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Justice Department Announces Proposed Amendment to Americans with Disabilities Act Regulations to Expand Access to Movie Theaters for Individuals with Hearing and Vision Disabilities

The Justice Department announced today that Attorney General Eric Holder has signed a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to amend the Title III regulation for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to require movie theaters to provide closed movie captioning and audio description in order to give persons with hearing and vision disabilities access to movies



  • OPA Press Releases

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French Citizen Sentenced for Obstructing a Criminal Investigation into Alleged Bribes Paid to Win Mining Rights in Guinea

Frederic Cilins, a 51-year old French citizen, was sentenced today in the Southern District of New York to 24 months in prison for obstructing a federal criminal investigation into alleged bribes to obtain mining concessions in the Republic of Guinea



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former U.S. House of Representatives Employee Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government Property

Brian Prokes, 28, a former office manager in the U.S. House of Representatives, pleaded guilty today for causing the House of Representatives to pay more than $19,000 in excess salary and unauthorized travel expenses, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division



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Lloyds Banking Group Admits Wrongdoing in LIBOR Investigation, Agrees to Pay $86 Million Criminal Penalty

Lloyds Banking Group plc has entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice to pay an $86 million penalty for manipulation of submissions for the London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR), a leading global benchmark interest rate



  • OPA Press Releases

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Vascular Solutions Inc. to Pay $520,000 to Resolve False Claims Allegations Relating to Medical Device

Vascular Solutions Inc. (VSI) has agreed to pay $520,000 to resolve allegations that it caused false claims to be submitted to federal health programs by marketing a medical device for the ablation (or sealing) of perforator veins without FDA approval and despite the failure of its own clinical trial, the Justice Department announced today



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Historic Clean Water Act Settlement Will Prevent Millions of Gallons of Sewage Discharges into San Francisco Bay

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a Clean Water Act settlement requiring the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and seven East Bay communities to conduct extensive system repairs aimed at eliminating millions of gallons of sewage discharges into San Francisco Bay. Under today’s agreement, EBMUD and the communities will assess and upgrade their 1,500 mile-long sewer system infrastructure over a 21-year period



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Physician Assistant and Certified Nursing Assistant Convicted in $200 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

A federal jury in Miami today convicted a physician assistant and a certified nursing assistant, both South Florida residents, for their participation in a Medicare fraud scheme involving approximately $200 million in fraudulent billings by American Therapeutic Corporation (ATC), a mental health care company headquartered in Miami



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Remarks by Associate Attorney General Tony West at the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council

"...we're here because 60,000 young people are still confined in juvenile detention and correction facilities on any given day and when they are released they will need support to successfully make that transition to productive adulthood and stable lives."




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Former U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command Manager Sentenced for Receiving Bribes

Kenny E. Toy, 54, the former Afloat Programs Manager at the United States Navy Military Sealift Command, was sentenced today to serve 96 months in prison for receiving bribes



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Director of Nursing Pleads Guilty in Miami for Role in $7 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A former director of nursing pleaded guilty today in connection with a health care fraud scheme involving Anna Nursing Services Corp. (Anna Nursing), a defunct home health care company in Miami



  • OPA Press Releases

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Las Vegas Street Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Drug Charges

On the second day of his federal jury trial, a Las Vegas Playboy Bloods street gang member pleaded guilty today to racketeering and drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada and Leslie R. Caldwell, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division



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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Detroit Area Tax Return Preparers

The Justice Department announced today that it has asked a federal court in Detroit to permanently bar Brandon Lee and Tamika Lee, a husband and wife who do business as Quick Money Tax & tax returns in order to claim false and inflated earned income tax credits (EITC).



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Former Employee of a U.S. Construction Company Working in Afghanistan Pleads Guilty to Receiving Illegal Kickback

A former project manager of a U.S. construction company working on U.S. government contracts in Afghanistan who solicited a $60,000 kickback from an Afghan subcontractor pleaded guilty today in federal court in Tucson, Arizona



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Remarks by Assistant Attorney General John P. Carlin on Cyber National Security Threats at Carnegie Mellon University

This week marks a busy time for national security law. There is a lot going on in the world, all of which we are tracking closely. But I’m going to focus today on the threats associated with national security cyber issues.




