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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Sussex County, Delaware, for Blocking Affordable Housing

The Justice Department announced today that it has settled a lawsuit against Sussex County, Del., and the Planning and Zoning Commission of Sussex County for race and national origin discrimination in violation of the Fair Housing Act.



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Member of Latin Kings Street Gang and Two Associates Sentenced in Indiana for Racketeering Conspiracy and Related Crimes

A member of the Latin Kings street gang and two associates were sentenced to prison this week in Hammond, Ind., federal court for racketeering conspiracy and other crimes in support of the gang.



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Statement by Attorney General Eric Holder on the Release of the National Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women Recommendations

Attorney General Eric Holder issued the following statement today on the release of the recommendations by the National Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women.



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Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against North Carolina Company

The Justice Department announced today that it reached an agreement with Gamewell Mechanical Inc., a subsidiary of Woodfin Heating, Inc. based in Salisbury, N.C., resolving claims that the company violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), when it terminated three employees based on the incorrect assumption that they were undocumented foreign nationals when they were in fact U.S. citizens.



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Attorney General Eric Holder and High-Level Officials Launch Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online

Attorney General Eric Holder and European Union (EU) Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström will launch the Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online at a ministerial conference tomorrow, Dec. 5, 2012, in Brussels.



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Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart Delery Speaks at Pen and Pad Briefing Announcing Record Civil FY 2012 Recoveries

"We know that enforcement alone will not get us out of this problem. So our agency partners are working hard to root out fraud before it happens, and they negotiate compliance agreements in connection with their administrative remedies that establish tough structures to help prevent further instances of fraud." said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Delery.




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Founder and President of Labor Union Convicted in Washington for Stealing from Union’s Treasury and Pension Fund, Related Crimes

The founder and president of the National Association of Special Police and Security Officers (NASPSO) – which represents private security guards assigned to protect federal buildings in the metropolitan Washington area – was convicted yesterday in Washington federal court, following a jury trial, of 18 counts related to his theft of union treasury and pension funds.



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Special Advisor, International for the Antitrust Division Rachel Brandenburger Speaks at the 29th Annual American Chamber of Commerce EU Competition Policy Conference

It is an honor and a delight to be back here in Brussels to address the AmCham EU Competition Policy Conference this afternoon. I should like also to congratulate our hosts on this year’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Common Market Panel of AmCham Belgium, the forerunner of today’s AmCham EU, which has done so much to foster understanding between the United States and the European Commission in the economic sphere.




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British Contractor Agrees to Plead Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy Related to Iraq Reconstruction Efforts

British contractor APTx Vehicle Systems Limited agreed today to plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States, the Coalition Provisional Authority that governed Iraq from April 2003 to June 2004, the government of Iraq and JP Morgan Chase Bank.



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Pfizer Agrees to Pay $55 Million for Illegally Promoting Protonix for Off-Label Use

Pfizer Inc. will pay $55 million plus interest to resolve allegations that Wyeth LLC illegally introduced and caused the introduction into interstate commerce of a misbranded drug, Protonix, between February 2000 and June 2001, the Justice Department announced today.



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Department of Justice Enters into Agreement to Reform the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee

The Department of Justice today announced that it has entered into a comprehensive memorandum of agreement with the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County, Tenn., to resolve findings of serious and systemic failures in the juvenile court that violate children’s due process and equal protection rights.



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UBS Securities Japan Co. Ltd. to Plead Guilty to Felony Wire Fraud for Long-running Manipulation of LIBOR Benchmark Interest Rates

UBS Securities Japan Co. Ltd. (UBS Japan), an investment bank, financial advisory securities firm and wholly-owned subsidiary of UBS AG, has agreed to plead guilty to felony wire fraud and admit its role in manipulating the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), a leading benchmark used in financial products and transactions around the world.



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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with New York Manufacturer to Resolve Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices

The Justice Department announced today that it reached a settlement agreement with R-Tronics LLC, a company based in Rome, N.Y., which manufactures custom and prototype cables, wire harnesses and electro-mechanical assemblies. The agreement resolves allegations that the company violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by limiting its hiring practices to U.S. citizens.



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Indiana Man Pleads Guilty to Religiously Motivated Attack on Toledo-Area Mosque

An Indiana man faces a likely sentence of 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to hate crimes stemming from the arson of the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo, the Justice Department announced today.



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Ohio-Based Wheelchair Manufacturer Agrees to Consent Decree to Resolve Allegations of Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act Violations

The Justice Department, at the request of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), today filed a complaint and a proposed consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio against Invacare Corp., Gerald B. Blouch and Ronald J. Clines.



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Justice Department and Lesley University Sign Agreement to Ensure Meal Plan Is Inclusive of Students with Celiac Disease and Food Allergies

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., to ensure that students with celiac disease and other food allergies can fully and equally enjoy the university’s meal plan and food services in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).



