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New York Woman Sentenced for Scheme to Defraud Consumer Product Manufacturers

A New York woman was sentenced to 19 months in prison today for her role in a scheme to defraud consumer product manufacturers.



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Federal Court in California Shuts Down Tax Preparer

A federal court in Los Angeles has entered an order permanently barring John Trunzo from preparing federal income tax returns and other tax-related documents for others.



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United States Files False Claims Act Lawsuit Against the Largest For-Profit Hospice Chain in the United States

The United States has filed suit against Chemed Corporation and various wholly owned hospice subsidiaries, including Vitas Hospice Services LLC and Vitas Healthcare Corporation, alleging false Medicare billings for hospice services.



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Federal Court in California Shuts Down Tax Preparer

A federal court in Los Angeles has entered an order permanently barring Simon Jenkins from preparing federal income tax returns and other tax-related documents for others.



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Patient Recruiter of Miami Home Health Company Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Role in $20 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A patient recruiter for a Miami health care company was sentenced today to serve 37 months in prison for his participation in a $20 million Medicare fraud scheme.



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Las Vegas Mortgage Agent Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Role in Mortgage Fraud Scheme

A Las Vegas mortgage agent was sentenced late yesterday to serve 15 months in prison for her participation in a mortgage fraud scheme that netted more than $1.2 million in fraudulent mortgage loans.



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Puerto Rico Man Will Face Life in Prison for Killing a Federal Witness

Xavier Jiménez-Benceví, aka “Xavi,” 28, faces life in prison following his conviction of murdering Delia Sánchez-Sánchez, a federal witness on a drug trafficking case.



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Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Missouri Tax Return Preparers

The United States has asked a federal court in St. Louis, Mo., to permanently bar Joseph Burns, d/b/a Electronic Tax Service, Joseph Thomas and International Tax Service Inc. (Thomas’s business), from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Departments of Justice and Education Reach Settlement to Address and Prevent Sexual Assault and Harassment of Students at the University of Montana in Missoula

The Department of Justice and the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights obtained a comprehensive resolution agreement today with the University of Montana-Missoula in Missoula, Mont., to ensure that it responds swiftly and effectively to allegations of sexual assault and harassment by students.



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Former Middle School Employee Sentenced in Texas to 30 Years in Prison for Producing and Distributing Child Pornography

A Texas man was sentenced today to serve 30 years in prison for producing and distributing material relating to the sexual exploitation of children.



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Former President of Port Arthur Company Guilty of Federal Crimes Related to Employee Deaths

The former president of Port Arthur Chemical and Environmental Services, LLC (PACES) has pleaded guilty in federal court to occupational safety crimes which resulted in the death of an employee.



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Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Roy L. Austin Jr. Speaks at the Press Conference on the Agreements with the University of Montana

"We have covered extraordinary ground in the last year—not only concluding a comprehensive investigation of the University’s response to sexual assault, but also reaching two agreements to remedy the problems we found— this would not have been possible without the cooperation and dedication that the University demonstrated throughout," said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Austin.




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Convicted Terrorist Sentenced to Life in Prison for Plotting to Kill Witnesses in His Terrorism Trial

At a hearing today in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina, Hysen Sherifi, 29, of Raleigh, N.C., was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge W. Earl Britt to life in prison. Sherifi’s co-defendants, Shkumbin Sherifi, 23, and Nevine Aly Elshiekh, 48, were also sentenced to 36 months and 42 months in prison, respectively, both followed by three years of supervised release.



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Federal Court in Georgia Shuts Down Tax Return Preparer

A federal court permanently barred Larry J. Heath, a Cartersville, Ga., area tax preparer who operated Heath’s Income Tax, Heath &s Income Tax II, from preparing tax returns for others.



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High Ranking Gulf Cartel Member Sentenced in Washington, D.C., to 35 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

Aurelio Cano Flores, a Mexican national and high ranking member of the Gulf Cartel, was sentenced today to serve 35 years in prison for conspiring to import multi-ton quantities of cocaine and marijuana into the United States.



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Detroit-Area Clinic Owner Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Role in $19 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A Detroit-area adult day care center owner was sentenced today to serve 40 months in prison for billing for unnecessary psychotherapy services, or services that were not provided, as part of a health care fraud conspiracy which led to more than $19 million in fraudulent Medicare billings.



