ty

Florida Businessman Pleads Guilty to Illegal Trade in Elephant Ivory

Joseph Barringer, 55, the owner of a Florida pool cue company, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Orlando to violating the Endangered Species Act in connection with the illegal export of African elephant ivory through an online auction site.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Owner of New Jersey Fishing Company Pleads Guilty to Organizing and Financing Network of High-tech Marijuana Grow Facilities in Four States

A Philadelphia man has pleaded guilty for his role in organizing and financing a network of high-tech, indoor marijuana grow facilities stretching from Florida to Connecticut.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd. Agrees to Plead Guilty to Price Fixing on Air Cargo and Air Passenger Services

All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd. (ANA) has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $73 million criminal fine for its role in two separate conspiracies to fix prices in the air transportation industry.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Miami Contractor Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Fraud

Axel Rafael Mercado pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion before U.S. District Court Judge Patricia A. Seitz in the Southern District of Florida.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Former Kershaw County, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Department Officer Charged with Civil Rights Violation

Oddie Tribble, a former police officer with the Kershaw County, S.C., Sherriff’s Office, was charged today with violating the civil rights of an arrestee on Aug. 5, 2010.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

State Department Employee Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements About Accessing Confidential Passport Files

Brooke E. Reyna, 28, of Barrington, N.H., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante in U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire to making false statements.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Imprisoned Spy Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Act as an Agent of the Russian Government and Money Laundering

Harold James Nicholson, 59, appeared before U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown and pleaded guilty to the crimes of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government and conspiracy to commit international money laundering.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Latin Kings Leader Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy

Remy Heath, aka “Remy,” “King Remy,” and “King Mellow,” 26, of Hyattsville, Md., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, in connection with his gang activities as a member and leader of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Former Caesars Palace Nightclub Host Pleads Guilty to Tax Crime

Richard Chu, a former "VIP host" at Pure Nightclub located in Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of filing a false federal income tax return for the 2006 tax year.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Justice Department Files Fair Housing Lawsuit in Iowa Against Owner and Managers of Federally-subsidized Property for Sex Discrimination

The Justice Department announced today that it has sued the owners and managers of Park Towers Apartments, a federally-subsidized apartment complex in Waterloo, Iowa, alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in violation of the Fair Housing Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Justice Department Reaches Settlement with University of South Carolina to Ensure Students Are Free from Harassment

The Justice Department reached a settlement agreement with the University of South Carolina to resolve an investigation into the university’s policies and procedures related to discrimination and harassment.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion as Part of Organized Crime Investigation

Gerald Diodati, 61, of Seekonk, Mass., pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi to one count of tax evasion.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Northern Virginia Businessman Pleads Guilty to Bank and Tax Fraud

Kevin Shaffer of Sarasota, Fla., and Washington D.C., pleaded guilty to bank fraud and tax evasion before Alexandria, Va., federal district court Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Principal of A&O Entities Pleads Guilty for His Role in $100 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Life Settlements

Brent Oncale, 36, of Houston, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va., to conspiracy charges in connection with his role as a principal of the A&O entities, a group of businesses that acquired and marketed over $100 million of investments in life settlements to more than 800 victims across the United States and Canada.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Inaugural Justice Revius O. Ortique Jr. Lecture on Law and Society at Dillard University

"Tonight, it is clear that the spirit of justice that motivated Justice Ortique still burns brightly," said Attorney General Holder.




ty

Justice Department Settles Religious Discrimination Lawsuit Against Essex County, N.J.

The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with Essex County, N.J., that, will resolve the department’s lawsuit against Essex County for refusing to permit a corrections officer to wear a religiously-mandated headscarf.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud and Identity Theft

Jeffery Leon Ceaser, a resident of Montgomery, Ala., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the United States and one count of identity theft.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Pennsylvania Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud Conspiracy

The owner of a Langhorne, Penn., asbestos abatement company pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Senior U.S. District Court Judge Pleads Guilty to Possession of Controlled Substances and Conversion of Government Property

Senior U.S. District Judge Jack T. Camp Jr., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Atlanta to possession of controlled substances and conversion of government property.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Former New York Con Edison Manager Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Bribery and Tax Charges

