ted United States Resettles Four Uighur Detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Bermuda By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 08:17:35 EDT Four detainees, Chinese nationals of Uighur ethnicity who had been held at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, have been resettled in Bermuda. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Defense Department Official Indicted on Espionage, False Statement Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:10:35 EDT A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia has indicted James Wilbur Fondren Jr., on one count of conspiracy to communicate classified information to an agent of a foreign government and act as an illegal foreign agent; four counts of unlawfully communicating classified information to an agent of a foreign government; and three counts of making false statements to the FBI. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Two Individuals Indicted for Trafficking Counterfeit Gaming Machines and Computer Programs By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:52:02 EDT Rodolfo Rodriguez Cabrera, 43, a Cuban national, and Henry Mantilla, 35, of Cape Coral, Fla., have been charged in a scheme to produce and sell counterfeit International Game Technology (IGT)-brand video gaming machines, commonly known as slot machines, and counterfeit IGT computer programs. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted United States Transfers Two Guantanamo Detainees to Foreign Nations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:53:39 EDT The Department today announced that one national of Iraq and one national of Chad have been transferred from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to their home countries. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Shark Fins Dealer Pleads Guilty to Illegally Dealing in Fins from Protected Species By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:44:38 EDT Mark L. Harrison, a resident of Southport, Fla., and Harrison International LLC, a Florida corporation, today pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Atlanta to violating the Lacey Act, a federal fish and wildlife trafficking law, by dealing in shark fins, the landing of which was not reported as required by law. In addition, Mark Harrison pleaded guilty to a second charge related to his attempted export of shark fins of species that are prohibited to harvest under laws of the state of Florida. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted United States Transfers Three Guantanamo Detainees to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:37:15 EDT Three Saudi nationals were transferred today from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under appropriate security measures. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Two Baltimore Businessmen Indicted for Conspiring to Rig Bids at Maryland Tax Lien Auctions By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:04:04 EDT Two Baltimore businessmen were indicted today for conspiring to rig bids at tax lien auctions in Maryland for more than five years. The one-count felony indictment filed today in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore alleges that Harvey M. Nusbaum and his business partner, Jack W. Stollof, participated in a conspiracy to rig bids in tax lien auctions conducted by the city of Baltimore and various counties in the state of Maryland beginning in or around the Spring of 2002 and continuing until at least Aug. 9, 2007. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Honolulu Man and Woman Indicted on Federal Sex Trafficking Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:02:07 EDT A federal grand jury in the District of Hawaii has indicted Rodney D. King, 43, and Sharon-Mae Nishimura, 30, both of Honolulu, on multiple counts of federal sex trafficking of adult women and minor female victims. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Former Military Contractor Convicted of Participating in Scheme to Steal Large Quantities of Fuel from U.S. Army in Afghanistan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:31:18 EDT Raschad L. "Sean" Lewis, a former fuel section employee of Kellogg Brown and Root Inc. (KBR), assigned to Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury of conspiracy, false writing, bribery of a public official, and false claims stemming from a bribery and a fuel diversion scheme. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted New York Man Indicted for Clean Air Act Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:04:17 EDT A federal grand jury in the Western District of New York, has returned an indictment charging Keith Gordon-Smith, owner of an asbestos removal company, with numerous violations of the Clean Air Act, submitting false statements and obstruction of justice. The charges stem from allegations that Gordon-Smith directed and caused illegal asbestos removal at several sites in the Rochester, N.Y., area, and hid the illegal asbestos removal from federal agencies. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Two Military Officials Plead Guilty to Bribery, Fraud and Conspiracy Related to Defense Contracts in Afghanistan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:02:15 EDT Two U.S. military officials pleaded guilty to various bribery, fraud and conspiracy charges relating to Department of Defense (DOD) contracts in Afghanistan. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Washington State Police Officer Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:03:35 EDT A two-count federal grand jury indictment returned against Karl F. Thompson Jr., a Spokane, Wash., police officer, was unsealed today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted United States Settles Claims Alleging Bid Rigging Conspiracy with Two German Moving Companies By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:48:02 EDT The United States has settled with two German moving companies relating to allegations of bid rigging in violation of the False Claims Act. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Federal Court Enjoins Las Vegas Man Whose Tax-fraud Scheme Is Estimated to Have Cost Treasury $31 Million By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:33:53 EDT A federal court has permanently enjoined Reinhold Sommerstedt, a Las Vegas-based promoter of a sham trust tax scam. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Florida Man Indicted in Connection with Fraudulent Vending Machine Business Opportunity Venture By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:33:06 EDT A Tampa federal grand jury has charged a Florida man with criminal contempt of a federal court order in connection with the operation of a fraudulent vending machine business opportunity. The criminal charges form part of the governments continued nationwide crackdown on business opportunity fraud. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Former Memphis, Tennessee, Police Officer Convicted of Civil Rights Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:23:03 EDT Carlton Moore, formerly an officer with the Memphis Police Department, pleaded guilty on Thursday in federal court in Memphis, Tenn., to three counts of violating civil rights for stealing money from motorists while acting under color of law. Moore faces up to three years in prison. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Phoenix Asphalt Paver Convicted of Tax Evasion By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:30:57 EDT John D. Stacey, a resident of Phoenix, was convicted today of income tax evasion, corrupt interference with the due administration of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and multiple counts of fraudulent use of a social security number. A federal jury convicted Stacey of all counts of the indictment following a three week trial before Judge Neil V. Wake in Phoenix. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Retired Military Official Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Conspiracy Related to Defense Contracts in Afghanistan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 15:53:32 EDT A retired U.S. military official pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges relating to Department of Defense (DOD) contracts in Afghanistan. According to the plea agreement, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago today, First Lieutenant Robert Moore (Ret.) pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribery charges. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted United States Settles False Claims Act Allegations Against National Home Builder and Mortgage Lender By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 15:44:56 EDT Beazer Homes USA Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $5 million dollars, plus contingent payments of up to $48 million dollars to be shared with victimized private homeowners, to resolve allegations that it, and Beazer Mortgage Corp., were involved in fraudulent mortgage origination activities in connection with federally insured mortgages. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Highland Park, Michigan, Police Officer Indicted on Civil Rights Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 9 Jul 2009 16:44:14 EDT Brenda Stevenson, an officer with the city of Highland Park, Mich., Police Department, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Detroit on charges of using unlawful and excessive force and making a false statement to an FBI agent. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Little Rock, Arkansas, Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Sex Trafficking and Related Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:23:50 EDT Everett Cooney waived indictment and pleaded guilty in court in Little Rock, Ark., to a federal charge of sex trafficking an underage female. Chief U.S. District Judge J. Leon Holmes accepted Cooneys guilty plea. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted United States, UBS and Switzerland Request Stay in Court Proceedings By www.justice.gov Published On :: Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:47:46 EDT The Department of Justice, UBS and the Swiss government have requested a stay with a rescheduled hearing date of Aug. 3, 2009, in the proceedings for enforcement of the summons ordering UBS to turn over records of account holders. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Four Members of Casino-Cheating Criminal Enterprise Sentenced for Targeting Casinos in the United States and Canada By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:47:46 EDT George Michael Lee, Duc Cong Nguyen, Hop Nguyen and Tien Duc Vu were sentenced today in San Diego for their roles in a scheme by the "Tran Organization" to cheat casinos across the United States and Canada. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Ship Captain and Chief Officer Plead Guilty to Crimes Related to Pollution from Cargo Ship Traveling to New Orleans By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:15:22 EDT A Greek citizen, Panagiotis Lekkas, the captain of the bulk cargo ship the M/V Theotokos, pleaded guilty today to four felony counts in federal court in New Orleans for violating anti-pollution laws, ship safety laws and obstructing a U.S. Coast Guard investigation. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Former Boeing Engineer Convicted of Economic Espionage in Theft of Space Shuttle Secrets for China By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:59:39 EDT A former Rockwell and Boeing engineer from Orange County, Calif., was remanded into custody this morning after a federal judge convicted him of charges of economic espionage and acting as an agent of the Peoples Republic of China, for whom he stole restricted technology and Boeing trade secrets, including information related to the Space Shuttle program and Delta IV rocket. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Tampa Bay Doctor Agrees to Pay United States $1.7 Million to Resolve Medicare Fraud Allegations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:48:30 EDT Dr. Gabriel DeCandido, a physician practicing internal medicine in Largo, Fla., has agreed to pay the United States $1.7 million to settle allegations that he defrauded the Medicare program. In a complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, United States ex rel. Michael Flanery v. Dr. Gabriel DeCandido, et al., the United States alleged that Dr. DeCandido violated the False Claims Act by billing the Medicare program for higher levels of service than he actually rendered to patients and by billing for services not provided. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Alleged Mexican Cartel Leaders, Associates Targeted in Newest Effort to Combat Drug Trafficking Organizations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:13:41 EDT Today the Departments of Justice, State and Treasury announced coordinated actions against the Gulf Cartel/Los Zetas drug trafficking organization, now known as the "Company," in the latest in a series of efforts by the U.S. government to neutralize and dismantle this violent cartel. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted East St. Louis Police Department Officer Indicted on Civil Rights and False Statement Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:48:02 EDT Antonio McWherter, a police officer in the East St. Louis, Ill., Police Department, was charged today in a two-count federal indictment stemming from a January 2006 incident in which the officer allegedly punched a handcuffed arrestee in the mouth. The indictment charges McWherter with a felony civil rights violation and with making false statements to the FBI. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Indiana Man Convicted of Transporting and Possessing Child Pornography By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:35:34 EDT William Travis Brown, 39, of Sellersburg, Ind., was convicted today by a federal jury in Indianapolis of transporting and possessing child pornography. Brown was charged on July 8, 2009, in an amended indictment with one count of transportation and one count of possession of child pornography. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Two Idaho Men Convicted for Federal Hate Crime Assault By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:28:57 EDT Michael Bullard and Richard Armstrong were convicted yesterday by a jury in Boise, Idaho, on federal hate crime and conspiracy charges in connection with the racially-motivated assault of an African American man outside of a Wal-Mart store in July 2008. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Used Motor Vehicle Dealers Indicted by Federal Grand Jury in Casper, Wyoming for Odometer Tampering By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:24:38 EDT A federal grand jury in Casper, Wyo., Thursday returned an indictment charging Randy Lee (a/k/a Jimmy Lee) and Jay Lee (a/k/a John Marks, a/k/a Anthony Romero) of Cheyenne, Wyo., with odometer tampering, title fraud, securities fraud, mail fraud and conspiracy to commit these offenses. The indictment alleges that the defendants worked as used car dealers at Lee’s RV’s, Inc., a dealership in Cheyenne. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Texas Man Arrested and Charged in Child Pornography Case By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:19:17 EDT Mark Edwin Cairnes, 51, of Jonestown, Texas, has been charged with advertising, receiving and possessing child pornography. A grand jury in the Western District of Texas returned the indictment against Cairnes on July 21, 2009, which was unsealed today after his arrest yesterday in Jonestown. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Contracting Officer’s Niece Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Money Laundering Investigation Related to Bribe Payments By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:20:53 EDT The niece of a U.S. Army major pleaded guilty today for her role in a conspiracy to cover up her uncle’s role in accepting more than $9 million in bribes as a contracting officer in Kuwait. Nyree Pettaway, 37, of Houston, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to one count of conspiring with her uncle, John C. Cockerham, Carolyn Blake (her aunt and Cockerham’s sister) and others, to obstruct the investigation of money laundering related to Cockerham’s receipt of bribes. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Federal Corrections Officer Convicted of Civil Rights Charges Related to Fatal Assault By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:42:49 EDT A federal jury in Orlando, Fla, found Erin Sharma, a Bureau of Prisons corrections officer, guilty today on felony federal civil rights charges related to a fatal assault on an inmate in March 2005. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Third Crewmember Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to Pollution from Cargo Ship By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:02:23 EDT A Greek citizen who oversaw the engineering department on board a Dominica-flagged bulk cargo ship pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in New Orleans for violating environmental laws designed to prevent pollution from ships and making false statements to the U.S. Coast Guard. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Massachusetts Man Convicted on Child Pornography Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:33:36 EDT Johnny Pires, 24, of Middleboro, Mass., was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston of attempting to receive child pornography and possessing child pornography. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted British Citizen Arrested in Connection with Costa Rica-based Business Opportunity Fraud Ventures By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:20:06 EDT A British citizen charged in connection with the operation of a series of fraudulent business opportunities was arrested Thursday evening in Miami following his indictment by a Miami federal grand jury on June 9, 2009. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Former Border Patrol Agent Sentenced for Attempting to Receive Protected Leopard Tortoises By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 12:16:34 EDT Rene Soliz of Alice, Texas, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Corpus Christi, Texas, to serve three years of supervised probation, 250 hours of community service and pay a $1,500 fine for violating the Lacey Act by attempting to receive 15 Tanzanian leopard tortoises that were transported into the United States. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Justice Department Seeks to Bar Couple’s “Asset-protection” Scheme Allegedly Operated from Florida and Bahamas By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 15:50:22 EDT The United States has filed a lawsuit to bar a married couple’s alleged nationwide tax fraud scheme involving so-called asset protection. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Former Congressman William J. Jefferson Convicted of Bribery, Racketeering, Money Laundering and Other Related Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 19:21:48 EDT A federal jury today convicted former United States Congressman William J. Jefferson, 62, of New Orleans, La., of using his office to corruptly solicit bribes. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Oregon Man Indicted for Dumping Hazardous Waste By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 16:10:58 EDT Dennis Beetham and his company, D.B. Western Inc., have been indicted on both federal and state charges alleging that he illegally dumped hazardous and other industrial waste in Crook County, Ore. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Federal Judge Sentences Defendants Who Perpetrated $10.9 Million Medicare Fraud HIV Infusion Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 7 Aug 2009 16:20:04 EDT Miami physician Keith Russell, 65, and physician’s assistant Jorge Luis Pacheco, 50, were each sentenced to 97 months in prison, and physician’s assistant Eda Marietta Milanes, 43, was sentenced to 63 months in prison, for their roles in fraud schemes that involved billing Medicare for $10,903,509 worth of unnecessary HIV infusion treatments. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Former Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Convicted of Stealing Large Amounts of Fuel from U.S. Army in Iraq By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:54:15 EDT Robert Jeffery, 55, was convicted today by a federal jury in Alexandria, Va., for his role in a scheme to steal fuel worth approximately $39.6 million from the U.S. Army in Iraq. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Boeing Company to Pay U.S. $25 Million to Resolve Allegations Related to Defective Work on KC-10 Aerial Refueling Aircraft By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:26:26 EDT The Boeing Company will pay the United States $25 million to resolve allegations that the company performed defective work on the entire KC-10 Extender fleet. The KC-10 Extender is a mainstay of the Air Force’s aerial refueling fleet in the Iraq and Afghanistan war theaters. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Dynamics Research Corporation to Pay $15 Million to Resolve Allegations of Kickbacks and False Claims Related to Air Force Contracts By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:54:17 EDT Dynamics Research Corporation (DRC), a defense contractor based in Andover, Mass., has agreed to pay the United States $15 million plus interest to settle allegations that two of its former executives engaged in a fraudulent kickback scheme in connection with two technical services contracts with the Air Force. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Former Tamimi Global Executive Convicted of Witness Tampering Following Reinstatement of Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:58:33 EDT Mohammad Shabbir Khan, the former director of operations in Kuwait and Iraq for Tamimi Global Company, a Saudi Arabian company, has been convicted of witness tampering and conspiracy to commit witness tampering. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Four Puerto Rico Police Officers Convicted of Federal Civil Rights Charges Related to Fatal Assault By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:29:17 EDT A federal jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico, found four San Juan Municipal Police Officers guilty today of felony federal civil rights charges related to the fatal beating of Jose Antonio Rivera Robles. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Pipeline Firms to Pay $3.65 Million to Settle Claims Related to 2004 Ammonia Spills in Nebraska and Kansas By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:53:52 EDT A pipeline company and two of its former operating firms will jointly pay a civil penalty of $3.65 million to resolve violations of the Clean Water Act resulting from anhydrous ammonia spills in Nebraska and Kansas, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today. The spills which occurred in 2004 resulted in significant fish kills in surrounding waterways. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Alleged International Hacker Indicted for Massive Attack on U.S. Retail and Banking Networks By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:48:04 EDT Albert Gonzalez, 28, of Miami, Fla., was indicted today for conspiring to hack into computer networks supporting major American retail and financial organizations, and stealing data relating to more than 130 million credit and debit cards. Among the corporate victims named in the indictment are Heartland Payment Systems, a New Jersey-based card payment processor; 7-Eleven Inc., a Texas-based nationwide convenience store chain; and Hannaford Brothers Co. Inc., a Maine-based supermarket chain. Full Article OPA Press Releases
ted Former Taiwanese Executive Indicted in Color Display Tube Price-Fixing Conspiracy By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:52:41 EDT A federal grand jury in San Francisco has returned an indictment against a former executive of a large Taiwanese color display tube (CDT) manufacturing company for participating in a global conspiracy to fix prices of CDTs, a type of cathode ray tube used in computer monitors and other specialized applications. Full Article OPA Press Releases