On February 24, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) jointly announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago would be a lead prosecutorial partner on the recently launched interagency Trade Fraud Task Force. Originally launched on August 29, 2025, the Trade Fraud Task Force aims to aggressively pursue importers, purchasers, supply chain actors, and other entities engaged in customs fraud, including duty evasion, misclassification of goods, and smuggling of prohibited items. The appointment of the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office to lead the Task Force signals DOJ’s commitment to designate substantial resources to its initiative to combat customs and trade fraud.
Chicago U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros brings significant experience to this role. According to DOJ’s press release announcing the selection, during his prior tenure…
Scammers capitalize on major disasters or heart-wrenching stories to solicit donations for non-existent charities. They often use names that are very similar to well-known, legitimate organizations to confuse donors.