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Three Albuquerque Men Indicted on Federal Civil Rights and Obstruction Charges

A federal grand jury in Albuquerque has issued a seven-count indictment charging three corrections officers at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) with various crimes related to the assault of an inmate housed at MDC on Dec. 21, 2011, and subsequent attempts to cover up and impede the investigation of the assault.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Barrio Azteca Leader Extradited from Mexico to United States to Face Charges Related to the U.S. Consulate Murders in Juarez, Mexico

An alleged leader of the Barrio Azteca (BA), a transnational border gang allied with the Juarez Cartel, was extradited from Mexico to the United States to face charges related to the March 2010 U.S. Consulate murders in Juarez, Mexico.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Arizona-based Nextcare Inc. to Pay US $10 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

NextCare Inc., an Arizona-based company, has agreed to pay $10 million to settle federal and state allegations that it submitted false claims, the Justice Department announced today. NextCare is an owner of a chain of urgent care facilities with locations in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Two Former Soldiers Sentenced for Their Participation in Fraud Scheme to Obtain $244,000 in Military Recruiting Referral Bonuses

Christopher Castro, 31, of San Antonio, Texas, and Ernest Gonzales, 51, also of San Antonio, were sentenced for their participation in a conspiracy to obtain approximately $244,000 in fraudulent recruiting referral bonuses from various U.S. military components and their contractor.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Georgia Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring with Other Officers to Assault and Injure Inmates

Willie Redden, 24, of Albany, Ga., a former member of the Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) at Macon State Prison in Oglethorpe, Ga., pleaded guilty today to conspiring with other correctional officers to violate the civil rights of inmates in 2010.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Asheville, North Carolina, Resident Pleads Guilty to Participating in $63 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Serena Joslin, 31, a Licensed Psychological Associate, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga in Miami to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Louis Dreyfus Energy Services Pays $4 Million to Resolve Allegations That It Violated the False Claims Act

Louis Dreyfus Energy Services has paid the United States $4,084,000 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to pay money owed on natural gas acquired from the Department of the Interior, the Justice Department announced today. Louis Dreyfus, which is based in Connecticut, is an energy company that is involved in merchandising, transportation, trading and storage of natural gas.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Corpus Christi, Texas, Police Department for Sex Discrimination

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the city of Corpus Christi, Texas, alleging that the city’s police department engaged in a pattern or practice of employment discrimination against women in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.



  • OPA Press Releases

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CEO of Axius Inc. and Finance Professional Indicted for Alleged Roles in Scheme to Bribe Stock Brokers and Manipulate Stock Prices

The chief executive officer (CEO) of Axius Inc., a Nevada corporation, and a finance professional were indicted today on multiple charges for their alleged roles in a scheme to bribe stock brokers and manipulate the share price of Axius stock.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Regarding Alleged Violation of Us Army Reservist’s Reemployment Rights

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement in its lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PDOC).



  • OPA Press Releases

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Virginia Man Charged with Tax Crimes

A Newport News, Va., federal grand jury has indicted Jeffrey Charles for conspiring with his daughter and son-in-law to defraud the United States, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Two Individuals Sentenced to Prison for Participating in Kickback Scheme at New York Presbyterian Hospital

Two individuals and three corporations were sentenced in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan by Judge George B. Daniels today to serve time in prison and to pay criminal fines for their participation in an eight-year conspiracy involving kickbacks in excess of $2.3 million to defraud New York Presbyterian Hospital.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Files Complaint Against Two Texas State Agencies for Pay Discrimination

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Agriculture and Texas General Land Office alleging that both state agencies are liable for discrimination against three female employees on the basis of sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, which occurred at Texas Department of Rural Affairs.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Files Complaint Alleging Retaliation by Robertson Fire Protection District in Missouri

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the Robertson Fire Protection District in North Saint Louis County, Mo., for unfairly retaliating against a firefighter who provided testimony against the RFPD, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Owner of Insulation Service Company Pleads Guilty to Million Dollar Bid-Rigging and Fraud Conspiracies at New York City Hospital

The owner of a former New York City insulation service company pleaded guilty today to a three-count indictment charging him with conspiring to rig bids on contracts for re-insulation services to New York Presbyterian Hospital, conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and filing a false tax return.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division Joseph F. Wayland Testifies Before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee

"In our system, antitrust and intellectual property policy function together to provide consumers with high-quality products and services at competitive prices, while at the same time preserving strong incentives for the innovation that creates and improves those products," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wayland.




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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Wells Fargo Resulting in More Than $175 Million in Relief for Homeowners to Resolve Fair Lending Claims

The Department of Justice today filed the second largest fair lending settlement in the department’s history to resolve allegations that Wells Fargo Bank, the largest residential home mortgage originator in the United States, engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers in its mortgage lending from 2004 through 2009.



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Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Speaks at the Wells Fargo Press Conference

"At the core of the complaint is a simple story. If you were African-American or Latino, you were more likely to be placed in a subprime loan or pay more for your mortgage loan, even though you were qualified and deserved better treatment. This is a case about real people-African American and Latino- who suffered real harm as a result of Wells Fargo’s discriminatory lending practices," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.




