Press Releases for October 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Former National Century Financial Enterprises CEO Convicted of Conspiracy, Fraud and Money Laundering (08-975)
A federal jury today convicted Lance K. Poulsen, former president, owner and chief executive officer of National Century Financial Enterprises (NCFE) of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering. The charges stemmed from a scheme to deceive investors about the financial health of NCFE that cost investors more than $2 billion. (Read more)
Fact Sheet: Protecting Voting Rights and Prosecuting Voter Fraud (08-974)
Among the Department's highest priorities are protecting voting rights and combating voter fraud. The Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces specific federal laws that help to ensure all qualified voters have an opportunity to cast their ballots and have them counted, while the Department’s Criminal Division oversees the nationwide enforcement of federal laws that criminalize voter fraud and other assaults on the integrity of the federal election process. (Read more)
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Department of Justice to Monitor Polls in 23 States Across the Nation on Election Day (08-973)
The Civil Rights Division plans to deploy more than 800 federal observers and Department personnel to 59 jurisdictions in 23 states for the Nov. 4, 2008, general election. (Read more)
Third Atlanta Police Officer Pleads Guilty in Fatal Shooting of Elderly Woman (08-972)
Former Atlanta Police Department (APD) Officer Arthur Bruce Tesler pleaded guilty in federal district court to conspiring to violate the civil rights of Kathryn Johnston, 92, in connection with her fatal shooting during the execution of an illegal search warrant at her Atlanta home on Nov. 21, 2006. (Read more)
Roy Belfast Jr. A/K/A Chuckie Taylor Convicted on Torture Charges (08-971)
A federal jury in Miami convicted Roy M. Belfast Jr. of crimes related to the torture of people in Liberia between April 1999 and July 2003. Belfast, the son of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, was charged in a November 2007 superseding indictment with torture, conspiracy to commit torture, using a firearm during a crime of violence and conspiracy to use a firearm during a crime of violence. (Read more)
Justice Department Requires Divestitures in Verizon’s Acquisition of Alltel (08-970)
The Department will require Verizon Communications Corp. (Verizon) to divest assets in 100 areas in 22 states in order to proceed with its $28 billion acquisition of Alltel Corp. The Department said that the transaction as originally proposed would have substantially lessened competition to the detriment of consumers of mobile wireless telecommunications services in those areas, and likely would result in higher prices, lower quality and reduced network investments. (Read more)
Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to Terror Organization (08-969)
U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Haniffa Bin Osman, age 57, a citizen of the Republic of Singapore, today to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and money laundering, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. (Read more)
Agreements Ensure Funding for Cleanup of Connecticut Superfund Site (08-968)
The federal government, along with the state of Connecticut, has reached three related settlements with numerous responsible parties to ensure funding for environmental clean up activities at the Solvents Recovery Service of New England Superfund (SRSNE) site in Southington, Conn. (Read more)
Two Found Guilty of Conspiracy Involving the Importation and Sale of Falsely Labeled Fish from Vietnam (08-967)
Peter Xuong Lam, of Fairfax, Va., was found guilty late yesterday by a federal jury in Los Angeles of conspiring to import mislabeled fish in order to avoid federal import tariffs. Lam also was found guilty on three counts of dealing in fish that he knew had been imported contrary to law. (Read more)
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Justice Department Files Fair Housing Lawsuit in Nebraska Against the Latvian Tower Condominium Association and Its President (08-966)
The Department today sued The Latvian Tower Condominium Association, Inc. (LTCA) and its president, Karl Tegtmeyer, for allegations that they violated the Fair Housing Act by interfering with the sale of a home because of the familial status of the buyers. (Read more)
Indictment Returned in Baton Rouge, Louisiana Alleging Police Officer’s Use of Force (08-965)
Nathan Davis, 30, of Baton Rouge, La., was indicted by a federal grand jury on one-count of deprivation of rights under color of law. (Read more)
Department of Justice Announces New Funding for Tribal Communities (08-964)
U.S. Associate Attorney General Kevin J. O’Connor today announced more than $50 million in additional grant funds from the Justice Department to help tribal communities, bringing the total to nearly $100 million awarded to tribal communities in 2008. These awards include funds for tribal courts assistance, alcohol and substance abuse prevention, juvenile and mental health programs, victim assistance, and developing responses to violent crimes against Indian women. O’Connor made the announcement in remarks to the Four Corners Indian Country Conference in Albuqurque, N.M. (Read more)
