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Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion as Part of Organized Crime Investigation

Gerald Diodati, 61, of Seekonk, Mass., pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi to one count of tax evasion.



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Tennessee Man Sentenced for Illegally Accessing Former Governor Sarah Palin’s E-Mail Account and Obstruction of Justice

David C. Kernell, 23, today was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for intentionally accessing without authorization the e-mail account of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and obstruction of justice.



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Three Men Charged in Albuquerque, N.M., with Federal Hate Crimes Related to Assault of Disabled Navajo Man

A federal grand jury indicted three men in Albuquerque, N.M., on federal hate crime charges related to a racially-motivated assault of a 22-year-old man of Navajo descent who has a significant cognitive impairment.



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Massachusetts Man Convicted for Trafficking in Illegally-Imported Sperm Whale Teeth and Narwhal Tusks

A Massachusetts man was convicted today by a jury in federal court in Boston of seven felonies related to the illegal importation and illegal trafficking of sperm whale teeth and narwhal tusks, the Department of Justice announced today.



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Former Massachusetts Direct Mail Production Director Agrees to Plead Guilty to Fraud Conspiracies and Tax Evasion

A former employee of two Massachusetts-based customer relationship management agencies that purchase direct mail advertising has agreed to plead guilty to charges relating to his receipt of more than $1.8 million in kickbacks.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination at Condominium in Methuen, Massachusetts

The Justice Department has reached an agreement with Stonecleave Village Association, Inc. to resolve allegations that Stonecleave engaged in a pattern or practice of familial status discrimination by imposing excessive fines on residents with children for alleged violations of Stonecleave’s rules.



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U.S. Court Approves Agreement Between Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, United States, State of Michigan, Isabella County and City of Mt. Pleasant to Settle Jurisdiction

The settlement declares the entire Isabella Reservation to be Indian Country, resolving longstanding disputes over the boundaries and existence of the Isabella Reservation in south central Michigan.



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D.C. Fish Wholesaler Profish Ltd. Owner and Employee Sentenced for Purchasing Illegally Harvested Striped Bass

Ocean Pro Ltd. dba Profish, one of the District of Columbia’s largest seafood wholesalers, as well as its vice-president and its fish buyer, were sentenced on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Md., for their roles in a more than decade-long conspiracy to illegally harvest striped bass from the Potomac River.



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Attorney General Holder, Secretaries Salazar and Vilsack Applaud Final Passage of the Claims Settlement Act

Today, the Departments of Justice, Interior and Agriculture applauded the bipartisan House passage of the Claims Settlement Act.



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Former New Jersey Sales Representative Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Bribery Conspiracy in Power Generation Industry

A former sales representative of a Lyndhurst, N.J.-based industrial pipe supply company pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to commit fraud and pay bribes to a Consolidated Edison of New York (Con Edison) purchasing manager in return for the manager’s efforts to steer contracts to the sales representative’s company.



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Three Foreign Nationals Each Sentenced to 23 Months in Prison for Alien Smuggling and Visa Fraud Scheme

U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle also ordered Heliber Toro Mejia, 52; Humberto Toro Mejia, 60; and Luz Elena Acuna Rios, 53; all of Bogotá, to serve three years of supervised release following their prison terms.



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Justice Department Charges Seventh Individual for Allegedly Filing Fraudulent Claims for Oil Spill Compensation

“The charges announced today send a strong message that we will not tolerate any fraudulent activity designed to profit from this tragic oil spill,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.



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Dekalb County, Ga., Agrees to Major Sanitary Sewer System Upgrades

DeKalb County, Ga. has agreed to make major improvements to its sanitary sewer systems in an effort to eliminate unauthorized overflows of untreated sewage.



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Justice Department Files Complaint Against City of Brockton, Massachusetts, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts for Violating the Employment Rights of an Iraq War Veteran

The Justice Department announced today the filing of a complaint against the city of Brockton, Mass., and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for violating the rights of an Iraq war veteran.



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Former Grant Administrator and Legal Assistant of American Samoa Non-profit Corporation Indicted for Alleged Mail and Wire Fraud Scheme

A grant administrator and her daughter have been charged with participating in a scheme resulting in the theft of approximately $150,000 in federal grant funds awarded to a non-profit corporation in the Territory of American Samoa.



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Founding Member of Abu Sayyaf Group Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for 1995 Hostage Taking Involving U.S. and Philippine Citizens

Madhatta Asagal Haipe, a citizen of the Philippines and founding member of Al-Harakat Al-Islamiyyah, also known as the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), was sentenced today to 23 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to four counts of hostage taking in the 1995 abduction of 16 people, including four U.S. citizens, in the Philippines.



