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Former United Nations Employee Charged in Connection with a $100,000 Fraud Scheme Involving Concurrent Jobs

A former employee of the United Nations (U.N.) was arrested today for allegedly obtaining more than $100,000 in salary payments as a result of holding jobs at the U.N. and the National Labor Relations Board at the same time.



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Assistant Attorney General Ignacia S. Moreno Speaks at the Joint Native American Issues Subcommittee and Attorney General’s Advisory Committee Meeting

"Protecting and defending tribal resources and rights, and vigorously enforcing the nation’s environmental and natural resources laws, are crucial parts of the Justice Department’s efforts to achieve healthier communities and a sustainable future for native people."




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Joint Native American Issues Subcommittee and Attorney General’s Advisory Committee Meeting

"Your efforts – and the partnerships that your office has forged with key leaders, including many of the men and women in this room, have enhanced government-to-government communication, renewed the broad engagement of South Dakota’s diverse tribal communities, and paved the way for deeper understanding and closer collaboration between leaders and law enforcement officials across this state – and far beyond."




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Justice Department Sues City of Joliet, Illinois, to Preserve Affordable Housing for City Residents

The Department of Justice today filed a lawsuit against the city of Joliet, Ill., alleging that the city violated the Fair Housing Act and the Housing and Community Development Act by taking a series of actions, culminating in the taking through eminent domain a federally-subsidized affordable housing development, that would displace more than 750 residents with low incomes, more than 95 percent of whom are African-American.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Association of Black Journalists Annual Convention

"Throughout our history, the efforts of journalists have rendered a clear picture of life in this country – of the historic achievements we have made, and the harsh realities that far too many faced. Without your work, we would not have a starting point for progress – or, in many cases, for the pursuit of justice."




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U.S. Joined False Claims Act Lawsuit Against Florida’s Halifax Hospital Medical Center and Halifax Staffing Inc.

The United States has partially intervened in a lawsuit under the False Claims Act against Halifax Hospital Medical Center and Halifax Staffing Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.



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Johnson & Johnson Subsidiary Scios Pleads Guilty to Misbranding Heart Failure Drug Natrecor

Scios Inc., a subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, pleaded guilty today to a misdemeanor violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act for introducing into interstate commerce its heart failure drug, Natrecor, for a use that was not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.



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Attorney General Holder Joins White House in Honoring “Champions of Change”

Attorney General Eric Holder was joined today by Senior Counselor for Access to Justice Mark Childress at a White House “Champions of Change” event to honor and recognize the work of legal leaders from communities large and small who are dedicating their professional lives to closing the justice gap in America.



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Former Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Jail Major Indicted for Assaulting an Inmate

James Donis, 47, a former major at the Allegheny County, Penn., Jail, and a resident of Glenshaw, Penn., has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on civil rights charges stemming from an April 2010 incident in which Donis allegedly punched an inmate in the face.



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Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer Speaks at the American Lawyer/National Law Journal Summit

"Sentencing and corrections policy affects everyone in society, and I am confident that the more people are thinking about it, the easier it will prove to arrive at solutions," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.




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Retired Army Major Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Engaging in Money Laundering Related to Contracting in Support of Iraq War

Charles Joseph Bowie Jr., 45, of Georgetown, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez in the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library & Museum

"Nearly half a century has passed since a national tragedy catapulted Lyndon Johnson to the Presidency, and at the same time 'launched a new chapter in America’s story. Those of us who lived through those painful days will never forget LBJ’s first Presidential speech – to a nation in mourning, and in desperate need of strong and steady leadership," said Attorney General Holder.




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Former Army National Guard Major Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Receiving Bribes at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan

A former Major in the U.S. Army National Guard who was deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for receiving bribes from military contractors in exchange for fraudulently verifying the receipt of concrete bunkers and barriers that were never received.



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Former Navajo Police Department Officer Indicted in New Mexico on Civil Rights Charges

A federal grand jury in Albuquerque, N.M., today indicted a former police officer with the Navajo Police Department on charges related to the sexual abuse of a woman who was in his custody on Jan. 25, 2009.



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Former Army Major Sentenced to Prison in Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Related to DOD Contracts in Support of Iraq War

Eddie Pressley, 41, a former U.S. Army contracting official, was sentenced in Birmingham, Ala., for his participation in a bribery and money laundering scheme related to bribes paid for contracts awarded in support of the Iraq war.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Memorial for ATF Senior Special Agent John Capano

"On behalf of a grateful nation – and America’s entire law enforcement community – it is a privilege to join you in paying tribute, as well as my last respects, to an extraordinary public servant, a key member of the federal law enforcement family, and a true patriot who was always proud to call Seaford his home," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Holder Speaks at the Utah Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission Annual Drum Major Awards Luncheon

"More than half a century has passed since Dr. King traveled from Atlanta to Salt Lake City – to spread his message of hope and unity, and to sound his call for change," said Attorney General Holder.




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US Army Sergeant Major and Former Sergeant Sentenced to Prison for Bribery Conspiracy at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan

Former Sergeant Charles O. Finch, 45, of Milalani, Hawaii, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi in the District of Hawaii to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $200,000 in restitution to the Department of Defense.



