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Fourteen Defendants Plead Guilty for Their Roles in Scheme to Fraudulently Control Home Owners Associations in Las Vegas

Fourteen individuals pleaded guilty yesterday in the District of Nevada for their roles in the scheme to fraudulently take control of various home owners’ associations (HOAs) in the Las Vegas area.



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U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Indicted in Miami for Civil Rights and Abusive Sexual Contact Offenses

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Paulo Morales, 47, was arrested today after having been indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida on charges of deprivation of civil rights and abusive sexual contact.



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Virginia-based Defense Contractor Calnet to Pay $18.1 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Lawsuit

Calnet Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $18.1 million to resolve allegations that the company submitted false claims to the Department of Defense, the Justice Department announced today. Calnet Inc., an intelligence analysis, information technology and language services company, is headquartered in Reston, Virginia.



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New England Organized Crime Associate Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison

Richard Bonafiglia, 58, of Providence, R.I., an admitted associate of the New England La Cosa Nostra was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Providence today to 84 months in federal prison for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy to shakedown several Rhode Island adult entertainment businesses for protection money.



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Doctors, Therapist and Recruiters from Miami-Area Mental Health Care Corporation Convicted for Participating in $205 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

A federal jury today convicted two Miami-area doctors, one Miami-area therapist and two others for their participation in a Medicare fraud scheme involving more than $205 million in fraudulent billings by American Therapeutic Corporation (ATC), a mental health care corporation.



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Justice Department to Monitor Elections in California, New Mexico, South Dakota and Wisconsin

The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor elections on June 5, 2012, in the following jurisdictions to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other federal voting rights statutes: Alameda, Fresno and Riverside Counties, Calif.; Cibola and Sandoval Counties, N.M.; Shannon County, S.D.; and the city of Milwaukee.



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Los Angeles Physician Assistant Found Guilty for Role in $18.9 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

On June 1, 2012, after a two-week trial in federal court in Los Angeles, a jury found David James Garrison, 50, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, six counts of health care fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.



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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West and U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter Announce Pilot Initiative to Address Sexual Assault on Montana Reservations

Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West today joined U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter and Vice-Chairman of the Crow Nation Calvin Coolidge Jefferson to announce a multi-agency collaboration with tribal governments to establish sexual assault response teams (SARTs) in the six Montana reservations under federal jurisdiction.



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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Testifies Before the Senate Judiciary Committee

"As someone who spent over a dozen years as a prosecutor and then nearly twenty more as a defense attorney, I know firsthand the importance that discovery plays in ensuring criminal defendants fair trials. But, at the same time, I am acutely aware of the other critical interests – such as the safety and privacy of witnesses and victims – that our criminal justice system properly takes into account," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the Press Conference Regarding Sexual Assault Response Team Initiative

"We hope that establishing SART teams on every Montana reservation will bring healing and justice to victims of sexual violence – the kind of help that will also strengthen the faith and confidence that native women have in their criminal justice system," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.




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Four More Defendants Plead Guilty in Indiana to Participating in International Child Pornography Distribution Ring

Shaun Kuykendall, 32, of South Carolina; Richard Szulborski, 21, of Pennsylvania; Javahn Algere, 23, of Louisiana; and Jeremy Labrec, 22, of Texas, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Testifies Before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary

" am proud of the work that’s been done – by the Department’s 116,000 employees, as well as our government and law enforcement partners worldwide – to help fulfill the promises that I made before this Committee more than three years ago," said Attorney General Holder.




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Acting Assistant Attorney General Stuart F. Delery Speaks at the American Bar Association’s Ninth National Institute on the Civil False Claims Act and Qui Tam Enforcement

"Protecting taxpayer dollars is one of the Attorney General’s core priorities. This includes a commitment to increase our efforts to reduce fraud at the outset," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Delery.




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American Samoa Department of Education Official Sentenced to 35 Months in Prison for Witness Tampering and Obstruction of Justice

Paul Solofa, the former chief financial officer for the Department of Education for the government of the U.S. Territory of American Samoa was sentenced today to 35 months in prison following his conviction earlier this year for his efforts to obstruct a federal grand jury and law enforcement investigation into a bribery scheme.



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Miami-Area Resident Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Participating in Medicare Fraud Scheme

Leyanes Placeres, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Seitz in the Southern District of Florida.



