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North Carolina-Based Trans1 to Pay U.S. $6 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

Medical device manufacturer TranS1 Inc., now known as Baxano Surgical Inc., has agreed to pay the United States $6 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that the company caused health care providers to submit false claims to Medicare and other federal health care programs for minimally-invasive spine surgeries.



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Justice Department Settles Immigration-related Discrimination Claim Against Alabama Employment Agency

The Justice Department today reached an agreement with Stellar Staffing LLC, based in Birmingham, Ala., resolving claims that the employment agency violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).



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Science Applications International Corporation Agrees to Pay $5.75 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

The Justice Department announced today that Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) has agreed to pay $5.75 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims under a contract with the General Services Administration (GSA) that it knew had been awarded in violation of federal procurement regulations.



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Tacoma, Wash., Medical Firm to Pay $14.5 Million to Settle Overbilling Allegations

Sound Inpatient Physicians Inc. will pay $14.5 million to settle allegations that it overbilled Medicare and other federal health care programs.



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Two Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Gang Members Plead Guilty to Federal Racketeering Charges

Two members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas gang (ABT) pleaded guilty today to racketeering charges related to their membership in the ABT’s criminal enterprise, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas.



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U.S.Postal Service Mail Carrier Convicted for Involvement with Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Conspiracy

A jury found Vernon Harrison, of Montgomery, Ala., guilty of one count of conspiring to file false claims, eight counts of mail fraud, eight counts of aggravated identity theft and six counts of embezzlement from the U.S. mail.



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Justice Department Enters into Memorandum of Understanding with National Labor Relations Board

The Justice Department announced today that the Civil Rights Division’s Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Labor Relations Board.



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Naples Residents Plead Guilty to Tax Fraud for Failing to Pay Employment Taxes

The Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that Anthony Chaudhuri and Margaret Chaudhuri, of Naples, Fla., pleaded guilty today to one count each of conspiracy to defraud the United States.



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Supervisor of $63 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme Sentenced in Florida to 10 Years in Prison

A former supervisor at defunct health provider Health Care Solutions Network Inc. (HCSN) was sentenced today in Miami to serve 10 years in prison for her central role in a fraud scheme that resulted in more than $63 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare and Florida Medicaid.



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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Indiana Tax Preparer

The Justice Department announced today that it has asked a federal court in Indianapolis, to bar Cynthia Hawk, who operates Gain Tax Services, from preparing tax returns.



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Former Alabama Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice in Federal Criminal Civil Rights Investigation of Beating Death of an Inmate

The Justice Department announced today that Joseph Sanders, 32, a former corrections officer of the Alabama Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty to obstructing justice in an investigation into the beating death of former inmate Rocrast Mack.



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Justice Department Statement on Meeting with European Union

This morning the Department of Justice hosted the initial meeting in the U.S.-E.U./E.U. Member State dialogue on intelligence practices.



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US Joins False Claims Act Lawsuit Alleging Illegal Physician Compensation by Mobile, Ala., Health Firm

The government has intervened in a False Claims Act lawsuit against Infirmary Health System Inc. and its related entities: IMC-Diagnostic and Medical Clinic P.C., Diagnostic Physicians Group P.C. and Infirmary Medical Clinics P.C.



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Justice Department Releases Investigative Findings on the City of Miami Police Department and Officer-involved Shootings

Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department today released its letter of findings determining that the city of Miami Police Department (MPD) has engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive use of force through officer-involved shootings in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution.



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Iraqi Company Business Manager Pleads Guilty in Texas to Illegal Gratuities Scheme

A business manager for an Iraqi company pleaded guilty today to giving thousands of dollars in illegal gratuities to a U.S. pay agent from contractors while the business manager was in Iraq, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas.



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Justice Department Issues Statement on U.S. District Court Ruling That Apple Violated Antitrust Laws

"After carefully weighing the evidence, the court agreed with the Justice Department and 33 state attorneys general that executives at the highest levels of Apple orchestrated a conspiracy with five major publishers – Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin and Simon & to raise e-book prices."



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Former Preschool Director Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

The Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that Susan C. Valentine, a resident of Fairfax County, Va., pleaded guilty today to tax evasion.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Erie County, N.Y., Over Disability Discrimination

The Justice Department today announced it filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York against Erie County, N.Y., alleging that the county discriminated against an employee with a disability.



