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High Ranking Gulf Cartel Member Sentenced in Washington, D.C., to 35 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

Aurelio Cano Flores, a Mexican national and high ranking member of the Gulf Cartel, was sentenced today to serve 35 years in prison for conspiring to import multi-ton quantities of cocaine and marijuana into the United States.



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C.R. Bard Inc. to Pay U.S. $48.26 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Claims

C.R. Bard Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $48.26 million to resolve claims that it knowingly caused false claims to be submitted to the Medicare program for brachytherapy seeds used to treat prostate cancer in violation of the False Claims Act.



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Detroit-Area Clinic Owner Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Role in $19 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A Detroit-area adult day care center owner was sentenced today to serve 40 months in prison for billing for unnecessary psychotherapy services, or services that were not provided, as part of a health care fraud conspiracy which led to more than $19 million in fraudulent Medicare billings.



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Idaho Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

Michael George Fitzpatrick, 51, of Hope, Idaho, was sentenced to 42 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Larry A. Burns.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the 25th Annual National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Candlelight Vigil

"Although we will never completely eliminate the criminal element that menaces our communities – and threatens far too many innocent lives – your actions, and the heroism we celebrate tonight, give me great confidence in our ability to keep moving forward in addressing these threats and building the brighter future our citizens deserve," said Attorney General Holder.




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California Jewelry Store Owner Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Conspiracy to Launder the Proceeds of Bank Fraud

Safieh Fard, 52, of Escondido, Calif., was sentenced late yesterday to 63 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney. Fard was also ordered to pay $594,000 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for unpaid individual income taxes.



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Community Mental Health Center Program Coordinator Sentenced to 70 Months for Role in $63 Million Fraud Scheme

A former program coordinator at the defunct health provider Health Care Solutions Network Inc. (HCSN) was sentenced in Miami to 70 months in prison today for her role in a $63 million fraud scheme.



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Medicare Fraud Strike Force Charges 89 Individuals for Approximately $223 Million in False Billing

Attorney General Eric Holder and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that a nationwide takedown by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in eight cities has resulted in charges against 89 individuals, including doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $223 million in false billings.



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Two Tennessee Men Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Violate Civil Rights of African-american Residents

Two Spring Hill, Tenn., men pleaded guilty in federal court today for their involvement in a racially-motivated conspiracy to interfere with the housing rights of African-American residents of the Spring Lake subdivision of Spring Hill.



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Former Construction Company Owner Indicted in Nevada for Income Tax Evasion

A federal grand jury in Nevada today returned an indictment against a former construction company owner for evading federal income and employment taxes.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Medicare Fraud Strike Force Press Conference

As a result of Strike Force operations conducted since 2007, we’ve filed charges against more than 1,500 individuals in connection with schemes involving over $5 billion in false billings.




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Justice Department Recognizes Nine Individuals for Child Protection Efforts at Missing Children’s Day Ceremony

The Justice Department today paid tribute to nine individuals for their extraordinary efforts to recover missing children, rescue children from abuse and prosecute sexual predators during its annual commemoration of National Missing Children’s Day.



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Justice Department Reaches Settlement to Reform the Missoula, Mont. Police Department's Response to Sexual Assault

The Department of Justice today reached a comprehensive agreement with the Missoula, Mont., Police Department to ensure that the police department fairly and effectively responds to reports of sexual assault.



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Pennslyvania Inmate Sentenced to Life in Prison for Violent Murder of Fellow Inmate

A federal inmate was sentenced today to life in prison for the violent murder of a fellow inmate in Pennsylvania’s Allenwood Correctional Complex



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Justice Department Settles Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Against Corpus Christi, Texas, Police Department

The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a final settlement with the city of Corpus Christi, Texas, to resolve the department’s claim that the city violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination against female applicants for entry-level police officer positions.



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Mississippi Corporation Pleads Guilty and Agrees to $ 1 Million Fine for Illegally Filling Protected Wetlands

Mississippi-based Hancock County Land LLC (HCL) pleaded guilty today to the unpermitted filling of wetlands near Bay St. Louis, Miss., and agreed to pay a $1 million fine and take remedial measures for two felony violations of the Clean Water Act/



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Tennessee Man Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charge Related to Desecration of Religious Paraphernalia

The Justice Department today announced that a federal grand jury in Memphis, Tenn., has returned a one-count indictment charging Justin Shawn Baker, 25, of Jackson, Tenn., with violating the civil rights of students and faculty of the Margolin Hebrew Academy.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Testifies Before the House Committee on the Judiciary

Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of my colleagues – the nearly 116,000 dedicated men and women who serve in Justice Department offices around the world – I’m pleased to report that we’ve established a remarkable record of progress in expanding our nation’s founding promise of equal justice under law, and ensuring the safety and security of our citizens.




