The Washington Times AI News Desk

Grand jury indicts Georgia national in $1.3B Medicare fraud scheme

A federal grand jury in the District of Massachusetts returned an indictment charging undocumented immigrant Erekle Gugava, 33, of Georgia, with conspiracy to launder proceeds connected to a health care fraud scheme involving at least $1.3 billion in allegedly fraudulent claims, the Justice Department announced.

September 7, 2026

Florida men sentenced in $34.8 million Medicare brace fraud scheme

Two Florida men have been sentenced to federal prison for participating in a $34.8 million Medicare fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary orthotic braces, including braces sent to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed them, the Justice Department announced.

September 7, 2026

Man pleads guilty to laundering $4 million in drug proceeds through crypto

A Mexican national pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder approximately $4 million in drug trafficking proceeds generated in the United States and return them through cryptocurrency to Mexico, the Justice Department announced.

September 7, 2026

Trump’s new tariffs threaten hockey families already squeezed by rising gear costs

New 50% tariffs on Canadian goods could push already-rising hockey equipment prices even higher -- hitting families just as youth participation in the sport hits a multiyear high.

September 7, 2026

Ohio paint company pleads guilty in 2021 explosion that killed worker

An Ohio corporation pleaded guilty this week in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to negligent endangerment stemming from a 2021 explosion that killed one employee and severely injured several others, according to the Justice Department.

September 7, 2026

What thanking drivers when crossing the street says about you, according to psychologists

The driver stops. You lift a hand, or nod, and keep walking. It takes half a second and you probably do it without deciding to. Which is odd, when you think about it, because the driver was legally required to stop. Nobody thanks a red light.

September 7, 2026

Cathy Engelbert steps down as WNBA commissioner amid transgender dustup

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is stepping down at the end of the year after a tenure that saw franchise values soar and a landmark labor deal get done. But her exit comes amid mounting player tension and a heated debate over transgender athlete eligibility -- here's what she had to say before walking away.

September 4, 2026

The surprising truth about brown vs. white eggs: Why color really doesn’t matter

Stand in front of the egg case and the choice looks like it means something. White on one shelf, brown on the other, usually a dollar or two apart. The brown ones sit next to the organic labels and the pasture-raised cartons, which makes the message feel obvious. It isn't.

September 4, 2026

61 things to do in Washington, D.C. this weekend: September 4-6

Labor Day weekend marks a seasonal shift in the District, and Washington is leaning into the transition with an packed slate of live music, groundbreaking art, and outdoor traditions.

September 3, 2026

Idaho couple, five others charged in $57 million IRS tax fraud scheme

A superseding indictment has been unsealed charging two Idaho residents and five people from other states in connection with an alleged $57 million tax fraud scheme, the Justice Department announced.

September 3, 2026

Man pleads guilty in N.Y. sex trafficking case, faces 15-year minimum sentence

Chad Barclay, a 33-year-old Trinidadian national and lawful permanent resident, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking and admitted to kidnapping six additional victims, according to the Justice Department.

September 3, 2026

5 questions about the Maduro immunity challenge

Lawyers for former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife are urging a federal judge to toss the drug trafficking case against them, arguing that as Venezuela's sitting head of state and first lady, they're immune from U.S. prosecution.

September 3, 2026

NASA awards Blue Origin $700 million contract for Mars communications network

NASA awarded Blue Origin a contract Tuesday to develop the agency's Mars Telecommunications Network, according to the agency.

September 3, 2026

What kids raised in the 1960s had that today’s children don’t, according to psychologists

Ask anyone in their sixties about their childhood and a certain pattern emerges. They took bad news without spiraling. They handled setbacks with perspective. There is a steadiness there that younger people often notice and cannot quite account for.

September 3, 2026

What did the Clippers do wrong? NBA strips team of 5 picks, fines Ballmer $30 million

The NBA suspended Clippers owner Steve Ballmer for a year, fined the team $30 million and took away five draft picks over a scheme tied to Kawhi Leonard's endorsement deal -- and now the Clippers say they'll fight it in arbitration.

September 3, 2026

Linqto founder indicted in alleged $450 million fraud scheme

A federal indictment has been unsealed charging William Sarris, founder of pre-IPO investment platform Linqto Inc., with securities fraud, broker-dealer fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy offenses, according to prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.

September 3, 2026

Maryland invokes 9/11 in fight against state sanctuary law

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler, who is leading 17 of Maryland's 24 counties in a lawsuit against the state's sanctuary policies, told Congress this week that lawmakers in Annapolis have forgotten the lessons of 9/11, as the nation approaches the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

September 2, 2026

Poll: 13% of Democrats say 9/11 gets too much attention, 25 years later

POLL: Democrats far more likely than Republicans to say the country dwells on 9/11 too much.

September 2, 2026

Elliot Page says he’s landed no new roles since ‘The Odyssey’

Elliot Page says the phone hasn't been ringing since he appeared in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster "The Odyssey," a role that made him the target of a summer-long fight between Hollywood's culture warriors: "I'd really love to do, ideally, good work."

September 2, 2026

‘Wheel of Fortune’ suspends announcer Jim Thornton amid probe

"Wheel of Fortune" announcer Jim Thornton has been suspended from the long-running game show and is being temporarily recast while Sony Pictures Television Studios investigates allegations against him, the studio confirmed this week. "We have recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton," the studio said in a statement, adding that it is "recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation." Thornton, 61, was not given further detail on the nature of the allegations, and the studio has not said how long the recasting will last.

September 2, 2026