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Department of Justice and the International Association of Chiefs of Police Release Groundbreaking Model Policy

The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), in partnership with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), today released a seminal model policy regarding police interaction with children who are impacted when a parent is arrested and law enforcement carries out its investigative and arrest responsibilities. Reflecting the collective input of a wide range of subject-matter experts and stakeholders, and understanding that interactions between children and law enforcement create lasting impressions, the resulting model policy, Safeguarding Children of Arrested Parents , provides strategies for law enforcement to improve their procedures and positively impact the communities they serve



  • OPA Press Releases

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Drug Trafficker Convicted for Narcotics and Firearms Offenses

Kelvin L. Brown, aka “Doom,” 34, of Newport News, Virginia, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury of participating in a drug conspiracy in the Newport News area, from the early 2000’s through September 2013. Brown was also convicted of distribution of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm



  • OPA Press Releases

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North Carolina Woman Sentenced for Role in Widespread Tax Return and Identity Fraud Conspiracy

The Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that a Durham, North Carolina, woman was sentenced today to serve 30 months in federal prison for conspiring to defraud the IRS



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Louisiana State Bond Commission Agrees to Settlement to Resolve Housing Discrimination Lawsuit

The Justice Department announced today that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has approved its settlement with the Louisiana State Bond Commission resolving the department’s housing discrimination lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that the commission violated the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act by adopting a moratorium on affordable housing financing in 2009. The moratorium blocked financing for a proposed 40-unit affordable housing project known as the “Esplanade.” Twenty of these units would provide permanent supportive housing to persons with disabilities



  • OPA Press Releases

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New Hampshire Man Indicted for Tax Evasion

A former Northfield, New Hampshire, man was indicted on three counts of tax evasion for tax years 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today



  • OPA Press Releases

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Hewlett-Packard Company Agrees to Pay $32.5 Million for Alleged Overbilling of the U.S. Postal Service

The Justice Department announced today that Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) has agreed to pay $32.5 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that HP overcharged the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for products between October 2001 and December 2010. HP is a manufacturer and vendor of information technology products and services headquartered in Palo Alto, California



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Owner of Southern California Medical Supply Company Found Guilty for a 10-Year, $8.3 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

On July 31, 2014, a federal jury in Los Angeles found that the former owner of a durable medical equipment (DME) supply company located in Carson, California, was guilty of health care fraud charges relating a 10-year scheme in which Medicare was fraudulently billed more than $8 million for DME that was not medically necessary



  • OPA Press Releases

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Black P-Stones Gang Member Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison on Racketeering Conspiracy and Firearms Charges

Marcellus Williams, aka “Math,” “P-Shooter” and “Manny,” 27, of Newport News, Virginia, was sentenced today to serve 30 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for engaging in numerous gang-related crimes as a ranking member of the Black P-Stones, including shootings of rival gang members, robberies and drug dealing



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers 57th Annual Meeting and 13th State Criminal Justice Network Conference

"This morning, as I look around this crowd of passionate professionals and dedicated public servants, I cannot help but feel confident in our ability to do just that; to develop smart solutions to the toughest problems we face; to protect the rights of everyone in this country, no matter their salary or their skin color; and to further enshrine the ideals of American justice into the annals of American law."




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Nebraska “Sovereign Citizen” Convicted of Filing False Liens Against Federal Officials and Federal Tax Crimes

A federal jury in Omaha, Nebraska, found Donna Marie Kozak guilty on Friday of conspiracy to file and filing false liens against two U.S. District Court judges, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska, two Assistant U.S. Attorneys and an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) special agent, the Justice Department announced



  • OPA Press Releases

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Two North Carolina Residents Plead Guilty to Defrauding Elderly Through Offshore Sweepstakes Scheme

A North Carolina couple pleaded guilty for leading a Costa Rican sweepstakes fraud scheme that defrauded hundreds of elderly Americans



