BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, a division of Health Care Service Corporation, has agreed to pay the United States and the state of Illinois $25 million to settle False Claims Act allegations.

As part of continued efforts to close the chapter on allegations that discrimination occurred at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in past decades.

Mississippi-based PowerTrain Inc., Wood Sales Inc., and Tool Mart Inc., (collectively known as “PowerTrain”) will jointly pay a civil penalty of $2 million to resolve claims that the company imported and sold almost 80,000 nonroad engines and equipment that were not covered by emissions-related certificates of conformity, and in most cases could not be certified because they exceeded emissions standards under the Clean Air Act.

The former campaign treasurer for Representative Frank LoBiondo of New Jersey pleaded guilty today to embezzling more than $450,000 from the congressman’s election and re-election campaign accounts.

"As the Administration has long stated, it is essential that the government have the ability to use both military commissions and federal courts as tools to keep this country safe."

A Las Vegas woman pleaded guilty today to falsely representing to Medicare that she owned a Los Angeles-area durable medical equipment (DME) company that was actually owned and operated by her brother, and used by her brother and others to submit more than $3.5 million in false claims to Medicare.

The owners and operators of Summerhill Place Apartments, a 268 apartment complex in Renton, Wash., have agreed to pay $110,000 in damages and civil penalties to settle a lawsuit alleging that the complex had discriminated against African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, Indian Americans and families with children in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

Edward Gurary, formerly of Orange Village, Ohio, pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Northern District of Ohio to filing false personal income tax returns for the years 2004 through 2008.

American Education and Travel Services Inc. (AETS) in Antioch, Calif., has agreed to pay $10,000 in back pay and compensatory damages to a lawful permanent resident who was denied a residential counselor position because he was not a U.S. citizen or native English speaker.

Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today about the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat health care fraud through criminal prosecution.

Helen Etinfoh, the former owner and operator of a Houston durable medical equipment (DME) company was sentenced today to 41 months in prison in connection with a $3 million power wheelchair fraud scheme.

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the state of California, Governor Jerry Brown and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for violating the right of an inmate to practice his religion.

In response to a pending lawsuit from Kellogg Brown & Root Services Inc. (KBR) in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the Department of Justice has filed counterclaims alleging that KBR managers had received kickbacks from a dining facility subcontractor in violation of the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Act.

Three former executives of Fair Financial Company, an Ohio financial services business, were arrested today and charged in an indictment filed in the Southern District of Indiana for their roles in a scheme to defraud approximately 5,000 investors of more than $200 million.

The Department of Justice reminds members of the public to be aware of and report any instances of suspected fraudulent charitable contribution schemes related to the natural disasters in Japan.

The Justice Department has issued letters to the attorneys general of all 50 states, as well as U.S. territories to request their assistance in addressing the illegal exclusion of individuals with HIV/AIDS from occupational training and state licensing.

Murphy Hubbard, a Springfield, Mo., CPA, pleaded guilty to two counts of mail fraud and one count of tax evasion before Judge James England in the Western District of Missouri.

James and Theresa Demuro of Bridgewater, N.J., were each sentenced by U.S. District Judge Garrett E. Brown Jr. to 51 months in prison, followed by three years supervised release.

The Department of Justice today filed a lawsuit on behalf of Jon Fultz, a U.S. Marine Corps reservist, against the city of Winchester, Va., alleging that it violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by failing to properly reemploy Fultz in September 2009 when he returned from military service during which he sustained a knee injury.

A Santa Clarita, Calif., resident was convicted today of five environmental charges related to the improper renovation of a San Fernando Valley, Calif., apartment complex – work that caused asbestos to be released into the complex and the surrounding community.

"As members of the military, you are leaders in our nation. Your communities admire you. Your voices matter. And your voices will make a key difference in changing the national dialogue on sexual assault. We can work together to achieve cultural change to stop sexual assault."

Koo’s Shipping Company S.A., a Taiwanese corporation, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of making false statements, knowingly failing to fully and accurately maintain an oil record book as required by international treaty and U.S. law, and for knowingly discharging oily bilge waste into Pago Pago Harbor, American Samoa, without using proper pollution prevention equipment.

Colombian drug trafficker Carlos Ojeda-Herrera pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle in the District of Columbia to conspiring and attempting to transport shipments of 700- 800 kilograms of cocaine from Isla de Margarita, off the coast of Venezuela, to vessels waiting on the high seas to transport the drugs to Florida.

