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Ohio Home Builder Charged with Filing False Tax Returns

Roy W. Bradford of Ludlow Falls, Ohio, was indicted on two counts of filing a false tax return and one count of corruptly endeavoring to impede the IRS.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars Utah Man from Promoting “Asset Protection” Scheme

A federal judge in St. George, Utah, has permanently enjoined Kent Bickmore, the founder of a so-called asset-protection business, from helping customers file fraudulent liens and create hidden nominee bank accounts



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Federal Court Rules That Virginia Violated Voting Rights of Military and Overseas Citizens

A federal district court in Richmond, Va., ruled yesterday that Virginia violated the voting rights of American military personnel and other overseas citizens by failing to mail absentee ballots in sufficient time for them to be counted in the Nov. 4, 2008, general election.



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Former GSA Chief of Staff David Safavian Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice and Making False Statements

David H. Safavian was sentenced today to one year in prison on charges of obstruction of justice and making false statements in connection with the investigation into the activities of former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against TK Properties LLC for Violating the Fair Housing Act

The Department announced this week that it has filed a lawsuit against TK Properties L.L.C., its officer, Scott Terveen, and two employees, Ann Wagner and Corey Anderson, for violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating on the basis of race.



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BASF Corporation Agrees to Clean Air Act Upgrades to Protect Stratospheric Ozone

BASF Corporation has agreed, under a Clean Air Act settlement filed today in federal court in Beaumont, Texas, to reduce the use of refrigerant chemicals that destroy the earth’s stratospheric ozone layer.



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Attorney General Announces Formal Medical Marijuana Guidelines

“It will not be a priority to use federal resources to prosecute patients with serious illnesses or their caregivers who are complying with state laws on medical marijuana, but we will not tolerate drug traffickers who hide behind claims of compliance with state law to mask activities that are clearly illegal,” Holder said.



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Four Pharmaceutical Companies Pay $124 Million for Submission of False Claims to Medicaid

Mylan Pharmaceuticals, UDL Laboratories, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and Ortho McNeil Pharmaceutical have entered into settlement agreements for a total of $124 million to resolve claims that they violated the False Claims Act by failing to pay appropriate rebates to state Medicaid programs for drugs paid for by those programs.



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Justice Department Reaches ADA Settlement with Fort Wayne, Indiana, Day Care Center Regarding Children with Diabetes

Pine Hills Kiddie Garden of Fort Wayne, Ind., will take necessary steps to ensure that a child’s diabetes care is integrated into the usual routine of its day care center and programs as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that it discriminated on the basis of disability.



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Maryland Scientist Charged with Attempted Espionage

A Maryland scientist who once worked for the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has been arrested for attempted espionage



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Detroit-Area Physical Therapist Pleads Guilty in Medicare Fraud Scheme

Solomon Nathaniel of Sterling Heights, Mich., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Detroit to participating in a conspiracy to defraud the Medicare program.



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Indiana Home Health Agency Pays Nearly $2 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

“With the nation’s focus on health care, this settlement demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to ensuring that federal health care dollars are spent appropriately,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division.



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Jury Convicts Tax Shelter Promoters of Conspiracy, Tax Crimes

Three tax shelter promoters, Peter J. Peggs of Prides Crossing, Mass., Robert D. Larsen of Winter Park, Colo., and Craig M. Stone, formerly of Fort Pierce, Fla., were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States by a federal jury in Grand Rapids, Mich., today following a four-week trial.



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Two Colorado Residents Indicted for Illegally Killing and Selling Bobcats

A federal grand jury in Denver returned a 15-count felony indictment yesterday charging two individuals with conspiracy, wildlife trafficking and firearms violations stemming from the illegal trapping, killing and selling of bobcats and their pelts.



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U.S. Army Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Money Laundering Conspiracy Related to Department of Defense Contracts in Afghanistan

The Army Sergeant has agreed to pay $90,000 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and to cooperate with the Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation.



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Attorney General Holder Recognizes Department Employees and Others for Their Service at Annual Awards Ceremony

Attorney General Holder recognizes 247 department employees and 39 other individuals outside of the department for their distinguished public service today at the 57th Annual Attorney General Awards Ceremony.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Mort’s Concrete and Owner, to Enforce Employment Rights of Wisconsin Army National Guardsman

“Members of the military who put their lives on the line to protect our nation deserve to know they will not be penalized for their service and their bravery,” said Thomas Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.