Statement of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division on Its Decision to Close Its Investigation of the Merger of Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corporation (08-963)
The Department’s Antitrust Division issued a statement today after the Division announced the closing of its investigation of the proposed merger of Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corporation. (Read more)
Miami Woman Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison in Connection with $18 Million Business Opportunity Scam (08-962)
A Miami woman was sentenced to 78 months in prison, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, in connection with fraudulent business opportunity sales at a Miami firm. (Read more)
Virgin Islands Government Official Sentenced in $1.4 Million Bribery and Kickback Scheme (08-961)
The former director of permits for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) was sentenced to 14 months in prison for his role in a $1.4 million bribery and kickback scheme. (Read more)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty on International Sex Tourism and Child Pornography Charges (08-960)
A Union City, N.J., man pleaded guilty to a five-count information charging him with three counts of traveling in foreign commerce with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and one count each of producing and possessing child pornography. (Read more)
Fact Sheet: Major U.S. Export Enforcement Prosecutions During the Past Two Years (08-959)
Below is a snapshot of some of the major export and embargo-related criminal prosecutions handled by the Justice Department over the past two years, beginning in October 2006. (Read more)
More Than 145 Defendants Charged in National Export Enforcement Initiative During Past Fiscal Year (08-958)
A multi-agency initiative to combat illegal exports of restricted military and dual-use technology from the United States has resulted in criminal charges against more than 145 defendants in the past fiscal year, with roughly 43 percent of these cases involving munitions or other restricted technology bound for Iran or China. (Read more)
Six Individuals Indicted for Participating in a Scheme to Defraud Consumer Product Manufacturers (08-957)
Six individuals have been charged with conspiracy and wire fraud arising from their scheme to defraud consumer product manufacturers. The indictment alleges that the defendants obtained consumer goods at discounted prices from manufacturers and distributors of consumer products by falsely informing them that the defendants would donate those products to non-profit organizations for promotional purposes, when in fact, the defendants sold those goods at substantial profit to wholesalers, retail stores and others. (Read more)
El Paso Businessman Agrees to Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Rig Bids and Allocate Customers for Door and Hardware Contracts (08-956)
The vice president of an El Paso, Texas, door and hardware company has agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to rig bids and allocate customers for contracts to supply and install doors and hardware for construction projects in the El Paso area. (Read more)
Florida Drug Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison (08-955)
Nelson Castillo of Tampa, Fla., was sentenced on drug charges and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. (Read more)
Attorney General Mukasey Recognizes Department Employees and Others for Their Service at Annual Awards Ceremony (08-954)
Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey recognized 250 Department employees for their distinguished public service today at the 56th Annual Attorney General Awards Ceremony. Twenty-two other individuals outside of the Department also were honored for their work. Held at Constitution Hall, this annual ceremony recognizes both Department employees and others for their dedication to carrying out the Justice Department’s mission. (Read more)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
29 Individuals Indicted in Racketeering Probe Targeting MS-13 Gang (08-950)
Twenty-two individuals in the San Francisco Bay Area were indicted on federal racketeering and other charges arising from their participation in La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang. Seven additional individuals were also charged with non-racketeering offenses ranging from narcotics trafficking to firearms trafficking, and attempted exportation of stolen vehicles. (Read more)
Florida Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison on Charge of Traveling to Sexually Exploit a Minor (08-949)
Bobby Minnis was sentenced to 97 months in prison on one count of traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. Minnis was convicted in a prior Florida state prosecution on related charges involving the same minor. (Read more)
Two Arrested in Connection with Utah-Based Business Opportunity Fraud Venture (08-948)
Two individuals charged in connection with the operation of a fraudulent business opportunity scheme were arrested following their indictment by a Miami federal grand jury on Oct. 21, 2008. The charges form part of the government’s continued nationwide crackdown on business opportunity fraud. (Read more)
New York Marine Products Supply Firm Pleads Guilty to Participating in a Conspiracy to Commit Bribery (08-947)
