en Justice Department Files Fair Housing Lawsuit Against Columbus, Indiana By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:38:01 EDT The city violated the Fair Housing Act by refusing to grant a nonprofit organization a permit to operate a group home for 11 men recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en AGCO Corp. to Pay $1.6 Million in Connection with Payments to the Former Iraqi Government Under the U.N. Oil-For-Food Program By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:02:35 EDT AGCO Corp., a U.S. corporation based in Duluth, Ga., has agreed to pay a $1.6 million penalty for illegal kickbacks paid to the former government of Iraq. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Owner of Tennesse Salvage and Demolition Company Pleads Guilty to Environmental Crimes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:55:17 EDT Gary Fillers pleaded guilty to one criminal felony count for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act’s “work practice standards” related to the proper stripping, bagging, removal and disposal of asbestos. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en New OCDETF Strike Force Site Unveiled, Successes of Phoenix Operation Highlighted By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:59:34 EDT Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden, along with federal and local officials today officially unveiled the new Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force site in Phoenix. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Five Detroit Residents Plead Guilty to Health Care Fraud Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:02:32 EDT Detroit residents Dierdre Teagen, Robert Wynn, Ernest Neal, James Harris and Steve Sherman pleaded guilty for their roles in various Medicare fraud schemes. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Former U.S. Army Reserve Major Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Conspiracy and Bribery Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:05:11 EDT Theresa Jeanne Baker was sentenced for her participation in two separate bribery conspiracies relating to DOD contracts at Camp Vistory, Iraq. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Justice Department Reaches Settlement with First United Security Bank of Thomasville, Alabama, Regarding Alleged Discrimination in Lending By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:10:21 EDT The Bank will invest more than $600,000, open a new branch in an African-American neighborhood in west central Alabama and take other steps as part of a settlement. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Justice Department Files Lawsuit Alleging Auto Lending Discrimination in Los Angeles By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 10:28:40 EDT The United States has filed a lawsuit alleging that a bank and two automobile dealerships in Los Angeles violated the Equal Credit Opportunity Act by charging non-Asian-American customers higher interest rate mark-ups for a period of at least two years. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli's Testimony "Advancing Freedom of Information in the New Era of Responsibility" By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:49:10 EDT "We at the Department are especially committed to encouraging compliance with the Act and to fulfilling President Obama's goal of making this Administration the most open and transparent in history." Full Article Testimony
en Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden Speaks at the Phoenix OCDETF Strike Force By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:38:04 EDT The OCDETF Program -- now in its 27th year -- is a model of interagency coordination, innovation, and teamwork, and is the cornerstone of the Justice Department’s anti-cartel strategy. Full Article Speech
en Justice Department Announces Success in Battle Against Firearms Trafficking and Recovery Act Funds to Build on Project Gunrunner By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 18:48:03 EDT Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Acting Director Kenneth E. Melson today announced the results of ATF’s Gun Runner Impact Team (GRIT) initiative, a 120-day deployment of ATF resources to the Houston Field Division to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking by Mexican drug cartels Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Justice Department Observes October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 18:51:08 EDT “We know domestic violence is an epidemic that affects communities across this country regardless of age, race or socio-economic background,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Former New Jersey Firefighter Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 18:44:25 EDT Matthew Fox, a former Atlantic City, N.J., firefighter, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Jerome B. Simandle in Newark, N.J. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Georgia Tax Preparer By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 14:09:21 EDT The United States has sued a tax return preparer in Marietta, Ga., seeking to bar him from preparing federal tax returns for others. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Owner of Alabama Tire Store Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 15:13:19 EDT Timothy Smith, a resident of Cullman, Ala., was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for tax evasion. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Southern Union Company Is Penalized $18 Million for Illegally Storing Mercury at a Rhode Island Site By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 17:25:37 EDT A federal judge today assessed the Southern Union Company $18 million for illegally storing mercury at a company-owned site in Pawtucket. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Three Gang Members Plead Guilty to Murder and Drug Conspiracy Charges; Two Others Sentenced on Drug Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 16:58:42 EDT Guilty pleas were entered today in federal court in Lubbock, Texas, by three admitted gang members who were charged for their participation in a violent drive-by shooting in which two people, a man and a pregnant woman, were killed, and four others were wounded. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Seattle Area UBS Client Pleads Guilty to Filing a False Tax Return By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 14:59:07 EDT According to court documents and statements made in court, Cittadini, a retired sales manager for Boeing, failed to report income from bank accounts under his control at UBS AG in Switzerland on his individual income tax returns from 2001 through 2003. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 12:32:52 EDT "Talk alone isn’t going to keep crime rates down. Talk alone isn’t going to protect innocent victims. Talk alone isn’t going to stop rival gangs from shooting up our streets, or drug dealers from peddling dope in our schools, or terrorists from attacking our cities. Indeed, we all know that the best ideas in the world are worth little without the resources to implement them." Full Article Speech