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Former Bell, California, Police Officer Sentenced to Nine Years on Federal Civil Rights Charge for Sexual Assault

A judge sentenced Feliciano Sanchez, a former officer with the Bell, Calif., Police Department, to nine years in federal prison and three years of supervised release for sexually assaulting a female motorist and violating her civil rights.



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Justice Department Settles Disability Discrimination Case Against Property Management Company for $1.25 Million

The Justice Department today announced a $1.25 million agreement with Warren Properties Inc., Warren Village (Mobile) Limited Partnership, and Frank R. Warren, to settle allegations that the defendants violated the Fair Housing Act by refusing to grant a tenant’s requests for a reasonable accommodation.



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MS-13 Gang Member in San Francisco Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charges

A member of La Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13 pleaded guilty today in federal court in San Francisco to racketeering (RICO) conspiracy and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.



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American Samoa Department of Education Official Pleads Guilty to Bribery Conspiracy

The director of the school bus division of the U.S. Territory of American Samoa’s Department of Education pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.



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U.S. Army Contractor Charged with Assault in Relation to Stabbing at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan

A U.S. Army contractor was indicted today for stabbing another individual with a knife at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.



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Former Leader of MS-13 Gang in San Francisco Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charges

A former leader of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, pleaded guilty today in federal court in San Francisco to racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, and the use or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.



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Former NASA Employee Charged with Illegally Exporting Military Technology to South Korea

An Ohio man was charged with illegally shipping infrared military technology to South Korea.



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Medical Device Manufacturer Guidant Sentenced for Failure to Report Defibrillator Safety Problems to FDA

Guidant LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Boston Scientific Corporation, was formally convicted and sentenced today in St. Paul, Minn., for criminal violations relating to its interactions with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).



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Detroit Area Strip Club Owner Pleads Guilty to Using Computer Software Program to Delete Club’s Sales in Order to Cheat on Taxes

Nicholas J. Faranso of Farmington Hills, Mich., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge John Corbett O’Meara in the Eastern District of Michigan to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



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Large Network of Private Schools Pays $215,000 to Settle Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination Against Children with Disabilities

The Justice Department today announced the settlement of a lawsuit filed to enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) against Nobel Learning Communities, Inc. (NLC), a private, for-profit entity that operates a nationwide network of more than 180 preschools, elementary schools and secondary schools.



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91 Leaders, Members and Associates of La Cosa Nostra Families in Four Districts Charged with Racketeering and Related Crimes, Including Murder and Extortion

Ninety-one members and associates of seven organized crime families of La Cosa Nostra (LCN), including the New England LCN family, all five New York-based families and the New Jersey-based Decavalcante family have been charged with federal crimes in 16 indictments returned in four judicial districts.



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Justice Department Announces 2011 Application Process for Public Safety Funding for Tribal Communities

The Department of Justice announced today that it is accepting applications from Native American and Alaska Native tribal communities for funding to improve public safety in Indian country via the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS).



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Justice Department Commemorates 50th Anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy’s Swearing-In as Attorney General with Kennedy Family, Civil Rights Leaders and Former Employees

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy’s swearing-in as the nation’s 64th Attorney General, the Justice Department today welcomed Kennedy family members, including Ethel Kennedy, renowned civil rights leaders, historians and current and former Justice Department employees to pay tribute to Attorney General Kennedy’s service.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy’s Swearing-In as 64th Attorney General

"Today, we come together to celebrate the achievements and enduring contributions of our nation’s 64th Attorney General – a man whose legacy continues to guide us, whose memory continues to touch us, and whose example continues to inspire us."




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Seafood Wholesaler Owners Plead Guilty to Selling Falsely Labeled Fish, Smuggling, and Misbranding of Seafood Products

Karen L. Blyth and David H.M. Phelps pleaded guilty today in federal court in Mobile, Ala., to 13 felony offenses for their roles in purchasing and selling farm raised Asian catfish and Lake Victoria perch falsely labeled as grouper; selling foreign farm-raised shrimp falsely labeled as U.S. wild caught shrimp, selling shrimp that falsely claimed to be larger, more expensive shrimp than they actually were; and for buying fish they knew had been illegally imported into the United States



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Deputy Attorney General James Cole Appoints Stuart M. Goldberg as Chief of Staff and Lisa O. Monaco as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General

Deputy Attorney General James Cole today announced the appointment of Lisa O. Monaco as the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General and Stuart M. Goldberg as the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General.



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Fairfax County, Virginia, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with Fairfax County, Va., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.



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Food Processor to Pay $390,000 Penalty for Illegal Wastewater Discharges into Kansas-Oklahoma River

An Illinois food processing company has agreed to pay a $390,000 civil penalty to the United States to settle allegations that its Baxter Springs, Kan., processing facility overloaded the city’s wastewater treatment system with millions of gallons of industrial wastewater, at times causing pollution along a 22-mile-long section of the Spring River in southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma.