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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the Wells Fargo Press Conference

"Today, the Department of Justice reached a significant settlement – totaling at least $175 million – with Wells Fargo Bank, the nation’s largest originator of residential home mortgages. This settlement constitutes the second-largest fair lending settlement ever reached by the Department," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the Ceremony for the Cultural Repatriation of Peruvian Antiquities

"The recovery and repatriation of lost and stolen art to its rightful owner – whether to a private citizen or to a foreign government (as in this case) showcases what can be achieved when law enforcement partners from around the globe work together to do the right thing for all involved," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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Two Indicted for Alleged Efforts to Supply Iran with U.S.-Materials for Gas Centrifuges to Enrich Uranium

A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia has returned a superseding indictment charging Parviz Khaki, a citizen of Iran, and Zongcheng Yi, a resident of China, for their alleged efforts to obtain and illegally export to Iran U.S.-origin materials that can be used to construct, operate and maintain gas centrifuges to enrich uranium, including maraging steel, aluminum alloys, mass spectrometers, vacuum pumps and other items.



  • OPA Press Releases

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National President, National Vice President and 39 Members and Associates of the Devils Diciples Motorcycle Gang Indicted

An indictment unsealed today in the Eastern District of Michigan charges 41 members and associates of the Devils Diciples Motorcycle Gang, including National President Jeff Garvin Smith and National Vice President Paul Anthony Darrah, for their alleged participation in a variety of criminal offenses.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Alabama Businessman, Lobbyist and Legislator Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Wide-Ranging Conspiracy to Influence and Corrupt Activities of Alabama State Legislature

Three individuals, including Alabama businessman Ronald Gilley, lobbyist Jarrod Massey and former Alabama state representative Terry Spicer were sentenced to prison today in Montgomery, Ala., for bribery-related offenses.



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U.S. and Tennessee Announce Clean Water Act Agreement with the City of Chattanooga

The Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General announced today a comprehensive Clean Water Act settlement with the city of Chattanooga, Tenn.



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Justice Department Settles with State of Nevada to Enforce Employment Rights of Returning Army Reservist

The settlement in this case represents the largest recovery the Civil Rights Division has obtained on behalf of a returning service member since 2004, when it assumed jurisdiction for the enforcement of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

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The Nordam Group Inc. Resolves Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Violations and Agrees to Pay $2 Million Penalty

NORDAM Group Inc., a provider of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services based in Tulsa, Okla., has entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice to pay a $2 million penalty to resolve violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Requiring Rutherford County, Tenn., to Allow Mosque to Open in City of Murfreesboro

The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a federal lawsuit against Rutherford County, Tenn., alleging that the county violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) when, in compliance with a state chancery court ruling, it refused to process or issue a certificate of occupancy to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro for a recently constructed mosque. The department’s complaint states that a certificate of occupancy is needed immediately so that the Islamic Center can hold worship services at the new facility during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which begins at sundown on July 19.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Hacker Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Role in Two Hacking Schemes Involving a Total of More Than 240,000 Stolen Credit Card Numbers

Aleksandr Suvorov, of Estonia, was sentenced today to seven years in prison for his role in two separate hacking schemes involving a total of more than 240,000 stolen credit card numbers.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Maine Resident Charged and Arrested for Allegedly Engaging in Cyber “Sextortion” of New Hampshire Victim

John Bryan Villegas, 21, of Kittery, Maine, was arrested yesterday and made his initial appearance today in federal court in New Hampshire.



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Former President of Texas Company Indicted for Employee Deaths and Environmental Violations

Port Arthur Chemical and Environmental Services LLC (PACES) and its former president Matthew L. Bowman have been charged with conspiracy to illegally transport hazardous materials, resulting in the deaths of two employees, in an indictment handed down by a federal grand jury in Beaumont, Texas.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Employee of Nursing Home Company Operating in North Carolina and Virginia Sentenced to Serve 63 Months in Prison for Kickback Schemes and Tax Evasion

The former director of corporate maintenance and renovations at Medical Facilities of America Inc. (MFA) was today sentenced to serve 63 months in prison for accepting kickbacks from contractors and evading federal income taxes.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Two Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty to Trafficking the Identities of Puerto Rican U.S. Citizens

Two foreign nationals have pleaded guilty for their roles in a scheme to traffic the identities of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and corresponding identity documents.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Financial Services Executive Indicted for His Participation in a Far-Reaching Conspiracy and Scheme to Defraud Involving Investment Contracts for the Proceeds of Municipal Bonds

A former financial services executive was indicted yesterday for his participation in a far-reaching conspiracy and scheme to defraud related to bidding for contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other municipal finance contracts.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Starr County, Texas, Sheriff’s Deputy Arrested and Detained on Bribery, Extortion and Drug Charges

