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Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Texas Tax Return Preparers

The United States has asked a federal court in Waco, Texas, to permanently bar several tax preparers individually and through the business Accounting System Services, doing business as A Kind Bookkeeping and Tax Service, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today



  • OPA Press Releases

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Alabama Woman Convicted of Stolen Identity Refund Fraud

A jury found a Dothan, Alabama, woman guilty of conspiring to defraud the government through the filing of false tax returns, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ronald A. Cimino of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama announced today



  • OPA Press Releases

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Four Mississippi Men and Women Indicted for Racially Motivated Hate Crimes Spree in Jackson, Mississippi

Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis for the Southern District of Mississippi announced today that a federal grand jury has indicted John Louis Blalack, 20, of Brandon, Mississippi, Sarah Adelia Graves, 21, of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, Robert Henry Rice, 23, of Brandon, and Shelbie Brooke Richards, 20, of Pearl, Mississippi, for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to commit federal hate crimes against African-American people in Jackson, Mississippi



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Associate Attorney General Tony West Outlines Justice Department’s Approach to Toxic Mortgage Cases

“If an institution is unwilling to admit its wrongful conduct in a statement of facts; or balks at paying a substantial penalty that reflects that conduct; or refuses to do right by those affected, then we will not shrink from litigating as long as we must to fulfill our law enforcement mandate.”




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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Delivers Remarks at the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Howard University Event

History is not just a series of events; it is the people who create those events. It is the impact of the stories—told and untold—of the many trailblazers and unsung heroes whose tireless sacrifices and relentless dedication have resulted in justice, equality, opportunity, and freedom for all.




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Attorney General Holder Announces Plans to Send Seven Additional ATF Agents to Chicago

Following his recent visit to Chicago where he participated in a roundtable discussion with Mayor Emanuel on recent reductions in youth violence, Attorney General Eric Holder today announced plans to send seven additional Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), agents to the field division office in Chicago



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Florida Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison on Child Pornography Charges

Robert Eugene Revay, 79, of Oakland Park, Florida, was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for conspiring to produce child pornography and for possession of child pornography



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Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Orange County Clerk of Courts in Florida to Ensure Equal Access to Court Records for Blind Individuals

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement with the Orange County Clerk of Courts in Florida to remedy violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The settlement resolves allegations that the Orange County Clerk of Courts failed to provide a blind attorney with electronic court documents in an accessible format readable by his screen reader technology, despite repeated requests. Indeed, a motion filed in one of his cases included over 20 exhibits, the majority of which were not provided in an accessible format for over four months



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Former Executive of French Power Company Subsidiary Pleads Guilty in Connection with Foreign Bribery Scheme

A former senior executive of a subsidiary of Alstom SA, the French power and transportation company, pleaded guilty today for his participation in a scheme to pay bribes to foreign government officials



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Illinois Man Sentenced for Smuggling Counterfeit Goods and Drugs into the U.S.

An Illinois man, who previously pleaded guilty to trafficking in counterfeit goods and introducing counterfeit drugs into interstate commerce in violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, was sentenced today to serve 41 months in prison



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Alleging Violations of Federal Law and Executive Order by Federal Contractor

The Justice Department announced the filing of a lawsuit today against Entergy Corporation for violating Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974



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Government Files Suit Against Missouri Neurosurgeon and Medical Device Supplier for Violations of the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute

The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a complaint against Midwest Neurosurgeons L.L.C. and its owner, Dr. Sanjay Fonn, M.D., and DS Medical L.L.C. and its owner, Deborah Seeger, for allegedly violating the Medicare Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act by conspiring to solicit and receive commissions from medical device manufacturers related to the purchase of spinal implants and supplies used during spinal fusion surgeries performed by Dr. Fonn



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Testimony by Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Before the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Job Creation and Regulatory Affairs Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

We recognize the Committee’s interest in this matter. We share that interest and are conducting a thorough and complete investigation and analysis of the allegations of targeting by the IRS. While I know you are frustrated by the fact that I cannot at this time disclose any specifics about the investigation, I do pledge to you that when our investigation is completed, we will provide Congress with detailed information about the facts we uncovered and the conclusions we reached in this matter




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Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice and Filing False Multi-Billion Dollar Liens Against Two Federal Judges and Other Government Employees

Tyree Davis Sr., 42, of Flossmoor, Illinois, pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice and two counts of filing false retaliatory liens against government officials, the Justice Department announced today



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Statement by Attorney General Holder on Sentencing Commission Vote Approving Retroactivity of Sentence Reductions for Drug Offenses

Attorney General Eric Holder today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Sentencing Commission vote approving retroactivity of sentence reductions for drug offenses



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Remarks by Associate Attorney General Tony West at My Brother's Keeper Summer Success Workshop

"My Brother's Keeper is about letting young people take responsibility for themselves and realizing success on their own terms. Those of us in positions of leadership -- we need to do our part to make sure you have a fair shot at your dreams; that you're not being held back by bias and discrimination; that the justice system designed to protect your rights is treating you fairly. That's our job."