The United States has filed a complaint against Healthpoint Ltd., alleging civil False Claims Act violations arising from the company’s sale of an unapproved prescription drug that was ineligible for payment under Medicaid and Medicare.

Thomas J. Ernst, formerly a resident of McLean and Arlington, Va., was arraigned today in the Eastern District of Virginia.

A Virginia contractor pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to steer contracts to him for repair, maintenance and renovation work at healthcare and nursing home facilities owned by Medical Facilities of America Inc.

Securitas GmbH Werkschutz has paid the United States 6,529,042 Euros (approximately $9.1 million) to settle allegations that the German company billed the Army, under contracts to provide security at U.S. Army installations in Germany, for guard hours not actually worked.

Verizon Communications Inc. has paid the United States $93,525,410.96 in order to resolve allegations that the company overcharged the General Services Administration (GSA) on invoices dealing with government-wide voice and data telecommunications services contracts.

Mark D. Leitner has been indicted by a grand jury in the Northern District of Florida for filing false liens against federal law enforcement, corruptly endeavoring to impede and impair the Internal Revenue Service, and public disclosure of another’s Social Security number in the commission of illegal activity.

A Miami-area resident pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Miami for her role in managing a community mental health care fraud scheme that resulted in the submission of more than $100 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare.

The Justice Department today filed a civil complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas against Angel Dillard for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act).

The Justice Department today announced that it has filed a lawsuit alleging that Air Methods Corp. and LifeMed Alaska LLC willfully violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) by discriminating against and failing to reemploy Chief Warrant Officer Third Class Jonathon L. Goodwin of Wasilla, Alaska.

The Justice Department today announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with LF Staffing Services Inc., located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to resolve allegations that LF Staffing Services engaged in employment discrimination by improperly pre-screening job applicants and rejecting valid work authorization documents presented by certain groups of immigrant workers.

Sean T. Brehm, 44, of Capetown, South Africa, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against the Berkeley County, S.C., Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Wayne DeWitt for violating the First Amendment and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

A federal court in Dallas has barred Arthur Piner Grider III from operating businesses under any name.

Janet Jaensch, a federal employee, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., to one count of failure to file a 2008 federal income tax return.

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit in federal court in San Juan, Puerto Rico, charging the Puerto Rico Department of Justice with employment discrimination for failing to provide a reasonable accommodation to an employee with a disability, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

A federal court has barred a Philadelphia tax preparation firm and its owner from preparing federal tax returns claiming first-time-homebuyer tax credits and tax deductions for certain expenses.

Terra Industries Inc., one of the nation’s largest producers of nitric acid and nitrogen fertilizers, has agreed to pay $625,000 in civil penalties to settle alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act at nine of its plants in Iowa, Mississippi and Oklahoma.

Lee Bentley Farkas, the former chairman of a private mortgage lending company, Taylor, Bean & Whitaker (TBW), was convicted today for his role in a more than $2.9 billion fraud scheme that contributed to the failures of Colonial Bank, one of the 25 largest banks in the United States in 2009, and TBW, one of the largest privately held mortgage lending companies in the United States in 2009.

The Justice Department announced that it has reached an agreement with Jefferson County, Texas, Drainage District Number Seven on the terms of a consent decree filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Cardinal Health Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $8 million to resolve claims that it violated the False Claims Act by making payments to induce referral orders for its prescription drugs in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.

A Las Vegas man was arrested yesterday on charges that he defrauded distressed homeowners in Las Vegas who were attempting to refinance or adjust their home mortgages.

The United States has settled a whistleblower lawsuit against DynCorp International LLC and The Sandi Group.

The U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) announced $6.9 million in awards to 23 projects in the Engaging Men in Preventing Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Grant Program.

A Chicago grand jury returned an indictment today against two former executives of Paris-based Société Air France (Air France), for participating in a conspiracy to fix and coordinate rates and surcharges on air cargo shipments and to refuse to pay commissions on surcharges on air cargo shipments.

After a thorough investigation, the Antitrust Division determined that the proposed merger between Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways is not likely to substantially lessen competition.

Two former humanitarian aid workers were each sentenced today to 142 months in prison for defrauding the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) of approximately $1.9 million that was intended to assist impoverished people and towns in Liberia.

Cynthia Peters was sentenced to 27 months in prison based on her plea of guilty to one count of willfully aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false income tax return.