A former Consolidated Edison of New York (Con Edison) manager pleaded guilty today to charges that he accepted and agreed to accept approximately $807,000 in bribes from two Con Edison industrial pipe supply vendors.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Former Massachusetts Direct Mail Production Director Agrees to Plead Guilty to Fraud Conspiracies and Tax Evasion

A former employee of two Massachusetts-based customer relationship management agencies that purchase direct mail advertising has agreed to plead guilty to charges relating to his receipt of more than $1.8 million in kickbacks.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Lawyer for A&O Entities Pleads Guilty for His Role in $100 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Life Settlements

Russell Mackert, 51, of Spring, Texas, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va., to conspiracy charges in connection with his role as a lawyer for the A&O entities, a group of businesses that acquired and marketed more than $100 million of fraudulent investments in life settlements to more than 800 victims across the United States and Canada.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Man Found Guilty for Forcing Women and Juveniles into Prostitution

A federal jury today convicted Amador Cortes-Meza, 36, of Mexico, of multiple charges of sex trafficking and human smuggling offenses related to a scheme to force women and juveniles into prostitution.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

U.S. Court Approves Agreement Between Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, United States, State of Michigan, Isabella County and City of Mt. Pleasant to Settle Jurisdiction

The settlement declares the entire Isabella Reservation to be Indian Country, resolving longstanding disputes over the boundaries and existence of the Isabella Reservation in south central Michigan.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Singapore Airlines Cargo Pte Ltd. Agrees to Plead Guilty to Price Fixing on Air Cargo Shipments

Singapore Airlines Cargo Pte Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $48 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices in the air transportation industry.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Former Employee of a Financial Institution Subsidiary Pleads Guilty for Role in Bid-rigging and Fraud Conspiracies Involving Municipal Bonds

A former employee of a subsidiary of a financial institution pleaded guilty today for his participation in bid-rigging and fraud conspiracies related to contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other municipal finance contracts.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Former New York City Hospital Purchasing Official Pleads Guilty to Bid Rigging and Fraud Conspiracies

A former purchasing official at Mount Sinai Medical Center and School of Medicine in New York pleaded guilty to participating in bid rigging and fraud conspiracies related to contracts for maintenance and insulation work performed at Mount Sinai.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Kaua‘i Island Utility Pleads Guilty to Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act Violation, Agrees to Help Protect Threatened Seabirds

The Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) entered a plea agreement today in federal court in Honolulu to resolve violations of the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Former New Jersey Sales Representative Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Bribery Conspiracy in Power Generation Industry

A former sales representative of a Lyndhurst, N.J.-based industrial pipe supply company pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to commit fraud and pay bribes to a Consolidated Edison of New York (Con Edison) purchasing manager in return for the manager’s efforts to steer contracts to the sales representative’s company.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Former Employee of Florida Property Management Company Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

A former residential sales manager at a Florida property management company pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with housing repair contracts for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Former Federal Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violation and Obstruction of Justice

Benjamin Montgomery, a former correctional officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta pleaded guilty today to a two-count information charging him with civil rights crimes for assaulting an inmate and for subsequently writing a false report about the incident.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Justice Department Reaches Agreement to Correct Conditions at Lake County Jail

The Justice Department today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Lake County, Ind., and the Lake County Sheriff to resolve its complaint concerning conditions of confinement at the Lake County Jail (LCJ). LCJ is located in Crown Point, Ind., and houses approximately 1,050 adult male and female inmates.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

UK Citizen Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Bribe Nigerian Government Officials to Obtain Lucrative Contracts as Part of KBR Joint Venture Scheme

Wojciech J. Chodan, a former commercial vice president and consultant to a United Kingdom subsidiary of Kellogg, Brown & Root Inc. (KBR), pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for his participation in a decade-long scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials to obtain engineering, procurement and construction contracts.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

President of Iowa Ready-Mix Concrete Company Pleads Guilty to Price Fixing

The president of an Iowa ready-mix concrete company pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to fix prices for sales of ready-mix concrete.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler Speaks at a World Bank International Meeting

"Only by working together, across borders and jurisdictions, can we stamp out corruption," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Grindler.




