"No one program can solve all the challenges our communities face, but programs such as CityLIFT that provide families access to sustainable homeownership are critical," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

"Imitation may be the highest form of flattery, but American industry is not looking to be flattered by thieves engaged in illicit competition. Industry seeks a fair and level marketplace where American innovation can thrive," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.

"Although these awards will be utilized in a variety of ways, they will help to achieve our common goals: to advance prosecutions – as well as prevention and education activities – related to IP theft," said Attorney General Holder.

Specialist Stephanie Heller, 37, of Wharton, Texas, pleaded guilty to a two-count criminal information charging her with one count of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud.

Andrew Strempler, a Canadian citizen, pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of Florida for his role in a scheme to defraud consumers purchasing pharmaceuticals online, the Justice Department announced. Strempler faces up to five years in prison, a forfeiture of $300,000, a fine and restitution.

"It’s a privilege to welcome so many friends, colleagues, and key Justice Department leaders to this morning’s important program. And it’s a pleasure to join each of you in highlighting – and paying tribute to – the extraordinary contributions that so many Hispanic Americans have made in guiding our nation’s progress – and strengthening this Department’s essential work," said Attorney General Holder.

"We have made it one of our missions at the Department of Justice to hold accountable those who abuse the Medicare program for personal profit. And there are Medicare fraudsters in prisons across the country – some who will be there for decades – who can attest to our determination and our effectiveness," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.

"Over the last 24 hours, Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in seven different cities have conducted one of the largest health care fraud takedowns on record. Through a series of coordinated, nationwide law enforcement actions, charges have been brought against 91 individuals – including doctors, nurses, and other licensed medical professionals – for their alleged participation in fraud schemes involving nearly $430 million in false billings," said Attorney General Holder.

Louis Fazzini, 45, of Caldwell, N.J., pleaded guilty today to participating in a racketeering conspiracy involving illegal gambling and theft from an employee benefit plan.

Arizona State Representative Paul Ben Arredondo pleaded guilty today in Phoenix federal court, admitting that he solicited and took a bribe in exchange for promises of official action both as a city councilmember and a state representative.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer, his girlfriend and an associate have been charged in Brownsville, Texas, for engaging in a multi-year bribery and alien smuggling operation along the U.S./Mexico.

"Several years ago, our Office for Victims of Crime funded the Clery Center to develop a training curriculum for university administrators and law enforcement executives about the requirements of the Clery Act. The Center continues to deliver the training throughout the country," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Leary.

Attorney General Eric Holder, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, FBI Associate Deputy Director Kevin L. Perkins and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Jon Leibowitz today announced the results of the Distressed Homeowner Initiative, the first-ever nationwide effort to target fraud schemes that prey upon suffering homeowners.

The Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, on behalf of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, have reached a settlement with AVX Corp. for $366.25 million plus interest regarding the New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site, in New Bedford, Mass.

U.S. Army Sergeant Christopher Weaver pleaded guilty today to bribery charges for his role in the theft of fuel at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty, near Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

A Dallas-area home health services company owner today admitted his role in a $374 million home health fraud scheme in which he and others conspired to bill Medicare for unnecessary services that were never performed.

Miami-area resident Vanja Abreu (Ph.D), former program director at the mental health care company American Therapeutic Corporation (ATC), was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for participating in a $205 million Medicare fraud scheme.

James Driver, 24, of Midland, Mich., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington in the Eastern District of Michigan.

The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the state of Vermont and its chief election official to help ensure that military service members, their family members and U.S. citizens living overseas have the opportunity to participate fully in the Nov. 6, 2012 federal general election.

The Department of Justice announced today a policy addressing the ability of members of federally recognized Indian tribes to possess or use eagle feathers, an issue of great cultural significance to many tribes and their members.

Steven R. Hinz pleaded guilty today to tax fraud and mortgage fraud charges in Cleveland federal court, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Hinz’s guilty pleas followed recent guilty pleas of three other defendants – Heather L. English, Patricia A. Polk and William E. Phillips III – who were charged in indictment in December 2011 on a tax conspiracy and various false return charges. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan, who scheduled the sentencing for January 2013.

"At every level, my colleagues and I have made the fight against financial fraud a top priority. We’re more determined than ever to eradicate these crimes – and, alongside more than two dozen additional federal government agencies and private sector partners, we’ve made an historic commitment to advancing this work at the national level," said Attorney General Holder.

In one of the first False Claims Act settlements involving Medicare’s Prescription Drug Program, known as Part D, RxAmerica LLC. has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States in which it has agreed to pay the government $5.25 million to resolve allegations that it made false submissions to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Justice Department announced today. RxAmerica, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CVS Caremark Corporation, provides prescription drug benefits to Medicare beneficiaries pursuant to a prescription drug plan.

Ramiro Anturi Larrahondo, 55, a Colombian national, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates in the District of Columbia to one count of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, knowing and intending that the cocaine would be illegally imported into the United States.

Eulises Escalona, 44, of Monroe County, Fla., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard in the Southern District of Florida.

The administrator of CardioMax EMS, a Houston-based ambulance company, pleaded guilty today to charges that he submitted approximately $1,734,550 in fraudulent claims to Medicare.

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with the city of North Adams, Mass., to improve access for people with disabilities to civic life in North Adams. The agreement was reached under Project Civic Access (PCA), the Justice Department’s initiative to ensure that cities, towns and counties throughout the country comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The compliance review was initiated in response to a complaint that the city’s police station was physically inaccessible.

