California fraud concerns ramp up as man pleads guilty to massive scheme using taxpayers as his ‘piggy bank’

April 8, 2026 1:02pm EDT / Updated April 8, 2026 4:00pm EDT | Fox News

First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said the defendant used a public health program as his ‘personal piggy bank’

By Andrew Mark Miller Fox News

Exclusive: Gavin Newsom’s “Empire of Fraud” – $180B STOLEN! | Will Cain Country

Chris Rufo joins Will Cain to expose California’s $180B “Empire of Fraud.” Plus, John Ashbrook and Michael Duncan of Ruthless join Will and The Crew to debate the Iran strike deadline and the mysterious disappearance of UFO-linked scientists.

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As concerns about rampant fraud continue to grow nationwide, particularly in California, federal authorities announced the guilty plea of a man charged in a scheme to defraud taxpayers out of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Paul Richard Randall, 66, of Orange, California, has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud after local authorities say he billed Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid, more than $269 million and was paid out more than $178 million for “19 expensive, non-contracted drugs containing low-cost, generic ingredients that were not medically necessary, not provided, or both.”

Randall and his co-conspirators took advantage of a temporary rule change in Medi-Cal that removed the need for pre-approval on certain drugs. Using a pharmacy they controlled, they billed Medi-Cal huge amounts each month for expensive generic medications that normally would’ve required approval.

Randall and his associates then laundered the illegal proceeds by routing money through a third party, using it to pay kickbacks to Anderson, further the scheme and hide the transactions from law enforcement.

VANCE REVEALS $19B FRAUD UNCOVERED IN MINNEAPOLIS, HINTS CALIFORNIA IS NEXT TARGET

Gavin Newsom speaks on stage during “Networth And Chill With Guest Governor Gavin Newsom” at the 2026 SXSW Conference And Festival at Hilton Austin on March 15, 2026, in Austin, Texas.(Gary Miller/FilmMagic)

“This defendant used a public health program as his personal piggy bank,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a press release.

“This guilty plea should send a message that this administration — consistent with the President’s war on fraud — will not turn a blind eye while criminals fleece taxpayers.”

The press release says that Randall will be sentenced in August and will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.

DEPUTY AG TODD BLANCHE SHEDS LIGHT ON NEW DOJ FRAUD DIVISION TO ADDRESS ‘INSANE’ PROBLEM

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a news conference at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice building in Washington, D.C., on April 7, 2026. He discussed the department’s anti-fraud efforts and announced the creation of a National Fraud Enforcement Division.(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

California has been at the center of fraud concerns in recent weeks and has been called out by the federal anti-fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance, which recently revealed a staggering increase in California hospice and healthcare providers that were suspended as part of the task force’s efforts.

Last week, a federal sweep in southern California dubbed “Operation Never Say Die” resulted in eight local arrests and unsealed charges against 15 individuals allegedly tied to a $60 million fraudulent Medicare billing scheme, Fox 11 Los Angeles reported.

News of the guilty plea quickly spread on social media, with conservatives making the case that there is much more work to be done to combat fraud in California.

“California is without question the Fraud Capital of the United States,” Rep. Kevin Kiley, an Independent congressman from California, posted on X. “We are finally seeing accountability.”

“You can submit 300 million dollars in claims in under a year and actually obtain that money?” Conservative commentator Mike Cernovich posted on X.

“This is Gavin Newsom’s empire of fraud,” journalist Christopher Rufo posted on X.

MAN CHARGED IN $90M MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME; DOJ SAYS SUSPECT MAY HAVE ENTERED US ILLEGALLY

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“Well done and thank you for protecting taxpayers and those in need,” Haywood Talcove, CEO of LexisNexis Special Services & LexisNexis Risk Solutions Government, posted on X.

“We need to focus on the front end of the payment systems – how did a $250M get stolen in the, first place? The systems are antiquated, lack front end identity verification, rely on self reported information and don’t do third party audits or use Spectrum.”

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Gavin Newsom speaks on stage during “Networth And Chill With Guest Governor Gavin Newsom” at the 2026 SXSW Conference And Festival at Hilton Austin on March 15, 2026, in Austin, Texas.(Gary Miller/FilmMagic)

“Put him in chains and lock him up,” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., posted on X.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office pointed Fox News Digital to a post on X where they pushed back on the DOJ’s press release saying there is a “small fact missing.”

