United States Department of Justice

Press Releases for October 2005

Monday, October 31, 2005

STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES ON THE NOMINATION OF SAMUEL A. ALITO, JR.: (05-580)

President Bush has chosen a highly qualified, outstanding jurist in selecting Samuel Alito to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. Judge Alito is one of our Nation's most distinguished judges, and in his nearly 30 years of public service-nearly half of that at the Department of Justice-he has earned a reputation for excellence that few can equal.  (Read more)

Friday, October 28, 2005

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SETTLES LAWSUIT WITH S.O.G. SPECIALTY KNIVES, INC. OVER EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR A COAST GUARD RESERVIST (05-579)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement with S.O.G. Specialty Knives, Inc. (SSK), resolving a lawsuit filed to protect the rights of a United States Coast Guard reservist who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  (Read more)

ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENTS TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TASK FORCE (05-577)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today announced the appointment of several high-level Department of Justice officials to serve on the Department‘s Task Force on Intellectual Property.  (Read more)

FORMER FBI INFORMANT SENTENCED FOR NINE FELONIES INCLUDING DRUG TRAFFICKING AND OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE (05-576)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A former Federal Bureau of Investigation informant has been sentenced to 121 months in prison for scheming to deceive the FBI during a three-and-a-half year federal grand jury investigation in Detroit, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and Inspector General Glenn A. Fine announced today.  (Read more)

*******MEDIA ADVISORY******* U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, HIGH-TECH LEADERS AND LEGAL SCHOLARS TO HOLD FORUM ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION (05-575)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. government officials including Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Senator John Cornyn, and Representative Lamar Smith will participate in an important in-depth panel discussion on protecting intellectual property with high-tech industry leaders and legal scholars on MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2005 at 9:00 A.M. CST. (Read more)

FORMER ALABAMA GOVERNOR DON SIEGELMAN, OTHERS INDICTED IN RACKETEERING, BRIBERY AND EXTORTION CONSPIRACY (05-568)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Former Alabama Governor Don Eugene Siegelman and three other individuals have been indicted on charges related to a widespread racketeering conspiracy that included bribery and extortion in exchange for official acts, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney‘s Office for the Middle District of Alabama announced today. (Read more)

SIXTH CIRCUIT COURT GRANTS APPEAL OF JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY (05-567)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Thomas O. Barnett, Acting Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department‘s Antitrust Division, issued the following statement today after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed a district court decision that would have dismissed an antitrust challenge to the merger of two Kentucky dairies in United States of America and Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Dairy Farmers of America Inc. and Southern Belle Dairy Co. LLC: (Read more)

STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES ON THE EXTRADITION OF BAZ MOHAMMAD: (05-562)

“The extradition of Baz Mohammad, a drug kingpin with links to the Taliban, is an historic step in our work with the Afghan people to end the dual threat of narco-terrorism. This first-ever extradition from Afghanistan sends a clear message to drug lords around the word: Those who seek to destroy American lives will be brought to justice. I thank President Karzai for his leadership, and I thank the prosecutors and law enforcement agents of both nations whose dedication and hard work made today's announcement possible.” (Read more)

Thursday, October 27, 2005

FORMER REPUBLICAN PARTY FUNDRAISER THOMAS W. NOE INDICTED FOR ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS (05-573)

WASHINGTON, D.C.-A federal grand jury in Toledo, Ohio has indicted Thomas W. Noe, a former Republican party fundraiser, for allegedly making illegal campaign contributions using conduit contributors, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory A. White of the Northern District of Ohio announced today. (Read more)

FORMER DEA CARIBBEAN FIELD DIVISION COUNTRY ATTACHE PLEADS GUILTY TO SUBMITTING FALSE FINANCIAL REPORTS  (05-572)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - James Agee, Jr., a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, has pleaded guilty to a charge of submitting false reimbursement and expenditure reports to the DEA‘s Fiscal Unit while serving as the Country Attache in the DEA‘s Caribbean Field Division, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and Inspector General Glenn A. Fine announced today. (Read more)