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Alabama Hospital System and Physician Group Agree to Pay $24.5 Million to Settle Lawsuit Alleging False Claims for Illegal Medicare Referrals

Mobile, Alabama-based Infirmary Health System Inc. (IHS), two IHS-affiliated clinics and Diagnostic Physicians Group P.C. (DPG) have agreed to pay the United States $24.5 million to resolve a lawsuit alleging that they violated the False Claims Act by paying or receiving financial inducements in connection with claims to the Medicare program, the Justice Department announced today



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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Los Angeles Area Tax Return Preparer

The United States has asked a federal court in Los Angeles to bar Elton L. Barnes Jr. from preparing tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today



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Former Senior Executive of Qualcomm Pleads Guilty to Insider Trading and Money Laundering

Jing Wang, 51, the former Executive Vice President and President of Global Business Operations for Qualcomm Inc., today pleaded guilty to insider trading in shares of Qualcomm and Atheros Communications Inc. Wang also pleaded guilty to laundering the proceeds of his insider trading using an offshore shell company



  • OPA Press Releases

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Members of Three Different Android Mobile Device App Piracy Groups Charged

Three federal indictments were unsealed today in the Northern District of Georgia charging six members of three different piracy groups – Appbucket, Applanet and SnappzMarket – for their roles in the illegal distribution of copies of copyrighted Android mobile device applications, or “apps,” announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates of the Northern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge J. Britt Johnson of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office



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Unlicensed Trader Pleads Guilty in Los Angeles for Role in Fraudulent High Yield Investment Program Scheme

An unlicensed trader who solicited $500,000 from undercover FBI agents to invest in a fraudulent high yield investment program pleaded guilty today in federal court in Los Angeles



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Former Officer Sentenced for Excessive Force and Obstruction Charges

Lindrith Tsoodle, 58, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland to serve 15 months in prison for two incidents in which he used excessive force against an arrestee and for lying to a federal agent



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Jury Convicts Man of Impeding Boston Marathon Bombing Investigation

A federal jury in Boston has convicted a friend of alleged Boston Marathon bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, for impeding the bombing investigation



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Justice Department to Announce Results and Next Steps in Investigation of Newark Police Department

The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey will announce the results and next steps following its investigation into the Newark Police TODAY, TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2014, at 12:00 p.m. EDT, at the Newark office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey



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President Announces New AmeriCorps Partnerships to Expand Opportunities to Youth

As part of his My Brother’s Keeper initiative, President Obama announced new AmeriCorps partnerships with federal agencies and the private sector to connect young people to mentoring, support networks and job skills to help them reach their full potential



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United States Intervenes in Whistleblower Suit Against Symantec Corporation Alleging False Claims for Computer Software

The United States has intervened in a law suit against Symantec Corporation, alleging that Symantec submitted false claims to the United States on a General Services Administration (GSA) software contract, the Justice Department announced today



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Justice Department Reaches Agreement with City of Newark, New Jersey, to Address Unconstitutional Policing in Newark Police Department

The Justice Department today announced it has reached an agreement with the city of Newark, New Jersey, to address a pattern and practice of unconstitutional policing by the Newark Police Department (NPD).



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Former Maryland Correctional Officer Sentenced in Connection with Series of Assaults on Inmate

James Kalbflesh, a former correctional officer at the Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI) in Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced today in connection with the March 9, 2008, assault of Kenneth Davis, an inmate



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Statement by Justice Department Spokesperson on King V. Burwell and Halbig V. Burwell

The Department of Justice released the following statement Tuesday from spokesperson Emily Pierce regarding the ruling in the case of King v. Burwell by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Halbig v. Burwell



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Maryland Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Conspiracy

U.S. District Court Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Jean Claude Roy, aka Dredd the Don, 31, of Germantown, Maryland, to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, the Justice Department announced today



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Australian Man Pleads Guilty in Las Vegas to Biofuels Fraud Scheme