“This alleged fraud was first discovered by state officials and referred for criminal prosecution,” Newsom’s office wrote. “We’d appreciate the acknowledgment of the long-standing partnership the state has in working with the feds to fight fraud — and end this misinformation effort driven by the current Administration. Folks can see how California has taken action: StopFraud.CA.Gov.”

Essayli responded in a post on X that referred to Newsom as the “fraud king.”

“Not good enough,” Essayli wrote. “You know what would be better than referring fraud cases to my office to clean up your mess? Stopping the fraud from happening in the first place.”

Newsom’s office has responded to critics in general in recent weeks by saying the state is “leading the nation in preventing fraud.”

“Since @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom took office: — $125 billion+ in fraud STOPPED — 1,200+ criminals ARRESTED — 83% reduction in EBT fraud in one year — New hospice licenses BANNED beginning in 2022,” Newsom’s press office posted on X earlier this month.

Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.

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GOP infighting replaces clash with Dems, derails path to end historic DHS shutdown

April 8, 2026 12:24pm EDT / Fox News

Schumer calls it the ‘Johnson shutdown’ as DHS standoff drags on

When the House returns Tuesday, the shutdown will have reached 59 days

By Alex Miller , Adam Pack, Fox News

DHS Sec Mullin: We’re afraid Democrats will try to ‘hold the country hostage’ again in September

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin discusses the partial government shutdown and how he will run DHS differently than his predecessor and more on ‘Special Report.’

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Congress is in no rush to end the longest shutdown in history, despite having a deal in place and a backup plan that could both fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and secure cash for immigration operations for years to come.

Lawmakers in both chambers left Washington for a two-week recess around Easter and are not scheduled to return until Monday. Meanwhile, Republicans have pitched rival plans that, if not quickly resolved, could prolong the funding standoff into the summer.

After nearly two months of fighting with congressional Democrats, the shutdown back and forth has now evolved into infighting among the GOP across both chambers. That development, and differing views on how to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, threaten to prolong the shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said shortly after the Senate again passed its Department of Homeland Security funding bill in early April that there are “limited options” for ending the shutdown, given Senate Democrats’ blockade against funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) without stringent reforms.

GOP RACES TO PASS ICE, BORDER PATROL FUNDING BILL AS PRIORITIES PILE UP, DIVISIONS EMERGE

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that there are “limited options” for ending the shutdown.(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

“My question for anybody who doesn’t like what we did is: give me a better idea. Give me another option,” Thune said. “We’ll see, ultimately, what the House does with it.”

When the House returns Tuesday, the shutdown will have reached 59 days.

The Senate has its spending bill, which would fund the Department of Homeland Security while carving out funding for ICE and parts of CBP, with the end goal of funding immigration enforcement through the party-line budget reconciliation process.

‘WE DIDN’T CAVE’: THUNE HIGHLIGHTS SCHUMER, DEMS’ LOSSES IN DHS FUNDING DEAL

Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. Andy Harris talks to reporters as he walks to the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on July 2, 2025, in Washington.(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

House Republicans previously rejected that plan. But after President Donald Trump demanded a reconciliation package with ICE and CBP funding on his desk by June 1, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., ceded to the Senate.

Still, Republicans in the lower chamber are furious that they again have to consider the Senate’s compromise deal and are threatening to further prolong the shutdown.

The House had an opportunity in recent days to pass the bill, but Republicans opted against it. Instead, they held a conference call where lawmakers said they would not vote for the Senate plan until there was meaningful progress on a reconciliation package.

JOHNSON ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF TAKING GOVERNMENT HOSTAGE OVER ‘CRAZY’ IMMIGRATION AGENDA

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., dubbed the closure the “Johnson shutdown.”(Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The conservative House Freedom Caucus took that a step further Tuesday, throwing a wrench into those plans. The group wants to fund the entire department through a single budget reconciliation bill.

“We cannot leave ICE and CBP hanging with nothing but hopes and prayers that reconciliation 2.0 comes together,” the group wrote on social media. “That’s why we must use reconciliation to fully fund all of the Department of Homeland Security.”

Whether House Republicans coalesce behind that demand when they return remains to be seen, but it has given congressional Democrats ammunition in the ongoing shutdown messaging war.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., dubbed the closure the “Johnson shutdown.”

“It’s a Republican shutdown,” Schumer told CNN. “All he had to do was put that bill on the floor, and it would have passed overwhelmingly. So Republicans are hardly unified. They’re squirming about.”