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REQUIRES DIVESTITURES IN VERIZON‘S ACQUISITION OF MCI AND SBC‘S ACQUISITION OF AT&T (05-571)

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Department of Justice announced today that it will require Verizon Communications Inc. and SBC Communications Inc. to divest portions of certain local fiber-optic network facilities in order to proceed with their respective acquisitions of MCI Inc. and AT&T Corp. The Department said that the transactions, as originally proposed, would have resulted in higher prices for certain business customers in eight metropolitan areas in Verizon‘s franchised territory and 11 metropolitan areas in SBC‘s franchised territory. In other respects, the Department‘s investigation indicated that the transactions are likely to generate substantial efficiencies that should benefit consumers. (Read more)

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REQUIRES DIVESTITURES IN VERIZON‘S ACQUISITION OF MCI AND SBC‘S ACQUISITION OF AT&T  (05-571)

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Department of Justice announced today that it will require Verizon Communications Inc. and SBC Communications Inc. to divest portions of certain local fiber-optic network facilities in order to proceed with their respective acquisitions of MCI Inc. and AT&T Corp. The Department said that the transactions, as originally proposed, would have resulted in higher prices for certain business customers in eight metropolitan areas in Verizon‘s franchised territory and 11 metropolitan areas in SBC‘s franchised territory. In other respects, the Department‘s investigation indicated that the transactions are likely to generate substantial efficiencies that should benefit consumers.  (Read more)

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

SIXTEEN COMPANIES TO PAY A COMBINED $14.9 MILLION FOR CLEANUP COSTS AT SAN GABRIEL VALLEY SUPERFUND SITE (05-566)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sixteen firms will pay $14.9 million for cleanup costs at the San Gabriel Valley Area 2 Superfund site, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. The EPA‘s cleanup calls for removing contaminants from approximately 30 million gallons per day of contaminated groundwater in and near Baldwin Park, California, benefiting some 85,000 households.  (Read more)

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

COURT BARS “IN-KIND WAGE PAYMENT” TAX SCHEME (05-565)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A federal court in Boise, Idaho has permanently barred Michael Lee Yohe and two companies, Ag-Mart Services, Inc. and Mancat, Inc., from promoting an alleged employment tax-fraud scheme involving purported in-kind payments of milk to workers to avoid paying federal employment taxes, the Department of Justice announced today. The court order, entered by Judge B. Lynn Winmill of the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho, requires the defendants to provide the Justice Department with a list of their dairy-farm customers and those customers‘ employees, including names, addresses and Social Security or employer identification numbers.  (Read more)

DEFENDANT FACES 18-COUNT INDICTMENT IN FIRST JOINT CRIMINAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INVESTIGATION BY UNITED STATES AND CHINA (05-564)

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Randolph Hobson Guthrie III was arraigned in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Mississippi on charges resulting from the first joint United States-China intellectual property criminal investigation, the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney‘s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced today.  (Read more)

DEFENDANT FACES 18-COUNT INDICTMENT IN FIRST JOINT CRIMINAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INVESTIGATION BY UNITED STATES AND CHINA (05-564)

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Randolph Hobson Guthrie III was arraigned in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Mississippi on charges resulting from the first joint United States-China intellectual property criminal investigation, the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney‘s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced today.  (Read more)

Monday, October 24, 2005

HAWAII BUSINESSMAN SENTENCED FOR TAX EVASION (05-563)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Hawaii businessman Michael H. Boulware has been sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release for 36 months and a fine of $25,000 for evading income tax, the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. Boulware, the principal founder of Hawaiian Isles Enterprises, Inc. (HIE), was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Edward Rafeedie in Honolulu. The court found that the combined tax loss to the IRS and the State of Hawaii totaled $8,105,714.  (Read more)

STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES ON THE EXTRADITION OF BAZ MOHAMMAD: (05-562)

“The extradition of Baz Mohammad, a drug kingpin with links to the Taliban, is an historic step in our work with the Afghan people to end the dual threat of narco-terrorism. This first-ever extradition from Afghanistan sends a clear message to drug lords around the word: Those who seek to destroy American lives will be brought to justice. I thank President Karzai for his leadership, and I thank the prosecutors and law enforcement agents of both nations whose dedication and hard work made today's announcement possible.” (Read more)

