state

United States and Two California State Agencies File Civil Lawsuit Against Greka Oil & Gas Inc. for Oil Spills in Santa Barbara County

The United States, the California Department of Fish and Game and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Coast Region, filed a civil complaint today in federal court against Greka Oil & Gas Inc. alleging that the company violated federal and state water laws.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Nixon State Bank to Resolve Allegations of Lending Discrimination

Nixon State Bank of Nixon, Texas, will establish uniform pricing policies, conduct employee training, and pay nearly $100,000 as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of national origin.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Colorado State Courts to Remove Language Barriers

The Justice Department today announced it has reached an agreement with officials of the Colorado Judicial Department to ensure that limited English proficient (LEP) individuals seeking services throughout Colorado’s state court system will have access to timely and competent language assistance.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

California Real Estate Investors Agree to Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging at Public Foreclosure Auctions

Eight California real estate investors have agreed to plead guilty for their roles in two separate conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Statement of the Attorney General Regarding Investigation into the Interrogation of Certain Detainees

"On August 24, 2009, based on information the Department received pertaining to alleged CIA mistreatment of detainees, I announced that I had expanded Mr. Durham’s mandate to conduct a preliminary review into whether federal laws were violated in connection with the interrogation of specific detainees at overseas locations."



  • OPA Press Releases

state

United States Sues Seattle-Area Man to Bar Him from Promoting Alleged “Form 1099-OID” Tax Fraud Scheme

The United States has sued a Seattle-area man to stop him from promoting an alleged tax fraud scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Justice Department Obtains Comprehensive Agreement Regarding the State of Delaware's Mental Health System

The Justice Department today announced that it has entered into a comprehensive agreement with the state of Delaware that will transform Delaware’s mental health system and resolve violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

JPMorgan Chase Admits to Anticompetitive Conduct by Former Employees in the Municipal Bond Investments Market and Agrees to Pay $228 Million to Federal and State Agencies

JPMorgan Chase &s role in anticompetitive activity in the municipal bond investments market and has agreed to pay a total of $228 million in restitution, penalties and disgorgement to federal and state agencies.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Statement of Deputy Attorney General James Cole Regarding Information Requests for Multiple Sales of Semi-Automatic Rifles with Detachable Magazines

“The international expansion and increased violence of transnational criminal networks pose a significant threat to the United States."



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Virginia Couple Sentenced for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States

John Scott Miles was sentenced to 30 months in prison and Kathryn Charles Miles was sentenced to 20 months in prison.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Washington Business Owner Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Participating in Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Making False Claims on Government Contract

A founder and president of a Washington-area design firm was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for her role in a conspiracy to defraud the United States in the award of a government contract for U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Statement of Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli Before the Committee on Indian Affairs on Violence Against Native American Women

"In anticipation of this year’s reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Department has been engaging in comprehensive discussions, including formal consultations with Indian tribes, about how best to protect the safety of Native women."




state

Virginia Real Estate Businessman Pleads Guilty to Mortgage and Investment Fraud Schemes

Alexander Otis Matthews, a Virginia real estate businessman pleaded guilty today to fraud charges in connection with mortgage and investment schemes to obtain more than $12 million in fraudulent loans.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Sixteen Individuals Arrested in the United States for Alleged Roles in Cyber Attacks

Fourteen individuals were arrested today by FBI agents on charges related to their alleged involvement in a cyber attack on PayPal’s website as part of an action claimed by the group “Anonymous,” announced the Department of Justice and the FBI. Two additional defendants were arrested today on cyber-related charges.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Las Vegas Real Estate Agent Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud and Bankruptcy Fraud Charges

German A. Posada of Las Vegas pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Philip M. Pro to charges of filing a false 2004 individual income tax return and making a false statement in a bankruptcy proceeding.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Two Telecommunications Executives Convicted by Miami Jury on All Counts for Their Involvement in Scheme to Bribe Officials at State-Owned Telecommunications Company in Haiti