en Attorney General Eric Holder Welcomes Thomas E. Perez as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 15:04:01 EDT “One of my highest priorities as Attorney General has been to ensure that the Civil Rights Division will again continue to advance the interests of justice and equal protection for all Americans. Tom is an exceptional lawyer and both the Department and the nation will benefit from his leadership and legal expertise,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Indiana Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 17:20:43 EDT James M. Tanksley, 52, pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 80 months in prison. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Colorado Man Sued by the Justice Department for Promoting Alleged Tax Fraud Schemes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 17:49:29 EDT The United States has asked a federal court in Denver to bar Curtis Morris, an Elizabeth, Colo., tax return preparer, and his business, Numbers & Beyond, from preparing tax returns. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Attorney General and Education Secretary Call for National Conversation on Values and Student Violence By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 13:05:29 EDT “Youth violence isn’t a Chicago problem, any more than it is a black problem or a white problem. It’s something that affects communities big and small, and people of all races and colors. Today is the beginning of what will be a sustained, national effort on behalf of this entire administration to address youth violence and to make our streets safe for everyone,” Holder said. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Rhode Island Machine Shop Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax Crimes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 12:56:11 EDT Bruce Lapierre of Pascoag, R.I., was sentenced to 51 months in prison today for tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the United States Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Indianapolis Man Sentenced for Transportation and Possession of Child Pornography By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 15:01:18 EDT Michael Wildridge, 41, pleaded guilty today to transportation and possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Superseding Indictment Returned Against Defense Contractor By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 19:15:05 EDT A federal grand jury in Oklahoma City returned a superseding indictment against a former manager of a U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) contractor in Iraq, charging him with conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery and failing to appear in court. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at News Conference on Youth and School Violence By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 12:11:45 EDT "We simply cannot stand for an epidemic of violence that robs our youth of their childhood and perpetuates a cycle in which today’s victims become tomorrow’s criminals." Full Article Speech
en Oregon White Supremacist Indicted for Threatening Ohio Civil Rights Leader by Mailing a Noose By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 11:09:02 EDT “A noose is an unmistakable symbol of hatred and violence in our nation, conjuring up images of a despicable period in our history. Mailing a noose to an individual who advocates for racial equality sends a clear threat of violence,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Justice Department Commemorates National Disability Employment Awareness Month By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 13:08:58 EDT “The Justice Department today renews its vigilance to fairly and judiciously enforcing federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of a disability. By protecting the rights of all individuals so that they can contribute to our society, we strengthen our communities and our nation as a whole." said Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Carpinteria, California, Man Sentenced for Mailing Child Pornography By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 17:28:26 EDT Donald Collier, 45, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for mailing child pornography. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Oklahoma Man Indicted in Kickback Scheme in Connection with Government Contract in Afghanistan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 18:49:35 EDT Ryan Scott McMonigle, 37, of Ponca City, Okla., was indicted today for his alleged role in a scheme to solicit kickbacks in connection with the award of a security services subcontract to protect U.S. government personnel and contractors in Afghanistan. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Justice Department Sues to Bar Kansas Man from Preparing Tax Returns By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 10:33:59 EDT The United States has asked a federal court in Kansas City, Kan., to bar Carlos Cruz, aka Carlos Ruano-Cruz, from preparing tax returns for others. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden at the 78th Interpol General Assembly By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:56:48 EDT "Under the visionary leadership of Secretary General Noble, INTERPOL is already at the forefront of the battle against globalized crime. To highlight just one of the many critical steps he has taken: he has modernized the ‘I-24/7’ network, which is used thousands of times each day and millions of times each year to conduct the cross-border police work necessary to find and arrest wanted persons, and to solve and prevent crimes." Full Article Speech
