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Second California Aftermarket Auto Lights Distributor Agrees to Plead Guilty in Price-Fixing Conspiracy

Maxzone Vehicle Lighting Corp. agreed to plead guilty for participating in a global conspiracy to fix the prices of aftermarket auto lights.



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Two Alabamians Plead Guilty for Role in Tax Fraud Conspiracy

Valerie Byrd and Isaac Dailey, both residents of Montgomery County, Ala., each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the United States.



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Final Defendant Pleads Guilty for His Role in International Conspiracy Involving the Forced Labor of Eastern European Women in Detroit-Area Exotic Dance Clubs

Veniamin Gonikman, 56, who became a fugitive in 2005, was apprehended in Ukraine in January 2011.



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Montgomery, Ala., Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Two Tax Fraud and Identity Theft Conspiracies

Alchico Grant, a resident of Montgomery, Ala., pleaded guilty to his role in two tax fraud and identity theft conspiracies.



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Detroit-Area Gas Station Owner and His Bookkeeper Convicted of Tax Crime

A Detroit federal jury today returned a guilty verdict against Elsayed Kazem “Tom” Safiedine and Mary Fawaz.



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Californian Convicted for Evading More Than $150,000 in Taxes

William H. Nurick was convicted of one count of attempted evasion of payment of individual income taxes for the tax year 1995 following a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer in Los Angeles.



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Texas Federal Court Bars Two Men from Promoting Alleged Tax Scam Involving Fictitious Methane at Landfills

A federal court in Beaumont, Texas, has permanently barred two men from promoting an alleged tax fraud scheme involving bogus tax credits for the production of methane gas from landfills.



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Baton Rouge, La., Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Aiding in Preparation of False Tax Returns

Melissa Edwards was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian A. Jackson to 30 months in prison based on her plea of guilty to one count of wilfully aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false income tax return.



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Former Indianapolis City-County Councilman Convicted for Soliciting a Bribe and Attempted Extortion

Former Indianapolis and Marion County, Ind., City-County Councilman Lincoln Plowman was convicted today by a federal jury of attempted extortion and soliciting a bribe.



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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Detroit Tax Preparer

The United States has sued Crystal Ireland and her business, Master Mind Preparation, to bar them from preparing tax returns for others.



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Former Executive of Auto Parts Retailer Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Fraud Scheme

Don W. Watson, 55, of Gilbert, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton in the District of Arizona in Phoenix.



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Bloomfield, Michigan, Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

John Walter Kaber, a resident of Bloomfield, Mich., was sentenced to 37 months in prison for tax evasion.



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Former Milwaukee Police Officer Indicted for Sexual Assault While on Duty

Former Milwaukee Police Officer Ladmarald Cates, 43, was indicted today by a federal grand jury for sexually assaulting a woman while he was on duty.



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Justice Department Sends to Congress Legislative Proposals to Strengthen Existing Laws Protecting Servicemembers

Late yesterday, the Justice Department sent to Congress a package of legislative proposals that will significantly enhance the department’s ability to protect the rights of members of the military and their families.



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Federal Court Shuts Down South Florida Tax Return Preparer

A federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has permanently barred Danesa Webb from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Second Californian Sentenced on False Tax Refund Conspiracy

Haroon Amin of Upland, Calif., was sentenced to 30 months in prison today for conspiracy to defraud the United States.



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Former Texas Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive Force

Raymond Quintero, 33, pleaded guilty to willfully depriving a detainee of his constitutional right to be free from excessive force amounting to punishment.



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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Michigan Promoters of Alleged Tax Fraud Scheme

The United States has asked a federal court in Detroit to bar Damian Jackson and his wife, Holly Jackson, from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Rochester, New York, Asbestos Abatement Contractor Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Environmental Crimes and False Statements to OSHA

After a two day hearing in federal court in Rochester, N.Y., that ended late yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Charles J. Siragusa sentenced Keith Gordon-Smith, 54, of Rochester, to six years in prison for knowingly violating the Clean Air Act and making false statements to a federal inspector.



