The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the developers, builders and designers of the Gateway Village Apartments, a 275-unit apartment complex in Salem, Ore., for violations of the Fair Housing Act.

"Today, as Lisa Monaco and Virginia Seitz are officially sworn into their leadership roles, we not only celebrate the latest achievements in two remarkable careers; we also mark an exciting, and historic, new chapter in the history of our nation’s Department of Justice," said Attorney General Holder.

September 11th Victim Compensa¬tion Fund (VCF) Special Master Sheila L. Birnbaum today announced that the fund is officially open for claimants.

Melinda Clayton of Montgomery, Ala., pleaded guilty today to charges of conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false claims, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The Justice Department filed a consent decree today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after reaching an agreement with James City County, Va., that will allow for the county’s bailout from its status as a “covered jurisdiction” under the special provisions of Voting Rights Act.

The Justice Department filed a consent decree today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after reaching an agreement with the city of Williamsburg, Va., that will allow for the city’s bailout from its status as a “covered jurisdiction” under the special provisions of Voting Rights Act.

"During my tenure as Attorney General, it has been – and it continues to be – an honor to help strengthen the special relationship that exists between the United States and Germany," said Attorney General Holder.

A federal court has permanently barred John E. Rogers and two of his companies, Sugarloaf Fund LLC and Jetstream Business Limited, from promoting tax shelters that allegedly use distressed Brazilian debt to lower customers’ reported income improperly.

Keith Phillips, 61, of Kent, Texas, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik Sr. in the Western District of Louisiana to a two-count indictment charging him with obstruction of justice and perjury.

Three federal courts have issued decisions in favor of the United States in three separate cases involving abusive tax shelters.

Danfoss Flensburg GmbH has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $3 million criminal fine for its role in an international conspiracy to fix the prices of light commercial compressors.

Richard Muto was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue laws.

Neil P. Campbell, 61, of Queensland, Australia, pleaded guilty today before Judge Rosemary M. Collyer in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of accepting an illegal payment as an agent of an organization receiving federal funds.

As part of Attorney General Eric Holder’s call for cost-cutting measures to streamline operations and reduce spending during a time of constrained funding, the Department of Justice today announced that it will realign functions in various offices, lower lease costs by consolidating or reducing office space and continue to look for ways to more effectively utilize the department’s resources.

Attorney General Eric Holder today joined Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing (COPS) Bernard Melekian to announce more than $15 million in grant awards to agencies in Ohio through the 2011 COPS Hiring Program.

Larry Lujan, 33, will receive a life prison sentence for a kidnapping that resulted in the death of a 16-year-old, after a federal jury today announced it could not reach a unanimous decision on whether to impose the death penalty.

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.

A Costa Rican company, its president and its auditor were charged in a superseding indictment filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va., for their alleged roles in a $670 million fraud scheme involving victims throughout the United States and abroad.

Paul Edward Pavulak, 67, of New Castle, Del., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sue L. Robinson in Wilmington, Del.

Oracle Corp. and Oracle America Inc. have agreed to pay $199.5 million plus interest for failing to meet their contractual obligations to the General Services Administration.

A former Columbus County, N.C., Sherriff’s Office sergeant pleaded guilty today in federal court in Greenville, N.C., to a civil rights charge related to the assault of a detainee, the Justice Department announced.

Michael Makalou, a State Department employee, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm.

Jeng “Jay” Shih and Sunrise Technologies and Trading Corporation pleaded guilty today in the District of Columbia to conspiracy to illegally export U.S.-origin computers from the United States to Iran through the United Arab Emirates.

The Ryland Group Inc. will pay a civil penalty of $625,000 to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations at its construction sites, including sites located in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The Justice Department announced a settlement today with Lorain County, Ohio, to protect the rights of Spanish-speaking Puerto Rican voters under Section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act.

Donny Eugene Mower of Madera, Calif., pleaded guilty in federal court today to one count of arson, one count of damaging religious property and one count of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

Former Hickman County Deputy Sheriff Kenneth H. Smith was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Todd J. Campbell to 24 months in prison for civil rights and false statement charges.