A marine products supply firm pleaded guilty and agreed to pay a criminal fine today for participating in a conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with a project to repair New York’s Pier 86, the principal location of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. (Read more)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Third Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime for Anti-Muslim Vandalism in Massachusetts (08-946)
Adam J. Bonito, of Boston, Mass., pleaded guilty today to a one-count information charging him with conspiracy to interfere with the fair housing rights of two Arab-Muslim families living in Revere, Mass., during late 2004 and early 2005. (Read more)
Northern California Man Barred from Promoting Alleged Stock-loan Tax-fraud Scheme (08-945)
A San Francisco federal judge has issued a permanent injunction barring a Northern California man from promoting what a government lawsuit describes as a tax fraud scheme. (Read more)
Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Massachusetts Secretary of State for Noncompliance with Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (08-943)
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with Massachusetts Secretary of State William Francis Galvin, to remedy violations of the Uniformed Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). UOCAVA is designed to ensure that uniformed military members and overseas citizens can effectively participate in federal elections. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, through its Secretary of State, is responsible for collecting and reporting the number of military voters and overseas citizens who are sent ballots, who return ballots, and who have the ballots successfully cast in each federal general election. Massachusetts has failed to fulfill this important legal obligation since UOCAVA was enacted in 2002. (Read more)
United States Extradites Accused Serial Killer to Mexico (08-942)
Jose Francisco Granados de la Paz, a Mexican national, was extradited to Mexico to stand trial in the state of Chihuahua for aggravated homicide involving a June 2001 stabbing death. The case marks the first use of a special provision of the United States/Mexico Extradition Treaty. (Read more)
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Executives of Michigan Wastewater Treatment Company Found Guilty of Illegally Discharging Untreated Liquid Wastes (08-941)
A federal jury in Detroit has convicted three former managers of Comprehensive Environmental Solutions, Inc. (CESI), a company that operates an industrial waste treatment and disposal facility in Dearborn, Mich., following a three week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Victoria A. Roberts. (Read more)
Department of Justice Will Not Challenge Consortium’s Proposed Radio Frequency Patent-Licensing Arrangement (08-940)
The Department will not challenge a proposal by a consortium of companies to jointly license patents needed to comply with standards for ultra high frequency radio frequency identification (UHF RFID) technology, which has a variety of uses including airline baggage tracking, retail product inventory and ticketing for events. The Department said that the proposal could result in cost savings and greater access to the technology, ultimately benefitting competition and consumers. (Read more)
U.S. Indicts Former Chicago Police Cmdr. On Perjury, Obstruction of Justice Charges Related to Alleged Torture and Physical Abuse (08-938)
Former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge was arrested today at his home in Florida on federal obstruction of justice and perjury charges for allegedly lying about whether he and other officers under his command participated in torture and physical abuse of suspects in police custody dating back to the 1980s. Burge was charged with two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of perjury in a three-count indictment that was returned under seal by a federal grand jury last Thursday, Oct. 16. 2008, and unsealed following his arrest. (Read more)
Monday, October 20, 2008
Maryland Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges (08-937)
An Upper Marlboro, Md., man was sentenced to 97 months in prison on one count of receiving child pornography through the Internet. (Read more)
Justice Department Files Lawsuit to Stop JBS S.A. from Acquiring National Beef Packing Co. (08-936)
The Department filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today in U.S. District Court in Chicago to block the proposed acquisition by JBS S.A., currently the third-largest U.S. beef packer, of National Beef Packing Company LLC, the fourth-largest U.S. beef packer. The Department said that the proposed deal would combine two of the top four U.S. beef packers resulting in lower prices paid to cattle suppliers and higher beef prices for consumers. (Read more)
Friday, October 17, 2008
Jury Convicts Miami Physician and Nurse of $11 Million HIV Infusion Medicare Fraud (08-935)
Miami physician Ana Alvarez-Jacinto and nurse Sandra Mateos were found guilty by a Miami jury for their roles in an $11 million HIV/AIDS infusion fraud scheme. (Read more)
Former Swim Coach in Indiana Sentenced in Child Pornography Case (08-934)
Brian D. Hindson was sentenced in Indianapolis to 400 months in prison on 11 counts of production of child pornography, four counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. (Read more)
Man Sentenced for Attempting to Illegally Import Big Game Leopard Trophy (08-933)
