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Justice Department Files Fair Housing Lawsuit Against Dalton Township, Michigan

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, charges that the township discriminated against persons with disabilities based on its treatment of a group home for persons recovering from drug and alcohol addiction and its failure to grant a reasonable accommodation or modification to the owner of the group home.



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Spokane, Washington, Man Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Charges Related to Threats to Reproductive Health Services Clinic

Donald Hertz pleaded guilty today in federal court in Spokane to one count of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and one count of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Promoters of Sham Tax Elimination Scheme Sentenced for Tax Fraud in Florida

Four of eight promoters of a fraudulent tax- and debt-elimination scheme have been sentenced to length prison terms for their roles in tax fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Deputy Sheriff from Choctaw County, Oklahoma, Sentenced for Civil Rights Violations

Former Choctaw County, Okla., deputy sheriff Ben Westley Milner was sentenced today in Muskogee, Okla., to serve 18 months in prison and two years supervised release for violating the civil rights of three men by assaulting them without legal justification.



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Northwest Airlines LLC Agrees to Plead Guilty for Fixing Prices on Air Cargo Shipments

Northwest Airlines LLC has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $38 million criminal fine for its role, through Northwest Airlines Cargo, in a conspiracy to fix prices in the air transportation industry.



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Department of Justice and USDA Announce Registration for August 27 Livestock Workshop in Colorado

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today additional details for the August 27, 2010, public workshop in Fort Collins, Colo., which will examine competition in the livestock industry.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Fourteen Charged with Providing Material Support to Somalia-Based Terrorist Organization Al-Shabaab

The Justice Department announced that four separate indictments were unsealed today in the District of Minnesota, the Southern District of Alabama and the Southern District of California charging 14 individuals with terrorism violations for providing money, personnel and services to the foreign terrorist organization al-Shabaab.



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Court Shuts Down Los Angeles-area Tax Preparer

A federal judge in Santa Ana, Calif., has permanently barred Thanh Viet Jeremy Cao and his business, Phoenix Financial Management Group, from preparing federal tax returns.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Sues Two California Residents to Bar Them from Promoting Alleged Tax Sham Trusts

The United States has sued Gwenn Wycoff and Frank Ozak of Los Angeles seeking to bar them from promoting the formation and operation of “common-law” trusts for the purpose of tax avoidance.



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Justice Department Resolves Discrimination Case Against Flushing, N.Y., Restaurant That Ejected Patrons Because of Religion

The Justice Department filed a consent decree today resolving claims of religious discrimination against the Lucky Joy restaurant, located in Flushing, N.Y. In the consent decree, the restaurant’s owner, Lucky Joy Restaurant Inc., and its president, Xiao Rong Wu, admit that the restaurant engaged in a pattern or practice of wrongfully ejecting Falun Gong practitioners from the premises.



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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Chicago Tax Return Preparer

The civil injunction suit alleges that Charlie Wilson and his Chicago business, CBD Tax Service, claim bogus deductions and credits on customers’ federal tax returns.



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Department of Justice and USDA Announce Agenda for August 27 Livestock Workshop in Colorado

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today the agenda and panelists for the Aug. 27, 2010, joint public workshop in Fort Collins, Colo., on competition in the livestock industry.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Two Georgia Tax Return Preparers

The civil injunction suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, seeks to permanently bar Christopher Musyoki and Samuel Nganga from preparing federal returns for others.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Department of Justice and USDA Hold Workshop Focused on Competition Issues in the Livestock Industry

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Agriculture today held the fourth of five joint public workshops to explore the appropriate role for antitrust and regulatory enforcement in American agriculture.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Colorado Agriculture Workshop

"As much as today’s discussion is about cattle, hog, and other livestock industry issues, it is also about our nation’s founding ideals of fairness and equal opportunity," said Attorney General Holder.




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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Alabama Tax Preparer

The United States has asked a federal court to permanently bar a Birmingham, Ala., man from preparing federal tax returns for customers, the Justice Department announced today. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Birmingham, alleges that Douglas E. Dent fabricates large tax withholdings that result in large bogus refund claims on customers’ tax returns.



