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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Georgia Company to Resolve Immigration-related Unfair Employment Practices

The Justice Department announced today that it reached an agreement with Poulan Pecan, resolving allegations that the company violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Puerto Rico Man Faces Life in Prison for Mass Shooting in 2009

Alexis Candelario-Santana, 41, faces life in prison following his conviction of murdering eight people and an unborn child and attempting to murder 19 others during a mass shooting at a Puerto Rico pub in 2009.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Issues Business Review Letter to Intellectual Property Exchange International

The Department of Justice today declined to state its enforcement intentions regarding the implementation of a proposal submitted by IPXI Holdings LLC and its wholly-owned subsidiary Intellectual Property Exchange International Inc. (IPXI) to develop an exchange for the trading of unit license rights (ULRs) to sets of patents.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department’s Civil Injunction Program Shuts Down Fraudulent Tax Return Preparers and Promoters Nationwide

The Justice Department today announced recent results of its civil injunction efforts to combat unscrupulous tax return preparers and tax fraud promoters.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Robert Listenbee Jr. Assumes Leadership of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Mary Lou Leary announced that Robert L. Listenbee Jr. has assumed the role as administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Inmate Sentenced for Filing False Tax Returns While in Alabama Federal Prison

David Marrero, a federal inmate in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for tax fraud committed while in prison.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Honeywell Resins and Chemicals to Pay $3 Million Penalty, Upgrade Air Pollution Controls at Hopewell, Virginia, Plant

Honeywell Resins and Chemicals LLC has agreed to pay a $3 million civil penalty for alleged Clean Air Act violations at its Hopewell, Va., plant, and improve the facility’s air pollution control equipment and processes.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Settles Sex Discrimination Suit Against Summit County, Ohio

The Department of Justice announced today that it has entered into a consent decree with Summit County, Ohio, and related parties, which if approved by the court, will resolve a sex discrimination lawsuit in which the United States intervened in June 2012.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Idaho Home Builder Sentenced for Tax Evasion

Justin D. Schoenauer, 41, also known as Corey J. Schoenauer, a resident of Twin Falls County, Idaho, was sentenced late yesterday in U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho to 27 months in prison for income tax evasion.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Selects Three Domestic Violence Courts to Serve as Resources to Specialized Courts Nationwide

The Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women today announced a new Mentor Court Initiative to support criminal and civil domestic violence courts across the country.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Three Sentenced in Alabama Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Conspiracy

Mary Bennett, Narendrakumar Patel and Eugenia Burks, all residents of Elmore County, Ala., were sentenced for their roles in an identity theft and tax fraud scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Federal Court Permanently Bars Indiana Firm from Preparing Tax Returns

A federal court permanently barred a Gary, Ind., tax-preparation firm and its owner, John Newlin, from preparing tax returns for others.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Forsyth County, North Carolina Sheriff to Resolve Employment Rights Claim of a North Carolina Army National Guard Soldier

The Justice Department announced today that it reached an agreement with Forsyth County, N.C., and Sheriff William T. Schatzman of Forsyth County to resolve allegations that they violated the employment rights of North Carolina Army National Guard soldier Michael Russell under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.



  • OPA Press Releases

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CDW-Government to Pay U.S. $5,663,902 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

CDW-Government LLC has agreed to pay $5.66 million to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims in connection with a U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) contract.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Mississippi Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Orchestrating Assault on Inmate

Kenny McLaughlin, 35, a corrections officer at the Stone County Regional Facility in Stone County, Miss., pleaded guilty today in federal court to ordering the beating of an inmate at the detention facility.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Leader of Jewelry Theft Ring Pleads Guilty in Virginia to Racketeering Conspiracy

The leader of a violent and highly sophisticated jewelry theft ring pleaded guilty today for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department to Monitor Elections in Kansas and Nebraska

The Justice Department announced today that the Civil Rights Division will monitor elections on April 2, 2013, in Finney County, Kan., and Douglas County, Neb. The monitoring will ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other federal voting rights statutes.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Deputy Indicted for Civil Rights, Bank Fraud, Computer Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft and Obstruction of Justice Violations