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Los Angeles Medicare Fraud Strike Force Charges 20 in Health Care Fraud Cases Involving Durable Medical Equipment

Twenty defendants have been charged in seven cases for allegedly participating in Medicare fraud schemes that resulted in more than $26 million in fraudulent bills to the Medicare program.



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Medicare Fraud Strike Force Operations in Houston Lead to Charges Against Six Area Residents

Medicare fraud charges have been filed against six individuals in the continuing operation of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force in Houston.



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Ship Operator Pleads Guilty for Concealing Pollution from Oil Tanker

A Panamanian company that operated a 40,000-ton oil tanker ship pleaded guilty today for deliberately concealing pollution discharges from the ship directly into the sea.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the 57th Annual Attorney General Awards Ceremony

"The recipients we honor here today could all be making a lot more money working somewhere else, and could certainly spend more time with their families doing other jobs. But they have all answered the call to duty, the call to service that binds us together."




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More Than 300 Alleged La Familia Cartel Members and Associates Arrested in Two-Day Nationwide Takedown

Today Attorney General Eric Holder announced the arrest of nearly 1,200 individuals on narcotics-related charges and the seizure of more than 11.7 tons of narcotics as part of a 44-month multi-agency law enforcement investigation known as “Project Coronado.”



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Three Sentenced for Conspiring to Commit Terrorist Acts Against Americans Overseas

Three Ohio residents, Mohammad Zaki Amawi, 29, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, 46, and Wassim I. Mazloum, 28, have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from more than 8 years to 20 years for conspiring to commit terrorist acts against Americans overseas, including U.S. military personnel in Iraq, and other terrorism-related violations.



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Justice Department Reaches ADA Settlement with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

The department today announced a comprehensive settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Brookline, Mass., to ensure access to medical facilities and services for individuals with disabilities.



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Alabama Resident Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax Returns in Connection with Embezzlement Scheme

Sims Lawson Jr., a resident of Killen, Ala., was sentenced to 70 months in prison by Judge R. David Proctor.



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Bronx Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns

Rosa N. Rivera, a resident of the Bronx, N.Y., pleaded guilty today to aiding and assisting in the presentation of a false individual income tax return for clients and to filing a false individual income tax return.



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New York Man Indicted for Clean Air Act Violations

A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging David Vega and Francis Rowe with committing violations of the Clean Air Act while they were project managers for Gordon-Smith Contracting, Inc., an asbestos removal company owned by Keith Gordon-Smith



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Virginia Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Selling Counterfeit Software Through the Internet

Gregory William Fair, 46, of Falls Church, Va., was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for selling counterfeit computer software on the Internet, in violation of criminal copyright infringement laws.



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Virginian Accountant, Attorney and Investment Firm Officer Charged with Conspiracy in Tax Shelter Case

Daryl Haynor, an accountant who was a tax partner at an accounting firm in Tysons Corner, Va., and Jon Flask, an attorney who was a partner at a law firm in Vienna, Va., were indicted today for conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and for corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws



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Attorney General Eric Holder on Project Coronado

"Yesterday and this morning, more than 3,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials have worked throughout the United States to locate and arrest more than 300 individuals. Over the last two days, arrests have been carried out in 19 states, and we continue to make additional arrests as we speak."




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Former U.S. Army Contracting Official Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Accepting Bribes

A former U.S. Army contracting official was sentenced today to 40 months in prison for accepting more than $80,000 in bribes in exchange for corruptly providing contract work to two Afghan trucking companies.



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Former State Department Employee Sentenced for Illegally Accessing Confidential Passport Files

A former State Department employee was sentenced today to 12 months of probation for illegally accessing more than 75 confidential passport application files.



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Little Rock Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Sex Trafficking and Related Charges

Tommy Handy, aka “Tom Tom,” waived indictment and pleaded guilty in federal court in Little Rock, Ark., to a federal charge of sex trafficking of an underage female.



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Justice Department Moves to Intervene in Adult Homes Case Against the State of New York to Help Shape Remedy

The United States alleges that the state of New York has failed to house thousands of individuals with mental illness who currently reside in large, institutional “adult homes” in the most integrated setting, in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.



