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Former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Indicted on Theft of Government Property and Scheme to Defraud the United States Government
justice.gov ^ | March 6, 2020 | DOJ

Posted on 03/06/2020 9:37:24 AM PST by ransomnote

A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a 16-count indictment against a former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and a former subordinate for their alleged theft of proprietary software and confidential databases from the U.S. government as part of a scheme to defraud the U.S. government.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Shea for the District of Columbia, DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari and Inspector General Tammy L. Whitcomb for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) made the announcement.

The indictment charges Charles K. Edwards, 59, of Sandy Spring, Maryland, and Murali Yamazula Venkata, 54, of Aldie, Virginia, with conspiracy to commit theft of government property and to defraud the United States, theft of government property, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.  The indictment also charges Venkata with destruction of records.

According to the allegations in the indictment, from October 2014 to April 2017, Edwards, Venkata, and others executed a scheme to defraud the U.S. government by stealing confidential and proprietary software from DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), along with sensitive government databases containing personal identifying information (PII) of DHS and USPS employees, so that Edwards’s company, Delta Business Solutions, could later sell an enhanced version of DHS-OIG’s software to the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Agriculture at a profit.  Although Edwards had left DHS-OIG in December 2013, he continued to leverage his relationship with Venkata and other DHS-OIG employees to steal the software and the sensitive government databases.

The indictment further alleges that, in addition to stealing DHS-OIG’s software and the sensitive government databases, Venkata and others also assisted Edwards by reconfiguring his laptop so that he could properly upload the stolen software and databases, provided troubleshooting support whenever Edwards required it, and helped him build a testing server at his residence with the stolen software and databases, which contained PII.  As further part of the alleged scheme, Edwards retained software developers in India for the purpose of developing his commercial alternative of DHS-OIG’s software.

The indictment is the result of an ongoing investigation by DHS-OIG and USPS-OIG and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Victor R. Salgado of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Kent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Topic(s): 
Identity Theft
Intellectual Property
Component(s): 
 


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: charlesedwards; dhs; indicted
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Obama's holdover.
1 posted on 03/06/2020 9:37:24 AM PST by ransomnote
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To: ransomnote

Swamp drainage!


2 posted on 03/06/2020 9:40:34 AM PST by DarthVader (Not by speeches & majority decisions will the great issues of the day be decided but by Blood & Iron)
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To: ransomnote

Another one who was emboldened by hillary clinton’s and joe biden’s corruption. But let’s keep the lie going that obama had no scandals on his watch.


3 posted on 03/06/2020 9:40:55 AM PST by DPMD (uo)
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To: ransomnote

It’s just amazing with all the crap the Prez went through, he became president. We are truly blessed with him to be our leader. The Lords Army of Angels are surrounding him.


4 posted on 03/06/2020 9:41:14 AM PST by duckman ( Not tired of winning!)
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To: ransomnote
The indictment also charges Venkata with destruction of records.

Not a crime, according to Hillary Clinton.

5 posted on 03/06/2020 9:41:26 AM PST by Steely Tom ([Seth Rich] == [the Democrats' John Dean])
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To: ransomnote

Need to mention Obama in the title


6 posted on 03/06/2020 9:41:43 AM PST by 11th_VA (May you live in interesting times - Ancient Chinese Proverb)
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To: ransomnote

Murali Yamazula Venkata.....................


7 posted on 03/06/2020 9:42:10 AM PST by Red Badger (If people were to God like dogs are to people, the world would be a really great place..............)
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To: ransomnote
Not much of a holdover!

According to the allegations in the indictment, from October 2014 to April 2017, Edwards, Venkata, and others executed a scheme to defraud the U.S. government by stealing confidential and proprietary software from DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), along with sensitive government databases containing personal identifying information (PII) of DHS and USPS employees, so that Edwards’s company, Delta Business Solutions, could later sell an enhanced version of DHS-OIG’s software to the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Agriculture at a profit. Although Edwards had left DHS-OIG in December 2013, he continued to leverage his relationship with Venkata and other DHS-OIG employees to steal the software and the sensitive government databases.

8 posted on 03/06/2020 9:42:32 AM PST by Grampa Dave
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To: 11th_VA

Need to mention Obama in the title or anywhere in the oped.


9 posted on 03/06/2020 9:43:21 AM PST by Grampa Dave
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To: ransomnote

Why am I not surprised that the search for an honest lawyer again fails to find one.


10 posted on 03/06/2020 9:43:58 AM PST by MIchaelTArchangel (I miss Don Imus!)
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To: ransomnote

Why am I not surprised that the search for an honest lawyer again fails to find one.


11 posted on 03/06/2020 9:43:58 AM PST by MIchaelTArchangel (I miss Don Imus!)
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To: ransomnote

Unbelievable!


12 posted on 03/06/2020 9:44:12 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: 11th_VA

Don’t hold your breath

He is always protected


13 posted on 03/06/2020 9:44:34 AM PST by Trump.Deplorable
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To: Red Badger

Obviously an established Boston family.


14 posted on 03/06/2020 9:44:45 AM PST by wally_bert (Spend like you were going to the electric chair!)
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To: Red Badger
Murali Yamazula Venkata.....................

Wait, I think he’s the Nigerian prince I got an email from ...

15 posted on 03/06/2020 9:46:25 AM PST by 11th_VA (May you live in interesting times - Ancient Chinese Proverb)
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To: MIchaelTArchangel

98% make the other 2% look bad.


16 posted on 03/06/2020 9:46:33 AM PST by AndyJackson
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To: Grampa Dave

BTTT for the Obumster’s leftover gang....


17 posted on 03/06/2020 9:46:36 AM PST by litehaus (A memory toooo long.............)
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To: DPMD

But let’s keep the lie going that obama had no scandals on his watch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That will be sustained for as long as people continue the lie that he was eligible to be President.


18 posted on 03/06/2020 9:46:38 AM PST by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents_Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: wally_bert
Yeah, the family came over on the Amistad...............
19 posted on 03/06/2020 9:48:19 AM PST by Red Badger (If people were to God like dogs are to people, the world would be a really great place..............)
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To: ransomnote

An Inspector General for crying out loud.
Heaven help us!


20 posted on 03/06/2020 9:49:31 AM PST by SmokingJoe
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