International

Donald Trump pleads not guilty to classified documents charges

Published

3 years ago

June 14, 2023

Former president Donald Trump

Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 37 charges related to alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Trump’s lawyers asked for a jury trial during the former president’s arraignment Tuesday at a federal courthouse in Miami. “We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty,” Trump attorney Todd Blanche told the judge.

During the hearing, Trump sat hunched over with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. He did not speak.

Here’s what else happened at Tuesday’s hearing, which ended after roughly 45 minutes:

Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman ruled that Trump could not communicate with Nauta about the case. The judge also told prosecutors to make a list of potential witnesses that Trump can’t communicate with about the case – except through counsel.
The judge did not, however, place any travel restrictions on either defendant.
The Justice Department recommended that both Trump and Nauta be released with no financial or special conditions. Prosecutor David Harbach said that “the government does not view either defendant as a flight risk.”

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Goodman began the hearing thanking “the entire law enforcement community” for their work on Tuesday.
Before the arraignment hearing, deputy marshals booked the former president and took electronic copies of his fingerprints. They did not take a mugshot of Trump since he is easily recognizable. The booking process took about 10 minutes.

The criminal charges in the Justice Department’s classified documents case escalates the legal jeopardy surrounding the 2024 GOP front-runner. Special counsel Jack Smith attended Tuesday’s arraignment.

Trump faces 37 felony counts, alleging he illegally retained national defense information and that he concealed documents in violation of witness-tampering laws in the Justice Department’s probe into the materials.

Stop at Cuban restaurant

After the court hearing, Trump made an unannounced stop at Versailles, a well-known Cuban restaurant in Miami. Trump was surrounded by dozens of his supporters inside the restaurant, shaking hands and snapping photos with them.

“Food for everyone,” Trump told those gathered as they cheered.

At one point, Trump’s supporters sang him “happy birthday.” Trump’s birthday is on Wednesday.

“Some birthday, we got a government that is out of control,” Trump could be heard saying.

Following the restaurant stop, Trump flew back to New Jersey Tuesday evening where he spoke publicly at his Bedminster resort about what he called the “fake and fabricated charges.” The former president claimed he had “every right to have these documents” and said prosecutors “ought to drop this case immediately because they’re destroying our country.”

“They should never have done this,” he told the gathered crowd. “This was an unwritten rule, you just don’t unless it’s really bad. But you just don’t. But the seal is now broken.”

Earlier in the day, Trump posted on his social media before heading to court that it was “ONE OF THE SADDEST DAYS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE!!!”

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Tuesday’s hearing will kickstart what will likely be a winding, dramatic judicial process, with criminal and appeal proceedings that may play out for years. US District Judge Aileen Cannon – a Trump nominee whose decision last year to order a third-party review of an FBI search of Mar-a-Lago was widely criticized and overturned by a conservative appeals court – has been assigned the case.

Attorneys Todd Blanche and Chris Kise represented Trump in court for the arraignment. However, the role Kise will play going forward is unclear, and he was sidelined during last year’s litigation over the Mar-a-Lago search amid Trump team infighting.

Another Trump attorney, Alina Habba, spoke outside the courthouse ahead of Trump’s arraignment, saying that the former president was “defiant.”

Habba ridiculed what she called a “two-tiered system of justice” and called the indictment an “unapologetic weaponization of the criminal justice system.”

The Justice Department’s counterintelligence chief Jay Bratt, who has been a key player in the documents probe so far, also attended Tuesday’s hearing, along with prosecutors Harbach and Julie Edelstein.

Seriousness of the charges

Before last week’s federal indictment, Trump also faced criminal charges brought by New York City’s local prosecutors for an alleged hush money scheme in the 2016 campaign in which Trump is accused of falsifying business records.

The new charges in the DOJ documents case are drastically more serious and present the possibility of several years in prison if Trump is ultimately convicted.

Thirty-one counts that Trump faces are for willful retention of national defense information, a charge that does not turn on whether the documents are classified. In addition to the obstruction conspiracy, he also faces four counts related to the concealment of the documents, as well as a false statements charge.

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“In a case like this, obstruction and tampering help prove the main charge, that the defendant willfully engaged in the charged conduct,” said David Aaron, a former federal prosecutor in espionage section of the DOJ’s national security division and a current senior counsel at Perkins Coie. “Those facts could also affect how a judge, the jury, or the public views the case and could substantially affect sentencing.”

What happens next

Now that Tuesday’s hearing is in the rearview mirror, the case will enter a legal grind of pretrial proceedings, including likely disputes over what evidence is put before a jury and whether the case should be thrown out altogether before going to trial. The Trump team will have plenty of opportunity to drag things out – potentially until after the 2024 election.

One major x-factor in the prosecution of the case is its assignment to Cannon, who sits in Ft. Pierce, Florida, but who is part of the pool of judges who are randomly cases filed in West Palm Beach, where the new indictment was brought.

“There are few things more powerful than a district judge in a federal case,” said Alan Rozenshtein, a former attorney in the DOJ National Security Division who is now a University of Minnesota law school professor. “She could – if she wanted to – cause huge problems for the prosecution. Would they be existential problems? Probably not.”

