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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with First United Security Bank of Thomasville, Alabama, Regarding Alleged Discrimination in Lending

The Bank will invest more than $600,000, open a new branch in an African-American neighborhood in west central Alabama and take other steps as part of a settlement.



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Justice Department Observes October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month

“We know domestic violence is an epidemic that affects communities across this country regardless of age, race or socio-economic background,” said Attorney General Eric Holder.



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Former New Jersey Firefighter Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

Matthew Fox, a former Atlantic City, N.J., firefighter, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Jerome B. Simandle in Newark, N.J.



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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Georgia Tax Preparer

The United States has sued a tax return preparer in Marietta, Ga., seeking to bar him from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Owner of Alabama Tire Store Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

Timothy Smith, a resident of Cullman, Ala., was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for tax evasion.



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Three Gang Members Plead Guilty to Murder and Drug Conspiracy Charges; Two Others Sentenced on Drug Charges

Guilty pleas were entered today in federal court in Lubbock, Texas, by three admitted gang members who were charged for their participation in a violent drive-by shooting in which two people, a man and a pregnant woman, were killed, and four others were wounded.



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Seattle Area UBS Client Pleads Guilty to Filing a False Tax Return

According to court documents and statements made in court, Cittadini, a retired sales manager for Boeing, failed to report income from bank accounts under his control at UBS AG in Switzerland on his individual income tax returns from 2001 through 2003.



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Indiana Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges

James M. Tanksley, 52, pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 80 months in prison.



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Attorney General and Education Secretary Call for National Conversation on Values and Student Violence

“Youth violence isn’t a Chicago problem, any more than it is a black problem or a white problem. It’s something that affects communities big and small, and people of all races and colors. Today is the beginning of what will be a sustained, national effort on behalf of this entire administration to address youth violence and to make our streets safe for everyone,” Holder said.



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Rhode Island Machine Shop Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax Crimes

Bruce Lapierre of Pascoag, R.I., was sentenced to 51 months in prison today for tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the United States



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Indianapolis Man Sentenced for Transportation and Possession of Child Pornography

Michael Wildridge, 41, pleaded guilty today to transportation and possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.



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Superseding Indictment Returned Against Defense Contractor

A federal grand jury in Oklahoma City returned a superseding indictment against a former manager of a U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) contractor in Iraq, charging him with conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery and failing to appear in court.



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Oregon White Supremacist Indicted for Threatening Ohio Civil Rights Leader by Mailing a Noose

“A noose is an unmistakable symbol of hatred and violence in our nation, conjuring up images of a despicable period in our history. Mailing a noose to an individual who advocates for racial equality sends a clear threat of violence,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.



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Harborside Healthcare to Pay U.S. $1.375 Million to Resolve Allegations of Kickbacks and Sham Durable Medical Services

“It is critical that Medicare providers base their DME purchasing decisions on what is in the best interests of their patients,” stated Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division.



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Carpinteria, California, Man Sentenced for Mailing Child Pornography

Donald Collier, 45, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for mailing child pornography.



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Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden at the 78th Interpol General Assembly

"Under the visionary leadership of Secretary General Noble, INTERPOL is already at the forefront of the battle against globalized crime. To highlight just one of the many critical steps he has taken: he has modernized the ‘I-24/7’ network, which is used thousands of times each day and millions of times each year to conduct the cross-border police work necessary to find and arrest wanted persons, and to solve and prevent crimes."




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AT&T Missouri Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Lawsuit Involving E-Rate Program

AT&T Missouri (formerly known as Southwestern Bell Telephone L.P.) has agreed to pay the United States $1.4 million as part of a settlement of a civil lawsuit alleging that the company violated the False Claims Act in connection with the Federal Communications Commission's E-Rate program.



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Maryland Tax Preparer Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Preparing False Tax Returns for Clients

Marcel J. Toto-Ngosso of Silver Spring, Md., was sentenced to 70 months in prison today for preparing and filing false tax returns in connection with a scheme to generate fraudulent tax refunds for his clients.