en Justice Department Requires Divestitures in AT&s Acquisition of Centennial By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:06:48 EDT The Department will require AT&T Inc. to divest assets in eight areas in Louisiana and Mississippi in order to proceed with its $944 million acquisition of Centennial Communications Corp. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Maryland Tax Preparer Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Preparing False Tax Returns for Clients By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:22:51 EDT Marcel J. Toto-Ngosso of Silver Spring, Md., was sentenced to 70 months in prison today for preparing and filing false tax returns in connection with a scheme to generate fraudulent tax refunds for his clients. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en United States Reaches Agreement in Livestock Trespassing Lawsuit By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:41:10 EDT The United States has reached a settlement with ranchers in a longstanding dispute over livestock trespasses on public lands in Nye and Esmeralda Counties, Nev. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli at the 2009 Office on Violence Against Women National Rural Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:07:55 EDT "Listening to the complex needs of the communities, and recognizing their unique responses, is perhaps the most important thing we can do at the Department." Full Article Speech
en Ship Captain Sentenced to 10 Months Confinement for Obstruction, Environmental and Ship Safety Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:16:18 EDT Panagiotis Lekkas, the captain of the cargo ship, M/V Theotokos, was sentenced today in federal court in New Orleans to 10 months confinement. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Federal Court Permanently Bars Utah Man from Promoting “Asset Protection” Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:56:36 EDT A federal judge in St. George, Utah, has permanently enjoined Kent Bickmore, the founder of a so-called asset-protection business, from helping customers file fraudulent liens and create hidden nominee bank accounts Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Federal Court Rules That Virginia Violated Voting Rights of Military and Overseas Citizens By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:01:44 EDT A federal district court in Richmond, Va., ruled yesterday that Virginia violated the voting rights of American military personnel and other overseas citizens by failing to mail absentee ballots in sufficient time for them to be counted in the Nov. 4, 2008, general election. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Former GSA Chief of Staff David Safavian Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice and Making False Statements By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:14:06 EDT David H. Safavian was sentenced today to one year in prison on charges of obstruction of justice and making false statements in connection with the investigation into the activities of former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against TK Properties LLC for Violating the Fair Housing Act By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:59:38 EDT The Department announced this week that it has filed a lawsuit against TK Properties L.L.C., its officer, Scott Terveen, and two employees, Ann Wagner and Corey Anderson, for violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating on the basis of race. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Attorney General Announces Formal Medical Marijuana Guidelines By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:39:24 EDT “It will not be a priority to use federal resources to prosecute patients with serious illnesses or their caregivers who are complying with state laws on medical marijuana, but we will not tolerate drug traffickers who hide behind claims of compliance with state law to mask activities that are clearly illegal,” Holder said. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Justice Department Reaches ADA Settlement with Fort Wayne, Indiana, Day Care Center Regarding Children with Diabetes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:55:13 EDT Pine Hills Kiddie Garden of Fort Wayne, Ind., will take necessary steps to ensure that a child’s diabetes care is integrated into the usual routine of its day care center and programs as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that it discriminated on the basis of disability. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Maryland Scientist Charged with Attempted Espionage By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:38:21 EDT A Maryland scientist who once worked for the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has been arrested for attempted espionage Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Indiana Home Health Agency Pays Nearly $2 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:36:36 EDT “With the nation’s focus on health care, this settlement demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to ensuring that federal health care dollars are spent appropriately,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Two Colorado Residents Indicted for Illegally Killing and Selling Bobcats By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:53:18 EDT A federal grand jury in Denver returned a 15-count felony indictment yesterday charging two individuals with conspiracy, wildlife trafficking and firearms violations stemming from the illegal trapping, killing and selling of bobcats and their pelts. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en U.S. Army Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Money Laundering Conspiracy Related to Department of Defense Contracts in Afghanistan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:58:02 EDT The Army Sergeant has agreed to pay $90,000 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and to cooperate with the Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Attorney General Holder Recognizes Department Employees and Others for Their Service at Annual Awards Ceremony By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:19:54 EDT Attorney General Holder recognizes 247 department employees and 39 other individuals outside of the department for their distinguished public service today at the 57th Annual Attorney General Awards Ceremony. Full Article OPA Press Releases
en Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Mort’s Concrete and Owner, to Enforce Employment Rights of Wisconsin Army National Guardsman By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:47:49 EDT “Members of the military who put their lives on the line to protect our nation deserve to know they will not be penalized for their service and their bravery,” said Thomas Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. Full Article OPA Press Releases