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Some pressure has eased on Congress to act after Trump in March moved to pay all Department of Homeland Security employees using existing funds. However, it is unclear whether that arrangement can last for several months without new appropriations from Congress.

Meanwhile, leapfrogging the typical government funding process could establish a new precedent.

Normally, appropriators craft spending bills to fund the dozen agencies that make up the federal government. It’s a bipartisan process in which both sides typically walk away with a win.

But using budget reconciliation shifts that power away from appropriators and sidelines the bipartisan process.

“Republicans have decided to take that route, so they should be very wary about the precedent,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.

Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.

Squad member Summer Lee calls ‘upper class’ the ‘enemy’ at El-Sayed rally

April 8, 2026 1:54pm EDT / Fox News

The rally boosted Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who is backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders

By Adam Pack Fox News

Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed appeared with controversial anti-Israel streamer Hasan Piker, who claimed “America deserved 9/11” and condoned the October 7 attacks. Fox News contributor Miranda Devine criticized the progressive politician for political opportunism, arguing that such appearances normalize radical views. She raises concerns about the streamer’s unverified online followers and the spread of anti-American discourse.

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Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., suggested that higher-earning Americans were the real “enemy” during a campaign rally headlined by a far-left social media influencer on Tuesday.

“I see other people who are fighting like hell to make you feel like your enemy is sitting next to you,” Lee said in a video posted by The Washington Free Beacon. “That your enemy is somebody who worships differently than you are, or looks differently than you are, comes from a different socioeconomic background than you, unless they are the upper class.”

“They only have the politics of fear and division and destruction and disruption. They need us to keep our focus away from the people who have participated in the biggest sex trafficking ring in our country,” Lee continued, appearing to reference the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “I need you to instead lead and learn and live in your power.”

Lee, a left-wing lawmaker affiliated with “the Squad,” made the remarks during a campaign event she participated in to boost Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., another “Squad” member who is supporting El-Sayed, was in attendance.

Rep. Summer Lee questions witnesses during a roundtable discussion on Supreme Court ethics conducted by Democrats of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on June 11, 2024, in Washington, D.C.(Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Court Accountability)

ILLINOIS DEMOCRAT CONDEMNS PARTY MEMBERS RALLYING WITH FAR-LEFT STREAMER HASAN PIKER

El-Sayed, who is running with the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is viewed as the most progressive candidate in the state’s three-way Democratic primary.

Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who once said “America deserved 9/11,” headlined the rally. Piker has also drawn backlash from both parties over his comments on the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, the Israeli government and the Chinese Communist Party, which critics have called antisemitic and anti-American.

Lee, who has repeatedly advocated for pro-Palestinian causes, doubled down on her decision to appear at the campaign event with Piker in a statement obtained by the outlet City & State Pennsylvania.

“At a moment when Donald Trump is threatening catastrophic violence against Iran and saying ‘a whole civilization will die tonight,’ our priorities are deeply out of step if this is what some choose to focus on,” Lee said in a statement, referring to the president’s comments on Truth Social on Tuesday. “We need to invite young people in, take them seriously, and recognize that our politics are strongest when everyday people have a real hand in shaping them.”

“If reporters have questions about Hasan Piker’s statements, they should ask Hasan Piker,” Lee added.

El-Sayed also sought to distance himself from Piker’s statements during an interview on “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday.

Abdul El Sayed, left, pictured alongside Hasan Piker, right.(Evan Cobb for The Washington Post via Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic)

WHO IS HASAN PIKER? MEET THE FAR-LEFT STREAMER WHO IS STIRRING UP CONTROVERSY ONLINE AND DIVIDING DEMOCRATS

“Of course I oppose rape. Of course I don’t think 9/11 was justified,” El-Sayed said. “Just because you appear with somebody doesn’t mean you agree with them on everything.”

El-Sayed also floated Lee as a potential leftist challenger to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., if he decides to seek re-election in 2028. Fetterman has faced criticism from some Pennsylvania Democrats for voting with Republicans to support Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s confirmation, among other instances where he has crossed party lines.

Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Mich., El-Sayed’s primary opponents, sharply criticized his decision to campaign with Piker.

Rep. Summer Lee embraces Rep. Rashida Tlaib as President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on March 7, 2024.(Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP)

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“It is unacceptable for a candidate wanting to represent all Michiganders to campaign with Hasan Piker, a person who is unapologetic about a career of making hurtful and anti-Semitic comments,” Stevens said in a statement. “With all that’s at stake in this election, we should be focused on the challenges Michiganders are facing and how to fight for them.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Lee’s office for comment.

