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Former Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Convicted on Civil Rights Charges

The jury returned guilty verdicts on all four counts of the indictment that charged Michael Anthony Higgins with violating federal law by willfully stealing money from motorists that he had stopped on the highway while working as a trooper.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, Country Club Alleging Discrimination

The lawsuit alleges that the Valley Club adopted a racially-discriminatory policy to bar summer camps from using its facilities after a group of predominantly African-American school children visited the facility.



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Justice Department Sues to Close Georgia Tax Return Preparer

The United States has asked a federal court in Dublin, Ga., to permanently bar James J. King from preparing federal income tax returns for others.



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Thirteen Detroit-Area Individuals Arrested and Charged for $14.5 Million Medicare Fraud

Thirteen Detroit-area residents were arrested today by federal agents from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and FBI in connection with an alleged home health care scheme to defraud the Medicare program of more than $14.5 million.



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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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British Citizen Pleads Guilty in Connection with Costa Rica-Based Business Opportunity Fraud Ventures

On Jan. 13, 2010, Dilraj Mathauda entered a guilty plea in federal district court in Miami Federal to one count of an indictment pending against him, charging conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.



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German National Sentenced for Smuggling Coral from the Philippines

Gunther Wenzek, a German national, was sentenced today to serve three years on probation and pay a criminal penalty of over $35,000 by Judge Anna J. Brown of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon for smuggling coral into the Port of Portland, Ore.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Testifies Before the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission

"We must be vigilant in our efforts to safeguard and strengthen the American economy. Our efforts to fight economic crime are a vital component of our broader strategy - a strategy that seeks to foster confidence in our financial system, integrity in our markets, and prosperity for the American people."




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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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Statement by Attorney General Eric Holder on Martin Luther King Day

“Each year, Martin Luther King Day provides an opportunity for all Americans to rededicate ourselves to Dr. King’s dream of racial, social, and economic justice," said Attorney General Holder.



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Twenty-Two Executives and Employees of Military and Law Enforcement Products Companies Charged in Foreign Bribery Scheme

The 16 indictments unsealed today represent the largest single investigation and prosecution against individuals in the history of DOJ’s enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Milwaukee to Enforce the Employment Rights of Air National Guard Member

The Department has reached a settlement in its lawsuit against the city of Milwaukee on behalf of Michael Crivello, a detective in the Milwaukee Police Department, alleging the city violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Alleging HIV Discrimination by RV Resort in Alabama

The Department announced the settlement of an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) discrimination lawsuit against Wales West LLC, owner and operator of Wales West RV Resort and Train and Garden Lovers Family Park in Silverhill, Ala.



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National Dental Management Company Pays $24 Million to Resolve Fraud Allegations

The United States alleged that FORBA was liable for causing the submission of claims for reimbursement for a wide range of dental services provided to low-income children that were either medically unnecessary or performed in a manner that failed to meet professionally-recognized standards of care.



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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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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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Attorney General Announces $11 Million from Zylon Settlement Set Aside for Bulletproof Vests

“There is nothing more basic, or more important, to our work than keeping our law enforcement officers safe,” Attorney General Holder said.



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Defense Department Official Sentenced to 36 Months for Espionage, False Statement Charges

James Wilbur Fondren Jr. was sentenced today to 36 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for charges involving espionage and making false statements to the FBI.



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Justice Department to Monitor Election in Texas

The Department will monitor the Jan. 23, 2010, special municipal election in the city of Hondo, Texas, to ensure compliance with the anti-discrimination and minority language requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.



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Justice Department Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Dean Foods Company

The Department's Antitrust Division, along with state attorneys general from Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, filed a lawsuit today seeking to require Dean Foods to sell the dairy processing plants it acquired from Foremost Farms.



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U.S. Citizen Pleads Guilty in Connection with Costa Rica-Based Business Opportunity Fraud Scheme

Stephen Schultz entered a guilty plea in federal district court in Miami to 12 counts of an indictment pending against him.



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Justice Department Announces Release of New Information Online as Part of President’s Open Government Initiative

As part of the Obama Administration’s Open Government Initiative, and in compliance with the Open Government Directive issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli today announced the online publication of three high-value sets of data not previously made available by the Department of Justice.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Addresses the National Sheriffs’ Association’s 2010 Winter Conference

"Over the years, I’ve been privileged to work with many of you, and, today, I’m proud to stand alongside each of you in answering our nation’s call to attain justice," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 78th Winter Meeting

"Supporting law enforcement operations is vital to fulfilling our missions and responsibilities," said Attorney General Holder.




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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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Justice Department Requires Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. to Make Significant Changes to Its Merger with Live Nation Inc.

The Department will require Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. to license its ticketing software, divest ticketing assets and subject itself to anti-retaliation provisions in order to proceed with its proposed merger with Live Nation Inc.



