"Today, I come to you on behalf of my colleagues – the more than 117,000 dedicated men and women who serve our nation’s Justice Department in positions and offices all around the world. Above all, I come to you on behalf of my fellow citizens."

Drug manufacturer Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc. was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner to pay a criminal fine of $150 million and forfeit assets of $14 million.

A jury in Natchez, Miss., yesterday convicted a Natchez Police Department officer of violating the civil rights of an arrestee by stealing credit and debit cards from the arrestee.

"It was here that I first learned to be a lawyer; where I learned my most important lessons about law and public service; and where I learned something that all of you already know: that the small steps we take in service can create giant leaps of difference."

A Kentucky couple and their caviar companies were charged today with trafficking in and falsely labeling illegally harvested paddlefish.

Three former executives of Fair Financial Company, an Ohio financial services business, were arrested today and charged in an indictment filed in the Southern District of Indiana for their roles in a scheme to defraud approximately 5,000 investors of more than $200 million.

Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department today announced its findings that the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has engaged in patterns of misconduct that violate the Constitution and federal law.

"The Justice Department opened its investigation of the New Orleans Police Department last year with a single mission: to work with all stakeholders to build a world class police force," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

"Unfortunately, our conclusions reveal that many NOPD officers have failed to live up to what we rightfully expect from our law enforcement officers," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.

The former managing director of the Pamrapo Service Corporation (Service Corporation), the investment arm of the former Pamrapo Savings Bank, was convicted today of embezzling more than $571,000 in commissions and fees belonging to the Service Corporation through a mail fraud scheme.

The Department of Justice today filed a lawsuit on behalf of Jon Fultz, a U.S. Marine Corps reservist, against the city of Winchester, Va., alleging that it violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by failing to properly reemploy Fultz in September 2009 when he returned from military service during which he sustained a knee injury.

A Santa Clarita, Calif., resident was convicted today of five environmental charges related to the improper renovation of a San Fernando Valley, Calif., apartment complex – work that caused asbestos to be released into the complex and the surrounding community.

The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a pattern or practice investigation into allegations of use of excessive force and discriminatory policing by members of the Seattle Police Department (SPD), pursuant to the pattern or practice provision of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, the anti-discrimination provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

"Our goal with this investigation – as with all of our police pattern and practice investigations – is simple: to ensure that the community has an effective, accountable police department that controls crime, ensures respect for the Constitution, and earns the trust of the public it is charged with protecting."

Hancock Holding Company and Whitney Holding Corporation have agreed to sell eight branch offices in Louisiana and Mississippi, with approximately $202 million in deposits, to resolve antitrust concerns about the companies’ pending merger.

The founder and treasurer of the National Association of Special Police and Security Officers (NASPSO) was charged today in a superseding indictment with mail fraud, theft from a labor organization, obstruction of justice, criminal contempt and various recordkeeping offenses related to his operation of a pension plan for NASPSO members.

JGC Corporation has agreed to pay a $218.8 million criminal penalty to resolve charges related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for its participation in a decade-long scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials to obtain engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts.

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has agreed to pay a $21.4 million criminal penalty as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice to resolve improper payments by J&J subsidiaries to government officials in Greece, Poland and Romania in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA.

The Department of Justice will require Stericycle Inc. to divest an asset used in the treatment of infectious waste in order to proceed with its acquisition of Healthcare Waste Solutions Inc.

Julius Everett “Bud” Johnson, of Richmond, Va., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Richmond for his role in an investment scheme resulting in millions of dollars in losses.

W. Scott Harkonen, M.D., the former chief executive office (CEO) of InterMune Inc., was sentenced Wednesday before U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Hall Patel for wire fraud relating to the dissemination of false and misleading statements about the results of a clinical trial of InterMune’s drug Actimmune.

Two Miami-area residents and owners of a mental health care corporation, American Therapeutic Corporation (ATC), pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Miami for orchestrating a fraud scheme that resulted in the submission of more than $200 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare.

"President Obama and Attorney General Holder recognize that civil rights enforcement is about protecting individual rights and helping entire communities," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

A Los Angeles-area man pleaded guilty today to establishing fraudulent medical clinics and using stolen identities of physicians to defraud Medicare of up to $13.7 million.

Under an unprecedented agreement announced today by the Natural Resource Trustees for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, BP has agreed to provide $1 billion toward early restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico to address injuries to natural resources caused by the spill.

