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Federal Court Permanently Bars Texas Man from Operating Businesses Because of Unpaid Payroll Taxes

A federal court in Dallas has barred Arthur Piner Grider III from operating businesses under any name.



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Former Pharmaceutical Company Lawyer Charged with Obstruction and Making False Statements

The new indictment identifies GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) as Lauren Stevens’ employer at the time of the alleged obstruction and false statements.



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Former InterMune Ceo Sentenced for False &s Clinical Tests

W. Scott Harkonen, M.D., the former chief executive office (CEO) of InterMune Inc., was sentenced Wednesday before U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Hall Patel for wire fraud relating to the dissemination of false and misleading statements about the results of a clinical trial of InterMune’s drug Actimmune.



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Newspaper Publisher Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement to Congress

Karl B. Rodney, the chief executive officer of the Carib News Foundation and publisher of Carib News, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to making a false statement to the U.S. House of Representatives.



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Two Former Washington, D.C., Tax Return Preparers Charged with Preparing False Income Tax Returns

Two former Washington, D.C., tax preparers have been indicted on tax charges.



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Massachusetts Man Convicted for Burning African-American Church

Michael Jacques, 26, of Springfield, Mass., was found guilty by a federal jury of three crimes related to the burning of a predominantly African-American church in Springfield on the morning after Barack Obama was elected as the first African-American President of the United States.



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National Security Division Announces FARA eFile for Foreign Agents Registration Act Electronic Filing

The Justice Department’s National Security Division today announced the launch of a system for the electronic filing of registration statements and supplements with the Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).



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CVS Pharmacy Inc. Agrees to Pay $17.5 Million to Resolve False Prescription Billing Case

CVS Pharmacy Inc., the retail pharmacy division of CVS Caremark Corporation that operates more than 7,000 retail pharmacies in 41 states and the District of Columbia, has agreed to pay the United States and 10 states $17.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations.



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New Jersey Man Sentenced for Threatening Employees of National Latino Civil Rights Organizations

Vincent Johnson of Brick, N.J., was sentenced to 50 months in prison and three years supervised release for sending a series of threatening email communications to employees of five civil rights organizations that work to improve opportunities for, and challenge discrimination against, Latinos in the United States.



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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Southern California Tax Return Preparer

The United States has asked a federal court to bar Dennis Giroud of Victorville, Calif., from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Idaho Mining Company Agrees to Pay $1.4 Million Penalty to Settle Alleged Clean Water Act Violations

The Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that P4 Production LLC, a mining and phosphorus processing company wholly-owned by Monsanto and operating near Soda Springs in southeast Idaho, has agreed to pay a $1.4 million civil penalty for alleged Clean Water Act violations at its South Rasmussen Mine.



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Michigan Woman Pleads Guilty to Selling More Than $400,000 in Counterfeit Business Software

A Michigan woman pleaded guilty today to selling more than $400,000 worth of counterfeit computer software.



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Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Jefferson County, Texas, Drainage District Number Seven on Bailout from the Voting Rights Act

The Justice Department announced that it has reached an agreement with Jefferson County, Texas, Drainage District Number Seven on the terms of a consent decree filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.



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Hacker Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Credit Card Fraud Resulting in Losses of More Than $36 Million

Rogelio Hackett Jr., 26, of Lithonia, Ga., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga in Alexandria, Va., to trafficking in counterfeit credit cards and aggravated identity theft.



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Ohio-Based Cardinal Health Inc. to Pay U.S. $8 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

Cardinal Health Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $8 million to resolve claims that it violated the False Claims Act by making payments to induce referral orders for its prescription drugs in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.



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Former Texas Correctional Officer Sentenced on Conviction Arising from Inmate Beating and Subsequent Cover-Up

A former Bexar County Sherriff’s Office Deputy was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia to 27 months in prison for depriving a man of his constitutional right to be free from excessive force and for obstructing justice.



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District of Columbia Attorney and Investigators Indicted for Alleged Roles in Scheme to Obstruct Justice in Criminal Case

A seven-count federal indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia charging a Washington, D.C., criminal defense attorney and two criminal investigators for their alleged roles in a scheme to obstruct an ongoing criminal case, including, among other things, manufacturing evidence and tampering with a witness.



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Federal Charges Filed Against Las Vegas Man for Defrauding Distressed Homeowners

A Las Vegas man was arrested yesterday on charges that he defrauded distressed homeowners in Las Vegas who were attempting to refinance or adjust their home mortgages.



