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Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich Announces Departure from Department of Justice

The Justice Department announced today that Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs Ronald Weich will be leaving the department to join the University of Baltimore School of Law as its new dean.



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Co-Owner of Houston-Area Home Health Care Agency Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Role in $5.2 Million Medicare Fraud

Clifford Ubani, a former co-owner and chief financial officer at Family Healthcare Group, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas in the Southern District of Texas.



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Admitted New England La Cosa Nostra Leader Sentenced to 108 Months in Federal Prison

Edward “Eddy” Lato, 65, of Providence, R.I., an admitted capo regime in the New England La Cosa Nostra (NELCN), was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Providence today to 108 months in federal prison for participating in racketeering extortion conspiracies of several Rhode Island adult entertainment businesses and of a car salesman and his wife.



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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Women Mayors Meeting

"At the Department of Justice, we are fully engaged in combating human trafficking, with many components deeply involved in this fight," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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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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Allen Stanford Sentenced to 110 Years in Prison for Orchestrating $7 Billion Investment Fraud Scheme

R. Allen Stanford, the former board of directors chairman of Stanford International Bank (SIB), was sentenced today in Houston to a total of 110 years in prison for orchestrating a 20-year investment fraud scheme in which he misappropriated $7 billion from SIB to finance his personal businesses.



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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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Owner and Operator of Halfway House Company Pleads Guilty for Role in Medicare Fraud Scheme

Hassan Collins, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to receive and pay health care fraud kickbacks before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres.



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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the White House World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Event

"For me, and for today’s Department of Justice, protecting older Americans is a top priority that we advance on multiple fronts," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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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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Alleged International Credit Card Trafficker “Badb” Extradited from France to the United States

Vladislav Anatolievich Horohorin, aka “BadB” of Moscow, an alleged international credit card trafficker thought to be one of the most prolific sellers of stolen credit card data, has been extradited from France to the United States to face criminal charges filed in the District of Columbia and in the Northern District of Georgia.



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Data Systems & Solutions LLC Resolves Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Violations and Agrees to Pay $8.82 Million Criminal Penalty

Data Systems &s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride.



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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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Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Mary Lou Leary Speaks at the National Institute of Justice Conference

"As we all know, the challenges facing us in criminal justice are considerable. But our knowledge about what works is growing, and the tools and technology we have at our disposal are expanding. We are becoming – every day – more sophisticated, more informed, and more effective," said Assistant Attorney General Leary.




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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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Homebuilder Toll Brothers Inc. to Pay $741,000 Clean Water Act Penalty and Implement Company-Wide Stormwater Controls

Toll Brothers Inc., one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, will pay a civil penalty of $741,000 to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations at its construction sites, including sites located in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.



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Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Vote

Attorney General Eric Holder issued the following statement today.



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South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Committing Federal Hate Crime Against African-American Teenager

Chase McClary, 23, of Johnsonville, S.C., pleaded guilty today in federal court in the District of South Carolina to violating the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in his violent assault of an African-American teenager.



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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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Hospice Care of Kansas and Texas-based Parent Company to Pay $6.1 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Claims

Hospice Care of Kansas LLC and its parent company, Ft. Worth, Texas-based Voyager HospiceCare Inc., have agreed to pay $6.1 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to the Medicare program for ineligible hospice services, the Justice Department announced today. Hospice Care of Kansas currently provides hospice services throughout the state of Kansas. Hospice Care of Kansas, which is based in Wichita, Kan., was purchased by Voyager in 2004.



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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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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against the Twin Cities of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, and Local Utility Companies Alleging Religious Discrimination

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the town of Colorado City, Ariz.; the city of Hildale, Utah; Twin City Water Authority; and Twin City Power alleging a pattern or practice of police misconduct and violations of federal civil rights laws.



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New Jersey Hospital Pays U.s. $8,999,999 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

AHS Hospital Corp., Atlantic Health System Inc., and Overlook Hospital, located in New Jersey, have agreed to pay the United States $8,999,999 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act, the Justice Department announced today.



