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Duke Energy to Spend Approximately $93 Million to Resolve Clean Air Act Violations

“This important settlement resolves lengthy litigation on very favorable terms,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.



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Settlement Reached at Sutton Brook Disposal Area Superfund Site in Massachusetts

A settlement estimated worth more than $30 million will ensure that cleanup of the Sutton Brook Disposal Area Superfund Site in Tewksbury, Mass., will move forward, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection announced today.



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Oklahoma Hospital Group Pays U.S. $13 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

“The resolution of this matter yielded a substantial recovery for taxpayers, and it underscores our commitment to ensure that services reimbursable by federal health care programs are based on the best interests of patients rather than the personal financial interests of referring physicians,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Department’s Civil Division.



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Visiting Physicians Association to Pay $9.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

Visiting Physicians Association, which is based in Farmington Hills, Mich., will pay the United States and the state of Michigan $9.5 million to settle allegations that the association violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare, TRICARE and the Michigan Medicaid program.



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Attorney General Appoints Gary Grindler Acting Deputy Attorney General

“Gary is a great asset to the Department, and I am pleased he has agreed to take on this responsibility,” Attorney General Eric Holder said.



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Ohio Attorney Charged with Tax Fraud, Obstruction of Justice for Scheme to Hide Income and Assets Through Trusts and in Foreign Bank Account

Aristotle R. Matsa, an attorney in Columbus, Ohio, was charged with tax offenses, obstruction of justice and additional charges in a 20-count indictment unsealed today.



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Major International Hacker Pleads Guilty for Massive Attack on U.S. Retail and Banking Networks

Albert Gonzalez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to the payment card networks operated by, among others, Heartland Payment Systems, 7-Eleven and Hannaford Brothers Co. Inc.



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UTStarcom Inc. Agrees to Pay $1.5 Million Penalty for Acts of Foreign Bribery in China

UTStarcom Inc. (UTSI) has entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice, agreeing to pay a $1.5 million fine for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by providing travel and other things of value to foreign officials, specifically employees at state-owned telecommunications firms in the People’s Republic of China.



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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison on Child Pornography Charges

Johnny Pires, 24, was sentenced today to five years in prison and five years of supervised release following his prison term for attempting to receive and possessing child pornography. Pires was also ordered to register as a sex offender.



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Fact Sheet: Department of Justice Activities Focused on Addressing Abuses in Juvenile Facilities

The findings reported in the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) report, Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Facilities Reported by Youth, 2008-2009, bring into focus the dire circumstances that too many youth in juvenile correctional facilities have to endure.



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Former Military Official Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Participation in Bribery Conspiracy Involving $206 Million Telecommunications Contract in Korea

A former Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) official was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Columbus, Ga., to three years in prison for his role in a bribery conspiracy involving a multi-million dollar telecommunications contract, and for not reporting the bribes he accepted on his income tax returns.



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Justice Department Reaches Agreement with New York City to Correct Conditions at Kings County Hospital Center

The Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York have entered into an agreement with New York City to correct conditions of confinement at the Kings County Hospital Center’s (KCHC) psychiatric emergency room and psychiatric in-patient units located in Brooklyn, N.Y.



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Attorney General Eric Holder at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches

"We cannot ignore the fact that protecting our economy is an essential component of our larger security goals," said Attorney General Holder.




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Two Cincinnati Dentists Plead Guilty to Conspiracy, Tax Evasion on Eve of Trial

Bradley C. Brennecke, a resident of Pleasant Plain, Ohio, and Bruce A. Mrusek, a resident of Maineville, Ohio, pleaded guilty late Tuesday to conspiracy and tax evasion charges before District Court Judge Michael R. Barrett in Cincinnati.



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Justice Department Reaches Three Settlements Under the Americans with Disabilities Act Regarding the Use of Electronic Book Readers

The Department announced separate agreements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Pace University in New York City and Reed College in Portland, Ore., regarding the use in a classroom setting of the electronic book reader, the Kindle DX, a hand-held technological device that simulates the experience of reading a book.



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Two Brothers Plead Guilty in Conspiracy to Hold Thai Workers in Forced Labor in Hawaii

Defendants Alec Sou and Mike Sou, co-owners of Aloun Farm, pleaded guilty on Jan.13, 2010, in federal district court in Honolulu, to conspiring to commit forced labor.