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Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Mary Lou Leary Speaks at the National Missing Children's Day Ceremony

I want to take this opportunity not only to congratulate our honorees, but to thank all of you – everyone here – for your commitment to finding missing, abducted, and exploited children.




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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the National Missing Children’s Day Ceremony

Our commitment to children – and to finding missing children – is stronger than ever.




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Statement Regarding Inspector General Report on the Handling of Former Known or Suspected Terrorists Admitted into the Federal Witness Security Program

For more than 40 years, the federal Witness Security (WitSec) Program has enabled the government to bring to justice the most dangerous criminals by providing critical protection for witnesses fearing for their safety.



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Oregon Man Indicted for Alleged Role in $50 Million Securities Fraud Scheme

An Oregon man has been charged with allegedly orchestrating a $50 million securities fraud scheme



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Justice Department Reaches Fair Housing Settlement with Design Professionals in Disability Lawsuit

The Justice Department today announced a settlement with the architects and civil engineers involved in the design and construction of multifamily housing complexes located in Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee.



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Former Dallas Securities Broker Sentenced in Oklahoma to 84 Months in Prison for Role in Stock Manipulation Scheme

A former stock broker was sentenced to prison today for his role in an extensive pump-and-dump stock manipulation scheme.



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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the Department of Justice Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Event

These ongoing struggles are why Asian Americans and Pacific Islander leaders in our economic, academic, and social institutions are so important. These are the leaders who are working tirelessly each day to create positive change for the AAPI community, their neighbors, and our Country.




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Individual Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Id Fraud and Impersonating an Osha Official in Wake of Gulf Oil Spill

Connie M. Knight, 47, previously of Belle Chasse, La., was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison in New Orleans federal court late yesterday for providing fraudulent hazardous waste safety training in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill



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Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced in Houston to Prison for Human Smuggling

Indian national Kaushik Jayantibhai Thakkar and Brazilian national Fabiano Augusto Amorim were each sentenced today to serve 36 months in prison for their roles in smuggling undocumented migrants to the United States for private financial gain.



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Army National Guard Captain Charged for Alleged Role in Bribery and Wire Fraud Scheme and Two Former Soldiers Sentenced for Their Roles in a Related Scheme

A Texas Army National Guard captain has been charged for his alleged role in a bribery and wire fraud scheme and two former soldiers in the Texas Army National Guard were sentenced for their roles in a separate scheme to defraud the National Guard Bureau and its contractor.



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Alabama Woman Receives Four Years in Prison in Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Scheme

Larreka Jackson was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison for her role in a multi-million dollar conspiracy to use stolen identities to obtain tax refunds, the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. Jackson was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $721,519.12. In January 2013, Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false claims and one count of aggravated identity theft.



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Florida Woman Indicted on Conspiracy for Role in Bringing 143 Haitian Nationals to the United States on Fraudulently Obtained Guest Worker Visas

Today, a federal judge unsealed a three-count indictment returned by a grand jury in the Southern District of Florida charging Jetta McPhee, 59, of Tamarac, Fla., for her role in bringing 143 Haitian nationals to the United States on fraudulently obtained guest worker visas that McPhee and her co-conspirator secured based on false representations that there were jobs awaiting those workers.



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Virginia Investment Firm Officer Sent to Prison in KPMG Tax Shelter Case

Michael Parker, of Baltimore, Md., who was the chief operating officer of TransCapital Corporation, a tax-advantaged investments company based in Northern Virginia, was sentenced today to 54 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Sandra S. Beckwith in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



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Eighth Individual Sentenced in Connection with Costa Rica-Based Business Opportunity Fraud Ventures

Sean Rosales, a dual United States and Costa Rican citizen, was sentenced today in connection with a series of business opportunity fraud ventures based in Costa Rica, the Justice Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.



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Two Alabama Real Estate Investors and Their Company Sentenced for Their Roles in Bid-Rigging and Mail Fraud Conspiracies Involving Real Estate Purchased at Public Foreclosure Auctions

Two Alabama real estate investors and their company were sentenced today in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama in Mobile, for their participation in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in southern Alabama.