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Ship Captain Sentenced to 10 Months Confinement for Obstruction, Environmental and Ship Safety Violations

Panagiotis Lekkas, the captain of the cargo ship, M/V Theotokos, was sentenced today in federal court in New Orleans to 10 months confinement.



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Ohio Home Builder Charged with Filing False Tax Returns

Roy W. Bradford of Ludlow Falls, Ohio, was indicted on two counts of filing a false tax return and one count of corruptly endeavoring to impede the IRS.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars Utah Man from Promoting “Asset Protection” Scheme

A federal judge in St. George, Utah, has permanently enjoined Kent Bickmore, the founder of a so-called asset-protection business, from helping customers file fraudulent liens and create hidden nominee bank accounts



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Federal Court Rules That Virginia Violated Voting Rights of Military and Overseas Citizens

A federal district court in Richmond, Va., ruled yesterday that Virginia violated the voting rights of American military personnel and other overseas citizens by failing to mail absentee ballots in sufficient time for them to be counted in the Nov. 4, 2008, general election.



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Former GSA Chief of Staff David Safavian Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice and Making False Statements

David H. Safavian was sentenced today to one year in prison on charges of obstruction of justice and making false statements in connection with the investigation into the activities of former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff.



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Four Pharmaceutical Companies Pay $124 Million for Submission of False Claims to Medicaid

Mylan Pharmaceuticals, UDL Laboratories, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and Ortho McNeil Pharmaceutical have entered into settlement agreements for a total of $124 million to resolve claims that they violated the False Claims Act by failing to pay appropriate rebates to state Medicaid programs for drugs paid for by those programs.



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Justice Department Reaches ADA Settlement with Fort Wayne, Indiana, Day Care Center Regarding Children with Diabetes

Pine Hills Kiddie Garden of Fort Wayne, Ind., will take necessary steps to ensure that a child’s diabetes care is integrated into the usual routine of its day care center and programs as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that it discriminated on the basis of disability.



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Indiana Home Health Agency Pays Nearly $2 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

“With the nation’s focus on health care, this settlement demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to ensuring that federal health care dollars are spent appropriately,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division.



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Two Colorado Residents Indicted for Illegally Killing and Selling Bobcats

A federal grand jury in Denver returned a 15-count felony indictment yesterday charging two individuals with conspiracy, wildlife trafficking and firearms violations stemming from the illegal trapping, killing and selling of bobcats and their pelts.



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U.S. Army Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Money Laundering Conspiracy Related to Department of Defense Contracts in Afghanistan

The Army Sergeant has agreed to pay $90,000 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and to cooperate with the Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation.



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Attorney General Holder Recognizes Department Employees and Others for Their Service at Annual Awards Ceremony

Attorney General Holder recognizes 247 department employees and 39 other individuals outside of the department for their distinguished public service today at the 57th Annual Attorney General Awards Ceremony.



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Los Angeles Medicare Fraud Strike Force Charges 20 in Health Care Fraud Cases Involving Durable Medical Equipment

Twenty defendants have been charged in seven cases for allegedly participating in Medicare fraud schemes that resulted in more than $26 million in fraudulent bills to the Medicare program.



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Three Sentenced for Conspiring to Commit Terrorist Acts Against Americans Overseas

Three Ohio residents, Mohammad Zaki Amawi, 29, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, 46, and Wassim I. Mazloum, 28, have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from more than 8 years to 20 years for conspiring to commit terrorist acts against Americans overseas, including U.S. military personnel in Iraq, and other terrorism-related violations.



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Justice Department Reaches ADA Settlement with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

The department today announced a comprehensive settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Brookline, Mass., to ensure access to medical facilities and services for individuals with disabilities.



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Alabama Resident Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax Returns in Connection with Embezzlement Scheme

Sims Lawson Jr., a resident of Killen, Ala., was sentenced to 70 months in prison by Judge R. David Proctor.



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Bronx Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns

Rosa N. Rivera, a resident of the Bronx, N.Y., pleaded guilty today to aiding and assisting in the presentation of a false individual income tax return for clients and to filing a false individual income tax return.



