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Justice Department Reaches Multiple Settlements with Health Care Providers to Stop Discrimination Against Persons with Hearing Disabilities

The Justice Department announced today that, as part of its Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, over the past year it has reached seven settlements with eight health care providers from across the United States to ensure that they are providing effective communication to people who are deaf or have hearing disabilities.



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Two Former Roxbury Correctional Officers Plead Guilty in Connection with Assault of an Inmate

Walter Scott Steele, a former correctional officer at Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI), and Lanny Harris, a former correction sergeant at RCI in Hagerstown, Md., pleaded guilty today in relation to assaults against an inmate on March 9, 2008.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the 15th Annual National Action Network Convention

"I promised them I would never forget – just as I know you have not forgotten. On this, of all nights, let us dedicate ourselves, as Dr. King would expect us to do, to this new struggle," said Attorney General Holder.




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International Credit Card Trafficker Sentenced to 88 Months in Prison

Vladislav Anatolievich Horohorin, aka “BadB,” was sentenced today to serve 88 months in prison for trafficking in millions of stolen credit and debit cards and for his role in the theft of more than $9 million dollars from an Atlanta-based credit card processor.



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Miami-Based Health Care Clinic and Its Owners and Operators Sentenced for $50 Million Fraud Scheme

The owners and operators of Biscayne Milieu, a Miami-based mental-health clinic, and the clinic itself were sentenced today for their participation in a Medicare fraud scheme involving the submission of more than $50 million in fraudulent billings to Medicare.



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Four Former Executives of Lufthansa Subsidiary Bizjet Charged with Foreign Bribery

Charges were unsealed today against four former executives of BizJet International Sales and Support Inc., the U.S.-based subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik AG, which provides aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, for their alleged participation in a scheme to pay bribes to government officials in Latin America.



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Chinese Business Executive Convicted for Illegal Trade in Rhino Horn

Shusen Wei, 45, a citizen of China, pleaded guilty today in Miami federal court to charges stemming from his involvement in the smuggling of a carved rhinoceros horn from the United States to China.



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District Court Enters Permanent Injunction Against Houston-Based Producer of Egg Rolls and Other Foods

U.S. District Court Judge Melinda Harmon entered an order of permanent injunction against Chung’s Products LP, a Houston-based producer of egg rolls and other foods, Charlie A. Kujawa, Chung’s president of operations, and Gregory S. Birdsell, Chung’s former director of quality assurance.



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U.S. Obtains Permanent Injunction Against New York Dietary Supplement Firm’s Operations

U.S. District Court Judge Joseph F. Bianco entered a consent decree of permanent injunction between the United States, Kabco Pharmaceuticals Inc. and its CEO and President Abu Kabir.



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Justice Department Requires Divestiture in Merger of Ecolab Inc. and Permian Mud Service Inc.

The Department of Justice has reached a settlement that will require Ecolab Inc. and Permian Mud Service Inc. to divest assets used by Permian’s subsidiary, Champion Technologies Inc., to provide production chemical management services in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico in order to proceed with their proposed merger.



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Former Federal Fugitive Pleads Guilty in California to Massive Fraud and Identity Theft Scheme in Connection with Nationwide Foreclosure Scam

A former Los Angeles resident, who fled to Canada and was a federal fugitive for 12 years, pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft and bankruptcy fraud in connection with leading a nearly 15-year foreclosure-rescue scam that fraudulently postponed foreclosure sales for more than 800 distressed homeowners.



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Founder and President of Labor Union Sentenced to 76 Months for Stealing from Union’s Treasury and Pension Fund

The founder and president of the National Association of Special Police and Security Officers (NASPSO) was sentenced to 76 months in prison today for stealing union treasury and pension funds.



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Justice Department Challenges Joint Contracting on Behalf of South Dakota Chiropractors

The U.S. Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement with Chiropractic Associates Ltd. of South Dakota (CASD), an association comprising approximately 80 percent of all practicing chiropractors in South Dakota. The settlement prohibits CASD from jointly determining prices and negotiating contracts with insurers on behalf of competing chiropractors.



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Justice Department Highlights Tax Division’s Enforcement Results

With the annual tax filing deadline approaching on April 15, the Justice Department today announced highlights of its work during the past year to defend and enforce the nation’s tax laws



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New Jersey Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Corruptly Endeavoring to Obstruct the IRS and Preparing False Tax Return

Eric Majette, 52, a tax return preparer and owner and operator of the Berrisford Group, located in Somerville, N.J., pleaded guilty today to corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue laws and to preparing a false tax return.