Cannon’s approach to last year’s Trump lawsuit challenging the FBI’s Mar-a-Lago search raised eyebrows among legal experts across the ideological spectrum for how she appeared to bend over backward to create special legal rules in favor of the former president. Her rationale for why such a review was necessary was torn apart by a panel of right-leaning appellate judges, including two Trump appointees, on the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals last December.

“She got so banged up by the 11th Circuit that she might be ultra-cautious,” Kel McClanahan, a national security lawyer and an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Law School, told CNN. “We just don’t know.”

Donald Trump

CNN

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International

Spain Train Crash: Death Toll Hits 68 as Two High-Speed Trains Collide

Published

3 hours ago

October 28, 2026

Trends Admin

Spain Train Crash: Death Toll Hits 68 as Two High-Speed Trains Collide

At least 68 people have been killed and dozens injured after two high-speed trains collided in central Spain, triggering a major rescue operation and the suspension of rail services along one of the country’s busiest routes.

The crash occurred shortly before 9 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28, near Urda in Toledo province, about 130 kilometres south of Madrid. The trains, operated by state-owned Renfe and private railway company Iryo, were travelling towards Seville when the collision occurred.

According to preliminary reports, the Renfe train struck the rear of an Iryo train that had stopped on the tracks. The impact derailed several carriages, some of which plunged down an embankment, leaving twisted metal and wreckage scattered across the crash site.

Authorities said the two trains were carrying approximately 544 passengers, including an infant. Emergency workers, firefighters, police officers and medical teams were deployed to rescue survivors, recover victims and transport injured passengers to nearby hospitals.

Spain’s regional authorities confirmed that at least 68 people had died, while 58 others required hospital treatment. Rescue operations continued as emergency teams searched the wreckage for additional victims.

Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente said a signalling-system failure preceded the collision. According to his preliminary account, a communications problem affecting the railway’s traffic-control system caused several trains to stop automatically.

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The control centre subsequently authorised trains to resume their journeys, but the Renfe train was reportedly allowed to continue despite a stop signal remaining active. The minister questioned the decision to restart normal traffic and said investigators were examining the circumstances surrounding the instruction.

He cautioned against assigning responsibility before the investigation established the facts.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the crash site and promised a thorough investigation into the disaster. He said authorities would determine whether negligence or safety-system failures contributed to the collision and take appropriate action if wrongdoing was established.

Sánchez also announced three days of national mourning, from October 29 to 31, in honour of the victims.

The tragedy has renewed concerns about railway safety in Spain, coming just nine months after another deadly collision near Adamuz in Córdoba province killed 46 people. That January disaster also involved trains operated by Renfe and Iryo.

The latest crash has prompted fresh scrutiny of railway infrastructure, signalling procedures and the management of train movements during technical failures.

Rail services between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia were suspended following the collision, disrupting travel along a major high-speed corridor.

Authorities said investigations would continue to establish the full circumstances of the crash and determine whether additional safety measures were required.

Spain Train Crash: Death Toll Hits 68 as Two High-Speed Trains Collide

International

US Extradites Nigerian Over Alleged $100m Tax Refund Fraud

Published

15 hours ago

October 28, 2026

Trends Admin

US Extradites Nigerian Over Alleged $100m Tax Refund Fraud

The United States has extradited a Nigerian man, Akinade Adedeji Raheem, from the Republic of Benin to face federal charges over an alleged $100 million tax refund fraud scheme involving stolen identities and more than 300 fraudulent tax returns.

Raheem, 43, was arraigned in a federal court in Atlanta, Georgia, on Monday, October 26, 2026, following his extradition to the United States. He was detained in the custody of the US Marshals Service pending further court proceedings.

According to US prosecutors, Raheem allegedly conspired with Abayomi Quadri Eletu and other accomplices between 2018 and 2023 to obtain fraudulent refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the US tax authority, by using the identities of American taxpayers and tax professionals.

The alleged scheme involved more than 300 fraudulent tax returns seeking over $100 million in refunds. However, the amount represents the value of the claims allegedly submitted and does not necessarily mean the full sum was paid out.

Investigators alleged that the group obtained confidential personal information, including names, addresses and Social Security numbers, by creating online accounts with the IRS and requesting private taxpayer records.

The suspects allegedly used the stolen information to file false tax returns and direct refund payments to prepaid debit cards under their control. They also allegedly changed taxpayers’ registered addresses and arranged for mail to be forwarded to locations where they could intercept correspondence from the tax authority.

In some cases, prosecutors alleged, members of the group impersonated legitimate taxpayers to verify their identities and facilitate the release of refunds.

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The alleged proceeds were subsequently moved through transactions designed to conceal their origins. Prosecutors said the suspects purchased money orders in amounts intended to avoid reporting thresholds and used them to buy used vehicles through auction platforms. Some of the vehicles were allegedly shipped to Nigeria, while other proceeds were spent on designer clothing and personal items.

US Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said the alleged scheme involved hundreds of stolen identities and affected individual taxpayers as well as the US Treasury.

