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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

The agreement was reached under Project Civic Access (PCA), the department's wide-ranging initiative to ensure that cities, towns and counties throughout the country comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Smyth County, Virginia, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

The agreement was reached under Project Civic Access (PCA), the department’s wide-ranging initiative to ensure that cities, towns and counties throughout the country comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).



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Three Upstate New York Men Sentenced to Prison for Environmental Crimes

Three men, a father and two sons, were sentenced to prison today in federal court in Syracuse, N.Y., for multiple violations of asbestos-related environmental laws.



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Two Military Officials, Two Contractors and Contracting Company Indicted for Alleged Roles in Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Related to DOD Contract in Afghanistan

Two U.S. military officials deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, two Department of Defense (DOD) contractors and a contracting company were charged late yesterday for their roles in an alleged bribery and money laundering scheme related to the award of a DOD trucking services contract in Afghanistan.



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Latin Kings Leader Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy Related to Gang Activities in New York and Maryland

Andres Echevarria, aka “B-Boy” and “King B-Boy,” pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, in connection with his gang activities as a member of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings).



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"Project Deliverance" Results in More Than 2,200 Arrests During 22-month Operation, Seizures of Approximately 74 Tons of Drugs and $154 Million in U.s. Currency

429 individuals in 16 states were arrested as part of Project Deliverance, which targeted the transportation infrastructure of Mexican drug trafficking organizations in the United States, especially along the Southwest border.



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Largest Taiwanese LCD Producer, Houston-Based Subsidiary and Six Executives Indicted for Participating in LCD Price-Fixing Conspiracy

A federal grand jury in San Francisco returned a superseding indictment against AU Optronics Corporation, its Houston-based American subsidiary and six of its executives for participating in a conspiracy to fix prices of TFT-LCD panels.



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Justice Department Requires Divestiture in Order for Amcor Ltd. to Proceed with its Acquisition of Alcan’s Medical Flexible Packaging Business

The Department of Justice has reached a settlement that will require Amcor Ltd. to divest a North Carolina plant used in the development, production and sale of certain bags used for medical purposes in order to proceed with its acquisition of the Alcan Packaging Medical Flexibles business from Rio Tinto plc.



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Indian Government Officials Provided Access to Terror Defendant David Headley

As part of the cooperation and partnership between the United States and India in the fight against international terrorism, Indian law enforcement officials were provided direct access to interview David Coleman Headley.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Project Deliverance Press Conference

"We are here to announce the results of Project Deliverance – a 22-month, bilateral investigation focused on the transportation infrastructure in the United States used by Mexican drug cartels to distribute illegal narcotics throughout our country and smuggle weapons and cash across the U.S.-Mexico border," said Attorney General Holder.




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 Jury Convicts Two New York Importers in One of the Largest Counterfeit Goods Prosecutions in U.S. History

Chong Lam, 52, and Siu Yung Chan, aka Joyce Chan, 42, both of New York, were convicted yesterday for their participation in one of the largest counterfeit luxury goods operations in the United States.



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Physical Therapist Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison in Connection with Detroit-area Medicare Fraud Schemes

Farmington Hills, Mich., resident Baskaran Thangarasan was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for his participation in a fraudulent physical therapy scheme.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Alleging Racial Discrimination by the Township of Green Brook, New Jersey

The Department has reached a consent decree with the township of Green Brook, N.J., that, if approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, will resolve the department’s lawsuit against Green Brook alleging racial discrimination in employment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.



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Justice Department to Monitor Election in Port Chester, New York

The Justice Department today announced that it will monitor the municipal election on June 15, 2010, in the village of Port Chester, N.Y., to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965.



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Court Shuts Down South Carolina Tax Business

A federal court in Columbia, S.C., has permanently barred Winston Able of Blythewood, S.C., from preparing federal income tax returns for others.



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United States Files Counterclaims and Crossclaims in Small Business Administration Loan Fraud Case

The United States filed False Claims Act counterclaims against Saehan Bank and crossclaims against Steve Yong Kim and Young Soon Kim in the Northern District of Oklahoma.



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Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, Two Ohio Hospitals, and Physician Group to Pay $2.6 Million to Resolve Fraud Allegations

The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, two of its member hospitals (The Fort Hamilton Hospital and The University Hospital), and University Internal Medicine Associates Inc. have agreed to pay the United States $2.6 million to settle claims that they violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act by engaging in a kickback-for-referral scheme.



