A U.S. citizen, originally from Iran and residing in New York, has confessed in federal court to orchestrating a migrant smuggling operation. This illicit activity involved bringing foreign nationals into the United States, including an individual linked to a terrorist group recognized by the U.S. Additionally, he was found to have amassed disturbing child sexual abuse materials, according to federal officials.

Sharon Gohari, who called Nassau County home and regularly journeyed to Iran, entered his guilty plea in Brooklyn’s federal court. The charges included human smuggling and receiving child sexual abuse materials, marking the conclusion of an extensive operation that authorities say posed significant national security threats and involved heinous exploitation.

From at least late 2020 until his arrest in May 2025, Gohari reportedly transformed illegal immigration into a profitable venture. Prosecutors detailed how he demanded hefty fees to transport Iranian and other nationals into the U.S. His scheme involved a complex route through Turkey and Mexico, and included assistance in obtaining visas via the Mexican embassy in Iran. Ultimately, he facilitated their entry across the southern U.S. border with the help of an international network.

Highlighting the severity of his actions, one individual smuggled into the country had associations with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a group designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. This person was later apprehended by border officials and confessed to executing operations for the IRGC overseas.

At least one individual he helped enter the country had ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. That individual was later detained by border agents and admitted to carrying out tasks for the IRGC abroad, officials said.

“As this case illustrates, we cannot protect our national security without a secure border,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said. He added that Gohari “made a business of smuggling aliens into the United States,” including someone linked to the IRGC.

Members of security forces watch over the crowd during a funeral procession for IRGC Navy Chief Alireza Tangsiri and other senior naval commanders killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes in late March in Tehran, Iran, on April 1, 2026. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said the defendant “exploited and endangered vulnerable individuals for profit, over and over again,” while also “put[ting] our national security at risk” by helping people bypass the country’s vetting systems.

The case took a darker turn when federal agents searched Gohari’s devices.

Authorities say they uncovered multiple videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children, including victims believed to be as young as 5 years old, as well as hundreds of photos and recordings appearing to show women being secretly filmed and followed in public places across New York City.

“The defendant admits to helping people illegally enter the United States, including someone associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which endangers our country’s national security,” said FBI Counterterrorism Division Assistant Director Donald Holstead.

Officials say some of the recordings appeared to be taken at close range or in a way designed to capture images under women’s clothing, and that Gohari shared some of the material with overseas accounts, including Iran, tied to the exchange of child sexual abuse content.

EU designates Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist organization. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“Sharon Gohari threatened our national security by selling illegal entry into the United States,” said James Barnacle, Jr., assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office, adding that the case underscores efforts to crack down on criminals exploiting U.S. borders.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force alongside multiple federal, state and local agencies.

Gohari now faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison on the child exploitation charge and up to 20 years, in addition to a possible 10-year sentence for the smuggling offense.

Fox News Digital reached out to his attorney.

During the recent CNN debate for the California gubernatorial race, Xavier Becerra emphasized that his record should be the measure of his capabilities. On this point, I find myself in agreement.

Examining Becerra’s tenure as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, I see a lack of decisive leadership, especially in areas critical for the wellbeing of children with chronic, diet-related illnesses like my son. Rather than seizing opportunities to safeguard these vulnerable groups, there have been notable shortcomings.

In light of May being recognized as Celiac Disease Awareness Month, I feel compelled to share the challenges faced by my family.

My 13-year-old son, Jax, lives with celiac disease, a serious autoimmune disorder that acts as an allergy to gluten—a protein present in wheat, barley, rye, and most oats. For those with celiac disease, consuming gluten can trigger over 200 debilitating symptoms, including anemia, increased cancer risk, diarrhea, intestinal damage, malnutrition, and vomiting.

The sole treatment for celiac disease is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet. However, a significant safety concern persists in the U.S.: while wheat must be labeled as an allergen, barley, rye, and oats are not subject to the same requirement. This oversight creates considerable risks for those like my son, who rely on clear labeling to manage their condition.

Jax’s goal is to eat without fear. So he filed a petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2023 and presented a simple common-sense solution: require clear labeling of gluten on all packaged foods as a major food allergens.

Jax met with policymakers across Washington. In January 2024, Jax was personally invited by Secretary Becerra to the HHS Food is Medicine Summit, where Jax met directly with Becerra, and made his case.

At the summit, Becerra publicly spoke passionately about prevention.

But that’s exactly why Becerra’s record is so disappointing.

Because when my son asked for help preventing harm, the system Becerra led failed to deliver.

What was missing was urgency — the very urgency you would expect if prevention truly was the priority.

But at a summit focused on “Food is Medicine,” there was no food allergen labeling on the buffet lunch served. There were no safe gluten-free meals for my son — just apples and chips.

A child invited to the table wasn’t actually given a seat.