The investigation was conducted by the IRS Criminal Investigation division and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, with assistance from other American and international law enforcement agencies.

Raheem’s extradition followed an international search. Federal agents reportedly attempted to arrest him at his residence in April 2026 but were unable to take him into custody.

Investigators later discovered that he had booked a flight from Mexico City to Benin. He arrived in Benin on April 15, 2026, and was arrested by local authorities pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice, an international request to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or similar legal proceedings.

Beninese authorities subsequently extradited him to the United States. US prosecutors described the transfer as the second extradition from Benin to the United States.

A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia indicted Raheem on February 24, 2026, on charges including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, 14 counts of access device fraud and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft.

In plain language, the fraud conspiracy charge alleges that he worked with others to cheat victims through postal services or electronic communications. The money laundering charge alleges that the group agreed to conceal or disguise money believed to have come from criminal activity.

The access device fraud counts concern the alleged illegal use of payment cards or other devices and account details to obtain money or access funds. The aggravated identity theft counts allege the unauthorised use of other people’s identifying information in connection with certain serious crimes.

If convicted, Raheem faces substantial prison terms. The fraud conspiracy and money laundering charges each carry maximum penalties of up to 20 years, while the access device fraud charges carry up to 10 years. Each aggravated identity theft conviction carries a mandatory two-year prison term under applicable federal law, generally imposed consecutively to the sentence for the underlying offence. Actual sentences would depend on the convictions and applicable sentencing rules.

His alleged co-conspirator, Eletu, was separately indicted in the Western District of Texas on February 17, 2026. He was arrested in the United Kingdom, where extradition proceedings remain pending.

The case is being prosecuted by attorneys from the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and the Justice Department’s Tax Section.

Raheem has not been convicted of the allegations. He is presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

US Extradites Nigerian Over Alleged $100m Tax Refund Fraud

International

Operation Blackout: FBI Arrests Nine in Nigeria, Seizes 53 Devices

Published

2 days ago

October 27, 2026

Trends Admin

Operation Blackout: FBI Arrests Nine in Nigeria, Seizes 53 Devices

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested nine suspects in Nigeria and seized 53 electronic devices in an international operation targeting cybercrime networks accused of defrauding victims, particularly in the United States.

The operation, code-named Operation Blackout, also led to the identification of approximately $11 million in funds across multiple countries that could potentially be frozen, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.

Patel disclosed the development in a statement published on his official X account on Sunday, October 25, describing the operation as part of efforts to dismantle international criminal networks accused of stealing billions of dollars from unsuspecting victims.

“Operation Blackout is taking the fight directly to the international cybercriminal networks stealing billions from Americans,” Patel said.

He added that the networks operated across national borders, exploiting victims and depriving them of their life savings.

“These scam centres exploit innocent victims, steal life savings, and operate across international borders believing they are beyond the reach of law enforcement. They’re wrong,” the FBI director stated.

Patel commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and their partners in London for their cooperation, warning that suspects operating from overseas would not escape prosecution simply because they were outside the United States.

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The FBI has not publicly identified the nine suspects arrested in Nigeria or disclosed the specific locations where they were apprehended. Details of the individual allegations against them have also not been made public.

The arrests formed part of a broader international law enforcement campaign targeting online fraud networks operating across West Africa.

According to the US Department of Justice, the coordinated enforcement exercise involved agencies from Nigeria, Ghana, the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries, alongside private-sector technology and financial companies.

The wider operation resulted in 28 arrests, comprising nine in Nigeria and 19 in Ghana. Authorities in Ghana also seized 303 electronic devices, while the Nigerian operation accounted for the 53 devices seized.

Investigators and participating companies additionally helped identify more than 3.7 million fraudulent online accounts, pages and groups, which were subsequently removed or disrupted.

The US Department of Justice said the targeted schemes included law enforcement impersonation scams, digital arrest extortion, cryptocurrency investment fraud, commonly known as “pig butchering”, and other online fraud operations targeting victims across different countries.

The operation also uncovered human trafficking linked to scam activities in Ghana. Authorities there identified 117 people described as victims of trafficking who were awaiting repatriation to Nigeria.

Officials also identified 89 fraud victims in Ghana who suffered estimated losses of approximately $8.3 million, according to the US Justice Department.

The trafficking victims and fraud victims were identified as separate groups in the department’s account of the operation.

Although the FBI director announced that $11 million in potentially freezable funds had been identified across several countries, authorities have not confirmed that the entire amount has been frozen, seized or returned to victims.

The distinction is important because identifying funds that may be frozen does not mean that the money has already been recovered.

The crackdown highlights growing international cooperation against cyber-enabled fraud, with investigators increasingly working with technology companies and financial institutions to identify suspicious accounts, trace funds and disrupt the digital infrastructure used by criminal networks.

Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies have participated in several international investigations involving alleged online fraud. The latest operation adds to efforts to pursue suspects accused of targeting victims across national borders.

The FBI has not disclosed when the nine suspects arrested in Nigeria will appear in court or whether formal charges have been filed against each of them.

The allegations against the suspects remain subject to investigation and due process.