Information for Victims in Large Cases

The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that victims of crime are an integral part of the criminal justice process. Our office personally contacts each victim of a crime that we prosecute. For certain cases, information for victims will be provided below.

United States v. Pitts, et al (18 CR 743)

This indictment charged numerous defendants with participating in a scheme to file or cause to be filed at least 450 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in the names of other individuals, including patients from an Oak Lawn, Ill., health care provider.  BRANDON PITTS, of University Park, Ill., KOREY ISBELL, of Van Nuys, Calif., KEWAN WATTS, of Dolton, Ill., COREY LOGSDON, of Los Angeles, Calif., ASHLEY WEATHERSBY, of Blue Island, Ill., ANGELO STEELE, of Hazel Crest, Ill., and YOSHIMI HENRY, of South Holland, Ill., have pleaded guilty.  Pitts was sentenced to six years and three months in prison.  Logsdon was sentenced to four years in prison.  Steele was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.  Watts and Isbell were each sentenced to 14 days in prison.  Henry is scheduled for a plea addendum hearing on April 15, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.  Weathersby is scheduled for sentencing on April 22, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.

United States v. Henry, et al (18 CR 726)

This indictment charged two defendants with scheming to file unemployment insurance claims in the names of individuals without their knowledge and consent.  JEROME PACE, of Chicago, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in federal prison.  ANTHONY HENRY, of Chicago, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years in federal prison.

United States v. Cedric, et al (25 CR 161)

This indictment charged seven individuals with engaging in misleading promotion and coordinated trading of shares of China Liberal Education Holdings, Ltd., a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands that purported to provide educational services in China.  The scheme, known as a “pump-and-dump,” allegedly involved individuals in China posing as U.S.-based investment advisors on social media and messaging platforms and falsely promising significant returns from investments in the company.  Charged with wire fraud and securities fraud are LIM XIANG JIE CEDRIC, 50, of Malaysia, MING-SHEN CHENG, 36, of Taiwan, KO SEN CHAI, 57, of Malaysia, KING SUNG WONG, 39, of Malaysia, SIONG WEE VUN, 37, of Malaysia, CHIEN LUNG MA, 54, of Taiwan, and KOK WAH WONG, 56, of Malaysia.  If you or someone you know may have been victimized by this alleged fraud scheme, you are encouraged to notify the FBI by completing an online form or calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).