Jerry Mason, of Frankfort, S.D., pleaded guilty today and was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Denver for a false statement he provided to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in an attempt to illegally import a leopard hide and skull from a trophy hunt in South Africa. (Read more)
Buford, Georgia, Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Rolling Back Odometers in Scheme That Defrauded Local Car Buyers (08-932)
Ronald Dale Cole has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by a year of supervised release for rolling back odometers on used cars and trucks to make the vehicles more valuable. (Read more)
Department of Justice to Host Antitrust Workshop on Airline Competition (08-931)
The Department's Antitrust Division will host a one-day workshop on recent academic research into developments in airline antitrust and competition to mark the 30-year anniversary of airline deregulation in the United States. The event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008. (Read more)
Leader of Colombian Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charges (08-930)
Luis Hernando Gomez-Bustamante, a/k/a "Rasguno," one of the leaders of the Norte Valle Colombian Drug Cartel, pleaded guilty to charges of leading a racketeering enterprise that engaged in murder, narcotics trafficking, money laundering and bribery. (Read more)
New Orleans Area Hospital to Pay $3.3 Million to Resolve Medicaid Fraud Allegations (08-929)
West Jefferson Medical Center will pay the United States and the State of Louisiana $3.3 million to resolve allegations that the hospital overcharged the Medicaid program. (Read more)
Tax Defiers Irwin Schiff & Cynthia Neun Permanently Barred from Preparing Tax Returns & Selling Tax Fraud Materials (08--928)
A federal court in Las Vegas has issued a permanent injunction barring Irwin Schiff and his former associate, Cynthia Neun, from preparing federal income tax returns for others and from promoting Schiff’s fraudulent "zero tax" plan or other tax-fraud plans. (Read more)
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Los Angeles Area Health Care Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Medical Identity Theft and Medicare Fraud (08-927)
A La Crescenta man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges of defrauding Medicare by using patients’ Medicare identification numbers without their knowledge. Between August 2003 and April 2008, Melkon Gabriyelyan, 51, billed the Medicare program for more than $1,640,000. (Read more)
Indiana Man Sentenced for Transporting Child Pornography (08-926)
An Indiana man was sentenced today in Terre Haute, Ind., to 97 months in prison on one count of transporting child pornography. (Read more)
Second Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Racial Threats Charge (08-925)
Joe Brown of Collinsville, Ill., pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to violate the civil rights of an African-American couple and their white friend by encouraging another man to spray-paint racial threats and epithets on the home where the three victims lived in Collinsville. (Read more)
Former Lucas County, Ohio Corrections Officer Found Guilty of Civil Rights Violations (08-924)
A federal jury in Toledo, Ohio, convicted former corrections officer Seth Bunke on three civil rights violations late Tuesday. (Read more)
Justice Department Seeks to Bar Florida Woman from Preparing Federal Tax Returns for Others (08-923)
The United States has sued a Ft. Lauderdale-area woman, seeking to bar her from preparing federal income tax returns for others. (Read more)
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Company Convicted for Illegally Storing Hazardous Waste in Rhode Island (08-922)
The Southern Union Company, the Texas-based former owner of the New England Gas Company, was convicted today by a federal jury in Providence, R.I., for illegally storing mercury at a site in Pawtucket, R.I. (Read more)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Former Enron Broadband Co-Chief Executive Officer Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud (08-921)
Joseph Hirko, former co-chief executive officer of Enron Broadband Services, Enron’s failed telecommunications business, pleaded guilty to one count of a superseding indictment charging him with wire fraud. (Read more)
Connecticut Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Prison for Leading Brutal Sex Trafficking Ring That Victimized U.S. Citizens (08-920)
Dennis Paris was sentenced to 360 months in prison, five years of supervised release and $46,116 in restitution for his role in organizing and facilitating a prostitution ring that victimized minors and coerced multiple young women to engage in commercial sex acts against their will. (Read more)
Justice Department Files Suit Against Vermont, Secretary of State Markowitz for Noncompliance with Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (08-918)
The Department announced the filing of a lawsuit against the State of Vermont and Vermont Secretary of State Deborah L. Markowitz, alleging violations of the Uniformed Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act. (Read more)
Friday, October 10, 2008
Justice Department Announces Agreement with Waller County, Texas, to Remedy Alleged Violations of Voting Rights Statutes (08-917)
The Department announced that it entered into a consent decree with Waller County, Texas, to resolve a lawsuit concerning the county’s voter registration practices that the Department alleges violate federal voting rights laws. (Read more)
