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Department of Justice Announces 48 States and Territories Have Committed to Ending Prison Rape

Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Justice Programs Mary Lou Leary announced today that the vast majority of U.S. states and territories have informed the Department of Justice that they intend to take steps to reduce sexual assaults in prisons, in accordance with federal law.



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Minnesota-Based Medtronic Inc. to Pay $9.9 Million to Resolve Claims That Company Paid Kickbacks to Physicians

Medtronic Inc., of Fridley, Minnesota, has agreed to pay the United States $9.9 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that the company used various types of payments to induce physicians to implant pacemakers and defibrillators manufactured and sold by Medtronic.



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Deputy Attorney General James Cole Speaks at Press Conference Updating States’ Efforts to Comply with Prison Rape Elimination Act

"These [PREA] standards, like the law mandating them, are intended to address a serious public safety, public health and human rights problem – the incidence of sexual violence in our nation’s confinement facilities."




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Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mary Lou Leary Speaks at Press Conference Updating States’ Efforts to Comply with Prison Rape Elimination Act

"It’s clear that our nation will no longer tolerate sexual violence in our prisons, jails and juvenile detention centers – and that’s something we should all be proud of."




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Government Files Complaint Against CA Inc. for False Claims on GSA Contract

The government has filed a complaint against CA Inc. (CA) for violations of the False Claims Act in connection with a General Services Administration (GSA) contract, the Justice Department announced today.



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Massachusetts Man Charged with Computer Hacking and Credit Card Theft

A Massachusetts man was charged today with allegedly hacking into computer networks around the country – including networks belonging to law enforcement agencies, a local police department and a local college – to obtain highly sensitive law enforcement data and alter academic records.



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Iowa Company and Top Executives Plead Guilty in Connection with Distribution of Adulterated Eggs

Quality Egg LLC (Quality Egg), Austin “Jack” DeCoster and Peter DeCoster pleaded guilty today in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, in connection with the distribution of adulterated eggs in interstate commerce.



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Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission Announce Agenda for June 23, 2014, Joint Agency Workshop on Conditional Pricing Practices

The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have issued the agenda for their joint public workshop, which will be held on June 23, 2014, to explore the economic and legal analysis of conditional pricing practices among firms in a supply chain.



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District Court Approves Selection of Arnaldo Claudio as Technical Compliance Advisor to Oversee Critical Reforms of Puerto Rico Police Department

Today, U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí approved the selection of Arnaldo Claudio to serve as Technical Compliance Advisor (TCA), overseeing the implementation of sweeping civil rights reforms under the Agreement for Sustainable Reform of the Puerto Rico Police Department.



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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Testifies Before the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

"We support the USA Freedom Act as an effective means of addressing some of the concerns that have been raised about the impact of our intelligence collection activities on privacy while preserving the authorities we need for national security," said Deputy Attorney General Cooe.




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Justice Department and CNCS Announce New Partnership to Enhance Immigration Courts and Provide Critical Legal Assistance to Unaccompanied Minors

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which administers AmeriCorps, and the Department of Justice today announced “justice AmeriCorps,” a strategic partnership to increase national service opportunities while enhancing the effective and efficient adjudication of immigration proceedings involving certain children who have crossed the U.S. border without a parent or legal guardian.



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Owner of New York Construction Companies Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud

Eric Anderson, of Dix Hills, New York, pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to the willful failure to collect and pay over employment taxes, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced



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Justice Department Urges U.S. Sentencing Commission to Make Certain Individuals Incarcerated for Drug Offenses Retroactively Eligible for Reduced Sentences

Attorney General Eric Holder announced Tuesday that the Justice Department would formally support a proposal under consideration by the U.S. Sentencing Commission to allow certain individuals serving time in federal prison for nonviolent drug offenses to be eligible for reduced sentences.



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Advisory Committee on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence Holds Final Public Hearing

The Advisory Committee of the Attorney General’s Task Force on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence convenes its final public hearing in Anchorage, Alaska, today and tomorrow



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Associate Attorney Tony West Speaks at the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence Hearing

"We have come to Anchorage to lessen the number of suffering children. We come to continue the important work we began six months ago when this Advisory Committee held its first hearing in Bismarck," said Associate Attorney General West




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Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Commercial Cleaning Systems

The Justice Department reached an agreement today with Commercial Cleaning Systems, a janitorial services company with headquarters in Denver. The agreement resolves claims that the company discriminated against work-authorized non-U.S. citizens in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)



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Former Ku Klux Klan Officer Pleads Guilty to Committing Perjury During Investigation into Cross-Burning

Pamela Morris, former secretary of a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in Ozark, Alabama, pleaded guilty today to committing perjury during a grand jury’s investigation into a racially motivated cross-burning in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama



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Credit Repair Company Agrees to Pay $400,000 Civil Penalty and Halt Illegal Credit Repair Practices

The Justice Department’s Civil Division announced today that RMCN Credit Services Inc. (RMCN), of McKinney, Texas, and the Texas residents who own it, Doug and Julie Parker, have agreed to settle a federal court case charging them with falsely disputing negative information on consumers’ credit reports and collecting illegal upfront fees from customers