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Attorney General Eric Holder at the University of Maine's William S. Cohen Lecture Series

"As Americans, we all bear a special responsibility to both uphold and promote the rule of law."




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Attorney General Holder Expands U.S. Attorney Advisory Committee

“This is a critical and exciting time for the Department of Justice and I will rely heavily on these U.S. Attorneys as we work to further the Department’s efforts to reduce violent crime and gang violence, promote civil rights, ensure fairness in the marketplace and above all, preserve our national security,” said Attorney General Holder.



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Justice Department Settles Voting Rights Case with Lake Park, Florida

The department announced the filing of a consent decree settling a Voting Rights Act lawsuit against the town of Lake Park, Fla., that, subject to court approval, will alter the method of electing the town commission.



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Former Federal Corrections Officer Sentenced to Life in Prison on Civil Rights Charges Related to Fatal Assault

Erin Sharma, a former corrections officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, was sentenced today in federal court in Orlando, Fla., on federal civil rights charges related to the fatal assault of an inmate.



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Utah-Based Tax Shelter Operators Plead Guilty in $200 Million Dollar Tax Fraud

David Plummer, Spencer Plummer and Terry Green, operators of a fraudulent tax shelter that offered tax benefits in connection with the leasing of thoroughbred mares, pleaded guilty today to a criminal information charging them with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.



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Cuban Citizen Extradited from Latvia and Arraigned for Allegedly Trafficking Counterfeit Slot Machines and Computer Programs

Rodolfo Rodriguez Cabrera, 43, a Cuban national, was arraigned today in U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada on charges of producing and selling counterfeit slot machines and counterfeit computer programs.



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Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the Death of Three U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Agents in Afghanistan

While no words can lessen the sorrow being felt today by these families, I hope their loved ones know they have the unending respect and gratitude of this nation. They certainly have mine.




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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Alleging Race Discrimination Against the City of Marion, Arkansas

The department has reached a settlement with the city of Marion, Ark., that, if approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, will resolve the department’s lawsuit against the city alleging race discrimination in employment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.



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Two Chicago Men Charged in Connection with Alleged Roles in Foreign Terror Plot That Focused on Targets in Denmark

Two Chicago men have been arrested on federal charges for their alleged roles in conspiracies to provide material support and/or to commit terrorist acts against overseas targets.



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D.C. Lobbyist Indicted for Conspiring to Violate Sudanese Sanctions and to Act as Illegal Agent of Sudan

Robert J. Cabelly, 61, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted in the District of Columbia charging him with conspiracy to violate the Sudanese sanctions regulations and to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign power.



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Detroit-Area Physical Therapist Pleads Guilty in Medicare Fraud Scheme

Troy, Mich., resident Syed Aziz pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Detroit to participating in a conspiracy to defraud the Medicare program.



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Government Files Seven Lawsuits Nationwide to Block Alleged Scheme Involving Fraudulent Tax-Refund Claims

The federal suits – filed in Los Angeles; Panama City, Fla.; Salt Lake City; Nashville, Tenn.; and Pocatello, Idaho – allege that the defendants promote a tax fraud scheme designed to siphon hundreds of millions of dollars from the U.S. Treasury through fraudulent tax refund claims.



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Laporte County, Indiana, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

"Civic access is a civil right, and individuals with disabilities must have the opportunity to participate in public programs, services and activities on an equal basis with their neighbors," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Nevada Company to Enforce the Employment Rights of Air Force Reservist

"This settlement demonstrates our vigilant protection of the employment rights of our servicemembers, and our commitment to vigorous enforcement of the laws that protect them," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.



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Bill Allen and Richard Smith, Former Officers of VECO Corporation, Sentenced for Roles in Alaska Public Corruption Scheme

Bill J. Allen and Richard L. Smith were each sentenced in separate hearings today for their participation in a corruption scheme in which they provided approximately $395,000 in corrupt payments to public officials from the state of Alaska.



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Former West Point Employee Pleads Guilty in $3 Million Embezzlement Scheme

A Highland Falls, N.Y., woman pleaded guilty today for her role in a scheme to defraud and embezzle funds from the U.S. government by authorizing nearly $3 million in payments from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., to a bogus corporation she controlled.



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