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Fact Sheet: Operation Central (08-916)
Operation Central, a three-year undercover operation conducted by federal agents and prosecutors, has resulted in the arrests and guilty pleas of seven individuals who took part in the illegal international trade of skins and products made from protected sea turtles and other wildlife. (Read more)
Seventh Individual Sentenced for Trafficking Protected Wildlife Products (08-915)
Martin Villegas Terrones, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for his role in an illegal smuggling operation that trafficked in protected sea turtle species. (Read more)
Justice Department Settles Fair Housing Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination by Lancaster, Penn. Apartment Owner, Managing Agent Against Persons with Disabilities (08-914)
The Department announced that the former owner and managing agent of the Barrcrest Manor Apartments in Lancaster, Pa., have agreed to pay up to $60,500 to resolve a DOJ lawsuit alleging discrimination against persons with disabilities. (Read more)
Two Colombians Arraigned in Washington, D.C. on Terrorism and Drug Charges (08-912)
Two Colombian citizens who were extradited from the Republic of Colombia earlier this week have made their initial appearances in federal court in Washington, D.C., on terrorism and drug charges related to their alleged involvement with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), a designated foreign terrorist organization in Colombia. (Read more)
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Ringleader of International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison (08-911)
A federal court sentenced Lan Dang, the ringleader of an international drug trafficking conspiracy, to 40 years in prison. Dang was convicted in December 2007 after a week-long trial on charges of conspiracy to import 138,000 ecstasy pills into the United States, importing ecstasy pills and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. (Read more)
Tennessee Man Indicted for Alleged Hack of Governor Sarah Palin’s E-Mail Account (08-910)
David C. Kernell was indicted by a federal grand jury in Knoxville, Tenn., for intentionally accessing without authorization the e-mail account of Alaska governor Sarah Palin. The single count indictment alleges that Kernell obtained unauthorized access to Gov. Palin’s personal e-mail account by allegedly resetting the account password. (Read more)
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Former Montgomery County, Maryland Man Sentenced for Holding a Nigerian Teenage Girl in Involuntary Servitude (08-909)
George Udeozor, 52, formerly of Darnestown, Md., was sentenced today for holding a 14-year-old Nigerian girl in involuntary servitude. U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Udeozor to 97 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Udeozor was also ordered to pay $110,249.60 in restitution to the victim. (Read more)
Loan Broker Charged in $15 Million Scheme to Defraud the Export-Import Bank of the United States (08-908)
A loan broker from the Philippines has been charged in connection with a $15 million scheme to defraud the Export-Import Bank of the United States. The indictment charges that Bettina Balderrama brokered approximately $15 million worth of fraudulent loan transactions between companies located in the Philippines and U.S. lending banks, in which the Ex-Im Bank acted as guarantor or insurer. (Read more)
Former Department of Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Participating in Scheme to Steal $39.6 Million Worth of Fuel from U.S. Army in Iraq (08-907)
A former Department of Defense (DoD) contractor, Lee William Dubois, pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to steal fuel worth approximately $39.6 million from the U.S. Army in Iraq. Dubois pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with theft of government property. (Read more)
Medicare Fraud Strike Force Indicts Eight Miami-Dade Residents for AIDS/HIV Infusion Fraud (08-906)
Eight Miami-Dade County residents have been charged in a 16-count indictment for their alleged roles in a Medicare fraud scheme involving fake HIV infusion treatments. (Read more)
Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of Minors and Transportation for the Purpose of Commercial Sex Acts (08-905)
Jorge Flores-Rojas, an undocumented Mexican national, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of sex trafficking of minor females and one count of transporting an adult female for the purpose of commercial sex. (Read more)
Three MS-13 Members Sentenced for Role in RICO Conspiracy (08-904)
Three members of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, have been sentenced in Nashville, Tenn., for their participation in a racketeering enterprise. Ten defendants have now been sentenced on RICO charges stemming from an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Nashville on Jan. 10, 2007. (Read more)
Statement of Brian Roehrkasse, Director of Public Affairs, on Today’s District Court Decision Ordering Release of the Uighurs Detained at Guantanamo Bay (08-903)
"Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered that 17 Uighurs detained at Guantanamo Bay— individuals who have admitted to receiving weapons training at camps in Afghanistan— be released into the United States. Today’s ruling presents serious national security and separation of powers concerns and raises unprecedented legal issues." (Read more)