Kanye West’s upcoming gig at Italy festival sparks debate after U.K. revoked rapper’s entry over antisemitic remarks

April 8, 2026 / 12:43 PM EDT / CBS News

By Elena Giuliano

The rapper formerly known as Kanye West being denied entry into the U.K. amid an uproar over his past antisemitic remarks has raised questions over the star’s upcoming performance in Italy this summer.

The rapper, who changed his name to Ye, was scheduled to headline the Wireless Festival in London in July, but the event was canceled after the U.K. government withdrew his authorization to enter the country on Tuesday.

“Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement posted to social media.

The decision was preceded by criticism over Ye releasing a song last year called “Heil Hitler” and selling T-shirts on his website featuring a swastika. In January, he apologized in a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal and said he experienced a four-month-long manic episode that “destroyed my life.”

In northern Italy, Ye is set to headline the region’s main music event, the Hellwatt Festival, on July 18.

People in the Emilia-Romagna region where the festival is being held have raised concerns to a major labor union about Ye’s scheduled performance.

“We are listening to the many workers and citizens who have contacted us in recent days, asking for clarity on the matter,” Rosamaria Papaleo, a representative of the Italian Confederation of Workers’ Unions in Emilia-Romagna, told CBS News.

Kanye West arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Feb. 9, 2020, in Beverly Hills, California. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Papaleo said the concerns have centered on hosting an artist associated with antisemitic remarks in Reggio Emilia, the regional capital, which has a strong anti-fascist identity.

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“It seems quite contradictory that an artist known for his antisemitic remarks can be hosted by our city, which has always strongly advocated anti-fascist values,” said Papaleo.

Reggio Emilia was awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valor in 1950 for its key role in the Italian resistance against the Nazis during World War II.

“Anti-fascism for us is not a whim, but a value rooted in our history,” Papaleo said. She emphasized that while the union does not intend to disrupt the festival, which represents an important event for workers and fans, it expects artists to promote positive values within the community.

Union representatives have asked Reggio Emilia’s mayor, Marco Massari, to require Ye to meet with members of the local Jewish community as a symbolic act of reconciliation for harm caused by his past remarks. Some critics have called for Ye to be removed from the festival’s lineup.

In a statement, Massari said he “distances himself from Kanye West’s behavior and remarks,” but added that any decision regarding the artist’s entry into the country ultimately lies with the national government. CBS News has reached out to the Italian Ministry of Internal Affairs for comment.

The mayor also stressed that Reggio Emilia is a strongly anti-fascist city, and that those who perform there must be mindful of its social and historical context. He called on festival organizers to create an occasion for dialogue between the artist and local communities that identify with those values.

Hellwatt Festival director Victor Yari Milani recognized that Ye’s past actions have “understandably led to strong reactions.”

“We want to stress that he has formally apologized, stating that he is neither a Nazi nor antisemitic, and that he suffers from bipolar disorder,” he said in a statement to CBS News. He also said, “We have asked him to also apologize to Italy. The festival’s values — respect and inclusion — are not up for debate.”

For now, no protests are planned around Ye’s performance. However, union officials warned that public reaction remains a possibility.

Other major artists expected at the event this year include Travis Scott, Rita Ora and Martin Garrix.

Dem Senate nominee distances herself from Kamala Harris ahead of visit: ‘Will not be attending’

April 8, 2026 1:06pm EDT / Fox News

Harris plans to headline the Shackelford Dinner in Little Rock, her first campaign event since the 2024 election loss

By Leo Briceno, Fox News

Hallie Shoffner says she did not invite Kamala Harris to campaign with her ahead of the former vice president’s upcoming appearance in Little Rock.

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The Democratic nominee for a Senate seat in Arkansas is trying to distance herself from messaging tied to the mainstream Democratic Party, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, as she wages an uphill bid to flip a Republican Senate seat.

“Arkansas is a very independent state. In fact, if you look at our voting history, we are often split-ticket voters,”Hallie Shoffner told Fox News Digital.

“I feel that both of the parties just walked away from rural America — Democrats included,” added Shoffner, who is pushing back on claims that she invited Harris to campaign with her.

Her comments come as Harris plans to deliver keynote remarks at the Arkansas Shackelford Dinner in Little Rock later this month — the first campaign event she has headlined since she lost the 2024 presidential election.