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ING Bank N.V. Agrees to Forfeit $619 Million for Illegal Transactions with Cuban and Iranian Entities

ING Bank N.V., a financial institution headquartered in Amsterdam, has agreed to forfeit $619 million to the Justice Department and the New York County District Attorney’s Office for conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA) and for violating New York state laws by illegally moving billions of dollars through the U.S. financial system on behalf of sanctioned Cuban and Iranian entities.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Testifies Before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary

"I am proud of all that’s been achieved by the 116,000 men and women who serve the Department in offices around the world. Their dedicated efforts – and those of our government and law enforcement partners at every level – have allowed me to fulfill the commitments that I made during my first appearance before this Committee as Attorney General," said Attorney General Holder.




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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Criminal and Social Justice Standing Committee Meeting

"This coordinated approach to finding solutions involves more than just enforcement -- we must also direct our efforts to prevent the occurrence of crime in the first place, provide support through intervention programs, and provide individuals reentering our communities from jails and prisons with the tools they need to succeed and turn away from crime," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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Check Cashers in Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Los Angeles Charged for Alleged Violations of Anti-Money Laundering Laws

Seven individuals and four check cashing businesses were charged today in the Eastern District of New York and the Central District of California for their alleged roles in separate schemes to violate the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).



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Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Grayson County, Virginia, on Bailout from the Voting Rights Act

The Justice Department announced that it has reached an agreement with Grayson County, Va., that will allow for the county and its four political subdivisions, the Grayson County School District and the towns of Independence, Fries and Troutdale, Va., to bail out from their status as “covered jurisdictions” under the special provisions of the Voting Rights Act, and thereby exempt these jurisdictions from the preclearance requirements of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The agreement is in the form of a consent decree filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and must be approved by the court.



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Pennsylvania Man Arrested on Computer Hacking Charges

Andrew James Miller, 23, of Devon, Penn., was arrested this morning on charges contained in a four-count indictment filed in the District of Massachusetts.



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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the White House World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Event

"So as we continue to bring our law enforcement tools to bear to investigate, prosecute and punish elder abuse perpetrators, we at the Department also know that the most effective elder abuse case is the one we prevent," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.




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Former Vice President at California Valve Company Pleads Guilty to Foreign Bribery Offense

David Edmonds, the former vice president of worldwide customer service at Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.-based valve company Control Components Inc., pleaded guilty today to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act



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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.



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Missouri Woman Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Vandalism and Arson of Biracial Man’s Home

A Missouri woman was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for her role in the vandalism and arson of a biracial man’s home in Independence, Mo., the Department of Justice announced.



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Owner of Southern California-Based Mesquite Charcoal Distributor Pleads Guilty to Customer Allocation and Bid-Rigging Conspiracy

The owner of a southern California-based mesquite charcoal distributor pleaded guilty for his role in a customer allocation and bid-rigging conspiracy for the sale of mesquite charcoal.



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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the National Institute of Justice Conference

"Ultimately, however, the role that science plays in forming our policies and practices -- that will depend on each of you: your commitment; your vigilance; your dedication to ensuring that our work to create a criminal justice system that is more effective, more efficient, more just, will rest not merely on a foundation of hope, or goodwill, or good intentions, but on a bedrock of integrity born of science and research," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.




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Owner and Employee of Miami Home Health Company Sentenced to Prison in $22 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Seitz in Miami sentenced Marietha Morales, 38, to 108 months in prison and Eduardo Saborit-Dominguez, 48, to 46 months in prison.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Rose Acre Farms in Indiana Alleging Discrimination Against Work-Authorized Non-Citizens

The Justice Department announced today the filing of a lawsuit against Rose Acre Farms Inc., a major U.S. egg producer based in Seymour, Ind., alleging that Rose Acre engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against work-authorized non-citizens in the employment eligibility verification process.



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Jury Convicts Louisiana Tax Defier

Jack Ray Carr, of Baton Rouge, La., was convicted today after a three-day jury trial of one count of corruptly interfering with the due administration of the Internal Revenue laws, four counts of filing false income tax returns and one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false income tax return, the Justice Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) announced.



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Former Executive Director of the American Samoa Special Services Commission Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Steal More Than $325,000 in AmeriCorps Grant Funds

U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton for the District of Columbia sentenced Mine S. Pase to 14 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.



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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.



