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United States and Belgium Sign Agreement to Prevent and Combat Serious Crime

Attorney General Eric Holder today joined Belgian Minister of Justice Stefaan De Clerck and Minister of Interior Annemie Turtelboom to sign an agreement on Preventing and Combating Serious Crime (PCSC), which will allow for the exchange of biometric and biographic data of suspected criminals between the United States and Belgium to bolster counterterrorism and law enforcement efforts while protecting individual privacy.



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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Detroit Tax Preparer

The United States has sued Crystal Ireland and her business, Master Mind Preparation, to bar them from preparing tax returns for others.



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Former Executive of Auto Parts Retailer Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Fraud Scheme

Don W. Watson, 55, of Gilbert, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton in the District of Arizona in Phoenix.



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Bloomfield, Michigan, Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

John Walter Kaber, a resident of Bloomfield, Mich., was sentenced to 37 months in prison for tax evasion.



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Former Milwaukee Police Officer Indicted for Sexual Assault While on Duty

Former Milwaukee Police Officer Ladmarald Cates, 43, was indicted today by a federal grand jury for sexually assaulting a woman while he was on duty.



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Philadelphia Woman Convicted for Role in Fraudulent Commercial Driver’s Licenses Scheme

After a five-day trial, a federal jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania found Irina Rakhman, 54, guilty of conspiracy to produce fraudulent identification documents.



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Justice Department Sends to Congress Legislative Proposals to Strengthen Existing Laws Protecting Servicemembers

Late yesterday, the Justice Department sent to Congress a package of legislative proposals that will significantly enhance the department’s ability to protect the rights of members of the military and their families.



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Justice Department Settles Housing Discrimination Lawsuit in Waterloo, Iowa

The lawsuit alleges that Michael Nieman, the former on-site manager of Park Towers, sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.



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Virginia Store Owner Arrested for Selling Counterfeit Goods

Belal Amin Alsaidi, 30, of Petersburg, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury yesterday in Richmond, Va., with one count of conspiracy and three counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods.



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NASA Contractor to Pay U.S. to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Concerning Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Fraud

Lydia Demski, the owner of Deerpath Corp., has agreed to pay the United States $800,000 to resolve allegations that she and her companies knowingly caused false claims to be submitted relating to a contract to provide re-furbishment of equipment at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Plumbrook facility in Sandusky, Ohio.



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Member of Rhode Island La Cosa Nostra Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Role in Murder-For-Hire Case

Anthony St. Laurent Sr., 70, was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for his role in an attempted murder-for-hire.



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Last of 10 Las Vegas Defendants Sentenced for Falsifying Emissions Test Records

William Joseph McCown, 49, of Las Vegas, was sentenced today before District Judge Lloyd D. George of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.



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Professional Illinois Duck Hunter Jeff Foiles Sentenced to More Than One Year in Jail and Fines for Illegal Hunting and Guiding Activities

Professional duck hunter and guide Jeffrey B. Foiles was sentenced today by a federal judge in Springfield, Ill., to 13 months in prison.



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Alabama Defense Contractor and Its President to Pay $200,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

Future Research Corp., located in Huntsville, Ala., and its president, Jesse Nunn, have agreed to pay the United States $200,000 to settle claims that they inappropriately obtained contracts from the Navy.



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Second Californian Sentenced on False Tax Refund Conspiracy

Haroon Amin of Upland, Calif., was sentenced to 30 months in prison today for conspiracy to defraud the United States.



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Prepared Statement of Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism

"Our common objective is to deploy the counter terrorist financing tools available to the United States in a coordinated, integrated fashion to effectively disrupt the flow of funds and other material support to terrorist organizations," said Assistant Attorney General Monaco.




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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Michigan Promoters of Alleged Tax Fraud Scheme

The United States has asked a federal court in Detroit to bar Damian Jackson and his wife, Holly Jackson, from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Rochester, New York, Asbestos Abatement Contractor Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Environmental Crimes and False Statements to OSHA

After a two day hearing in federal court in Rochester, N.Y., that ended late yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Charles J. Siragusa sentenced Keith Gordon-Smith, 54, of Rochester, to six years in prison for knowingly violating the Clean Air Act and making false statements to a federal inspector.



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Florida Manufacturer of Skin Products Agrees to Consent Decree to Resolve Allegations of FDCA Violations

The complaint and consent decree were filed today in accordance with an agreement with the defendants resolving numerous violations of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.