STEVE DAINES’ HANDPICKED SENATE SUCCESSOR KURT ALME VOWS TO KEEP MONTANA IN REPUBLICAN HANDS IN 2026

Hallie Shoffner, left, pictured alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris(Fox News Digital; Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Shoffner strongly denied she had any intention of campaigning with Harris at her upcoming appearance.

“We had nothing to do with bringing the former vice president here. She’s speaking at a Democratic Party of Arkansas event, an event I will not be attending,” Shoffner said.

“This woman is coming, and she’s going to be here for all of two hours,” she said.

Shoffner believes the party should focus on its future, rather than highlighting high-profile names of the past. She blasted Republican attempts to link Harris’ appearance to her Senate bid.

“The Republican Party of Arkansas is talking like I’m the one who’s responsible. Why? Tom Cotton and the Republican Party, why are we relitigating the 2024 election right now?” Shoffner said, referring to her political opponent, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

Instead, Shoffner said she is trying to emulate different Democrats who have used middle-of-the-road platforms to attract rural voters.

“If I were Hallie Shoffner, I’d pretend like I didn’t know Kamala Harris either,” Joseph Wood, the chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas, said in a fiery response to her comments. “But Shoffner can’t hide two very important things: her 25 donations to Harris, or that Harris is coming to Arkansas to raise money that will be used to try and help her failing campaign.”

10 SENATE RACES THAT COULD DECIDE CONTROL OF THE CHAMBER IN THE 2026 MIDTERMS

The U.S. Capitol on Feb. 24, 2026.(Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo)

SUSAN COLLINS SHRUGS OFF ATTACKS BY DEMOCRATS AND TRUMP, SAYS MAINE VOTERS ‘DON’T VOTE PARTY LINE’

Shoffner mentioned former Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who was defeated in 2024, as an example of a different Democrat.

“One of the things I really like about Sen. Tester is he takes the same approach when he’s going into diverse political communities in Montana,” Shoffner said.

“We’re all Arkansans. We’re all Montanans. You know, we want to be able to buy our groceries. We want to put gas in our car. We want to know that our job is going to be there the next day,” Shoffner said.

Tester represented Montana as a senator from 2007 to 2025. He lost his re-election bid to newcomer Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont.

Despite asserting confidence in charting her own course, Shoffner faces an uphill race against Cotton, the current chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Cotton, who was handpicked by former Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to run for the Senate in 2014, has come to the defense of President Donald Trump’s military engagement against Iran.

REPUBLICAN MAJORITY AT RISK? A LOOK AT THE 6 GOP SENATE SEATS MOST IN JEOPARDY IN MIDTERM ELECTIONS

Sen. Tom Cotton argued that the war with Iran would continue for weeks, not days, as the U.S. continues to kneecap their offensive abilities.(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Shoffner believes that’s a weakness she can exploit.

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“Does it work for the people of Arkansas? That’s the point of Congress. That there should have been an Arkansan up there in D.C. who said, ‘Now, wait a minute, they need diesel and fertilizer prices to be low.’ That is when a senator or a representative from a state is supposed to step in and say, ‘My people at home will be affected,’” Shoffner said.

Shoffner will face off against Cotton in the state’s general election on Nov. 3.

Leo Briceno is a politics reporter for the congressional team at Fox News Digital. He was previously a reporter with World Magazine.

Police dog named Hulk sniffs out 48 tons of marijuana in record bust in Brazil

April 8, 2026 / 3:14 PM EDT / CBS/AFP

Brazilian police seized a record 48 tons of marijuana in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, uncovered by chance by a sniffer dog during a regular operation against criminal factions.

During the operation in the Complexo da Mare, a large complex of favelas in the north of the city, a dog named Hulk indicated there was something suspicious under an abandoned water tank.

An officer “discovered a bunker inside where this entire quantity of drugs had been hidden,” said Lt. Col. Luciano Pedro Barbosa, commander of the Canine Operations Battalion.

In a post on Instagram, the battalion touted the bust and posted an image of Hulk after the operation.

“Hulk deserves 48 tons of treats,” quipped one commenter.

A police dog that took part in an operation in which 48 tons of marijuana were seized poses in front of packages containing the drug and weapons in Rio de Janeiro on April 8, 2026. Pablo Porciuncula/AFP via Getty Images

Barbosa told AFP the seizure was the largest in Brazil’s history and “represents a financial loss of almost $10 million for the criminal faction involved.”

“All of this was thanks to the work of the dog,” he said. “It wasn’t based on intelligence.”

A military police statement said it took dozens of officers five hours to remove the drugs, which were transported in four trucks.