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Two U.S. Citizens Arrested in Costa Rica in Connection with Business Opportunity Fraud Ventures

Two U.S. citizens charged in connection with the operation of a series of fraudulent business opportunities were arrested today in Costa Rica following their indictment by a federal grand jury in Miami on March 9.



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Department of Justice Observes June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

For the first time in its history, the Department of Justice today observed June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day to raise awareness about the vulnerability of the elder population to abuse and violence.



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Justice Department Resolves Housing Discrimination Lawsuit with the City of Columbus, Indiana

The city of Columbus, Ind., has agreed to pay $24,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging that the city had discriminated against a group home for persons recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act.



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Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer Speaks at Press Conference to Announce Charges Against Lee Farkas

Last night, federal agents arrested Lee Bentley Farkas, the former chairman of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corporation. He has been charged in a 16-count indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia.




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Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force Announces Results of Broadest Mortgage Fraud Sweep in History

Attorney General Eric Holder, FBI Director Robert Mueller, Housing and Urban Development Inspector General (HUD-OIG) Kenneth M. Donohue, and other members of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force today announced the results of a nationwide takedown, Operation Stolen Dreams, which targeted mortgage fraudsters throughout the country and is the largest collective enforcement effort ever brought to bear in confronting mortgage fraud.



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Northern Virginia Real Estate Agent Pleads Guilty to Failing to File Tax Returns

Gregory Alan Roberts, a resident of Fairfax County and Loudoun County, Va., pleaded guilty to failing to timely file income tax returns for the years 2003 and 2004.



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Iranian National Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Export Munitions from the United States

Omid Khalili, an Iranian national, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama to attempting to illegally export fighter jet or military aircraft parts from the United States to Iran.



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United States Files Claims Against Feed Dealers in USDA Livestock Feed Assistance Initiative Fraud Case

The United States filed a False Claims Act suit against R&J Feed Co., Jerry Goodwin, Richard Carter and Carter Livestock Inc. in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo.



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Faisal Shahzad Indicted for Attempted Car Bombing in Times Square

A federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York has returned a 10-count indictment charging Faisal Shahzad for allegedly driving a car bomb into Times Square on the evening of May 1, 2010.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Operation Stolen Dreams Press Conference

"This operation began on March 1, and to date involved 1,215 criminal defendants nationwide, defendants who were allegedly responsible for more than $2.3 billion in losses," said Attorney General Holder.




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Justice Department Obtains Sweeping Reforms in Suicide Prevention Practices at the Erie County Holding Center, Buffalo, New York to Protect Inmates from Life Threatening Conditions

The Department has filed a stipulated settlement agreement resolving a portion of its lawsuit against Erie County, N.Y, regarding the limited issue of suicide prevention and related mental health care.



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Attorney General Holder Delivers Remarks at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice Convention

"I believe our criminal defense system can, and will, become a source of tremendous national pride. I look forward to working with you all in achieving this goal. And I am grateful for your guidance, your engagement, and for your commitment," said Attorney General Holder.




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Justice Department Settles Citizenship Status Discrimination Claims Against Morton’s Restaurant in Portland, Oregon

The Justice Department today announced that it has reached an agreement with Morton’s of Chicago/Portland Inc. to settle allegations that it required two non-citizens authorized to work in the United States to present more documents than legally required to establish their work eligibility.



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Faisal Shahzad Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to 10 Federal Crimes Arising from Attempted Car Bombing in Times Square

“Faisal Shahzad plotted and launched an attack that could have led to serious loss of life, and today the American criminal justice system ensured that he will pay the price for his actions,” Attorney General Eric Holder said. 



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Department of Justice’s 2010 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month Program

"With your help and engagement, we’re working to ensure that the Justice Department lives up to its responsibility to provide a work environment where every employee is respected and given an equal opportunity to thrive," said Attorney General Holder.




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Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Sanitary Authority Agrees to Clean up Sewage Discharges to the Susquehanna River

The Williamsport, Pa., Sanitary Authority (WSA) has agreed to make significant improvements to its combined sewer system at an estimated cost of approximately $10 million, in order to resolve long-standing problems with combined sewer overflows to the Susquehanna River, which flows to the Chesapeake Bay.



