at Former Army National Guard Soldier Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Defrauding the U.S. Army National Guard Bureau By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 4 Jun 2014 18:08:03 EDT Former Specialist Christopher Renfro, 26, of Houston, Texas pleaded guilty today to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Previously, on March 24, 2014, Renfro pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of bribery in connection with the same scheme. Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Florida State University By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 16:09:38 EDT The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement with the Florida State University Board of Trustees, acting for and on behalf of Florida State University (FSU), in Tallahassee, Florida. Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Detroit Tax Preparer, Previously Convicted on Tax Charges, Found Guilty of Failing to Appear at 2013 Bond Hearing By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 17:25:17 EDT The Justice Department, the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration announced that Matthew Bender, of Detroit, was convicted yesterday following a jury trial of failing to appear at a bond hearing on July 2, 2013. Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Fourth Annual Tribal Consultation Conference Hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 15:17:01 EDT "And as I look around this crowd – of colleagues, friends, and distinguished tribal leaders – despite the wrongs and injustices of our troubled past and the obstacles that undoubtedly lie ahead, I can’t help but feel confident in our ability to move forward together – speaking with one voice, standing as one people, and building on the legacies of those who have gone before." Full Article Speech
at Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Testifies Before the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 15:23:02 EDT "We support the USA Freedom Act as an effective means of addressing some of the concerns that have been raised about the impact of our intelligence collection activities on privacy while preserving the authorities we need for national security," said Deputy Attorney General Cooe. Full Article Speech
at Associate Attorney General Tony West to Visit Alaska By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 6 Jun 2014 11:32:19 EDT Associate Attorney General Tony West will visit Alaska next week to discuss the Department of Justice’s efforts to protect civil rights and strengthen public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Justice Department and CNCS Announce New Partnership to Enhance Immigration Courts and Provide Critical Legal Assistance to Unaccompanied Minors By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 6 Jun 2014 14:06:50 EDT The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which administers AmeriCorps, and the Department of Justice today announced “justice AmeriCorps,” a strategic partnership to increase national service opportunities while enhancing the effective and efficient adjudication of immigration proceedings involving certain children who have crossed the U.S. border without a parent or legal guardian. Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Justice Department Concludes That Los Angeles County Jails System Has Made Progress, but Serious Deficiencies Continue By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 6 Jun 2014 14:14:39 EDT The Justice Department today released its latest compliance assessment of mental health services at the Los Angeles County Jails based on a memorandum of agreement designed to protect the constitutional rights of prisoners with serious mental illness at the jails. Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Attorney General Holder Suggests New Proposal to Boost Voting Access for American Indians and Alaska Natives By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 9 Jun 2014 12:37:13 EDT "As a nation, we cannot, and we will not, simply stand by as the voices of Native Americans are shut out of the democratic process. I am personally committed to working with tribal authorities – and with Congress – to confront disparities and end misguided voting practices once and for all.” Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Justice Department Settles Employment Discrimination Allegations Against City of Austin By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 16:12:23 EDT The Department of Justice announced today that it has entered into and filed a consent decree that, if approved by the court, will resolve the department’s allegations that the city of Austin violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against African-American and Hispanic applicants for entry-level firefighter positions at the Austin Fire Department (AFD). Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Justice Department and Montana Officials to Hold Press Conference Announcing Negotiated Agreements Regarding the Handling of Sexual Assault Cases By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 16:13:45 EDT Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Jocelyn Samuels, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Michael Cotter, Montana Attorney General Tim Fox, Missoula County Attorney Fred Van Valkenburg and Missoula County Commissioner Bill Carey will hold a press conference TOMORROW, TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. EDT (11:00 a.m. MDT), to announce negotiated agreements regarding the handling of sexual assault cases Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Justice Department Officials to Hold Press Call Announcing Negotiated Agreements Regarding the Handling of Sexual Assault Cases By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 16:15:06 EDT Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Jocelyn Samuels and U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Michael Cotter will hold a press call TOMORROW, TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2014 at 1:45 p.m. EDT (11:45 a.m. MDT), for reporters who are unable to attend in person the 1:00 p.m. EDT (11:00 a.m. MDT), press conference announcing negotiated agreements regarding the handling of sexual assault cases Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the National Congress of American Indians 2014 Midyear Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 9 Jun 2014 14:50:53 EDT "Standing by as Native voices, for whatever reason, are shut out of the democratic process is not an option. That is why the Attorney General and I support legislative steps that will guarantee voters have access to polling places on Indian reservations and in Alaska Native villages," said Associate Attorney General West. Full Article Speech