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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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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination Against Pregnant Firefighters by the Town of Davie, Florida

The Justice Department today announced it has reached a consent decree with the town of Davie, Fla., to resolve allegations that Davie engaged in a pattern or practice of intentional discrimination against pregnant firefighters employed by Davie’s fire department.



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Former Las Vegas Nightclub Vip Host Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Return

Kelly Doll, formerly a VIP host at the Pure Nightclub located within the Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to one count of filing a false federal income tax return for the 2006 tax year, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du presided over the plea hearing.



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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the Southeast Regional Reentry Executive Leadership Workshop

"We can no longer afford the societal, moral and budgetary costs incurred when defendants and inmates cycle in and out of our prisons two, three, or four times. We need to look at individuals who have committed low-level, nonviolent crimes and for whom a punishment – other than jail time – will still hold them accountable," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Testifies Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

"The Department’s Olmstead enforcement activities are dynamic and ongoing," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.




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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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Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Arizona v. The United States

Attorney General Eric Holder issued the following statement today on the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Arizona v. The United States.



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Ohio Insurance Salesman Indicted for Impairing and Impeding the IRS

William R. Herder of Bellville, Ohio, was arrested today on federal tax charges, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Tax Division Kathryn Keneally, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Stephen M. Dettelbach and Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, Darryl K. Williams announced. On June 19, 2012, a federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland returned an indictment against Herder, charging him with corruptly endeavoring to impair and impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue laws, failure to file tax returns, failure to pay taxes, and structuring transactions to evade currency reporting requirements.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the COPS Hiring Program Announcement

"We look forward to welcoming these new additions to our nation's law enforcement community - and to building on the partnerships, and record of success, that we've established here in Philadelphia and beyond," said Attorney General Holder.




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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio Reentry Conference

"We must continue to build on this momentum, making recidivism reduction our primary goal and responsibility – whether you are a judge, corrections administrator, a prosecutor, a probation officer, or a reentry services provider. The safety of our communities is paramount," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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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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Justice Department Reaches Settlement Agreement in Longstanding Alabama Desegregation Case

The Justice Department announced today that it reached a settlement agreement with the Fort Payne City School District in Alabama and private plaintiffs in a longstanding school desegregation case. The parties filed a proposed consent order in the federal district court in Birmingham, Ala.



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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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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Protecting Civil Rights Symposium

"Here in Boston, and all across our country, it’s impossible to ignore the growing concerns from citizens who feel – often for the first time in their lives – that the hard-won progress of the Civil Rights era has come under renewed threat. Even in America’s most vibrant cities, too many neighborhoods continue to be afflicted by the same disparities, divisions, and problems that – decades ago – so many struggled, sacrificed, fought, and even died to address," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Boys and Girls Club of America

"Through initiatives like Keystone, Torch Club, and Project Learn, Boys and Girls Clubs nationwide have worked, for more than a century and a half, to instill positive values, to encourage a passion for lifelong learning, and to set high expectations for the future leaders who – before you know it – will take the reins of government and the private sector," said Attorney General Holder.




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Barclays Bank PLC Admits Misconduct Related to Submissions for the London Interbank Offered Rate and the Euro Interbank Offered Rate and Agrees to Pay $160 Million Penalty

Barclays Bank PLC, a financial institution headquartered in London, has entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice to pay a $160 million penalty to resolve violations arising from Barclays’s submissions for the London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (EURIBOR), which are benchmark interest rates used in financial markets around the world.



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Federal Court Shuts Down South Florida Tax Return Preparer

A federal court in Miami has permanently barred Kenia Marrero of Miami, and her company, Kenia Immigration Services, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which Marrero consented without admitting the allegations against her, was signed by Judge José E. Martinez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.



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Former Peace Corps Volunteer Pleads Guilty in Connecticut to Sexually Abusing Children in South Africa

Jesse Osmun, 32, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson to one count of traveling from the United States to South Africa and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with children.



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Operator of Payroll Companies Charged in North Carolina with Federal Fraud and Money Laundering Crimes

Arthur S. Weiss was indicted by a grand jury for tax fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, bank loan fraud, money laundering and bankruptcy fraud, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. The indictment was returned yesterday in the Middle District of North Carolina.



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