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Caddell Construction Co. Commits to Pay $2 Million Penalty in Agreement to Resolve Criminal Fraud Violations

Caddell Construction Company Inc., a major commercial and industrial federal government construction contractor based in Montgomery, Ala., has entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice to resolve criminal fraud violations arising from Caddell’s intentional overstating of developmental assistance provided to a disadvantaged small business as part of a Department of Defense (DoD) program.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Welcomes Bill Baer as Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division

Attorney General Eric Holder today welcomed the confirmation of Bill Baer as the Department of Justice’s Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division.



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Justice Department Announces Successful Resolution of Case Regarding Delaware State Prisons

The Justice Department announced that the state of Delaware has fully complied with the parties’ amended memorandum of agreement (MOA) which was reached after an investigation of three Delaware state prisons. The MOA, which includes reforms in mental health care, medical care and suicide prevention, was entered into after an investigation of the conditions at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution and the Sussex Correctional Institution.



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Several Retailers Agree to Resolve Allegations Concerning the Unlawful Advertising and Selling of Rayon Products as Being Made from Bamboo

Amazon.com; Leon Max Inc., d/b/a Max Studio; Macy’s Inc.; and Sears, Roebuck and Co., Kmart Corporation and Kmart.com (collectively, Sears) have agreed to settle civil lawsuits concerning alleged violations of the Textile Fiber Product Identification Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act.



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Justice Department to Monitor Municipal Special Election in South Carolina

The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor the municipal special election on Jan. 8, 2013, in Branchville, S.C., to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Voting Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the election process on the basis of race, color or membership in a minority language group.



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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with South Carolina Food Service Provider to Resolve Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices

The Justice Department announced today that it reached an agreement with Centerplate Inc., resolving allegations that the company violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.



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Romanian National Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Role in Multimillion-Dollar Scheme to Remotely Hack into and Steal Payment Card Data from Hundreds of U.S. Merchants’ Computers

A Romanian national was sentenced today to serve 21 months in prison for his role in an international, multimillion-dollar scheme to remotely hack into and steal payment card data from hundreds of U.S. merchants’ computers.



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Virginia Charter Fishing Boat Captain Pleads Guilty to Felony Lacey Act Violation

Jeffery S. Adams, 41, of Hudgins, Va., and his corporation Adams Fishing Adventures Inc. pleaded guilty today to trafficking in illegally-harvested striped bass, in violation of the Lacey Act.



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Justice Department Obtains Comprehensive Agreement to Resolve Long Standing Litigation Regarding the Rights of People with Developmental Disabilities

Today, the Justice Department announced that yesterday afternoon it filed in federal court a comprehensive agreement that will resolve long running litigation with the state of Tennessee originally concerning conditions of care at the former Arlington Developmental Center (ADC).



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Los Angeles Check Cashing Store, Its Head Manager and Compliance Officer Sentenced for Violating Anti-money Laundering Laws

A Los Angeles check cashing store, its head manager and its designated anti-money laundering compliance officer were sentenced today in the Central District of California for failing to follow reporting and anti-money laundering requirements for over $8 million in transactions in violation of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).



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Eleven Defendants Indicted for Alleged Roles in Scheme to Fraudulently Control Homeowners’ Associations in Las Vegas

A federal grand jury in Nevada today returned an indictment against 11 individuals for their alleged roles in a scheme to fraudulently take control of homeowners’ associations in the Las Vegas area.



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Ira Isaacs Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison in Los Angeles Adult Obscenity Case

Isaacs, 61, of Los Angeles, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George H. King in the Central District of California. In addition to his prison term, Isaacs was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.



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Automotive Electronics Manufacturer Fined $500,000 for Selling Illegal Devices Resulting in Tons of Excess Particulate Matter Emissions

In a settlement with the United States on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, automotive electronics manufacturer Edge Products LLC (Edge) has agreed to pay a $500,000 civil penalty for manufacturing and selling electronic devices that allowed owners of model year 2007 and later diesel pickup trucks to remove emission controls from their vehicles.



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Cordele, Georgia, Resident Indicted for Using Stolen Identities on False Tax Returns

A federal grand jury in Macon, Ga., returned an indictment charging Kimberly Michelle Banks, a resident of Cordele, Ga., with crimes involving the use of stolen identities on false federal income tax returns in order to obtain refunds to which Banks was not entitled.



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Former Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General Agent Admits Role in Records Falsification Scheme

A former special agent of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) pleaded guilty today in a Southern District of Texas federal court to participating in a scheme to falsify records and to obstruct an internal field office inspection.



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Used Motor Vehicle Dealers Indicted in Philadelphia for Odometer Tampering

A federal grand jury in Philadelphia unsealed an indictment yesterday charging Kyle Novitsky, 45, and Judith Aloe, 52, both of North Miami Beach, Fla., with making false odometer statements, securities fraud and conspiracy to commit these offenses.