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Justice Department Announces Agreement With Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Board Of Elections On Protecting The Rights Of Spanish-Speaking Puerto Rican Voters

The Justice Department announced today a settlement with Cuyahoga County, Ohio, to protect the rights of Spanish-speaking Puerto Rican voters under Section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office For Refusing Full Cooperation With Title VI Investigation

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), Maricopa County, and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio for refusing full cooperation with the department’s investigation of alleged national origin discrimination in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Polar Air Cargo LLC Agrees to Plead Guilty to Price Fixing on Air Cargo Shipments

Polar Air Cargo LLC has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $17.4 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices in the air transportation industry.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Federal Court Shuts Down Orlando, Florida, Tax Preparer

A federal district judge in Orlando, Fla., has permanently barred Elisa Veronica Barron of Orlando from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.



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Promoters of Sham Tax Elimination Scheme Sentenced for Tax Fraud in Florida

A federal court in Pensacola, Fla., has sentenced three of nine promoters of a fraudulent tax-and-debt-elimination scheme to prison terms for their roles in tax fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Ship Serial Polluter Ordered to Pay $4 Million for Covering up the Deliberate Discharge of Oil and Plastics

U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Irika Shipping S.A., a ship management corporation registered in Panama and doing business in Greece, today to pay a $4 million penalty, which includes a $3 million criminal fine and $1 million in organizational community service payments that will fund various marine environmental projects.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Martinair Airline Executive Indicted in Conspiracy to Fix Surcharge Rates on Air Cargo Shipments

An Atlanta grand jury returned an indictment today against an executive of Martinair Holland N.V. for participating in a conspiracy to fix and coordinate certain surcharges on air cargo shipments to and from the United States.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former New Orleans Police Detective Sentenced in Connection with Shootings on the Danziger Bridge

Jeffrey Lehrmann, a former New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) detective, was sentenced today to three years in prison for misprision of a felony in connection with the cover-up of two police-involved shootings on the Danziger Bridge in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that left two civilians dead and four others seriously injured.



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Attorney General Holder Speaks at Safe Shores - the DC Children's Advocacy Center

Today, Safe Shores is a model of public-private collaboration at its best, an example for Child Advocacy Centers across – and beyond – the country, and a critical partner in the work of seeking and administering justice.




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

China Airlines Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $40 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices in the air transportation industry.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Augusta, Ga., Tax Return Preparer

The United States has filed suit seeking to permanently enjoin Endia Delores Nipper and her company, TDNS Tax Services, from preparing federal tax returns.



  • OPA Press Releases

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United States Sues Marine Engine Manufacturer and Shipbuilder Under Clean Air Act

The United States filed a civil complaint today against Coltec Industries Inc., a subsidiary of EnPro Industries Inc., and the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corp.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Court Finds Shreveport, La., Landlord Denied Housing on the Basis of Race

A federal district judge in Shreveport, La., has found that Reggie Collier, a Louisiana landowner, violated the Fair Housing Act by interfering with the sale of a home based on the perceived race of the buyer.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Operation Guard Shack Press Conference

"Today I’m pleased to be joined by the United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez, and FBI Executive Assistant Director, Shawn Henry, to announce the results of Operation Guard Shack – the largest police corruption investigation in FBI history."




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 Former U.S. Marshals Service Employee Pleads Guilty to Theft of $104,000 in Government Funds

Former U.S. Marshals Service employee, Sno H. Rush, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Washington to stealing $104,000 in government funds.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Sues to Shut Down North Carolina Tax Preparer

The United States has sued a Bryson City, N.C., tax return preparer seeking to bar her and her company from preparing federal tax returns for others.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Two Shenandoah, Pa., Men Convicted of Hate Crime in the Fatal Beating of Luis Ramirez

A federal jury in Scranton, Pa., has convicted Brandon Piekarsky and Derrick Donchak, both of Shenandoah, Pa., of a hate crime arising out of the fatal beating of Luis Ramirez.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Holder Speaks at the 2010 Shriver Center Awards Dinner

"Your efforts have helped to establish the Shriver Center as the authoritative international resource center on poverty law – and as a powerful voice for the most vulnerable among us. For more than three decades, you’ve fought to protect the rights and best interests of Americans in need and at risk."