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Dyncorp International LLC and the Sandi Group Pay U.S. More Than $8.7 Million to Resolve False Claims Allegations

The United States has settled a whistleblower lawsuit against DynCorp International LLC and The Sandi Group.



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Three Miami-Area Medical Professionals Each Sentenced to Prison for Roles in $23 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Two Miami-area medical assistants and a physician assistant were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a $23 million Medicare fraud scheme involving HIV infusion therapy.



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Justice Department Reaches ADA Settlement to Make Law School Application Processes Accessible to Blind Applicants

The Justice Department announced today its participation in two related settlement agreements involving the accessibility of the Law School Admission Council’s online application service, which is used by law schools nationwide for their application processes.



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Statement of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on Its Decision to Close Its Investigation of Southwest's Acquisition of Airtran

After a thorough investigation, the Antitrust Division determined that the proposed merger between Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways is not likely to substantially lessen competition.



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Former Humanitarian Workers Each Sentenced to 142 Months in Prison for Defrauding Usaid of $1.9 Million

Two former humanitarian aid workers were each sentenced today to 142 months in prison for defrauding the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) of approximately $1.9 million that was intended to assist impoverished people and towns in Liberia.



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

Cynthia Peters was sentenced to 27 months in prison based on her plea of guilty to one count of willfully aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false income tax return.



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Oakland, California, Patient Recruiter Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Causing the Submission of $1.2 Million in False Power Wheelchair Claims to Medicare

An Oakland, Calif., woman was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for her role in a scam to bill Medicare for more than $1.2 million in claims for expensive, high-end power wheelchairs and other durable medical equipment (DME) that were not medically necessary.



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Lufkin, Texas, Woman Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Involvement in Gang Murders

A Lufkin, Texas, woman was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone to 180 months in prison for her role in a double homicide that took place in Nacogdoches, Texas, in August 2007.



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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Corruptly Endeavoring to Impede the Internal Revenue Service

Thomas Robert Turner, a resident of Prince George’s County, Md., pleaded guilty to corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue laws.



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Justice Department Settles Allegations of Immigration-Related Employment Discrimination Against Wendy’s Franchise Owners in Maine

The Justice Department has reached a settlement agreement today with Restwend LLC, the corporate owner of several Wendy’s restaurants in Maine, to resolve allegations that at least one of its restaurants engaged in employment discrimination by refusing to hire individuals believed to be non-U.S. citizens.



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Federal Jury Finds That Massachusetts Cranberry Growers’ Filling Wetlands Was Subject to Clean Water Act

A federal jury this week found that the Clean Water Act applied to the filling of wetlands and other waters at two properties in Carver, Mass., owned by Charles Johnson, Genelda Johnson, Francis Vaner Johnson, and Johnson Cranberries Limited Partnership.



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Deputy Attorney General James Cole and Assistant Attorney General Ignacia Moreno Commend Efforts by Employees of the Environment and Natural Resources Division at Earth Day Service Event

Marking the eighth annual Earth Day Service Celebration today, Deputy Attorney General James Cole and Assistant Attorney General Ignacia S. Moreno commended volunteers from the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division as they began work on a future Community Greening Center near Marvin Gaye Park in Northeast Washington, D.C.



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Two Indicted in Alabama for Filing False Income Tax Returns Using Stolen Identities

Alchico Grant and Melinda Clayton were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama on a variety of charges stemming from an identity theft and tax fraud scheme.



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Former U.S. Probation Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights and Sex Abuse Charges

Mark John Walker of Eugene, Ore., pleaded guilty today to charges related to his engaging in sexual contact or aggravated sexual abuse with female offenders who were under his direct supervision as a federal probation officer from 2006 to 2009.



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Three Sentenced for Involvement in Civil Rights Conspiracy and Cover-Up in Connection with Cross-Burning in Athens, Louisiana

Jeremy Matthew Moro, Joshua James Moro and Sonya Marie Hart were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter in connection with a conspiracy to violate the civil rights of an interracial couple by burning a cross near their home in Athens, La., in October 2008.



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Italian Executive of California Valve Company Pleads Guilty to Foreign Bribery Offenses

Flavio Ricotti, a former executive of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.-based valve company Control Components Inc. (CCI), has pleaded guilty for his participation in a conspiracy to secure contracts by paying bribes to officials of foreign state-owned companies as well as officers and employees of foreign and domestic private companies.