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Justice Department Reaches Americans with Disabilities Act Settlement with H&R Block

The Justice Department today announced a comprehensive settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act with HRB Tax Group Inc., H&R Block Tax Services LLC and HRB Advance LLC (H&R Block) to ensure effective communication with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in the provision of income tax preparation services and courses at more than 11,000 owned and franchised offices nationwide.



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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion Related to Organized Crime Investigation

A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Providence, R.I., to 12 months and one day in prison for tax evasion related to an FBI investigation of organized crime activity in Rhode Island.



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with the Town of Swansea, Massachusetts, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

An agreement has been reached with the town of Swansea, Mass., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.



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Arkansas Woman Barred from Preparing Federal Tax Returns for Others

An Arkansas woman who operates Foster’s Income Tax Service in Knobel, Ark., has been permanently barred from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Eleven Alleged Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Members Charged for Roles in Assault

Eleven alleged members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) have been indicted for their alleged roles in the 2008 beating of a gang prospect in Tomball, Texas.



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Justice Department Settles with National Board of Medical Examiners Over Refusal to Provide Testing Accommodations to Yale Medical School Student

The Justice Department today announced a settlement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), a private, non-profit organization that administers the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), a standardized examination related to medical licensing.



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U.S. Sues Two California Lawyers & Kentucky Financial Professional to Block Nationwide Promotion of "Intermediary Transaction" Tax Shelter

The United States has sued two Southern California attorneys and a Kentucky financial professional to bar them from promoting an allegedly abusive tax shelter known as an “intermediary transaction.”



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Circus President and Former Employee Plead Guilty to Violating Endangered Species Act for Unlawful Purchase and Sale of Asian Elephants

John Pugh, Wilbur Davenport, and Cole Brothers Circus Inc., entered plea agreements yesterday in U.S. District Court in Beaumont, Texas to resolve Endangered Species Act (ESA) violations related to the purchase and sale of two Asian elephants named “Tina” and “Jewel.”



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Duquesne University School of Law’s Centennial Anniversary

"For the last century, since the Holy Ghost Fathers founded this law school in 1911, Duquesne has stood as a force for progress – and as an institution dedicated to training highly skilled, ethical lawyers and to strengthening the effectiveness and integrity of our justice system."




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Mississippi Companies to Pay $2 Million for Selling Thousands of Engines from China That Failed to Meet Clean Air Act Standards

Mississippi-based PowerTrain Inc., Wood Sales Inc., and Tool Mart Inc., (collectively known as “PowerTrain”) will jointly pay a civil penalty of $2 million to resolve claims that the company imported and sold almost 80,000 nonroad engines and equipment that were not covered by emissions-related certificates of conformity, and in most cases could not be certified because they exceeded emissions standards under the Clean Air Act.



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Massachusetts Antique Dealer Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Trafficking in Illegally-Imported Narwhal Tusks and Sperm Whale Teeth

David L. Place, owner of Manor House Antiques Cooperative in Nantucket, Mass., was sentenced to 33 months in prison for illegally importing and trafficking in Narwhal tusks and Sperm Whale teeth.



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Alleged New England La Cosa Nostra Members and Associates Charged in Superseding Indictment with Racketeering and Other Crimes

Four alleged members and associates of the New England La Cosa Nostra (LCN), including an alleged former boss, were charged with crimes involving racketeering, extortion and related crimes in a superseding indictment unsealed today in Providence, R.I.



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Des Moines, Iowa, and Des Moines Public Library to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

An agreement has been reached with the city of Des Moines, Iowa, and the Des Moines Public Library, to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.



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Former U.S. Official Sentenced to 65 Months in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Woman on Embassy Property in Algeria

Andrew Warren, 43, a former official with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was sentenced today to 65 months in prison on charges of abusive sexual contact and unlawful use of cocaine while possessing a firearm.



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Jared Lee Loughner Charged for Multiple Murders, Attempted Assassination

A federal grand jury yesterday returned a 49-count superseding indictment against Jared Lee Loughner of Tucson for the murder of a federal judge and a Congressional staff member, as well as for causing the deaths of four other participants and injuries to many more during his alleged attempt to assassinate U.S. Representative Gabrielle D. Giffords at her Congress on Your Corner event held on Jan. 8.



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Former New York Correctional Officer Convicted of Assaulting Inmate, Making False Statements to FBI

A former correctional officer from Cohoes, N.Y., was convicted following a jury trial in Albany, N.Y., of violating the civil rights of an inmate while working at the Rensselaer County Correctional Facility, and making false statements to the FBI regarding the incident.



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