nan

ATF Implements Justice Financial System

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) implemented the Unified Financial Management System (UFMS), a core centralized accounting system that improves internal controls and standardizes data.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

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

nan

Former Employee of a Financial Institution Subsidiary Arrested on Criminal Complaint for Role in Fraud Scheme Involving Municipal Bonds

A former employee of a subsidiary of a financial institution was arrested on a criminal complaint at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York yesterday after entering the United States.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force Announces Results of Largest-Ever Nationwide Operation Targeting Investment Fraud

Attorney General Holder announced today the results of Operation Broken Trust, a nationwide operation organized by the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to target investment fraud.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Three Former Financial Services Executives Indicted for Fraudulent Conduct Affecting Contracts Related to Municipal Bonds

Three former executives of a financial services company 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.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Western Regional Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force Summit

"It is clear – from the record of achievement that you just shared – that great progress is being made here in Northern California. And I believe that the discussions we're beginning today provide a unique and important opportunity to build on all that is being achieved."




nan

Former Upstate New York Financial Advisor Pleads Guilty to Using and Selling Abusive Trust Schemes to Obstruct the IRS

Richard A. Muto of Buffalo, N.Y., has pleaded guilty to corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the administration of the internal revenue laws.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Two Former Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Police Officers Convicted of Falsifying Information About Hate Crime

A federal jury in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., has convicted Matthew Nestor and William Moyer of falsifying information related to the investigation into the beating death of Luis Ramirez.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

U.S. Sues Two California Lawyers & Kentucky Financial Professional to Block Nationwide Promotion of "Intermediary Transaction" Tax Shelter

The United States has sued two Southern California attorneys and a Kentucky financial professional to bar them from promoting an allegedly abusive tax shelter known as an “intermediary transaction.”



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Two Shenandoah, Pa., Men Sentenced for the Fatal Beating of Luis Ramirez

Brandon Piekarsky, 19, and Derrick Donchak, 21, both of Shenandoah, Pa., were sentenced today to nine years in prison for the fatal beating of Luis Ramirez.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Justice Department Settles with Hertford County, N.C., Involving Pregnancy Discrimination

The Justice Department announced today that it has resolved a lawsuit alleging that Kimberly Sathoff was subjected to pregnancy discrimination by the Hertford County, N.C., Public Health Authority, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Three Former Executives Charged in $200 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Fair Financial Company Investors

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.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Former TBW Financial Analyst Pleads Guilty to $1.5 Billion Fraud Scheme

Sean W. Ragland, a former senior financial analyst at Taylor, Bean &s mortgage lending facility, Ocala Funding.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Man Sentenced for Involvement in the Fatal Beating of Luis Ramirez

Colin Walsh, 19, of Shenandoah, Pa., was sentenced today to 55 months in prison for his role in the fatal beating of Luis Ramirez.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Former Department of Defense Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Financial Assistance Funds Intended for Service Members

A former civilian employee of the Department of Defense pleaded guilty today in Columbus, Ga., to conversion of Army Emergency Relief (AER) funds while he was employed at Camp Humphreys in the Republic of Korea.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Two Former Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Police Officers Sentenced for Falsifying Information About the Beating of a Latino Man

The Justice Department announced that Matthew Nestor and William Moyer were sentenced today for falsifying information related to the investigation into the beating death of Luis Ramirez.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Former Senator and Presidential Candidate John Edwards Charged for Alleged Role in Scheme to Violate Federal Campaign Finance Laws

A federal grand jury today returned a six-count indictment against former U.S. Senator and Presidential candidate John Edwards for allegedly participating in a scheme to violate federal campaign finance laws.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Nigerian Citizen Convicted in Atlanta for Trafficking Young Women from Nigeria to Work for Her as Nannies

Bidemi Bello, 41, a former resident of Suwanee, Ga., and a citizen of Nigeria, was convicted on eight counts by a federal jury late on Friday on charges of two counts of forced labor, two counts of trafficking for forced labor, one count of document servitude, one count of alien harboring and two counts of making false statements in an application to become a U.S. citizen.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Two Indicted in Kentucky on Conspiracy and Harboring of Undocumented Bolivian National for Financial Gain

Javier Arce, 58, and Cristina Mier Arce, 55, were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy and harboring of an undocumented Bolivian national for their financial gain.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Former Department of Defense Employee Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Financial Assistance Funds Intended for Service Members

Tyrone L. Ellis, 56, of Columbus, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Clay D. Land of the Middle District of Georgia.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

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.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Former New Orleans Police Department Lieutenant Sentenced in Connection with Shootings on Danziger Bridge