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Former Los Angeles Medical Center Owners Agree to $10 Million Consent Judgment for Medicare and Medi-Cal Fraud Scheme

The United States has obtained a $10 million consent judgment against Los Angeles businessman Robert Bourseau and Dr. Rudra Sabaratnam for a Medicare and Medi-Cal fraud scheme arising from their former ownership of the Los Angeles City of Angels Medical Center.



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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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Justice Department Settlement with Nashville, Tennessee, Public Schools Will Improve Security on School Buses for Students with Disabilities

The Department has entered into a settlement agreement with the Metropolitan Government of Nashville, Tenn., and Davidson County, Tenn., to enhance the security of students with disabilities on public school buses.



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Businessman Convicted for Evading $1.9 Million in Taxes on Sales of Ozone-Depleting Greenhouse Gases

Dov Shellef, a businessman from Great Neck, N.Y., was convicted today on 86 counts, following a five-week jury trial, for conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service in the collection of approximately $1.9 million in excise taxes due on sales of the ozone-depleting greenhouse gas known as CFC-113.



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Los Angeles Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Submitting Nearly $1 Million in False and Fraudulent Claims to Medicare

The owner and operator of a Los Angeles durable medical equipment (DME) company pleaded guilty today to submitting nearly $1 million in false claims to Medicare.



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Houston-Area Patient Recruiter Convicted of Health Care Fraud

Sylvia Smith, 64, a retired nurse, was convicted today of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and health care fraud.



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Associate Attorney General Perrelli, Senators Announce Passage of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Resolution

"For the first time, this crime is being commemorated as ‘National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month,’ instead of a week. This is no small feat, and I commend the Senate for its unanimous passage," said Associate Attorney General Perrelli.



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Attorney General Holder, Secretary Sebelius Convene National Summit on Health Care Fraud, Unveil Historic Commitment to Fighting Fraud in President’s FY 2011 Budget

“Health care fraud affects all Americans and demands a coordinated, national response,” said Attorney General Holder.



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Federal Court Permanently Blocks Tennessee Woman from Preparing Federal Tax Returns for Others

A federal court has issued a permanent injunction barring Karen Liane Miller of Nashville, Tenn., from preparing federal income tax returns for others.



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Texas Company Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Environmental Crime

Economy Cash & Carry Inc., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in El Paso, Texas, to a criminal violation of the Plant Protection Act related to the falsification of a required certificate stamp.



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Justice Department Resolves Lawsuit Alleging Disability-Based Housing Discrimination in Davenport, Iowa

The Department announced the settlement of a lawsuit alleging that those involved in the design and construction of two multifamily housing complexes in Davenport, Iowa, violated the Fair Housing Act.



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Former Willbros International Executives Sentenced to Prison for Their Roles in $6 Million Foreign Bribery Scheme

Two former executives of Willbros International Inc. (WII), a subsidiary of Houston-based Willbros Group Inc. (Willbros), were sentenced today for their roles in a conspiracy to pay more than $6 million in bribes to government officials of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and officials from a Nigerian political party.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Summit on Health Care Fraud

"Today’s summit marks a critical step forward in the work being done by HEAT, our Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team," said Attorney General Holder.




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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at Teen Dating Violence Month Event

"We at the Department share a vision where men, women, boys, girls and communities can live in a world without the fear of violence. Today, we take another step towards raising awareness and the profile of teen dating violence. If we’re going to do this, we are going to have to do it together."




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Justice Department Files for Immediate Relief Regarding Conditions in Georgia’s Hospitals

The Civil Rights Division has filed a motion for immediate relief to protect individuals confined in seven state-run psychiatric hospitals in Georgia from the imminent and serious threat of harm to their lives, health and safety.



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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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Attorney General Holder Appoints Three New U.S. Attorneys to Advisory Committee

Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the appointment of three new U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): Sanford Coats of the Western District of Oklahoma; Steven M. Dettelbach of the Northern District of Ohio; and Jim Letten of the Eastern District of Louisiana.



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U.S./EU Agreements on Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition Enter into Force

New agreements regarding extradition and mutual legal assistance between the European Union (EU) and the United States enter into force today.



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Department of Justice FY 2011 Budget Request

“The budget provides the department with the means necessary to protect our national security, bolster our traditional missions, and prevent and reduce crime in tandem with our state, local, tribal and community partners,” said Attorney General Holder.



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Redding, Calif., Man Convicted of Child Pornography Offenses

Elden Ray Cibart, 60, was found guilty of one count of possessing and three counts of receiving child pornography.



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Owners of Los Angeles-area Medical Equipment Company Sentenced to Prison for Medicare Fraud

Gevork Kartashyan, 45, and Eliza Shubaralyan, 42, were each sentenced to serve two years in prison by U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson of the Central District of California.



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