Arizona Developer Agrees to Settle Clean Water Act Violations Along the Santa Cruz River (08-902)
An Arizona land developer and a contractor have agreed to settle alleged violations of the Clean Water Act for bulldozing, filling, and diverting approximately five miles of the Santa Cruz River, a major waterway in Arizona. (Read more)
Armor Holdings Products LLC Pays U.S. $30 Million for the Sale of Defective Zylon Bullet-Proof Vests (08-901)
Armor Holdings Products LLC agreed to pay the United States $30 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly manufacturing and selling defective Zylon bullet-proof vests. (Read more)
Monday, October 6, 2008
Justice Department to Monitor Elections in Alabama (08-900)
On Oct. 7, 2008, the Department will monitor the municipal election in the town of Bayou La Batre, Ala., to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (Read more)
Justice Department Requires a Divestiture in Manitowoc’s Acquisition of Enodis (08-899)
The Department has reached a settlement that will require The Manitowoc Company Inc. and Enodis plc to divest Enodis’s entire U.S. ice machine business in order to proceed with Manitowoc’s proposed $2.7 billion acquisition of Enodis. (Read more)
U.S. Intervenes in False Claims Act Suit Against McKesson Corp. and Golden Horizons Nursing Homes (08-898)
The United States intervened in a lawsuit against several companies alleging that they submitted false claims to Medicare arising from illegal kickbacks and the establishment of sham durable medical equipment suppliers. The companies are McKesson Corporation, McKesson Medical-Surgical MediNet Inc., GGNSC Holdings LLC, Golden Gate Ancillary LLC, Beverly Enterprises Inc., CERES Strategies Inc. and CERES Strategies Medical Services Inc. (Read more)
Friday, October 3, 2008
Justice Department to Monitor Primary Elections in Louisiana (08-897)
The Department will monitor the primary elections in East Carroll, Jefferson and Orleans Parishes, La. on Oct. 4, 2008, to ensure compliance with federal voting rights statutes. (Read more)
Minnesota Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to Prison After Being Found Guilty of Criminal Contempt (08-895)
A federal court in Minnesota sentenced Nash Sonibare of St. Paul, Minn., to 59 days of incarceration plus 100 hours of community service plus five years of probation for violating a preliminary injunction order that barred him from preparing tax returns for customers. (Read more)
Adult Entertainment Producer Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison on Obscenity Charges (08-894)
Paul F. Little, a nationally-known director, producer and star of pornographic DVDs and video clips, was sentenced to 46 months in prison as a result of his conviction on multiple obscenity offenses. (Read more)
Four Individuals and Subcontracting Company Charged with Contract Fraud Related to the War in Afghanistan and Rebuilding Efforts (08-893)
Four U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) contractors and a subcontracting company have been charged with conspiracy, major fraud and wire fraud arising from their scheme to defraud the United States in connection with the war and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan. (Read more)
Federal Court Shuts Down Chicago Tax Preparer (08-892)
Debra Windham, a former secretary with the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, repeatedly prepared federal income tax returns for customers claiming false deductions and then applied without her customers’ knowledge for "refund anticipation loans" in their names. (Read more)
Former Arizona Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violation (08-891)
Fort Mojave Tribal Police Department officer, Michael Phelps has pleaded guilty to a civil rights violation and to providing a false statement to the FBI. (Read more)
Joint Statement of Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller on the Issuance of the Attorney General Guidelines for Domestic FBI Operations (08-890)
Since the 9/11 attacks, the FBI and the Department of Justice more broadly have set priorities for and reorganized their activities to prevent future terrorist acts against the American people. In furtherance of those efforts, the Department has taken steps to provide the FBI with the authority and the flexibility it needs to protect the Nation from terrorist threats, including revising the Attorney General guidelines that govern the domestic operations of the FBI." (Read more)
Fact Sheet: Attorney General Consolidated Guidelines for FBI Domestic Operations (08-889)
The new consolidated guidelines to govern the FBI’s domestic operations will address in a comprehensive way the FBI’s investigation of crimes and threats to the national security and its collection of foreign intelligence; the FBI’s provision of assistance and information to other agencies; and the FBI’s intelligence analysis and planning functions. (Read more)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Former Oklahoma Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Charge (08-887)
Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Grace Chung Becker, and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Sheldon J. Sperling, announced today that Jarrod Anthony Yates, a former Sequoyah County, Okla., corrections officer, pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of an arrestee. (Read more)
