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U.S. Repatriates over $311.7 Million in Assets to the Nigerian People that were Stolen by Former Nigerian Dictator and His Associates

The Department of Justice announced today that it has transferred $311,797,876.11 to the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Nigeria) in accordance with a Feb. 3, 2020, trilateral agreement among the governments of the United States, Nigeria and the Bailiwick of Jersey (Jersey) to repatriate assets the United States forfeited that were traceable to the kleptocracy of former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and his co-conspirators.




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Two Charged in Rhode Island with Stimulus Fraud

Two businessmen have been charged in the District of Rhode Island with allegedly filing bank loan applications fraudulently seeking more than a half-million dollars in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.




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Attorney General William P. Barr's Statement on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day




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President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice Holds Hearing on Juvenile Justice via Series of Teleconferences

This week, the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice held a hearing on juvenile justice over three days via teleconference. Each teleconference featured expert witnesses who provided testimony and, subsequently, answered questions from the Commissioners.




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Justice Department Files Statement of Interest to Protect the Rights of Military and Overseas Voters in Georgia

The Department of Justice today filed a Statement of Interest in a Georgia federal court to help ensure that uniformed service members serving their country away from home, their family members absent with them, and American citizens living overseas have the opportunity to participate fully in Georgia’s 2020 federal elections. The Statement of Interest is part of the Department of Justice’s continued efforts to enforce the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).




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Federal Court Finds Tampa Tax Preparer in Contempt for Violating the Court’s Preliminary and Permanent Injunctions




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Israel’s Largest Bank, Bank Hapoalim, Admits to Conspiring with U.S. Taxpayers to Hide Assets and Income in Offshore Accounts

Jeffrey A. Rosen, the Deputy Attorney General of the United States, Richard E. Zuckerman, the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Don Fort, the Chief of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), announced today the guilty plea of Bank Hapoalim (Switzerland) Ltd. and filing of criminal charges against Bank Hapoalim B.M. for conspiring with U.S. taxpayers and others to hide more than $7.6 billion in more than 5,500 secret Swiss and Israeli bank accounts and the income generated in these accounts from the Internal Revenue Service (the IRS).  BHS’s Chief Executive Officer appeared on behalf of the bank to enter the guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil.






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In Milestone for Sentencing Reform, Attorney General Holder Announces Record Reduction in Mandatory Minimums Against Nonviolent Drug Offenders




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Justice Department Announces Resources to Assist State and Local Reform of Fine and Fee Practices




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SEC Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations Publishes Risk Alerts Providing Advance Information Regarding Inspections for Compliance with Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) has issued two risk alerts: Examinations that Focus on Compliance with Regulation Best Interest and Examinations that Focus on Compliance with…




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In Response to Self-Executing Congressional Mandates, SEC Adopts Offering Reforms for Business Development Companies and Registered Closed-End Funds

The Securities and Exchange Commission today voted to adopt rule amendments to implement certain provisions of the Small Business Credit Availability Act and the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act relating to business…




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SEC Provides Temporary, Conditional Relief for Business Development Companies Making Investments in Small and Medium-sized Businesses

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it is providing temporary, conditional exemptive relief for business development companies (BDCs) to enable them to make additional investments in small and medium-sized businesses, including…




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Foreign National and American Trader Settle Fraud Charges in EDGAR Hacking Case

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced settlements with David Kwon and Igor Sabodakha, two traders who allegedly profited from trading on nonpublic corporate earnings information hacked from the SEC’s EDGAR system. The settlement…




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SEC Enhances Standards for Critical Market Infrastructure

The Securities and Exchange Commission today adopted amendments to its rules for securities clearing agencies to apply enhanced standards to all SEC-registered central counterparties and central securities depositories. The rule amendments build on rules…




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Louis Gracia and Vanessa Horton Named Associate Directors of Investment Adviser/Investment Company Examination Program in Chicago Regional Office

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Louis Gracia and Vanessa Horton have been named Associate Directors of the Investment Adviser/Investment Company (IA/IC) examination program in the agency's Chicago Regional Office. Together, Mr…




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SEC Charges Company and CEO for COVID-19 Scam

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against Praxsyn Corp. and its CEO for allegedly issuing false and misleading press releases claiming the company was able to acquire and supply large quantities of N95 or similar masks to…




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SEC Directs Equity Exchanges and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority to Improve Governance of Market Data Plans

The Securities and Exchange Commission today issued an order directing the equity exchanges and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) (the participants) to submit a new National Market System plan (NMS plan) with a modernized governance…






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U.S. v. Hector Armando Kellum

Document filed on February 14, 2020




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Eight Defendants Charged with Running Two of the Largest Illegal Television Show and Movie Streaming Services in the United States

A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging eight individuals with conspiring to violate federal criminal copyright law by running two of the largest unauthorized streaming services in the United States, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars by television program and motion picture copyright owners.




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Chinese National Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Illegally Export Military- and Space-Grade Technology from the United States to China




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Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski Delivers Remarks at the Thirteenth Law Enforcement and Industry Meeting on Intellectual Property Enforcement

This conference offers a great opportunity for CCIPS, the Department, and each of our law enforcement colleagues gathered at the table today to discuss our shared efforts in IP enforcement, and to hear your comments about the latest successes and challenges. It’s an event that benefits all of us.




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Newport Man Pleads Guilty to Copyright Infringement for Creating Illegal Video Streaming and Downloading Websites




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California man who hacked into Nintendo servers to steal video games and other proprietary information pleads guilty

Seattle – A 21-year-old Palmdale, California, man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to federal crimes related to his computer hacking scheme and his possession of child pornography found on his digital devices, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.