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Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Property Management Company

The Justice Department today reached an agreement with Milestone Management Company, a nationwide residential property management firm headquartered in Dallas, resolving claims that the staffing company violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.



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Former Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Indicted in Texas for Role in Records Falsification Scheme

A former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) special agent in charge and another special agent were indicted in the Southern District of Texas late yesterday for their roles in a scheme to falsify records and to obstruct an internal field office inspection.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the White House Gun Safety Event

"I recognize, as you do, that there’s no single prescription for addressing these challenges and confronting their underlying causes. But I also know that those whose lives have been impacted by gun violence – the victims and the survivors – are depending on us," said Attorney General Holder.




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Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Accountable Care Organization Working Group Issues Summary of Activities

The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission issued a joint summary of the activities of the Accountable Care Organization Working Group, which took place between October 2011 and March 31, 2013.



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Justice Department Settles Race and National Origin Lawsuit Against Lee County, Florida

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement with Lee County, Fla. that, if approved by the district court, will resolve allegations that the county discriminated against three Hispanic employees on the basis of race and national origin in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.



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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Mo’ Money Taxes Return-Preparation Firm and Its Owners

The United States has filed a civil injunction lawsuit seeking to shut down Mo’ Money Taxes, a Memphis, Tenn., based tax-preparation chain that at one time operated as many as 300 offices in 18 states.



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Department of Justice FY 2014 Budget Request

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that President Obama’s FY 2014 Budget proposal totaling $27.6 billion for the Department of Justice identifies over $561.4 million in efficiencies, savings and rescissions while providing resources to increase critical national security programs, and uphold the department’s traditional missions with an increased focus on gun safety, cyber security, financial and mortgage fraud, immigration laws, civil rights, prisons and detention capacity, and assistance for our state, local and tribal law enforcement partners.



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Federal Court Shuts Down Louisiana Tax Return Preparer

A federal court in Baton Rouge, La. permanently barred Ann Williams and her tax preparation firm, Ann’s Tax Service, from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Fifty-Seven Charged with Operating Illegal Online Sports Gaming Business

Thirty-four individuals and 23 entities have been indicted and accused of operating an illegal sports bookmaking business that solicited more than $1 billion in illegal bets.



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Member of Internet Piracy Group “IMAGiNE” Sentenced in Virginia to 23 Months in Prison for Criminal Copyright Conspiracy

A member of the Internet piracy group “IMAGiNE” was sentenced today to serve 23 months in prison.



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Assistant Attorney General for Administration Lee J. Lofthus Testifies Before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations

"The Department of Justice continuously and rigorously seeks ways to operate more efficiently and cost effectively, so that our funds are available for the critical national security and law enforcement activities that impact the Nation," said Assistant Attorney General Lofthus.




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Assistant Attorney General for the Tax Division Kathryn Keneally Testifies Before the Senate Special Committee on Aging

"The prosecution of SIRF crimes is a national priority, and, together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to look for the most effective ways to bring this conduct to an end and to punish these wrongdoers," said Assistant Attorney General Keneally.




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Former Army Soldier Indicted on Bribery and Related Charges for Facilitating Thefts of Fuel in Afghanistan

Stephanie Charboneau, aka Stephanie Shankel, 34, of Fountain, Colo., formerly a Specialist in the United States Army, has been indicted in the District of Colorado for her alleged role in assisting the thefts of fuel in Afghanistan and laundering the proceeds of crime.



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Former Regional Director of Federal Protective Service Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes from Government Contractor

Derek Matthews, 46, of Harwood, Md., pleaded guilty today to accepting bribes from a government contracting company in exchange for using his position to help the company find and win contracts.



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Canadian Citizen Pleads Guilty in Connection with Costa Rica-Based Business Opportunity Fraud Ventures

Kerry Michael Deevy pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami to 13 counts of an indictment pending against him, including one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, and nine counts of wire fraud.



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Former New Jersey Resident Convicted of Preparing False Tax Return

Ashraf Hassan-Gouda, a former resident of Mays Landing, N.J., pleaded guilty to one count of assisting in the preparation of a false federal individual income tax return.



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Antitrust Division Issues 2013 Edition of Its Annual Newsletter

The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division today issued the 2013 edition of its annual newsletter on its website.



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Director of Human Rights Enforcement Strategy and Policy for the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section Eli M. Rosenbaum Speaks at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s 2013 Days of Remembrance

"For more than three decades now, my colleagues and I at the United States Department of Justice have been deeply privileged to pursue justice on behalf of Jewish victims of the Holocaust and also on behalf of victims of Nazi crimes committed against other groups," said Director Rosenbaum.