  • OPA Press Releases

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Community Health Systems Inc. to Pay $98.15 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

The Justice Department announced today that Community Health Systems Inc. (CHS), the nation’s largest operator of acute care hospitals, has agreed to pay $98.15 million to resolve multiple lawsuits alleging that the company knowingly billed government health care programs for inpatient services that should have been billed as outpatient or observation services. The settlement also resolves allegations that one of the company’s affiliated hospitals, Laredo Medical Center (LMC), improperly billed the Medicare program for certain inpatient procedures and for services rendered to patients referred in violation of the Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law. CHS is based in Franklin, Tennessee, and has 206 affiliated hospitals in 29 states



  • OPA Press Releases

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Mizrahi Bank Client Sentenced for Filing False Tax Return

A Beverly Hills, California man was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to serve six months in prison and one year of home confinement for filing a false federal income tax return for tax year 2007, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Employment Discrimination Claim Against New York Nursing Home

The Justice Department announced today that it reached an agreement with Isabella Geriatric Center (IGC), a nursing home located in New York City, resolving a claim that IGC engaged in a pattern or practice of citizenship discrimination during the employment eligibility reverification process in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).



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Two Milwaukee Men Indicted in Sex Trafficking Conspiracy and Related Trafficking Offenses

Today, a federal grand jury in Milwaukee returned a 15-count superseding indictment charging two Milwaukee men, Paul Carter aka “Pimpin’ Paul” and David Moore aka “King David” with conspiracy, sex trafficking and related offenses spanning from the years 2007 to 2013



  • OPA Press Releases

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Associate Attorney General Tony West Delivers Remarks at the Progressive National Baptist Convention

"Because if a government of, by and for the people means anything at all, it means that a ballot has the power to give equal voice to the high and the low; the weak and the strong; those at the bottom as well as the top. It means that in the polling place, the line is just as long for the richest among us as it is for those who often work the hardest but have the least."




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Virginia Resident Pleads Guilty to Failing to Pay Employment Taxes

Nureni Abayomi Baruwa, a resident of Alexandria, Virginia, pleaded guilty to employment tax fraud today, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced



  • OPA Press Releases

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Disbarred Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Her Role in $28.3 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

A disbarred Florida attorney was sentenced in federal court in Tampa, Florida today to serve 70 months in prison in connection with her role in a $28.3 million Medicare fraud scheme involving false claims for physical and occupational therapy services



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Fifth Third Mortgage Company to Resolve Allegations of Discrimination Against Recipients of Disability Income

The Department of Justice filed a settlement today with Fifth Third Mortgage Company to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of disability and receipt of public assistance in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). Under the settlement, Fifth Third has agreed to maintain revised policies, conduct employee training and pay over $1.5 million to compensate victims



  • OPA Press Releases

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U.S. Forfeits Over $480 Million Stolen by Former Nigerian Dictator in Largest Forfeiture Ever Obtained Through a Kleptocracy Action

The Department of Justice has forfeited more than $480 million in corruption proceeds hidden in bank accounts around the world by former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and his co-conspirators



  • OPA Press Releases

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McKesson Corp. to Pay $18 Million to Resolve False Claims Allegations Related to Shipping Services Provided Under Centers for Disease Control Vaccine Distribution Contract

McKesson Corporation has agreed to pay $18 million to resolve allegations that it improperly set temperature monitors used in shipping vaccines under its contract with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Justice Department announced today. McKesson is a pharmaceutical distributor with corporate headquarters in San Francisco



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Russian National Arraigned on Indictment for Distributing Credit Card Data Belonging to Thousands of Card Holders

A Russian national indicted for hacking into point of sale systems at retailers throughout the United States and operating websites that distributed credit card data of thousands of credit card holders appeared today for arraignment in U.S. federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan of the Western District of Washington and Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division



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Statement by Attorney General Holder on Recent Shooting Incident in Ferguson, Missouri

Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement Monday regarding the shooting incident that took place Saturday afternoon in Ferguson, Missouri