at Department of Justice Reaches Landmark Agreement to Improve Missoula County Attorney’s Office’s Response to Reports of Sexual Assault By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:11:08 EDT The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a comprehensive agreement with the Missoula County Attorney’s Office, as well as Missoula County, Montana, and the Montana Attorney General’s Office, to resolve the department’s investigation of alleged gender bias in the prosecution of sexual assaults by the Missoula County Attorney’s Office (MCAO). Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Justice Department Urges U.S. Sentencing Commission to Make Certain Individuals Incarcerated for Drug Offenses Retroactively Eligible for Reduced Sentences By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:12:54 EDT Attorney General Eric Holder announced Tuesday that the Justice Department would formally support a proposal under consideration by the U.S. Sentencing Commission to allow certain individuals serving time in federal prison for nonviolent drug offenses to be eligible for reduced sentences. Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Former Rabobank Trader Pleads Guilty for Scheme to Manipulate Yen Libor By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:16:01 EDT A former Coöperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank B.A. (Rabobank) Japanese Yen derivatives trader pleaded guilty today for his role in a conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud by manipulating Rabobank’s Yen London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR) submissions to benefit his trading positions Full Article OPA Press Releases
at City of San Jacinto, California, Agrees to End Discriminatory Housing Practices By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:18:59 EDT The Justice Department today announced a settlement with the city of San Jacinto, California, that resolves a lawsuit alleging disability discrimination filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Under the settlement, San Jacinto has changed its laws to comply with the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the Congressional Black Caucus on Black Men and Boy’s Father’s Day Event By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:47:39 EDT When I think about what it means to be an engaged citizen and a role model, I think of – and am thankful for – my own wonderful father, whom I loved, admired and miss every day. Full Article Speech
at Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the 2014 LGBT Pride Month Celebration By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:48:27 EDT Today, we have the privilege of hearing from two of the tenacious legal advocates who made last year’s landmark Supreme Court decision possible. First, it’s my pleasure to hand things over to our keynote speaker, Roberta Kaplan – who argued the Defense of Marriage Act challenge on behalf of Edith Windsor. Full Article Speech
at Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the 14th Annual Lambda Legal Reception By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:49:57 EDT And it’s not enough until the circle of opportunity and equality is so wide – and so accessible – that the American Dream is available to everyone with the heart to dream it. Full Article Speech
at Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Delivers Remarks at the “Pills to Needles: the Pathway to Rising Heroin Deaths” Event By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:55:16 EDT As the Attorney General recently observed, heroin and opiate addiction and abuse “is impacting the lives of Americans in every state, in every region, and from every background and walk of life.” Full Article Speech
at U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Michael Cotter Speaks at Press Conference Announcing Agreement with Missoula County Attorney’s Office By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 13:08:17 EDT "These agreements embody a sound plan and a solid program which will improve safety of women, enhance the capacity of the County Attorney’s Office to efficiently and effectively prosecute sexual assault crimes, and increase the community’s confidence in the County Attorney’s Office response to sexual assault." Full Article Speech
at Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Jocelyn Samuels Speaks at Press Conference Announcing Agreement with Missoula County Attorney’s Office By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 13:14:13 EDT "Today’s groundbreaking agreement represents another important step forward in our ongoing effort to ensure that survivors of sexual assault in Missoula are treated with dignity and respect and have the full protection of the criminal justice system" Full Article Speech
at Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Pamela Karlan Speaks at the 2014 LGBT Pride Month Celebration By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 13:24:37 EDT ..."the velocity of the change should not blind us to the fact that if other civil rights struggles in America are any lesson, we have decades to go and we may need to fight as hard to preserve the gains we’ve won as to achieve new ones." Full Article Speech