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Attorney Convicted in Multimillion-Dollar Stock Fraud

Attorney Mitchell J. Stein, 53, of Hidden Hills, Calif., was convicted by a jury in the Southern District of Florida for his role in operating a five-year, multimillion-dollar market manipulation and fraud scheme.



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Two Denso Corporation Executives Agree to Plead Guilty for Price Fixing and Bid Rigging on Auto Parts Installed in U.S. Cars

Two DENSO Corp. executives – Yuji Suzuki and Hiroshi Watanabe – have agreed to plead guilty for their roles in international conspiracies to fix prices and rig bids of certain automotive components installed in U.S. cars, the Department of Justice announced today.



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U.S. Renal Care to Pay $7.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

U.S. Renal Care, headquartered in Plano, Texas, has agreed to pay $7.3 million to resolve allegations that Dialysis Corporation of America (DCA) violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Medicare program for more Epogen than was actually administered to dialysis patients at DCA facilities.



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Members of International Sex Trafficking Ring Indicted

Arturo Rojas-Coyotl, Odilon Martinez-Rojas, and Severiano Martinez-Rojas, all of Tenancingo in the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico have been indicted on charges of sex trafficking and alien harboring.



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Justice Department Finds Unconstitutional Conditions of Confinement at Escambia County, Fla. Jail

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division issued a letter detailing the findings of its investigation into conditions of confinement at Escambia County Jail, a jail located in northwest Florida, housing roughly 1,300 prisoners.



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Health Care Clinic Director Sentenced in Miami to 111 Months for His Role in $63 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A former health care clinic director and licensed therapist was sentenced in Miami to 111 months in prison today in connection with a health care fraud scheme involving defunct health provider Health Care Solutions Network Inc. (HCSN).



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Two Members of Latin Kings Street Gang Sentenced in Indiana for Racketeering Conspiracy and Related Crimes

Two members of the Latin Kings street gang were sentenced today in Hammond, Ind., federal court for racketeering conspiracy.



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Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman Testifies Before the U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

The Justice Department is committed to vigorously investigating allegations of wrongdoing at financial institutions and, along with our many law enforcement partners, holding individuals and corporations to account for their conduct.




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Houston Man Charged with Threatening to Bomb Synagogues

A federal complaint has been unsealed charging Dante Phearse, 32, of Houston, with calling in bomb threats to two synagogues located in Houston.



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Mississippi Laboratory Operator Found Guilty of Falsifying Records on Industrial Wastewater

The owner and sole operator of an environmental laboratory was found guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi of all counts of a federal indictment charging falsification of records and obstructing a federal criminal investigation.



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Former Texas Police Officer Ordered to Federal Prison for Deprivation of Civil Rights

A former officer with the Laredo, Texas, Police Department (LPD) has been sentenced to prison following his conviction for violating the civil rights of an arrestee.



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Former Chicago Police Officer and Two Members of Latin Kings Street Gang Sentenced in Indiana for Racketeering Conspiracy and Related Crimes

A former Chicago police officer and two members of the Latin Kings street gang were sentenced to prison today in Hammond, Ind., federal court for racketeering conspiracy and related crimes.



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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Testifies Before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary

There is, I am convinced, no higher honor nor greater privilege than to serve one’s fellow citizens. Four years ago, this Committee endorsed and the Senate confirmed my nomination to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Division.




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Sixth Former Roxbury Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty, Admits Assault of Inmate and Cover-up Conspiracy

A former correctional officer at Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI) in Hagerstown, Md., yesterday pleaded guilty to assaulting an inmate and conspiring with other officers to cover up that assault.



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ISTA Pharmaceuticals Inc. Pleads Guilty to Federal Felony Charges; Will Pay $33.5 Million to Resolve Criminal Liability and False Claims Act Allegations

Pharmaceutical company ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. pled guilty earlier today to conspiracy to introduce a misbranded drug into interstate commerce and conspiracy to pay illegal remuneration in violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute.



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Attorney General Holder and USCIS Director Welcome New Citizens at Justice Department Building Swearing in Ceremony

Attorney General Eric Holder delivered keynote remarks after U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas administered the Oath of Allegiance to 70 new citizens today during a special naturalization ceremony at the Department of Justice’s Great Hall.



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One of the World’s Largest Digital Currency Companies and Seven of Its Principals and Employees Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with Running Alleged $6 Billion Money Laundering Scheme

Liberty Reserve, a company that operated one of the world’s most widely used digital currency services, and seven of its principals and employees were charged with money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.



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