Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Complete DHS Daily Report for May 5, 2009
Daily Report
Top Stories
Aviation Week reports that U.S. Naval Air Systems Command has issued a temporary grounding bulletin on six UH-1Y Hueys and one AH-1Z Cobra due to extensive damage to the main rotor gearbox on two of the new Hueys. The problem was identified by pilots mid-flight. (See item 10)
10. May 1, Aviation Week – (National) U.S. Navair grounds new Hueys, one Cobra. U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (Navair) has issued a temporary grounding bulletin on six UH-1Y Hueys and one AH-1Z Cobra due to extensive damage to the main rotor gearbox on two of the new Hueys. The problem was identified by pilots mid-flight. “Warning lights indicated chips were present in the gear box of the aircraft,” a Navair spokesman said. The first time the problem occurred was on April 7. The second incident, on April 24, resulted in grounding all of the aircraft. The two affected UH-1Ys, stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, sustained “significant damage” to their gear boxes, which need to be replaced. Navair and manufacturer Bell Helicopter Textron have determined the problem to be faulty lower roller bearing retainers in the high-speed bearing assembly in the gearbox. However, the investigation is still ongoing. “They know what caused it, they have to determine why,” he said. The repairs — which could take up to two months — will be performed at Camp Pendleton. Bell is under contract to supply the Marine Corps with 349 new helicopters —123 are UH-1Ys and 226 are AH-1Z Cobras. Only last month, a Navy Rear Admiral, the program executive officer overseeing the H-1 upgrade program, said he was encouraged by what he considers to be improved performance by Bell on the Huey/Cobra program after a host of management problems prompted the Navy and Marines to evaluate other platforms in 2006. Source: http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/GROUND050109.xml&headline=U.S.%20Navair%20Grounds%20New%20Hueys,%20One%20Cobra&channel=defense
According to the Associated Press, government inspectors sorted through the Dallas Cowboys’ flattened practice facility in Irving, Texas on Monday, trying to figure out why fierce winds sent the tentlike structure crashing during a rookie workout session, hurting twelve people. (See item 44)
44. May 4, Associated Press – (Texas) Inspectors examine Cowboys’ flattened facility. Government inspectors sorted through the Dallas Cowboys’ flattened practice facility in Irving on Monday, trying to figure out why fierce winds sent the tentlike structure crashing during a rookie workout session. Twelve people were hurt. The most seriously hurt was the team’s 33-year-old scouting assistant who was permanently paralyzed from the waist down after his spine was severed. Inspectors were at the collapse site, said a spokeswoman for the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Records obtained by the Associated Press show that the city of Irving granted a request by the Cowboys to replace the fabric roof last year, five years after the structure was built. The team listed itself as the contractor for the roof replacement, but a Cowboys spokesman said the team would not comment about the work. The company that built the $4 million facility — Summit Structures LLC of Allentown, Pennsylvania — said in a statement that proper engineering was used during the original construction and the installation of the new roof. The Summit president said he was in Irving on Monday, working with team and local officials to “fully assess this severe weather event.” The company said it has few answers now on precisely what happened. About 70 people, including 27 players at a rookie minicamp, were inside when the storm hit. Winds were clocked at 64 mph, 1 mph shy of the threshold for a weak tornado. A “microburst” may have pushed the wind beyond 70 mph at the top of the structure, National Weather Service officials said. Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h33PBb6ZTeDU4DawZhEWsaUmgcxAD97VKOM81
Details
Banking and Finance Sector
12. May 4, Associated Press – (Connecticut) FBI arrests Conn. hedge fund manager. A Connecticut man who runs two hedge fund companies from his Stamford home is being held on mail fraud charges. The twenty-seven-year-old is being held pending a court hearing in Bridgeport federal court on May 4. The defendant is already the subject of a federal investigation involving an alleged $30 million fraud. He was arrested by FBI agents on May 1 at his home on the mail fraud charges. The defendant is accused of raising money for two hedge funds and defrauding victims by overstating and misrepresenting his background, his experience and his success and historic performance. Prosecutors say the mail fraud charges involve a New York investor who gave the defendant $500,000. He remains the focus of an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Source: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D97VD0AG2.htm
13. May 4, Courthouse News Service – (New York) Magazine touted Ponzi scam, investors say in $178m claim. Entrepreneur Magazine put Agape World on its “Hot 100” list of “fast-growth businesses,” inducing 87 “unsuspecting investors” to lose money on Agape’s Ponzi scheme, the 87 say in a $178 million demand in Nassau County Court. The plaintiffs say Entrepreneur regurgitated Agape’s claims about its business without investigating them. Irvine, California-based Entrepreneur featured Agape World in its May 2008 issue, after swallowing Agape’s claims without a reasonable investigation, the plaintiffs say. The complaint states: “Entrepreneur was aware that its Hot 100 lost would be used by Agape to attract unsuspecting investors, and that such investors would rely on the list and its criterion [sic] in their decision(s) to invest, maintain their investment, and/or recommend investment to others. Notwithstanding this knowledge and awareness, Entrepreneur did not attempt to verify the information received from Agape; at no time did Entrepreneur visit Agape headquarters, meet with its principals or request and/or conduct an examination of Agape’s books and records. Instead, Entrepreneur relied exclusively on the information provided by Agape in drawing its conclusions and making its recommendation. “In January 2009, after months of financial distress and following the arrest of Agape’s Chief Executive Officer, it was publicly revealed that Agape was merely an elaborate Ponzi scheme.” Source: http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/05/04/Magazine_Touted_Ponzi_Scam_Investors_Say_in_$178M_Claim.htm
