operation, which targeted more than 900 victims worldwide — including a government entity and two businesses in Tennessee — by hacking networks, encrypting data, and extorting cryptocurrency ransoms. Lytvynenko pled guilty to Count Two (conspiracy to commit wire fraud), with the government agreeing to dismiss Count One after sentencing, under a binding Rule 11(c)(1)(C) agreement calling for a term of imprisonment between 41 and 51 months; he also consented to a $25,042 forfeiture money judgment representing proceeds of the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2026.
Upcoming events- JUN30DeadlineRelease of Transcript Restriction (12/17/2025)4:00 PM CDT · M.D. Tenn.
- SEP10HearingSentencing10:00 AM CDT · M.D. Tenn.
Date filed 2023-05-22Last filing date 2026-06-10
United States v. Stryzhak
CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2
Artem Aleksandrovych Stryzhak was charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and extortion and substantive computer extortion, arising from his role as an affiliate of the Hive ransomware-as-a-service operation that targeted hospitals, schools, businesses, and government entities worldwide between June 2021 and January 2023. On December 19, 2025, Stryzhak, who is in custody, pled guilty to count one of the indictment (conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. § 371) before Judge Pamela K. Chen in the Eastern District of New York, and the court entered a preliminary order of forfeiture on January 2, 2026, requiring him to forfeit an Apple MacBook Pro seized in Barcelona, Spain. Sentencing is scheduled for August 11, 2026.
Upcoming events- AUG11HearingSentencing11:00 AM EDT · E.D.N.Y
Date filed 2025-12-09Last filing date 2026-05-11
United States v. Berezhnoy et al.
CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2 · 3
Roman Berezhnoy and Egor Nikolaevich Glebov, both Russian nationals, were charged in the District of Maryland with conspiracy to commit computer fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, intentional damage to protected computers, transmitting extortion demands, and wire fraud, arising from their alleged roles as operators of the Phobos/8Base ransomware program that targeted more than 1,000 victims worldwide — including Maryland healthcare providers, school systems, a children's hospital, and a Defense Department contractor — extorting in excess of $16 million in Bitcoin ransom payments beginning as early as May 2019.
Date filed 2023-12-14Last filing date 2025-04-15
United States v. Gallyamov
The United States filed this civil forfeiture action in the Central District of California seeking to forfeit virtual currency and $2,061,517.68 in U.S. currency alleged to be traceable proceeds of the Qakbot ransomware and money-laundering conspiracy led by Rustam Rafailevich Gallyamov, who was separately indicted on May 2, 2025, for conspiracy to commit computer fraud and wire fraud. After Gallyamov failed to file a claim or answer, the court granted default judgment on April 3, 2026, extinguishing and forfeiting all of Gallyamov's interests in the defendant assets to the United States. The claims of victim-claimants Concord Music Group, Inc., DISH Network Corporation, Minto Holdings, Inc., and Marathon Fasteners and Hardware Inc. were expressly preserved, and a status conference is scheduled for June 19, 2026.
Upcoming events- JUN19HearingStatus Conference8:30 AM PDT · C.D. Cal.
Date filed 2025-05-22Last filing date 2026-06-12
United States v. Schmitz
CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2
Patrick Schmitz, a German citizen also known as "William Gibson" and "PapaLegba," was charged in the District of New Jersey with eight counts including running a continuing criminal enterprise, drug trafficking and importation conspiracies, access device fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to transfer stolen identification documents, and money laundering conspiracy, all arising from his alleged co-founding and operation of the Versus Project, a dark web marketplace that facilitated the sale of drugs, stolen identities, and other illicit goods from approximately November 2019 through May 2022. An initial appearance was held on April 30, 2026, and a status conference is scheduled for October 13, 2026, with government Brady disclosures and substantial steps in discovery due by July 30 and September 30, 2026, respectively.
Upcoming events- JUL30DeadlineGovernment Brady Disclosure4:00 PM EDT · D.N.J.
- SEP30DeadlineDiscovery Substantial Steps4:00 PM EDT · D.N.J.
- OCT13HearingStatus Conference2:00 PM EDT · D.N.J.
Date filed 2024-04-03Last filing date 2026-06-16
Tech cases
Anthropic v. DOW
26-1049 (D.C. Cir.) — Anthropic PBC petitioned for review of a March 3, 2026 Department of War determination designating Anthropic a supply-chain risk to national security under 41 U.S.C. § 4713, arguing the designation is unconstitutional retaliation, arbitrary and capricious, and in excess of statutory authority. Oral argument was held on May 19, 2026, and supplemental briefing is underway, with Anthropic's supplemental brief due July 6, 2026, the Department's supplemental brief due July 24, 2026, and Anthropic's supplemental reply brief due August 3, 2026.
