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Departments of Justice and Housing and Urban Development Release New Guidance on “Design and Construction” Requirements Under the Fair Housing Act

New guidance released today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Justice reinforces the Fair Housing Act requirement that multifamily housing be designed and constructed so as to be accessible to persons with disabilities.



  • OPA Press Releases

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New York Woman Sentenced for Scheme to Defraud Consumer Product Manufacturers

A New York woman was sentenced to 19 months in prison today for her role in a scheme to defraud consumer product manufacturers.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Federal Court in California Shuts Down Tax Preparer

A federal court in Los Angeles has entered an order permanently barring John Trunzo from preparing federal income tax returns and other tax-related documents for others.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics

"As my colleagues and I work to advance these and other critical efforts, we will continue to benefit from the example set by leaders like Attorney General Levi – and to remain true to the values he instilled," said Attorney General Holder.




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Montana Hospitals Agree to Pay $3.95 Million to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act and Stark Law Violations

St. Vincent Healthcare, a hospital located in Billings, Mont., and Holy Rosary Healthcare, a hospital located in Miles City, Mont., have agreed to pay $3.95 million plus interest to resolve allegations that they violated the Stark Law and the False Claims Act by improperly providing incentive pay to physicians that made referrals to the hospitals.



  • OPA Press Releases

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

A former executive of the U.S. subsidiary of a French power and transportation company was charged in a superseding indictment for his alleged participation in a scheme to pay bribes to foreign government officials.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Texas State Parole Officer Sentenced for Taking Bribes from Assigned Parolee

A former Texas state parole officer was sentenced to 20 months in prison today for taking bribes from one of her assigned parolees in exchange for not reporting his parole violations.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Three Men Arrested in Connection with Boston Marathon Bombing Investigation

Three men were arrested and charged today in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings investigation.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Department of Justice’s Law Day Commemoration

"This is our time – to fulfill the mission, and hold true to the values, that have always defined this Department – not by winning cases or securing convictions, but by seeing that justice is done," said Attorney General Holder.




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Virginia Teen, Charged as Adult, Sentenced for Church Arson

Jean-Claude Bridges pleaded guilty earlier this year to deliberately setting a church on fire and was sentenced this morning in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Danville, Va.



  • OPA Press Releases

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United States Files False Claims Act Lawsuit Against the Largest For-Profit Hospice Chain in the United States

The United States has filed suit against Chemed Corporation and various wholly owned hospice subsidiaries, including Vitas Hospice Services LLC and Vitas Healthcare Corporation, alleging false Medicare billings for hospice services.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys 2013 Annual Conference

"We know this work is not easy. But we also know that so many elder Americans are depending on us – especially those who are among the most vulnerable; who so often cannot speak for themselves – they are depending on us to do this work and to do it well. And I know we will not let them down," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.




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Federal Court in California Shuts Down Tax Preparer

A federal court in Los Angeles has entered an order permanently barring Simon Jenkins from preparing federal income tax returns and other tax-related documents for others.



  • OPA Press Releases

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International Cybercriminal Extradited from Thailand to the United States

Algerian national Hamza Bendelladj, aka “Bx1,” has been extradited from Thailand to the United States to face charges in Atlanta for allegedly playing a critical role in developing, marketing, distributing and controlling “SpyEye,” a pernicious computer virus designed to steal unsuspecting victims’ financial and personally identifying information.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Expands Its Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative with Settlement with Burke Health and Rehabilitation Center in Burke, Virginia

The Justice Department announced today that, as part of its Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, it has reached a settlement agreement with another health care provider, Medical Facilities of America XXIX Limited Partnership, t/a Burke Health and Rehabilitation Center in Burke, Va., to ensure that they provide effective communication to people who are deaf or have hearing loss.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Leader of $29.1 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme Pleads Guilty in Detroit

The mastermind of a $29.1 million Medicare fraud scheme involving approximately 30 purported medical clinics pleaded guilty today in Detroit for his role in the scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Consultant for Willbros International Sentenced in Connection with Foreign Bribery Scheme

A former consultant for Willbros International Inc. (Willbros International), a subsidiary of Houston-based Willbros Group Inc. (Willbros), was sentenced today for his role in a conspiracy to pay more than $6 million in bribes to government officials of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and officials from a Nigerian political party.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder to Participate in Quintet Meeting of Attorneys General