14. May 2, Bloomberg – (New York) Former Brean Murray trader pleads guilty in $16 million fraud. A former trader at New York brokerage Brean Murray & Co. pleaded guilty to charges of stealing $16 million from friends and clients to support a lavish lifestyle. A former managing director of equity trading pleaded guilty April 30 in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan and will be sentenced on September 22, according to electronic court records. The former manager had pleaded not guilty in May 2008 to charges of grand larceny and scheming to defraud. He spent the money on a Porsche, an Aston Martin, Rolex watches and a trip to Africa, prosecutors said. Brean Murray was a Manhattan-based securities and banking firm. Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a_EpU1vUzeeg&refer=us
15. May 1, CNN Money – (Georgia; New Jersey; Utah) Three more banks fail. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said in a statement that it created a bridge bank to take over the operations of Silverton Bank, National Bank, headquartered in Atlanta. Unlike the other 30 banks that have failed so far in 2009, Silverton Bank did not take deposits directly from the general public or make loans to consumers. Instead, it was a “bankers’ bank,” offering a wide variety of services, such as foreign wire transfers, as well as clearing and cash management, to other banks. Silverton was cooperatively owned by community banks throughout the Southeast and was heavily invested in loans to real estate developments in Florida, Georgia, and other parts of the Southeast, according to the managing principal of financial firm FIG Partners LLC based out of Atlanta, Georgia. State regulators shut down Citizens Community Bank on May 1, and named the FDIC as the receiver. The Ridgewood, New Jersey-based bank had total assets of approximately $45.1 million and total deposits of $43.7 million as of December 31. North Jersey Community Bank of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey has agreed to assume all of the deposits of the failed bank. The failed bank’s single office will reopen on May 4 as the North Jersey Community Bank. On May 1 the FDIC also became the receiver of America West Bank, after the Utah regulators closed the institution. The Layton, Utah-based bank had total assets of approximately $299.4 million and total deposits of $284.1 million as of Dec. 31. Cache Valley Bank, based in Logan, Utah, is assuming all deposits, paying discounted price of $352,000. It also agreed to buy nearly $11 million worth of America West’s assets and took a 30-day option to purchase loans at book value. The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund will be $119.4 million. America West’s three branches will reopen on May 4 as Cache Valley Bank outposts. Source: http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/01/news/companies/bank_failure/?postversion=2009050120
16. May 1, CBS News – (National) USPS probes security breach. CBS News has learned of another data breach potentially compromising the personal information of thousands of people. Companies Lexis Nexis and Investigative Professionals have notified up to 40,000 people whose “sensitive and personally identifiable” information may have been viewed by individuals who should not have had access. The United States Postal Inspection Service is investigating a data breach at both companies that resulted in sensitive information being used in a crime. Those individuals have been notified. Sources tell CBS News that the data breach is linked to a Nigerian Scam artist who used the information to incur fraudulent charges on victims’ credit cards. A spokesman for the Postal Inspectors Service said that of the 40,000 individuals whose information was accessed, up to 300 were compromised and used to obtain fraudulent credit cards. In a letter sent to those whose personal information was compromised, Lexis Nexis said that the unauthorized access took place between June 14, 2004 and October 10, 2007 and the private information viewed included names, dates of birth and possibly even social security numbers It also cautions customers to review their credit reports for any inaccuracies, to report any errors or suspicious activity to creditors as soon as possible, and to contact the United States Postal Service if they believe their personal information may have been compromised. Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/01/cbsnews_investigates/main4982989.shtml
Information Technology
42. May 2, PC World – (International) Disable Javascript for safety, Adobe Advises. Adobe Systems Inc. the week of April 27 acknowledged that all versions of its popular PDF software, including editions for Windows, the Mac and Linux, contain at least one, and possibly two, critical vulnerabilities. “All currently supported shipping versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat, [versions] 9.1, 8.1.4, and 7.1.1 and earlier, are vulnerable to this issue,” said the company’s security program manager, in a blog entry on April 28. The manager was referring to a bug in Adobe’s implementation of JavaScript that went public on April 28. “Adobe is also currently investigating the issue posted on SecurityFocus as BID 34740,” he added. That “Bugtraq ID,” or BID number has been assigned to a second JavaScript vulnerability in Adobe’s Reader. Proof-of-concept attack code for both bugs has already been published on the Web. According to the manager, Adobe will patch Reader and Acrobat, though he did not spell out a timetable for the fixes. “We are working on a development schedule for these updates and will post a timeline as soon as possible,” he said. In lieu of a patch, the manager recommended that users disable JavaScript in Reader and Acrobat by selecting Preferences from the Edit menu, choosing “JavaScript,” then unchecking the “Enable Acrobat JavaScript” option. That recommendation is identical to what he offered two months ago when Adobe owned up to a different critical vulnerability, one that was already being used by attackers at the time. Source: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/164253/disable_javascript_for_safety_adobe_advises.html
Communications Sector
43. May 1, Verizon Wireless – (Florida) Verizon Wireless fine tunes Florida network for 2009 hurricane season. Verizon Wireless announced May 1 that it has completed its network preparations for the 2009 Hurricane Season. To ensure Floridians have comprehensive, reliable wireless coverage in case of severe weather, the company has invested nearly $190 million since the start of last year’s Hurricane Season to strengthen and enhance its wireless network throughout the state. Highlights of these enhancements include expanding capacity in the company’s regional switching facilities throughout Florida, erecting new digital cell sites with on-site back-up power, and deploying a team of “test men” across the state in high-tech vehicles to fine tune the company’s network. The company has a fleet of Cells on Wheels (COWs), Cells on Light Trucks (COLTs), and Generators on Trailers (GOaTs) that can be rolled into hard-hit locations or areas that need extra network capacity. Source: http://www.yourcommunicationnews.com/verizon+wireless+fine+tunes+florida+network+for+2009+hurricane+season_31261.html
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