uil Seafood Wholesaler and Owner Plead Guilty to Conspiracy in the Illegal Harvesting of Rockfish By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:00:14 EDT Golden Eye Seafood LLC and owner, Robert Lumpkins of St. Marys County, Md., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to and violating the Lacey Act, by falsely recording the amount and weight of striped bass, also known as rockfish, that were harvested by local fisherman and checked-in through Golden Eye from 2003 to 2007 Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Shark Fins Dealer Pleads Guilty to Illegally Dealing in Fins from Protected Species By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:44:38 EDT Mark L. Harrison, a resident of Southport, Fla., and Harrison International LLC, a Florida corporation, today pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Atlanta to violating the Lacey Act, a federal fish and wildlife trafficking law, by dealing in shark fins, the landing of which was not reported as required by law. In addition, Mark Harrison pleaded guilty to a second charge related to his attempted export of shark fins of species that are prohibited to harvest under laws of the state of Florida. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Silver Spring, Maryland, Return Preparer Found Guilty of Preparing False Tax Returns for Clients By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:47:35 EDT Following a four-day trial and less than an hour of deliberations, a federal jury today convicted tax return preparer, Marcel J. Toto-Ngosso, of Silver Spring, Md., of 17 counts of preparing false tax returns in connection with a scheme to generate fraudulent tax refunds for client-taxpayers. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Wife of Gang Leader Pleads Guilty to Narcotics Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:06:07 EDT Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN) member Marie Chavez, aka "Shorty," the wife of an alleged ALKQN leader Jose Nava, aka "Chino," pleaded guilty to a superseding indictment charging her and 16 co-defendants with various offenses related to alleged narcotics and weapons trafficking and violent activities Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Associate of Tax Defier Irwin Schiff Pleads Guilty to Tax Crime By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:50:50 EDT Lawrence Cohen, a resident of Las Vegas and a former employee of the now defunct Freedom Books, pleaded guilty today to a tax charge before U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson in Las Vegas. Cohen pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false 2000 Form 1040 for a client of Freedom Books. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Two Military Officials Plead Guilty to Bribery, Fraud and Conspiracy Related to Defense Contracts in Afghanistan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:02:15 EDT Two U.S. military officials pleaded guilty to various bribery, fraud and conspiracy charges relating to Department of Defense (DOD) contracts in Afghanistan. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Detroit Spammer and Four Co-Conspirators Plead Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar E-mail Stock Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:11:58 EDT Five individuals pleaded guilty today in federal court in Detroit for their roles in a wide-ranging international stock fraud scheme involving the illegal use of bulk commercial e-mails, or "spamming." Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Alabama Resident Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns in Connection with Embezzlement Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:46:04 EDT Sims Lawson Jr., a resident of Killen, Ala., pleaded guilty yesterday to filing false tax returns for years 2002 through 2004. Lawson appeared before Judge R. David Proctor in Birmingham, Ala., and admitted that he failed to pay federal income taxes of $369,038 and state income taxes of $50,938. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil UBS Client Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Return By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:46:54 EDT UBS client, Steven Michael Rubinstein of Boca Raton, Fla., pleaded guilty today to filing a false tax return for tax year 2004. On April 1, 2009, Rubinstein was charged with filing a false tax return that intentionally failed to disclose the existence of a Swiss bank account maintained by UBS of which he was the beneficial owner and failed to report any income earned on that account. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Owner of New Jersey Landscaping Sub-Contractor Pleads Guilty to Defrauding the Environmental Protection Agency By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:52:36 EDT The co-owner of a Martinsville, N.J., landscaping company pleaded guilty to participating in a fraud conspiracy at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-designated Superfund site, Federal Creosote, located in Manville, N.J. Frederick Landgraber pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey today to one count of conspiracy to defraud the EPA from approximately March 2002 until approximately June 2005 at the Federal Creosote site. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Former Contracting Officer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:00:26 EDT Tijani Ahmed Saani, a former civilian employee of the U.S. Department of Defense, pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns for tax years 2003 through 2007. Saani, 53, a former resident of Kuwait City, Kuwait, worked as a contracting officer in Kuwait from 1994 until his arrest in May 2008. According to the indictment to which Saani pleaded guilty, he worked on detail from 2002 to 2007 at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Former Executive of Philadelphia Company Pleads Guilty to Paying Bribes to Vietnamese Officials By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:02:34 EDT A former executive of Philadelphia-based Nexus Technologies Inc. pleaded guilty today in connection with his participation in a conspiracy to bribe Vietnamese government officials in exchange for lucrative contracts to supply equipment and technology to Vietnamese government agencies, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Former National Archives Employee Pleads Guilty to Conflict of Interest By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:18:57 EDT Jeffrey Davis, a former employee of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Atlanta to engaging in a felony conflict of interest by collecting fees from customers of a company he owned and operated for services he performed as part of his official duties at NARA. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Former Virginia Marine Products Company Executive Pleads Guilty to Bid Rigging on Contracts with the U.S. Navy and Others By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:32:23 EDT The chief executive officer of a former Virginia marine products company pleaded guilty and has agreed to pay a $100,000 criminal fine and serve time in jail for his role in a conspiracy to rig bids and allocate customers with respect to marine products purchased by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other public and private entities. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Former Indiana Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Reports By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:12:59 EDT Herbert L. Corn, the former superintendent of the city of Rochester Wastewater Treatment Plant in Rochester, Ind., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in South Bend, Ind., to falsifying monthly discharge monitoring reports that concealed violations of the Clean Water Act at the Rochester plant. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Former Promoter of Abusive Trusts Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:22:21 EDT Roderick Prescott, a resident of Orem, Utah, and a former principal of National Trust Services (NTS) in San Jose, Calif., and later Selma, Ore., pleaded guilty today to tax evasion. Prescott admitted to evading at least $550,000 in personal income taxes for 1998 and 1999. Prescott was scheduled to begin trial on July 7, 2009, before Chief U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken in Eugene, Ore. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Retired Military Official Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Conspiracy Related to Defense Contracts in Afghanistan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 15:53:32 EDT A retired U.S. military official pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges relating to Department of Defense (DOD) contracts in Afghanistan. According to the plea agreement, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago today, First Lieutenant Robert Moore (Ret.) pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribery charges. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil United States Settles False Claims Act Allegations Against National Home Builder and Mortgage Lender By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 15:44:56 EDT Beazer Homes USA Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $5 million dollars, plus contingent payments of up to $48 million dollars to be shared with victimized private homeowners, to resolve allegations that it, and Beazer Mortgage Corp., were involved in fraudulent mortgage origination activities in connection with federally insured mortgages. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Kansas Woman Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement to FBI in E-Rate Fraud Investigation By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 17:14:15 EDT A Kansas woman pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the FBI during an investigation into allegations of fraud against the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) E-Rate program. According to the plea agreement, filed today in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., Mary Jo LaDuron, aka Mary Jo Gault, of Leavenworth, Kan., lied to FBI agents who were investigating allegations of fraud against the E-Rate program. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Canadian Executive Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracies Involving a New Jersey Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Site By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 6 Jul 2009 13:43:54 EDT A former executive of Bennett Environmental Inc. (BEI), a Canadian-based company that treats and disposes of contaminated soil, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to pay kickbacks and commit fraud at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-designated Superfund site, Federal Creosote, located in Manville, N.J. The former executive also pleaded guilty to participating in a money laundering conspiracy and impeding a proceeding before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Virginia Software Writer Pleads Guilty to Aiding and Abetting Detroit Spam Conspiracy By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 7 Jul 2009 15:39:23 EDT An individual pleaded guilty today in federal court in Detroit for his role in creating and marketing software designed and used to send bulk commercial e-mails, known as "spam," in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Fourth Person Pleads Guilty to Illegally Accessing Confidential Passport Files By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:25:53 EDT A fourth individual pleaded guilty today to illegally accessing numerous confidential passport application files. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Donaldson, Arkansas, Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:21:54 EDT Dustin I. Nix, 21, of Donaldson, Ark., pleaded guilty today in federal court in Hot Springs, Ark., to two federal civil rights charges for his role in a conspiracy to force a woman and her young children from their home in Donaldson because she associated with African Americans. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Little Rock, Arkansas, Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Sex Trafficking and Related Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:23:50 EDT Everett Cooney waived indictment and pleaded guilty in court in Little Rock, Ark., to a federal charge of sex trafficking an underage female. Chief U.S. District Judge J. Leon Holmes accepted Cooneys guilty plea. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Connecticut Investor Found Guilty in Massive Scheme to Bribe Senior Government Officials in the Republic of Azerbaijan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:04:51 EDT Frederic A. Bourke Jr., 63, was found guilty today by a federal jury in Manhattan of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the Travel Act, and making false statements to the FBI. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Ship Captain and Chief Officer Plead Guilty to Crimes Related to Pollution from Cargo Ship Traveling to New Orleans By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:15:22 EDT A Greek citizen, Panagiotis Lekkas, the captain of the bulk cargo ship the M/V Theotokos, pleaded guilty today to four felony counts in federal court in New Orleans for violating anti-pollution laws, ship safety laws and obstructing a U.S. Coast Guard investigation. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Chief Engineer and Second Engineer Plead Guilty to Concealing Vessel Pollution By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:05:52 EDT Panagiotis Stamatakis, the chief engineer on the Cyprus-flagged M/V Myron N, and the second engineer, Dimitrios Papadakis, both citizens of Greece, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Trenton, N.J., to using falsified records that concealed improper discharges of untreated bilge waste from the cargo ship. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Former Bell, California, Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Crime By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:51:06 EDT Feliciano Sanchez, 34, a former officer with the Bell, Calif., Police Department, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Los Angeles to a federal civil rights charge for sexually assaulting a female motorist. Sanchez admitted that on May 16, 2007, he sexually assaulted the victim by forcing her to provide oral sex after stopping her for a traffic violation, according to documents filed in court. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Georgia Temp Company and Its Owner/President Agree to Plead Guilty to Making a False Statement to the U.S. Small Business Administration By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:51:43 EDT A Georgia temporary staffing company and its owner/president have agreed to plead guilty to making a false statement to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Patriot Services Inc. and its owner/president, Stephanie Blackmon, have each agreed to plead guilty to a one-count charge of making a false statement to the SBA, which was filed today in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Former Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Pleads Guilty to Depriving Motorist of Civil Rights by Kidnapping By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:15:49 EDT Franklin Joseph Ryle Jr., a former Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper, pleaded guilty on July 20, 2009, in federal court in Wyoming to depriving a man of his constitutional right to be free from unreasonable seizures by kidnapping him. Ryle also pleaded guilty to one count of using his firearm in relation to the crime. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Former Military Officer Pleads Guilty to Participating in Scheme to Steal Fuel Worth $39.6 Million from U.S. Army in Iraq By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:55:59 EDT Robert Young, 56, a former captain in the U.S. Army, pleaded guilty today to participating in a scheme to steal fuel worth approximately $39.6 million from the U.S. Army in Iraq. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Virginia Resident Pleads Guilty to Participating in Scheme to Steal Fuel from U.S. Army in Iraq By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:54:10 EDT A Virginia man pleaded guilty today to participating in a scheme to steal fuel worth approximately $39.6 million from the U.S. Army in Iraq. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Father and Son Commercial Fishermen Plead Guilty to Illegal Harvesting of Rockfish By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:17:27 EDT A father and son pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Md., to illegally over fishing striped bass, also known as rockfish, from 2003 through 2006. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil UBS Client Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Return, Hid $8 Million in Secret Swiss Bank Accounts By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:05:23 EDT Jeffrey P. Chernick, of Stanfordville, N.Y., pleaded guilty today to charges of filing a false tax return. Chernick, who owns a corporation which represents toy manufacturers in China and Hong Kong, appeared today before Judge James I. Cohn in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and accepted responsibility for concealing more than $8 million in Swiss bank accounts. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Contracting Officer’s Niece Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Money Laundering Investigation Related to Bribe Payments By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:20:53 EDT The niece of a U.S. Army major pleaded guilty today for her role in a conspiracy to cover up her uncle’s role in accepting more than $9 million in bribes as a contracting officer in Kuwait. Nyree Pettaway, 37, of Houston, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to one count of conspiring with her uncle, John C. Cockerham, Carolyn Blake (her aunt and Cockerham’s sister) and others, to obstruct the investigation of money laundering related to Cockerham’s receipt of bribes. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Mailing Child Pornography By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:42:30 EDT Robert Restuch, 69, of Bullhead City, Ariz., pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of mailing child pornography. As part of his plea agreement, Restuch admitted that he entered a U.S. Post Office in Bullhead City and mailed a package that contained more than 600 images of child pornography, including images depicting children less than 12 years old. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Key Member of Atlanta Human Trafficking Ring Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:09:36 EDT Juan Cortes-Meza, a Mexican National, pleaded guilty in federal district court in Atlanta to sex trafficking offenses involving young Mexican women and girls. Otto Jaime Larios Perez, a Guatemalan National, also pleaded guilty today to making a false statement to law enforcement and, thereby, obstructing a human trafficking investigation. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Third Crewmember Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to Pollution from Cargo Ship By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:02:23 EDT A Greek citizen who oversaw the engineering department on board a Dominica-flagged bulk cargo ship pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in New Orleans for violating environmental laws designed to prevent pollution from ships and making false statements to the U.S. Coast Guard. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Fourteen Motorcycle Gang Leaders and Members Plead Guilty in Detroit to Violent Crime, Drug and Firearms Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:55:36 EDT Fourteen members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club have pleaded guilty in Detroit to charges including violent crimes in aid of racketeering, illegal drug distribution and firearms violations. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Texas Gang Member Pleads Guilty By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:58:20 EDT Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN) member David Hellums, aka "CutThroat," pleaded guilty today to a superseding indictment charging him and 16 co-defendants with various offenses related to alleged narcotics and weapons trafficking, as well as violent activities throughout Texas. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Control Components Inc. Pleads Guilty to Foreign Bribery Charges and Agrees to Pay $18.2 Million Criminal Fine By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:40:52 EDT Control Components Inc. (CCI), a Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.-based company, pleaded guilty today to violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the Travel Act in a decade-long scheme to secure contracts in approximately 36 countries by paying bribes to officials and employees of various foreign state-owned companies as well as foreign and domestic private companies. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Husband of Former Army Officer Pleads Guilty to Laundering Money Stolen from Iraq By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 16:04:49 EDT A New Jersey accountant pleaded guilty today to laundering portions of more than $300,000 stolen from the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in the Republic of Iraq and brought back to the United States by his wife, a former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Two Individuals Plead Guilty to Offering to Bribe U.S. Army Contracting Official in Afghanistan By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 7 Aug 2009 12:38:27 EDT Two dual Afghan/U.S. citizens today pleaded guilty for their roles in a scheme to offer $1 million in bribes to a U.S. Army contracting official in Afghanistan. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Former U.S. Army Contracting Official Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 7 Aug 2009 17:48:42 EDT A former U.S. Army contracting official pleaded guilty today to accepting more than $80,000 in bribes in exchange for providing contract work to two Afghan trucking companies. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Leader of Colombian Drug Cartel and Former FBI Top-Ten Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Drug, Murder and Racketeering Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:46:20 EDT Diego Montoya Sanchez, 48, one of the leaders of the Norte Valle Colombian drug cartel and a former FBI Top Ten Fugitive, pleaded guilty today in Miami to drug trafficking, murder and racketeering charges. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Atlanta Defendant Found Guilty of Supporting Terrorists By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:08:31 EDT A federal jury has found Ehsanul Islam Sadequee, 23, of Roswell, Ga., guilty on all four counts of an indictment charging him with supporting terrorists and a foreign terrorist organization, after a trial that lasted seven days. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Two Defendants Plead Guilty in Counterfeit Pipe Coupling Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:27:47 EDT Hayden B. Greene, 31, of Tulsa, Okla., and James Robert Roy, 42, of Tomball, Texas, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture and sell counterfeit pipe couplings. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Exxon-Mobil Pleads Guilty to Killing Migratory Birds in Five States By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:54:49 EDT Exxon-Mobil Corporation, the world’s largest publicly traded oil and gas company, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Denver to violating the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) in five states during the past five years. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Cosco Busan Operator Admits Guilt in Causing Oil Spill By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:17:22 EDT Fleet Management Ltd., a Hong Kong-based ship management firm, pleaded guilty today to a criminal violation of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 for its role in negligently causing the discharge of more than 50,000 gallons of fuel oil into San Francisco Bay from the Cosco Busan when the vessel struck the San Francisco Bay Bridge in dense fog on Nov. 7, 2007. Full Article OPA Press Releases
uil Fifth Person Pleads Guilty to Illegally Accessing Confidential Passport Files By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:04:37 EDT A fifth individual pleaded guilty today to illegally accessing numerous confidential passport application files. Kevin M. Young, 42, of Temple Hills, Md., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Kay in the District of Columbia to a one-count criminal information charging him with unauthorized computer access. Young is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 9, 2009. Full Article OPA Press Releases