Persons living around the CITGO refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas, who suffered immediate negative health effects from emissions from two large tanks at the facility that were operated between January 1994 and May 2003 in violation of the federal Clean Air Act, may be crime victims in United States v. CITGO Petroleum Corporation et al.
Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in seven cities have led to charges against 91 individuals – including doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals – for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $429.2 million in false billing.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered a consent decree between the United States and a company that operates fan club websites for popular recording artists such as Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, the Justice Department announced today. The government’s complaint, filed in connection with the decree, charges the company with violating both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule. The company has agreed to pay a $1 million penalty to settle these charges.
Specialist Stephanie Heller, 37, of Wharton, Texas, pleaded guilty to a two-count criminal information charging her with one count of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud.
Andrew Strempler, a Canadian citizen, pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of Florida for his role in a scheme to defraud consumers purchasing pharmaceuticals online, the Justice Department announced. Strempler faces up to five years in prison, a forfeiture of $300,000, a fine and restitution.
Paulo Morales, 48, of Miami, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum to 33 months in prison along with one year supervised release, the Justice Department announced. In July, Morales, a former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of deprivation of rights under color of law.
"It’s a privilege to welcome so many friends, colleagues, and key Justice Department leaders to this morning’s important program. And it’s a pleasure to join each of you in highlighting – and paying tribute to – the extraordinary contributions that so many Hispanic Americans have made in guiding our nation’s progress – and strengthening this Department’s essential work," said Attorney General Holder.
"We have made it one of our missions at the Department of Justice to hold accountable those who abuse the Medicare program for personal profit. And there are Medicare fraudsters in prisons across the country – some who will be there for decades – who can attest to our determination and our effectiveness," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.
"Over the last 24 hours, Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in seven different cities have conducted one of the largest health care fraud takedowns on record. Through a series of coordinated, nationwide law enforcement actions, charges have been brought against 91 individuals – including doctors, nurses, and other licensed medical professionals – for their alleged participation in fraud schemes involving nearly $430 million in false billings," said Attorney General Holder.
The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into a settlement to resolve allegations that the city of Selma, Texas violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by engaging in retaliation against a firefighter for filing a complaint against a superior for using ethnic slurs in the workplace.
Louis Fazzini, 45, of Caldwell, N.J., pleaded guilty today to participating in a racketeering conspiracy involving illegal gambling and theft from an employee benefit plan.
Arizona State Representative Paul Ben Arredondo pleaded guilty today in Phoenix federal court, admitting that he solicited and took a bribe in exchange for promises of official action both as a city councilmember and a state representative.
A Los Angeles medical equipment supplier, who submitted almost $1 million in false claims to Medicare for expensive, high-end power wheelchairs, was sentenced today to serve 30 months in prison.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer, his girlfriend and an associate have been charged in Brownsville, Texas, for engaging in a multi-year bribery and alien smuggling operation along the U.S./Mexico.
"Several years ago, our Office for Victims of Crime funded the Clery Center to develop a training curriculum for university administrators and law enforcement executives about the requirements of the Clery Act. The Center continues to deliver the training throughout the country," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Leary.
Attorney General Eric Holder, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, FBI Associate Deputy Director Kevin L. Perkins and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Jon Leibowitz today announced the results of the Distressed Homeowner Initiative, the first-ever nationwide effort to target fraud schemes that prey upon suffering homeowners.
"Put simply, these comprehensive efforts represent an historic, government-wide commitment to eradicating mortgage fraud and related offenses across the country," said Attorney General Holder.
The Justice Department announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging 10 individuals in connection with a vending machine “business opportunity” that defrauded thousands of victims across the country.
The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the homeowners association and former manager of a 249-townhome community in Gibsonton, Fla., for violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against families with children.
The Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, on behalf of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, have reached a settlement with AVX Corp. for $366.25 million plus interest regarding the New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site, in New Bedford, Mass.
Two former employees of The Parsons Company, an international engineering and construction firm, were sentenced in federal court in the Northern District of Alabama for their participation in a kickback conspiracy in Iraq and related tax crimes.
The Justice Department today reached an agreement with Tuscany Hotel and Casino LLC in Las Vegas resolving a lawsuit alleging that the company discriminated in the employment eligibility verification and re-verification process. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires employers to treat all authorized workers equally during the hiring, firing and employment eligibility verification process, regardless of their national origin or citizenship status.
U.S. Army Sergeant Christopher Weaver pleaded guilty today to bribery charges for his role in the theft of fuel at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty, near Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
The United States has filed a complaint against three related companies that bought and sold consumer credit reports, the Justice Department announced today. The government’s complaint charges these companies with violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The companies have agreed to pay a $1.2 million civil penalty to resolve these charges.
The Justice Department announced today that former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Kevin Bennett Holt, 48, from Achille, Okla., was sentenced to 18 months in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, followed by 24 months of supervised release, for using a Taser to assault a detainee inside of the Bryan County Jail in Durant, Okla., in violation of the victim’s civil rights.
The Justice Department reached four settlement agreements with over-the-road bus companies in Florida in the last month, to ensure that bus transportation is accessible for people with disabilities. The settlements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are with Dynamic Tours &s Jet Tours Corp./Pegasus Transportation.
A Dallas-area home health services company owner today admitted his role in a $374 million home health fraud scheme in which he and others conspired to bill Medicare for unnecessary services that were never performed.
The former owners of a durable medical equipment (DME) wholesale company located in Ontario, Calif., were arrested late yesterday at Los Angeles International Airport in connection with a DME fraud scheme that resulted in the submission of over $16.6 million in false claims to Medicare and are expected to appear this afternoon in Los Angeles federal court.