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API Healthcare Corp. Abandons Merger Plans with Kronos Inc. After Justice Department Expresses Antitrust Concerns

API Healthcare Corporation has abandoned its merger plans with Kronos Inc. after the Department of Justice expressed concerns that the acquisition would have reduced competition and increased prices in healthcare-specific workforce management technology.



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Justice and Education Departments Commemorate Sexual Assault Awareness Month with Students at Banneker High School

The Departments of Justice and Education participated in a town hall-style event today at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington, D.C., in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.



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Three Men Sentenced on Federal Hate Crime Charges Related to Desecration of Synagogue and Churches in Modesto, California

The Justice Department announced today that Brian Lewis, Abel Mark Gonzalez and Andrew Kerber were sentenced for their roles in violating the civil rights of congregants of several houses of worship in Modesto, Calif.



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Attorney General Eric Holder and Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Announce Settlement of Lawsuit Against USDA by Native American Farmers

Attorney General Eric Holder and Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the approval by the U.S. District Court of the settlement of a class action lawsuit filed against USDA by Native American farmers alleging discrimination by USDA.



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Statement of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division on Its Decision to Close Its Investigation of Perdue’s Acquisition of Coleman Natural Foods

After a thorough review of the evidence, the Antitrust Division concluded that the facts did not support challenging the proposed transaction between Perdue and Coleman Natural Foods.



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Justice Department Files Motion to Ensure That Mississippi School District Complies with Desegregation Orders

In a motion filed with the court today, the United States alleges that the school district has failed to dismantle the vestiges of segregation in its schools, and that schools that were racially segregated by law in 1969, when the district was originally ordered to desegregate, remain so today.



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Pittsburgh Crips Leader Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison on Racketeering Charges

Bryant Mathis, who served in a leadership role as a member of a Pittsburgh Crips street gang, was sentenced today in federal court in Pittsburgh to 20 years in prison on charges of conspiring to conduct a racketeering enterprise.



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Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder Before the House Judiciary Committee

"As I have stated often, no aspect of our work is more important – or more urgent – than protecting the American people. This is our top priority – and our most fundamental responsibility."




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Pharmaceutical Giant, Serono, Agrees to Pay $44.3 Million to Settle False Claims Act Case

Pharmaceutical manufacturers Serono Laboratories Inc., EMD Serono Inc., Merck Serono S.A, and Ares Trading S.A. have agreed to pay $44.3 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations in connection with the marketing of the drug Rebif.



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Federal Officials Close the Investigation Involving Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Officers

The Justice Department announced today that it will not pursue criminal charges against three Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers in connection with the events of Jan. 12, 2010, involving former Pittsburgh School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) student Jordan Miles.



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Petroleum Distributors to Pay $2.5 Million to Settle Clean Air Act Allegations of Illegal Mixing and Distribution of Gasoline in Colorado and Nebraska

Three Colorado-based gasoline distributors have agreed to pay $2.5 million to resolve claims that they illegally mixed and distributed more than one million gallons of gasoline that did not meet Clean Air Act emissions and fuel quality requirements.



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Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder Before the Senate Judiciary Committee

"Throughout my tenure as Attorney General, I’ve had the chance to work closely with this Committee to carry out our most important duty: protecting the American people. Today, I’m pleased to report that the Justice Department efforts to fulfill this solemn obligation have never been stronger."




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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Citizens Republic Bancorp Inc. and Citizens Bank Regarding Alleged Lending Discrimination in Detroit

Citizens Republic Bancorp Inc. (CRBC) and Citizens Bank of Flint, Mich., will open a loan production office in an African-American neighborhood in Detroit, invest approximately $3.6 million in Wayne County, Mich., and take other steps as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that they engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of race and color.



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Seafood Wholesaler Owners Sentenced in Alabama for Selling Falsely Labeled Fish, Smuggling and Misbranding of Seafood Products

Karen L. Blyth and David H. M. Phelps were sentenced yesterday in federal court in Mobile, Ala., to 33 months and 24 months in prison, respectively. The pair was also fined $5,000 each, and barred for three years from working in the seafood industry or owning any seafood related business.



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Maryland Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Defrauding Cisco Systems Inc.

Iheanyi Frank Chinasa, 39, of Gaithersburg, Md., was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for his participation in a scheme to defraud Cisco Systems Inc.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps / “Children of Promise” Premiere

"Throughout my life and career, I have seen the devastating effects that violence can have on young people. As Attorney General – and, above all, as the father of three teenage children – I am determined to help find the solutions – and to forge the partnerships – that we need to prevent and combat children’s exposure to violence."