3:26-cv-01996 (N.D. Cal.) — Anthropic PBC is suing the U.S. Department of War and numerous other federal agencies and officials in the Northern District of California, alleging that a presidential directive ordering all federal agencies to cease use of its Claude AI, the Secretary of War's designation of Anthropic as a "Supply-Chain Risk to National Security," and related agency actions constitute unlawful First Amendment retaliation, violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, ultra vires executive action, and due process violations. On March 26, 2026, Judge Rita F. Lin granted a preliminary injunction enjoining defendants from implementing the February 27, 2026 Presidential Directive and all agency actions taken in response to it, and separately enjoining the Department of War and Secretary Hegseth from enforcing the Hegseth Directive and the March 3, 2026 Supply Chain Designation under 10 U.S.C. § 3252, finding that Anthropic was likely being punished for protected speech and that the supply chain designation was likely contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious. Cross-motions for summary judgment are now fully briefed, with Anthropic's reply and opposition due July 8, 2026, the government's reply in support of its cross-motion due July 15, 2026, and a summary judgment hearing scheduled for July 30, 2026.
26-2011 (9th Cir.) — Anthropic PBC petitioned for review of the Department of War's determination, issued March 3, 2026, that Anthropic presents a supply chain risk to national security under 41 U.S.C. § 4713, challenging the designation as unconstitutional retaliation and arbitrary agency action. This Ninth Circuit docket concerns Anthropic's appeal of the district court proceedings in N.D. Cal. No. 3:26-cv-01996-RFL, which targets the Department of War's reliance on § 4713 authority — a parallel but distinct statutory basis from the § 3252 authority challenged in the companion D.C. Circuit proceeding. The preliminary injunction briefing schedule was set with opening briefs due April 30, 2026, and an answering brief due May 28, 2026, but both deadlines were subsequently cancelled; appellants must file a motion for appropriate relief within 21 days after resolution of Anthropic PBC v. U.S. Department of War, No. 26-1049 (D.C. Cir.), if the stay remains in effect.
Upcoming events- JUN23DeadlineRelease of Transcript Restriction (03/24/2026 transcript)4:00 PM PDT · N.D. Cal.
- JUN24DeadlineRelease of Transcript Restriction (03/24/2026 corrected transcript)4:00 PM PDT · N.D. Cal.
- JUL6DeadlinePetitioner Supplemental Brief 24:00 PM EDT · D.C. Cir.
- JUL8DeadlineAnthropic's Reply and Opposition4:00 PM PDT · N.D. Cal.
- JUL15DeadlineDefendants' Reply in support of cross-motion4:00 PM PDT · N.D. Cal.
- JUL24DeadlineRespondent Supplemental Brief 24:00 PM EDT · D.C. Cir.
- JUL30HearingMotion for Summary Judgment Hearing10:00 AM PDT · N.D. Cal.
- AUG3DeadlinePetitioner Supplemental Reply Brief 24:00 PM EDT · D.C. Cir.
Date filed 2026-03-09Last filing date 2026-06-29
National security cases
United States v. McGonigal
Charles McGonigal, a former FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Counterintelligence Division of the New York Field Office, and Sergey Shestakov, a former Soviet and Russian diplomat, were charged in the Southern District of New York with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, substantive IEEPA violations, and money laundering, arising from their alleged work on behalf of sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. McGonigal pled guilty to a superseding information charging a single count of conspiracy to violate IEEPA and to commit money laundering, and was sentenced to 50 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $40,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment, with a forfeiture money judgment of $17,500 also entered against him. Shestakov's case remains active, with a final pretrial conference scheduled for May 30, 2024, and a jury trial set for June 12, 2024; pretrial motions briefing has been completed.
Date filed 2023-01-12Last filing date 2026-03-17
United States v. Ding
Linwei Ding, a former Google software engineer, was charged in the Northern District of California with seven counts of theft of trade secrets and seven counts of economic espionage, based on allegations that he uploaded more than 1,000 confidential files containing Google's proprietary AI chip and data center technology to personal cloud accounts while secretly affiliating with two PRC-based AI startups. A jury trial was held beginning January 7, 2026, and the jury returned its verdict on January 27, 2026; Ding has since filed motions for acquittal and a new trial, which were argued on May 12 and June 16, 2026, with the court indicating it will issue a written ruling. Sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2026.
Upcoming events- JUN16HearingFurther Motion Hearing2:00 PM PDT · N.D. Cal.
