Fairfield resident Rasha Abual-Ragheb, who goes by the name Rasha Abu on Facebook, has been charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for having taken part in the violent insurrection at the US Capitol Building on Jan. 6. The US Capitol Police protects the Capitol Building 24 hours a day through permanent and temporary security barriers which allow only authorized persons with identification to enter. On the day of the capital riots, the exterior surrounding the Capitol Building was also securely closed to the public. The FBI allege that Abual-Ragheb's right-wing extremism, which led to her participation in the violent mobs, was known for months on local and on right-wing Facebook groups, as well as on her own profile page. JULY, 2020 After attending a Trump rally in Bedminster, Abual-Ragheb posted images to a local Fairfield group: AUGUST, 2020
NOVEMBER, 2020: FBI INVESTIGATION A confidential source provided the FBI with Rasha Abu's Fairfield profile account photos and the agents matched her photo to the NJ Drivers Licence for Rasha Abual-Ragheb. The FBI allege that Abual-Ragheb's Facebook account participated in a now removed group called New Jersey chapter of the American Patriot 3% and she is reported to have made the following concerning statements:
At that time, members of the FBI Newark Division interviewed Abual-Ragheb who is reported to have made the following statements to them regarding her Facebook posts:
DECEMBER, 2020 On Dec. 29, Abual-Ragheb created a public post on her Facebook profile page which was liked/loved by 11 of her Facebook friends. The public post stated the "Storm IS UPON us get ready Patriots" The "Storm" refers to a QAnon conspiracy which asserts that in October 2017, when President Trump dined with military leaders and called it the "calm before the storm," he was secretly stating in code that he had a master plan to stage a coup against the Democratic Party. By 2020, after Trump's electoral loss and his repeated insistence that he had in fact won the election, the QAnon call for a Storm to overturn the election became prominent among many of his supporters who have come to call themselves Patriots. In Abual-Ragheb's case, she was apparently referring to her own participation in the storming of the US Capitol Building which would take place nine days later. JAN. 6, 2021 CAPITOL INSURRECTION 1pm
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JAN. 7, 2021 TIMELINE A second confidential Source contacted the FBI Philadelphia Division on the day after the insurgency to report that they observed Rasha Abu's Facebook page which showed Rasha participating in the Capitol insurrection. Newark FBI agents were then able to match up Rasha's phone number in their database since November to legally confirm through Facebook that Abual-Ragheb was in fact the subscriber who had uploaded the photos. Rasha Abu's Facebook page provided the following information to the agents:
JAN. 12, 2021 The second Source had also provided the FBI with photos from the Rasha Abu Facebook account which the Source believed were taken inside of the Capitol building on Jan. 6. US Capitol Police Officer Mark Smoot, who is part of the US Capitol Police First Responders Unit (FRU) assigned to the Capitol Building, advised the FBI of the following:
JAN. 16, 2021 The FBI asserted that there is probable cause to believe that Rasha Abual-Ragheb violated 18 U.S.C. § 1752(a)(1) and (2):
The FBI additionally asserted that there is probable cause to believe that Rasha Abual-Ragheb violated 40 U.S.C. § 5104(e)(2)(D) and (G):
JAN. 17 2021: CHARGES Rasha N. Abual-Ragheb was charged with the following federal crimes:
The FBI has released photos of individuals who participated in rioting and inciting violence at the US Capitol Building and the surrounding area on on Wednesday, Jan. 6. The public is asked for their assistance in identifying these persons of interest. On Friday, the FBI announced that 53 persons have already been charged in US Federal and Superior Courts. In addition to those who have been charged, additional complaints have been submitted and investigations are ongoing. SUBMIT INFORMATION TO FBI Anyone with information about the images, or the actions which took place on Wednesday, are urged to submit any information, photos, or videos:
FBI Director Christopher Wray 14 CHARGED IN FEDERAL COURT As of Friday, Jan. 8, the following persons have been charged in US Federal Court: Jan. 7, 2021 Charges
FBI Director Christopher Wray Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin ATF Deputy Director Regina Lombardo US Marshals Service Director Donald Washington Lucchese Crime Family Soldier John Perna, 43, of Cedar Grove, Admits Guilt in Assault Case12/16/2020
New Jersey's US Attorney Cragi Carpenito announced this afternoon that John Perna, 43, of Cedar Grove, pled guilty today to planning and carrying out an aggravated assault as a "made man" Soldier in the Lucchese Crime Family. The first count of the June, 2020, indictment which Perna pled guilty to charged him with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity. Also charged in the indictment was Thomas Manzo, 55, of Franklin Lakes whose case is still being heard in court. Manzo is the ex-husband of Dina Cantin who is known for appearing on The Real Housewives of New Jersey. They separated in 2012, and their divorce was finalized in 2016. The assault was made against Cantin's current husband who at the time of his assault was her new boyfriend. The guilty plea came over videoconference in front of U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty. CASE TIMELINE According to Court statements and filed documents: SPRING 2015:
JUNE, 2015:
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JUNE 30, 2020:
POTENTIAL PENALTIES Perna's sentencing is scheduled for April 28, 2021. Violent Crime In Aid of Racketeering Activity
INVESTIGATORS The investigation leading to today's guilty plea by Perna was led by:
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