at Advisory Committee on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence Holds Final Public Hearing By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:22:10 EDT The Advisory Committee of the Attorney General’s Task Force on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence convenes its final public hearing in Anchorage, Alaska, today and tomorrow Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Associate Attorney Tony West Speaks at the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence Hearing By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 16:33:01 EDT "We have come to Anchorage to lessen the number of suffering children. We come to continue the important work we began six months ago when this Advisory Committee held its first hearing in Bismarck," said Associate Attorney General West Full Article Speech
at Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Commercial Cleaning Systems By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:25:09 EDT The Justice Department reached an agreement today with Commercial Cleaning Systems, a janitorial services company with headquarters in Denver. The agreement resolves claims that the company discriminated against work-authorized non-U.S. citizens in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Romanian National “Guccifer” Charged with Hacking into Personal Email Accounts By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:27:01 EDT Marcel Lehel Lazar, 42, of Arad, Romania, also known as the hacker “Guccifer,” was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges of wire fraud, unauthorized access to a protected computer, aggravated identity theft, cyberstalking and obstruction of justice Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Former Ku Klux Klan Officer Pleads Guilty to Committing Perjury During Investigation into Cross-Burning By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:30:11 EDT Pamela Morris, former secretary of a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in Ozark, Alabama, pleaded guilty today to committing perjury during a grand jury’s investigation into a racially motivated cross-burning in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Statement by Attorney General Holder on the Passing of Ruby Dee By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:31:56 EDT U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement Friday on the passing of actress Ruby Dee Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Houston Ambulance Operator Sentenced for Her Role in $2.4 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:33:08 EDT The owner and operator of a Houston area ambulance company was sentenced today to serve 97 months in prison for her role in a $2.4 million Medicare fraud scheme Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Attorney General Holder Delivers Remarks at the Focus: Hope “Heroes for Hope” Event By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 15:52:46 EDT Ultimately, as your history reminds us, these efforts will be successful only if we take responsibility not just for ourselves, but for our families, our neighbors, our friends, and our fellow citizens. Among them are the future “heroes for hope” that this city, this state, and this country desperately need. Full Article Speech
at Georgia Resident Pleads Guilty in Connection with International Lottery Scheme Based in Jamaica By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:36:26 EDT A man from Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty today for his role in a Jamaican-based fraudulent lottery scheme Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Federal Inmate Convicted of Murder By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:38:24 EDT Federal inmate Kevin Marquette Bellinger, a former resident of Washington, D.C., and an inmate at the United States Penitentiary in Hazelton, West Virginia, was convicted this week for the murder of another inmate after a 5-day federal jury trial before U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley of the Northern District of West Virginia Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Attorney General Holder Delivers Statement on the Arrest of Ahmed Abu Khatallah for His Role in Attack in Benghazi, Libya By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:41:25 EDT Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement Tuesday regarding the arrest of Ahmed Abu Khatallah for his role in the attack on the U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Federal Government and State Attorneys General Reach Nearly $1 Billion Agreement with SunTrust to Address Mortgage Loan Origination as Well as Servicing and Foreclosure Abuses By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:42:54 EDT The Justice Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), along with 49 state attorneys general and the District of Columbia’s attorney general have reached a $968 million agreement with SunTrust Mortgage Inc. (SunTrust) to address mortgage origination, servicing, and foreclosure abuses Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Libyan National Charged with Federal Offenses in 2012 Attack on U.S. Special Mission and Annex in Benghazi By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:47:31 EDT Ahmed Abu Khatallah, aka Ahmed Mukatalah, a Libyan national approximately 43 years of age, has been charged for his alleged participation in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. Special Mission and Annex in Benghazi, Libya, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Justice Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Reach $169 Million Settlement to Resolve Allegations of Credit Card Lending Discrimination by GE Capital Retail Bank By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 11:57:51 EDT The Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today announced a settlement to resolve allegations that GE Capital Retail Bank, known as of this month as Synchrony Bank, engaged in a nationwide pattern or practice of discrimination by excluding Hispanic borrowers from two of its credit card debt-repayment programs Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Patient Recruiter Pleads Guilty in Miami for Role in $205 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 12:01:01 EDT A former patient recruiter pleaded guilty today in Miami, Florida, for his role in a $205 million Medicare fraud scheme Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Attorney General Holder Delivers at the ONDCP Summit on Heroin and Prescription Drugs By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 09:34:45 EDT You know as well as anyone that the challenges we face are daunting. You’ve shown us that, as we seek to address the problem of substance abuse, it makes sense to focus on the most dangerous types of drugs. And right now, few substances are more lethal than prescription opioids and heroin. Full Article Speech