PROFESSIONAL TAX RESISTER IRWIN SCHIFF AND TWO ASSOCIATES CONVICTED IN LAS VEGAS TAX SCAM (05-548)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A federal jury in Las Vegas, Nevada convicted Irwin Schiff and two associates, Cynthia Neun and Lawrence Cohen, of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns filed by other taxpayers in connection with a tax scam, and convicted Schiff and Neun of conspiring to defraud the United States, the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. Schiff was convicted on all counts, including income tax evasion and of filing false income tax returns for the years 1997 through 2002, and Neun was convicted of willfully failing to file federal income tax returns, Social Security disability fraud, and theft of government property in connection with Neun‘s improper receipt of Social Security disability benefits. (Read more)

Thursday, October 20, 2005

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ENCOURAGE MICHIGAN SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW CONSUMER CHOICE IN REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE SERVICES  (05-557)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a joint letter today urging the Michigan Senate Committee on Economic Development, Small Business, and Regulatory Reform to reject House Bill 4849 as currently drafted as the legislation would reduce consumer choice and cause Michigan consumers to pay more for real estate brokerage services. The letter stated that the bill would change current law to restrict the ability of licensed real estate brokers to offer consumers the option to pick the specific brokerage services they want.  (Read more)

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

*******MEDIA ADVISORY******* ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES AND FEDERAL AND STATE OFFICIALS TO SPEAK ABOUT HURRICANE KATRINA FRAUD TASK FORCE AND TOUR DISASTER RELIEF CENTER (05-556)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and federal and state officials will meet with the Hurricane Katrina Task Force THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2005 at 10:00 A.M. CDT. (Read more)

ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES TO GIVE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE NATIONAL HISPANIC BAR ASSOCIATION GALA DINNER (05-555)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales will give the keynote address at the National Hispanic Bar Association Gala Dinner TODAY, OCTOBER 19, 2005 at 8:45 P.M. EDT. (Read more)

ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES TO GIVE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE NATIONAL HISPANIC BAR ASSOCIATION GALA DINNER (05-555)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales will give the keynote address at the National Hispanic Bar Association Gala Dinner TODAY, OCTOBER 19, 2005 at 8:45 P.M. EDT. (Read more)

*******MEDIA ADVISORY******* ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES TO GIVE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE NATIONAL HISPANIC BAR ASSOCIATION GALA DINNER (05-555)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales will give the keynote address at the National Hispanic Bar Association Gala Dinner TODAY, OCTOBER 19, 2005 at 8:45 P.M. EDT. (Read more)

FEDERAL INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON COMPETITION IN ELECTRIC ENERGY MARKETS REQUESTS PUBLIC COMMENTS CONCERNING STUDY MANDATED IN ENERGY POLICY ACT (05-554)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A federal interagency task force requests comments from the public pertinent to a study of competition in wholesale and retail electric energy markets required by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The task force, comprised of representatives from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Agriculture, is to deliver its report to Congress in August 2006.  (Read more)

FEDERAL INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON COMPETITION IN ELECTRIC ENERGY MARKETS REQUESTS PUBLIC COMMENTS CONCERNING STUDY MANDATED IN ENERGY POLICY ACT (05-554)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A federal interagency task force requests comments from the public pertinent to a study of competition in wholesale and retail electric energy markets required by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The task force, comprised of representatives from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Agriculture, is to deliver its report to Congress in August 2006.  (Read more)

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

DEFENDANTS SENTENCED IN CASES INVOLVING BRIBERY AND FRAUD SCHEMES IN AMERICAN SAMOA (05-553)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The former Director of the American Samoa Department of Education has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, and the former Director of the American Samoa Department of Health and Social Services has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, both on charges of conspiring to commit bribery and fraud concerning federal programs, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced today. (Read more)