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Idaho Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

Michael George Fitzpatrick, 51, of Hope, Idaho, was sentenced to 42 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Larry A. Burns.



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California Jewelry Store Owner Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Conspiracy to Launder the Proceeds of Bank Fraud

Safieh Fard, 52, of Escondido, Calif., was sentenced late yesterday to 63 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney. Fard was also ordered to pay $594,000 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for unpaid individual income taxes.



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Community Mental Health Center Program Coordinator Sentenced to 70 Months for Role in $63 Million Fraud Scheme

A former program coordinator at the defunct health provider Health Care Solutions Network Inc. (HCSN) was sentenced in Miami to 70 months in prison today for her role in a $63 million fraud scheme.



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Medicare Fraud Strike Force Charges 89 Individuals for Approximately $223 Million in False Billing

Attorney General Eric Holder and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that a nationwide takedown by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in eight cities has resulted in charges against 89 individuals, including doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $223 million in false billings.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Medicare Fraud Strike Force Press Conference

As a result of Strike Force operations conducted since 2007, we’ve filed charges against more than 1,500 individuals in connection with schemes involving over $5 billion in false billings.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Announces Improvements to the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program

Attorney General Eric Holder and Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Mary Lou Leary announced several improvements to the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Program following the completion of a comprehensive review of the program ordered by the Attorney General in May 2012.



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Justice Department Recognizes Nine Individuals for Child Protection Efforts at Missing Children’s Day Ceremony

The Justice Department today paid tribute to nine individuals for their extraordinary efforts to recover missing children, rescue children from abuse and prosecute sexual predators during its annual commemoration of National Missing Children’s Day.



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Pennslyvania Inmate Sentenced to Life in Prison for Violent Murder of Fellow Inmate

A federal inmate was sentenced today to life in prison for the violent murder of a fellow inmate in Pennsylvania’s Allenwood Correctional Complex



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Mississippi Corporation Pleads Guilty and Agrees to $ 1 Million Fine for Illegally Filling Protected Wetlands

Mississippi-based Hancock County Land LLC (HCL) pleaded guilty today to the unpermitted filling of wetlands near Bay St. Louis, Miss., and agreed to pay a $1 million fine and take remedial measures for two felony violations of the Clean Water Act/



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Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Mary Lou Leary Speaks at the National Missing Children's Day Ceremony

I want to take this opportunity not only to congratulate our honorees, but to thank all of you – everyone here – for your commitment to finding missing, abducted, and exploited children.




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Statement Regarding Inspector General Report on the Handling of Former Known or Suspected Terrorists Admitted into the Federal Witness Security Program

For more than 40 years, the federal Witness Security (WitSec) Program has enabled the government to bring to justice the most dangerous criminals by providing critical protection for witnesses fearing for their safety.



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Justice Department Reaches Fair Housing Settlement with Design Professionals in Disability Lawsuit

The Justice Department today announced a settlement with the architects and civil engineers involved in the design and construction of multifamily housing complexes located in Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee.



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Former Dallas Securities Broker Sentenced in Oklahoma to 84 Months in Prison for Role in Stock Manipulation Scheme

A former stock broker was sentenced to prison today for his role in an extensive pump-and-dump stock manipulation scheme.



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Individual Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Id Fraud and Impersonating an Osha Official in Wake of Gulf Oil Spill

Connie M. Knight, 47, previously of Belle Chasse, La., was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison in New Orleans federal court late yesterday for providing fraudulent hazardous waste safety training in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill



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United States Sues Brooklyn Fish Processors in Food Safety Case

The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit and sought a preliminary injunction against N.Y. Fish Inc.; New York City Fish Inc.; Maxim Kutsyk, Pavel Roytkov, Leonid Staroseletesky, and Steven Koyfman under the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).



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Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced in Houston to Prison for Human Smuggling

Indian national Kaushik Jayantibhai Thakkar and Brazilian national Fabiano Augusto Amorim were each sentenced today to serve 36 months in prison for their roles in smuggling undocumented migrants to the United States for private financial gain.



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Alabama Woman Receives Four Years in Prison in Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Scheme

Larreka Jackson was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison for her role in a multi-million dollar conspiracy to use stolen identities to obtain tax refunds, the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. Jackson was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $721,519.12. In January 2013, Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false claims and one count of aggravated identity theft.