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Webb County Commissioner Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Official Actions

Kristopher Michael Montemayor, a county commissioner for Precinct 1 of the Webb County Commissioners Court in Texas, pleaded guilty to bribery today



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Owners of Two Houston-Area Home Health Care Companies, Doctor, and Hospital Employee Sentenced for Their Roles in $3 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Owners of two home health agencies, a doctor, and a hospital employee who sold patient information were all sentenced today for their roles in an $3 million Medicare fraud scheme



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Owner of Home Health Company Pleads Guilty to Role in $6.5 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

The owner and operator of Nestor’s Health Services, Inc. (Nestor HH), a now-defunct Miami home health care agency, pleaded guilty today in connection with a $6.5 million health care fraud scheme



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168 Juveniles Recovered in Nationwide Operation Targeting Commercial Child Sex Trafficking

During the past week, the FBI, its local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) conducted Operation Cross Country VIII, a week-long enforcement action to address commercial child sex trafficking throughout the United States



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Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Computer Hacking and Credit Card Theft

A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today to hacking into computer networks around the country – including networks belonging to law enforcement agencies, a local police department and a local college – to obtain highly sensitive law enforcement data and alter academic records



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Former Chesapeake, Virginia Subcontractor Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Bribery

Roderic J. Smith, 50, the co-founder and former president of a government contracting company, was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiracy to bribe public officials. Smith was ordered to forfeit $175,000



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Nation’s Largest Nursing Home Pharmacy Company to Pay $124 Million to Settle Allegations Involving False Billings to Federal Health Care Programs

Omnicare Inc., the nation’s largest provider of pharmaceuticals and pharmacy services to nursing homes, has agreed to pay $124.24 million for allegedly offering improper financial incentives to skilled nursing facilities in return for their continued selection of Omnicare to supply drugs to elderly Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, the Justice Department announced today



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California Operators of Myredbook.com Website Arrested for Facilitating Prostitution and Money Laundering

Eric Omuro, of Mountain View, California, a.k.a “Red,” was arrested today following his indictment by a federal grand jury on charges involving the use of the mail and the Internet to facilitate prostitution, and multiple counts of money laundering



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Alaska Attorney Pleads Guilty to Failing to File Income Tax Returns

Paul D. Stockler pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court in Anchorage, Alaska, to three counts of willful failure to file income tax returns, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced



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Justice Department Sues Los Angeles Pharmaceutical Company Over Feminine Health Drug Products

The Department of Justice today announced the filing of a civil lawsuit against Laclede Inc. and its president, Michael A. Pellico, seeking to stop the distribution of over-the-counter vaginal drug products that the company makes and sells nationwide



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U.S. Files Complaint and Consent Decree Against Mira Health and Senior Officers

The United States has filed a complaint and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York has entered a consent decree against Mira Health Ltd. (Mira), its chief operating officer, Michael S. Ragno Sr., and its quality assurance manager, Michael S. Ragno Jr., all of Farmingdale, New York



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Virginia-Based Move Management Company Pays More Than $500,000 to Settle Overbilling Claims in Connection with Transportation of Personal Property in Relocating Federal Employees

RE/MAX Allegiance Relocation Services, a Virginia-based move management company, has agreed to pay the government $509,807 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by overbilling for transportation services, the Department of Justice announced today



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U.S. Branch of Canadian Company to Pay $2.5 Million Penalty for Shreveport, La., Wastewater Plant

Houston-based CCS (USA) Inc. and several of its operating subsidiaries will pay a $2.5 million civil penalty relating to operations at its Shreveport, Louisiana, industrial wastewater treatment plant, the Department of Justice, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state of Louisiana announced today. The settlement will resolve violations of the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and the hazardous waste law known as RCRA



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Four patient recruiters pleaded guilty in connection with a $20 million health care fraud scheme involving Trust Care Health Services Inc. (Trust Care), a defunct home health care company

Jose Rodrigo Arechiga-Gamboa, also known as “Chino Antrax,” was formally extradited to the United States by the Netherlands today



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Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Attorney General Holder at the Community Relations Service 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Ceremony

"We must recommit ourselves to the legacies of visionary leaders and courageous citizens who made the passage of the Civil Rights Act, and the creation of this agency, possible. And we must resolve to keep moving forward together – as one nation and one people – driven by the needs that remain unfulfilled, determined to transcend the barriers that still divide us, and dedicated to the enduring promise of equal justice under law."