An indictment against former Jefferson Parish, La., Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Hebert, 48, was announced today by Roy L. Austin Jr., Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division; Dana J. Boente, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana; Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI New Orleans Field Office; and Sheriff Newell Normand from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Settlement with Dominion Energy Reduces Harmful Pollution in Three States and Downwind Communities

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that Dominion Energy has agreed to pay a $3.4 million civil penalty and spend approximately $9.8 million on environmental mitigation projects to resolve Clean Air Act (CAA) violations.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Virginia Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tax Fraud

Jeffrey Charles, a resident of Grimstead, Va., was sentenced today to serve 46 months in federal prison for conspiring with his daughter and son-in-law to defraud the United States, aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns in his daughter’s name, and filing a false tax return in his own name.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former U.S. Army Captain Sentenced in Oklahoma City to 23 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Accept Illegal Gratuities

A former U.S. Army Captain was sentenced today in Oklahoma City to serve 23 months in prison for conspiracy to accept thousands of dollars in gratuities from contractors during his deployment to Baghdad, Iraq.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Patient Recruiter for Miami Home Health Company Sentenced to 36 Months in $20 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A patient recruiter for a Miami health care company was sentenced today to serve 36 months in prison for his participation in a $20 million home health Medicare fraud scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Operators of Louisiana Home Health Company Convicted in $17.1 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

The owner and the director of nursing of a Louisiana home health agency were each convicted late Friday for conspiring to defraud Medicare of $17.1 million.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Announces the Successful Resolution of Its Agreement with the Orange County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office

The United States announced today that the Orange County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) has successfully implemented an agreement on the use of electronic control weapons, commonly referred to as Tasers.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Washington Man Indicted on Federal Hate Crime Charge Related to Racially-motivated Assault

The Department of Justice today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Seattle has indicted Jamie Larson, 49, on a federal hate crime charge relating to a racially-motivated assault of a 50-year-old Sikh man.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Defense Department Contract Employee Sentenced to 35 Months in Prison for Participating in Corruption Scheme at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait

A former contract employee of the U.S. Defense Department (DoD) was sentenced today to serve 35 months in prison for his participation in a bribery and money laundering scheme arising from corruption in the award of defense contracts at Camp Arifjan, an Army base in Kuwait.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Doreen Alexander Extradited to the United States to Face Kidnapping Charges

Doreen Alexander has been extradited to the United States from Trinidad and Tobago to face charges related to her alleged role in the 2005 kidnapping of naturalized U.S. citizen Balram “Balo” Maharaj.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Detroit-Area Home Health Agency Owner and Physical Therapist Convicted in $2.3 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

A federal jury in Detroit today convicted a home health agency owner and a physical therapist for their participation in a $2.3 million Medicare fraud scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Intermountain Health Care Inc. Pays U.S. $25.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

Intermountain Health Care Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $25.5 million to settle claims that it violated the Stark Statute and the False Claims Act by engaging in improper financial relationships with referring physicians.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Fluor Hanford Agrees to Pay $1.1 Million to Resolve Allegations of Improper Lobbying

The Justice Department announced today that Fluor Hanford LLC has agreed to pay $1.1 million to settle allegations that Fluor violated the False Claims Act by using federal funds for lobbying.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Settlement with Tyson Foods to Address Multiple Releases of Anhydrous Ammonia

The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a Clean Air Act (CAA) settlement with Tyson Foods Inc. and several of its affiliate corporations to address threats of accidental chemical releases after anhydrous ammonia was released during incidents at facilities in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska, resulting in multiple injuries, property damage and one fatality.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Joint Statement on the Meeting Between Attorney General Eric Holder and European Commission Vice President Viviane Reding

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and European Commission Vice President Viviane Reding met today in Washington, D.C. They had cordial discussions on a wide range of fields of collaboration between the Department of Justice and the European Commission.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Service Members to Receive $39 Million for Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

The Justice Department announced today that under its 2011 settlements with BAC Home Loans Servicing LP, a subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation, and Saxon Mortgage Servicing Inc., a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, 316 service members whose homes were unlawfully foreclosed upon between 2006 and 2010 are due to receive over $39 million in monetary relief for alleged violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases

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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.



  • OPA Press Releases