Martin Tasis was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his leading role in a $9.1 million Detroit-area Medicare fraud scheme.

"Your service is essential in helping the Justice Department fulfill its most fundamental mission: to protect the American people – from terrorism and violent crime, from fraud and abuse, and from those who would take advantage of the most vulnerable among us," said Attorney General Holder.

A Las Vegas woman pleaded guilty today for her role in a scheme to fraudulently gain control of condominium homeowners’ associations (HOA) in the Las Vegas area so that the HOAs would direct business to a certain law firm and construction company.

Integrated Production Services, LLC, (IPS), a Houston-based natural gas and oil drilling contractor, pleaded guilty today to a negligent violation of the Clean Water Act in federal court in Muskogee, Okla.

Dennis Glick of Huntington Valley, Penn., was found guilty today by a federal jury in Philadelphia of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue laws and willfully preparing false tax returns.

The Department of Justice issued a statement today after the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued its order involving US Airways’ and Delta Airlines’ acquisition of slots at Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport and New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

Billy Wade Carroll, 51, of Dayton, Ohio, was found guilty today in U.S. District Court in Riverside, Calif., for his participation in an online child pornography bulletin board.

"Today, the Department of Justice is announcing charges against two people who allegedly attempted to carry out a deadly plot that was directed by factions of the Iranian government to assassinate a foreign ambassador here in the United States," said Attorney General Holder.

Mohamad Anas Haitham Soueid, 47, a resident of Leesburg, Va., has been charged for his alleged role in a conspiracy to collect video and audio recordings and other information about individuals in the United States and Syria who were protesting the government of Syria and to provide these materials to Syrian intelligence agencies in order to silence, intimidate and potentially harm the protestors.

“Contrary to what some have claimed, today’s plea removes any doubt that our courts are one of the most effective tools we have to fight terrorism and keep the American people safe," said Attorney General Holder.

Pelican Refining Company LLC, pleaded guilty today to felony violations of the Clean Air Act and to obstruction of justice charges in federal court in Lafayette, La.

The owner and operator of a Houston durable medical equipment (DME) company was sentenced yesterday in Houston federal court to 33 months in prison for his role in a Medicare fraud scheme.

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.

Elmo Antonio George and Nasheba Necia Hunte were indicted today by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida on charges of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and with filing false tax returns for 2005 and 2006 which claimed false refunds totaling more than $1.2 million.

Bidemi Bello, 42, formerly of Suwanee, Ga., was sentenced today in Atlanta by U.S. District Judge William S. Duffey Jr. on human trafficking charges including forced labor, trafficking with respect to forced labor, document servitude, harboring for financial gain and procurement of naturalization unlawfully.

The Department of Justice announced today that it has entered into a consent decree with the Board of Education of Berkeley School District 87 in Berkeley, Ill. that, if approved by the court, will resolve a religious accommodations lawsuit filed in December 2010.

Miami-area residents Angel Gonzalez and Jorge Zamora, who were the owners and operators of a fraudulent physical therapy company in Lakeland, Fla., were sentenced yesterday and today to 42 months in prison and 46 months in prison, respectively, for their leading roles in a scheme to defraud Medicare.

"As these Champions share their experiences and insights with us, we will also explore ways to build on their achievements – and to replicate and amplify their outstanding work," said Attorney General Holder.

The Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the European Commission today issued an updated set of “best practices” that they use to coordinate their merger reviews.

Attorney General Eric Holder today convened a panel of experts from Facebook, Microsoft and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to discuss concrete ways to prevent and deter child sexual exploitation at a national summit entitled, “A Call to Action: Protecting Children from Sexual Exploitation.”

Veronica Dale, a resident of Montgomery, Ala., pleaded guilty today to two tax fraud and identity theft conspiracies.

"That’s why, today, I am proud to announce a series of grants to organizations that offer mentoring programs specifically targeting children with a parent in the military," said Attorney General Holder.

"To more effectively prevent and combat child exploitation and abuse, we need greater engagement – and not just from our traditional law enforcement, advocacy and government partners," said Attorney General Holder.