ge Additional Charges Brought Against Tax Return Preparers Previously Charged with Helping Clients Hide Millions in Offshore Israeli Banks By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 10:40:45 EDT David Kalai and Nadav Kalai face additional charges after a federal grand jury in the Central District of California returned a second superseding indictment yesterday. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Mississippi Tax Return Preparer for Alledgedly Overstating Tax Refunds By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 17:03:21 EDT The United States has requested that the federal district court in Jackson, Miss., permanently bar Danee Aikens from preparing federal income tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Missouri Man Charged with Attempted Arson of Planned Parenthood Facility By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 17:30:01 EDT The Justice Department announced today that Jedediah Stout, 30, of Joplin, Mo., was charged today in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., with the attempted arson of a Planned Parenthood facility. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Columbus, Ohio, Tax Return Preparation Firm with Large Portion of Elderly Customers Shut Down By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 17:21:38 EDT A federal court in Columbus, Ohio, has permanently barred Tobias Elsass and his companies, “Fraud Recovery Group Inc.” and “Sensible Tax Services Inc.,” from preparing federal tax returns, promoting the availability of theft loss deductions, or engaging in any other tax-related business in the future. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Vietnamese National Charged in Widespread International Scheme to Steal and Sell Hundreds of Thousands of U.s. Persons’ Personally Identifiable Information By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 17:50:13 EDT A Vietnamese national has been indicted in the District of New Hampshire for allegedly participating in an international scheme to steal and sell hundreds of thousands of Americans’ personally identifiable information (PII) through various underground websites that he operated. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 09:36:36 EDT The reality is that police don’t always have the luxury of time to get their most highly-trained, best-equipped officers on the scene. To save lives, the first officers to arrive must sometimes be the ones to directly engage an active shooter. That’s why all law enforcement officers must have the best equipment and most up-to-date training to confront these situations. We owe these officers nothing less. Full Article Speech
ge Georgia Real Estate Investment Company and Owner Plead Guilty to Conspiracies to Rig Bids and Commit Mail Fraud for the Purchase of Real Estate at Public Foreclosure Auctions By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 14:23:55 EDT A Georgia real estate investor and his company pleaded guilty today for their role in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Georgia. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge U.S. Deputy Attorney General Cole and Panamanian Attorney General Belfon Sign Agreement to Share Forfeited Assets By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 14:13:10 EDT Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole and Panamanian Attorney General Ana Belfon today signed an agreement in Panama City, Panama, to share more than $36 million in forfeited criminal assets with the Government of Panama. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Las Vegas Street Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison_for Racketeering, Murder, Firearm, and Drug Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 14:55:08 EDT A member of the Playboy Bloods street gang was sentenced today to life in prison for the retaliation murder of a man in November 2004 and the armed robbery of a Henderson, Nev., casino in 2002, 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. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Louisiana Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Assault of Detainee By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:15:22 EDT The Justice Department announced that former Jefferson Parish, La. Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Gary J. Shine pleaded guilty today before Federal District Court Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle to assaulting a detainee at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna, La., thereby depriving the detainee of his civil rights. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Indictment Unsealed and “Wanted” Posters Issued for Fugitives Charged with Multimillion Dollar International Cyber Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 14:56:23 EDT Earlier today, charges were unsealed against Romanian fugitive Nicolae Popescu, the leader of an international organized crime syndicate that ran a multimillion dollar cyber fraud scheme, and six other fugitives charged with participating in the same scheme. Interpol has issued red notices to foreign law enforcement partners seeking assistance in the apprehension of these fugitives, and the FBI has also released “Wanted” posters to facilitate their arrests. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Former USAID Senior Official to Pay Civil Penalty for Alleged Conflict of Interest Violation By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 10:28:52 EDT David Ostermeyer, who retired from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2012, will pay the government a $30,000 penalty to settle allegations that he participated in a matter in which he had a financial interest that conflicted with his duties when he was Chief Financial Officer of the agency. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Rhode Island Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder and Robbery of Gas Station Manager By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 11:34:01 EDT Jason W. Pleau, 35, of Providence, R.I., was sentenced today to life in prison for the murder and robbery of Woonsocket, R.I., gas station manager David D. Main. Pleau chased, shot at close range and robbed Main on Sep. 20, 2010, as Main approached the doorstep of a Woonsocket bank where he was to have deposited receipts belonging to the gas station that he managed. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Former Brokerage Firm Operations Head Indicted for Tax Crimes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 17:38:57 EDT An indictment was unsealed today charging Dominick Pannitti, formerly of North Bellmore, N.Y., with tax crimes, the Justice Department announced. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Justice Department Charges California Apartment Owner and Staff with Discrimination Against Families with Children By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 18:04:23 EDT The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the owner and operators of a Fremont, Calif., apartment complex, alleging that they had discriminated against families with children in violation of the Fair Housing Act by prohibiting children from playing in the common grassy areas of the complex. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the Arab Forum on Asset Recovery By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:51:40 EDT We come together this year at a time of reflection and renewal – in a moment of progress and possibility; of challenge as well as opportunity. It was 14 years ago, in Washington, D.C., when then-Vice President of the United States Al Gore convened the very first Global Forum on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity – an initiative that reflected a growing international willingness to acknowledge corruption as a problem that every country must face. Since that time, international leaders have repeatedly come together – in a variety of ways – to foster widespread consensus on the need for collective action in the face of shared challenges. And our nations have together accomplished a great deal. Full Article Speech
ge Owners and Supervisor of Ambulance Transportation Company Plead Guilty in Los Angeles for Role in Ambulance Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 08:45:17 EDT The owners and supervisor of Alpha Ambulance Inc. (Alpha), a now-defunct Los Angeles-area ambulance transportation company, have pleaded guilty in connection with an ambulance fraud scheme. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Army Soldier and Civilian Sentenced on Bribery Charges for Facilitating Thefts of Fuel in Afghanistan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 10:59:24 EDT A former U.S. Army Sergeant and a co-conspirator have been sentenced in the District of Colorado for their roles in stealing fuel at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty, Afghanistan, Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division announced. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Illinois Man Arrested for Alleged Role in $12 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 15:11:28 EDT A Rockford, Ill., man was arrested today in connection with an indictment charging three Chicago-area residents for their roles in an alleged $12 million health care fraud scheme. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Making Hoax Emergency Services Calls By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 18:04:26 EDT A Massachusetts man was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison today for engaging in an illegal practice known as “swatting,” in which he made hoax emergency telephone calls reporting an ongoing, dangerous crime to elicit an armed police response from a SWAT team to a specific location, typically in order to harass someone he believed was at the location. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Attorney General Holder Announces $6.7 Million to Improve Legal Defense Services for the Poor By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 10:06:13 EDT Attorney General Eric Holder today announced a total of $6.7 million in grants to state and local criminal and civil legal services organizations across the country that provide legal defense services for the poor. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Utah Man Indicted on Federal Hate Crime and Gun Charges Related to Religious-Motivated Attack on Synogogue By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 18:32:18 EDT The Department of Justice announced today that a federal grand jury sitting in Salt Lake City returned a superseding indictment charging Macon Openshaw, 21, of Salt Lake City, on gun possession charges and a federal hate crime charge relating to a bias-motivated attack at a local synagogue. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Justice Department Sues to Stop Georgia Tax Return Preparer By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 1 Nov 2013 16:26:25 EDT Return Preparer Allegedly Overstated Refunds Through False First-Time Homebuyer Credits Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Los Angeles Businessman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud the United States by Concealing Israeli Bank Accounts By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 4 Nov 2013 18:44:00 EST David Raminfard of Los Angeles pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to conspiracy to defraud the United States, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) announced. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the Johnson & Johnson Press Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 4 Nov 2013 10:29:38 EST We are here to announce that Johnson & and that they paid kickbacks to both physicians and pharmacies for prescribing and promoting these drugs. Full Article Speech
ge Irish National Pleads Guilty in New York to Crimes Relating to Illegal Trafficking of Endangered Rhinoceros Horns By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 5 Nov 2013 14:56:16 EST Michael Slattery Jr., 25, an Irish national, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Brooklyn, N.Y., to conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act in relation to illegal rhinoceros horn trafficking, announced Robert G. Dreher, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice, and Loretta E. Lynch, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the Philadelphia Reentry Court By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 7 Nov 2013 10:22:58 EST There are kids and younger people who are going to be looking at you all and who are going to learn from you, from your example. You have a unique opportunity and I think a responsibility to give something back and to make better the lives of those youngsters who will be looking up to you. Full Article Speech
