o United States Takes Action to Reduce Hazards from Fertilizer Manufacturing Plant in Florida By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 10:17:46 EDT CF Industries Inc. has agreed to spend approximately $12 million to implement facility-wide operational changes to reduce and properly manage hazardous wastes generated at its Plant City, Fla., phosphoric acid and ammoniated fertilizer manufacturing facility. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Alliance One International Inc. and Universal Corporation Resolve Related FCPA Matters Involving Bribes Paid to Foreign Government Officials By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 12:45:32 EDT Two foreign subsidiaries of Alliance One International Inc., a global tobacco leaf merchant headquartered in Morrisville, N.C., pleaded guilty today to violating various provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Court Shuts Down Los Angeles-area Tax Preparer By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 12:46:25 EDT A federal judge in Santa Ana, Calif., has permanently barred Thanh Viet Jeremy Cao and his business, Phoenix Financial Management Group, from preparing federal tax returns. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Operator of Miami HIV Clinic Pleads Guilty for Role in Medicare Fraud Ring By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 14:09:34 EDT Jose Garcia, 55, who was a fugitive for nearly two years, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Miami for his participation in a Medicare fraud scheme involving a Miami-area HIV clinic. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Jury Awards $115,000 to Victims of Housing Discrimination By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 15:37:08 EDT A federal jury in Detroit today returned a $115,000 verdict against an Ypsilanti, Mich., man for sexually harassing female tenants in his capacity as a property manager. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Estonian Hacker Extradited to the United States to Face Computer Hacking Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 18:12:37 EDT Sergei Turikov, 26, of Tallinn, Estonia, has been extradited to the United States to face charges of hacking into a computer network operated by an Atlanta-based credit card processing company. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o New York Merchant Bank Pleads Guilty to FCPA Violation; Bank Chairman Pleads Guilty to Failing to Disclose Control of Foreign Bank Account By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 18:23:57 EDT – The Mercator Corporation, a merchant bank with offices in New York, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Manhattan, N.Y., to one count of making an unlawful payment to a senior government official of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Statement of Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli on Deepwater Horizon Escrow Fund By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 09:52:09 EDT “Today, the department announced that it had completed negotiations to establish a $20 billion fund to provide the necessary resources to those suffering from the effects of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico," said Associate Attorney General Perrelli. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o New Jersey Landfill Owners Agree to Comply with Clean Air Act By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 15:33:22 EDT The second of two agreements to resolve longstanding problems with landfill gas emissions and their negative impacts on air quality at the Middlesex County and Edgeboro landfills in New Jersey has been reached to bring them into compliance with the Clean Air Act. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Justice Department Sues Two California Residents to Bar Them from Promoting Alleged Tax Sham Trusts By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 15:47:03 EDT The United States has sued Gwenn Wycoff and Frank Ozak of Los Angeles seeking to bar them from promoting the formation and operation of “common-law” trusts for the purpose of tax avoidance. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Hawaii Man Convicted of Providing Defense Information and Services to People’s Republic of China By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 19:37:10 EDT A federal jury in U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii today found Noshir S. Gowadia guilty of five criminal offenses relating to his design for the People’s Republic of China (PRC) of a low signature cruise missile exhaust system capable of rendering a PRC cruise missile resistant to detection by infrared missiles. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Houston-based Plains Pipeline to Spend More Than $44 Million to Resolve Clean Water Act Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:19:21 EDT Plains All American Pipeline L.P. and several of its operating subsidiaries will spend approximately $41 million over the next three years to prevent and remediate corrosion, improve leak detection practices and capabilities, and enhance pipeline oversight on 10,420 miles of crude oil pipeline operated in the United States. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Federal Court Bars Missouri Lawyer from Promoting Tax Schemes That Cost the U.S. at Least $100 Million in Lost Taxes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:56:06 EDT A federal court in Kansas City, Mo, has permanently barred Missouri lawyer A. Blair Stover Jr. from promoting a variety of improper tax schemes. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Justice Department Files Lawsuit Alleging Disability-based Housing Discrimination at Louisville, Kentucky, Apartment Complex By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:03:27 EDT “Since 1991, federal law has required that new multi-family housing complexes with four or more units be built with certain accessible features. There is no excuse for developers and design professionals to fail to comply,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Settlement Reached with City and County of Honolulu to Address Wastewater Collection & Treatment Systems By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:46:59 EDT A comprehensive settlement has been reached with the City and County of Honolulu that will address Clean Water Act compliance at Honolulu’s wastewater collection and treatment systems. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Two Former Navajo Police Officers in Tuba City, Arizona, Charged with Civil Rights Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:27:55 EDT A federal grand jury in Phoenix, Ariz., returned a three-count indictment today charging former Navajo Police Officer Christine Thinn and former Navajo Police Sergeant Phillip Bedonie Jr. with federal crimes in connection with the beating of Newton Charlie in January 2009. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Detroit-area Clinic Operator Sentenced to 56 Months in Prison for Role in Fraudulent Diagnostic Testing Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:26:08 EDT Carlos Grana, a Miami resident, was also sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence P. Zatkoff in the Eastern District of Michigan to three years of supervised release following his prison term and was ordered to pay $2 million in restitution. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Alleged International Credit Card Trafficker Arrested in France on U.S. Charges Related to Sale of Stolen Card Data By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:14:06 EDT Vladislav Anatolievich Horohorin, 27, aka “BadB” of Moscow, Russia, was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2009 on charges of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Former Defense Department Contract Employee Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Related to Contracts in Support of Iraqi War By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:33:51 EDT A former contract employee of the U.S. Defense Department (DoD) pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to bribe U.S. Army contracting officials stationed at Camp Arifjan, an Army base in Kuwait, and to money laundering conspiracy. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Arizona Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:58:03 EDT David Ralph Garcia Jr., 38, of Mesa, Ariz., was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 years in prison for possessing images of child pornography. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o New Congressional Funding to Enhance Department of Justice Southwest Border Strategy By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:34:20 EDT Today’s passage by Congress of the Border Security Appropriations Bill provides $196 million for the Department of Justice to surge federal law enforcement efforts in high crime areas in the Southwest Border region. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Justice Department Resolves Discrimination Case Against Flushing, N.Y., Restaurant That Ejected Patrons Because of Religion By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:49:37 EDT The Justice Department filed a consent decree today resolving claims of religious discrimination against the Lucky Joy restaurant, located in Flushing, N.Y. In the consent decree, the restaurant’s owner, Lucky Joy Restaurant Inc., and its president, Xiao Rong Wu, admit that the restaurant engaged in a pattern or practice of wrongfully ejecting Falun Gong practitioners from the premises. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Former Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Financial Products and Services Firm Pleads Guilty for Role in Fraud Conspiracies Involving Proceeds of Municipal Bonds By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:31:11 EDT The former owner and chief executive officer of a financial products and services firm pleaded guilty today for his participation in fraud conspiracies related to contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other related municipal finance contracts. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at the Department of Education’s Bullying Summit By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:50:57 EDT "Our nation’s children deserve a learning environment that allows them to reach their full potential, and no child should be scared to go to school because of bullying," said Associate Attorney General Perrelli. Full Article Speech
o Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler Speaks at the 8th Circuit Judicial Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:45:12 EDT "As I have seen every day at the Department of Justice – in national-security briefings, reviews of case files, and meetings with the leaders of our divisions and task forces – our role as lawyers has evolved," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Grindler. Full Article Speech
o Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:53:16 EDT Ilkham Fazilov pleaded guilty today to racketeering conspiracy for his role in a criminal enterprise that engaged in numerous criminal activities including forced labor, fraud in foreign labor contracting, visa fraud, mail fraud, identity theft, tax evasion and money laundering. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Chicago Tax Return Preparer By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:51:04 EDT The civil injunction suit alleges that Charlie Wilson and his Chicago business, CBD Tax Service, claim bogus deductions and credits on customers’ federal tax returns. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Justice Department Issues Guidance Letter to State Courts Regarding Their Obligation to Provide Language Access By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:14:57 EDT The Justice Department today issued a letter to chief justices and administrators of state courts clarifying the obligation of courts that receive federal financial assistance to provide oral interpretation, written translation and other language services to people who are limited English proficient. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Georgia Manufacturer of Food Service Equipment Hardware Pays $3.3 Million Fine for Role in Customer Allocation Conspiracy By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:25:27 EDT A New York corporation, whose principal place of business is Newnan, Ga., was sentenced to pay a $3.3 million criminal fine for conspiring to allocate customers in the food service equipment hardware market, including walk-in refrigeration equipment. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Cheese Manufacturer Sorrento Lactalis to Pay U.S. $315,000 for Exceeding Discharge Levels into Idaho’s Mason Creek By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:15:16 EDT Cheese manufacturer Sorrento Lactalis Inc. will pay the United States a $315,000 penalty for excess discharges in violation of its wastewater permit levels, according to an agreement between the company. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Barclays Bank PLC Agrees to Forfeit $298 Million in Connection with Violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Trading with the Enemy Act By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:15:29 EDT Barclays Bank PLC, a United Kingdom corporation headquartered in London, has agreed to forfeit $298 million to the United States and to the New York County District Attorney’s Office in connection with violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Trading with the Enemy Act. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy and Fraud in Foreign Labor Contracting Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:14:36 EDT Andrew Cole pleaded guilty today to racketeering conspiracy and fraud in foreign labor contracting charges arising from his role in a criminal enterprise that engaged in numerous criminal activities, including forced labor, fraud in foreign labor contracting, visa fraud, mail fraud, identity theft, tax evasion and money laundering. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Detroit-Area Doctor Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Medicare Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:13:05 EDT Farmington Hills, Mich., physician Jose Castro-Ramirez was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for his role in a wide-ranging conspiracy to defraud the Medicare program. Castro-Ramirez was also ordered to pay $9.4 million in restitution and sentenced to a three-year term of supervised release following his prison term. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Two Defendants Sentenced to Prison in International Child Pornography Conspiracy Case By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:24:02 EDT Two defendants were sentenced today to prison in connection with a series of superseding indictments charging 26 individuals for their participation in an online child pornography conspiracy. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o DEA Heads First-ever Nationwide Prescription Drug Take-back Day By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:04:40 EDT The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and government, community, public health and law enforcement partners today announced a nationwide prescription drug “Take-Back” initiative that seeks to prevent increased pill abuse and theft. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission Issue Revised Horizontal Merger Guidelines By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:11:20 EDT The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued today revised Horizontal Merger Guidelines that outline how the federal antitrust agencies evaluate the likely competitive impact of mergers and whether those mergers comply with U.S. antitrust law. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Los Angeles Men Arrested for Clean Air Act Asbestos Worker Protection Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:08:53 EDT Charles Yi and John Bostick were arrested Wednesday for violations of the Clean Air Act’s asbestos work practice standards committed during the renovation of a 204-unit apartment building in Winnetka, Calif., in January through February of 2006. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Former U.S. Army Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Bribery in Afghanistan Fuel Theft Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:12:08 EDT A former U.S. Army Sergeant pleaded guilty today to bribery in connection with a fuel theft scheme to solicit more than $400,000 in bribes from a government contractor in Afghanistan. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Statement on Accused Arms Trafficker Viktor Bout by Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:34:31 EDT “We are extremely pleased that the Appeals Court in Thailand has granted the extradition of Viktor Bout to the United States on charges of conspiring to sell weapons to a terrorist organization for use in killing Americans," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Grindler. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Dominion & Marathon Oil to Pay $6.9 Million to Resolve Allegations of Royalty Underpayments from American Indian and Federal Lands By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:00:48 EDT Dominion Oklahoma Texas Exploration & Production Inc. and Marathon Oil Company have agreed to pay the United States $2,219,974.98 and $4,697,476.57, respectively, to resolve claims that the two companies separately violated the False Claims Act by knowingly underpaying royalties owed on natural gas produced from federal and Indian leases. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Department of Justice and USDA Announce Agenda for August 27 Livestock Workshop in Colorado By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:06:07 EDT The Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today the agenda and panelists for the Aug. 27, 2010, joint public workshop in Fort Collins, Colo., on competition in the livestock industry. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Natchez, Mississippi, Police Officers Indicted for Civil Rights Offenses, Conspiracy to Commit Identity Theft and Fraud, and False Statements By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:07:13 EDT A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Natchez, Miss., Police Department Officers Elvis Prater, 35, and Dewayne Johnson, 32, with civil rights offenses and other offenses related to the beating of two men in custody, the theft of an arrestee’s credit and debit cards, and the officers’ false statements to federal investigators. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Two Individuals Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Traffic in Counterfeit Slot Machines and Computer Programs By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:06:13 EDT Rodolfo Rodriguez Cabrera, 43, a Cuban national, and Henry Mantilla, 35, of Cape Coral, Fla., were sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Philip M. Pro in Las Vegas to two years in prison each for conspiring to produce and sell counterfeit International Game Technology (IGT) video gaming machines, commonly known as slot machines, and counterfeit IGT computer programs. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Northern Virginia Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Failing to Pay Employment Taxes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:14:33 EDT Eric Jon Eisenhower, a resident of Fairfax Station, Va., pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Alexandria, Va., for failing to collect, account for and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) more than $200,000 in withholdings from employees’ paychecks between 2004 and 2008. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Tennessee Man Charged in Connection with Sex Trafficking Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:55:14 EDT A federal grand jury in the Western District of Tennessee indicted Terrence Arnett Yarbrough, aka “T-Rex,” on four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion against minor and adult female victims. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Justice Department to Monitor Elections in Apache and Navajo Counties, Arizona By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:45:59 EDT The Justice Department today announced that it will monitor the primary elections on Aug. 24, 2010, in Apache and Navajo Counties, Ariz., to ensure compliance with the minority language requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other federal voting rights statutes. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Georgia Man Convicted of Child Sex Abuse Offenses By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:22:22 EDT Dwain D. Williams was convicted Thursday by a federal jury in Valdosta, Ga., on child sex abuse offenses. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o California Man Sentenced to Serve 295 Months in Prison in Child Pornography Case By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:40:07 EDT David Grummer of San Diego was sentenced late Friday to 295 months in prison following his conviction on 18 counts of receipt of child pornography and five counts of possession of child pornography. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o DOJ Officials Raise Awareness of Disaster Fraud Hotline for Reporting Oil Spill-Related Schemes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:37:41 EDT As the Deepwater Horizon oil spill clean-up efforts continue and the Gulf Coast Claims Facility opens its doors, the Department of Justice is reminding members of the public to be aware of and report any instances of suspected fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Full Article OPA Press Releases
o Federal Court Permanently Bars Georgia Tax Preparers from Preparing Taxes for Others By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:27:56 EDT A federal district judge in Atlanta has permanently barred Saloum A. Njie and his company, MIAAS Associates LLC, from preparing federal tax returns for others. Full Article OPA Press Releases