Joel Esquenazi and Carlos Rodriguez, former executives of Terra Telecommunications Corp., have been convicted by a federal jury for their roles in a scheme to pay bribes to Haitian government officials at Telecommunications D’Haiti S.A.M.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

U.S. Files Lawsuit Against Bollinger Shipyards for Material False Statements Made to the Coast Guard

“Companies which make false statements to win Coast Guard contracts do a disservice to the men and women securing our borders,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

High-Ranking Member of Mexican Gulf Cartel Extradited to the United States to Face Drug Conspiracy Charges

Aurelio Cano-Flores, aka “Yankee” and “Yeyo,” a high-ranking member of the Mexican Gulf Cartel, has been extradited to the United States from Mexico to face drug conspiracy charges.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Florida Woman Charged with Witness Tampering, False Statements and Obstruction of Justice in Relation to Her Husband’s Disappearance

Abby Beard Hogan, 50, was charged with two counts of making false statements to federal law enforcement officials, one count of witness tampering and four counts of obstruction of justice.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on Lawsuit Challenging the Voting Rights Act of 1965

“The Voting Rights Act plays a vital role in our society by ensuring that every American has the right to vote and to have that vote counted," said Attorney General Holder.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Barrio Azteca Gang Member Extradited from Mexico to the United States to Face Charges Related to U.S. Consulate Murders in Juarez, Mexico

Miguel Angel Nevarez, aka “Lentes” and “94,” a member of the Barrio Azteca (BA) gang, has been extradited to the United States from Mexico to face a variety of charges including those related to his alleged participation in the March 13, 2010, murders of three individuals with ties to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the Resignation of U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Dennis Burke

“United States Attorney Dennis Burke has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s office, first as a line prosecutor over a decade ago and more recently as United States Attorney," said Attorney General Holder.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Florida Couple Indicted for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Failure to Account for and Pay Over Employment Taxes

Anthony Chaudhuri and Margaret Chaudhuri, of Naples, Fla. were indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 8, 2011, in Detroit, with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, 11 counts of failure to account for and pay over employment taxes and one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct or impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue laws.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Former Massachusetts State Senator Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

Bernard Joseph Tully, a former Massachusetts state senator, has pleaded guilty for devising a scheme to defraud a Boston-area businessman out of approximately $18,000 by falsely representing that Tully and his co-conspirator were using the funds to bribe public officials.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

U.S. Bureau of Prisons Employee Indicted in Florida for Sexual Abuse of a Ward and False Statements

U.S. Bureau of Prisons employee Jack Chris Jackson, 45, was indicted today on charges of sexual abuse of an inmate and false statements.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Oral Statement of Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Before the Senate Judiciary Committee

"It is a great honor to go to my job every day and work with the dedicated career attorneys and professionals in the Division to protect and defend the rights guaranteed by some of our nation’s most cherished laws," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.




state

Former Heber City, Utah, Resident Indicted in Salt Lake City for Presenting False Claims to the United States

April Rampton, formerly a resident of Heber City, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City with 15 counts of presenting false claims to the United States.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Alabama Real Estate Investors Agree to Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Rig Bids for the Purchase of Real Estate at Public Foreclosure Auctions

Two Mobile, Ala., real estate investors and one real estate investment company have agreed to plead guilty today for their roles in a conspiracy to rig bids for the purchase of real estate at public foreclosure auctions in southern Alabama.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the 2010 Uniform Crime Report

Attorney General Holder today issued the following statement on the release of the 2010 Uniform Crime Report, which showed a decline in violent crime across the United States for the second straight year.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

United States and Belgium Sign Agreement to Prevent and Combat Serious Crime

Attorney General Eric Holder today joined Belgian Minister of Justice Stefaan De Clerck and Minister of Interior Annemie Turtelboom to sign an agreement on Preventing and Combating Serious Crime (PCSC), which will allow for the exchange of biometric and biographic data of suspected criminals between the United States and Belgium to bolster counterterrorism and law enforcement efforts while protecting individual privacy.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Prepared Statement of Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism

"Our common objective is to deploy the counter terrorist financing tools available to the United States in a coordinated, integrated fashion to effectively disrupt the flow of funds and other material support to terrorist organizations," said Assistant Attorney General Monaco.