Gregory Thomas Miller, 57, of Deville, La., pleaded guilty on April 27, 2012, to a 10-count indictment charging him with seven counts of production of child pornography, one count of transporting child pornography, one count of possessing child pornography and one count of marijuana possession.

A Taiwan aftermarket auto lights manufacturer and its U.S. distributor pleaded guilty to an indictment charging them with participating in a seven-year, international conspiracy to fix the prices of aftermarket auto lights, and were sentenced today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

"As we continue to work with reentry projects and learn about them, we realize more and more that they need to be sustained and continuous if they are to be successful. They need to start the first day an individual arrives at the prison," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.

"For more than half a century, Americans have come together every October to celebrate the achievements of workers with disabilities, to call attention to the obstacles and challenges that have yet to be overcome, and to ensure that all employers fulfill their responsibilities to create the conditions and opportunities for citizens with disabilities to grow, to thrive, and to fulfill their full potential – both personally and professionally," said Attorney General Holder.

Manssor Arbabsiar, aka Mansour Arbabsiar, pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Southern District of New York to participating in a plot to murder the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States while the Ambassador was in the United States.

Two owners and operators of clinics that claimed to specialize in treating HIV and other conditions pleaded guilty today for their roles in an infusion therapy scheme carried out at two Detroit-area clinics that submitted millions of dollars in fraudulent claims to Medicare.

U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Duggan sentenced Elsayed Kazem “Tom” Safiedine to 21 months in prison and Mary Fawaz to 12 months and one day in prison for tax fraud, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. Safiedine and Fawaz were convicted by a Detroit jury of conspiring to defraud the United States by impeding and impairing the lawful functions of the IRS.

"As we come together to celebrate the remarkable achievements – and honor the tremendous sacrifices – of this year’s 339 awardees, I’m especially grateful for this opportunity to personally thank you – not only for your contributions, but for the inspiring examples you’ve set; the steady courage you’ve shown; and the lasting difference you’ve helped to make in the lives of countless Americans across the country," said Attorney General Holder.

Kolon Industries Inc. and several of its executives and employees have been indicted for allegedly engaging in a multi-year campaign to steal trade secrets related to DuPont’s Kevlar para-aramid fiber and Teijin Limited’s Twaron para-aramid fiber. The indictment seeks forfeiture of at least $225 million in proceeds from the alleged theft of trade secrets from Kolon’s competitors.

Several family members, all residents of Montgomery, Ala., pleaded guilty in the Middle District of Alabama to their involvement in a million dollar stolen identity refund fraud scheme, the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today.

"By allegedly conspiring to steal DuPont’s and Teijin’s intellectual property, Kolon threatened to undermine an economic engine at both companies. We cannot, and we will not, stand idly by in the face of such flagrant alleged conduct," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.

The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor portions of the early voting period for the Nov. 6, 2012, general election in Dallas and Harris Counties, Texas, 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. Early voting in Dallas and Harris Counties begins on Monday, October 22.

The Justice Department and U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced today the filing of a complaint in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina against the Warren County, N.C., Board of Education for violating the employment rights of Army Reserve Sergeant Dwayne Coffer under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).

Two former officers of Arizona-based residential mortgage loan originator American Mortgage Specialists Inc. (AMS) pleaded guilty today for their roles in a $27 million scheme to defraud North Dakota-based BNC National Bank.

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with the State of Vermont to help ensure that military service members, their family members and U.S. citizens living overseas have the opportunity to participate fully in the Nov. 6, 2012, federal general election.

The Justice Department and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia Michael J. Moore announced today that Stacy Bloodsworth, the former sheriff of Wilcox County, Ga., pleaded guilty to assaulting an inmate inside the Wilcox County jail and subsequently conspiring to cover up the assault. Bloodsworth’s son, Austin Bloodsworth, also pleaded guilty to conspiring to cover up the same assault. Three other defendants had previously pleaded guilty to civil rights and obstruction of justice crimes in connection with the July 23, 2009, assault.

The Justice Department today announced that the town of East Haven, Conn., memorialized its intention to enter into a settlement agreement to resolve the department’s civil investigation of allegations that the East Haven Police Department (EHPD) engaged in a pattern or practice of unlawful discrimination against Latinos on account of their race, color or national origin. The proposed agreement also resolves allegations that EHPD engaged in a pattern or practice of use of excessive force, unconstitutional searches and seizures and retaliation against persons who witnessed police misconduct or criticized EHPD’s practices.

Minor Vargas Calvo, 61, a citizen and resident of Costa Rica, is the majority owner of Provident Capital Indemnity (PCI) Ltd., an insurance and reinsurance company registered in the Commonwealth of Dominica and doing business in Costa Rica.

Jihan S. Cover, 34, of Arden, N.C., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger in the Western District of North Carolina.

"As a result both of increased FCPA enforcement and increased policing of corporate conduct in general, I think that the culture of corporate compliance has improved in recent years," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.

"At the Department of Justice, we are fully aware of how critically important, and oftentimes life-saving, this work really is for countless children nationwide," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.

"At the Justice Department, we have made enforcing the rights of American Indians a priority," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

The Justice Department announced today that it reached a settlement with Mrs. K’s Tollhouse Restaurant of Silver Spring, Md., to remedy alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The agreement resolves allegations that the restaurant failed to remove architectural barriers that made parts of it inaccessible to people with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs.