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Former Florida Salesperson Sentenced to Jail for Tax Fraud Conspiracy

Dr. Ellen Meredith Stubenhaus, previously of Lake Worth, Fla., and later an expatriate living in Costa Rica, was sentenced to 60 months in prison today by U.S. District Judge M. Casey Rodgers in Tallahassee, Fla., the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Stubenhaus, who was extradited from Costa Rica to the United States in September 2011, had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. In addition to her jail sentence, Stubenhaus was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $373,549 to the IRS.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Barrio Azteca Leader Sentenced to Life in Prison and Two Barrio Azteca Soldiers Sentenced to 20 and 30 Years in Prison

A leader and two soldiers in the Barrio Azteca (BA), a transnational border gang allied with the Juarez Cartel were sentenced in El Paso, Texas, to life, 30 and 20 years in prison, respectively.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Three Albuquerque Men Indicted on Federal Civil Rights and Obstruction Charges

A federal grand jury in Albuquerque has issued a seven-count indictment charging three corrections officers at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) with various crimes related to the assault of an inmate housed at MDC on Dec. 21, 2011, and subsequent attempts to cover up and impede the investigation of the assault.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Barrio Azteca Leader Extradited from Mexico to United States to Face Charges Related to the U.S. Consulate Murders in Juarez, Mexico

An alleged leader of the Barrio Azteca (BA), a transnational border gang allied with the Juarez Cartel, was extradited from Mexico to the United States to face charges related to the March 2010 U.S. Consulate murders in Juarez, Mexico.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Second Owner of Houston-area Home Health Care Agency Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Role in $5.2 Million Medicare Fraud

The former co-owner of a Houston-area home health care company was sentenced in Houston to 108 months in prison for his participation in a $5.2 million Medicare fraud scheme, announced the Department of Justice, the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).



  • OPA Press Releases

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Man Sentenced to 71 Months for South Florida Tax Conspiracy

Elmo Antonio George was sentenced today to 71 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and for filing false tax returns, the Justice Department and IRS announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Arizona-based Nextcare Inc. to Pay US $10 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

NextCare Inc., an Arizona-based company, has agreed to pay $10 million to settle federal and state allegations that it submitted false claims, the Justice Department announced today. NextCare is an owner of a chain of urgent care facilities with locations in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Two Former Soldiers Sentenced for Their Participation in Fraud Scheme to Obtain $244,000 in Military Recruiting Referral Bonuses

Christopher Castro, 31, of San Antonio, Texas, and Ernest Gonzales, 51, also of San Antonio, were sentenced for their participation in a conspiracy to obtain approximately $244,000 in fraudulent recruiting referral bonuses from various U.S. military components and their contractor.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Georgia Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring with Other Officers to Assault and Injure Inmates

Willie Redden, 24, of Albany, Ga., a former member of the Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) at Macon State Prison in Oglethorpe, Ga., pleaded guilty today to conspiring with other correctional officers to violate the civil rights of inmates in 2010.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Florida Man Convicted in Child Pornography Case

James E. Price III, 42, of Plantation, Fla., was convicted on June 29, 2012, by a federal jury on one count each of distribution and possession of child pornography.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Asheville, North Carolina, Resident Pleads Guilty to Participating in $63 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Serena Joslin, 31, a Licensed Psychological Associate, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga in Miami to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Louis Dreyfus Energy Services Pays $4 Million to Resolve Allegations That It Violated the False Claims Act

Louis Dreyfus Energy Services has paid the United States $4,084,000 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to pay money owed on natural gas acquired from the Department of the Interior, the Justice Department announced today. Louis Dreyfus, which is based in Connecticut, is an energy company that is involved in merchandising, transportation, trading and storage of natural gas.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Alabama Woman Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud

Wanda Davis pleaded guilty in the Middle District of Alabama today to one count of filing a false tax return, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Department of Justice Will Not Challenge Proposed Collaboration of Nuclear Power Plant Operators

The Department of Justice today announced that it will not challenge a proposal by seven nuclear power plant operators to share resources and coordinate best practices and other operational activities through a proposed venture to be named the STARS Alliance LLC.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Corpus Christi, Texas, Police Department for Sex Discrimination

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the city of Corpus Christi, Texas, alleging that the city’s police department engaged in a pattern or practice of employment discrimination against women in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Alabama Woman Pleads Guilty in Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud Case

Jacqueline Slaton pleaded guilty today in the Middle District of Alabama to one count of filing a false tax return and one count of aggravated identity theft, the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

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CEO of Axius Inc. and Finance Professional Indicted for Alleged Roles in Scheme to Bribe Stock Brokers and Manipulate Stock Prices

The chief executive officer (CEO) of Axius Inc., a Nevada corporation, and a finance professional were indicted today on multiple charges for their alleged roles in a scheme to bribe stock brokers and manipulate the share price of Axius stock.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Council of La Raza Annual Conference

"For my colleagues – and for me – our civil rights enforcement efforts are, and will remain, a top priority. And under the leadership of my good friend, and your good friend, Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez – I’m proud to report that the Department’s civil rights enforcement efforts have never been stronger or more effective," said Attorney General Holder.