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Former Texas Construction Company Employee Pleads Guilty to Soliciting and Accepting Kickbacks on Federal Contract

A former project manager of a construction company that had substantial business at Fort Bliss, a U.S. Army installation in El Paso, Texas, pleaded guilty today to soliciting and accepting kickbacks from subcontractors on a federal contract with the U.S. Army.



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Alabama Woman Convicted of Stealing Identities and Conspiring with Tax Preparer

Janika Fernae Bates Millbrook, Ala., was convicted of identity theft, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to make false claims for tax refunds.



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Federal Court in Los Angeles Shuts Down Tax Preparer

A federal court in Los Angeles has permanently barred Mario Placencia from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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President of Virginia-Based Connection Newspapers Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Failing to Pay Employment Taxes

Peter Labovitz of Alexandria, Va., was sentenced to six months in prison for failing to pay employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.



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Former Executives from Panasonic Corp., Whirlpool Corp. Subsidiary and Tecumseh Products Co. Subsidiary Indicted in Compressor Price-Fixing Conspiracy

A Detroit federal grand jury returned an indictment today against three former executives from Panasonic Corporation, a Whirlpool Corporation subsidiary and a Tecumseh Products Company subsidiary for their role in an international conspiracy to fix the prices of refrigerant compressors.



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Six Japanese Freight Forwarding Companies Agree to Plead Guilty to Criminal Price-Fixing Charges

Six Japanese freight forwarders have agreed to plead guilty and to pay criminal fines totaling $46.8 million for their roles in a conspiracy to fix certain fees in connection with the provision of freight forwarding services for air cargo shipments from Japan to the United States.



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Federal Court Bars Southern California Man from Preparing Federal Tax Returns

A federal court has permanently barred Dennis Giroud from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. and Three Executives Agree to Plead Guilty to Automobile Parts Price-Fixing and Bid-Rigging Conspiracy

Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $200 million fine for its role in a criminal price-fixing and bid-rigging conspiracy involving the sale of parts to automobile manufacturers.



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Justice Department Seeks to Bar Former Owner of Brooklyn, N.Y., Tax Firm from Preparing Federal Tax Returns

The United States has filed a lawsuit against Annie P. Williams to bar her from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Hitachi-LG Data Storage Inc. Agrees to Plead Guilty to Participating in Bid-Rigging and Price-Fixing Conspiracies Involving Optical Disk Drives

Hitachi-LG Data Storage Inc. has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $21.1 million criminal fine for its participation in a series of conspiracies to rig bids and fix prices for the sale of optical disk drives.



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Japanese Freight Forwarding Company Agrees to Plead Guilty to Criminal Price-Fixing Charge

A Japanese freight forwarder has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $1.84 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix certain fees in connection with the provision of freight forwarding services for air cargo shipments from Japan to the United States.



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Harris County, Texas, Commissioner Pleads Guilty to Making a False Statement to FBI; Real Estate Developer Pleads Guilty to False Tax Statement

Harris County Commissioner Gerald R. Eversole and Houston-based real estate developer Michael D. Surface both pleaded guilty today in federal court in Houston to making false statements.



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Eight California Residents Indicted for Their Roles in Scheme Claiming More Than $19 Million in Fraudulent Tax Refunds

Osman Norales, Genaro De La Fuente, Francisco Ramirez and Ulises Linares were indicted on charges of conspiring to defraud the United States.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Alleging Disability-Based Housing Discrimination at Salem, Oregon, Apartment Complex

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the developers, builders and designers of the Gateway Village Apartments, a 275-unit apartment complex in Salem, Ore., for violations of the Fair Housing Act.



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Montgomery, Alabama, Woman Pleads Guilty to Using Stolen Identities to Obtain Tax Refunds

Melinda Clayton of Montgomery, Ala., pleaded guilty today to charges of conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false claims, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.



