Criminal conspiracy

Adelle Burrell-Williams, former secretary-treasurer of AFSCME Local 1746 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. She and former union President Pamela Brown are accused of withdrawing cash at casinos using the union's debit card and writing unauthorized checks from its operating account between 2017 and 2022, totaling roughly $350,000. Prosecutors say the pair tried to hide the scheme by creating false reports and failing to keep financial records. Burrell-Williams is scheduled for sentencing February 27 before U.S. District Judge John Adams in Akron. Brown's arraignment has been delayed due to health issues. The case stems from a U.S. Department of Labor investigation. Local 1746 represents over 1,200 county social workers.

A Phoenix man, Mohammed Maio, 44, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme that fraudulently obtained nearly $2.2 million in COVID-19 relief loans intended for small businesses. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona said Maio submitted false information between May 2020 and March 2024 to secure loans for multiple businesses that had no employees, then used the funds for personal enrichment, including purchasing several properties. Maio pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Maio also admitted to having his mother illegally purchase a firearm on his behalf in 2021 and was separately charged with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. His parents, Souzan El-Sayed, 66, and Abukar Maio, 70, were also indicted and pleaded guilty in July to the same fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges. The case underscores ongoing federal enforcement efforts targeting pandemic-era relief fraud.

Jury selection began this week in the federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, her partner Andre Jones, and recycling contractor executives David Duong and Andy Duong. Prosecutors allege the four, along with political operative Mario Juarez, orchestrated a scheme in which the Duongs financed a $75,000 campaign mailer to help elect Thao in 2022 and arranged a lucrative no-show job for Jones at Evolutionary Homes, a startup housing company. In return, Thao allegedly promised to steer city contracts to the Duongs' firm, California Waste Solutions, extend its recycling contract, and help the housing company secure a deal to sell units to the city.

All four defendants face bribery and honest services fraud conspiracy charges, with maximum sentences up to 20 years. They have pleaded not guilty. Juarez has already pleaded guilty and is expected to testify as the prosecution's star witness, along with former San Leandro councilman Bryan Azevedo, who also pleaded guilty. The case follows FBI raids in June 2024 and Thao's recall by Oakland voters that November. Prosecutors expect to present their case through mid-November.

U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond has referred Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner to the Justice Department for investigation, alleging obstruction related to a federal court hearing. According to reporting, supervisors in Krasner's office scrutinized internal conduct ahead of the June hearing, raising questions about how the office handled matters connected to a case reviewed for a possible miscarriage of justice.

Krasner, a leading figure among progressive prosecutors nationally, was first elected in 2017 with backing from criminal justice reform donors, including George Soros, and has built a reputation for challenging traditional prosecutorial practices. The referral marks a significant legal and political threat to his tenure, arriving as Philadelphia's Democratic establishment, including Mayor Cherelle Parker, navigates its relationship with his office. The outcome of any DOJ inquiry could affect Krasner's standing, his reelection prospects, and the broader progressive prosecutor movement he has come to symbolize nationally.