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Virginia Investment Firm Officer Sent to Prison in KPMG Tax Shelter Case

Michael Parker, of Baltimore, Md., who was the chief operating officer of TransCapital Corporation, a tax-advantaged investments company based in Northern Virginia, was sentenced today to 54 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Sandra S. Beckwith in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



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Two Denso Corporation Executives Agree to Plead Guilty for Price Fixing and Bid Rigging on Auto Parts Installed in U.S. Cars

Two DENSO Corp. executives – Yuji Suzuki and Hiroshi Watanabe – have agreed to plead guilty for their roles in international conspiracies to fix prices and rig bids of certain automotive components installed in U.S. cars, the Department of Justice announced today.



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Former Texas Police Officer Ordered to Federal Prison for Deprivation of Civil Rights

A former officer with the Laredo, Texas, Police Department (LPD) has been sentenced to prison following his conviction for violating the civil rights of an arrestee.



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One of the World’s Largest Digital Currency Companies and Seven of Its Principals and Employees Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with Running Alleged $6 Billion Money Laundering Scheme

Liberty Reserve, a company that operated one of the world’s most widely used digital currency services, and seven of its principals and employees were charged with money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.



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Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Coercing and Enticing a Minor to Perform in an Online Sex Show

A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to serve 12 years in prison for coercing and enticing a minor and possessing child pornography.



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Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman Speaks at the Liberty Reserve Press Conference

"Today, we strike a severe blow against a professional money laundering enterprise charged with laundering over $6 billion in criminal proceeds," said Raman.




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Former Navy Reservist Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Multiple Minors to Produce Child Pornography

Anthony K. Mastrogiovanni, 30, of Crofton, Md., pleaded guilty today to the sexual exploitation of minors to produce child pornography



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Department of Justice Releases Report to Congress on Indian Country Investigations and Prosecutions

The Department of Justice released today a report to Congress entitled Indian Country Investigations and Prosecutions which provides a range of enforcement statistics required under the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010.



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Manssor Arbabsiar Sentenced in New York City Federal Court to 25 Years in Prison for Conspiring with Iranian Military Officials to Assassinate the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States

Manssor Arbabsiar, aka “Mansour Arbabsiar,” was sentenced today in New York City federal court to 25 years in prison for participating in a plot to murder the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the U.S. while the Ambassador was in the U.S..



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Court Approves Consent Decree to Prevent and Address Racial Discrimination in Student Discipline in Meridian, Miss.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi today approved a landmark consent decree filed by the Justice Department, together with private plaintiffs and the Meridian Public School District in Meridian, Miss., to prevent and address racial discrimination in student discipline



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Florida Accountant Sentenced to Federal Prison for Two Fraud Schemes

Joseph Rizzuti, of Stuart, Fla., was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and for corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).



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Rockville, Md., Property Purchased with Nigerian Corruption Proceeds Forfeited Through Justice Department’s Kleptocracy Initiative

A forfeiture judgment was executed today against real property with an estimated value of more than $700,000 in Rockville, Md., that had been purchased with corruption proceeds traceable to Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Nigeria.



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For-Profit School in Texas to Pay United States up to $2.5 Million for Allegedly Submitting False Claims for Federal Student Financial Aid

American Commercial Colleges Inc. (ACC) has agreed to pay the United States up to $2.5 million, plus interest, to resolve allegations that it violated the civil False Claims Act by falsely certifying that it complied with certain eligibility requirements of the federal student aid programs.



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Justice Department Finds Pennsylvania State Prison’s Use of Solitary Confinement Violates Rights of Prisoners Under the Constitution and Americans with Disabilities Act

The Justice Department issued a findings letter detailing the results of its investigation into the use of solitary confinement on prisoners with serious mental illness at the Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution at Cresson in Cambria County, Pa



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Karol V. Mason Sworn-In as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs

Attorney General Eric Holder today welcomed Karol V. Mason as the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP).



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Illinois Man Sentenced to Serve 72 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Presciption Drugs Over the Internet

Michael P. Jackson, 40, of Carmi, Ill., was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to serve 72 months in prison for selling the prescription drug known as Adderall.



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Former Prince George’s County, Maryland, Correctional Officer Sentenced to 24 Months for Obstruction of Justice

U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams Jr. sentenced Anthony McIntosh, a former correctional officer at the Prince George’s County Detention Center, in Upper Marlboro, Md., to 24 months in prison for obstruction of justice.



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