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Man Found Guilty for Forcing Women and Juveniles into Prostitution

A federal jury today convicted Amador Cortes-Meza, 36, of Mexico, of multiple charges of sex trafficking and human smuggling offenses related to a scheme to force women and juveniles into prostitution.



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U.S. Court Approves Agreement Between Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, United States, State of Michigan, Isabella County and City of Mt. Pleasant to Settle Jurisdiction

The settlement declares the entire Isabella Reservation to be Indian Country, resolving longstanding disputes over the boundaries and existence of the Isabella Reservation in south central Michigan.



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Florida-based Medicare Advantage Plan Owners & Primary Care Provider Agree to Pay $22.6 Million to Settle Claims of Falsifying Diagnoses

Dr. Walter Janke, his wife, Lalita Janke, and Vero Beach, Fla.-based Medical Resources L.L.C. have agreed to pay $22.6 million to resolve allegations that they caused Medicare to pay inflated amounts based upon the submission of false diagnosis codes.



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Bureau of Prisons Implements Key Provision of Tribal Law and Order Act with Pilot Program to Incarcerate Tribal Prisoners in Federal Prisons

The Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons today implemented a key provision of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 by launching a four-year pilot program to begin accepting certain tribal offenders sentenced in tribal courts for placement in Bureau of Prisons institutions.



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D.C. Fish Wholesaler Profish Ltd. Owner and Employee Sentenced for Purchasing Illegally Harvested Striped Bass

Ocean Pro Ltd. dba Profish, one of the District of Columbia’s largest seafood wholesalers, as well as its vice-president and its fish buyer, were sentenced on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Md., for their roles in a more than decade-long conspiracy to illegally harvest striped bass from the Potomac River.



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Federal Courts Order Seizure of 82 Website Domains Involved in Selling Counterfeit Goods as Part of DOJ and ICE Cyber Monday Crackdown

Seizure orders have been executed against 82 domain names of commercial websites engaged in the illegal sale and distribution of counterfeit goods and copyrighted works as part of Operation In Our Sites v. 2.0, Attorney General Eric Holder and Director John Morton of the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced today.



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Houston Medical Equipment Company Manager Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison and Delivery Driver Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Roles in Medicare Fraud Scheme

Houston-area residents Oliver Nkuku and Callistus Edozie were sentenced to 120 months in prison and 41 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a durable medical equipment (DME) Medicare fraud scheme.



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Former Employee of a Financial Institution Subsidiary Pleads Guilty for Role in Bid-rigging and Fraud Conspiracies Involving Municipal Bonds

A former employee of a subsidiary of a financial institution pleaded guilty today for his participation in bid-rigging and fraud conspiracies related to contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other municipal finance contracts.



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Attorney General Holder, Secretaries Salazar and Vilsack Applaud Final Passage of the Claims Settlement Act

Today, the Departments of Justice, Interior and Agriculture applauded the bipartisan House passage of the Claims Settlement Act.



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Shipping Company and Senior Crewmembers Convicted of Covering up Oil Pollution

Atlas Ship Management Ltd., a Turkish Corporation, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Tampa, Fla. to federal charges of making false statements and knowingly failing to accurately maintain an Oil Record Book as required by international treaty and U.S. law.



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Residential Homebuilder Settles Clean Water Act Violations in 21 States

Beazer Homes USA Inc., a national residential homebuilder, has agreed today to pay a $925,000 civil penalty to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations at its construction sites in 21 states.



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Kaua‘i Island Utility Pleads Guilty to Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act Violation, Agrees to Help Protect Threatened Seabirds

The Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) entered a plea agreement today in federal court in Honolulu to resolve violations of the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act.



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Former New Jersey Sales Representative Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Bribery Conspiracy in Power Generation Industry

A former sales representative of a Lyndhurst, N.J.-based industrial pipe supply company pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to commit fraud and pay bribes to a Consolidated Edison of New York (Con Edison) purchasing manager in return for the manager’s efforts to steer contracts to the sales representative’s company.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Employee of a Financial Institution Subsidiary Arrested on Criminal Complaint for Role in Fraud Scheme Involving Municipal Bonds

A former employee of a subsidiary of a financial institution was arrested on a criminal complaint at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York yesterday after entering the United States.



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Florida West International Airways Inc., Three Executives Indicted in Conspiracy to Fix Rates on Air Cargo Shipments

A one-count indictment was returned late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Miami charging Miami-based Florida West International Airways Inc., one of its former executives and two executives of a competing air cargo carrier with participating in a conspiracy to fix and coordinate certain components of air cargo shipments from Colombia to Miami.



