UPDATE 1 PM ET: Watch live stream of DOJ press conference below:
UPDATE: U.S. charges two New York residents with conspiring to act as Chinese agents – READ MORE HERE.
BACKGROUND
According to officials, the U.S. Justice Department is scheduled to conduct a press conference on Monday regarding arrests and charges related to “significant national security matter”.
The specific information has not yet been made public.
US Justice Dept. press conference to announce arrests and charges in a “significant national security matter”
BREAKING 🚨 US Justice Dept. says they're having a press conference at 1 ET to announce arrests and charges in a "significant national security matter" pic.twitter.com/3paAETZQYq
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) April 17, 2023
The Justice Department released a media advisory stating that the press conference will be held in New York City at 1 p.m. on Monday and will cover the arrests and charges in three such matters.
The subject matter of the press conference has not been revealed. The attendees will include David Newman, who is the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for National Security, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll and David Sundberg, who are Assistant Directors In Charge of the FBI’s New York and Washington field offices, respectively.
At 1 p.m., the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York will offer a live stream of the press conference on this page.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern District of New York: Overview and Responsibilities
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes that occur within the eastern part of New York state, which includes Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, and Suffolk counties.
The office works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute a range of criminal cases, including terrorism, public corruption, financial fraud, cybercrime, narcotics trafficking, and violent crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also represents the government in civil cases and defends the United States in cases filed against it.
It is not yet clear what specific cases will be announced during the press conference. However, the fact that the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for National Security will be in attendance suggests that the cases could involve matters related to national security.
The involvement of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI’s New York and Washington field offices also indicates that the cases could be significant and wide-ranging.
