A Filipina woman and her husband have been arrested in Ontario after nearly five years on the run in connection with an alleged investment fraud scheme that authorities say cost investors almost CAD $5 million. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced that Emilia Alas-As Elansin, 44, and her husband, Fernando Honorate de Silva Fagundes, 70, were taken into custody on May 26 in Algonquin Highlands, Ontario. According to investigators, the couple operated an Alberta-b

QUEENS, N.Y. - Community advocates, labor leaders, and elected officials joined Assemblymember Steven Raga at Little Manila's Woodside Memorial Park before marching with him to St. Sebastian Church, where he cast a ballot for himself in his historic bid to become the next New York State Senator representing Western Queens. The Election Day event underscores what supporters describe as a grassroots campaign built on decades of community organizing, neighborhood advocacy, and a

A healthcare fraud mastermind and one of the FBI's most wanted fraudsters has been deported to the United States after being arrested at a casino in Pasig City, authorities announced. Herbert Leon Kimble, who was sought by the FBI for his role in a massive Medicare fraud conspiracy that generated more than $1.2 billion in fraudulent healthcare claims, was taken into custody in the Philippines and subsequently removed to the United States to face federal charges. According to

Kai Tesoro was only 17 months old when his short life came to a devastating end. The toddler suffered injuries so horrific that a medical specialist later described the case as one of the worst examples of child abuse he had ever encountered. Doctors found broken bones in both of Kai's legs and hands, bruises in various stages of healing, brain hemorrhaging, and retinal detachment evidence that prosecutors said pointed to repeated abuse before his death. In 2024, a Clark Cou

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has barred a 48-year-old American national identified as a registered sex offender from entering the Philippines as part of the government’s intensified campaign against foreign sexual predators. The passenger, identified as Cabbot Allen Sanders, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on May 28 aboard a Korean Air flight from Seoul, South Korea. According to the BI, immigration officers intercepted Sanders upon arrival a

A former Filipino high school teacher in Canada has been arrested and is facing court proceedings after authorities charged him with offenses related to child sexual abuse material. Jimmy Buena, 48, a former teacher at St. Oscar Romero Catholic High School in Edmonton, was charged in June 2025 with making, accessing, possessing, and transmitting child sexual abuse material, according to the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT). Investigators launched the case follow

Maria Lourdes Sulit | Facebook In the span of just two days, Maria Lourdes Sulit experienced the worst tragedy and one of the proudest moments of her life. On June 4, her husband, Marvin, died from a brain hematoma after the family was reportedly unable to secure the funds needed for a life-saving operation. The following day, their daughter graduated from college. "I do not know whether to smile because of her achievement or cry because of the devastating loss of her father,

Woodside, NY - A festive atmosphere filled Woodside on June 13 as community leaders, diplomats, and residents gathered for the formal opening of Little Manila Park, the first Filipino-themed park in New York City. The small parcel of land on 70th Street, once an unused and neglected space, has been transformed into a community landmark honoring the contributions of Filipino nurses, caregivers, and the spirit of bayanihan. The project was spearheaded by Architect Noel Gamboa a

A Filipino-born naturalized U.S. citizen is among 17 individuals targeted in a series of lawsuits filed by the Trump administration seeking to revoke citizenship from people accused of obtaining naturalization through fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of material facts. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland last week filed a civil denaturalization complaint against Jheromell Obejera Arcilla, 39, a native of the

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning the public about an emerging hospice fraud scheme that targets vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries, including individuals who do not require hospice care. According to the FBI, scammers are fraudulently enrolling Medicare recipients in hospice programs for services they do not need, services that are never provided, or, in some cases, without the patient's knowledge or consent. Authorities said some fraudulent operators use a

A 49-year-old former teacher sensationally landed behind bars after pleading guilty to sexually abusing students in his own classroom. Francisco Misajon, a Philippines native, was handed a two-to-five-year prison term by District Judge Mary Kay Holthus. He admitted to two counts of sexual conduct between a school employee and a student, each tied to a different child. Court records reveal Misajon’s shocking abuse of trust at Innovations International Charter School in central

The Maui Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a 15-year-old girl who was reported missing after leaving her residence in Kahului on Tuesday evening. According to police, Skylee Merino was reported missing by a concerned family member on June 9, 2026. Authorities said she left her home at approximately 7:30 p.m. carrying a black carry-on-sized suitcase and a black backpack featuring an “open mouth shark” design. Police noted that Merino does not hav

The United Nations in the Philippines on Monday pledged its support for communities devastated by the powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao, saying it is working closely with government authorities and humanitarian partners to assess the full extent of the disaster and coordinate recovery efforts. In a statement, the U.N. expressed solidarity with victims and families affected by the earthquake, which caused widespread destruction to homes, buildings, and cri

New York, NY - The Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) proudly commemorates the 128th in Anniversary of Philippine Independence with what is recognized as the largest Philippine Independence Day celebration outside the Philippines on June 7th 2026. This year’s festivities officially kicked off with a vibrant Meet and Greet event featuring distinguished guest celebrities and delegates from the Philippines, all united in promoting Philippine tourism and cultural p

A Filipino-American convicted in a massive $34 million fraud scheme is now being hunted by the FBI after allegedly disappearing during a court-approved trip to the Philippines. Federal authorities say Michael Lizaso Marasigan, 48, a dual U.S.-Philippine citizen, failed to return to Guam after being allowed to travel overseas while awaiting further court proceedings. The FBI has placed Marasigan on its fugitive list and is seeking information on his whereabouts. According to p

New York - Mississippi pharmacist and Filipino American entrepreneur Ruth Avegail Capapas has earned international recognition after her innovative personal care product was named a winner at the 2026 Green Product Awards in Berlin, Germany. Capapas' invention, Bebot Simple Soap, was selected as one of only 36 winners from more than 1,200 entries submitted from 54 countries, placing the Mississippi-based product among the world's leading sustainable innovations. The Green Pro

A Filipina living on Maui is facing federal charges after authorities accused her of voting in two U.S. federal elections despite allegedly knowing that she was not an American citizen. Federal prosecutors announced that Remedios Alasaas, 66, of Kahului, Maui, was charged by Information on June 1 with unlawfully voting as an alien. According to court records, Alasaas entered the United States in or around 2014 on an immigrant visa and registered to vote shortly thereafter. Pr

International travelers may soon have to pay an additional ₱480 on round-trip flights under a proposal by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) aimed at strengthening and modernizing the country's border security system. Under the proposed scheme, international passengers would be charged $4, or approximately ₱240, upon departure from the Philippines and another $4 upon arrival, bringing the total additional cost to about ₱480 for a round-trip journey. The proposed fee will help fun

A visa consultancy firm accused of illegally recruiting Filipinos for caregiver jobs in the United States has been shut down by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), with its officers and employees now facing possible illegal recruitment charges. The DMW ordered the closure of State 101 Travel Visa Consultancy after authorities discovered that the company was allegedly offering caregiving jobs in the U.S. and encouraging applicants to enter the country using tourist visas.

A Filipino national who federal authorities said orchestrated a large-scale visa fraud operation has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after hundreds of fraudulent work permit applications led to the unlawful issuance of employment documents for undocumented foreign nationals. Venerando Aquino Martin, 56, was sentenced on May 27 by the United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands after being convicted of visa fraud against the United States. Prosecutors s