A seven-count federal indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia charging a Washington, D.C., criminal defense attorney and two criminal investigators for their alleged roles in a scheme to obstruct an ongoing criminal case, including, among other things, manufacturing evidence and tampering with a witness.

Wajdi Waked, 25, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty today before Judge Philip M. Pro of the U.S. District Court in Nevada, to one count of violating the Clean Air Act by falsifying emissions test results.

After a thorough investigation, the Antitrust Division determined that the proposed merger between Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways is not likely to substantially lessen competition.

CommunityONE Bank N.A. with 45 offices throughout the state has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice related to its failure to file a suspicious activity report and maintain an effective anti-money laundering program.

"Protecting the safety and security of the American people; protecting taxpayer dollars from fraud; and protecting consumers from financial fraud and other health and safety threats – these imperatives have driven the Civil Division’s work over the last two years, and, as Attorney General Edward Levi reminded us almost 40 years ago, “the agenda of the Justice Department is inevitably unfinished,” these priorities guide us still as we continue to tackle new challenges."

The Justice Department announced today that Brian Lewis, Abel Mark Gonzalez and Andrew Kerber were sentenced for their roles in violating the civil rights of congregants of several houses of worship in Modesto, Calif.

After a thorough review of the evidence, the Antitrust Division concluded that the facts did not support challenging the proposed transaction between Perdue and Coleman Natural Foods.

UBS AG has entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice to resolve anticompetitive activity in the municipal bond investments market and has agreed to pay a total of $160 million in restitution, penalties and disgorgement to federal and state agencies.

The Justice Department announced today that it will not pursue criminal charges against three Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers in connection with the events of Jan. 12, 2010, involving former Pittsburgh School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) student Jordan Miles.

Dimitrios Grifakis, 57, of Kallithea, Greece, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Baltimore to obstructing a Coast Guard inspection that took place aboard the M/V Capitola from May 3 to May 11, 2010.

The Department of Justice reached a settlement today with Unilever and Alberto-Culver Co. that requires them to divest two hair care brands in order to proceed with Unilever’s $3.7 billion acquisition of Alberto-Culver.

The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into the Newark, N.J., Police Department involving allegations of use of excessive force, discriminatory policing, whether detainees confined to holding cells are subjected to unreasonable risk of harm and whether officers retaliate against citizens who legally attempt to observe or record police activity.

"the Civil Rights Division, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, conducted a preliminary inquiry and concluded that it would be necessary and appropriate to begin a formal civil pattern or practice investigation," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

The Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today to block the proposed acquisition by VeriFone Systems Inc. of Hypercom Corp.

Oddie Tribble, 51, a former deputy sheriff with the Kershaw County, S.C., Sherriff’s Office, was sentenced to 63 month in prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie for using excessive force on a man in his custody on Aug. 5, 2010.

Jorge De Castro Font, 47, a former senate majority leader in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to 20 counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit extortion.

Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc. and Legacy Bancorp Inc. have agreed to sell four branch offices in Berkshire County, Mass., with approximately $158 million in deposits, to resolve antitrust concerns about the companies’ pending merger.

The principal and co-owner of Integra Capital Management LLC, a North Carolina company, was arrested in Denton, N.C., today for defrauding commodities trading investors of more than $3.2 million, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Anne M. Tompkins of the Western District of North Carolina.

VeriFone Systems Inc., Hypercom Corp. and Ingenico S.A. have abandoned plans for Hypercom to divest its U.S. point-of-sale business to Ingenico.

Karl Herrington of Parma, Mich., was arrested today on charges of two counts of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the administration of the internal revenue laws, and five counts of filing false tax forms with the Internal Revenue Service.

The owner of a New Jersey solid waste management company and three of his associates were arrested today on federal charges that they conspired to transport and dump thousands of tons of asbestos contaminated debris at an upstate New York farm containing wetlands.

Daniel B. Birkbeck, 46, of North Stonington, Conn., was charged today in federal court with trafficking in and falsifying records for illegally harvested Atlantic Striped Bass.

The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a civil investigation into allegations of use of excessive force by members of the Portland, Ore., Police Bureau (PPB), in accordance with the pattern or practice provision of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.

A federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Md., indicted Alfred Edwards and Gloria Edwards, both of Upper Marlboro, Md., on charges arising from a scheme to compel the labor and domestic service of a Filipina national.

Daniel B. Birkbeck, 46, of North Stonington, Conn., was charged today in federal court with trafficking in and falsifying records for illegally harvested Atlantic Striped Bass.