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Shell Oil to Spend Over $115 Million to Reduce Harmful Air Pollution at Houston Area Refinery and Chemical Plant

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that Shell Oil and affiliated partnerships (Shell) have agreed to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at a large refinery and chemical plant in Deer Park, Texas, by spending at least $115 million to control harmful air pollution from industrial flares and other processes, and by paying a $2.6 million civil penalty.



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Former U.S. Army Reserve Captain Pleads Guilty in Nevada to Bribery Scheme

A former U.S. Army Reserve captain pleaded guilty today to accepting more than $90,000 in bribes from contractors while he was deployed to Iraq, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada.



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Justice Department Releases Educational Video About Discrimination in Employment Eligibility Verification

The Justice Department announced today the launch of a new educational video to assist employers in avoiding charges of discrimination in the employment eligibility verification form I-9 process and in the use of E-Verify.



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Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Underboss Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison

Joseph Massimino was sentenced today to serve 188 months in prison for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy involving extortion, loan sharking and illegal gambling, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division.



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Las Vegas Agent Convicted in Mortgage Fraud Scheme

A Las Vegas mortgage agent has been convicted for his role in a “cash back at closing” mortgage fraud scheme that netted $1.43 million in fraudulent mortgage loans, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada, and Acting Special Agent in Charge William C. Woerner of the FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for Sex Discrimination

The Department of Justice announced today the filing of a lawsuit, against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), alleging that CDCR discriminated against Joe B. Cummings on the basis of his sex in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.



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Contrack International Inc. Agrees to Pay $3.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

Contrack International Inc., a global design and construction company headquartered in McLean, Va., has agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle allegations that it submitted false claims in connection with U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) contracts.



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Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Associate Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison

Gary Battaglini was sentenced today to serve 96 months in prison for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy involving loan sharking and illegal gambling, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division.



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Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the Justice Department Report on Revised Media Guidelines

After conducting a rigorous review of internal Justice Department guidelines governing investigations and other law enforcement matters that involve journalists, Attorney General Eric Holder today released a report outlining several key reforms to the department’s protocols.



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Court Approves Comprehensive Assignment Plan in Longstanding Tennessee Desegregation Case

Today, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee approved a comprehensive consent order in McFerren v. County Board of Education of Fayette County, which the Department of Justice negotiated with the Board of Education of Fayette County, Tenn., and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund to desegregate the Fayette County public schools.



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North Carolina Used Oil Recycling Business and Owner Plead Guilty to Unlawful Handling of PCB-Contaminated Used Oil and Other Crimes

Benjamin Franklin Pass, 60, and P&s Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The defendants admitted to, among other things, the unlawful handling of a toxic substance that resulted in widespread contamination.



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Justice Department Statement on the Trayvon Martin-George Zimmerman Case

As the Department first acknowledged last year, we have an open investigation into the death of Trayvon Martin. The Department of Justice's Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division, the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation continue to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal investigation, as well as the evidence and testimony from the state trial. Experienced federal prosecutors will determine whether the evidence reveals a prosecutable violation of any of the limited federal criminal civil rights statutes within our jurisdiction, and whether federal prosecution is appropriate in accordance with the Department's policy governing successive federal prosecution following a state trial.



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Massachusetts Man Charged with Selling Counterfeit Semiconductors Intended for Use on Nuclear Submarines

Peter Picone, 40, of Methuen, Mass., has been charged with importing counterfeit semiconductors from China for sale in the United States.



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Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission and Civil Rights Division Indian Working Group Create Communication Bridge

Today marked the establishment of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission and the Civil Rights Division’s Indian Working Group (IWG).



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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Delivers Remarks at the National Association of Drug Court Professionals Conference

While incarceration is a necessary part of the strategy for ensuring public safety, we know it is not the only answer in every case -- especially for the low-level drug offender. If any of us hope to change the behavior of our criminal population – and make our communities safer – we must make the investment to treat individuals with substance use disorders and others in need of help as a part of the criminal justice system.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Addresses the Delta Sigma Theta National Convention Social Action Luncheon

Since that moment – thanks to the work of groups like this one, and the dedication of passionate advocates like all of you – our nation has experienced remarkable, once-unimaginable progress.




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Diamond Electric Mfg. Co. Ltd. and an Autoliv Inc. Executive Agree to Plead Guilty to Price Fixing on Automobile Parts Installed in U.S. Cars

Osaka, Japan-based Diamond Electric Mfg. Co. Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $19 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices of ignition coils installed in cars sold in the United States and elsewhere.



