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Former NSA Senior Executive Charged with Illegally Retaining Classified Information, Obstructing Justice and Making False Statements

A federal grand jury in the District of Maryland has returned a 10-count indictment charging former National Security Agency (NSA) senior executive Thomas A. Drake with the willful retention of classified information, obstruction of justice and making false statements.



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Former U.S. Army Reserve Officer Pleads Guilty to Accepting Illegal Gratuities Related to Contracting When Serving at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait

A former captain in the U.S. Army Reserve pleaded guilty today to accepting thousands of dollars in gratuities from a contractor during his deployment to Kuwait.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Pasco, Washington, Company to Enforce Employment Rights of National Guardsman

The Department has entered into a consent decree with Milne Enterprises Inc., d/b/a Milne, Nail, Power Tool &s complaint alleging violations of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.



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Two Houston-Area Residents Convicted in Medicare Fraud Scheme Involving Fraudulent Claims of Hurricane Damage to Power Wheelchairs

A federal jury in Houston today convicted Helen Etinfoh, 50, and Paula Whitfield, 43, for their roles in a Medicare fraud conspiracy involving, among other things, fraudulent claims of hurricane damage to power wheelchairs.



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U.S. Seeks Permanent Injunction Against Florida-Based Drug Compounding Lab

The United States has filed a civil suit on behalf of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Florida, against Franck’s Compounding Lab Inc., dba Franck’s Lab, a compounding pharmacy located in Ocala, Fla.



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N. Virginia, Real Estate Agent Arraigned on Charges of Failing to File Tax Returns

Gregory Alan Roberts, a resident of Fairfax County and Loudoun County, Va., was arraigned today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Ivan D. Davis on charges that he failed to timely file income tax returns for the years 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Troy University of Montgomery, Alabama, to Enforce Employment Rights of U.S. Army Reservist

The Department has entered into a consent decree with Troy University of Montgomery, Ala., to resolve the department’s complaint alleging violations of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.



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Army Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Accepting $1.4 Million in Illegal Gratuities Related to Military Dining Contracts in Kuwait

A U.S. Army sergeant pleaded guilty today to accepting approximately $1.4 million in illegal gratuities from private contractors during his deployment to Kuwait in 2002 and 2003.



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Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force Hosts Fair Lending Forum in Chicago

Representatives of the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) met in Chicago today with community stakeholders to discuss national, state and local elements of the banking and housing crisis.



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City of Tonawanda, N.Y., Police Captain Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violation

James G. Litz, 54, of the city of Tonawanda, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara, to a felony charge of deprivation of civil rights under the color of law.



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Four Individuals and Three Corporations Indicted for Roles in Mail and Wire Fraud Conspiracies at a New York City Hospital

A New York City federal grand jury returned an indictment against four individuals and three corporations for participating in mail and wire fraud conspiracies related to contracts for work performed at New York Presbyterian Hospital.



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Schwarz Pharma Pays $22 Million to Settle False Claims Allegations Concerning Reimbursement for Unapproved Drugs

Schwarz Pharma Inc. will pay $22 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that the company failed to advise the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that two unapproved products did not qualify for coverage under federal health care programs.



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Tennessee Man Convicted of Illegally Accessing Sarah Palin’s E-mail Account and Obstruction of Justice

David C. Kernell, 22, was convicted by a federal jury in Knoxville, Tenn., today for intentionally accessing without authorization the e-mail account of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and obstruction of justice.



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Court Rules Against Mississippi Businessman’s Tax Shelter Promoted by KPMG

A federal court in Jackson, Miss., has ruled in favor of the United States involving a businessman’s attempt to use a KPMG- marketed tax shelter to avoid paying income tax on approximately $18 million in capital gains.



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Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics to Pay More Than $72 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Concerning TOBI

Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics Inc. and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation have agreed to pay $72.5 million to resolve civil False Claims Act allegations arising from the marketing of the cystic fibrosis drug TOBI.



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U.S. Intervenes in Suit Against KBR and Panalpina Alleging Kickbacks Under the False Claims Act

The Department has intervened in a whistleblower lawsuit against Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR), Panalpina Inc. and others that alleges that employees of two freight forwarders doing business with the companies provided unlawful kickbacks to KBR transportation department employees.



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New York Small Business Lender to Pay U.S. $26.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

Ciena Capital LLC, a private, non-depository lender located in New York City, has reached an agreement with the United States to settle fraud claims related to its small business lending for $26.3 million.



