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TV Academy: If your work is nominated for an Oscar, you can't win an Emmy too

Television Academy reiterates a rule change made in March after Oscars relax rules amid pandemic.




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Carlos Ghosn: Turkey charges seven over escape from Japan

The former Nissan chief's sensational escape involved being smuggled from Tokyo to Lebanon via Istanbul.




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How Irrfan Khan helped Slumdog Millionaire to become an Oscar winner

Danny Boyle credits Irrfan Khan with propelling Slumdog Millionaire to Oscar glory.




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Stars and Scars -- You Be the Judge

The brutal killing of Ahmaud Arbery is gut-wrenching and outrageous. And, the virus is causing many to choose between financial and physical health. So we gotta ask ...




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AdvaMed launches platform to help scale the production and distribution of ventilators

AdvaMed has announced the launch of a new platform, which will attempt to connect ventilator companies with component suppliers to ensure quick scale production and distribution of these devices during the Covid-19 pandemic.




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Bio Roundup: Remdesivir Data, Erasca’s $200M, a New FDA Nod & More

Remdesivir, the investigational Gilead Sciences antiviral drug, looks more likely than ever to become the first treatment authorized by the FDA to treat patients with COVID-19. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) head Anthony Fauci praised the drug after preliminary data released this week from a federally funded trial involving more than 1,000 […]




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U.S. Asks Courts in California & South Carolina to Shut Down Promoters of Allegedly Fraudulent $39.2 Million Tax Refund Scam

The United States has sued tax return preparers in Placerville, Calif., and Columbia, S.C., seeking to bar them from preparing federal tax returns for others. According to the government complaints in the two cases, Teresa Marty of Pollock Pines, Calif., and Winston Able of Blythewood, S.C., prepare federal income tax returns for their customers that claim fraudulent tax refunds.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Asks Court to Close Georgia Tax Preparation Firms Allegedly Involved in Fuel Credit Tax Scam

The United States has asked a federal court in Savannah, Ga., to permanently bar Ophelia Kelley of Vidalia, Ga., from preparing federal income tax returns for others. According to the government complaint, Kelley operates two return preparation firms in Vidalia – Kelley Tax Service, and City and Country Girl Tax Service.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Jury Convicts Two Doctors and Two Medical Assistants in $5.3 Million Medicare Fraud Scam

A federal jury in Miami today convicted two physicians and two medical assistants in connection with a $5.3 million Medicare fraud scheme. After a two-week trial in federal court in Miami, a jury found David Rothman, M.D., 66; Keith Russell, M.D., 65; Eda Marietta Milanes, 43; and Jorge Luis Pacheco, 50; guilty on all charged counts, including conspiracy to commit health care fraud and multiple counts of health care fraud for submitting claims to Medicare for unnecessary medications.



  • OPA Press Releases

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U.S. Sues 32 Individuals, Alleging $30 Million Tax Credit Scam Based on Sham Sales from Non-Existent Methane Production Facilities at Landfills

The United States has sued four Certified Public Accounts (CPA), 27 tax preparers and one other individual, seeking to bar them from promoting an alleged tax scam involving bogus income tax credits claimed for sham sales of methane from landfills.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Federal, State Partners Announce Multi-Agency Crackdown Targeting Foreclosure Rescue Scams, Loan Modification Fraud

As homeowners and communities throughout the country continue to face devastating consequences from the deep contraction in the economy and the housing market, the Obama Administration today announced a new coordinated effort across federal and state government and the private sector to target mortgage loan modification fraud and foreclosure rescue scams that threaten to hurt American homeowners and prevent them from getting the help they need during these challenging times.



  • OPA Press Releases

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U.S. Court Shuts Down Georgia Tax Preparation Firms Allegedly Involved in Fuel Credit Tax Scam

A federal court in Savannah, Ga., today permanently barred Ophelia Kelley, of Vidalia, Ga., from preparing federal income tax returns for others. According to the government complaint, Kelley operated two return preparation firms in Vidalia – Kelley Tax Service and City and Country Girl Tax Service. Kelley agreed to the civil injunction order.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Owner of New Jersey Landscaping Sub-Contractor Pleads Guilty to Defrauding the Environmental Protection Agency

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.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Stonescape Pavers LLC to Enforce Employment Rights of U.S. Air Force Reservist

The Department today filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas against Stonescape Pavers LLC alleging that the company willfully violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) by firing Matthew T. Denning without cause when he returned from active duty.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Federal Court Acts to Stop Alleged $30 Million Scam Involving Tax Credits Based on Fictitious Methane Production at Landfills

A federal judge in Tampa, Fla., has permanently barred eight men – including five tax preparers and two Certified Public Accountants (CPA) – from promoting an alleged tax fraud scheme involving bogus income tax credits.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Defendants Sentenced in Connection with Business Opportunity Scams

On Aug.11, 2009, two individuals were sentenced in connection with South Florida business opportunity scams. Stewart Pope was sentenced in connection with his participation in fraudulent business opportunity sales at a Miami firm called Global Resources (“Global”).



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Recovers $2.4 Billion in False Claims Cases in Fiscal Year 2009; More Than $24 Billion Since 1986

“Rooting out fraud and safeguarding taxpayers from illegal conduct are among the Justice Department’s highest priorities,” said Tony West, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Court in Texas Bars 12 Sub-Promoters of Alleged $30 Million Scam Involving Tax Credits Based on Fictitious Methane Production at Landfills

A federal judge in Beaumont, Texas, has permanently barred 12 people from promoting an alleged tax fraud scheme involving bogus income tax credits.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Jury Convicts Fresno, Calif., Patient Recruiter of Medicare Fraud in Power Wheelchair Scam

A federal jury in Los Angeles convicted a Fresno woman late Friday after it found that she committed Medicare fraud by recruiting patients for the purpose of receiving unnecessary power wheelchairs.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Settles Citizenship Status Discrimination Matter Against ValleyCrest Landscape Companies

The Department announced a settlement agreement with ValleyCrest Landscape Companies to resolve charges of hiring discrimination against U.S. citizens and other work-authorized domestic workers at its Virginia locations.



  • OPA Press Releases

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California Patient Recruiter Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Medicare Fraud in Power Wheelchair Scam

Maria Nela Moreno, 57, was also sentenced by U.S. District Judge John F. Walter of the Central District of California to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $110,000 in restitution.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Nigerian National Sentenced to 102 Months in Prison for Role in Airline Ticket Scam

Ademola Ismaila Adegoke, 43, of Accra, Ghana, was sentenced today to 102 months in prison for using stolen credit card numbers to steal more than $400,000 from U.S. citizens.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Department of Justice Recovers $3 Billion in False Claims Cases in Fiscal Year 2010

The Department of Justice secured $3 billion in civil settlements and judgments in cases involving fraud against the government in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2010.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Jury Convicts Oakland, California, Patient Recruiter for Participating in Wheelchair Scam to Defraud Medicare

On Monday, after a one-week trial in federal court in Los Angeles, a jury found Donna K. Wells, 52, guilty of one count of health care fraud.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Abramoff Business Partner Michael Scanlon Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Role in Public Corruption and Fraud Schemes

Michael P.S. Scanlon, 40, a business partner of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to 20 months in prison for his role in a wide-ranging public corruption and fraud conspiracy.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Federal Court Shuts Down Missouri Tax Preparer Who Promoted Tax Scam

A federal court has permanently barred Gerald A. Poynter II of Kansas City, Mo., from preparing federal tax returns for others and from promoting a fraudulent tax scam.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Sues to Halt “Sham Cemetery” Tax Scams

The government has filed a civil injunction lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C., against Michael A. Strauss of Herndon, Va.; his son, Patrick B. Strauss, of Washington, D.C.; and Joseph C. Barreiro of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Patient Recruiter Sentenced to 77 Months in Prison in Connection with $9 Million Medicare Fraud Scam in Detroit

Miami resident Reynel Betancourt, 51, was sentenced today to 77 months in prison for his participation in a $9 million Medicare fraud scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Federal Agencies Announce National Initiative to Combat Immigration Services Scams

This initiative targets immigration scams involving the unauthorized practice of immigration law (UPIL), which occurs when legal advice and/or representation regarding immigration matters is provided by an individual who is not an attorney or accredited representative.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Assistant Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the “Combating Immigration Services Scams” Press Conference

The Department of Justice, through our United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Civil Division’s Office of Consumer Protection Litigation, is investigating and prosecuting dozens of cases against these so-called “notarios,” said Assistant Attorney General West.




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Department of Justice Disrupts International Cybercrime Rings Distributing Scareware

Today the Department of Justice and the FBI, along with international law enforcement partners, announced the indictment of two individuals from Latvia and the seizure of more than 40 computers, servers and bank accounts as part of Operation Trident Tribunal, an ongoing, coordinated enforcement action targeting international cybercrime.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Sergeant Charged with Civil Rights Violations

The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Birmingham, Ala., returned a three-count indictment charging former Tuscaloosa Sheriff’s sergeant, Althea Mallisham, 52, with federal civil rights crimes for using a stun gun on three jail detainees in 2008.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Four Florida Men Charged in Boston with Defrauding Homeowners in Home Loan Modification Scam

Four Florida men were arrested today on charges that they defrauded homeowners in Massachusetts and elsewhere in connection with a home loan modification scam.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Texas Federal Court Bars Two Men from Promoting Alleged Tax Scam Involving Fictitious Methane at Landfills

A federal court in Beaumont, Texas, has permanently barred two men from promoting an alleged tax fraud scheme involving bogus tax credits for the production of methane gas from landfills.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Tuscaloosa County, Ala., Sheriff’s Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Tasing Restrained Inmates

Former Tuscaloosa, Ala., Sheriff’s Sergeant, Althea Mallisham, 52, pleaded guilty today in a federal court in Birmingham, Ala., to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon while acting under color of law for wrongfully using a Taser during three separate incidents over a four month period in 2008.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Recovers $3 Billion in False Claims Act Cases in Fiscal Year 2011

The $3 billion total for fiscal year 2011 includes a record $2.8 billion in recoveries under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which is the government’s primary civil remedy to redress false claims for federal money or property, such as Medicare benefits, payments on military contracts, and federal subsidies and loans.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Principal of Offshore Brokerage Firm and Las Vegas Stock Promoter Convicted in Miami for $7 Million Stock Manipulation Scam

Jonathan Curshen, 47, the principal of Red Sea Management and Sentry Global Securities, two companies located in San Jose, Costa Rica, that provided offshore accounts and facilitated trading in penny stocks, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud and mail fraud; two counts of mail fraud; and conspiracy to commit international money laundering.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Utah Tax Defier Pleads Guilty in Nine-year Scam to Defraud the United States, Is Sentenced to Two-year Prison Term

Stephen Murphy, a Utah resident, pleaded guilty in federal court in Salt Lake City to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, and was sentenced the same day to 24 months in prison, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. U.S. District Court Judge Dee Benson presided over the plea hearing and sentencing, which took place yesterday.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Sergeant Sentenced for Criminal Civil Rights Violations

Former Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s sergeant, Althea Mallisham, 52, has been sentenced to 61 months in prison for civil rights convictions for wrongfully using a Taser against three detainees during separate incidents over a four month period in 2008.



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Vice Lords Gang Member Who Escaped Prison After Murder Conviction in Tennessee Sentenced to Life in Prison

Vice Lords gang member Jessie Lobbins was sentenced today in Nashville, Tenn., to life in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Todd J. Campbell.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Principal of Offshore Brokerage Firm Sentenced in Miami to 20 Years in Prison for $7 Million Stock Manipulation Scam

Jonathan Curshen, 47, the principal of Red Sea Management and Sentry Global Securities, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard W. Goldberg.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Tuscaloosa, Alabama Police Sergeant Charged with Civil Rights Violations

A federal grand jury in Birmingham, Ala., today returned a five-count indictment charging former city of Tuscaloosa Police Sergeant Jason Glenn Thomas with federal civil rights offenses in connection with the aggravated sexual assault of a Tuscaloosa woman in 2011, announced Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Joyce White Vance, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, and Patrick J. Maley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Birmingham Field Office.



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Mortgage Fraud Summits Arm Distressed Homeowners with Information to Protect Them from Scams

The Department of Justice, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General, among other federal and state partners, are holding mortgage fraud summits in Las Vegas and Los Angeles today to help protect homeowners in areas hit hardest by these scams.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty to Foreclosure Rescue Scam and Theft of Government Funds

Alex P. Soria, 65, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lloyd D. George in the District of Nevada to one count of wire fraud and one count of theft of government funds in connection with a scheme to defraud homeowners who were behind on their mortgages.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Ten Individuals Indicted in National Business Opportunity Fraud Scam

The Justice Department announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging 10 individuals in connection with a vending machine “business opportunity” that defrauded thousands of victims across the country.



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Justice Department Recovers Nearly $5 Billionin False Claims Act Cases in Fiscal Year 2012

The Justice Department secured $4.9 billion in settlements and judgments in civil cases involving fraud against the government in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2012.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Foreclosure Rescue Scam and Theft of Government Funds

A Las Vegas man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for operating a foreclosure rescue scam that defrauded distressed homeowners who were struggling to pay their mortgages.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Payment Processor for Scareware Cybercrime Ring Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison

A Swedish credit card payment processor was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for his role in an international cybercrime ring that netted $71 million by infecting victims’ computers with “scareware” and selling rogue antivirus software that was supposed to secure victims’ computers but was, in fact, useless.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Federal Fugitive Pleads Guilty in California to Massive Fraud and Identity Theft Scheme in Connection with Nationwide Foreclosure Scam

A former Los Angeles resident, who fled to Canada and was a federal fugitive for 12 years, pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft and bankruptcy fraud in connection with leading a nearly 15-year foreclosure-rescue scam that fraudulently postponed foreclosure sales for more than 800 distressed homeowners.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Tuscaloosa Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violation for Sexually Assaulting a Woman

Jason Glenn Thomas, 34, a former sergeant with the city of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Police Department, pleaded guilty today to a criminal civil rights charge for using his authority as a law enforcement officer to sexually assault a woman.



  • OPA Press Releases