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Joint Statement on the Negotiation of a EU-U.S. Data Privacy and Protection Agreement by Attorney General Eric Holder and European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding

Attorney General Eric Holder and European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding issued the following statement following the EU-U.S. Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial meeting in Copenhagen.



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Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online Joint Statement

The EU and the U.S., at the EU-U.S. Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial Meeting attended by Attorney General Eric Holder today, have agreed to enhance efforts against child sexual abuse online. Such abuse includes the distribution and trade of child pornography via the Internet, and the resulting, continuing harm to the victims depicted.



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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.



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Two Owners of Miami Home Health Company Each Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for $20 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke in the Southern District of Florida sentenced Ariel Rodriguez to 73 months in prison and three years of supervised release and Reynaldo Navarro to 74 months in prison and three years of supervised release.



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Louisiana Hunting Outfitter Sentenced to Prison for First Felony Conviction for Illegally Hunting Protected Alligators

Gregory K. Dupont, 38, of Plaquemine, La., was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Baton Rouge, La., to serve six months in prison, to be followed by four months in a half-way house and two years of supervised release for the first ever felony conviction and prison sentence resulting from the illegal hunting of American alligators.



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Virginia Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Carry out Suicide Bomb Attack on U.S. Capitol

Amine El Khalifi, a 29-year-old resident of Alexandria, Va., pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia in connection with his efforts to carry out a suicide bomb attack on the U.S. Capitol Building in February 2012 as part of what he intended to be a terrorist operation.



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Pennsylvania Member of the Internet Piracy Group “Imagine” Pleads Guilty to Copyright Infringement Conspiracy

A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to willfully reproduce and distribute tens of thousands of infringing copies of copyrighted works without permission, including infringing copies of movies before they were commercially released on DVD, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride and Special Agent in Charge John P. Torres of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) in Washington, D.C., announced today.



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Owner of Miami-Area Assisted Living Facility Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Role in Medicare Fraud Scheme

Billy Denica, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard in Miami.



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New York-based GSA Contractor Ward Diesel Filter Systems Pays US $628,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Liability

Ward Diesel Filter Systems Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $628,000 to resolve allegations that it knowingly submitted false claims to federal agencies under a contract to provide diesel exhaust filtering systems for fire engines through the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule program, the Justice Department announced today.



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Army Sergeant and Associate Convicted on All Counts for Roles in Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Related to Defense Contracts to Support Iraq War

A federal jury in Elkins, W. Va., convicted Richard Evick, a U.S. Army Sergeant First Class and Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of contracting at a U.S. military base in Kuwait, and his associate, Crystal Martin, of all counts with which they were charged in connection with a bribery and money laundering scheme related to defense contracts awarded in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.



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Justice Department Announces Lawsuit to Protect Rights of Military and Overseas Voters in Georgia

The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the state of Georgia and its chief election official seeking relief to help ensure that military service members, their family members and U.S. citizens living overseas have the opportunity to participate fully in Georgia’s Aug. 21, 2012, federal primary runoff election and all future federal runoff elections.



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Miami-Area Resident Pleads Guilty to Participating in $63 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Sarah Da Silva Keller, 27, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke in Miami to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.



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United Technologies Subsidiary Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges for Helping China Develop New Attack Helicopter

Pratt &s first modern military attack helicopter, the Z-10.



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Department of Justice Forfeits More Than $400,000 in Corruption Proceeds Linked to Former Nigerian Governor

The Department of Justice has forfeited $401,931 in assets traceable to Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Nigeria.



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Witness in Identity Theft and Tax Trial Sentenced in Alabama to 15 Months in Prison for Perjury and Lying to a Federal Agent

Nacretia Lewis was sentenced today to 15 months in federal prison for perjury and lying to a federal agent, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. She was also ordered to serve one year of supervised release following her release from prison.



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Miami-Area Patient Recruiters Sentenced to Prison for Roles in $200 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

James Edwards was sentenced today to 84 months in prison and three years of supervised release and Nelson Fernandez was sentenced yesterday to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release.



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Former Georgia Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring with Other Officers to Assault and Injure Inmates

Willie Redden, 24, of Albany, Ga., a former member of the Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) at Macon State Prison in Oglethorpe, Ga., pleaded guilty today to conspiring with other correctional officers to violate the civil rights of inmates in 2010.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Regarding Alleged Violation of Us Army Reservist’s Reemployment Rights

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement in its lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PDOC).



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