Puerto Rico Commonwealth Senator and Political Aide Indicted for Honest Services Fraud, Extortion, Bribery and Money Laundering (08-885)
Jorge De Castro Font, a senator in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, was indicted by a grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico for engaging in a scheme that deprived the people of Puerto Rico of his honest services, a conspiracy to commit extortion through fear of economic harm and under color of official right, numerous acts of bribery and two money laundering conspiracies. Alberto Goachet, a political consultant and aide to De Castro Font, also was charged in the honest services scheme and one of the money laundering conspiracies. (Read more)
Indianapolis 500 Winner and Two Others Indicted on Tax Evasion Scheme (08-884)
Helio Castroneves, a U.S. resident and two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, was indicted by a grand jury today on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States of income taxes and with six separate counts of income tax evasion for tax years 1999 through 2004. Also charged in the indictment were Helio Castroneves’ sister and business manager, Katiucia Castroneves and his attorney, Alan R. Miller. (Read more)
California Woman Barred from Preparing Federal Tax Returns for Others (08-882)
A federal court permanently barred Bonnie Arnel from preparing federal income tax returns for others. According to the government’s complaint, Arnel repeatedly prepared federal income tax returns claiming false deductions. (Read more)
California Woman Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison in Connection with Scheme to Defraud the Export-Import Bank of the United States (08-881)
A California woman was sentenced to 37 months in prison in connection with a $15 million scheme to defraud the Export-Import Bank of the United States. This case is part of a broader investigation into an $80 million scheme to defraud the Ex-Im Bank. (Read more)
San Diego Area Tax Return Preparers Permanently Shut Down by Federal Court (08-880)
A federal court in San Diego has permanently barred COA Financial Group, Eagle Financial Services, Roosevelt Kyle and Rebecca Tyree from preparing tax returns for others. (Read more)
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Former Congressional Candidate Indicted on Federal Obstruction of Justice Charge (08-879)
A federal grand jury in Santa Ana, Calif., indicted former congressional candidate Tan Nguyen on a federal obstruction of justice charge today. The indictment alleges that Nguyen made misleading statements to investigators regarding a letter that was sent to Latino voters in the 47th Congressional District of the State of California prior to the November 2006 federal elections. At the time the letter was sent, Nguyen was running to represent the Orange County-based district in the U.S. House of Representatives. (Read more)
More Than 900 Defendants Charged with Disaster-Related Fraud by Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force During Three Years in Operation (08-877)
The Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force has brought federal charges against 907 individuals in 43 federal judicial districts across the country since Hurricane Katrina made landfall in southern Louisiana in August 2005. The Task Force, chaired by Friedrich, reported the charges as part of its accomplishments during its third year of operation in 2007-2008. (Read more)
Four Shipping Executives Agree to Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Eliminate Competition and Raise Prices for Moving Freight to and from the Continental U.S. and Puerto Rico (08-876)
Four U.S. shipping company executives have agreed to plead guilty and serve jail sentences for their roles in a wide-ranging conspiracy to rig bids, fix prices and allocate market shares for customers transporting goods between the continental United States and Puerto Rico by ocean vessel. A fifth shipping executive has agreed to plead guilty to destroying evidence of the shipping conspiracy. These are the first charges in the Antitrust Division’s ongoing investigation into collusion in the coastal shipping industry. (Read more)
Indiana Man Convicted of Obscenity Violations by Federal Jury in West Virginia (08-875)
A federal jury convicted Loren Jay Adams, of Martinsville, Ind., of six counts of selling and distributing obscene films in West Virginia. (Read more)
National Institute of Justice Announces More Than $125 Million to Improve DNA Technology (08-874)
The Department's Office of Justice Programs announced that more than $125 million will be going to state and local government agencies across the country through the President's DNA Initiative this year. The goal of the Initiative is to ensure that DNA technology is used to its fullest potential to solve crimes, protect the innocent and identify missing persons. (Read more)
First of Six Defendants in Labor Trafficking Ring Sentenced Today (08-871)
Jose Pepe Navarrete was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for his role in a labor trafficking scheme that enslaved Mexican and Guatemalan nationals as farm-workers. Navarrete previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, harboring undocumented foreign nationals for financial gain, possession of false documents, and other offenses arising from his role in the trafficking ring. (Read more)