state

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.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Colorado-Based CH2M Hill Agrees to Pay United States $1.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Act Liability

CH2M Hill Hanford Group Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it knowingly submitted false claims and paid kickbacks relating to a contract to operate and manage mixed radioactive waste at the Department of Energy’s Hanford Nuclear Site in the state of Washington.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Prepared Statement of Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

I appreciate this opportunity to appear before the Committee on behalf of the Department of Justice to offer the Department’s report on implementation of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010, Title II of Public Law 111-211 (TLOA).




state

Virginia Real Estate Businessman Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Mortgage and Investment Fraud Schemes

Alexander Otis Matthews, a Virginia real estate businessman, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison in connection with mortgage and investment schemes to obtain more than $12 million in fraudulent loans.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Two California Real Estate Investors Agree to Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging at Public Foreclosure Auctions

Two California real estate investors have agreed to plead guilty today for their roles in a conspiracy to rig bids and to commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

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.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

State Department Employee Indicted on Domestic Battery Charges for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

Michael Makalou, a State Department employee, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Former Hickman County, Tennessee, Deputy Sheriff Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Civil Rights and False Statement Charges

Former Hickman County Deputy Sheriff Kenneth H. Smith was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Todd J. Campbell to 24 months in prison for civil rights and false statement charges.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Two Men Charged in Alleged Plot to Assassinate Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States

Two individuals have been charged in New York for their alleged participation in a plot directed by elements of the Iranian government to murder the Saudi Ambassador to the United States with explosives while the Ambassador was in the United States.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Justice Department Statement on US Airways/Delta Airlines Acquisition of Slots at Washington's Reagan National and New York's Laguardia Airports

The Department of Justice issued a statement today after the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued its order involving US Airways’ and Delta Airlines’ acquisition of slots at Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport and New York’s LaGuardia Airport.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on Guilty Plea by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

“Contrary to what some have claimed, today’s plea removes any doubt that our courts are one of the most effective tools we have to fight terrorism and keep the American people safe," said Attorney General Holder.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

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.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

United States and European Union Antitrust Agencies Issue Revised Best Practices for Coordinating Merger Reviews

The Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the European Commission today issued an updated set of “best practices” that they use to coordinate their merger reviews.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Micronesian Couple Sentenced in State of Washington in Connection with Human Trafficking Violations

Edk Kenit, 28, and Choimina Lukas, 30, a Micronesian couple living in Longview, Wash., were sentenced today for their roles in a scheme to compel the labor of an 18-year-old woman, also from Micronesia.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Department of Justice/Federal Trade Commission Issue Final Statement of Antitrust Policy Enforcement Regarding Accountable Care Organizations

The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission today issued the final version of a joint policy statement detailing how the agencies will enforce U.S. antitrust laws with respect to new Accountable Care Organizations.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

United States and Osage Tribe Announce $380 Million Settlement of Tribal Trust Lawsuit

The United States has reached a final settlement of a long-running lawsuit by the Osage Tribe of Oklahoma regarding the United States’ accounting and management of the tribe’s trust funds and non-monetary trust assets.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Executive Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Scheme to Bribe Officials at State-Owned Telecommunications Company in Haiti

Joel Esquenazi, 52, of Miami, and Carlos Rodriguez, 55, of Davie, Fla., were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez in the Southern District of Florida.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Eight Northern California Real Estate Investors Agree to Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging at Public Foreclosure Auctions

Eight Northern California real estate investors have agreed to plead guilty today for their roles in two separate conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California.



  • OPA Press Releases

state

Justice Department Settles Lawsuit with Washington State Company to Enforce Employment Rights of U.S. Air Force Reservist

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement with James J. Williams Bulk Service Transport Inc. (JJW), its parent company Trans-System Inc. and System TWT Transportation Inc. alleging that the companies violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by failing to promptly and properly reemploy U.S. Air Force reservist Dave Axtell in April 2009 when he returned from military service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.



  • OPA Press Releases