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Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Member Sentenced to 137 Months in Prison

Damion Canalichio was sentenced today to serve 137 months in prison for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy involving loan sharking and illegal gambling, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division.



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MS-13 Members Convicted in Atlanta for Murders and Attempted Murders

After a four-week trial, a federal jury has convicted Miguel Alvarado-Linares, Ernesto Escobar, Dimas Alfaro-Granados and Jairo Reyna-Ozuna for committing multiple murders, attempted murders, armed robberies and firearms offenses in Gwinnett and DeKalb Counties.



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Florida Health Care Medical Director and Six Therapists Arrested for Alleged Roles in $63 Million Fraud Scheme

The former medical director at defunct health provider Health Care Solutions Network (HCSN) and six therapists were arrested today, accused of conspiring to fraudulently bill Medicare and Florida Medicaid more than $63 million.



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Pizza Franchise Owner and Four Others Indicted for Tax Fraud

The Justice Department announced today that Happy Asker, franchise owner of multiple “Happy’s Pizza” franchises, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit along with Maher Bashi, Tom Yaldo, Arkan Summa and Tagrid Bashi for multiple tax offenses arising from a conspiracy to underreport taxable income and payroll taxes of nine Happy’s Pizza franchises.



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Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Terrorist Solicitation and Firearms Offense

Emerson Winfield Begolly, 22, of New Bethlehem, Penn., was sentenced today in Pittsburgh to 102 months in prison for soliciting others to engage in acts of terrorism within the United States and for using a firearm during and in relation to an assault on FBI agents.



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Seven Defendants in Mortgage Origination Fraud Scheme Indicted for Bank Fraud Conspiracy Along with Other Charges

The Justice Department announced that seven defendants were arrested and arraigned today for their roles in a mortgage fraud conspiracy that operated in Detroit.



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Ashland, Ohio, Trio Indicted for Labor Trafficking and Other Crimes

A five-count indictment was filed charging three people from Ashland, Ohio, with engaging in a labor trafficking conspiracy and related crimes for holding a woman with cognitive disabilities and her child against their will and forcing the woman to perform manual labor for them, law enforcement officials said today.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Addresses the NAACP Annual Convention

Today – starting here and now – it’s time to commit ourselves to a respectful, responsible dialogue about issues of justice and equality – so we can meet division and confusion with understanding, with compassion, and ultimately with truth.




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Justice Department Enters into Far-reaching Agreement with the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to Reform the Puerto Rico Police Department

he Justice Department today entered into a sweeping civil rights agreement with the commonwealth of Puerto Rico to modernize and reform the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD).



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Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Capo Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison

Anthony Staino was sentenced today to serve 97 months in prison for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy involving extortion, loan sharking and illegal gambling, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division.



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Former CEO and Former CFO of ArthroCare Corp. Charged with Orchestrating $400 Million Securities Fraud Scheme

The former chief executive officer and former chief financial officer of ArthroCare Corp., a publicly traded medical device company based in Austin, Texas, were charged for their alleged leading roles in a $400 million scheme to defraud the company’s shareholders and members of the investing public by falsely inflating ArthroCare’s earnings by tens of millions of dollars, announced Acting Assistant Attorney Mythili Raman of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman of the Western District of Texas.



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California Businessman Pleads Guilty to Concealing Foreign Bank Account at Israeli Bank on His Tax Return

Assistant Attorney General for the Tax Division Kathryn Keneally and U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag for the Northern District of California announced that Moshe Handelsman of Saratoga, Calif., pleaded guilty today to filing a false tax return for tax year 2007.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at Puerto Rico Agreement Press Conference

Today, the Justice Department and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico filed an historic and court-enforceable agreement to ensure that local police services will be delivered in a manner that is both highly effective and consistent with the Constitution, the laws of the United States and our most treasured values.




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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Delivers Remarks at Puerto Rico Agreement Press Conference

Thank you, Governor, for that kind introduction. You and your administration – particularly, Secretary Sánchez Betances – have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the safety and welfare of the people of Puerto Rico




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Brooklyn Owner of Sportswear Distribution Business Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

The Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today that Harry Neuhoff, a resident of Brooklyn, N.Y., has pleaded guilty to tax evasion.



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