If prevention was the goal, how did Becerra’s HHS host a nutrition summit where a child with a medically necessary diet could not eat safely?

That disconnect spoke volumes, as did Becerra’s failure to apologize to Jax.

Because while my son was asking leaders to help identify ingredients — what’s actually in the food —  Becerra’s HHS seemed far more focused on identifying people.

We heard a lot about categories, demographics, and classifications. But when it came to clearly identifying what’s in the food Americans eat every day —  something fundamental to health and well-being —  there was no action.

That’s not prevention. That’s postponement.

Months passed. Nothing changed under Becerra.

No rulemaking.

No request for information.

No urgency.

No action.

That is Becerra’s record.

Now compare that with what has happened since.

Under the Trump Administration, there’s been a markedly different response to the exact same plea for help.

In January 2026, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a statement tied to FDA action responding to Jax’s citizen petition that made prevention — not just rhetoric, but policy —  the priority.

“Americans deserve clear, reliable information about what’s in their food,” he said. “Public input calling for honest labeling will protect consumers, prevent harm, and Make America Healthy Again.”

Kennedy’s statements were informed by his personal experience as a food allergy dad like me.

Jax’s solution was included as one of 128 initiatives in the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy Report, which Secretary Kennedy chaired, and which included a whole-of-government approach to end childhood chronic disease.

At the FDA, there’s been tangible follow-through. Jax’s citizen petition helped catalyze a Request for Information —  an important step toward formal rulemaking.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about outcomes.

There are 3.3 million Americans in the United States living with celiac disease, including about 729,000 kids like Jax. This is not a niche issue. It is a solvable public health problem long overdue for robust action.

And when a child finds the courage to stand up and ask the people in power to fix it, the response should be more than words.

It should be action.

So when Becerra asks to be judged on his record, I take him at his word.

I’m judging a record as HHS Secretary where prevention was promised —  but denied.

I’m judging a record where the focus was on identifying people, rather than identifying ingredients that could harm them.

And I’m judging a record where a clear, achievable solution was presented —  and ignored.

My son showed courage. He spoke clearly. He asked for help.

If it was truly “all about the kids,” then the measure of leadership is simple: did you protect them?

On this issue, when it mattered most, Becerra failed.

Jon Bari teaches at Wharton School of Business and is the co-founder of Celiac Journey, a patient advocacy organization. He and his son Jax have worked with both the Trump and Biden administrations.

CHICAGO (WLS) — The debate over gunshot detection technology has reignited within the Chicago City Council as officials scrutinize efforts to secure a new system. On Tuesday, a city committee pressed for updates on the search for a suitable replacement.

The city’s former system, once known as ShotSpotter, was discontinued over 18 months ago, leaving a gap in gunshot detection capabilities.

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During the meeting, members of the Public Safety Committee questioned the city’s chief procurement officer about the prolonged delay in selecting a new provider for gunshot detection services. Despite their efforts, the committee did not receive the explanations they were seeking.

“Why is it taking so long? Lives are being endangered,” expressed Alderman Peter Chico of the 10th Ward, highlighting concerns over public safety.

Council members demanded to know why the Department of Procurement Services has not accelerated its evaluation of the nine companies that have submitted proposals to implement new gunshot detection technology, meant to replace the services once offered by Sound Thinking, the successor of ShotSpotter.

“A man was shot and killed in my ward on Thanksgiving night in Garfield Ridge neighborhood. His body laid in the street for 10 minutes because no one called 911,” said 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares.

“This procurement is highly technical and complex in nature, and the Department of Procurement Services is working diligently to ensure all processes are followed and all applicable laws are followed,” said Commissioner of Procurement Services Sharla Roberts.

The department declined to say who was on the vetting committee, where the process stands or when it might be finished.

“That’s very frustrating. You know, this is a system that obviously the police department wants and needs, and several of my colleagues feel the same way. We want to see movement,” said 3rd Ward Ald. Pat Dowell.

Some alderpersons had concerns about who would have access to any replacement technology.

“With the federal government, accessing different surveillance technology, it’s important that we think about what it really looks like,” said 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vasquez.

After a playground ribbon cutting event, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said he remains committed to some form of new technology.

“So, we want to make sure that we go through a thorough vetting process to ensure that whatever technology that we do use or settle on, that it maximizes the full impact of what we’re doing to drive violence down in the city of Chicago,” Johnson said.

“This was a total waste of time in my opinion,” said 38th Ward Ald. Nick Sposato.

A number of alderpersons were frustrated, including the public safety committee chairman.

“They’re not acting as though they want a new gunshot system in place. They’re acting as if they really want to kick this can down the road as long as they can. So, we needed to call them out on it, and I think we accomplished that today, if nothing else,” said Public Safety Committee Chair and 2nd Ward Ald. Brian Hopkins.