ty

Florida Physician Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy in Fraudulent Lobbying and Fund Raising Scheme

Alan D. Mendelsohn, 52, of Broward County, Fla., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch, to a one-count criminal information, charging him with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, to make false statements and to file false tax returns.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Leader of Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization and Associate Found Guilty of Conspiring to Import Multiple Tons of Cocaine into the United States

Christian Fernando Borda and Alvaro Alvaran-Velez, two narcotics traffickers aligned with the Autodefenses Unidas de Colombia (AUC), were found guilty today in U.S. District Court of conspiring to import ton-quantities of cocaine into the United States.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Two Engineers Found Guilty of Stealing Goodyear Trade Secrets

A federal jury convicted Clark Alan Roberts, 47, and Sean Edward Howley, 39, both former engineers with Wyko Tire Technology Incorporated, located in Greenback, Tenn., of stealing trade secrets from the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Three New Orleans Police Officers Found Guilty in the Post-Katrina Shooting and Burning of Henry Glover

A federal jury in New Orleans convicted three current and former New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers, David Warren, Greg McRae and Lt. Travis McCabe, in relation to the post-Katrina shooting death of Henry Glover, and the subsequent burning of Glover’s remains and obstruction of justice.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

RAE Systems Agrees to Pay $1.7 Million Criminal Penalty to Resolve Violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

RAE Systems Inc., a publicly-traded U.S. corporation headquartered in San Jose, Calif., has entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice to pay a $1.7 million penalty for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Florida Man and Two U.K. Nationals Plead Guilty in Relation to Immigration Fraud Scheme Involving Florida Property Development Company

A Florida man and two U.K. nationals pleaded guilty Dec.10, 2010, to immigration fraud charges for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently procure visas from the U.S. Embassy in London through a Florida property development company called Royal Development.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Dekalb County, Ga., Agrees to Major Sanitary Sewer System Upgrades

DeKalb County, Ga. has agreed to make major improvements to its sanitary sewer systems in an effort to eliminate unauthorized overflows of untreated sewage.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Illinois Woman Pleads Guilty to Illegally Accessing Confidential Student Loan Files

Charlotte M. Robinson, 46, of Dolton, Ill., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan E. Cox in the Northern District of Illinois to a one-count criminal information charging her with unauthorized computer access.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in International Child Pornography Ring Dismantled by International Law Enforcement Effort

Yesterday’s guilty plea by David Michael Fagerness is the result of an international investigation into the “Lost Boy” online bulletin board.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the White House Intellectual Property Theft Summit

"This summit provides a unique and important opportunity to build on the progress that we have achieved over the last year in combating intellectual property crimes and protecting consumer health and safety."




ty

Indiana Casino Dealer Found Guilty in Cheating Conspiracy

Mike Waseleski, 46, a former casino card dealer, was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday in San Diego for his role in a cheating scheme by a group of conspirators known as the “Tran Organization” to steal approximately $1.5 million from Resorts East Chicago Casino.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Five Indicted in Alabama for Roles in Tax Fraud and Identity Theft Ring

Five people were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama on a variety of charges stemming from an identity theft and tax fraud conspiracy.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Justice Department Files Complaint Against City of Brockton, Massachusetts, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts for Violating the Employment Rights of an Iraq War Veteran

The Justice Department announced today the filing of a complaint against the city of Brockton, Mass., and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for violating the rights of an Iraq war veteran.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Former Alabama State Lobbyist Pleads Guilty in Wide-Ranging Conspiracy to Influence and Corrupt Votes Related to Electronic Bingo Legislation

A former Alabama state lobbyist pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Wallace Capel Jr. to his role in conspiring to bribe legislators in exchange for their favorable votes on pro-gambling legislation.



  • OPA Press Releases

ty

Former Construction Company Executive Doing Business in Colorado Pleads Guilty to Providing an Illegal Gratuity

A former managing executive of a construction company that had substantial business at Fort Carson, a U.S. Army installation in Colorado Springs, Colo., pleaded guilty to providing an illegal gratuity to a contracting officer.



  • OPA Press Releases