During the removal, officers came under fire from criminals “triggering a shootout” and leading to the arrest of a suspected gunman.

The previous record for the largest drug seizure in Brazil was in 2021 when highway police seized 36.5 tons in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul.

The police operation, launched Tuesday, involved 250 military police officers, who also seized five rifles, four pistols and 26 stolen vehicles, including cars and motorcycles.

Police posted video of the operation showing Hulk at work and officers seizing evidence.

Hulk, a police dog that took part in an operation in which 48 tons of marijuana were seized, poses in front of packages containing the drug and weapons in Rio de Janeiro on April 8, 2026. Pablo Porciuncula/AFP via Getty Images

Large swaths of Rio de Janeiro — mainly low-income, densely populated communities — are under the control of criminal factions who engage in drug trafficking and other crimes.

Police dogs routinely help investigators uncover drugs around the world. Last July, a K-9 sniffed out $1 million worth of cocaine in a Chicago drug bust. In December 2023, police dogs helped detect over $10 million of drugs hidden in jalapeno paste at the U.S.-Mexico border. Earlier that year, an Italian K-9 helped sniff out three tons of cocaine hidden in a case of bananas in the port of Gioia Tauro.

Bondi will not appear for House interview on Epstein files, DOJ says

2026-04-08 5:20 PM UTC / Reuters

By Nolan D. McCaskill and Andrew Goudsward

April 8, 2026 5:20 PM UTC Updated 2 hours ago

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi attends a Mexican Border Defense Medal presentation in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 15, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

• DOJ says Bondi subpoena invalid after her dismissal as attorney general
• House panel says it will seek to schedule interview
• Committee investigating DOJ handling of Epstein files

WASHINGTON, April 8 (Reuters) – Former U.S. Attorney General ​Pam Bondi does not plan to appear for a planned interview with a House of Representatives ‌committee on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files following her firing by President Donald Trump, the Justice Department told Congress on Wednesday.

Bondi was subpoenaed last month to testify in her formal role as attorney general, rendering the demand invalid now that she no longer ​holds that title, a Justice Department official wrote in a letter to the House Oversight chairman, Republican ​Representative James Comer of Kentucky. Trump fired Bondi last week, in part over discontent ⁠with her management of the release of records related to Epstein, the late financier and sex offender who died ​in jail while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

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“The Department’s position is that the subpoena no longer obligates her ​to appear on April 14. We kindly ask that you confirm that the subpoena is withdrawn,” Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis, the DOJ’s top liaison with Congress, wrote in the letter, which was seen by Reuters.

The Republican-led House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Bondi ​for questioning on the Justice Department’s compliance with a bipartisan law passed in November that required DOJ to ​release nearly all of its files on Epstein. Lawmakers have complained that redactions in the files appear to exceed what is ‌allowed in ⁠the law and that the Justice Department publicly released names of victims in some documents.

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A spokesperson for the House Oversight Committee said the panel will contact Bondi’s personal lawyer to “discuss next steps regarding scheduling her deposition.”

A Justice Department spokesperson said the DOJ “remains committed to working cooperatively” with the committee but the subpoena to Bondi “no longer applies.”

The panel’s ​top Democrat, Representative Robert Garcia ​of California, threatened to ⁠begin contempt proceedings against Bondi if she did not appear before the panel, a move that would require Republican support to advance.

“Now that Pam Bondi has been fired, ​she’s trying to get out of her legal obligation to testify before the Oversight ​Committee about the ⁠Epstein files and the White House cover-up,” Garcia said in a statement.

The House Oversight Committee has been conducting a wide-ranging probe into Epstein’s ties with wealthy and powerful individuals and the Justice Department’s handling of criminal investigations into Epstein ⁠and his ​former associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Bondi and her then-top deputy, Todd Blanche, who ​is now acting attorney general, appeared last month to privately brief the committee on the Epstein files. Democrats walked out during the session, demanding ​that officials answer questions under oath.

Reporting by Nolan D. McCaskill and Andrew Goudsward in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

By Jasper Ward

April 8, 2026 6:44 PM UTC Updated 48 mins ago

节点运行失败

Governor of Indiana Mike Braun attends a press conference about ‘Operation Midway Blitz’, an immigration enforcement campaign, from a hangar in Gary, Indiana, U.S., October 30, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

April 8 (Reuters) – Indiana on Wednesday became the second U.S. state to suspend its gas tax amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with ​Iran.