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Former CIA Officer John Kiriakou Charged with Disclosing Covert Officer’s Identity and Other Classified Information to Journalists and Lying to CIA’s Publications Review Board

A former CIA officer, John Kiriakou, was charged today with repeatedly disclosing classified information to journalists, including the name of a covert CIA officer and information revealing the role of another CIA employee in classified activities.



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Attorney General Holder Speaks at the Memorial Tribute to John C. Keeney

Here, in the Department that Mr. Kenney loved so dearly and served so well, it is clear – in the children and grandchildren who were the pride and joy of his life; and in those who worked alongside him and benefited from his guidance and expertise – that, although he is no longer with us, John C. Keeney still has the power to bring people together and to inspire the best in each of us.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at Event Honoring Barbara Jordan

"Exactly 60 years ago, before she became one of the most dedicated and effective champions of our nation’s Civil Rights movement – before she became the first African-American elected to the Texas State Senate, and the first African-American woman to represent the South in the United States Congress – Barbara Jordan was a senior at this school and, just like you, a proud Wheatley student," said Attorney General Holder.




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Wife of Former Army Major Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Role in Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Related to Dod Contracts

Eurica Pressley, 39, was sentenced today in Birmingham, Ala., to 72 months in prison for her participation in a bribery and money laundering scheme related to bribes paid for contracts awarded in support of the Iraq war.



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Former CIA Officer John Kiriakou Indicted for Allegedly Disclosing Classified Information, Including Covert Officer’s Identity, to Journalists and Lying to CIA’s Publications Board

Former CIA officer John Kiriakou was indicted today for allegedly repeatedly disclosing classified information to journalists, including the name of a covert CIA officer and information revealing the role of another CIA employee in classified activities.



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Former Antitrust Division Assistant Attorney General James F. Rill Receives the Justice Department’s 2012 John Sherman Award

Attorney General Eric Holder presented the 2012 John Sherman Award to James F. Rill for his lifetime contributions to the development and enforcement of antitrust law and the advancement of antitrust policy internationally. Rill served as an Assistant Attorney General for the department’s Antitrust Division from 1989 to 1992 and is currently a partner at Baker Botts LLP in Washington, D.C.



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Former Partner at Major International Accounting Firm Sentenced to Prison for Tax Crimes

Stephen A. Favato, a resident of Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., and a former partner in BDO Seidman LLP’s Woodbridge, N.J., office, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for tax crimes, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. In August 2010, a jury sitting in Newark, N.J., found Favato guilty of one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue laws and one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false income tax return.



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Department of Justice Files Lawsuit in Arizona Against Maricopa County, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff Joseph Arpaio

The Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit in federal court today against Maricopa County, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and Sheriff Joseph M. Arpaio, arising from unconstitutional and unlawful actions by the defendants.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Major Cities Chiefs Association Summer Meeting

"As our nation’s Attorney General, as a prosecutor and former judge, and as the brother of a retired New York-New Jersey Port Authority police officer, I am inspired by your service, and proud to support each of the brave men and women who make up the 'thin blue line' – a line defined by honor, heroism, and valor. Especially today, I am privileged to count the chiefs gathered here as indispensable colleagues and allies," said Attorney General Holder.




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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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Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division Joseph F. Wayland Testifies Before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee

"In our system, antitrust and intellectual property policy function together to provide consumers with high-quality products and services at competitive prices, while at the same time preserving strong incentives for the innovation that creates and improves those products," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wayland.




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United States Joins Lawsuit Against San Francisco Area’s North East Medical Services

The United States has joined a whistleblower action pending in the Northern District of California against the federally-qualified health center (FQHC), North East Medical Services (NEMS), alleging that the center under-reported income it received from a managed care organization in order to artificially inflate reimbursements it received from the California Medicaid program, the Justice Department announced today. North East serves the San Francisco Bay area.



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Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Mary Lou Leary Speaks at the Visit to the San Jose, Calif., National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention Site

"The message we’re sending is that youth violence is not inevitable. When communities engage partners across disciplines and use a data-driven, balanced approach – one that emphasizes prevention, intervention, enforcement, and reentry – they can reduce violence and improve outcomes for our youth," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Leary.




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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the Visit to the San Jose, Calif., National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention Site

"By emphasizing collaborative partnerships, evidence-based and data-driven strategies and a balanced, holistic approach, we know we can help communities to curb violence and promote the health, safety and development of our young people," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.




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US Government Joins False Claims Act Lawsuit Against the Gallup Organization

The United States has joined a whistleblower lawsuit against The Gallup Organization, the Justice Department announced today. The lawsuit was filed by Michael Lindley, a former Gallup employee, who alleges that Gallup violated the False Claims Act by making false claims for payment under contracts with the U.S. Mint, the State Department and other federal agencies to provide polling services for various government programs.



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U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado John Walsh Speaks at the Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Working Group Press Conference

"As we promised when Attorney General Holder announced the Working Group back in January, we have worked closely together to share information and assess our respective investigations and, where appropriate, provide substantial resources in support of our partners," said U.S. Attorney Walsh.




