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Phoenix Attorney and Two Accountants Plead Guilty to Participation in Fraudulent Offshore Tax Shelter Scheme

Attorney Steven W. Allen pleaded guilty in federal court in Arizona to taking part in a conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by promoting a fraudulent offshore trust scheme to hide his clients’ income.



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Northern Virginia Business Owner Indicted for Failing to Pay Employment Taxes

Eric Jon Eisenhower was arraigned in federal court in Alexandria, Va., on an indictment that alleges that he failed to collect, account for and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service more than $200,000 in withholdings from employees’ paychecks between 2004 and 2008.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Alleging Racial Discrimination at Ann Arbor, Michigan, Michigan Apartment Complex

The owners and operators of Ivanhoe House Apartments, an apartment complex in Ann Arbor, Mich., have agreed to pay $82,500 to settle a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department alleging that they had discriminated against African-American home-seekers, in violation of the Fair Housing Act.



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Italian Executive Extradited from Germany to the United States to Face Foreign Bribery Charges

Italian citizen Flavio Ricotti, a former executive of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.-based valve company Control Components Inc. (CCI), has been extradited to the United States from Germany in connection with his alleged participation in a conspiracy to secure contracts by paying bribes to officials of foreign state-owned companies as well as officers and employees of foreign and domestic private companies.



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New Charges Filed Against Irish Trading Firm for Exporting U.S. Military Items to Iran

A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., has charged Mac Aviation Group, an Irish trading company, and its officers Thomas and Sean McGuinn of Sligo, Ireland, in a superseding indictment with purchasing F-5 fighter aircraft parts, helicopter engines and other aircraft components from U.S. firms and illegally exporting them to Iran.



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Justice Department Sues to Bar Utah Man from Promoting Alleged False Church-based Tax Fraud Scheme

The United States has asked a federal court to permanently bar a Utah man from promoting an alleged false church-based tax fraud scheme.



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Six New Orleans Police Officers Indicted in Danziger Bridge Case

Six officers with the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) were charged today in connection with the federal investigation of a police-involved shooting on the Danziger Bridge in the days after Hurricane Katrina.



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Two Individuals Plead Guilty to Engaging in Child Exploitation Enterprise

Two individuals pleaded guilty for their participation in an international group of child pornography collectors who used a social networking site to share thousands of sexually explicit images.



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Medicare Fraud Strike Force Charges 94 Doctors, Health Care Company Owners, Executives and Others for More Than $251 Million in Alleged False Billing

Ninety-four people have been charged for their alleged participation in schemes to collectively submit more than $251 million in false claims to the Medicare program in the continuing operation of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force in Miami; Baton Rouge, La.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Detroit and Houston.



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Former Tennessee Inmate Charged with Filing False Tax Returns While in Jail

A Tennessee grand jury has indicted Walter Allen Johnson, aka “Beau” Johnson, of Sevierville, Tenn., for filing false claims against the United States as well as conspiring to defraud the United States.



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Justice Department Files Fair Housing Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination at Apartment Complex in Renton, Washington

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the owner, management company and former manager of Summerhill Place Apartments, a 268-unit apartment complex in Renton, Wash., for violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin and familial status in the rental of apartments.



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Maryland Man Sentenced on Federal Sex Trafficking, Drug and Firearm Charges

Lloyd Mack Royal III, aka “Blyss,” “B,” and “Furious,” 29, of Gaithersburg, Md., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams Jr. for his role in a sex trafficking operation.



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California Man Indicted in Las Vegas for Filing False Liens Against Federal Employees & Filing False Tax Forms

A Las Vegas federal grand jury has indicted Thanh Viet Jeremy Cao, a resident of Orange County, Calif., for filing false liens against federal employees and corruptly obstructing the administration of the federal tax laws.



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Three Colombian Nationals Extradited to the United States to Face Alien Smuggling and Visa Fraud Charges

Three Colombian nationals have been extradited from Colombia to the United States on charges of conspiracy to smuggle aliens for profit, alien smuggling for profit, and conspiracy to commit visa fraud in connection with their alleged roles in an extensive and sophisticated visa fraud scheme through which they fraudulently procured visas from the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia.



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Federal Court in Chicago Permanently Bars Mother/Daughter Team from Preparing Tax Returns for Others

A federal district judge in Chicago has permanently barred Natalie Bradford, individually, and operating as K & N Tax Pros Inc., and Kristine Burkland-Valdez, individually, and operating as K & N Tax Pros Inc. and Tax Pros Inc., from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Three Former Financial Services Executives Indicted for Roles in Fraud Schemes and Conspiracies Involving Investment Contracts for the Proceeds of Municipal Bonds

Three former financial services executives were indicted today for their participation in fraud schemes and conspiracies related to bidding for contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other municipal finance contracts.



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Third Chi Mei Executive Agrees to Plead Guilty and Serve Jail Time for Participating in Global LCD Price-Fixing Conspiracy

According to a one-count felony charge filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, Wen-Hung “Amigo” Huang conspired with others to suppress and eliminate competition by fixing the prices of TFT-LCD panels.



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Settlement Reached to Expedite Cleanup for Walpole, Massachusetts, Superfund Site

A $13 million settlement has been reached between four parties and the United States to expedite cleanup of the contaminated Blackburn and Union Privileges Superfund Site in Walpole, Mass.



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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.



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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 Releases First National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction

Attorney General Eric Holder today announced that the Department of Justice released its first-ever National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.



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Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler Speaks at the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction Announcement

"As the Justice Department brings its fight against child exploitation to a new level today, I am honored to stand with so many incredible colleagues and public servants who have made it their life’s work to protect exploited children and seek justice for the most vulnerable members of our society," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Grindler.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction Announcement

"Today marks an important step forward in meeting these responsibilities and taking our fight against child exploitation and sexual abuse to the next level," said Attorney General Holder.