Governor Mike Braun, a Republican, said the suspension of ‌the 7% usage tax on fuel will last 30 days and could be extended depending on “the circumstances in the Middle East.”

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“I am declaring a ​gas tax holiday to give Hoosiers relief from the pain ​at the pump from high gas prices. Affordability is ⁠my top priority,” Braun said after issuing an emergency declaration, ​using a term to describe residents of the state.

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He said the ​state will be “patrolling the pumps” to make sure the tax relief is passed directly to consumers. Braun also called on the state’s attorney general to ​enforce protections from price gouging by retailers.

Iran and the U.S. ​agreed on Tuesday to a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, but fighting was still ‌taking ⁠place on Wednesday.

Braun said it will take time for residents of Indiana to feel the effects of the ceasefire.

The average gas price in Indiana is $4.137, according to the American Automobile Association. The ​average price was $3.466 ​a month ago, ⁠AAA said.

Fifty-five percent of respondents in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll said their household finances had taken at ​least “somewhat” of a hit from the increases in ​gas prices. ⁠Among those seeing an impact, 21% said their finances were affected “a great deal.”

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Georgia became the first state last month to suspend its gas ⁠tax ​as fuel prices continue to surge in ​response to the conflict, which started February 28.

Trump has called the rise in gas ​prices a “short-term increase.”

Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington Editing by Rod Nickel

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Judge blocks Trump’s push to deport Abrego Garcia, rebukes DOJ for trying to ‘dictate’ court

April 8, 2026 3:26pm EDT / Fox News

Xinis blocked the Trump administration’s bid to deport Abrego Garcia to Liberia, for now — the latest in a 13-month legal fight

By Breanne Deppisch Fox News

Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s allegations are ‘very broad,’ Shannon Bream says
‘Fox News Sunday’ anchor Shannon Bream on the eruption of anti-ICE protests across the country and the case against MS-13 suspect Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

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A U.S. judge in Maryland rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Liberia, using an otherwise procedural order Tuesday to scold the Justice Department for its conduct and for attempting, in the judge’s view, to “dictate” the actions of the court.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis took umbrage at the government’s demand that she rule by mid-April on their request for her to dissolve her injunction keeping Abrego Garcia in the U.S. for now, and allowing them to deport him to Liberia.

She sharply disputed the Justice Department’s assertion that the court “must” rule by that date, at risk of having the injunction ignored.

“Respondents cannot dictate the Court’s schedule or the outcome of the motion,” Xinis said. “Nor can they appeal a judicial order that does not exist.”

ABREGO GARCIA REMAINS IN US FOR NOW AS JUDGE TAKES CASE UNDER ADVISEMENT

Katheryn Millwee holds a portrait of Kilmar Abrego Garcia outside the federal courthouse on June 25, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee.(George Walker IV/AP Photo)

Ultimately, Xinis said Tuesday, the request was “not ripe” for the court to rule on the government’s removal of Abrego Garcia, and set new briefing dates for both parties.

She also set a new briefing schedule, with filings due on April 20, and a new hearing date, scheduled for April 28.

Lawyers for the Trump administration told the court during a hearing hours earlier that they still intend to deport Abrego Garcia to the African country of Liberia, despite a new agreement between the U.S. and Costa Rica that would allow him to be sent there.

Acting ICE director Todd Lyons argued that allowing Abrego Garcia to be sent to Costa Rica, his preferred country of removal, would be “prejudicial” to the U.S., citing what Lyons described as the “significant” government resources and capital the U.S. has invested in negotiating his removal and the removal of certain other migrants to Liberia.

Another official suggested Abrego Garcia could “remove himself” to Costa Rica, should he choose to live there, which the judge noted was a “fantasy.”

ABREGO GARCIA LAWYERS ASK US JUDGE TO ORDER RETURN TO MARYLAND AMID ONGOING CRIMINAL CASE

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons testifies during a House Committee on Homeland Security oversight hearing.(AP Photo/Tom Brenner)

Abrego Garcia’s status has been at the center of a legal and political maelstrom since March 2025, when he was deported to his home country of El Salvador, despite a 2019 order from an immigration judge. He was returned by the Trump administration to the U.S. late last spring.

Xinis, who has presided over Abrego Garcia’s civil cases for the last 13 months, has developed a reputation for her careful, methodological style of questioning — a process she previously likened to “eating an elephant, one bite at a time.” But the laborious review process has sparked criticism from Trump allies and Justice Department lawyers alike, who have expressed frustration with the lengthy timeline and what they argue are undue delays to removal efforts.