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Colorado-Based CH2M Hill Agrees to Pay United States $1.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Act Liability

CH2M Hill Hanford Group Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it knowingly submitted false claims and paid kickbacks relating to a contract to operate and manage mixed radioactive waste at the Department of Energy’s Hanford Nuclear Site in the state of Washington.



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Former Army Contracting Officials and Defense Contractor Indicted for Bribery and Theft of Government Funds

A former member of the U.S. Army employed by a private security firm was arrested at Miami International Airport today on charges of bribery, fraud and theft of government funds, in connection with the award of a contract to provide services to a U.S. government provincial reconstruction team in Farah, Afghanistan.



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Justice Department Resolves Claims Against ServiceMaster 24-Hour and Gregory Tullar to Enforce the Employment Rights of Army Reserve Member

The Justice Department today resolved claims made by U.S. Army Reserve member Kyle A. Sharp against ServiceMaster 24-Hour and Gregory Tullar, ServiceMaster’s owner and operator, alleging that they violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.



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Prepared Statement of Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

I appreciate this opportunity to appear before the Committee on behalf of the Department of Justice to offer the Department’s report on implementation of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010, Title II of Public Law 111-211 (TLOA).




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Former Army Reserve Captain Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Soliciting $1.3 Million in Bribes and Conspiring to Traffic Heroin

A former captain in the U.S. Army Reserve stationed in Afghanistan was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for soliciting $1.3 million in bribes from contractors involved in U.S.-funded reconstruction efforts and participating in a conspiracy to traffic heroin from Southeast Asia.



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Boston Scientific Subsidiary Guidant Pays U.S. $9.25 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

Guidant LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Boston Scientific Corp. of Natick, Mass., has agreed to pay the United States $9.25 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations.



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Bloods Gang Member in Nashville Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison

Antonio Washington, 22, aka “T.O.,” of Nashville, also was ordered by U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term.



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Justice Department Settles Disability Discrimination Suit Against Michigan Developer and Architect

Under the agreement, which must still be approved by the court, developer, Enclave Development LLC, will make extensive modifications to the complex over the next three years to improve accessibility, and Enclave Development and the other defendants will pay $30,000 to compensate persons who have been harmed by the inaccessible design and construction.



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Kentucky Doctor Pays U.S. $349,860 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

Louisville, Ky., physician Dr. Steven H. Stern and his practice, Kentuckiana Center for Better Bone and Joint Health PLLC have agreed to pay $349,860 to settle allegations of overbilling Medicare.



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President of Virginia-Based Connection Newspapers Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Failing to Pay Employment Taxes

Peter Labovitz of Alexandria, Va., was sentenced to six months in prison for failing to pay employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.



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Massachusetts Takes Steps to Require Sheltered English Immersion Training in Response to Justice Department’s Letter

Today, in response to a letter from the Justice Department, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to grant the Commissioner of Education authority to draft state regulations that will require training of all Sheltered English Immersion teachers who instruct English Language Learner students.



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Former Executives from Panasonic Corp., Whirlpool Corp. Subsidiary and Tecumseh Products Co. Subsidiary Indicted in Compressor Price-Fixing Conspiracy

A Detroit federal grand jury returned an indictment today against three former executives from Panasonic Corporation, a Whirlpool Corporation subsidiary and a Tecumseh Products Company subsidiary for their role in an international conspiracy to fix the prices of refrigerant compressors.



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Nearly 40 Members and Associates of Bandido Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Charged in Three Districts for Alleged Drug and Firearm Offenses

Nearly 40 members and associates of the Bandido Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (BOMG) were arrested yesterday and today on various firearms and drug-related charges in three judicial districts as part of a coordinated law enforcement effort.



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HSBC India Client Indicted for Conspiracy to Defraud the Internal Revenue Service

A superseding indictment was returned today in Milwaukee against Dr. Arvind Ahuja of Greendale, Wis., adding a charge of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.



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Six Japanese Freight Forwarding Companies Agree to Plead Guilty to Criminal Price-Fixing Charges

Six Japanese freight forwarders have agreed to plead guilty and to pay criminal fines totaling $46.8 million for their roles in a conspiracy to fix certain fees in connection with the provision of freight forwarding services for air cargo shipments from Japan to the United States.