  • OPA Press Releases

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Department of Justice Reaches Comprehensive Settlement with Crestwood School District to Improve Educational Services for English Language Learners

The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, reached a comprehensive settlement agreement with the Crestwood School District in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, to improve educational services for students who are English Language Learners (ELLs), establish a system for recruiting and hiring faculty and staff and ensure that individuals who complain about discrimination do not face unlawful retaliation



  • OPA Press Releases

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Registered Convicted Sex Offender Found Guilty of Attempted Production of Child Pornography and Traveling to Engage in Sex with a Minor

A 65-year-old registered sex offender, with two prior convictions relating to possession of child pornography and attempted sexual conduct with minors, was found guilty today of attempting to produce child pornography, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, transporting child pornography, possessing child pornography and offense by a registered sex offender



  • OPA Press Releases

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U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch for the Eastern District of New York Delivers Remarks at the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Mr. Chairperson, distinguished members of the committee, and representatives of civil society, it is an honor to be a part of the U.S. delegation and share some of the highlights of the Department of Justice’s efforts to eliminate racial discrimination and uphold human rights in the area of criminal justice.




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Texas Resident Charged with Tax Fraud and Financial Institution Fraud

A Texas woman who was the manager of a North Carolina tax preparation business was indicted today for multiple tax crimes and making false statements to banks on loan applications, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced



  • OPA Press Releases

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Deputy to Liberty Reserve Founder Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering

Azzeddine El Amine, 47, of San José, Costa Rica, pleaded guilty today to money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business in connection with his role in running Liberty Reserve, a company that operated one of the world’s most widely used digital currency services



  • OPA Press Releases

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Department of Justice Reaches Agreement with the Louisiana Supreme Court to Protect Bar Candidates with Disabilities

The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into a settlement agreement with the Louisiana Supreme Court that will resolve the department’s investigation of the court’s policies, practices and procedures for evaluating bar applicants with mental health disabilities. The department’s investigation found that during the Louisiana bar admissions process licensing entities based recommendations about bar admission on mental health diagnosis and treatment rather than conduct that would warrant denial of admission to the bar



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Owner of Los Angeles Medical Clinic Management Company Pleads Guilty in $3.2 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

The former owner of a Los Angeles medical clinic management company pleaded guilty today in connection with his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare



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Justice Department Asks Court to Dismiss Oakley Training School Case After Conditions for Confined Youth Improved Under Consent Decree

Today, the Justice Department asked a federal court to dismiss its case involving Oakley Training School in Raymond, Mississippi, because the state of Mississippi and the Division of Youth Services have significantly improved conditions for confined youth at Oakley. The reforms, implemented under a consent decree, resulted in increased protections to prevent harm to youth, improved suicide prevention practices, improved medical, dental and mental healthcare, increased rehabilitative services and improved special educational services



  • OPA Press Releases

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Real Estate Developer and Mortgage Broker Plead Guilty to Mortgage Fraud Scheme

Two Miami, Florida, residents pleaded guilty this week to participating in a mortgage fraud scheme involving the sale of condominium units in the Miami area



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Staffing Agency

The Justice Department reached an agreement today with Real Time Staffing Services LLC, doing business as Select Staffing, a company based in Santa Barbara, California. The settlement resolves the department’s claims that Select Staffing discriminated against work-authorized non-U.S. citizens in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).



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The following joint statement was released Friday by FBI Special Agent in Charge William P. Woods, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri Richard G. Callahan and Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Molly Moran

The former chief executive officer of Hanover Corporation was sentenced today to serve 14 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $14,784,983.75 in restitution for orchestrating an $18 million Ponzi scheme



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Sues to Stop Florida Tax Return Preparer

The United States has asked a federal court in Tampa, Florida, to stop Octavio Cruz and his company, Advantage Accounting Corp., from preparing federal income tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today



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Former Patriarch of the Lorenzana Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy Charges

Waldemar Lorenzana Sr., 75, the patriarch of the Lorenzana drug trafficking organization in Guatemala, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to import over 450 kilograms of cocaine into the United States



  • OPA Press Releases