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Two Individuals Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Launder Bribes Received in Afghanistan

Two individuals have pleaded guilty for their roles in a scheme to launder approximately $250,000 in bribes received from Afghan contractors in Afghanistan.



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Deputy Attorney General James Cole Speaks at Press Conference Updating States’ Efforts to Comply with Prison Rape Elimination Act

"These [PREA] standards, like the law mandating them, are intended to address a serious public safety, public health and human rights problem – the incidence of sexual violence in our nation’s confinement facilities."




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Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mary Lou Leary Speaks at Press Conference Updating States’ Efforts to Comply with Prison Rape Elimination Act

"It’s clear that our nation will no longer tolerate sexual violence in our prisons, jails and juvenile detention centers – and that’s something we should all be proud of."




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Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge and Local Businessman Indicted on Conspiracy and Federal Programs Bribery Charges

A current Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge and Puerto Rico businessman were charged with orchestrating a criminal scheme in which the businessman paid bribes to the judge presiding over the criminal case against the businessman according to an indictment unsealed today.



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Seattle Man Pleads Guilty to Voter Intimidation and Identification Fraud for Letters Sent to Florida Residents in Conjunction with the 2012 Federal Elections

James Webb Baker Jr., of Seattle, pleaded guilty to one count of voter intimidation and one count of identification fraud in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.



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Nevada Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Refund Fraud Using False Home Buyer Credits

Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally for the Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada announced today that Damon Boswell of Las Vegas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to submit false federal income tax returns.



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Government Files Complaint Against CA Inc. for False Claims on GSA Contract

The government has filed a complaint against CA Inc. (CA) for violations of the False Claims Act in connection with a General Services Administration (GSA) contract, the Justice Department announced today.



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DEA Employee and Contractor Husband Plead Guilty to False Statements in Kidnapping Hoax

Nydia L. Perez and John A. Soto, both 44, of Haymarket, Virginia, pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to law enforcement officials in federal court on Friday.



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Federal Inmate Sentenced to Life in Prison for the Murder of a U.S. Correctional Officer

Federal inmate James Ninete Leon Guerrero, 48, of Guam, was sentenced today to serve life in prison for the murder of United States Correctional Officer Jose Rivera, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner of the Eastern District of California. Guerrero was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Phillip Pro of the District of Nevada.



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Deputy Attorney General, Federal Law Enforcement Officials to Hold News Conference on Cyber Fraud Announcement

Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for Western District of Pennsylvania David Hickton, FBI Executive Associate Director Robert Anderson and Deputy Under Secretary Dr. Phyllis Schneck of the Department of Homeland Security will hold a news conference to announce criminal charges and two global cyber fraud disruptions.



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U.S. Leads Multi-National Action Against “Gameover Zeus” Botnet and “Cryptolocker” Ransomware, Charges Botnet Administrator

The Justice Department today announced a multi-national effort to disrupt the Gameover Zeus Botnet – a global network of infected victim computers used by cyber criminals to steal millions of dollars from businesses and consumers – and unsealed criminal charges in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Omaha, Nebraska, against an administrator of the botnet.



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Justice Department to Monitor Elections in California and New Mexico

The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor elections on June 3, 2014, in Alameda and Napa Counties, California, and Cibola County, N.M., to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting rights statutes.



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Former Utah Certified Public Accountant Convicted of Filing False Claims for Tax Refunds Totaling More Than $8 Million and Presenting a $300 Million Fictitious Financial Instrument

Dick Reid Jenkins, of Heber City, Utah, was convicted today, in U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, of eighteen counts of filing false claims for income tax refunds and one count of presenting a fictitious financial instrument, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



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Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell Delivers Remarks for the Gameover Zeus and Cryptolocker Operations and Related Criminal Charges

Evgeniy Bogachev and the members of his criminal network devised and implemented the kind of cyber crimes that you might not believe if you saw them in a science fiction movie. By secretly implanting viruses on computers around the world, they built a network of infected machines – or “bots” – that they could infiltrate, spy on, and even control, from anywhere they wished.




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Deputy Attorney General James Cole Delivers Remarks at Press Conference for Gameover Zeus and Cryptolocker Operations

Today, we are here to announce that, over the weekend, the Department disrupted two extremely damaging cyber threats – the financial botnet known as Gameover Zeus and the malicious software known as Cryptolocker.




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Two Federal Inmates Sentenced to Death for Murder

Two inmates of the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, who were convicted by a federal jury for murdering another inmate at the facility were sentenced to death late yesterday.



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Former Alabama Corrections Officers Sentenced for Identity Theft and Tax Fraud

Bryant Thompson was sentenced today to serve 120 months in prison and Quincy Walton was sentenced to serve 84 months in prison for their roles in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme.