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Justice Department Sues to Shut Down New Jersey Tax Preparer

The United States has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop Luvander Hollaway from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Chicago Lawyer Barred from Promoting Tax Shelters Generating $370 Million in Sham Deductions

A federal court has permanently barred John E. Rogers and two of his companies, Sugarloaf Fund LLC and Jetstream Business Limited, from promoting tax shelters that allegedly use distressed Brazilian debt to lower customers’ reported income improperly.



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Former EPA-CID Special Agent in Texas Pleads Guilty to Perjury and Obstruction of Justice

Keith Phillips, 61, of Kent, Texas, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik Sr. in the Western District of Louisiana to a two-count indictment charging him with obstruction of justice and perjury.



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Justice Department Prevails in Three Tax Shelter Cases on Same Day

Three federal courts have issued decisions in favor of the United States in three separate cases involving abusive tax shelters.



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Danfoss Group Subsidiary Agrees to Plead Guilty for Role in Price-Fixing Conspiracy Involving Refrigerant Compressors

Danfoss Flensburg GmbH has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $3 million criminal fine for its role in an international conspiracy to fix the prices of light commercial compressors.



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Niagara Falls, New York, Financial Advisor Sentenced to Prison for Promoting and Using Abusive Tax Shelters

Richard Muto was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue laws.



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Rhode Island Jewelry Store Owner Pleads Guilty to Filing a False Tax Return

Karen St. Pierre of Barrington, R.I., pleaded guilty before Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in the District of Rhode Island to one count of willfully filing a false individual tax return.



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New Mexico Man to Receive Life Prison Sentence After Conviction on Kidnapping Charge Related to Death of 16-Year-Old

Larry Lujan, 33, will receive a life prison sentence for a kidnapping that resulted in the death of a 16-year-old, after a federal jury today announced it could not reach a unanimous decision on whether to impose the death penalty.



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Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to Life in Prison in Delaware for Child Exploitation Offenses

Paul Edward Pavulak, 67, of New Castle, Del., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sue L. Robinson in Wilmington, Del.



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Member of United Aryan Brotherhood Pleads Guilty to a Hate Motivated Assault of Jewish Inmate in Texas

The Justice Department announced today that Timothy Lee York, a 35 year-old, self-proclaimed member of the United Aryan Brotherhood, pleaded guilty to violently assaulting a Jewish inmate at a federal correctional facility in Texas.



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New York Resident and His Company Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Export Computer-Related Equipment to Iran

Jeng “Jay” Shih and Sunrise Technologies and Trading Corporation pleaded guilty today in the District of Columbia to conspiracy to illegally export U.S.-origin computers from the United States to Iran through the United Arab Emirates.



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Attorney General Holder Delivers Remarks at the Annual National Organization of Black Law Enforcement (NOBLE) Executives Dinner

"Your service is essential in helping the Justice Department fulfill its most fundamental mission: to protect the American people – from terrorism and violent crime, from fraud and abuse, and from those who would take advantage of the most vulnerable among us," said Attorney General Holder.




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Texas Natural Gas and Oil Drilling Contractor Pleads Guilty to Negligent Violation of Clean Water Act in Oklahoma

Integrated Production Services, LLC, (IPS), a Houston-based natural gas and oil drilling contractor, pleaded guilty today to a negligent violation of the Clean Water Act in federal court in Muskogee, Okla.



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Pennsylvania Man Convicted of Tax Crimes

Dennis Glick of Huntington Valley, Penn., was found guilty today by a federal jury in Philadelphia of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue laws and willfully preparing false tax returns.



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United States Files Suit to Stop Florida Woman from Promoting Form 1099-OID Tax Fraud Scheme

The United States has sued Judy Grace Sellers to bar her from promoting an alleged scheme involving fraudulent tax refund claims.



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Two Charged with Conspiracy and Filing False Tax Returns in a Corporate Scheme Based in South Florida

Elmo Antonio George and Nasheba Necia Hunte were indicted today by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida on charges of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and with filing false tax returns for 2005 and 2006 which claimed false refunds totaling more than $1.2 million.



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