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REQUIRES DIVESTITURES IN CAL DIVE INTERNATIONAL‘S ACQUISITION OF STOLT OFFSHORE (05-552)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Justice announced today that it will require Cal Dive International Inc. to divest certain diving assets in order to proceed with its acquisition of assets from Stolt Offshore Inc. and S&H Diving LLC. The Department said that the transaction, as originally proposed, would have resulted in increased prices and diminished services for saturation diving services in the United States Gulf of Mexico. (Read more)

STAPLES PAYS UNITED STATES $7.4 MILLION TO RESOLVE FALSE CLAIMS ACT ALLEGATIONS (05-549)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Staples Contract and Commercial, a division of office products giant Staples, Inc., has paid the United States $7.4 million to settle allegations that it submitted false claims when it sold office supply products manufactured in countries not permitted by the Trade Agreements Act to United States government agencies, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Monday, October 17, 2005

SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT OF 19 INDIVIDUALS FILED IN KPMG CRIMINAL TAX FRAUD CASE (05-547)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today announced the filing of a superseding criminal indictment in the largest criminal tax case ever filed. Nineteen individuals were charged with conspiracy to defraud the IRS, tax evasion and obstruction of the Internal Revenue Laws arising out of illegal tax shelters that Big 4-accounting firm KPMG and others designed, marketed and implemented. According to the charges, the shelters generated at least $11 billion in fraudulent phony tax losses and resulted in at least $2.5 billion in tax evaded by wealthy individuals. (Read more)

SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT OF 19 INDIVIDUALS FILED IN KPMG CRIMINAL TAX FRAUD CASE (05-547)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today announced the filing of a superseding criminal indictment in the largest criminal tax case ever filed. Nineteen individuals were charged with conspiracy to defraud the IRS, tax evasion and obstruction of the Internal Revenue Laws arising out of illegal tax shelters that Big 4-accounting firm KPMG and others designed, marketed and implemented. According to the charges, the shelters generated at least $11 billion in fraudulent phony tax losses and resulted in at least $2.5 billion in tax evaded by wealthy individuals.  (Read more)

U.S . ANNOUNCES MAJOR CLEAN AIR ACT SETTLEMENT WITH LUCITE INTERNATIONAL (05-546)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency have reached a major Clean Air Act (CAA) settlement with Lucite International, Inc. (Lucite) requiring the chemical manufacturer to install pollution controls on three emission sources at its Memphis, Tennessee plant, which will eliminate 6,500 tons of pollution each year. Under the terms of the settlement announced today, Lucite will install an estimated $16 million worth of new pollution controls, in addition to paying a civil penalty of $1.8 million and performing a supplemental environmental project worth $1.3 million.  (Read more)

SERONO TO PAY $704 MILLION FOR THE ILLEGAL MARKETING OF AIDS DRUG (05-545)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Swiss corporation, Serono, S.A., together with its U.S. subsidiaries and related entities, has agreed to pay $704 million to resolve criminal charges and civil allegations in connection with illegal schemes to promote, market and sell its drug, Serostim, the Justice Department announced today. Serostim is used to treat AIDS wasting, a condition involving profound involuntary weight loss in AIDS patients.  (Read more)

Friday, October 14, 2005

RESIDENT OF PHOENIX, ARIZONA PLEADS GUILTY TO ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES AT INDUSTRIAL FACILITY  (05-543)

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Jeffery L. Springer of Phoenix, Arizona has pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA), the Department of Justice announced.  (Read more)

RESIDENT OF PHOENIX, ARIZONA PLEADS GUILTY TO ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES AT INDUSTRIAL FACILITY (05-543)

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Jeffery L. Springer of Phoenix, Arizona has pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA), the Department of Justice announced.  (Read more)

WASHINGTON, D.C. MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO HIGH-TECH DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY  (05-542)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Bruce A. Schiffer, 34, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty in Federal District Court today to one count each of using his computer to advertise, transport, receive and possess child pornography, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and Kenneth L. Wainstein, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, announced today. (Read more)

ACTING DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL ROBERT D. McCALLUM, JR. ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF ASSOCIATE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL (05-541)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Acting Deputy Attorney General Robert D. McCallum, Jr. today announced the appointment of Ronald J. Tenpas as Associate Deputy Attorney General. Mr. Tenpas will begin service in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General on November 14, 2005. (Read more)