Nathan Stoliar, 64, of Australia, pleaded guilty in federal court in Las Vegas today to five felonies for his role in multiple schemes, worth in excess of $41 million, to generate fraudulent biodiesel credits and to export biodiesel without providing biodiesel credits to the United States as required by law



  • OPA Press Releases

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Remarks by Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels Announcing the Findings of the Department of Justice’s Investigation of the Newark Police Department

"The goal of our civil investigation and our findings today is to ensure that the police department acts in accord with the Constitution, and earns the trust of the public it is charged with protecting, even as it becomes more effective at fighting crime. A key part of our task is to ensure that the hard work of the many men and women of NPD who serve honorably is not overshadowed by the unlawful behavior of others or by institutional deficiencies that make an already difficult job that much harder."




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Attorney General Holder Delivers Remarks at a Naturalization Ceremony Held at the Department of Justice

I am honored to join you in this pursuit. I congratulate you, once again, on this extraordinary occasion. And I thank you for allowing me to share it with you.




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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Delivers Remarks at Department of Homeland Security Press Conference on Human Smuggling Along the Southwest Border

As the Secretary has so poignantly described, the conditions for these migrants en route to the United States are horrible. Human smuggling ventures lead to extremely dangerous circumstances that pose a threat to public safety and are serious humanitarian concerns. We have encountered smuggled aliens that have been, kidnapped, taken hostage, beaten, sexually assaulted, threatened with murder or have died as a result of dangerous conditions.




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Three Defendants Arrested on Charges of Providing Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization

Three defendants were arrested today on charges of providing material support to al-Shabaab, a designated foreign terrorist organization that is conducting a violent insurgency campaign in Somalia



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Owner and Administrator of Miami Home Health Companies Pleads Guilty for Role in $74 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A Miami resident who owned a home health care company and was the administrator of another home health care company pleaded guilty today for her participation in a $74 million Medicare fraud scheme



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Attorney General Holder Speaks at Unveiling of United States Marshals Service 225th Anniversary Commemorative Coin

In honor of these brave public servants – and in order to preserve, perpetuate, and promote the Marshals Service’s singular history – it my privilege today to unveil three commemorative coins. These coins were commissioned by an act of Congress. And they will be struck by the U.S. Mint.




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District Court Enters Permanent Injunction Against New York Dietary Supplement Maker to Prevent Distribution of Adulterated Supplements

The Justice Department announced today that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York has entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against Applied Polymer Systems dba APS Pharmaco (APS) and its president, Nuka Reddy, all of Lindenhurst, New York, to prevent the distribution of adulterated dietary supplements



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Justice Department Issues Joint Statement of Principles with City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Reform Albuquerque Police Department

The Justice Department today announced it has signed a joint statement of principles with the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, that reflects the good-faith intent of both sides to enter into a court-enforceable agreement to reform the Albuquerque Police Department (APD).



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Former Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa Subsidiary BizJet Pleads Guilty to Foreign Bribery Charges

The former president and chief executive officer of BizJet International Sales and Support Inc., a U.S.-based subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik AG with headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that provides aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services, pleaded guilty today for his participation in a scheme to pay bribes to foreign government officials



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Admitted Gang Member Sentenced for Federal Racketeering Charges

Armando Jose Velasquez, aka “Money,” 27, of East Chicago, Indiana, was sentenced today to serve 305 months in prison on federal racketeering charges relating to a Dec. 3, 2011, attempted murder



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$80 Million Judgment Entered Against BNP Paribas for False Claims to the U.S. Department of Agriculture

The Department of Justice announced today that an $80 million False Claims Act judgment was entered against BNP Paribas for submitting false claims for payment guarantees issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).



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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



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Michigan Woman Convicted of Criminal Contempt

A federal jury in Detroit convicted a Commerce Township, Michigan, woman of criminal contempt based on violating an injunction that required her to comply with various legal tax obligations, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today



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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



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Justice Department Obtains $80,000 Settlement in Housing Discrimination Lawsuit Against California Landlord

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with the owners and operators of Woodland Garden Apartments in Fremont, California, to settle allegations of discrimination against families with children. Under the consent order, which must still be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the defendants are required to pay $77,500 to the victims of their discrimination and an additional $2,500 to the government as a civil penalty



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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



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Iraq Extradites Fugitive Defense Contractor to U.S. to Face Fraud Charges

A Las Vegas-based former Department of Defense contractor has been extradited from Iraq to the United States to face fraud and conspiracy charges for attempting to bribe U.S. officials in order to secure government contracts for his companies



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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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