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Former New Mexico Navajo Police Officer Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison on Sexual Abuse Charges

Lawrence Etsitty , 31, a former police officer with the Navajo Police Department (NPD), was sentenced today in federal court on charges related to the sexual abuse of a woman who was in his custody on Jan. 25, 2009. Earlier this year, Etsitty pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of the victim when he groped, touched and kissed her against her will, while she was handcuffed. Etsitty also was charged and pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI.



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Former U.S. Army Major Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Bribery Scheme Related to Department of Defense Contracts in Kuwait

A former U.S. Army Major was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for his participation in a bribery scheme related to his activities as a contracting official in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, in 2005 and 2006.



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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speak at Faith and Neighborhoods in Action: A Symposium to Address Economic Recovery Through Strong Communities and Job Creation

"Through the Strong Cities, Strong Communities Initiative, the White House is leading a federal effort to spark economic growth in five cities and one region, helping them to maximize resources and leverage partnerships with businesses, philanthropies, and non-profit organizations," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.




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Justice Department and New York Attorney General File Antitrust Lawsuit Against New York City Tour Bus Joint Venture of Coach USA and City Sights

The Department of Justice and New York State Attorney General filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today against a tour bus joint venture formed by Coach USA Inc. and City Sights LLC alleging that the joint venture, known as Twin America LLC, has resulted in higher prices for hop-on, hop-off bus tours in New York City.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library

"This “new patriotism” should not countenance through procedural abuses – which are sadly found in our history, but nowhere in our founding documents – mechanisms that frustrate the desire of our fellow citizens to exercise their most fundamental, and uniquely American, rights," said Attorney General Holder.




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Justice Department and the City of Portland, Ore., Jointly File Court Enforceable Agreement to Reform Portland Police Bureau’s Use of Force Practices

The United States and the city of Portland, Ore., have jointly filed in federal court a proposed court enforceable settlement agreement to remedy constitutional claims that the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) engages in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional uses of force in response to “low-level offenses” against persons with actual or perceived mental illness. The agreement addresses the allegations described in a civil action also filed today by the United States, under provisions of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 for alleged violations of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.



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Department of Justice Will Not Challenge STARS Alliance LLC’s Joint Procurement Proposal

The Department of Justice today announced that it will not challenge a proposal by STARS Alliance LLC (STARS), a group of seven nuclear power plant operators, to procure jointly certain goods and services.



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Department of Justice Will Not Challenge Proposed Joint Venture Between Flight Support Service Operators at Connecticut Airport

The Department of Justice today announced that it will not challenge a proposal by Columbia Fuel Services Inc. and Lanmar Aviation Inc., the only providers of flight support services at the Groton-New London Airport, in Groton, Conn., to combine their fuel and hangar resources into a newly formed joint venture, Mystic Jet Center.



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Justice Department Challenges Joint Contracting on Behalf of Oklahoma Chiropractors

The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement that will require the Oklahoma State Chiropractic Independent Physicians Association (OSCIPA) and its executive director to stop jointly determining prices and negotiating contracts with insurers on behalf of competing chiropractors in Oklahoma.



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Justice Department Sues to Permanently Enjoin Florida Tax Return Preparer

The Justice Department filed suit today asking the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida to permanently bar Torrey Burden from preparing federal tax returns for others. The civil injunction suit alleges that Burden prepares returns through A&L Financial Solutions in St. Petersburg, Fla.



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Maryland’s St. Joseph’s Medical Center Agrees to Pay $4.9 Million for Medically Unnecessary Hospital Admissions

St. Joseph’s Medical Center, a hospital located in Towson, Md., has reached a settlement with the United States to pay $4.9 million in connection with its submission of false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs.



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Justice Department and Town of East Haven, Conn., Select Kathleen O’toole as Joint Compliance Expert for Police Reform Agreement

The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut announced today, together with the town of East Haven, Conn., and the East Haven Board of Police Commissioners, they have selected Kathleen O’Toole as the Joint Compliance Expert to assess and report on the implementation of a comprehensive settlement agreement to reform the East Haven Police Department.



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United States Joins Lawsuit Alleging Lance Armstrong and Others Caused the Submission of False Claims to the U.S. Postal Service

The Department of Justice announced today that the government has joined a civil lawsuit alleging that Lance Armstrong, Johan Bruyneel and Tailwind Sports LLC and Tailwind Sports Corporation submitted or caused the submission of false claims to the U.S. Postal Service in connection with its sponsorship of a professional bicycle racing team by regularly employing banned substances and methods to enhance their performance, in violation of the USPS sponsorship agreements.



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Federal Court Enjoins Former Los Angeles Instant Tax Service Franchisee

A federal court in Los Angeles permanently barred a Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., married couple – Henock Teferi and Ruth Berhane – and their company, Plover Financial Services LLC, from engaging in certain abusive tax-preparation practices.



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Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels Speaks at the Meridian Pen and Pad

"The Department is engaged in efforts across the country to break down barriers to opportunity for America’s schoolchildren, and to ensure that school is a road to success, not a pipeline to prison," said Prinicpal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Samuels.