FACT SHEET ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES AND ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MEXICO DANIEL CABEZA DE VACA ANNOUNCE INITIATIVES TO COMBAT NARCOTICS-RELATED VIOLENCE ON THE BORDER  (05-538)

The U.S. and Mexican Attorneys General along with officials from the Offices of the Attorneys General of the State of Texas and the State of Tamaulipas in Mexico met in San Antonio today to discuss mutual concerns and to review a series of law enforcement initiatives to strengthen our coordinated attack on the narco-violence plaguing the communities on both sides of the border. (Read more)

U.S. ANNOUNCES CLEAN AIR AGREEMENT WITH EXXONMOBIL (05-533)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - ExxonMobil has reached a comprehensive Clean Air Act (CAA) agreement that is expected to reduce harmful air emissions by more than 53,000 tons per year at the company‘s seven United States petroleum refineries, the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced. (Read more)

CLEAN WATER ACT AGREEMENT ANNOUNCED WITH THE SANITATION DISTRICT NO. 1 OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY  (05-530)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced they have reached a comprehensive Clean Water Act settlement with the Sanitation District No. 1 of Northern Kentucky. (Read more)

Thursday, October 13, 2005

SAMSUNG AGREES TO PLEAD GUILTY AND TO PAY $300 MILLION CRIMINAL FINE FOR ROLE IN PRICE FIXING CONSPIRACY  (05-540)

Samsung Electronics Company Ltd. (Samsung), a Korean manufacturer of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and its U.S. subsidiary, Samsung Semiconductor Inc., have agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $300 million fine for participating in an international conspiracy to fix prices in the DRAM market, the Department of Justice announced. Samsung‘s fine is the second largest criminal antitrust fine in U.S. history and the largest criminal fine since 1999. (Read more)

ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES AND ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MEXICO DANIEL CABEZA DE VACA ANNOUNCE INITIATIVES TO COMBAT NARCOTICS-RELATED VIOLENCE ON THE BORDER (05-537)

WASHINGTON, D.C. B Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and Attorney General of Mexico Daniel Cabeza de Vaca today jointly announced initiatives to enhance the coordination of U.S. and Mexico law enforcement efforts that combat the substantial threat of violence posed by narcotics trafficking groups and their associates operating along the U.S. -- Mexico Border.  (Read more)

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

TWO DANVILLE, CALIFORNIA DOCTORS ARRESTED FOR TAX EVASION (05-536)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Leroy Albert Lewis and Roy Albert Lewis, father and son doctors from Danville, California were arrested on tax fraud charges, the Department of Justice and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. On October 6, 2005, a federal grand jury in San Francisco returned an indictment that charges the doctors with one count of conspiring to defraud the United States by impeding and impairing the IRS in the ascertainment and collection of income tax, and each Lewis individually, with four counts of tax evasion for tax years 1998-2001. The indictment was unsealed today.  (Read more)

FEDERAL JUDGE IN VIRGINIA BARS NORFOLK MAN FROM PREPARING FEDERAL TAX RETURNS FOR OTHERS (05-535)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department announced today that a federal court has barred Anthony McBryde, of Norfolk, Virginia, from preparing federal income tax returns for others.  (Read more)

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SETTLES LAWSUIT ALLEGING RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION BY THE LA METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (05-534)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the United Transportation Union, resolving a lawsuit that alleged employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  (Read more)

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

FOREIGN & U.S. FIRMS TO PAY GOVERNMENT NEARLY $25 MILLION FOR INFLATING CLAIMS MADE TO AMTRAK (05-532)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A joint venture of engineering and construction companies has agreed to pay the United States $24.75 million to settle allegations that the firms violated the False Claims Act, the Justice Department announced today. The government asserts the companies violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting inflated claims on Amtrak‘s project to electrify the rail corridor between New Haven and Boston.  (Read more)

Thursday, October 6, 2005

DOJ, EPA Reach Agreement with General Electric to Conduct Hudson River Dredging (05-527)

Taking another significant step toward cleaning up polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) in the Hudson River, the Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have reached an agreement with the General Electric Company (GE), requiring it to begin the dredging called for in EPA's 2002 Record of Decision for the Hudson River PCB's Superfund site. Under the terms of the consent decree lodged today in federal district court in Albany, New York, GE will construct the sediment transfer/processing facility needed for the project and perform the first phase of the dredging according to design plans being developed under a prior agreement. The dredging is scheduled for the 2007 spring through fall dredging season. Today's agreement also calls for GE to pay EPA up to $78 million for the Agency's past and future costs. EPA has already collected $37 million from GE through past settlements. (Read more)

Wednesday, October 5, 2005

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to Hold Press Conference and Photo Opportunity with European Leaders (05-524)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff together with European leaders will hold a photo opportunity before meeting to discuss international cooperation on counterterrorism and law enforcement efforts, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2005 at 9:45 A.M. EDT. Following the meeting, the participants will hold a joint press conference at 1:15 P.M. EDT. European leaders will include Home Secretary of the United Kingdom Charles Clarke, Minister of Interior of Austria Liese Prokop, Minister of Justice of Austria Karin Gastinger, and Vice President of the European Commission Franco Frattini. (Read more)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales Announces Appointment of Courtney Simmons Elwood As Deputy Chief of Staff (05-523)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today announced the appointment of Courtney Simmons Elwood to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff at the Department of Justice. Elwood succeeds Kyle Sampson, who now serves as the Department's Chief of Staff. (Read more)

Former GSA Chief of Staff David H. Safavian Indicted for Obstruction of Proceedings and False Statements (05-521)

A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., has indicted David H. Safavian, the former chief of staff for the General Services Administration (GSA), on charges of obstructing a GSA proceeding, obstructing a U.S. Senate proceeding, and making false statements, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced today. (Read more)

Tuesday, October 4, 2005

Department of Justice Amends Antitrust Lawsuit Against National Association of Realtors (05-520)

The Department of Justice today amended the complaint in its antitrust lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors (NAR), charging that the group's modified policy continues to prevent Internet-based real estate brokers from offering better services and lower costs to consumers. The lawsuit challenges NAR rules that limit competition from brokers who use Internet tools to serve their customers. The new complaint addresses how NAR's changes to its rules still obstruct competition, threaten to lock in outmoded business models and inflate prices in the industry. (Read more)

Monday, October 3, 2005

Justice Department Seeks to Halt Tax-Fraud Scheme Targeted at Immigrants From Bosnia (05-518)

The Justice Department announced today that it has asked an Illinois federal court to bar Guadalupe Valdez, of Rockford, Illinois, from preparing federal income tax returns for others. The complaint, filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Rockford, alleges that Valdez prepared and filed for customers amended federal income tax returns fraudulently claiming refunds based on their status as Bosnian immigrants. Valdez also allegedly prepares returns claiming false head-of-household filing status and false dependent exemptions. (Read more)

Justice Department Sues Utah Family To Halt Alleged Tax-Fraud Scheme (05-517)

The Justice Department announced today that it has asked a Utah federal court to stop several members of a Clawson, Utah family from preparing federal tax returns for others and from selling alleged tax-fraud schemes. The civil injunction suit, filed last week in Salt Lake City, alleges that John Justice, his wife Sandra Justice, his daughters Barbara Justice and Judith Shakespeare, and his son-in-law Byron Shakespeare have prepared or helped to prepare and file fraudulent income tax returns for customers since 2001. The complaint also seeks an order directing the defendants to provide the government a list of their customers' names, mailing and e-mail addresses, and telephone and Social Security numbers. (Read more)

Statement of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales on The Nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court: (05-516)

"President Bush has made an exceptional choice in selecting Harriet Miers as his nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States. I have worked with her for many years and have seen firsthand her legal acumen and know that she will be a credit to the Court and this Nation. She has risen to the very top of the legal profession, earning the respect of all who know her. Ms. Miers would bring to the Court her brilliance, dedication, and her commitment to the rule of law and equal access to justice for all" (Read more)

 

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