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Texas Woman Allegedly Prepares Tax Returns Claiming False Deductions and Credits

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in McAllen, Texas, permanently barred Maria I. Cantu from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission Announce Agenda for June 23, 2014, Joint Agency Workshop on Conditional Pricing Practices

The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have issued the agenda for their joint public workshop, which will be held on June 23, 2014, to explore the economic and legal analysis of conditional pricing practices among firms in a supply chain.



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Former Army National Guard Soldier Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Defrauding the U.S. Army National Guard Bureau

Former Specialist Christopher Renfro, 26, of Houston, Texas pleaded guilty today to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Previously, on March 24, 2014, Renfro pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of bribery in connection with the same scheme.



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Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Discharging Waste into Potomac River

Patrick Brightwell, 48, of Bogart, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to federal charges that he orchestrated the discharge of waste into the Potomac River at East Potomac Park from 2009 through 2011.



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District Court Approves Selection of Arnaldo Claudio as Technical Compliance Advisor to Oversee Critical Reforms of Puerto Rico Police Department

Today, U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí approved the selection of Arnaldo Claudio to serve as Technical Compliance Advisor (TCA), overseeing the implementation of sweeping civil rights reforms under the Agreement for Sustainable Reform of the Puerto Rico Police Department.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Fourth Annual Tribal Consultation Conference Hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota

"And as I look around this crowd – of colleagues, friends, and distinguished tribal leaders – despite the wrongs and injustices of our troubled past and the obstacles that undoubtedly lie ahead, I can’t help but feel confident in our ability to move forward together – speaking with one voice, standing as one people, and building on the legacies of those who have gone before."




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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Testifies Before the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

"We support the USA Freedom Act as an effective means of addressing some of the concerns that have been raised about the impact of our intelligence collection activities on privacy while preserving the authorities we need for national security," said Deputy Attorney General Cooe.




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Associate Attorney General Tony West to Visit Alaska

Associate Attorney General Tony West will visit Alaska next week to discuss the Department of Justice’s efforts to protect civil rights and strengthen public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.



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Justice Department and CNCS Announce New Partnership to Enhance Immigration Courts and Provide Critical Legal Assistance to Unaccompanied Minors

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which administers AmeriCorps, and the Department of Justice today announced “justice AmeriCorps,” a strategic partnership to increase national service opportunities while enhancing the effective and efficient adjudication of immigration proceedings involving certain children who have crossed the U.S. border without a parent or legal guardian.



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Reputed Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Gang Leader Pleads Guilty to Federal Racketeering Charges

Terry Ross Blake, aka “Big Terry,” 56, of Corpus Christi, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Sim Lake in the Southern District of Texas to one count of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity.



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Attorney General Holder Suggests New Proposal to Boost Voting Access for American Indians and Alaska Natives

"As a nation, we cannot, and we will not, simply stand by as the voices of Native Americans are shut out of the democratic process. I am personally committed to working with tribal authorities – and with Congress – to confront disparities and end misguided voting practices once and for all.”



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Justice Department Settles Employment Discrimination Allegations Against City of Austin

The Department of Justice announced today that it has entered into and filed a consent decree that, if approved by the court, will resolve the department’s allegations that the city of Austin violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against African-American and Hispanic applicants for entry-level firefighter positions at the Austin Fire Department (AFD).



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Justice Department and Montana Officials to Hold Press Conference Announcing Negotiated Agreements Regarding the Handling of Sexual Assault Cases

Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Jocelyn Samuels, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Michael Cotter, Montana Attorney General Tim Fox, Missoula County Attorney Fred Van Valkenburg and Missoula County Commissioner Bill Carey will hold a press conference TOMORROW, TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. EDT (11:00 a.m. MDT), to announce negotiated agreements regarding the handling of sexual assault cases



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Justice Department Officials to Hold Press Call Announcing Negotiated Agreements Regarding the Handling of Sexual Assault Cases

Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Jocelyn Samuels and U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Michael Cotter will hold a press call TOMORROW, TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2014 at 1:45 p.m. EDT (11:45 a.m. MDT), for reporters who are unable to attend in person the 1:00 p.m. EDT (11:00 a.m. MDT), press conference announcing negotiated agreements regarding the handling of sexual assault cases



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Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the National Congress of American Indians 2014 Midyear Conference

"Standing by as Native voices, for whatever reason, are shut out of the democratic process is not an option. That is why the Attorney General and I support legislative steps that will guarantee voters have access to polling places on Indian reservations and in Alaska Native villages," said Associate Attorney General West.