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Tahawwur Rana and David Headley Indicted for Alleged Roles in India and Denmark Terrorism Conspiracies

A federal grand jury today returned a superseding indictment adding three defendants, including Tahawwur Rana, to charges filed last month against David Coleman Headley, alleging that they and others participated in conspiracies involving a planned terrorist attack against a Danish newspaper and the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, that killed approximately 164 people, including six Americans.



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U.S. Files Suit Against Johnson &s Largest Nursing Home Pharmacy

The United States has filed a civil False Claims Act complaint against drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson (J&J) of New Brunswick, N.J., and two of its subsidiaries, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc.



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General Manager of Houston Medical Supply Company Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud

Manual Deluna has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with his role in Memorial Medical Supply, a Houston durable medical equipment company.



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Former Owner of New Hampshire Direct Mail Advertising Printing Company Agrees to Plead Guilty to Tax Conspiracy

As a part of the tax conspiracy, Ronald Boyarsky assisted in paying approximately $2.6 million in commissions earned by a printing services broker to third parties, so that the broker and his companies could avoid paying taxes on the income they earned.



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General Reinsurance Corporation Enters into Agreement Resolving Its Role in Fraudulent Reinsurance Transaction with AIG

General Re has admitted that its most senior management engaged in a scheme to falsely inflate AIG’s reported loss reserves, a key indicator of financial health to insurance industry analysts and investors.



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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Daily Gazette Company and MediaNews Group Inc.

"Today’s settlement resolves the department’s antitrust concerns and allows readers to continue to have a choice between two independent local daily newspapers–the Charleston Gazette and the Charleston Daily Mail."



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United States Announces Two Major Clean Air Act New Source Review Settlements at 28 Industrial Plants Nationwide

The United States filed two major Clean Air Act settlements to reduce air emissions from container glass and Portland cement plants throughout the country.



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Columbus Accountant and Realtor Plead Guilty to Mortgage Fraud & Obstruction of Justice Conspiracies

Dennis G. Sartain of Hilliard, Ohio; and Bonnie Helt, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit mortgage fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice.



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State Department Employee Sentenced for Illegally Accessing Confidential Passport Files

To date, nine current or former State Department employees or contractors have pleaded guilty in this continuing investigation.



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Former U.S. Army Officer Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Bribery and Weapons Conspiracy

Michael Wheeler, a former lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, was sentenced late yesterday to 42 months in prison for his participation in a wide-ranging bribery conspiracy involving the U.S. government, the Republic of Iraq and the Coalition Provisional Authority - South Central Region (CPA-SC) in Al-Hillah, Iraq.



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Jury Convicts Detroit Area Doctor of Health Care Fraud Conspiracy

Troy, Mich., physician Toe Myint was convicted today by a Detroit jury of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in a $4.2 million Medicare Fraud scheme.



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Westar Energy to Spend Approximately $500 Million to Settle Clean Air Act Violations

Westar Energy has agreed to spend approximately $500 million to significantly reduce harmful air pollution from a Kansas power plant and pay a $3 million civil penalty, under a settlement to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act.



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Californian Pleads Guilty to False Tax Refund Conspiracy

Haroon Amin of Upland, Calif., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States.



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Oklahoma Man Pleads Guilty to Aiding and Abetting the Solicitation of a Kickback in Connection with a Government Contract in Afghanistan

Ryan Scott McMonigle, of Ponca City, Okla., pleaded guilty for his role in a scheme to solicit a kickback in connection with the award of a private security services subcontract to protect U.S. government personnel and contractors in Afghanistan.



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Six Members of MS-13 Gang Convicted of Racketeering, Murder, Drug and Firearms Charges

Six members of a racketeering enterprise, called La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, were convicted today by a jury in U.S. District Court in Charlotte, N.C., of criminal charges that include racketeering, murder, attempted murder, assault, cocaine trafficking and numerous related federal firearms offenses



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First Extradition from El Salvador to the United States Brings Salvadoran National Back to Serve Prison Sentence on Texas State Sexual Assault Charges

“Today’s extradition brings a criminal to justice and paves the way forward in our law enforcement partnership with El Salvador,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.



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Six Individuals with Alleged Ties to Aryan Brotherhood Arrested and Charged with Murder of Two People in Nacogdoches County, Texas

Six alleged members or associates of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) have been indicted and arrested for their alleged roles in the 2007 murder of two people in Nacogdoches County, Texas.