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Florida Man Indicted for Federal Election Violations

Jay Odom, 56, of Destin, Fla., was charged in federal court in the Northern District of Florida with one count of providing campaign contributions in the name of another and one count of causing another to make false statements to the FEC.



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Federal Charges Allege Captors Held Adults with Disabilities in Subhuman Conditions to Carry out Social Security Fraud

Linda Weston, her daughter and three co-defendants are charged in a 193-count indictment, unsealed today, with racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, hate crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, theft, fraud and other crimes.



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Assistant Attorney General Ignacia S. Moreno Delivers Remarks at the Georgetown/OAS/World Bank Roundtable

The Environment Division’s enforcement efforts over the years have achieved dramatic reductions in emissions and discharges of harmful pollutants to the Nation’s air, land and water.




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Federal Court Preliminarily Bars Indianapolis Instant Tax Service Franchisee from Preparing Federal Tax Returns

A federal court in Indianapolis has barred David Ray Franklin and his company, Instant Refund Tax Service (IRTS) – which does business as Instant Tax Service—from preparing tax returns and from operating a tax-preparation business.



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Justice Department Files Antitrust Lawsuit Challenging Anheuser-Busch Inbev’s Proposed Acquisition of Grupo Modelo

The Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today challenging Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (ABI) proposed acquisition of total ownership and control of Grupo Modelo.



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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Houston Community College to Resolve Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with Houston Community College resolving allegations that the college violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.



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High-Ranking Member of Mexican “Los Zetas” Cartel Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy Charges

Jesus Enrique Rejon Aguilar, aka “Mamito” and “Caballero,” a high ranking member of the “Los Zetas” drug cartel, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to import multi-ton quantities of cocaine and marijuana into the United States.



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Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Lomita, Calif., to Protect Religious Exercise

The Justice Department today announced a settlement with the city of Lomita, Calif., resolving allegations that the city violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 when it denied the Islamic Center of the South Bay’s application to build a new mosque on its property.



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Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division Stuart F. Delery Speaks at the Press Conference Announcing Lawsuit Against S&P

"As a result of these provisions, FIRREA is a powerful weapon for combatting financial fraud, and it will continue to play a key role in the Department's efforts to hold accountable those who violated the law," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Delery.




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Five Individuals and Five Corporations Charged in New York for Importing and Selling Hazardous and Counterfeit Toys

Five individuals and five corporations have been charged in an indictment unsealed today in Brooklyn, N.Y., for allegedly importing hazardous and counterfeit toys from China for sale in the United States.



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Former Jewelry Company Executive Sentenced in U.s.v.i. to Pay $1.1 Million in Fines and Community Service for Illegal Trade of Protected Black Coral

Ashu Bhandari, the former president and CEO of GEM Manufacturing LLC, a U.S. Virgin Islands-based company, was sentenced Thursday in federal court in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., for felony customs violations for his role in a scheme to illegally import protected black coral into the United States.



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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Avant Healthcare Professionals LLC to Resolve Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices

The Justice Department reached a settlement agreement today with Avant Healthcare Professionals LLC, a healthcare staffing company based in Casselberry, Fla., resolving allegations that the company posted discriminatory job advertisements on the internet.



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Sixteen People Sentenced to Prison for Religiously Motivated Assaults on Practitioners of the Amish Religion

Sixteen people were sentenced to prison today for hate crimes arising out of a series of religiously-motivated assaults on practitioners of the Amish religion.



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Colorado Big Game Outfitter Sentenced to Prison for Six Lacey Act Felonies

Big game hunting outfitter Dennis Eugene Rodebaugh, 72, of Meeker, Colo., was sentenced in Denver today to 41 months in prison to be followed by three years supervised release for six felony counts of violating the Lacey Act.



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Antiques Dealer Sentenced in New York City for Crimes Relating to Illegal Trafficking of Endangered Rhinoceros Horns

David Hausman, an antiques dealer in Manhattan, was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to six months in jail for obstruction of justice and creating false records in connection with illegal rhinoceros horn trafficking.



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Florida Woman Sentenced to Prison for Obstruction of Justice in Relation to Her Husband’s Disappearance

A Gainesville, Fla., woman was sentenced today to serve one year and one day in prison for her role in the obstruction of a multinational investigation into the disappearance of her husband, then an employee in the U.S. Consulate in Curacao.



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Justice Department and Town of East Haven, Conn., Select Kathleen O’toole as Joint Compliance Expert for Police Reform Agreement

The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut announced today, together with the town of East Haven, Conn., and the East Haven Board of Police Commissioners, they have selected Kathleen O’Toole as the Joint Compliance Expert to assess and report on the implementation of a comprehensive settlement agreement to reform the East Haven Police Department.



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Justice Department Releases Spanish Language Video About Discrimination in Employment Eligibility Verification

The Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department announced today the launch of its first Spanish-language educational video. The video was developed by the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices to assist employers in avoiding charges of discrimination in the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 process and to assist employees to be aware of their legal rights.



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