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Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell Testifies Before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism

"The computers of American citizens and businesses are, as we speak, under attack by individual hackers and organized criminal groups using state-of-the-art techniques seemingly drawn straight from a science fiction movie," said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell




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Former Executive of French Power Company Subsidiary Pleads Guilty in Connection with Foreign Bribery Scheme

A former senior executive of a subsidiary of Alstom SA, the French power and transportation company, pleaded guilty today for his participation in a scheme to pay bribes to foreign government officials



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Testimony by Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Before the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Job Creation and Regulatory Affairs Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

We recognize the Committee’s interest in this matter. We share that interest and are conducting a thorough and complete investigation and analysis of the allegations of targeting by the IRS. While I know you are frustrated by the fact that I cannot at this time disclose any specifics about the investigation, I do pledge to you that when our investigation is completed, we will provide Congress with detailed information about the facts we uncovered and the conclusions we reached in this matter




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Statement by Attorney General Holder on Sentencing Commission Vote Approving Retroactivity of Sentence Reductions for Drug Offenses

Attorney General Eric Holder today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Sentencing Commission vote approving retroactivity of sentence reductions for drug offenses



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Former Senior Executive of Qualcomm Pleads Guilty to Insider Trading and Money Laundering

Jing Wang, 51, the former Executive Vice President and President of Global Business Operations for Qualcomm Inc., today pleaded guilty to insider trading in shares of Qualcomm and Atheros Communications Inc. Wang also pleaded guilty to laundering the proceeds of his insider trading using an offshore shell company



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United States Intervenes in Whistleblower Suit Against Symantec Corporation Alleging False Claims for Computer Software

The United States has intervened in a law suit against Symantec Corporation, alleging that Symantec submitted false claims to the United States on a General Services Administration (GSA) software contract, the Justice Department announced today



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Owner and Administrator of Miami Home Health Companies Pleads Guilty for Role in $74 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A Miami resident who owned a home health care company and was the administrator of another home health care company pleaded guilty today for her participation in a $74 million Medicare fraud scheme



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Attorney General Holder Speaks at Unveiling of United States Marshals Service 225th Anniversary Commemorative Coin

In honor of these brave public servants – and in order to preserve, perpetuate, and promote the Marshals Service’s singular history – it my privilege today to unveil three commemorative coins. These coins were commissioned by an act of Congress. And they will be struck by the U.S. Mint.




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Former U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command Manager Sentenced for Receiving Bribes

Kenny E. Toy, 54, the former Afloat Programs Manager at the United States Navy Military Sealift Command, was sentenced today to serve 96 months in prison for receiving bribes



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Alleging Sex Discrimination Against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State Police

The Justice Department announced the filing of a lawsuit today against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State Police, alleging that the defendants are engaged in a pattern or practice of employment discrimination against women in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the lawsuit challenges the state police’s use of two physical fitness tests to screen and select entry-level state troopers



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Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission Extend Public Comment Period for Workshop on Conditional Pricing Practices

The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have extended the deadline for submitting comments on their recent Conditional Pricing Practices Workshop from Aug. 22, 2014, to Sept. 22, 2014



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Former Employee of a U.S. Construction Company Working in Afghanistan Pleads Guilty to Receiving Illegal Kickback

A former project manager of a U.S. construction company working on U.S. government contracts in Afghanistan who solicited a $60,000 kickback from an Afghan subcontractor pleaded guilty today in federal court in Tucson, Arizona



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Louisiana State Bond Commission Agrees to Settlement to Resolve Housing Discrimination Lawsuit

The Justice Department announced today that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has approved its settlement with the Louisiana State Bond Commission resolving the department’s housing discrimination lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that the commission violated the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act by adopting a moratorium on affordable housing financing in 2009. The moratorium blocked financing for a proposed 40-unit affordable housing project known as the “Esplanade.” Twenty of these units would provide permanent supportive housing to persons with disabilities



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Hewlett-Packard Company Agrees to Pay $32.5 Million for Alleged Overbilling of the U.S. Postal Service

The Justice Department announced today that Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) has agreed to pay $32.5 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that HP overcharged the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for products between October 2001 and December 2010. HP is a manufacturer and vendor of information technology products and services headquartered in Palo Alto, California



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Former Owner of Southern California Medical Supply Company Found Guilty for a 10-Year, $8.3 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

On July 31, 2014, a federal jury in Los Angeles found that the former owner of a durable medical equipment (DME) supply company located in Carson, California, was guilty of health care fraud charges relating a 10-year scheme in which Medicare was fraudulently billed more than $8 million for DME that was not medically necessary



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Community Health Systems Inc. to Pay $98.15 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

The Justice Department announced today that Community Health Systems Inc. (CHS), the nation’s largest operator of acute care hospitals, has agreed to pay $98.15 million to resolve multiple lawsuits alleging that the company knowingly billed government health care programs for inpatient services that should have been billed as outpatient or observation services. The settlement also resolves allegations that one of the company’s affiliated hospitals, Laredo Medical Center (LMC), improperly billed the Medicare program for certain inpatient procedures and for services rendered to patients referred in violation of the Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law. CHS is based in Franklin, Tennessee, and has 206 affiliated hospitals in 29 states



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Former Virginia Subcontractor Sentenced for Conspiracy to Bribe Officials at the United States Navy Military Sealift Command

A former employee of a government contracting company was sentenced today to 36 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to bribe public officials at the United States Navy Military Sealift Command in exchange for favorable treatment in connection with U.S. government contract work



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