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Justice Department Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

The Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) alleging that provisions of its agreements with hospitals raise hospital prices, prevent other insurers from entering the marketplace and discourage discounts.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Hickman County, Tenn., Deputy Sheriff Charged with Civil Rights Violations

A federal grand jury in Nashville, Tenn., today returned an indictment charging Hickman County, Tenn., Deputy Sheriff Kenneth H. Smith with federal civil rights violations, as well as charges of lying to federal investigators.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination Against Families with Children at Apartment Complex in Longview, Wash.

The Justice Department announced today that the owners and manager of Mountain View Apartments in Longview, Wash., have agreed to pay $12,500 as a civil penalty to settle allegations that they discriminated against families with children in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act.



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Security Zone Established Around Deepwater Horizon Wreckage Site

In response to a motion by the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. District Court in New Orleans has ordered the establishment of a security zone extending 750 feet in all directions from the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon wreckage site and its debris field.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Fact Sheet: Move Act

In the past several months, the Department of Justice has worked to aggressively enforce UOCAVA and the MOVE Act in order to ensure that all military and overseas voters can exercise their right to vote, and have their votes counted, in the upcoming federal election on Nov. 2, 2010.



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Promoters of Sham Tax Elimination Scheme Sentenced for Tax Fraud in Florida

A federal court in Pensacola, Fla., sentenced the last two promoters of a fraudulent tax- and debt-elimination scheme to prison terms for their roles in tax fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Cargolux Airline Executives Indicted in Conspiracy to Fix Surcharge Rates on Air Cargo Shipments

A Miami grand jury returned an indictment today against two executives of Cargolux Airlines International S.A., a Luxembourg-based corporation, for participating in a conspiracy to fix and coordinate certain surcharges on air cargo shipments to and from the United States.



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Four Former Airline Executives Indicted in Conspiracy to Fix Fuel Surcharges on Air Cargo Shipments to South and Central America

A Miami grand jury returned an indictment today against four former airline executives of competing air cargo carriers for participating in a conspiracy to fix surcharges on air cargo shipments from the United States to South and Central America following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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

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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

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Justice Department Sues Chicago Lawyer to Halt Tax Shelters with $370 Million in Alleged Sham Deductions

The United States has asked a federal court in Chicago to permanently bar John E. Rogers, a Chicago tax lawyer and former partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, from promoting tax shelters that allegedly use distressed Brazilian debt to illegally lower customers’ reported income.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Alabama Tax Return Preparer

The United States has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop Aurelia Sanderson Johnson of Montgomery, Ala., from preparing tax returns for others.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Department of Justice and USDA Announce Registration for Competition Workshop in Washington, D.C.

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced additional details for the Dec. 8, 2010, public workshop in Washington, which will examine the issue of margins at various levels of the agricultural supply chain.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Rochester, New York, Contractor Convicted of Illegal Asbestos Removal and False Statements to OSHA

A jury in Rochester, N.Y., convicted Keith Gordon-Smith, and his Rochester-based asbestos abatement company, Gordon-Smith Contracting, Inc. (GSCI) of eight counts of knowing violations of the Clean Air Act asbestos work practice standards.



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Former Executives from Two Japanese Airlines Indicted in Conspiracy to Fix Rates on Air Cargo Shipments

An Atlanta grand jury returned an indictment today against a former executive of Japan Airlines International Co. Ltd. (JAL) and two former executives of Nippon Cargo Airlines Co. Ltd. for participating in a conspiracy to fix and coordinate components of rates for air cargo shipments to and from the United States.



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Attorney General Holder Announces Establishment of Office of Tribal Justice as Separate Component Within the Department of Justice

Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the establishment of the Office of Tribal Justice as a separate component within the organizational structure of the Department of Justice.



  • OPA Press Releases