ge Navy Commander Charged with Accepting $100,000 Cash and Prostitutes in Widening International Bribery Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 6 Nov 2013 18:32:32 EST A third senior U.S. Navy official has been charged in a complaint unsealed today with accepting prostitutes, luxury travel and $100,000 cash from a foreign defense contractor in exchange for classified and internal U.S. Navy information, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy of the Southern District of California. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Lutz, Fla., Man Convicted on Drug Distribution and Sex Trafficking Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 6 Nov 2013 18:54:31 EST Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley III and Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels of the Civil Rights Division today announced the conviction of Andrew Blane Fields, 62, of Lutz, Fla., in the Middle District of Florida on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, namely Oxycodone, Dilaudid and Morphine, and sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge New Hampshire Man Charged with Passing Fraudulent Documents in Connection with His Sale of Black Rhinoceros Horns for $35,000 By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 7 Nov 2013 11:30:56 EST Ari B. Goldenberg, 46, of Milton, N.H., was charged today with trafficking in and making a false record for illegally selling a black rhinoceros head mount to an undercover U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) special agent. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Detroit-Area Home Health Care Agency Owner Sentenced for Role in $2.2 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 7 Nov 2013 11:53:44 EST The owner of a Detroit-area home health care agency was sentenced today to serve 65 months in prison for her leading role in a $2.2 million Medicare fraud scheme. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Home Health Agency Owner Sentenced for Role in $13.8 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 7 Nov 2013 15:42:38 EST Detroit-area resident Javed Rehman was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison today for his role in a $13.8 million Medicare fraud scheme. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Federal Court in Ohio Shuts Down Nation’s Fourth-Largest Tax-Preparation Firm and Bars CEO from Tax-Preparation Business By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 7 Nov 2013 15:51:32 EST Judge Finds that Instant Tax Service Franchisor Defrauded Customers, Obstructed the IRS and Violated Court Orders on Lending Practices Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Attorney General Eric Holder Selects Ronald Davis to Lead Office of Community Oriented Policing Services By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 10:03:20 EST Attorney General Eric Holder today announced Ronald L. Davis as the director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Justice Department Requires US Airways and American Airlines to Divest Facilities at Seven Key Airports to Enhance System-wide Competition and Settle Merger Challenge By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:01:45 EST The Department of Justice today announced that it is requiring US Airways Group Inc. and American Airlines’ parent corporation, AMR Corp. to divest slots and gates at key constrained airports across the country to low cost carrier airlines (LCCs) in order to enhance system-wide competition in the airline industry resulting in more choices and more competitive airfares for consumers. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the Memorial Service for TSA Officer Gerardo Hernandez By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:24:08 EST No one understood this better than Gerardo Hernandez – a passionate public servant who stood on the front lines of our struggle to prevent terrorism. But what made Gerardo Hernandez a hero was not only how he died – in the line of duty, becoming the first member of the Transportation Security Administration to lose his life in service of his country. Full Article Speech
ge Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer Delivers Remarks at the Conference Call Regarding the Justice Department’s Proposed Settlement with US Airways and American Airlines By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:26:09 EST The Department of Justice filed a proposed settlement with US Airways and American Airlines that, if approved by the court, would resolve our lawsuit challenging their proposed merger. Under the agreement, we are requiring US Airways and American Airlines to divest critically important facilities at seven key airports across the country Full Article Speech
ge Alleged Leader of Mexican Narcotics Trafficking Organization Extradited to U.S. By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 09:20:59 EST The alleged leader of a Mexican narcotics trafficking organization responsible for trafficking multi-ton quantities of cocaine, Juan Juarez Orosco, aka “El Abuelo,” was extradited to the United States from Panama on Nov. 8, 2013, and arraigned on Nov. 10, 2013, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom in the Eastern District of New York. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Attorney General Eric Holder Announces First Public Hearing of Task Force to Examine Impact of Violence on American Indian and Alaska Native Children By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 10:00:17 EST Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the first public hearing of a new task force to examine the impact of exposure to violence on American Indian and Alaska Native children. Joining President Obama and other officials at the Department of the Interior for the White House Tribal Nations Conference, Attorney General Holder shared the announcement with leaders from the 566 federally recognized tribes and emphasized the Justice Department’s long-standing collaboration with leaders in American Indian and Alaska Native communities to improve public safety. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the White House Tribal Nations Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 09:25:10 EST As we gather for this year’s Tribal Nations Conference – here in our nation’s capital, during American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month – it’s appropriate that we celebrate these and other momentous achievements. Full Article Speech