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Puerto Rico Senator and Businessman Charged in Bribery Scheme

Puerto Rico Senator Hector Martinez Maldonado and Juan Bravo Fernandez, the former president of one of the largest private security firms in Puerto Rico, have been charged in an indictment returned today by a federal grand jury in Puerto Rico for their alleged roles in a bribery scheme involving legislation beneficial to Bravo Fernandez’ business.



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Detroit-Area Medical Clinic Owner and Vice President Convicted in $23 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

The owner and the vice president of a Detroit-area physical therapy clinic were convicted today by a federal jury for their roles in a $23 million Medicare fraud scheme, announced the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services.



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Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Testifies Before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on the ADA and Olmstead Enforcement

"For the Department of Justice, turning the promise of the Olmstead decision into a reality for individuals with disabilities across the nation has become a major component of ADA enforcement," said Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez.




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Taiwanese Couple Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Trading Protected Black Coral

Two Taiwanese nationals were sentenced to prison today in federal court in the U.S. Virgin Islands for conspiracy to ship internationally protected black coral into the United States in violation of federal wildlife statutes.



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North Carolina Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

Timothy Christenbury, 47, was sentenced today in Charlotte, N.C., to 72 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release following his prison term for possessing child pornography.



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Seven Houston-area Residents Charged in $5 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

– Seven Houston-area residents who worked for a home health agency have been charged for their alleged participation in a $5 million Medicare fraud scheme.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the District of Columbia College Access Program Graduation Celebration

"Over the last decade, you have redefined statistics, expectations, and, most importantly, possibilities for students across this city," said Attorney General Holder.




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Twenty-six Alleged Bloods Gang Members and Associates Indicted on Federal Racketeering, Firearms and Narcotics Charges

“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting our nation’s communities from the violent and dangerous crimes alleged in this indictment,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer.



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Nantucket Man Arrested and Charged with Operating International Online “Phishing” Scheme to Steal Income Tax Refunds

Mikalai Mardakhayeu, a Belarusian national residing in Nantucket, Mass., was arrested Wednesday night and charged for his alleged participation in an international online “phishing” scheme to steal income tax refunds intended for U.S. taxpayers around the country.



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Judge Orders State of Florida to Provide Community Services to Jacksonville Woman at Risk of Institutionalization

The state of Florida must provide Michele Haddad with services that will enable her to remain in her home, a U.S. District Court in Jacksonville, Fla., ruled Wednesday.



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Mobile, Alabama, Man Indicted on Federal Civil Rights and Weapons Charges Related to Desecration of Synagogue

A federal grand jury in Mobile, Ala., has returned a three-count indictment charging Thomas Hayward Lewis, 24, of Mobile, with violating and conspiring to violate the civil rights of congregants of the Congregation Tree of Life Messianic Synagogue in Mobile, as well as possession of an unregistered firearm.



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Three Individuals with Alleged Ties to Aryan Brotherhood Charged with a 2008 Murder That Occurred in Atascosa County, Texas

Three alleged members or associates of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) have been indicted for their alleged roles in a 2008 murder in Atascosa County, Texas.



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Department of Justice and USDA Hold Workshop Focused on Competition Issues in the Dairy Industry

The workshop explores the appropriate role for antitrust and regulatory enforcement in the dairy industry.



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Two Afghan Companies Plead Guilty to Bribing U.S. Officials and Agree to Pay $4.4 Million in Fines

Two Afghan trucking companies pleaded guilty today to paying multiple bribes to U.S. public officials in exchange for unfair advantages in procuring contract work at the Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.



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Virginia Resident Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Bribing Foreign Government Officials

John Webster Warwick, a Virginia Beach, Va., resident, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va., to 37 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to pay bribes to former Panamanian government officials to secure maritime contracts.



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Technip S.A. Resolves Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Investigation and Agrees to Pay $240 Million Criminal Penalty

Technip S.A., a global engineering, construction and services company based in Paris, has agreed to pay a $240 million criminal penalty to resolve charges related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for its participation in a decade-long scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials to obtain engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts.



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Justice Department and Town of Gretna, Virginia, Reach Agreement to Ensure Nondiscriminatory Zoning Practices

The Department announced a comprehensive settlement agreement with the town of Gretna, Va., under the Americans with Disabilities Act to eliminate barriers for providers of foster care services who wish to provide community placements in their homes for persons with disabilities. 



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