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Department of Justice Reaches Landmark Agreement to Improve Missoula County Attorney’s Office’s Response to Reports of Sexual Assault

The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a comprehensive agreement with the Missoula County Attorney’s Office, as well as Missoula County, Montana, and the Montana Attorney General’s Office, to resolve the department’s investigation of alleged gender bias in the prosecution of sexual assaults by the Missoula County Attorney’s Office (MCAO).



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Justice Department Urges U.S. Sentencing Commission to Make Certain Individuals Incarcerated for Drug Offenses Retroactively Eligible for Reduced Sentences

Attorney General Eric Holder announced Tuesday that the Justice Department would formally support a proposal under consideration by the U.S. Sentencing Commission to allow certain individuals serving time in federal prison for nonviolent drug offenses to be eligible for reduced sentences.



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Two Charged with Leading a Conspiracy to Defraud and Extort Spanish-Speaking Consumers Through Fraudulent Call Centers

A grand jury in Miami, Florida, indicted two individuals and two corporations for allegedly operating call centers in Peru that lied to and threatened Spanish-speaking victims into paying fraudulent settlements.



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City of San Jacinto, California, Agrees to End Discriminatory Housing Practices

The Justice Department today announced a settlement with the city of San Jacinto, California, that resolves a lawsuit alleging disability discrimination filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Under the settlement, San Jacinto has changed its laws to comply with the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).



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Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the Congressional Black Caucus on Black Men and Boy’s Father’s Day Event

When I think about what it means to be an engaged citizen and a role model, I think of – and am thankful for – my own wonderful father, whom I loved, admired and miss every day.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the 2014 LGBT Pride Month Celebration

Today, we have the privilege of hearing from two of the tenacious legal advocates who made last year’s landmark Supreme Court decision possible. First, it’s my pleasure to hand things over to our keynote speaker, Roberta Kaplan – who argued the Defense of Marriage Act challenge on behalf of Edith Windsor.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the 14th Annual Lambda Legal Reception

And it’s not enough until the circle of opportunity and equality is so wide – and so accessible – that the American Dream is available to everyone with the heart to dream it.




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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Delivers Remarks at the “Pills to Needles: the Pathway to Rising Heroin Deaths” Event

As the Attorney General recently observed, heroin and opiate addiction and abuse “is impacting the lives of Americans in every state, in every region, and from every background and walk of life.”




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Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Jocelyn Samuels Speaks at Press Conference Announcing Agreement with Missoula County Attorney’s Office

"Today’s groundbreaking agreement represents another important step forward in our ongoing effort to ensure that survivors of sexual assault in Missoula are treated with dignity and respect and have the full protection of the criminal justice system"




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Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Pamela Karlan Speaks at the 2014 LGBT Pride Month Celebration

..."the velocity of the change should not blind us to the fact that if other civil rights struggles in America are any lesson, we have decades to go and we may need to fight as hard to preserve the gains we’ve won as to achieve new ones."




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Advisory Committee on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence Holds Final Public Hearing

The Advisory Committee of the Attorney General’s Task Force on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence convenes its final public hearing in Anchorage, Alaska, today and tomorrow



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Associate Attorney Tony West Speaks at the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence Hearing

"We have come to Anchorage to lessen the number of suffering children. We come to continue the important work we began six months ago when this Advisory Committee held its first hearing in Bismarck," said Associate Attorney General West




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Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Commercial Cleaning Systems

The Justice Department reached an agreement today with Commercial Cleaning Systems, a janitorial services company with headquarters in Denver. The agreement resolves claims that the company discriminated against work-authorized non-U.S. citizens in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)



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Romanian National “Guccifer” Charged with Hacking into Personal Email Accounts

Marcel Lehel Lazar, 42, of Arad, Romania, also known as the hacker “Guccifer,” was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges of wire fraud, unauthorized access to a protected computer, aggravated identity theft, cyberstalking and obstruction of justice



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Federal District Court Shut Down California Tax Return Preparers

A federal court in Fresno, California, has permanently barred Ken Mendoza and Alice Mendoza from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. Ken Mendoza and Alice Mendoza, who operated under the business name “Mendoza Business Services” in Fresno, consented to the civil injunction order, which was signed by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California



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Statement by Attorney General Holder on the Passing of Ruby Dee

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement Friday on the passing of actress Ruby Dee



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Houston Ambulance Operator Sentenced for Her Role in $2.4 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

The owner and operator of a Houston area ambulance company was sentenced today to serve 97 months in prison for her role in a $2.4 million Medicare fraud scheme



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Attorney General Holder Delivers Remarks at the Focus: Hope “Heroes for Hope” Event

Ultimately, as your history reminds us, these efforts will be successful only if we take responsibility not just for ourselves, but for our families, our neighbors, our friends, and our fellow citizens. Among them are the future “heroes for hope” that this city, this state, and this country desperately need.