Criminal Charges Filed Today in 2013 in Liberty Reserve Fraud Scheme

Today, May 28, 2025, marks the 148th day of the year, with 217 days remaining as we advance through 2025. This date holds significant historical events that have shaped the course of American history and beyond.

On May 28, 2013, U.S. federal prosecutors launched a groundbreaking case, charging seven individuals with orchestrating what was described as one of the most extensive money-laundering schemes in American history. The case revolved around Liberty Reserve, an online platform purported to have funneled approximately billion for criminal endeavors, including drug trafficking, child exploitation, identity theft, and various illicit activities carried out by global criminals. This case underscored the challenges authorities face in combating cybercrime and highlighted the nefarious potential of digital currencies used for illegal financial transactions.

The historical context of May 28 extends back further, notably to 1830, when President Andrew Jackson approved the Indian Removal Act. This directive forcibly relocated nearly 50,000 Native Americans to specified territories west of the Mississippi River, marking a significant chapter of displacement and suffering for indigenous peoples in America.

In 1863, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, composed of free Black men, departed from Boston to participate in the Civil War, symbolizing a crucial advance in the fight for equality and unity in the nation. The impact of this regiment remains notable in discussions of African American contributions to U.S. military history.

The environmental movement also finds its roots in today’s date as, in 1892, the Sierra Club was founded in San Francisco by naturalist John Muir. This organization has played a pivotal role in advocating for environmental conservation and awareness.

The significance of May 28 also includes pivotal events from the 20th century. In 1918, American forces engaged in their first substantial battle in World War I, successfully capturing the German-held village of Cantigny. Later, in 1959, a two-monkey mission aboard a U.S. Army missile represented a notable milestone in American space exploration, as both primate astronauts survived their suborbital flight.

The date is also marked by reflections on political history, notably the 1972 Watergate burglary linked to the Nixon administration, along with a tragic incident in 1977 when a fire at the Beverly Hills Supper Club claimed the lives of 165 individuals.

In 2021, a heart-wrenching discovery was made when the remains of over 200 children, some as young as three, were uncovered at the site of a former indigenous residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia, igniting a renewed focus on the historical injustices faced by Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Celebrating birthdays today are notable figures from various fields, including former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, singer Gladys Knight, and actor Justin Kirk, emphasizing the diverse talent that has emerged from various sectors over the years.

As we reflect on this day, it becomes evident that May 28 serves as a reminder of both progress and the struggles that have threaded through the fabric of history.