From Washington state, New York, and South Carolina to Belgrade: Crime Stoppers Global Solutions meets with Serbian officials to discuss existing and future threats to children worldwide
By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Crime Stoppers Global Solutions (CSGS), the international iteration of Crime Stoppers here in the U.S., met via Zoom, Wednesday March 25, to discuss “Internet crimes against children” primarily the threats-of-same in both Eastern Europe and the United States.
The discussions were held between CSGS’s U.S.-based board of directors and CSGS officials in Serbia. Attending the discussions – half in English, half in Serbian, translated for both – were approximately 20 Serbian IT professionals, educators (kindergarten through high school), retired law-enforcement officers, at least one retired military officer, and several Internet crimes experts.
The presenters included CSGS Vice Chair Jim Fuda, a globally recognized counterterrorism expert (33-year law-enforcement career with 15 of those years as a special operations commander) and Ivan Miletić, the local CSGS-director in Belgrade. Also presenting was Mladen Duvnjak, a five-time Olympic triathlete champion, coach, and former physical conditioning instructor for the FBI and the U.S. Marine Corps; and Alexander Nikolic, a world-renowned AI automation and ChatGPT expert.
Also attending the presentations and round-table discussion was CSGS Chair John Lamb, who in 2025 became the first civilian to be awarded the “International Police and Public Safety 9/11 Medal” for fighting terrorism.
In opening remarks, Fuda highlighted the rise in Internet crimes against children, noting a 40-percent increase since the 2020-2023 COVID pandemic. Fuda emphasized the criticality of international cooperation like the existing relationship between the U.S. and Serbia. He also cited the U.S.’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force, a merger between police and prosecutors investigating online crimes.
Fuda’s initial remarks were followed by Duvnjak who discussed his experience as an athlete, coach, and physical-conditioning professional using sports to reduce children’s online screen time, reducing adolescent anxiety, and improving grades in school thus aiding in the development of self-esteem in children.
Alexander Nikolic then detailed both present and future AI threats to children, including “deepfakes” and AI-driven surveillance.
The focus of the March 25 meeting, “Internet crimes against children,” is but one of several worldwide focuses of CSGS. According to the organization’s website: “Crime Stoppers Global Solutions is focused on combating crimes specifically known to be the funding mechanism for organized crime and international terrorism, including human trafficking, illicit trade, weapons trafficking, drug smuggling, cybercrime, and bank fraud and money laundering.”
During its regular quarterly meeting last month, CSGS officials discussed “a substantial financial crimes case under active international investigation” with INTERPOL’s France-based Financial Crimes Unit directly involved in the case stemming from tips to CSGS.
As previously reported: “Because of the sensitivity of the case, CSGS is not expounding on the investigation, when the alleged crimes took place, or what countries are involved. But it speaks to the leadership of CSGS here in the U.S. and beyond U.S. borders.”
CSGS is also raising money for mine (explosive device) clearing efforts in war-torn areas of Eastern Europe.
CSGS’s work and collaboration efforts in Serbia have expanded in recent years with ongoing coordination of effort between CSGS and U.S. Embassy officials in Serbia and neighboring countries.
In the organization’s February meeting, the CSGS board discussed CSGS development beyond Eastern Europe with outreach into Kenya and potential expansion throughout other areas, nations, and regions of Africa.
In addition to Lamb and Fuda in the U.S., and Miletić in Serbia, the CSGS team includes – among others – Dr. James Chambers III, U.S. Marine Corps veteran (Vietnam); Dr. Scott Sotobeer, the highest-ranking civilian in the King County (Washington state) Sheriff’s Office; Lisa Broderick, founder of POLICE2PEACE; retired Police Officer Justine Insalaco; homeless advocate and anti-sex-trafficking expert Kristine Moreland; former Police Officer and USMC veteran Tim Stone; Dr. Joseph J. Lestrange, CSGS board advisor; and Richland County (S.C.) Sheriff Leon Lott, the 2021 National Sheriff of the Year and a S.C. Military Veterans Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2025).
– W. Thomas Smith Jr., a retired S.C. Military Department officer, a formerly deployed U.S. Marine Infantry leader, counterterrorism instructor, and today a special deputy with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, is also a member of the CSGS board of directors.