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Justice Department Settles Citizenship Status Discrimination and Intimidation Claims Against Argosy University in Nashville, Tennessee

The Department has reached an agreement with Argosy University in Nashville, Tenn., and its parent company, Education Management Corporation of Pittsburgh, to settle allegations that Argosy refused to hire a lawful permanent resident because he is a non-United States citizen and intimidated him for reporting the school’s refusal to hire.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Arkansas Alleging Statewide Violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act

The Department has filed a lawsuit alleging that the state of Arkansas is systemically violating the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.



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Pep Boys Agrees to Pay $5 Million to Resolve Clean Air Act Violations Claims

The Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack - have agreed to pay $5 million in civil penalties and take corrective measures to settle claims that it violated the Clean Air Act by importing and selling motorcycles, recreational vehicles and generators manufactured in China that do not comply with environmental requirements.



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Justice Department Sponsors National Internet Crimes Against Children Conference

The conference features highly specialized training provided by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, their federal partner agencies and other organizations to an audience of federal, state and local law enforcement investigators, forensic experts and prosecutors.



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U.K. Firm Fined $2 Million After Pleading Guilty to Illegally Exporting Boeing 747 Aircraft to Iran

Balli Aviation Ltd., a subsidiary of the United Kingdom-based Balli Group PLC, was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to pay a $2 million fine and to serve a five-year corporate period of probation after pleading guilty on Feb. 5, 2010, to a two-count criminal information in connection with its illegal export of commercial Boeing 747 aircraft from the United States to Iran.



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with St. Clair County, Illinois, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

The Department announced an agreement with St. Clair County, Ill., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.



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Medicare Fraud Fugitive Taken into Custody at Miami International Airport and Ordered Held in Pre-trial Detention Pending Trial

Jose Garcia, 55, who has been a fugitive since 2008, was taken into federal custody yesterday at Miami International Airport.



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Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler Speaks at the National Internet Crimes Against Children’s Conference

As you know better than anyone else, our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces, are truly the front line fighters in the battle against child exploitation.




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Justice Department Announces Comprehensive, Cooperative Agreement with Cook County, Illinois, Board and Sheriff to Remedy Violations and Ensure Constitutional Rights of Inmates at Cook County Jail

The United States has entered into a comprehensive, cooperative agreement with Cook County, Ill., and the Cook County Sheriff that resolves previous findings of unconstitutional conditions at the Cook County Jail.



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Taiwan Citizen Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Export Missile Components from the U.S. to Iran

Yi-Lan Chen, aka Kevin Chen, 40, a Taiwan passport holder, and his Taiwan corporation, Landstar Tech Company Limited, pleaded guilty today in Miami to charges of conspiring to illegally export dual-use commodities to Iran.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Synapse Data and Telecom Inc. to Enforce the Employment Rights of Utah National Guard Member

The Department has entered into a consent decree with Synapse Data and Telecom Inc., and Matthew Mossbarger, the owner of Synapse, to resolve the Department’s complaint filed on behalf of Utah National Guard member Jose A. Ortega, alleging violations of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).



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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.



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Nine Hospitals in Seven States to Pay U.S. More Than $9.4 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Related to Kyphoplasty

Nine hospitals located in Alabama, Indiana, Florida, Michigan, South Carolina, New York and Minnesota have agreed to pay the United States more than $9.4 million to settle allegations that the health care facilities submitted false claims to Medicare.



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Oregon White Supremacist Pleads Guilty for Threatening Lima, Ohio, Civil Rights Leader by Mailing Noose

Daniel Lee Jones, a Portland, Ore., white supremacist, pleaded guilty to using the Postal Service to send a threatening communication to the president of the Lima, Ohio, chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.



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Ohio Utility to Settle Clean Air Act Violations

American Municipal Power (AMP), an Ohio non-profit utility, will permanently retire its Richard H. Gorsuch Station coal-fired power plant near Marietta under a settlement to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act.



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Justice Department Settles Employment Discrimination Suit Against John Jay College

John Jay College, a New York City public college in the City University of New York (CUNY) system, has agreed to pay $23,260.00 in civil penalties and $10,072.23 in back pay to a former employee in order to settle a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department on April 15, 2010.