ABREGO GARCIA REMAINS IN US FOR NOW AS JUDGE TAKES CASE UNDER ADVISEMENT

The Justice Department seal is seen before the start of a press conference in Washington, D.C.(AFP via Getty Images)

The Justice Department has bitterly disputed Abrego Garcia’s current status in the U.S. for months, as well as the injunction keeping him in the country, for now.

His case has been further complicated by several details, including the November 2025 determination that Abrego Garcia had not been issued a final notice of removal needed to deport him to a third country.

Still, Xinis’s unusually pointed order lays out what the judge described as a “careful recapitulation” of the case history, before concluding that “if anyone, Respondents bear the responsibility for substantial delay.”

Trump administration officials have for months sparred over the final notice of removal in question, as well as whether the court should consider a retroactive removal order that an immigration judge issued in December. Other hearings have focused on what, if any, assurances the four African nations previously identified for Abrego Garcia’s removal had provided, should he be deported there.

Lawyers for the Trump administration have suggested on multiple occasions that Xinis lacks jurisdiction to review Abrego Garcia’s case, citing matters involving diplomacy and foreign sovereigns, an area where presidential powers are at their strongest.

Senior Trump administration officials have assailed Xinis and other district judges as “activist” judges whom they say have overstepped their powers in halting or pausing some of the president’s biggest policy priorities, including on immigration issues and enforcement.

Xinis, for her part, has proceeded unfazed. She said in February that the government had failed to provide the court with any “good reason to believe” that they plan to remove Abrego Garcia to a third country in the “reasonably foreseeable future.”

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Instead, she said, the government “made one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success.”

Breanne Deppisch is a national politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the Trump administration, with a focus on the Justice Department, FBI and other national news. She previously covered national politics at the Washington Examiner and The Washington Post, with additional bylines in Politico Magazine, the Colorado Gazette and others. You can send tips to Breanne at Breanne.Deppisch@fox.com, or follow her on X at @breanne_dep.

Human remains identified as pair who vanished after Oklahoma car chase 13 years ago

April 8, 2026 / 12:26 PM EDT / CBS News

Two sets of human remains discovered by authorities in Love County, Oklahoma were identified as those of a young man and woman who disappeared in 2013, officials said.

Molly Miller and Colt Haynes were last seen on July 7, 2013, according to a missing poster from the Chickasaw Ligthorse Police Department. Miller was 17 and Haynes was 21. They were passengers in a vehicle driven by James Con Nipp, according to a missing poster for Haynes. The car became involved in a police chase in Carter County, Oklahoma, and authorities lost the vehicle in Love County. CBS affiliate KXII reported that the vehicle crashed and Con Nipp walked away, while Haynes and Miller stayed behind.

The next day, Haynes and Miller called friends asking for water and a ride, saying they were lost near a local road, according to Haynes’ missing poster. Two weeks later, the vehicle was found abandoned in the woods. There was no sign of Haynes or Miller.

Molly Miller. Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department

Their bodies were discovered on February 18, 2026, according to the Chickasaw Lighthouse Police Department, as the department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Missing and Murdered Unit searched over 1,000 acres for information about the missing pair. The area had not previously been searched, according to a news release from the bureau. It was identified as a search site “after new information emerged and access to the land was obtained,” the bureau said. KXII reported that the area has rough terrain, and searchers examined the area on foot.

The remains of Miller, who was a Chickasaw Nation member, were identified by the medical examiner on March 31, the Bureau of Indian Affairs said. The date of Haynes’ identification was not specified. Both families were notified.

Authorities did not say how Miller and Haynes died. Police said the investigation “into the circumstances surrounding Molly and Colt’s deaths remains active and ongoing.” The Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit said that it will “continue to pursue every lead” in the case. The local district attorney said it will present the case to a multi-county grand jury for formal charges once the investigation is concluded.

Colt Haynes. Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation

Misty Miller Howell, Miller’s older cousin, told KXII that the discovery has brought some closure to the family.

“Molly would have never been found if it wasn’t for” continued official efforts, Miller Howell said. She and her family still have questions about how and why Miller and Haynes died. She believes the couple were subject to foul play.

“Right now we’re a little angry, you know, and we can’t help from not being angry,” Miller Howell said. “The case is moving forward so that pretty much told us right then that there was foul play involved. So we’re ready. We’re ready for this multi-county grand jury. I think once we get justice then we’ll get peace.”