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Founder and Principal Manager of Genesis Fund Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison on Tax Charges

John S. Lipton, formerly of Mission Viejo and Laguna Hills, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer in Los Angeles to 70 months in prison.



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Fourth Chi Mei Executive Agrees to Plead Guilty and Serve Jail Time for Participating in Global LCD Price-Fixing Conspiracy

A former executive from Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corporation has agreed to plead guilty and to serve jail time in the United States for participating in a global conspiracy to fix the price of thin-film transistor-liquid crystal display panels.



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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.



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Estonian Hacker Extradited to the United States to Face Computer Hacking Charges

Sergei Tšurikov, 26, of Tallinn, Estonia, has been extradited to the United States to face charges of hacking into a computer network operated by an Atlanta-based credit card processing company.



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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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Federal Court Bars Missouri Lawyer from Promoting Tax Schemes That Cost the U.S. at Least $100 Million in Lost Taxes

A federal court in Kansas City, Mo, has permanently barred Missouri lawyer A. Blair Stover Jr. from promoting a variety of improper tax schemes.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Alleging Disability-based Housing Discrimination at Louisville, Kentucky, Apartment Complex

“Since 1991, federal law has required that new multi-family housing complexes with four or more units be built with certain accessible features.  There is no excuse for developers and design professionals to fail to comply,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.



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Former Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Financial Products and Services Firm Pleads Guilty for Role in Fraud Conspiracies Involving Proceeds of Municipal Bonds

The former owner and chief executive officer of a financial products and services firm pleaded guilty today for his participation in fraud conspiracies related to contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other related municipal finance contracts.



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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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Cheese Manufacturer Sorrento Lactalis to Pay U.S. $315,000 for Exceeding Discharge Levels into Idaho’s Mason Creek

Cheese manufacturer Sorrento Lactalis Inc. will pay the United States a $315,000 penalty for excess discharges in violation of its wastewater permit levels, according to an agreement between the company.



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Northern Virginia Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Failing to Pay Employment Taxes

Eric Jon Eisenhower, a resident of Fairfax Station, Va., pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Alexandria, Va., for failing to collect, account for and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) more than $200,000 in withholdings from employees’ paychecks between 2004 and 2008.



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Tennessee Man Charged in Connection with Sex Trafficking Scheme

A federal grand jury in the Western District of Tennessee indicted Terrence Arnett Yarbrough, aka “T-Rex,” on four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion against minor and adult female victims.



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Georgia Man Convicted of Child Sex Abuse Offenses

Dwain D. Williams was convicted Thursday by a federal jury in Valdosta, Ga., on child sex abuse offenses.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars Georgia Tax Preparers from Preparing Taxes for Others

A federal district judge in Atlanta has permanently barred Saloum A. Njie and his company, MIAAS Associates LLC, from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Miami Contractor Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Fraud

Victor Manuel Amaya pleaded guilty this morning to one count of willfully filing a false tax return before U.S. District Court Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga.



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Rhode Island Mother and Son Plead Guilty to Interstate Extortion Related to Organized Crime

Dorothy St. Laurent, 71, of Johnston, R.I., and her son Anthony St. Laurent Jr., 44, of Cranston, R.I., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Providence, R.I., to interstate extortion in violation of the Hobbs Act. 



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Texas Chemical Plant to Pay Nearly $1.5 Million to Resolve Violations in the Transferring of Acid Waste

Air Products LLC has agreed to pay $1.485 million in civil penalties to resolve hazardous waste mismanagement violations at its Pasadena, Texas, chemical manufacturing facility.



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Justice Department Sues California Man to Stop Tax Schemes That Allegedly Cost the Treasury at Least $30 Million

The United States has asked a federal court to permanently bar a California man from promoting alleged sham pension-plan and welfare-benefit-plan tax fraud schemes.



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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.



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Former Memphis Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive Force on an Arrestee

Bridges McRae, a former officer with the Memphis Police Department (MPD), pleaded guilty today in federal court to a felony civil rights charge related to the use of excessive force.



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Former Airline Executives Indicted in Conspiracy to Fix Fares on Flights Between the United States and the Republic of Korea

A Brooklyn, N.Y., grand jury returned an indictment today against two former executives of Asiana Airlines, Inc. for participating in a conspiracy to fix economy class airfares paid by passengers for travel from the United States to the Republic of Korea.



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Partner at Major International Accounting Firm Convicted of Tax Crimes

A jury in U.S. District Court in Newark, N.J., has returned a guilty verdict against Stephen A. Favato, a resident of Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., and a partner in BDO Seidman LLP’s Woodbridge, N.J., office.



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California Man Charged with Attempting to Extort Sexually Explicit Images from Minor

According to an indictment dated June 24, 2010, and unsealed today, James Dale Brown, 27, is alleged to have used the Internet social networking website Facebook to communicate with a minor female identified as Jane Doe. 



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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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Corporate Executive Charged for Alleged Role in Illegal Campaign Contribution Scheme and with Witness Tampering

A Natick, Mass., man was charged today in federal court in Boston with engaging in a scheme to conceal from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and from the public illegal campaign contributions made to federal campaign committees, and with witness tampering, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division



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Allergan Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay $600 Million to Resolve Allegations of Off-Label Promotion of Botox®

American pharmaceutical manufacturer Allergan Inc. has agreed to plead guilty and pay $600 million to resolve its criminal and civil liability arising from the company’s unlawful promotion of its biological product, Botox® Therapeutic, for uses not approved as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Justice Department announced today.



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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.



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