BIRMINGHAM, Ala (WBMA) — A 45-year-old man from Haleyville has pleaded guilty to fraudulently voting in multiple elections despite not being a U.S. citizen, federal prosecutors said.
Officials said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. announced that Homero Ramos, a Mexican man and lawful permanent resident, pleaded guilty this week before U.S. District Judge Edmund G. LaCour Jr. to two counts of fraudulent voting.
According to the indictment, Ramos never obtained U.S. citizenship but registered to vote and cast ballots even though he knew only U.S. citizens are permitted to vote under Alabama law. Prosecutors said Ramos voted in both the 2022 and 2024 general elections.
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Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office and Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation….
THE BHI TRUST PONZI SCHEME (SOUTH AFRICA)
Date: Ongoing updates through February 2026 Perpetrator: Craig Warriner (Principal), with alleged co-conspirators
Case Description: The BHI Trust scandal remains one of South Africa’s most devastating financial crimes, involving the loss of between R1.9 billion and R3 billion. Craig Warriner, the “genius trader” behind the trust, turned himself in during late 2023, but the legal and recovery battles reached a fever pitch in 2025 and 2026. Warriner operated the trust as a textbook Ponzi scheme, utilizing “Old Boy” networks and high-profile brokers to lure in pensioners and high-net-worth individuals with promises of 20% annual returns.
In early 2025, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) faced heavy criticism for “provisionally withdrawing” charges against alleged co-conspirators Michael Haldane and Sona Pillay. However, civil recovery efforts by joint trustees have continued into 2026, aiming to claw back hundreds of millions in “fictitious profits” from early investors to redistribute to those who lost everything. The case is a masterclass in the failure of fiduciary duty; the FSCA eventually banned several advisors for up to 30 years for peddling the unlicensed scheme despite clear red flags, such as the lack of a website, the absence of regulated financial reports, and a fee structure that was triple the industry average.
Link to Original: Moneyweb – BHI Trust Scandal Deep Dive