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Former Federal Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violation and Obstruction of Justice

Benjamin Montgomery, a former correctional officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta pleaded guilty today to a two-count information charging him with civil rights crimes for assaulting an inmate and for subsequently writing a false report about the incident.



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Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force Announces Results of Largest-Ever Nationwide Operation Targeting Investment Fraud

Attorney General Holder announced today the results of Operation Broken Trust, a nationwide operation organized by the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to target investment fraud.



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UK Citizen Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Bribe Nigerian Government Officials to Obtain Lucrative Contracts as Part of KBR Joint Venture Scheme

Wojciech J. Chodan, a former commercial vice president and consultant to a United Kingdom subsidiary of Kellogg, Brown & Root Inc. (KBR), pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for his participation in a decade-long scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials to obtain engineering, procurement and construction contracts.



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Three Foreign Nationals Each Sentenced to 23 Months in Prison for Alien Smuggling and Visa Fraud Scheme

U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle also ordered Heliber Toro Mejia, 52; Humberto Toro Mejia, 60; and Luz Elena Acuna Rios, 53; all of Bogotá, to serve three years of supervised release following their prison terms.



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Kos Pharmaceuticals to Pay More Than $41 Million to Resolve Kickback and Off-Label Promotion Allegations

Kos Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Abbott Laboratories, has agreed to pay more than $41 million to resolve criminal and civil liability arising from conduct relating to its drugs Advicor and Niaspan.



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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with National Mortgage Lender to Resolve Allegations of Lending Discrimination

PrimeLending, a national mortgage lender with 168 offices in 32 states at the end of 2009, has agreed to pay $2 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against African-American borrowers between 2006 and 2009.



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Gary, Indiana, Wastewater Treatment Operator and Managers Charged with Conspiracy and Violating the Clean Water Act

United Water Services Inc., the former contract operator of the Gary Sanitary District wastewater treatment works in Gary, Ind., and two of its employees, were charged today with conspiracy and felony violations of the Clean Water Act in a 26-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury.



  • OPA Press Releases

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EPA and the Commonwealth of Kentucky Reach Agreement with Logan Aluminum Inc. to Resolve Allegations of Clean Air Act Violations

The proposed consent decree resolves claims of the United States and the commonwealth under the Clean Air Act and related provisions of the laws of the commonwealth.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys’ Awards Ceremony

"Each of this year’s award recipients should take great pride in the fact that their efforts have made a positive and lasting impact on the citizens we serve and will leave an enduring imprint on the Department’s work for years to come," said Attorney General Holder.




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Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division Christine Varney Delivers Closing Remarks at the Agriculture Workshop

"The Department of Justice and the USDA share the strong conviction that a healthy, competitive agricultural sector is not only vitally important to our nation’s economy but also a matter of national security and public health," said Assistant Attorney General Varney.




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Three Former Financial Services Executives Indicted for Fraudulent Conduct Affecting Contracts Related to Municipal Bonds

Three former executives of a financial services company were indicted today for their participation in fraud schemes and conspiracies related to bidding for contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other municipal finance contracts.



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Three New Orleans Police Officers Found Guilty in the Post-Katrina Shooting and Burning of Henry Glover

A federal jury in New Orleans convicted three current and former New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers, David Warren, Greg McRae and Lt. Travis McCabe, in relation to the post-Katrina shooting death of Henry Glover, and the subsequent burning of Glover’s remains and obstruction of justice.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at National Indian Nations Conference During Week of Justice Department Events with Tribal Country

Attorney General Eric Holder served as the keynote speaker at the 12th National Indian Nations Conference in Palm Springs, Calif., during a week of outreach events organized by the Department of Justice that brought together tribal leaders and youth, law enforcement officers, lawyers and judges, policy experts and health and social services providers, and representatives from federal, state, local and tribal governments.



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Restitution Trust Funds Implemented for Foreign Victims of Sex Tourism

Restitution trust funds for the benefit of two minor victims of sex tourism in the Philippines were executed and implemented yesterday through the signing of trust documents by Filipino social welfare authorities and a U.S. based trustee.



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Justice Department Charges Seventh Individual for Allegedly Filing Fraudulent Claims for Oil Spill Compensation

“The charges announced today send a strong message that we will not tolerate any fraudulent activity designed to profit from this tragic oil spill,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.



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Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Virginia to Protect Rights of Military and Overseas Voters

The Justice Department today announced that it has reached an agreement with Virginia officials to help ensure that military service members and U.S. citizens living overseas have an opportunity to participate fully in future federal general elections.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former CEO of the Morgan Crucible Co. Sentenced to Serve 18 Months in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice

The former CEO of The Morgan Crucible Company plc, a United Kingdom corporation, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to obstruct a federal grand jury investigation into price fixing of carbon brushes and other carbon products sold in the United States and elsewhere.