at Remarks by Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Jocelyn Samuels at GE Capital Retail Bank Press Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 13:25:34 EDT The settlement resolves claims that the bank discriminated against Hispanic borrowers by excluding them from two credit card debt-repayment programs. It is the federal government’s largest credit card discrimination settlement in history. Full Article Speech
at One Year After Supreme Court’s Historic Windsor Decision, Attorney General Holder Issues Report Outlining Obama Administration’s Work to Extend Federal Benefits to Same-sex Married Couples By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 16:29:52 EDT Following the Supreme Court’s historic decision striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, Attorney General Eric Holder on Friday issued a formal report on the yearlong effort by the Justice Department and other federal agencies to implement the decision smoothly across the entire government Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Joint Statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Justice on the Declassification of Renewal of Collection Under Section 501 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 12:11:02 EDT The Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released the following joint statement Friday Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Attorney General Holder Vows Justice Department Will Continue to Look at Banks That Help Payment Processors Carry out Consumer Scams, Says More Cases to Be Resolved Soon By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 16:00:43 EDT Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday said that the Justice Department will continue to investigate financial institutions that knowingly facilitate consumer scams, or that willfully look the other way in processing such fraudulent transactions. He acknowledged that multiple investigations were ongoing in this area, and said he expected several of those cases to be resolved in the coming months Full Article OPA Press Releases
at District Court Enters Permanent Injunction Against California-Based Firm and Individuals to Prevent Distribution of Adulterated Dietary Supplements By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 16:01:45 EDT The Justice Department announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Otis D. Wright II of the Central District of California entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against GM Manufacturing Inc. (GMM) and Mao L. Yang, Mary Chen and David Yang on Friday, June 20, 2014, to prevent the distribution of adulterated dietary supplements Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Three Former Georgia Correctional Officers Convicted for Offenses Related to Beating of Inmate and Ensuing Cover-Up By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 16:02:53 EDT The Justice Department announced that Christopher Hall, a former sergeant for the Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) at Macon State Prison (MSP) in Oglethorpe, Georgia, and two former CERT officers, Ronald Lach and Delton Rushin, were convicted on Friday night by a federal jury on federal offenses related to the beating of an MSP inmate in 2010 and the cover-up that followed Full Article OPA Press Releases
at 168 Juveniles Recovered in Nationwide Operation Targeting Commercial Child Sex Trafficking By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 16:04:06 EDT During the past week, the FBI, its local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) conducted Operation Cross Country VIII, a week-long enforcement action to address commercial child sex trafficking throughout the United States Full Article OPA Press Releases
at New Jersey School District to Adopt Service Animal Policies and Pay Fine to Resolve Justice Department Investigation By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 15:55:06 EDT The Justice Department announced today that it reached a settlement with the Delran Township School District in New Jersey under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Former Louisiana State Corrections Official Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 15:57:58 EDT Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Walt Green for the Middle District of Louisiana announced today that a third former state corrections official has pleaded guilty to civil rights violations related to the beating of an inmate at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Louisiana Full Article OPA Press Releases
at Attorney General Holder Pledges Support for Legislation to Provide E.U. Citizens with Judicial Redress in Cases of Wrongful Disclosure of Their Personal Data Transferred to the U.S. for Law Enforcement Purposes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 15:42:23 EDT Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that the Obama administration, as part of successfully concluding negotiations on the E.U.-U.S. Data Protection and Privacy Agreement (DPPA), would seek to work with Congress to enact legislation that would provide E.U. citizens with the right to seek redress in U.S. courts if personal data shared with U.S. authorities by their home countries for law enforcement purposes under the proposed agreement is subsequently intentionally or willfully disclosed, to the same extent that U.S. citizens could seek judicial redress in U.S. courts for such disclosures of their own law enforcement information under the Privacy Act Full Article OPA Press Releases