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The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati and the Christ Hospital to Pay $108 Million for Violating Anti-Kickback Statute and Defrauding Medicare and Medicaid

The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati and one of its former member hospitals, The Christ Hospital, have agreed to pay the United States $108 million to settle claims that they violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act by paying unlawful remuneration to doctors in exchange for referring cardiac patients to The Christ Hospital in a pay-to-play scheme.



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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.



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California Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Jail for Molesting Child While in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

William Newton Rudd, 67, of Fullerton, Calif., was sentenced today to 78 months in jail after pleading guilty on Oct. 30, 2009, to one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.



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Massachusetts-Based EMC Corporation Pays U.S. $87.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Case

EMC Corporation has paid the United States $87.5 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that the information technology company violated the False Claims Act and the federal Anti-kickback Act.



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Hawaii Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Charges

Rodney D. King, aka “Shadow,” pleaded guilty today to federal sex trafficking charges in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii.



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Four Florida Promoters of Tax Defier Schemes Convicted of Tax and Mail Fraud

Four promoters of a Florida-based business that sold fraudulent tax schemes were convicted today of selling worthless "bills of exchange" for the purpose of impeding the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and promoting other schemes to orchestrate tax fraud.



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Former Haitian Government Official Sentenced to Prison for His Role in Money Laundering Conspiracy Related to Foreign Bribery Scheme

Robert Antoine, 62, of Miami and Haiti, was also ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Jose E. Martinez to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.



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Department of Justice and USDA Announce Dairy Workshop on June 25 in Wisconsin

The June 25 public workshop in Madison, Wis., is the third in a series of five joint public workshops and will examine competition and regulatory issues in the dairy industry.



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New York City Ambulance Companies Pay U.S. $2.85 Million to Resolve Claims for Fraudulent Medicare Appeals

Metropolitan Ambulance & First Aid Corp. (now known as SEZ Metro Corp.), Metro North Ambulance Corp. (now known as SEZ North Corp.) and Big Apple Ambulance Service Inc. (formerly known as United Ambulance) have paid the United States $2.85 million to resolve false claims made to Medicare.



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Court Rules Against Ford Motor Company’s Complaint for $445 Million in Tax Overpayment Interest

A federal court in Detroit has denied Ford Motor Company’s $445 million complaint against the United States for alleged tax overpayment interest.



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U.S. Trustee Program Announces Resolution of Litigation Against Countrywide Home Loans Inc., in Consumer Bankruptcy Cases

The U.S. Trustee Program has successfully resolved litigation against Countrywide Home Loans Inc. in its ongoing efforts to protect homeowners in bankruptcy.



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United States Settles False Claims Act Allegations with Cochlear Americas for $880,000

Cochlear Americas, a Colorado-based cochlear implant manufacturer, has agreed to pay $880,000 to resolve allegations that it paid illegal remuneration to health care providers to induce purchases of cochlear implant systems.



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Largest Taiwanese LCD Producer, Houston-Based Subsidiary and Six Executives Indicted for Participating in LCD Price-Fixing Conspiracy

A federal grand jury in San Francisco returned a superseding indictment against AU Optronics Corporation, its Houston-based American subsidiary and six of its executives for participating in a conspiracy to fix prices of TFT-LCD panels.



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United States Files Counterclaims and Crossclaims in Small Business Administration Loan Fraud Case

The United States filed False Claims Act counterclaims against Saehan Bank and crossclaims against Steve Yong Kim and Young Soon Kim in the Northern District of Oklahoma.



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Former Chairman of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Indicted for His Role in a More Than $1.9 Billion Fraud Scheme That Contributed to the Failure of Colonial Bank

Lee Bentley Farkas, the former chairman of a private mortgage lending company, Taylor, Bean & Whitaker (TBW), was arrested last night in Ocala, Fla., and charged in a 16-count indictment for his alleged role in a more than $1.9 billion fraud scheme that contributed to the failures of Colonial Bank, one of the 50 largest banks in the United States in 2009, and TBW, one of the largest privately held mortgage lending companies in the United States in 2009.



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Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer Speaks at Press Conference to Announce Charges Against Lee Farkas

Last night, federal agents arrested Lee Bentley Farkas, the former chairman of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corporation. He has been charged in a 16-count indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia.




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Northern Virginia Real Estate Agent Pleads Guilty to Failing to File Tax Returns

Gregory Alan Roberts, a resident of Fairfax County and Loudoun County, Va., pleaded guilty to failing to timely file income tax returns for the years 2003 and 2004.



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