Hopkins hopes to get more information from key city stakeholders, including police. He did not adjourn the meeting, but instead recessed it until June 3, when the committee will once again push for answers and action.

Prescriptions for ivermectin, a drug typically used to treat parasitic infections, have notably increased over the past year following claims by actor Mel Gibson that it cured his friends’ cancer.

During a conversation with podcaster Joe Rogan, the 70-year-old actor asserted that three of his friends regained their health after using ivermectin along with fenbendazole, another anti-parasitic medication for humans and animals.

Gibson, known for his role in “Lethal Weapon,” made the bold statement that all three friends, who were battling stage four cancer, are now cancer-free, asserting, “This stuff works, man.”

Footage from this 2025 podcast episode has gone viral, amassing tens of millions of views. However, experts at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) express concern that these claims could have lasting negative effects.

According to UCLA researchers, the past year has seen a doubling in the number of ivermectin prescriptions compared to the previous year.

Among people with cancer, rates jumped 2.5 times. And prescriptions in the south skyrocketed threefold in 2025 compared to the year before, with men statistically more likely to reach for the drug. 

The researchers caution that while ivermectin has been shown to have anti-cancer benefits in some studies on laboratory cells and animals, no clinical trials have shown it is safe in people with cancer. 

Ivermectin is also dosed by body weight, and formulas intended for livestock have much higher concentrations of the drug than formulations FDA-approved for humans, making it easy to accidentally overdose. 

Actor Mel Gibson claimed to Joe Rogan last year that three of his friends with stage four cancer allegedly cured their disease with anti-parasitic drugs ivermectin and fenbendazole

‘As a primary care doctor, I want my patients and people across the country to have the chance to get treatments we know can help them live longer, healthier lives,’ Dr John N Mafi, senior study author and associate professor-in-residence of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, said. 

‘When prescribing for an unproven cancer treatment more than doubles after a single podcast, especially among men and people in the South, it raises a concern that patients may be skipping or delaying treatments we know work in favor of something that hasn’t been proven to help them.’

In the study, published in JAMA Network Open, researchers looked through data from 67 health care organizations across the US to identify ivermectin prescriptions for patients ages 18 to 90 from 2018 to 2025. 

Out of a total of 68.3 million patients, the team found that ivermectin prescriptions doubled from the time period of January 1, 2025, to July 31, 2025, compared to the same time period the year before.  

Prescriptions among white patients rose 2.6 times compared to people of other races. There was a threefold increase in prescriptions among patients in the South. Among men, prescriptions surged 2.8-fold.  

And among cancer patients, prescriptions increased 2.5 times. 

‘We often focus on how to efficiently get evidence into practice,’ Dr Michelle Rockwell, lead study author and assistant professor of family and community medicine at Virginia Tech, said. 

‘But these findings remind us that some forces can influence care very quickly. The challenge for health systems is how to meet patients in that moment with information that is both timely and trustworthy.’ 

Ivermectin gained popularity during the pandemic after fringe medical figures, some now in federal roles, promoted it as a Covid remedy with no clinical proof. Since then, right-leaning influencers have touted it as a dubious cure for various other conditions

Ivermectin was first approved for animal use in 1981, though it would be three decades before it became touted as a potential cancer treatment. 

The earliest research dates back to 2014, with a Swiss study suggesting ivermectin could stop the growth of some lung and colon tumors. However, the study was performed on cells rather than human subjects. 

Dr Peter P Lee, study author and chair of the immuno-oncology department at City of Hope, said at the time: ‘Certainly by itself ivermectin is not a cure or even an effective treatment for breast cancer.

‘I pride myself as a rigorous, fair-minded scientist. And in our hands, through many years of experiments, it has promise — but not by itself.’

A 2021 study from researchers at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in California suggested using ivermectin alongside the antibody anti-PD1 could treat triple-negative breast cancer tumors in mice. 

However, the researchers cautioned that it’s unclear if the same results can be replicated in humans and advised against taking ivermectin on its own.

Ivermectin has also been shown to be largely ineffective against COVID. 

It became a political hot-button issue during the pandemic after Republican politicians, including President Donald Trump, voiced their support for the drug’s use against the virus. 

The study found prescriptions for ivermectin doubled in 2025 compared to the year before, which researchers believe may be due to Gibson’s endorsement of the drug for cancer

In 2022, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) wrote on its website that it ‘recommends against the use of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19, except in clinical trials.’

Ivermectin can cause dangerous and even dreadful side effects when misused or taken without medical supervision. 

These include neurotoxicity, such as seizures, coma and altered consciousness, as well as liver and kidney damage, severe skin reactions and life-threatening drug interactions. 

The drug also has been shown to interact with the blood thinner warfarin, as ivermectin can disrupt clotting factors, leading to increased bleeding. 