- AUG4HearingSentencing2:00 PM PDT · N.D. Cal.
- AUG13DeadlineRelease of Transcript Restriction (05/12/2026 Transcript)4:00 PM PDT · N.D. Cal.
Date filed 2024-03-05Last filing date 2026-06-29
United States v. Wei
3:23-cr-01471 — CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2
3:23-cr-01471 (S.D. Cal.) — Jinchao Wei, a U.S. Navy Machinist's Mate assigned to the U.S.S. Essex at Naval Base San Diego, was charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to transmit national defense information to the People's Republic of China, substantive transmission of that information, conspiracy to export and unlawful export of defense articles without a license, and unlawful procurement of citizenship — seven counts in all. A jury trial was held beginning August 12, 2025, and Wei was convicted at trial of six counts of the superseding indictment, including the espionage conspiracy and arms-export offenses, while the jury acquitted him on the unlawful-citizenship-procurement count. He was sentenced on January 12, 2026, to 200 months in federal prison on each count, all running concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release, with fines waived and a $600 special assessment, and he has appealed.
26-399 (9th Cir.) — Jinchao Wei, a U.S. Navy Machinist's Mate assigned to the U.S.S. Essex, is appealing his conviction for conspiracy to transmit national defense information to aid a foreign government, transmitting such information, conspiracy to export defense articles without a license, and exporting defense articles without a license, after being convicted at trial on all six counts of the superseding indictment and sentenced to 200 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $600 special assessment; the jury acquitted him on Count 7, unlawful procurement of citizenship. The opening brief is due September 18, 2026, the government's answering brief is due October 19, 2026, and the reply brief is due November 10, 2026.
Upcoming events- SEP18DeadlineAppellant Opening Brief4:00 PM PDT · 9th Cir.
- OCT19DeadlineAppellee Answering Brief4:00 PM PDT · 9th Cir.
- NOV9DeadlineAppellant Reply Brief4:00 PM PST · 9th Cir.
Date filed 2023-07-19Last filing date 2026-05-12
United States v. Eileen Wang
CourtListener records (same docket): 1 · 2
Eileen Wang, a former Arcadia City Council member, was charged in the Central District of California with one count of acting in the United States as an illegal agent of a foreign government, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 951, based on allegations that she operated a sham news website and disseminated pro-PRC propaganda at the direction of Chinese government officials from late 2020 through 2022. Wang pled guilty to that single count at a change of plea hearing held on May 29, 2026, and sentencing is scheduled for October 6, 2026.
Upcoming events- OCT6HearingSentencing9:00 AM PDT · C.D. Cal.
Date filed 2026-04-01Last filing date 2026-06-01
United States v. Zheng et al.
1:26-cr-00256 (N.D. Ga.) — Tommy Shad English, a Georgia-based IT equipment distributor, is charged with one count of knowingly and willfully attempting to export at least 600 servers containing Nvidia H100 GPUs from the United States to China without the required Commerce Department license, in violation of the Export Control Reform Act, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The criminal information alleges that English conspired with co-defendants Stanley Yi Zheng and Matthew Kelly from at least May 2023 through June 2024 to route the export-controlled hardware through Thailand as a transshipment point to conceal its ultimate Chinese destination. English was arraigned on June 10, 2026, and a change-of-plea hearing is scheduled for August 12, 2026.
1:26-cr-00221 (N.D. Ga.) — Matthew Kelly, a New York-based technology consultant, was charged with conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States and to violate the Export Control Reform Act, in connection with an alleged scheme to illegally export Nvidia H100 GPU servers — controlled under U.S. export regulations — to China via Thailand, without the required licenses, along with co-conspirators Stanley Yi Zheng and Tommy Shad English. Kelly's initial appearance was held on May 21, 2026, and a change-of-plea hearing was scheduled for July 9, 2026, but was cancelled.
1:26-cr-00271 (N.D. Ga.) — Stanley Yi Zheng was charged in the Northern District of Georgia with conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States and to violate the Export Control Reform Act, based on allegations that he worked with co-conspirators Tommy Shad English and Matthew Kelly to obtain export-controlled Nvidia H100 GPU servers and route them to China through Thailand without the required licenses. A criminal information was filed and a waiver of indictment was held on June 12, 2026; a change of plea hearing is scheduled for July 14, 2026.
Upcoming events- JUL14HearingChange Of Plea - Zheng10:00 AM EDT · N.D. Ga.
- AUG12HearingChange Of Plea - English11:15 AM EDT · N.D. Ga.
Date filed 2026-03-20Last filing date 2026-06-18