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Department of Justice Officials, Actress Mariska Hargitay Urge Team Response to End Violence Against Women

President Obama’s FY2011 budget request provides $461 million for OVW to provide communities with resources to combat sexual assault and violence against women.



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Former UBS Client Pleads Guilty to Hiding $10 Million in Offshore Bank Accounts

Jack Barouh of Golden Beach, Fla., pleaded guilty today to filing a false tax return.



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Two New Jersey Executives Each Sentenced to 27 Months in Jail for Roles in Nationwide Scheme to Defraud the Federal E-rate Program

Benjamin Rowner and Jay H. Soled, former owners of DeltaNet Inc., were also each sentenced to pay $271,716 in restitution, jointly and severally, to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC).



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Resident of India Pleads Guilty in International Online Brokerage “Hack, Pump and Dump” Scheme

Jaisankar Marimuthu, a native of Chennai, India, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, securities fraud, computer fraud and aggravated identity theft, and to one count of aggravated identity theft.



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Virginia Resident Pleads Guilty to Bribing Former Panamanian Government Officials in Connection with Maritime Contract

A Virginia resident pleaded guilty today in connection with his role in a conspiracy to pay bribes to former Panamanian government officials.



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Justice Department Unveils Plan of Action for Consultation and Coordination with Tribes

The Justice Department’s plan identifies the steps it will take to develop a comprehensive consultation and coordination policy with tribal nations, after robust tribal input.



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Second Californian Pleads Guilty to False Tax Refund Conspiracy

Ather Ali of Diamond Bar, Calif., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the United States.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Addresses the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives

"Let me be clear, we enhance public safety by incarcerating those who harm our neighbors and our communities. This is a fact. But in our work to protect the American people, incarceration cannot be our only law enforcement strategy," said Attorney General Holder.




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Virginia Doctor Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy Involving Undeclared Swiss Bank Account

Dr. Andrew Silva of Sterling, Va., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to impede the United States and to making a false statement, the Justice Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



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Italian Subsidiary of U.S.-Based Company Agrees to Plead Guilty for Participating in International Price-Fixing Conspiracy

Parker ITR S.r.l. has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $2.29 million criminal fine for participating in a conspiracy to rig bids, fix prices and allocate market shares of marine hose.



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West Palm Beach, Florida, Resident Charged in Multi-Million Dollar Cramming Scheme

Willoughby Farr, 46, of West Palm Beach, Fla., has been charged with perpetrating what is known as a cramming scheme, which was designed to place charges on consumers’ telephone bills for collect calls that were not made, the Justice Department and the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Miami Field Office announced today.



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Former U.S. Military Contractor Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Related to Defense Department Contracts in Support of Iraqi War

Former military contractor Terry Hall, 43, of Snellville, Ga., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to pay more than $3 million in bribes to U.S. Army contracting officials stationed at Camp Arifjan, an Army base in Kuwait, and to money laundering conspiracy.



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Justice Department Signs a Settlement Agreement with North Carolina Company to Ensure Fair Treatment in the Workplace

The Department announced a settlement agreement with Sunlight Inc., doing business as Beauty Smart, of Durham, N.C., to resolve allegations of a pattern or practice of discrimination in recruitment and hiring on the basis of national origin.



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Department of Justice and USDA Announce Historic Settlement in Lawsuit by Black Farmers Claiming Discrimination by USDA

The settlement agreement reached today, which is contingent on appropriation by Congress, will provide a total of $1.25 billion to African American farmers who alleged that they suffered racial discrimination in USDA farm loan programs.



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Alleged Mexican Drug Cartel Leader Extradited from Mexico to United States to Face Federal Drug-trafficking Charges

An allegedly high-ranking leader of one of Mexico’s largest drug cartels, whose father allegedly heads a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel and is among Mexico’s most powerful drug kingpins, was extradited today from Mexico to face federal narcotics trafficking conspiracy charges in the United States.



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U.S. Army Contracting Official Charged with Bribery and Related Crimes in Off-Post Housing Scheme

A U.S. Army contracting official was charged today with bribery and unlawful salary supplementation in connection with two schemes to solicit more than $30,000 in bribes from an Egyptian businessman in Kuwait.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Addresses the Department of Justice National Symposium on Indigent Defense: Looking Back, Looking Forward, 2000–2010

I have every expectation that our criminal defense system can, and will, be a source of tremendous national pride. And I know that achieving this requires the best that we, as a profession and as a people, have to offer.