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Five Individuals Charged in Connection with Death of a Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol Agent, $1 Million FBI Reward Announced

An indictment charging five individuals involved in the death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was unsealed today in Tucson, and a reward of up to $1 million from the FBI for information leading to the arrest of four fugitives, was announced by Department of Justice officials.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Regarding Alleged Violation of Us Army Reservist’s Reemployment Rights

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement in its lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PDOC).



  • OPA Press Releases

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Telecommunications Firm to Pay Us $1 Million to Settle Alleged Violations of the Trade Agreements Act

ADC Telecommunications Inc. will pay the United States $1 million to resolve allegations that the company submitted false claims to federal agencies when it sold telecommunications goods manufactured in countries prohibited by the Trade Agreements Act (TAA).



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Civilian Contractor Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Role in Scheme to Steal and Sell Military Equipment in Iraq

A former U.S. civilian contractor was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for conspiring to steal military generators in Iraq and selling them on the black market.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Two Individuals Sentenced to Prison for Participating in Kickback Scheme at New York Presbyterian Hospital

Two individuals and three corporations were sentenced in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan by Judge George B. Daniels today to serve time in prison and to pay criminal fines for their participation in an eight-year conspiracy involving kickbacks in excess of $2.3 million to defraud New York Presbyterian Hospital.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the NAACP Annual Convention

"In short, it is time – yet again – to put our energy and skills to good use – in advocating for the most vulnerable members of society; in protecting the liberty – and the sacred rights – of every single person in this country; in safeguarding the basic infrastructure of our democracy; in ensuring economic and educational opportunities for all of our countrymen – and women; and in carrying forward the fundamental and inclusive ideals upon which this country was founded, and which continue to drive our pursuit of a more perfect Union," said Attorney General Holder.




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Justice Department Files Complaint Against Two Texas State Agencies for Pay Discrimination

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Agriculture and Texas General Land Office alleging that both state agencies are liable for discrimination against three female employees on the basis of sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, which occurred at Texas Department of Rural Affairs.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Files Complaint Alleging Retaliation by Robertson Fire Protection District in Missouri

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the Robertson Fire Protection District in North Saint Louis County, Mo., for unfairly retaliating against a firefighter who provided testimony against the RFPD, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Owner of Insulation Service Company Pleads Guilty to Million Dollar Bid-Rigging and Fraud Conspiracies at New York City Hospital

The owner of a former New York City insulation service company pleaded guilty today to a three-count indictment charging him with conspiring to rig bids on contracts for re-insulation services to New York Presbyterian Hospital, conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and filing a false tax return.



  • OPA Press Releases

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New York Member of the Internet Piracy Group “IMAGiNE” Pleads Guilty to Copyright Infringement Conspiracy

A New York man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to willfully reproduce and distribute tens of thousands of infringing copies of copyrighted works without permission, including infringing copies of movies before they were commercially released on DVD.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division Joseph F. Wayland Testifies Before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee

"In our system, antitrust and intellectual property policy function together to provide consumers with high-quality products and services at competitive prices, while at the same time preserving strong incentives for the innovation that creates and improves those products," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wayland.




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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Wells Fargo Resulting in More Than $175 Million in Relief for Homeowners to Resolve Fair Lending Claims

The Department of Justice today filed the second largest fair lending settlement in the department’s history to resolve allegations that Wells Fargo Bank, the largest residential home mortgage originator in the United States, engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers in its mortgage lending from 2004 through 2009.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former New Mexico Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violations of Inmate

Sylvester Bruce, 44, a former corrections officer with Navajo Nation’s Shiprock Detention Center (SDC) in Shiprock, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court on charges related to the sexual abuse of an inmate during the summer and fall of 2010. Specifically, Bruce pleaded guilty to one count of violating the civil rights of the victim when he touched her breasts against her will. Bruce also pleaded guilty to making material false statements to the FBI when he denied taking pictures of inmates inside the cells of the SDC.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Police Officer of Puerto Rico Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Role in Providing Security for Drug Transactions

A former police officer of Puerto Rico was sentenced today in San Juan to 40 years in prison for his role in providing security for drug transactions, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Joseph S. Campbell of the FBI’s San Juan Division.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Speaks at the Wells Fargo Press Conference

"At the core of the complaint is a simple story. If you were African-American or Latino, you were more likely to be placed in a subprime loan or pay more for your mortgage loan, even though you were qualified and deserved better treatment. This is a case about real people-African American and Latino- who suffered real harm as a result of Wells Fargo’s discriminatory lending practices," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.