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Chinese Telecommunications Conglomerate Huawei and Subsidiaries Charged in Racketeering Conspiracy and Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets

A superseding indictment was returned yesterday in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. (Huawei), the world’s largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer, and two U.S. subsidiaries with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).




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Former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Indicted on Theft of Government Property and Scheme to Defraud the United States Government

A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a 16-count indictment against a former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and a former subordinate for their alleged theft of proprietary software and confidential databases from the U.S. government as part of a scheme to defraud the U.S. government.




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New Jersey Chiropractor Agrees to Pay $2 Million to Resolve Allegations of Unnecessary Knee Injections and Knee Braces and Related Kickbacks




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Pentax Medical Company Agrees to Pay $43 Million to Resolve Criminal Investigation Concerning Misbranded Endoscopes




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Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services Agrees to Pay Over $3.9 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability in Connection with SNAP Quality Control




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Reference Laboratory, Pain Clinic, and Two Individuals Agree to Pay $41 Million to Resolve Allegations of Unnecessary Urine Drug Testing




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Maryland Cardiologist and Related Practices to Pay the United States $750,000 for Alleged Kickbacks




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Chipotle Mexican Grill Agrees to Pay $25 Million Fine and Enter a Deferred Prosecution Agreement to Resolve Charges Related to Foodborne Illness Outbreaks




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Blue Bell Creameries Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay $19.35 Million for Ice Cream Listeria Contamination – Former Company President Charged




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Peruvian Man Pleads Guilty to Overseeing Call Centers that Threatened and Defrauded Spanish-Speaking U.S. Consumers




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California Hand Sanitizer Company Ordered to Stop Marketing Unapproved New Drugs




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OPDAT Strengthens Central American Coordination against MS-13 and 18th Street Gangs

On February 27, in Antigua, Guatemala, OPDAT hosted an Operation Regional Shield meeting with prosecutors, investigators, and analysts from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.




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2019 FOIA Litigation and Compliance Report Now Available

Newly published FOIA Litigation and Compliance Report details a range of efforts by OIP to encourage government-wide compliance with the FOIA, including new policy guidance, robust government-wide training, and other open government initiatives.




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Update on Operation Lady Justice: Task Force Continues Work to Address Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives




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Washington Examiner Op-Ed: How the Justice Department is standing up for civil rights amid coronavirus pandemic




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Pandemic Punctuates 19th Annual National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month

The spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States is having a dire effect on all Americans, but victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking are uniquely burdened by this crisis.




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Courts, Police and Advocates Use Technology During Pandemic to Help Prevent Domestic Violence

Many victims of domestic abuse are currently left no option than to shelter in place and to stay in their home with their abuser to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. As a result, many communities are implementing creative solutions, often working remotely and incorporating the use of technology, to protect victims and prevent violence.




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Western Hemisphere: ICITAP Webinar Supports Pathology and Crime Scene Investigation During COVID-19 Pandemic

On April 27, ICITAP’s Central America mission conducted a webinar titled “Pathology and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) During the COVID-19 Pandemic” for hundreds of subject matter experts from throughout the Western Hemisphere. Chaired by ICITAP-Central America’s Attaché, the 80-minute webinar began with a pre-recorded media interview from the Dominican Republic, which highlighted the critical work currently carried out by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) in Washington, DC.




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Fox News Op-Ed: Americans can help DOJ fight child exploitation amid pandemic

Over the past few months, our lives have changed dramatically due to COVID-19. We have seen the best of America emerge – our nation’s medical professionals, first responders, and supply chain workers have acted heroically, along with so many others.




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Department of Justice Antitrust Division Announces Agenda and Panelists for Workshop on Proposed Vertical Merger Guidelines

The Department of Justice has released the agenda and list of participants for its March 11, 2020, public workshop to solicit public dialogue on the proposed vertical merger guidelines. The workshop will be the first in a two-part series hosted together with the Federal Trade Commission. The two half-day workshops will allow for a dynamic discussion about the proposed guidelines to complement the written public comments about the proposed guidelines that were submitted to the agencies.




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The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission Announce Expedited Antitrust Procedure and Guidance for Coronavirus Public Health Efforts

The U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division and The Federal Trade Commission today issued a joint statement detailing an expedited antitrust procedure and providing guidance for collaborations of businesses working to protect the health and safety of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.




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Justice Department Requires Divestitures in Merger Between UTC and Raytheon to Address Vertical and Horizontal Antitrust Concerns

The Department of Justice announced today that it is requiring United Technologies Corporation (UTC) and Raytheon Company (Raytheon) to divest Raytheon’s military airborne radios business and UTC’s military global positioning systems (“GPS”) and large space-based optical systems businesses in order to proceed with their proposed merger.  Without these divestitures, the merger would eliminate competition between two of the primary suppliers of military airborne radios and military GPS systems to the Department of Defense (DoD), and enable the merged firm to lessen competition for multiple components used in reconnaissance satellites sold to DoD and the wider U.S. intelligence community.  




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Department of Justice Issues Business Review Letter to Medical Supplies Distributors Supporting Project Airbridge Under Expedited Procedure for COVID-19 Pandemic Response

The U.S. Department of Justice announced today that it will not challenge collaborative efforts of McKesson Corporation, Owens & Minor, Inc., Cardinal Health, Inc., Medline Industries, Inc., and Henry Schein, Inc. (together “Medical Supplies Distributors”) to expedite and increase manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution of personal-protective equipment (“PPE”) and coronavirus-treatment-related medication. These collaborative efforts are part of an emergency response developed and led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address supply needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.