A former lieutenant with the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), was sentenced today for his role in a conspiracy to obstruct justice and for misprision of a felony, in connection with a federal investigation of two police-involved shootings that left two civilians dead and four others seriously wounded in the area of the Danziger Bridge in the days after Hurricane Katrina.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Attorney General Eric Holder at the “Progress Through Prosperity” Dinner with President Leonel Fernandez

"It is in this spirit of friendship that I have traveled to your beautiful country. And I am grateful, on a very personal level, for this opportunity to help build upon the progress that our nations – and America’s allies throughout the Caribbean region – have made together over the years," said Attorney General Holder.




nan

Former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Indicted for Civil Rights Violations and Obstruction of Justice

A federal grand jury sitting in Muskogee, Okla., returned an indictment today charging former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff’s Lieutenant Kevin Bennett Holt, 48, of Achille, Okla., with federal civil rights violations and related acts of obstruction of justice.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Former Pittsfield, Mass., Entrepreneur Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Financial Crimes

A former Pittsfield man was sentenced late yesterday in federal court for his role in a series of frauds and attempts to avoid paying taxes, as well as lying to federal authorities and financial institutions about his illegal activities.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Attorney General Holder Announces Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force Executive Director

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the appointment of Michael J. Bresnick as the new executive director of President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Justice Department Reaches $335 Million Settlement to Resolve Allegations of Lending Discrimination by Countrywide Financial Corporation

The Department of Justice today filed its largest residential fair lending settlement in history to resolve allegations that Countrywide Financial Corporation and its subsidiaries engaged in a widespread pattern or practice of discrimination against qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers in their mortgage lending from 2004 through 2008.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Countrywide Financial Corporation Settlement Announcement

"In today’s settlement with Countrywide Financial Corporation, we resolved the government’s allegations that Countrywide and its subsidiaries – which are now owned by Bank of America – engaged in discriminatory mortgage lending practices against more than 200,000 qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers from 2004 through 2008," said Attorney General Holder.




nan

Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Speaks at the Countrywide Financial Corporation Settlement Announcement

"At the core of the allegations in the complaint is a simple story: If you were African-American or Hispanic and you went to Countrywide for a loan, and you were qualified, you likely paid more simply because of the color of your skin. You likely paid more than a similarly-qualified white borrower if you were African-American or Hispanic and received your loan from a Countrywide loan officer, or from Countrywide’s mortgage brokers," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.




nan

CDR Financial Products and Its Owner Plead Guilty to Bid-Rigging and Fraud Conspiracies Related to Municipal Bond Investments

A Beverly Hills, Calif.,-based financial products and services firm, and its founder and owner pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of New York for their participation in bid-rigging and fraud conspiracies related to contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other related municipal finance contracts.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

CDR Financial Products Executive and Former Executive Plead Guilty in New York to Bid-Rigging and Fraud Conspiracies Related to Municipal Bond Investments

An executive and a former executive of Rubin/Chambers, Dunhill Insurance Services, also known as CDR Financial Products, pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of New York for their participation in bid-rigging and fraud conspiracies related to contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other related municipal finance contracts.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Massachusetts Financial Advisor Convicted of Tax Crimes and Contempt

A jury convicted Attleboro, Mass., licensed stockbroker, insurance agent and financial advisor Kevin P. Mahoney today on tax and contempt of court charges, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Attorney General Holder Speaks at the Announcement of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force’s New Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Working Group

"I am confident that this new effort will improve our ability to ensure justice for victims; help restore faith in our financial markets and institutions; and allow us to answer the call that President Obama issued earlier this week, in his State of the Union address," said Attorney General Holder.




nan

Two Financial Investors Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging at Municipal Tax Lien Auctions in New Jersey

Two financial investors pleaded guilty today for conspiring to rig bids for the sale of tax liens auctioned by municipalities throughout New Jersey.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at Columbia University Law School on Preventing and Combating Financial Fraud

" Here on this campus, my interest in the law, my understanding of its remarkable power for good, and my desire to serve our nation’s justice system first took hold. And although more than 35 years have passed since I completed my law degree – and started my “dream job” as a prosecutor in the United States Department of Justice – my time at Columbia shaped and enriched my life in ways that I am still realizing, and continue to appreciate," said Attorney General Holder.




nan

Justice Department Settles Landlord-Tenant Case Under Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

The Justice Department today announced that it had reached a settlement resolving allegations that Empirian Property Management Inc. refused to terminate residential leases entered into by active duty members of the U.S. Air Force assigned to Offutt Air Force Base in Sarpy County, Neb., after those servicemembers received permanent change of station orders.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Former Chief Financial Officer of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme

Delton de Armas, a former chief financial officer of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp. (TBW), pleaded guilty today to making false statements and conspiring to commit bank and wire fraud for his role in a more than $2.9 billion fraud scheme that contributed to the failures of TBW and Colonial Bank.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

U.S. and Mexican Officials Sign Letter of Intent to Share $6 Million in Forfeited Assets to Combat Financial Infrastructure of Organized Crime

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Mexican Attorney General Marisela Morales Ibáñez today signed a letter of intent for the United States to share approximately $6 million in forfeited funds with the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic of Mexico to support Mexican efforts to combat the financial infrastructure of organized criminal groups and to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in forfeiture matters.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

New York Financial Investor Pleads Guilty to Bid Rigging at Municipal Tax Lien Auctions in New Jersey

A financial investor who purchased municipal tax liens at auctions in New Jersey pleaded guilty today for his role in a conspiracy to rig bids for the sale of tax liens auctioned by municipalities throughout the state.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

New Jersey Financial Investor and His Company Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging at Municipal Tax Lien Auctions

A financial investor who purchased municipal tax liens at auctions in New Jersey, as well as a company in which he was a partner, pleaded guilty today for their roles in a conspiracy to rig bids for the sale of tax liens auctioned by municipalities throughout the state.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Massachusetts Financial Advisor Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Tax Crimes and Contempt

Kevin P. Mahoney of Attleboro, Mass., was sentenced today to 60 months in prison, following trial convictions on corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the administration of the Internal Revenue laws, filing false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and criminal contempt of court, the Justice Department and the IRS announced. U.S. District Judge Joseph L. Tauro presided over the trial and imposed the sentence. A Boston jury convicted licensed stockbroker, insurance agent and financial advisor Mahoney on Jan. 25, 2012. Mahoney was charged with one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the administration of the Internal Revenue laws, eight counts of contempt of court and eight counts of filing false tax returns. He was convicted on all counts. Judge Tauro also ordered Mahoney to pay $367,000 in restitution to the IRS. Mahoney was remanded to prison immediately following the sentencing hearing.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Federal Officials Close Investigation into the Death of Sergio Hernandez-Guereca

The Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal charges against a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Border Patrol agent for the fatal shooting of the late Sergio Hernandez-Guereca, a 15-year-old Mexican national shot within a spillway of the Rio Grande River along the United States – Mexico border on June 7, 2010.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Pleads Guilty to Using Taser to Shock Restrained Detainee

The Justice Department announced today that former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Kevin Bennett Holt, 48, from Achille, Okla., pleaded guilty in federal court to using a Taser to assault a detainee inside of the Bryan County Jail in Durant, Okla., thereby depriving the detainee of his civil rights.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Three Former Financial Services Executives Convicted for Roles in Conspiracies Involving Investment Contracts for the Proceeds of Municipal Bonds

A federal jury in New York City today convicted three former financial services executives for their participation in conspiracies related to bidding for contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other municipal finance contracts



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Justice Department Files Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit Against the Nevada Division of Forestry

The Department of Justice today announced the filing of a lawsuit against the Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF) alleging that NDF discriminated against Ms. Tawnya Meyer, a former employee, when they fired her soon after she announced her pregnancy.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Owner of Hawaii Car Dealerships and Chief Financial Officer Plead Guilty to Tax Crimes

Charles Alan Pflueger, owner of Pflueger Inc., Randall Kurata, the company’s chief financial officer, and Julie Kam, Pflueger’s executive assistant, pleaded guilty to filing false federal income tax returns before U.S. District Court Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi in Honolulu, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Bribery Related to Contracting in Support of Iraq War

Derrick L. Shoemake, 50, of Moreno Valley, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Dolly M. Gee in the Central District of California.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Former Chief Financial Officer of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Fraud Scheme

Delton de Armas, a former chief financial officer (CFO) of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp. (TBW), was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for his role in a more than $2.9 billion fraud scheme that contributed to the failure of TBW.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Three Former Executives Convicted for Roles in $200 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Fair Financial Company Investors

Three former executives of Fair Financial Company, an Ohio financial services business, were found guilty for their roles in a scheme to defraud approximately 5,000 investors of more than $200 million, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Joseph H. Hogsett, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana; and Special Agent in Charge Robert Holley of the FBI in Indiana announced today.



  • OPA Press Releases

nan

Former Chief Investment Officer of Stanford Financial Group Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice

Laura Pendergest-Holt, 38, the former chief investment officer of Houston-based Stanford Financial Group, pleaded guilty today to obstructing a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation into Stanford International Bank (SIB), the Antiguan offshore bank owned by convicted financier Robert Allen Stanford.



  • OPA Press Releases