‘Not all widely shared health information is accurate, even when it comes from familiar or influential sources,’ Dr Katherine Kahn, study author and Distinguished Professor of Medicine at the Geffen School, said. 

‘Using unproven treatments can carry real risks, especially if it delays care that is known to work. Clinicians and health systems play a critical role in helping patients navigate information and make informed decisions.’

In Providence, Rhode Island, a mural created to commemorate Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee tragically killed while traveling on a North Carolina train, is being removed following public uproar.

On Tuesday, workers were spotted outside The Dark Lady, an LGBTQ+ club in downtown Providence, dismantling the mural. This artwork, painted on canvas, was carefully taken down, folded, and transported away, as reported by WJAR-TV.

Ian Gaudreau, the artist behind the mural, confirmed its removal in response to significant local discontent.

“Numerous people expressed their dissatisfaction, and their concerns were acknowledged, resulting in the decision to take down the mural,” Gaudreau shared with WJAR-TV on Monday.

The mural, which remained unfinished, had been displayed on the exterior of The Dark Lady, located at 19 Snow St. in Providence.

The mural’s removal came as residents and elected officials complained about the artwork. The office of Mayor Brett Smiley told Fox News that he wanted the artwork taken down, saying that the art is “divisive and does not represent Providence.”

“The murder of the individual depicted in this mural was a devastating tragedy, but the misguided, isolating intent of those funding murals like the one across the county is divisive and does not represent Providence,” Smiley said in a statement. 

He said he continued to “encourage our community to support local artists whose work brings us closer together rather than divide us.”

Ukrainian Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death at the East/West Boulevard light rail station in Charlotte after fleeing the war in Ukraine. (Evgeniya Rush/GoFundMe)

Chairman of the Narragansett Republican Party Anthony D’Ellena created a petition in an effort to keep the mural of Zarutska in Providence.

“This is exactly what Democrats do — they try to erase the memory of their victims and they don’t fix their soft-on-crime policies,” D’Ellena told WPRI-TV. “They erase the evidence, so no one sees the deadly price of their policies.”

“I want a local business here in Rhode Island to see this petition and to invite the artist to do a mural on their business,” he said.

An unfinished mural in Providence, seen on March 30, 2026, of murdered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, drew a storm of controversy because of its possible ties to Elon Musk. (© David DelPoio/The Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

On Sept. 9, 2025, Eoghan McCabe, CEO of the AI customer service company Intercom, posted on X that he would pledge $500,000 to paint 50 memorial murals across the country in Zarutska’s honor.

On Sept. 10, he posted that funding for 300 murals had been raised and that they were in touch with 800 artists. Elon Musk replied to his post with a pledge of an additional $1 million for the project.

WATCH: Video shows moments before Ukrainian refugee stabbed to death on Charlotte light rail

Zarutska, a 23-year-old refugee who fled her country after the Russian invasion, was stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack while riding the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte, N.C., last year. 

The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, is charged with violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death, which is a capital offense under federal law.

Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., 34, was arrested in Mecklenburg County and charged in the Aug. 22, 2025, stabbing death of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard a Charlotte light-rail train. (Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office)

Records from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction show Brown has a prior criminal history, including convictions for larceny, breaking and entering and armed robbery. 

“Iryna was riding home on the train when a deranged monster, who had been arrested over a dozen times and was released through no-cash bail, stood up and viciously slashed a knife through her neck and body,” President Trump said.

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In a shocking incident in Alabama, a woman purportedly shot her husband, claiming his constant monitoring following her heart surgery drove her to act, authorities and reports revealed.

On Sunday night, 65-year-old Sheri Mitchell-Clutts was taken into custody after she reportedly confessed to fatally shooting her husband, Timothy Clutts, aged 69, in their secluded home in Russelville, as per details from WAFF and local jail records.

Upon their arrival, deputies found Timothy lifeless in his recliner, with a single gunshot wound to his chest, according to the news outlet.

Mitchell-Clutts, during her 911 call, allegedly claimed she felt endangered by her husband prior to the shooting. However, Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver mentioned that during further questioning, a different narrative emerged.

The accused wife reportedly acknowledged to investigators that she killed her husband of 15 years in a moment of anger, Sheriff Oliver recounted.

She later informed officers that Timothy was annoying her by repeatedly coming into her room after she underwent open-heart surgery two weeks prior, the outlet reported.

Mitchell-Clutts callously went to retrieve her gun in case he came back to her room. But when he never showed, she went out and shot him in his recliner, authorities alleged.

“There’s a number of cases where someone does something like this, you’re actually having to track them down and find them and build evidence based on the scene, and in this situation, she was pretty open,” Sheriff Oliver said.

“You know, which leads us to a bunch of questions like what was going on with her or him.”

Mitchell-Clutts was booked into Franklin County Jail on murder charges and ordered held without bond.