in Largest Environmental Bankruptcy in U.S. History Will Result in Payment of $1.79 Billion Towards Environmental Cleanup & Restoration By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:36:10 EST As a result of the largest environmental bankruptcy in U.S. history, $1.79 billion has been paid to fund environmental cleanup and restoration under a bankruptcy reorganization of American Smelting and Refining Company LLC (ASARCO). Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Ft. Worth, Texas, Couple Charged with Holding Nigerian Woman in Domestic Servitude By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:20:13 EST A federal grand jury has indicted a Ft. Worth, Texas, husband and wife, Emmanuel and Ngozi Nnaji, on charges of engaging in a nine-year scheme to compel the labor of a Nigerian victim as their domestic servant. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Former DOD Contracting Officer Sentenced to 110 Months in Prison for Filing False Tax Returns By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:36:32 EST Tijani Ahmed Saani was also ordered to pay a $1.6 million fine and serve one year of supervised release following his prison term. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Police Officer Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:16:39 EST A federal grand jury in Providence, R.I., has indicted an officer with the Woonsocket Police Department, charging him with violating the civil rights of a 16 year-old juvenile by physically assaulting him, as well as obstruction of justice. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Statement by Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Joint Study on School Crime and Safety By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:40:59 EST “Eradicating youth violence is a priority of this administration and a priority of both these agencies," said Attorney General Holder and Education Secretary Duncan. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Physical Therapist, Money Launderer and Patient Recruiter Plead Guilty in Connection with Multiple Detroit Health Care Fraud Schemes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:10:53 EST Detroit-area residents Baskaran Thangarasan, Sandeep Aggarwal and Wayne Smith pleaded guilty this week for their roles in connection with several Detroit-area health care fraud schemes. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Former Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Participating in Scheme to Steal Large Quantities of Fuel from U.S. Army in Iraq By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:52:47 EST Robert Jeffery, 55, a former master chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy, was sentenced today to four years in prison for his participation in a scheme to steal approximately 10 million gallons of fuel from the U.S. Army in Iraq, announced Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Ninth Person Pleads Guilty to Illegally Accessing Confidential Passport Files By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:59:38 EST A ninth individual pleaded guilty today to illegally accessing numerous confidential passport application files, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division announced. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Attorney General Eric Holder at the Installation Ceremony for Assistant Attorneys General Laurie Robinson and Ronald Weich By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:54:31 EST "Laurie and Ron are not only valued colleagues, they are leaders in the Department and throughout this Administration," said Attorney General Holder. Full Article Speech
in Terrorism Defendants Sentenced in Atlanta By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:54:41 EST Ehsanul Islam Sadequee, 23, of Roswell, Ga., and Syed Haris Ahmed, 25, of Atlanta, were sentenced today in federal court following their convictions earlier this year in separate but related criminal trials. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Presidential Task Force on Controlled Unclassified Information Releases Report and Recommendations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:31:49 EST Attorney General Holder and Secretary Janet Napolitano announced two major steps in their efforts to implement reforms to enhance information sharing among federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies and safeguard sensitive information used by the government—designed to expand joint capabilities to protect the United States from terrorist activity, violent crime and other threats to the homeland. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Two Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Men and Four Police Officers Indicted for Hate Crime and Related Corruption By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:39:01 EST A federal grand jury has returned multiple indictments arising out of a fatal racially motivated beating and related police corruption in Shenandoah, Pa. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Los Angeles Area Tax Preparer Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Violating Injunction By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:07:00 EST James A. Mattatall of Torrance, Calif., was sentenced to six months in prison for violating a permanent injunction. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Medicare Fraud Strike Force Expands Operations into Brooklyn, N.Y.; Tampa, Fla.; and Baton Rouge, La. By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:16:05 EST Thirty people have been charged in three cities for their alleged roles in schemes to submit more than $61 million in false Medicare claims as part of the continuing operation of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Michigan Tax Preparers Permanently Barred from Preparing Returns for Others By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:18:57 EST Chief District Judge Paul L. Maloney has permanently barred Joyce M. Stone and Charles J. Freed, both of Tipton, Mich., from preparing income tax returns for others. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Former State Department Employee Sentenced for Illegally Accessing Confidential Passport Files By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:15:55 EST Karal Busch, 28, of District Heights, Md., was sentenced today to 24 months of probation for illegally accessing more than 65 confidential passport application files. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Virginia Resident Charged with Conspiring to Bribe Former Panamanian Government Officials for Maritime Contract By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:26:52 EST A federal grand jury has charged a Virginia Beach, Va., resident with conspiracy to pay bribes to former Panamanian government officials to secure maritime contracts. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, Christine Varney, Issues Statement on European Commission Microsoft Settlement By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:01:50 EST “The Antitrust Division commends the efforts of the European Commission and Microsoft Corporation, which have announced that they have reached a comprehensive settlement resolving their disputes under European competition law." Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Retired Army Major Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Role in Bribery Scheme Involving DOD Contracts in Kuwait By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:07:56 EST Christopher Murray pleaded guilty in January 2009 to four counts of bribery and one count of making a false statement. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Justice Department Reaches Americans with Disabilities Act Settlement with Intellitec Colleges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:35:26 EST The department announced a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Intellitec Colleges in Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, and Pueblo, Colo., to ensure access to its technical colleges for individuals with disabilities. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Credit Suisse Agrees to Forfeit $536 Million in Connection with Violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and New York State Law By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:13:03 EST The forfeiture is the largest ever entered against an entity for IEEPA violations. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Former Kansas Businessman Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Role in Scheme to Defraud Federal E-rate Program By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:51:55 EST Leonard Douglas “Doug” LaDuron also was ordered to pay $238,607 in restitution. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Attorney General Eric Holder at a Press Conference Announcing the Credit Suisse Resolution By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:15:10 EST "The U.S. financial system is built on trust and transparency. Our banks must know what payments they are processing and for whom. Credit Suisse’s decades-long scheme to flout the rules that govern our financial institutions robbed our system of the legitimacy that is fundamental to it success." Full Article Speech
in Guyanese National Charged with Smuggling Indian Nationals to the United States By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:05:14 EST Annita Devi Gerald, aka Annita Rampersad, 52, was charged in a nine-count indictment returned yesterday by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Texas. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Former FBI Contract Linguist Pleads Guilty to Leaking Classified Information to Blogger By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:08:13 EST Shamai Kedem Leibowitz, aka Samuel Shamai Leibowitz, 39, of Silver Spring, Md., pleaded guilty in federal court in Greenbelt, Md., to a one-count information charging him with knowingly and willfully disclosing to an unauthorized person five FBI documents classified at the "secret" level that contained classified information concerning the communication intelligence activities of the United States. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Texas Man Sentenced to 292 Months in Prison for Advertising and Possessing Child Pornography By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:54:49 EST Mark Edwin Cairnes, 51, was sentenced today to 292 months in prison and lifetime supervised release following his prison term for advertising and possessing child pornography. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Oklahoma Man Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Kickback Scheme Involving Government Contract in Afghanistan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:24:28 EST Bryan Lee Burrows admitted that he conspired with others to solicit kickbacks from private security vendors in return for favorable treatment for those potential bidders in connection with the award of a subcontract. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Roanoke, Virginia, Neo-Nazi Convicted for Threats, Witness Intimidation By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:36:23 EST William A. “Bill” White, the self-proclaimed commander of the neo-Nazi group the American National Socialist Workers Party, was convicted by a federal jury for threatening three individuals and for attempting to intimidate litigants in a federal housing discrimination lawsuit. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in United States Transfers 12 Guantanamo Bay Detainees to Afghanistan, Yemen and the Somaliland Region By www.justice.gov Published On :: Sun, 20 Dec 2009 09:33:55 EST These transfers were carried out under individual arrangements between the United States and relevant foreign authorities to ensure the transfers took place under appropriate security measures. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling to the Philippines for Sex Tourism By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:58:14 EST Donald Mathias of Davie, Fla., pleaded guilty today to engaging in sex tourism in the Philippines. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Two Former San Juan Municipal Police Officers Sentenced for Using Excessive Force Resulting in Death By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:57:14 EST Elias Perocier Morales received a sentence of 10 years in prison and Eliezer Rivera Gonzalez received a sentence of six and a half years in prison. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Indiana Man to Spend 42 Months in Prison for Cross Burning By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:25:59 EST This is the fourth Indiana man in two months to be sentenced to prison time for burning a cross. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Settlement Reached at Sutton Brook Disposal Area Superfund Site in Massachusetts By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:56:41 EST A settlement estimated worth more than $30 million will ensure that cleanup of the Sutton Brook Disposal Area Superfund Site in Tewksbury, Mass., will move forward, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection announced today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Visiting Physicians Association to Pay $9.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:58:22 EST Visiting Physicians Association, which is based in Farmington Hills, Mich., will pay the United States and the state of Michigan $9.5 million to settle allegations that the association violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare, TRICARE and the Michigan Medicaid program. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Attorney General Appoints Gary Grindler Acting Deputy Attorney General By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:57:20 EST “Gary is a great asset to the Department, and I am pleased he has agreed to take on this responsibility,” Attorney General Eric Holder said. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Justice Department to Participate in Community Integration Case in North Carolina By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:42:52 EST The Department filed a brief as a friend of the court in Marlo M., et al. v. Cansler, et al., a community integration case in federal court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Ohio Attorney Charged with Tax Fraud, Obstruction of Justice for Scheme to Hide Income and Assets Through Trusts and in Foreign Bank Account By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:04:05 EST Aristotle R. Matsa, an attorney in Columbus, Ohio, was charged with tax offenses, obstruction of justice and additional charges in a 20-count indictment unsealed today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Nashville, Tennessee, Woman Sentenced on Sex Trafficking Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:49:43 EST Cristina Andres Perfecto of Nashville, Tenn., was sentenced late yesterday in federal court in Memphis to 190 months in prison for sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, sex trafficking of a juvenile and conspiracy. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Nigerian National Charged with Attempting to Destroy Northwest Airlines Aircraft By www.justice.gov Published On :: Sat, 26 Dec 2009 15:55:47 EST A 23-year-old Nigerian man was charged in a federal criminal complaint today with attempting to destroy a Northwest Airlines aircraft on its final approach to Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Christmas Day, and with placing a destructive device on the aircraft. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Colorado-based Spectranetics Corporation to Pay $5 Million to Resolve Allegations Relating to Its Medical Devices By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:51:15 EST “The Department of Justice will be vigilant in pursuing cases against medical device companies that break the law and defraud taxpayers,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Major International Hacker Pleads Guilty for Massive Attack on U.S. Retail and Banking Networks By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:55:29 EST Albert Gonzalez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to the payment card networks operated by, among others, Heartland Payment Systems, 7-Eleven and Hannaford Brothers Co. Inc. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in UTStarcom Inc. Agrees to Pay $1.5 Million Penalty for Acts of Foreign Bribery in China By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:57:59 EST UTStarcom Inc. (UTSI) has entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice, agreeing to pay a $1.5 million fine for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by providing travel and other things of value to foreign officials, specifically employees at state-owned telecommunications firms in the People’s Republic of China. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Minnesota Hospital to Pay U.S. to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Involving Unnecessary Admissions By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 4 Jan 2010 15:52:10 EST Wheaton Community Hospital, the City of Wheaton, Minn. and Dr. Stanley Gallagher (collectively WCH) have agreed to pay $846,461 to settle allegations that their hospital admission practices violated the False Claims Act. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab Indicted for Attempted Bombing of Flight 253 on Christmas Day By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 6 Jan 2010 15:43:01 EST "Anyone we find responsible for this alleged attack will be brought to justice using every tool -- military or judicial -- available to our government.” Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison on Child Pornography Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 6 Jan 2010 18:30:36 EST Johnny Pires, 24, was sentenced today to five years in prison and five years of supervised release following his prison term for attempting to receive and possessing child pornography. Pires was also ordered to register as a sex offender. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Fact Sheet: Department of Justice Activities Focused on Addressing Abuses in Juvenile Facilities By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 10:27:27 EST The findings reported in the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) report, Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Facilities Reported by Youth, 2008-2009, bring into focus the dire circumstances that too many youth in juvenile correctional facilities have to endure. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Justice Department Files Six Lawsuits to Enjoin Preparation of Fraudulent Federal Income Tax Returns By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 14:37:06 EST The United States this week filed five civil injunction lawsuits in Detroit, Cincinnati and Chicago against several individuals and their tax preparation services. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Former Military Official Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Participation in Bribery Conspiracy Involving $206 Million Telecommunications Contract in Korea By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 13:56:41 EST A former Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) official was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Columbus, Ga., to three years in prison for his role in a bribery conspiracy involving a multi-million dollar telecommunications contract, and for not reporting the bribes he accepted on his income tax returns. Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Two Individuals Charged with Murder and Other Offenses Related to Shooting Death of Two Afghan Nationals in Kabul, Afghanistan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 15:08:33 EST Justin Cannon, 27, of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Christopher Drotleff, 29, of Virginia Beach, Va., have been charged with crimes including second-degree murder, attempted murder and firearms offenses while working as contractors for the U.S. Department of Defense in Afghanistan. Cannon and Drotleff were charged under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA). Full Article OPA Press Releases
in Justice Department Files Lawsuit Alleging New Jersey’s Written Civil Service Examination for Promotion to Police Sergeant Discriminates Against African-Americans and Hispanics By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 15:36:22 EST The Department filed a lawsuit against the state of New Jersey and the New Jersey Civil Service Commission alleging a pattern or practice of employment discrimination against African-Americans and Hispanics, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Full Article OPA Press Releases