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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the Wells Fargo Press Conference

"Today, the Department of Justice reached a significant settlement – totaling at least $175 million – with Wells Fargo Bank, the nation’s largest originator of residential home mortgages. This settlement constitutes the second-largest fair lending settlement ever reached by the Department," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the Ceremony for the Cultural Repatriation of Peruvian Antiquities

"The recovery and repatriation of lost and stolen art to its rightful owner – whether to a private citizen or to a foreign government (as in this case) showcases what can be achieved when law enforcement partners from around the globe work together to do the right thing for all involved," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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Two Indicted for Alleged Efforts to Supply Iran with U.S.-Materials for Gas Centrifuges to Enrich Uranium

A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia has returned a superseding indictment charging Parviz Khaki, a citizen of Iran, and Zongcheng Yi, a resident of China, for their alleged efforts to obtain and illegally export to Iran U.S.-origin materials that can be used to construct, operate and maintain gas centrifuges to enrich uranium, including maraging steel, aluminum alloys, mass spectrometers, vacuum pumps and other items.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Hazardous Waste Generators Agree to $56.4 Million Cleanup of Former Texas City, Texas, Waste Disposal Site

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today an agreement with over three dozen companies and government agencies that will result in a $56.4 million cleanup of the “Malone Services Company” Superfund Site in Texas City, Texas, a former waste-disposal site near the shore of Galveston Bay.



  • OPA Press Releases

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National President, National Vice President and 39 Members and Associates of the Devils Diciples Motorcycle Gang Indicted

An indictment unsealed today in the Eastern District of Michigan charges 41 members and associates of the Devils Diciples Motorcycle Gang, including National President Jeff Garvin Smith and National Vice President Paul Anthony Darrah, for their alleged participation in a variety of criminal offenses.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Rehabilitation Agency Owner in Detroit Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Role in $3 Million Therapy Fraud Scheme

Detroit-area resident Tariq Mahmud, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn in the Eastern District of Michigan.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Alabama Businessman, Lobbyist and Legislator Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Wide-Ranging Conspiracy to Influence and Corrupt Activities of Alabama State Legislature

Three individuals, including Alabama businessman Ronald Gilley, lobbyist Jarrod Massey and former Alabama state representative Terry Spicer were sentenced to prison today in Montgomery, Ala., for bribery-related offenses.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Readout of Attorney General Eric Holder’s Meeting and MoU Signing with Malaysian Minister for Home Affairs

Attorney General Eric Holder and Malaysian Minister for Home Affairs Datuk Seri Hishammuddin bin Tun Hussein met today, during the Attorney General’s official visit to Malaysia, to discuss transnational crime, terrorism and other areas of mutual law enforcement cooperation.



  • OPA Press Releases

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U.S. and Tennessee Announce Clean Water Act Agreement with the City of Chattanooga

The Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General announced today a comprehensive Clean Water Act settlement with the city of Chattanooga, Tenn.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Settles with State of Nevada to Enforce Employment Rights of Returning Army Reservist

The settlement in this case represents the largest recovery the Civil Rights Division has obtained on behalf of a returning service member since 2004, when it assumed jurisdiction for the enforcement of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

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The Nordam Group Inc. Resolves Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Violations and Agrees to Pay $2 Million Penalty

NORDAM Group Inc., a provider of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services based in Tulsa, Okla., has entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice to pay a $2 million penalty to resolve violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former New York Employee of a Financial Institution Pleads Guilty for His Role in Fraud Conspiracy Involving Municipal Bonds

A former financial institution employee pleaded guilty today for his participation in a conspiracy related to municipal bonds.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Requiring Rutherford County, Tenn., to Allow Mosque to Open in City of Murfreesboro

The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a federal lawsuit against Rutherford County, Tenn., alleging that the county violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) when, in compliance with a state chancery court ruling, it refused to process or issue a certificate of occupancy to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro for a recently constructed mosque. The department’s complaint states that a certificate of occupancy is needed immediately so that the Islamic Center can hold worship services at the new facility during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which begins at sundown on July 19.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former CFO of North Carolina Assisted Living Facility Chain Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud Conspiracy

Michael R. Elliott, former chief financial officer of Caremerica Inc., pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Justice Department and IRS announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Hacker Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Role in Two Hacking Schemes Involving a Total of More Than 240,000 Stolen Credit Card Numbers

Aleksandr Suvorov, of Estonia, was sentenced today to seven years in prison for his role in two separate hacking schemes involving a total of more than 240,000 stolen credit card numbers.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Maine Resident Charged and Arrested for Allegedly Engaging in Cyber “Sextortion” of New Hampshire Victim

John Bryan Villegas, 21, of Kittery, Maine, was arrested yesterday and made his initial appearance today in federal court in New Hampshire.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Obtains $855,000 Judgment Against Cincinnati Landlord for Sexually Harassing His Tenants

Cincinnati landlord Henry E. Bailey agreed to the entry of an $855,000 civil judgment against him, after admitting that he violated the Fair Housing Act as alleged in a complaint filed by the Justice Department in federal court.



  • OPA Press Releases