Miami-area resident Vanja Abreu (Ph.D), former program director at the mental health care company American Therapeutic Corporation (ATC), was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for participating in a $205 million Medicare fraud scheme.
James Driver, 24, of Midland, Mich., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington in the Eastern District of Michigan.
Mark J. Titus, former Chief Operations Officer of Garner Services Ltd. (GSL), and his brother-in-law Dominick Fazzio, have been charged in a second superseding indictment returned today by a federal grand jury in New Orleans for defrauding GSL of over $1 million.
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the state of Vermont and its chief election official to help ensure that military service members, their family members and U.S. citizens living overseas have the opportunity to participate fully in the Nov. 6, 2012 federal general election.
The Department of Justice announced today a policy addressing the ability of members of federally recognized Indian tribes to possess or use eagle feathers, an issue of great cultural significance to many tribes and their members.
Steven R. Hinz pleaded guilty today to tax fraud and mortgage fraud charges in Cleveland federal court, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Hinz’s guilty pleas followed recent guilty pleas of three other defendants – Heather L. English, Patricia A. Polk and William E. Phillips III – who were charged in indictment in December 2011 on a tax conspiracy and various false return charges. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan, who scheduled the sentencing for January 2013.
"At every level, my colleagues and I have made the fight against financial fraud a top priority. We’re more determined than ever to eradicate these crimes – and, alongside more than two dozen additional federal government agencies and private sector partners, we’ve made an historic commitment to advancing this work at the national level," said Attorney General Holder.
In one of the first False Claims Act settlements involving Medicare’s Prescription Drug Program, known as Part D, RxAmerica LLC. has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States in which it has agreed to pay the government $5.25 million to resolve allegations that it made false submissions to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Justice Department announced today. RxAmerica, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CVS Caremark Corporation, provides prescription drug benefits to Medicare beneficiaries pursuant to a prescription drug plan.
Ramiro Anturi Larrahondo, 55, a Colombian national, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates in the District of Columbia to one count of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, knowing and intending that the cocaine would be illegally imported into the United States.
Police of Puerto Rico Lieutenant Erick Rivera Nazario and Officer Jimmy Rodriguez Vega were indicted on civil rights charges alleging that they used excessive force on two men, the Justice Department announced today. Nazario and Vega allegedly violated the constitutional rights of Jose Irizarry Perez and his father Jose Irizarry Muniz while the two were celebrating the local election results at the Las Colinas housing development in Yauco, Puerto Rico, on Nov. 5, 2008. Rivera was also indicted for making false declarations before the federal grand jury during its investigation into the civil rights violations.
Eulises Escalona, 44, of Monroe County, Fla., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard in the Southern District of Florida.
The administrator of CardioMax EMS, a Houston-based ambulance company, pleaded guilty today to charges that he submitted approximately $1,734,550 in fraudulent claims to Medicare.
The Justice Department today announced an agreement with the city of North Adams, Mass., to improve access for people with disabilities to civic life in North Adams. The agreement was reached under Project Civic Access (PCA), the Justice Department’s initiative to ensure that cities, towns and counties throughout the country comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The compliance review was initiated in response to a complaint that the city’s police station was physically inaccessible.
Gregory Thomas Miller, 57, of Deville, La., pleaded guilty on April 27, 2012, to a 10-count indictment charging him with seven counts of production of child pornography, one count of transporting child pornography, one count of possessing child pornography and one count of marijuana possession.
In anticipation of the upcoming election, the Justice Department today provided information about its efforts, through the Civil Rights and Criminal Divisions, to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots and have their votes counted free of discrimination, intimidation or fraud in the election process.
A federal judge today sentenced William A. Herder of Richland County, Ohio, to 37 months in prison for tax crimes, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi also ordered Herder to pay restitution to the IRS. On May 21, 2012, an Akron, Ohio, jury convicted Herder on all counts of an indictment that charged Herder with one count of tax evasion, one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the administration of the Internal Revenue laws and five counts of willful failure to file tax returns.
The owner of a 28-acre piece of property on the Mohawk River and the owner of a New Jersey solid waste management company were found guilty by a federal jury in Utica, N.Y., today of charges that they conspired to defraud the United States and violate the Clean Water Act by illegally dumping thousands of tons of asbestos-contaminated construction debris on the property in upstate New York.
A Taiwan aftermarket auto lights manufacturer and its U.S. distributor pleaded guilty to an indictment charging them with participating in a seven-year, international conspiracy to fix the prices of aftermarket auto lights, and were sentenced today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
"As we continue to work with reentry projects and learn about them, we realize more and more that they need to be sustained and continuous if they are to be successful. They need to start the first day an individual arrives at the prison," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.
"For more than half a century, Americans have come together every October to celebrate the achievements of workers with disabilities, to call attention to the obstacles and challenges that have yet to be overcome, and to ensure that all employers fulfill their responsibilities to create the conditions and opportunities for citizens with disabilities to grow, to thrive, and to fulfill their full potential – both personally and professionally," said Attorney General Holder.
Attorney General Eric Holder recognizes 282 department employees for their distinguished public service today at the 60th Annual Attorney General’s Awards Ceremony. Fifty-seven other individuals outside of the department are also honored for their work. Held at DAR Constitution Hall, this annual ceremony recognizes both department employees and others for their outstanding dedication to carrying out the Department of Justice’s missions.
Manssor Arbabsiar, aka Mansour Arbabsiar, pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Southern District of New York to participating in a plot to murder the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States while the Ambassador was in the United States.