Attorney General Eric Holder is traveling to Auckland, New Zealand, for the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Quintet of Attorneys General of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Adventist Health Pays United States and State of California $14.1 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

Adventist Health System/West, dba Adventist Health, and its affiliated hospital White Memorial Medical Center have agreed to pay the United States and the state of California $14.1 million to settle claims that they violated the False Claims Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department to Monitor Elections in Mississippi and South Carolina

The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor elections on May 7, 2013, in the towns of Clarksdale, Como and Ruleville, Miss., and in Charleston County, S.C., to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Patient Recruiter of Miami Home Health Company Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Role in $20 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A patient recruiter for a Miami health care company was sentenced today to serve 37 months in prison for his participation in a $20 million Medicare fraud scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the University of Auckland

"As we look toward the future of this work, I’m confident that we’ll be able to continue building on the record of achievement that’s been established – so long as we remain committed to working together," said Attorney General Holder.




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Las Vegas Mortgage Agent Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Role in Mortgage Fraud Scheme

A Las Vegas mortgage agent was sentenced late yesterday to serve 15 months in prison for her participation in a mortgage fraud scheme that netted more than $1.2 million in fraudulent mortgage loans.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Nationwide Sweep by U.S. Marshals Puts 345 Dangerous Sex Offenders Behind Bars

Today the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) concluded Operation Guardian, a three-year, national initiative specifically targeting the country’s most dangerous noncompliant sex offenders. Deputy Marshals and law enforcement partners arrested 345 individuals who had failed to register with state authorities as required by law.



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Health Care Clinic Director Pleads Guilty in Miami for Role in $63 Million Fraud Scheme

A former health care clinic director and licensed clinical psychologist pleaded guilty today in connection with a health care fraud scheme involving defunct health provider Health Care Solutions Network Inc. (HCSN).



  • OPA Press Releases

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Romanian National Pleads Guilty to Participating in Multi-Million Dollar Scheme to Steal Payment Card Data from Hundreds of U.S. Merchants

A Romanian national pleaded guilty today to participating in an international, multimillion-dollar scheme to remotely hack into and steal payment card data from hundreds of U.S. merchants’ computers.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Two U.S. Broker-dealer Employees and Venezuelan Government Official Charged for Massive International Bribery Scheme

Two employees of a U.S. broker-dealer and a senior official in Venezuela’s state economic development bank have been charged in New York’s federal court for their alleged roles in a massive international bribery scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Department of Justice Reaches Settlement to Resolve Complaints of Religious Harassment at Charter School in DeKalb County, Georgia

The Justice Department reached a settlement agreement today with DeKalb County, Ga., school district to resolve the department’s investigation into allegations of religious and national origin harassment of a Sikh middle school student.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Medical Doctor Pleads Guilty in Washington, D.C. to Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct with Minors in Kenya

A former medical doctor pleaded guilty today in Washington, D.C., to engaging in illicit sexual conduct in Kenya.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Internet Installer Sentenced for Hijacking Customer’s Internet to Perpetrate Identity Theft Tax Scheme

Corey Thompson was sentenced today to serve 30 months in prison for his involvement in a sophisticated stolen identity refund fraud conspiracy.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Puerto Rico Man Will Face Life in Prison for Killing a Federal Witness

Xavier Jiménez-Benceví, aka “Xavi,” 28, faces life in prison following his conviction of murdering Delia Sánchez-Sánchez, a federal witness on a drug trafficking case.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Assistant Attorney General Ignacia S. Moreno Announces Departure from Department of Justice

Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General of the Environment and Natural Resources Division, announced today that she will be leaving the Department of Justice on June 7, 2013.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Golden Corral Restaurant for Violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act

The Department of Justice announced today the settlement of its lawsuit against the Golden Corral restaurant in Westland, Mich., which alleged that the owners and operators of the Golden Corral violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying service to a mother and her minor children based on the appearance of the children’s skin due to a genetic skin disorder.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Georgia Men Plead Guilty to Receiving Bribes in Transportation Scheme at Local Military Base

Two former employees at the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany (MCLB-Albany) have pleaded guilty to receiving bribes related to a scheme to funnel freight hauling business to a local transportation company resulting in the loss of millions of dollars to the United States government.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Milwaukee Man Indicted on Sex Trafficking and Forced Labor