A Deputy Sheriff for the Starr County, Texas, Sherriff’s Office has been ordered detained by a federal magistrate judge in the Southern District of Texas on charges of conspiracy, federal programs bribery, extortion and drug possession with intent to distribute.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Fishermen and Seafood Wholesaler Convicted of Conspiring to Obstruct Justice, Falsify Food Safety and Oyster Harvest Records, and Traffic in Illegal Oysters

After a seven week trial in federal court in Camden, N.J., multiple defendants were convicted on various felony counts of creating false records, trafficking in illegally possessed oysters, obstructing the Food and Drug Administration’s regulation of public health and safety, and conspiring to commit those crimes.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Three Men Sentenced in Houston for Federal Hate Crimes Related to the Assault of African-American Man

Kerstetter was sentenced to 77 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Cannon was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. And McLaughlin was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.



  • OPA Press Releases

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U.S. Restrains More Than $3 Million in Corruption Proceeds Related to Former Governor of Nigeria

Through an application to register and enforce two orders from United Kingdom courts, the Department of Justice has secured a restraining order against more than $3 million in corruption proceeds located in the United States related to James Onanefe Ibori, the former governor of Nigeria’s oil-rich Delta State.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Mary Lou Leary Speaks at the Center for AIDS Research Corrections Subgroup

"For too long, our jails and prisons have been thought of as sealed institutions, where all problems – and all dangers – are contained. But that is clearly not the case. Health care is a powerful example of how issues that are unresolved – and, too often, exacerbated – in the corrections setting can lead to public health and public safety risks," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Leary.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Philadelphia Violent Crime Reduction Partnership Announcement Press Conference

"From last month’s announcement – right here in Philadelphia – of more than $111 million in COPS Hiring Program grant awards to save or create jobs for approximately 800 officers – including more than $3 million for this city to hire 25 new officers – to our efforts to better understand and address the threats that law enforcement officers face every day – I’m proud to report that our dedication to ensuring the safety, and the success, of America’s law enforcement officers has never been stronger," said Attorney General Holder.




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Justice Department Signs Agreements in Texas and Georgia to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

The Justice Department today announced agreements with Wills Point, Texas, and Randolph County, Ga., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for individuals with disabilities



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former North Carolina Builder Arrested and Charged with Tax Obstruction and Conversion of Government Property

William B. Clayton, a residential builder formerly of Corolla, N.C., was arrested yesterday on charges of obstructing the tax laws and converting government property.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Alabama Real Estate Investor Pleads Guilty to Conspiracies to Rig Bids and Commit Mail Fraud for the Purchase of Real Estate at Public Foreclosure Auctions

An Alabama real estate investor pleaded guilty today for his role in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in southern Alabama.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Announces Consent Decree with City of New Orleans to Resolve Allegations of Unlawful Misconduct by New Orleans Police Department

The Department of Justice announced today that the United States has entered into a comprehensive, cooperative consent decree with the city of New Orleans to resolve allegations of unlawful police misconduct by the New Orleans Police Department.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Detroit-Area Health Care Clinic Owner Sentenced to Serve 60 Months in Prison for Role in $8.5 Million Diagnostic Testing Fraud Scheme

Miami-area resident Emilio Haber, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Patrick Duggan in the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention Boston Site Visit

"Attorney General Holder often says that fighting violence in our cities and building a fair and effective justice system – a system that keeps citizens safe and maintains its legitimacy in the eyes of everyone it serves – has never been more difficult, nor more urgent, than right now," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the City of New Orleans Consent Decree Press Conference

"There can be no question that today’s action represents a critical step forward. It reaffirms the Justice Department’s commitment to fair and vigorous law enforcement at every level. It underscores our determination to work alongside federal, state, local, and tribal authorities to protect not only the safety – but the essential civil rights – of everyone in this country," said Attorney General Holder.




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Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Speaks at the City of New Orleans Consent Decree Press Conference

"There is significant emphasis on transparency, community engagement and sustainability. The decree places tools in the hands of the entire community so that long after the agreement has ended, effective, constitutional policing will endure. There are creative approaches to assessing compliance that focus on meaningful outcomes and encourage innovation," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.




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$1 Million in Restitution Payments Announced to Preserve North Carolina Wetlands

North Carolina’s Waccamaw River watershed will benefit from a $1 million restitution order from a federal court, funding environmental projects to acquire and preserve wetlands in an area damaged by illegal releases of wastewater from a corporate hog farm.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Kansas City, Missouri, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

The agreement is the 200th settlement reached under Project Civic Access (PCA), the department’s wide-ranging initiative to ensure that cities, towns and counties throughout the country comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).



  • OPA Press Releases

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Wilcox County, Georgia, Jailer Pleads Guilty in Connection with Assault of Three Inmates

The Justice Department announced today that former Wilcox County, Ga., Jailer Casey Owens pleaded guilty to a misprision of a felony in connection with an incident in which several people, including law enforcement officials, assaulted three inmates inside of the Wilcox County Jail in Abbeville, Ga.



  • OPA Press Releases