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Miami Contractor Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Fraud

Axel Rafael Mercado pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion before U.S. District Court Judge Patricia A. Seitz in the Southern District of Florida.



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State Department Employee Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements About Accessing Confidential Passport Files

Brooke E. Reyna, 28, of Barrington, N.H., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante in U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire to making false statements.



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Imprisoned Spy Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Act as an Agent of the Russian Government and Money Laundering

Harold James Nicholson, 59, appeared before U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown and pleaded guilty to the crimes of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government and conspiracy to commit international money laundering.



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Oregon Man Sentenced for Threatening Lima, Ohio, Civil Rights Leader by Mailing Noose

Daniel Lee Jones, a Portland, Ore., white supremacist, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison and three years supervised release for threatening the president of the Lima, Ohio, chapter of the NAACP by mailing him a noose. Jones entered a guilty plea on May 17, 2010, to using the U.S. Postal Service to send a threatening communication.



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Latin Kings Leader Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy

Remy Heath, aka “Remy,” “King Remy,” and “King Mellow,” 26, of Hyattsville, Md., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, in connection with his gang activities as a member and leader of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation.



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Former Caesars Palace Nightclub Host Pleads Guilty to Tax Crime

Richard Chu, a former "VIP host" at Pure Nightclub located in Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of filing a false federal income tax return for the 2006 tax year.



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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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Northern Virginia Businessman Pleads Guilty to Bank and Tax Fraud

Kevin Shaffer of Sarasota, Fla., and Washington D.C., pleaded guilty to bank fraud and tax evasion before Alexandria, Va., federal district court Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.



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Principal of A&O Entities Pleads Guilty for His Role in $100 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Life Settlements

Brent Oncale, 36, of Houston, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va., to conspiracy charges in connection with his role as a principal of the A&O entities, a group of businesses that acquired and marketed over $100 million of investments in life settlements to more than 800 victims across the United States and Canada.



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Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud and Identity Theft

Jeffery Leon Ceaser, a resident of Montgomery, Ala., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the United States and one count of identity theft.



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Pennsylvania Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud Conspiracy

The owner of a Langhorne, Penn., asbestos abatement company pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).



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Senior U.S. District Court Judge Pleads Guilty to Possession of Controlled Substances and Conversion of Government Property

Senior U.S. District Judge Jack T. Camp Jr., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Atlanta to possession of controlled substances and conversion of government property.



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Former New York Con Edison Manager Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Bribery and Tax Charges

A former Consolidated Edison of New York (Con Edison) manager pleaded guilty today to charges that he accepted and agreed to accept approximately $807,000 in bribes from two Con Edison industrial pipe supply vendors.



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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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Lawyer for A&O Entities Pleads Guilty for His Role in $100 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Life Settlements

Russell Mackert, 51, of Spring, Texas, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va., to conspiracy charges in connection with his role as a lawyer for the A&O entities, a group of businesses that acquired and marketed more than $100 million of fraudulent investments in life settlements to more than 800 victims across the United States and Canada.



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Singapore Airlines Cargo Pte Ltd. Agrees to Plead Guilty to Price Fixing on Air Cargo Shipments

Singapore Airlines Cargo Pte Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $48 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices in the air transportation industry.



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Former Employee of a Financial Institution Subsidiary Pleads Guilty for Role in Bid-rigging and Fraud Conspiracies Involving Municipal Bonds

A former employee of a subsidiary of a financial institution pleaded guilty today for his participation in bid-rigging and fraud conspiracies related to contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other municipal finance contracts.



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Latin Kings Leader Sentenced To 262 Months in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy

Francisco Ortiz, aka “Francis Gabriel Ortis,” “Pone,” and “King Pone,” 26, of Rockville, Md., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams Jr. in Greenbelt, Md., to 262 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, in connection with his gang activities as a member and leader of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings).



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Former New York City Hospital Purchasing Official Pleads Guilty to Bid Rigging and Fraud Conspiracies

A former purchasing official at Mount Sinai Medical Center and School of Medicine in New York pleaded guilty to participating in bid rigging and fraud conspiracies related to contracts for maintenance and insulation work performed at Mount Sinai.



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Kaua‘i Island Utility Pleads Guilty to Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act Violation, Agrees to Help Protect Threatened Seabirds

The Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) entered a plea agreement today in federal court in Honolulu to resolve violations of the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty 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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Former Employee of Florida Property Management Company Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

A former residential sales manager at a Florida property management company pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with housing repair contracts for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.



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Former Federal Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violation and Obstruction of Justice

Benjamin Montgomery, a former correctional officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta pleaded guilty today to a two-count information charging him with civil rights crimes for assaulting an inmate and for subsequently writing a false report about the incident.



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UK Citizen Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Bribe Nigerian Government Officials to Obtain Lucrative Contracts as Part of KBR Joint Venture Scheme

Wojciech J. Chodan, a former commercial vice president and consultant to a United Kingdom subsidiary of Kellogg, Brown & Root Inc. (KBR), pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for his participation in a decade-long scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials to obtain engineering, procurement and construction contracts.



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President of Iowa Ready-Mix Concrete Company Pleads Guilty to Price Fixing

The president of an Iowa ready-mix concrete company pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to fix prices for sales of ready-mix concrete.



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Florida Physician Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy in Fraudulent Lobbying and Fund Raising Scheme

Alan D. Mendelsohn, 52, of Broward County, Fla., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch, to a one-count criminal information, charging him with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, to make false statements and to file false tax returns.



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Leader of Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization and Associate Found Guilty of Conspiring to Import Multiple Tons of Cocaine into the United States

Christian Fernando Borda and Alvaro Alvaran-Velez, two narcotics traffickers aligned with the Autodefenses Unidas de Colombia (AUC), were found guilty today in U.S. District Court of conspiring to import ton-quantities of cocaine into the United States.



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Florida Man and Two U.K. Nationals Plead Guilty in Relation to Immigration Fraud Scheme Involving Florida Property Development Company

A Florida man and two U.K. nationals pleaded guilty Dec.10, 2010, to immigration fraud charges for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently procure visas from the U.S. Embassy in London through a Florida property development company called Royal Development.



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Illinois Woman Pleads Guilty to Illegally Accessing Confidential Student Loan Files

Charlotte M. Robinson, 46, of Dolton, Ill., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan E. Cox in the Northern District of Illinois to a one-count criminal information charging her with unauthorized computer access.



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Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in International Child Pornography Ring Dismantled by International Law Enforcement Effort

Yesterday’s guilty plea by David Michael Fagerness is the result of an international investigation into the “Lost Boy” online bulletin board.



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Attorney General Holder Hosts Inaugural Meeting of Tribal Nations Leadership Council

Attorney General Holder convened the inaugural meeting of the Justice Department’s Tribal Nations Leadership Council (TNLC), a group of tribal leaders from around the country who will advise him on issues critical to tribal communities.



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Former Alabama State Lobbyist Pleads Guilty in Wide-Ranging Conspiracy to Influence and Corrupt Votes Related to Electronic Bingo Legislation

A former Alabama state lobbyist pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Wallace Capel Jr. to his role in conspiring to bribe legislators in exchange for their favorable votes on pro-gambling legislation.



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Former Construction Company Executive Doing Business in Colorado Pleads Guilty to Providing an Illegal Gratuity

A former managing executive of a construction company that had substantial business at Fort Carson, a U.S. Army installation in Colorado Springs, Colo., pleaded guilty to providing an illegal gratuity to a contracting officer.



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Former UBS Banker Pleads Guilty to Helping American Client Conceal Assets Offshore

Renzo Gadola, 44, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States.



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Former Wealth Manager Pleads Guilty to Causing a Presidential Campaign Committee to Submit False Statements to the Federal Election Commission

A former principal of a wealth management firm pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to causing the Hillary Clinton for President Committee unwittingly to submit false statements to the Federal Election Commission.



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Former Colombian Maritime Training Instructor and Co-Conspirator Plead Guilty to U.S. Drug Charges

A former Colombian maritime training instructor and a co-conspirator have pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport thousands of kilograms of cocaine from various ports along the coast of Colombia to waiting vessels that transported the cocaine to the United States and other countries.



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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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Two Alabama Women Separately Plead Guilty for Roles in Tax Fraud Conspiracy

Betty Washington, a resident of Montgomery County, Ala., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the United States.



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Individual Pleads Guilty to Defrauding FCC Video Relay Service Program

Marc Velasquez pleaded guilty today to engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Video Relay Service (VRS) program.



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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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Illinois Commercial Print Broker Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement to the Government Printing Office

An Illinois commercial print broker pleaded guilty today to making false statements in a bid submitted to the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO).



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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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Two Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crime Charge Related to Desecration of Synagogue and Churches in Modesto, California

Brian Lewis of Modesto, Calif., and Abel Mark Gonzalez of Morgan Hill, Calif., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to conspiring to violate the civil rights of congregants of Congregation Beth Shalom, a synagogue in Modesto, Calif.



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Co-Founder of Casino-Cheating Criminal Enterprise Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy Targeting Casinos Across the United States

The co-founder of a criminal enterprise known as the "Tran Organization" pleaded guilty today in San Diego to conspiring to participate in the organization’s scheme to cheat casinos across the country out of millions of dollars.



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Nacogdoches, Texas, Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Murders

A Nacogdoches, Texas, man pleaded guilty today to charges related to a double homicide which took place in Nacogdoches in August 2007.



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Attorney General Holder Leads Stalking Awareness Event

Attorney General Eric Holder, Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli and Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Susan B. Carbon today opened an event focused on the complexities and impact of stalking crimes.



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Lufkin, Texas, Man Pleads Guilty to Involvement in Murders

A Lufkin, Texas, man pleaded guilty today to charges related to a double homicide that took place in Nacogdoches, Texas, in August 2007.



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Belarusian National Pleads Guilty to International Online Scheme to Steal U.S. Tax Refunds

A Belarusian national and resident of Nantucket, Mass., pleaded guilty today to charges stemming from his participation in an international online scheme to steal income tax refunds from U.S. taxpayers around the country.



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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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