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Statement of Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer on Changes to Antitrust Division’s Carve-Out Practice Regarding Corporate Plea Agreements

Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division issued the following statement today on changes to the division’s carve-out practice regarding corporate plea agreements.



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Justice Department and Council of State Governments Identify States Cutting Correction Costs While Reducing Recidivism and Improving Safety

The Department of Justice and the Council of State Governments (CSG) highlight 17 states that have cut corrections costs while reducing recidivism and improving public safety. With funding from the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), staff from the CSG Justice Center – in partnership with the Pew Center on the States – worked with lawmakers, policymakers, and a wide range of justice system professionals and stakeholders from each state to identify crime and corrections trends and formulate strategies that would save money and improve safety.



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Arizona Businessmen and California Attorney Convicted for Hiding Millions in Secret Foreign Bank Accounts at UBS AG and Pictet & Cie

A jury convicted Stephen M. Kerr and Michael Quiel yesterday on federal tax charges stemming from their failure to disclose secret offshore bank accounts in Switzerland.



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North Carolina Man Charged in Odometer Tampering Scheme

In an information made public today, the United States charged Francis Marimo, of Raleigh, N.C., with two counts of odometer tampering.



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California Businesswoman Agrees to Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Conceal Israeli Bank Accounts

Guity Kashfi of Los Angeles, was charged today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California with conspiracy to defraud the United States.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Quarterly Meeting of the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

"Today, I am firmly committed – as I know everyone here is committed – to keep the promises we’ve made to the American people, and especially to survivors and victims’ families in communities like Newtown," said Attorney General Holder.




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Justice Department Sues to Permanently Enjoin Florida Tax Return Preparer

The Justice Department filed suit today asking the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida to permanently bar Osvaldo J. Diaz from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Justice Department Sues to Stop South Carolina Tax Return Preparers

The United States has asked a federal court in Charleston, S.C., to permanently bar Stacy Middleton of Charleston, and George Jenkins of Blythewood, S.C., from preparing federal income tax returns for others.



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Obstruction Charges Filed in Ongoing FCPA Investigation into Alleged Guinean Mining Rights Bribe Scheme

Frederic Cilins, 50, a French citizen, has been arrested and accused of attempting to obstruct an ongoing investigation into whether a mining company paid bribes to win lucrative mining rights in the Republic of Guinea.



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Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty in Pennsylvania to Prison Murder

A federal inmate pleaded guilty today for the violent murder of a fellow inmate in Pennsylvania’s Allenwood Correctional Complex.



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Parker Drilling Company Resolves FCPA Investigation and Agrees to Pay $11.76 Million Penalty

Parker Drilling Company, a publicly listed drilling-services company, headquartered in Houston, has agreed to pay an $11.76 million penalty to resolve charges related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for authorizing payment to an intermediary, knowing that the payment would be used to corruptly influence the decisions of a Nigerian government panel reviewing Parker Drilling’s adherence to Nigerian customs and tax laws.



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Northern California Real Estate Investor Agrees to Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging at Public Foreclosure Auctions

A Northern California real estate investor has agreed to plead guilty for his role in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California.



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Foreign Bribery Charges Unsealed Against Current and Former Executives of French Power Company

Charges have been unsealed against one current and one former executive of the U.S. subsidiary of a French power and transportation company for their alleged participation in a scheme to pay bribes to foreign government officials.



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Eight Current or Former Macon State Prison Officers Charged in Conspiracy to Assault Inmates

Deputy Warden James Hinton and seven former members of the Correctional Emergency Response Team at Macon State Prison in Oglethorpe, Ga., were charged with federal civil rights, conspiracy or obstruction offenses arising out of incidents in which inmates were allegedly assaulted by officers in order to punish the inmates for prior misconduct.



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Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the Ongoing Investigation into Explosions in Boston

The Attorney General released the following statement today on the ongoing investigation into the explosions in Boston.



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U.K. Resident Extradited on Charges He Traveled to Ohio to Have Sex with a Juvenile

Richard Castle, 46, a resident of the United Kingdom, has been extradited to the United States where he faces charges of coercion of a minor, travelling with intent to engage in illicit sexual contact with a minor, and transferring obscene material to minors.



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Court Approves Plan to Provide Comprehensive Services to ELL Students in Denver Public Schools

Today, a federal court in Denver approved a comprehensive consent decree between the Department of Justice, the Congress of Hispanic Educators (CHE), and the Denver Public Schools (DPS) that requires DPS to provide language services to the more than 28,000 English Language Learner (ELL) students enrolled in the district’s 170 schools.



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