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Trident Seafoods Corp. to Pay $2.5 Million to Resolve Clean Water Act Violations and Spend More Than $30 Million to Upgrade Processing Plants

Trident Seafoods Corp., one of the world’s largest seafood processors, has agreed to pay a $2.5 million civil penalty and invest millions in seafood processing waste controls to settle alleged violations of the Clean Water Act.



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Former Guard Charged with Attempting to Communicate National Defense Information to People’s Republic of China

Bryan Underwood, a former contract guard working at a U.S. Consulate in China, has been charged in a superseding indictment with one count of attempting to communicate national defense information to a foreign government, two counts of making false statements and one count of failing to appear in court pursuant to his conditions of release.



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Arkansas Men Sentenced for Federal Hate Crimes Related to the Assault of Five Hispanic Men

Frankie Maybee, 20, and Sean Popejoy, 19, both of Green Forest, Ark., were sentenced for their roles in committing federal hate crimes.



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Houston-based Principals of A&O Entities Sentenced in Virginia for $100 Million Fraud Scheme

Two principals of A&O Resource Management Ltd. have been sentenced for their roles in a $100 million life settlement fraud scheme, which included more than 800 victims across the United States and Canada.



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Public Awareness Campaign Launched to Seek New Information in the Murder of Assistant U.S. Attorney

Attorney General Eric Holder joined U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Jenny A. Durkan, the Wales family and the FBI in Seattle today to announce a new media and social media effort to seek information related to the 2001 slaying of Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Wales.



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SAIC and Others to Pay U.S. More Than $22.6 Million to Resolve False Claims Allegations

Science Applications International Inc. (SAIC); its subcontractor, Applied Enterprise Solutions LLC (AES); AES CEO Dale Galloway; and former government employees Stephen Adamec and Robert Knesel will pay the United States $22,676,000 to resolve allegations of false claims in a whistleblower suit.



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Two Individuals Sentenced in Virginia for Roles in Matching Charitable Funds Fraud Scheme

Stephan Bekale and Jamal Ibraheem were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., for conspiring to commit wire fraud as part of a matching funds scheme.



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Virginia Real Estate Businessman Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Mortgage and Investment Fraud Schemes

Alexander Otis Matthews, a Virginia real estate businessman, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison in connection with mortgage and investment schemes to obtain more than $12 million in fraudulent loans.



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Former Colombian Maritime Training Instructor and Co-Conspirator Sentenced to Prison on U.S. Drug Charges

A former Colombian maritime training instructor and a co-conspirator were sentenced to federal prison today for conspiring to transport thousands of kilograms of cocaine from various ports along the coast of Colombia to waiting vessels that transported the cocaine to the United States and other countries.



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Florida Man Sentenced for Filing False Liens Against Federal Law Enforcement Employees

Mark D. Leitner was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty in July to filing false liens against federal law enforcement employees and corruptly endeavoring to impede and impair the Internal Revenue Service.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Truman, Minnesota, to Protect the Employment Rights of U.S. Army Reservist

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit today on behalf of Michael Schutz, a member of the U.S. Army Reserves, against the city of Truman, Minn.



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Justice Department Seeks to Bar Former Owner of Brooklyn, N.Y., Tax Firm from Preparing Federal Tax Returns

The United States has filed a lawsuit against Annie P. Williams to bar her from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Cleanup Agreement Reached at Former Uranium Mine on Spokane Indian Reservation in Northeastern Washington

A settlement agreement has been reached for the cleanup of the Midnite Mine Superfund Site, located on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Northeastern Washington.



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Japanese Freight Forwarding Company Agrees to Plead Guilty to Criminal Price-Fixing Charge

A Japanese freight forwarder has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $1.84 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix certain fees in connection with the provision of freight forwarding services for air cargo shipments from Japan to the United States.



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Harris County, Texas, Commissioner Pleads Guilty to Making a False Statement to FBI; Real Estate Developer Pleads Guilty to False Tax Statement

Harris County Commissioner Gerald R. Eversole and Houston-based real estate developer Michael D. Surface both pleaded guilty today in federal court in Houston to making false statements.



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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with C&F Mortgage Corporation to Resolve Allegations of Lending Discrimination

The Justice Department announced today that C&F Mortgage Corporation of Midlothian, Va., will revise its pricing policies, conduct employee training and pay $140,000 as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of race and national origin.



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