ge Associate Attorney General Tony West Delivers Remarks at the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 11:47:54 EST For at-risk young people—and particularly those affected by violence—the services provided by the Affordable Care Act represent more than an insurance policy; they are a lifeline. They are the tools of prevention and reorientation that can mean the difference between a life of fulfillment, and one that perpetuates a cycle of trauma and violence. Full Article Speech
ge Attorney General Eric Holder Calls on Congress to Pass Bipartisan Second Chance Act By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 14:37:23 EST Attorney General Eric Holder today endorsed the reauthorization of the Second Chance Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy and Rob Portman and its companion legislation by Representatives Danny Davis and F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. that provides resources and support to people reintegrating into their communities after being incarcerated. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Ohio-Based Basco Manufacturing Co. to Pay $1.1 Million for Allegedly Falsifying Customs Documents to Evade Import Duties on Chinese Products By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:01:00 EST Ohio-based Basco Manufacturing Co. (Basco) has agreed to pay $1.1 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by making false customs declarations to avoid paying duties on products imported from a Chinese manufacturer, and that it has filed a complaint against four other companies and two individuals based on similar allegations. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Associate Attorney General Tony West Delivers Remarks at the Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 10:04:03 EST Now perpetrators of domestic and dating violence will be held accountable, whether they’re Indian or non-Indian, and countless Indian women will enjoy safer lives as a result. Section 904 of VAWA 2013 recognizes the inherent power of “participating tribes” to exercise “special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction” over certain defendants, regardless of their Indian or non-Indian status, who commit acts of domestic violence or dating violence or violate certain protection orders in Indian country. Full Article Speech
ge Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer and Assistant Director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division Ronald T. Hosko Testify Before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights on Cartel Prosecution By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 15:44:51 EST Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer and FBI Assistant Director Ronald T. Hosko testify on cartel prosecution before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights Full Article Speech
ge Former Miami Mortgage Broker and Real Estate Agent Sentenced for Role in Multimillion-Dollar Mortgage Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 14:55:25 EST A former Florida-licensed real estate associate and mortgage broker was sentenced to serve 135 months in prison for his role in a $2.4 million mortgage fraud scheme. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Statement of Mythili Raman Acting Assistant Attorney General U.s. Justice Department Criminal Division Before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs United States Senate for a Hearing Entitled “Beyond the Silk Road: Potential Risks, T By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 16:48:58 EST Chairman Carper, Ranking Member Coburn, and distinguished Members of the Committee: Thank you for the opportunity to appear before the Committee today to discuss the Department of Justice’s work regarding virtual currencies. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ge Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Delivers Remarks at Money Laundering Enforcement Conference in Washington, D.C. By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 10:58:35 EST As all of you know, banking and financial services play a vital role in our country. They spawn growth, spread risk, facilitate the creation of jobs, and generally drive our economy. Without it, much of the prosperity that allows for our freedoms and our power in the world would not exist. Full Article Speech
ge Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman Testifies Before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 17:18:46 EST "Thank you for the opportunity to appear before the Committee today to discuss the Department of Justice’s work regarding virtual currencies. I am honored to represent the Department at this hearing and to describe for you our approach to virtual currencies" Full Article Speech
ge Justice Department, Federal and State Partners Secure Record $13 Billion Global Settlement with JPMorgan for Misleading Investors About Securities Containing Toxic Mortgages By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 14:41:51 EST The Justice Department, along with federal and state partners, today announced a $13 billion settlement with JPMorgan - the largest settlement with a single entity in American history - to resolve federal and state civil claims arising out of the packaging, marketing, sale and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) by JPMorgan, Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual prior to Jan. 1, 2009. As part of the settlement, JPMorgan acknowledged it made serious misrepresentations to the public - including the investing public - about numerous RMBS transactions. The resolution also requires JPMorgan to provide much needed relief to underwater homeowners and potential homebuyers, including those in distressed areas of the country. The settlement does not absolve JPMorgan or its employees from facing any possible criminal charges. Full Article OPA Press Releases