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Virginia Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Selling Counterfeit Software Through the Internet

Gregory William Fair, 46, of Falls Church, Va., was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for selling counterfeit computer software on the Internet, in violation of criminal copyright infringement laws.



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Virginian Accountant, Attorney and Investment Firm Officer Charged with Conspiracy in Tax Shelter Case

Daryl Haynor, an accountant who was a tax partner at an accounting firm in Tysons Corner, Va., and Jon Flask, an attorney who was a partner at a law firm in Vienna, Va., were indicted today for conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and for corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws



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Former U.S. Army Contracting Official Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Accepting Bribes

A former U.S. Army contracting official was sentenced today to 40 months in prison for accepting more than $80,000 in bribes in exchange for corruptly providing contract work to two Afghan trucking companies.



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Former State Department Employee Sentenced for Illegally Accessing Confidential Passport Files

A former State Department employee was sentenced today to 12 months of probation for illegally accessing more than 75 confidential passport application files.



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Little Rock Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Sex Trafficking and Related Charges

Tommy Handy, aka “Tom Tom,” waived indictment and pleaded guilty in federal court in Little Rock, Ark., to a federal charge of sex trafficking of an underage female.



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Justice Department Moves to Intervene in Adult Homes Case Against the State of New York to Help Shape Remedy

The United States alleges that the state of New York has failed to house thousands of individuals with mental illness who currently reside in large, institutional “adult homes” in the most integrated setting, in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.



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Attorney General Eric Holder at the University of Maine's William S. Cohen Lecture Series

"As Americans, we all bear a special responsibility to both uphold and promote the rule of law."




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Justice Department Settles Voting Rights Case with Lake Park, Florida

The department announced the filing of a consent decree settling a Voting Rights Act lawsuit against the town of Lake Park, Fla., that, subject to court approval, will alter the method of electing the town commission.



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Former Federal Corrections Officer Sentenced to Life in Prison on Civil Rights Charges Related to Fatal Assault

Erin Sharma, a former corrections officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, was sentenced today in federal court in Orlando, Fla., on federal civil rights charges related to the fatal assault of an inmate.



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Utah-Based Tax Shelter Operators Plead Guilty in $200 Million Dollar Tax Fraud

David Plummer, Spencer Plummer and Terry Green, operators of a fraudulent tax shelter that offered tax benefits in connection with the leasing of thoroughbred mares, pleaded guilty today to a criminal information charging them with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Alleging Race Discrimination Against the City of Marion, Arkansas

The department has reached a settlement with the city of Marion, Ark., that, if approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, will resolve the department’s lawsuit against the city alleging race discrimination in employment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.



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Two Chicago Men Charged in Connection with Alleged Roles in Foreign Terror Plot That Focused on Targets in Denmark

Two Chicago men have been arrested on federal charges for their alleged roles in conspiracies to provide material support and/or to commit terrorist acts against overseas targets.



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D.C. Lobbyist Indicted for Conspiring to Violate Sudanese Sanctions and to Act as Illegal Agent of Sudan

Robert J. Cabelly, 61, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted in the District of Columbia charging him with conspiracy to violate the Sudanese sanctions regulations and to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign power.



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Government Files Seven Lawsuits Nationwide to Block Alleged Scheme Involving Fraudulent Tax-Refund Claims

The federal suits – filed in Los Angeles; Panama City, Fla.; Salt Lake City; Nashville, Tenn.; and Pocatello, Idaho – allege that the defendants promote a tax fraud scheme designed to siphon hundreds of millions of dollars from the U.S. Treasury through fraudulent tax refund claims.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Nevada Company to Enforce the Employment Rights of Air Force Reservist

"This settlement demonstrates our vigilant protection of the employment rights of our servicemembers, and our commitment to vigorous enforcement of the laws that protect them," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.



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Bill Allen and Richard Smith, Former Officers of VECO Corporation, Sentenced for Roles in Alaska Public Corruption Scheme

Bill J. Allen and Richard L. Smith were each sentenced in separate hearings today for their participation in a corruption scheme in which they provided approximately $395,000 in corrupt payments to public officials from the state of Alaska.



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