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RAE Systems Agrees to Pay $1.7 Million Criminal Penalty to Resolve Violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

RAE Systems Inc., a publicly-traded U.S. corporation headquartered in San Jose, Calif., has entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice to pay a $1.7 million penalty for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Muslim Advocates’ Annual Dinner

"On behalf of our nation's Justice Department, I am grateful to count you as partners in our work to promote tolerance, to ensure public safety, and to protect civil rights. Your engagement – and your commitment to the principles and goals that we share – has been critical, especially throughout this year."




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Florida Man and Two U.K. Nationals Plead Guilty in Relation to Immigration Fraud Scheme Involving Florida Property Development Company

A Florida man and two U.K. nationals pleaded guilty Dec.10, 2010, to immigration fraud charges for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently procure visas from the U.S. Embassy in London through a Florida property development company called Royal Development.



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Justice Department Requires Divestiture in Order for L.B. Foster Co. to Proceed with its Acquisition of Portec Rail Products Inc

The Department of Justice today has reached a settlement that will require Pittsburgh-based L.B. Foster Company to divest a West Virginia plant used in the development, manufacture and sale of certain railroad joints to Koppers Inc., in order to proceed with Foster’s acquisition of Portec Rail Products Inc.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Fifteen Individuals Extradited from Mexico to the United States

Fifteen individuals have been extradited over the past week from Mexico to the United States to stand trial, to be sentenced or to serve sentences.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Announces Civil Lawsuit Against Nine Defendants for Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Attorney General Holder announced today that the Justice Department has filed a civil lawsuit against nine defendants in the matter of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Pharmaceutical Companies to Pay $214.5 Million to Resolve Allegations of Off-label Promotion of Zonegran

Irish pharmaceutical manufacturer Elan Corporation PLC and its U.S. subsidiary Elan Pharmaceuticals Inc. have agreed to pay more than $203 million to resolve criminal and civil liability arising from the illegal promotion of the epilepsy drug Zonegran



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Philadelphia School District to Resolve Harassment Allegations

The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement with the School District of Philadelphia and the School Reform Commission to resolve an investigation into a complaint of race, color and/or national origin-based harassment of Asian students at South Philadelphia High School, and allegations that the school district was deliberately indifferent to the severe and pervasive harassment.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Announces Civil Lawsuit Regarding Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

"While oil spill response efforts were underway, the Department of Justice launched both criminal and civil probes into this matter," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the White House Forum on Environmental Justice

"In our nation’s ongoing struggle to ensure environmental justice, I am proud to count you all as partners," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Holder and Secretary Sebelius Team up at Health Care Fraud Prevention Summit in Boston

Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius visited Boston today, where they participated in the fourth Regional Health Care Fraud Prevention Summit.



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Formerly Convicted Maryland Tax Defier Indicted for Filing False Liens Against Prosecutor and for Filing False Claims for Tax Refunds

Andrew Isaac Chance of Clinton, Md., was arrested on a four-count indictment charging him with filing a fraudulent multi-billion dollar lien against a government employee and filing false tax returns seeking $900,000 in false refunds.



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Five Indicted in Alabama for Roles in Tax Fraud and Identity Theft Ring

Five people 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 conspiracy.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Files Complaint Against City of Brockton, Massachusetts, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts for Violating the Employment Rights of an Iraq War Veteran

The Justice Department announced today the filing of a complaint against the city of Brockton, Mass., and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for violating the rights of an Iraq war veteran.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Vice President of Florida Corporation Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Transporting Child Pornography

Jeffrey Robert Libman, the vice president and co-director of Webe Web Corporation, a Florida corporation, was sentenced yesterday to 108 months in prison for transporting child pornography.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Miami-area Clinic Owner Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Role in Medicare Fraud Scheme Involving Miami-area Home Health Agencies

Yudel Cayro, owner and operator of Courtesy Medical Group Inc., a medical clinic in Miami, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for his role in a wide-ranging Medicare fraud scheme involving Miami-area home health agencies.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Founding Member of Abu Sayyaf Group Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for 1995 Hostage Taking Involving U.S. and Philippine Citizens

Madhatta Asagal Haipe, a citizen of the Philippines and founding member of Al-Harakat Al-Islamiyyah, also known as the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), was sentenced today to 23 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to four counts of hostage taking in the 1995 abduction of 16 people, including four U.S. citizens, in the Philippines.



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Justice Department Files Fair Housing Lawsuit Against Mississippi Newspaper and Two Individuals for Discrimination Against Families with Children

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against a Gulfport, Miss., newspaper and a landlord and her agent for violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against families with children.



  • OPA Press Releases