The Department of Justice today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Milwaukee has indicted Najee C. Moore, 22, on charges of conspiracy, sex trafficking and attempted forced labor, of both minor and adult victims.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Wilcox County, Georgia, Sheriff and Others Sentenced for Assaulting Inmate

Today, the Justice Department announced that former Sheriff of Wilcox County, Ga., Stacy Bloodsworth was sentenced to 10 years in prison for assaulting an inmate inside the Wilcox County Jail and for conspiring to cover up the assault.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Clinic Owners Sentenced for Roles in $13.3 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Miami residents Raymond Arias, 42, and his wife, Emelitza Arias, 25, have been sentenced in Detroit to 100 months and 12 months in prison, respectively, for their participation in a $13.3 million Medicare fraud scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Northern California Real Estate Investor Indicted on Additional Charge

A federal grand jury in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento today returned a superseding indictment charging Andrew B. Katakis, of Danville, Calif., with obstruction of justice related to a federal investigation into conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions held in San Joaquin County, Calif.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Announces Fair Housing Settlement with Oregon Developer

The Justice Department announced today that Oregon developer David Montagne and others affiliated with him have agreed to pay $80,000 and remove accessibility barriers at Gateway Village, a 275 unit apartment complex in Salem, Oregon, to settle a lawsuit alleging that they had violated the Fair Housing Act by building the complex with steps and other features that made it inaccessible to persons with disabilities.



  • OPA Press Releases

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U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Jenny A. Durkan Testifies Before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism

"The Department’s approach to 21st Century cyber threats is rooted in three interests: 1) deterring, disrupting, and dismantling the threat; 2) holding bad actors accountable; and 3) protecting our national security, economic interests, and individual privacy," said U.S. Attorney Durkan.




d

Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Missouri Tax Return Preparers

The United States has asked a federal court in St. Louis, Mo., to permanently bar Joseph Burns, d/b/a Electronic Tax Service, Joseph Thomas and International Tax Service Inc. (Thomas’s business), from preparing federal tax returns for others.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Departments of Justice and Education Reach Settlement to Address and Prevent Sexual Assault and Harassment of Students at the University of Montana in Missoula

The Department of Justice and the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights obtained a comprehensive resolution agreement today with the University of Montana-Missoula in Missoula, Mont., to ensure that it responds swiftly and effectively to allegations of sexual assault and harassment by students.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Middle School Employee Sentenced in Texas to 30 Years in Prison for Producing and Distributing Child Pornography

A Texas man was sentenced today to serve 30 years in prison for producing and distributing material relating to the sexual exploitation of children.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former President of Port Arthur Company Guilty of Federal Crimes Related to Employee Deaths

The former president of Port Arthur Chemical and Environmental Services, LLC (PACES) has pleaded guilty in federal court to occupational safety crimes which resulted in the death of an employee.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Stewart County, Georgia, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with Stewart County, Ga., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Senior Executive of Arthrocare Corp. Pleads Guilty in $400 Million Securities Fraud Scheme

A former senior executive of Texas-based ArthroCare Corp., a publicly traded medical device company, pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to defraud the company’s shareholders and members of the investing public by falsely inflating ArthroCare’s earnings.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Deputy Chief of Staff for the Criminal Division Daniel Suleiman Delivers Remarks to the Minnesota State Bar Association’s 37th Annual International Business Law Institute

It is Justice Department policy that no FCPA prosecution can be brought without authorization from the Criminal Division, which distinguishes FCPA prosecutions from most other kinds of federal criminal cases.




d

Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Roy L. Austin Jr. Speaks at the Press Conference on the Agreements with the University of Montana

"We have covered extraordinary ground in the last year—not only concluding a comprehensive investigation of the University’s response to sexual assault, but also reaching two agreements to remedy the problems we found— this would not have been possible without the cooperation and dedication that the University demonstrated throughout," said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Austin.




d

Justice Department to Monitor Elections in Texas

The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor municipal elections on May 11, 2013, in the cities of Corrigan, Farmers Branch, Irving and Orange, Texas, to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965.



  • OPA Press Releases

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St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana Agrees to $2.5 Million Settlement to Resolve Housing Discrimination Lawsuits

The Justice Department announced today that St. Bernard Parish, La., has agreed to a settlement valued at more than $2.5 million to resolve separate lawsuits by the United States and private plaintiffs alleging that the parish sought to restrict rental housing to African Americans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.



  • OPA Press Releases