Criminal Division Press Releases for August 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Convicted Medicare Fraud Defendant Pleads Guilty To Laundering More Than $3 Million In Fraudulent Proceeds
WASHINGTON – Miami resident Juan Carlos Castaneda, 47, pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to launder approximately $3.8 million in proceeds from several Medicare fraud schemes. (Read more)
Thursday, August 28, 2008
U.S. District Court Judge Charged With Attempted Aggravated Sexual Abuse And Abusive Sexual Contact
WASHINGTON – U.S. District Court Judge Samuel B. Kent, 59, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Houston for allegedly attempting aggravated sexual abuse and for abusive sexual touching of a clerk’s office employee, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich announced. (Read more)
Former Talk Radio Host Sentenced To 87 Months In Prison For Distributing Child Pornography
WASHINGTON –Bernard V. Ward, 57, a San Francisco resident who previously worked as a radio station talk show host, was sentenced today to serve 87 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. (Read more)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Miami Physician And Hiv Clinic Administrator Plead Guilty For Their Roles In A $37 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
WASHINGTON – Miami physician Ronald Harris, M.D., and Miami resident Mariela Rodriguez each pleaded guilty today to defrauding the Medicare program in connection with a $37 million HIV infusion fraud scheme. (Read more)
Friday, August 22, 2008
Cocaine Cartel Leader To Face Charges In The United States
WASHINGTON –Juan Carlos Ramirez-Abadia, a/k/a “Chupeta,” one of the leaders of Colombia’s most powerful cartel, known as the “Norte Valle Cartel” (NVC), was extradited today to face federal charges in the Eastern District of New York and the District of Columbia. (Read more)
Three Defendants Plead Guilty For Online Commercial Distribution Of Pirated Software
WASHINGTON – Three defendants pleaded guilty today to selling counterfeit computer software on the Internet in violation of criminal copyright infringement laws. (Read more)
Fresno Man Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Producing And Distributing Child Pornography
WASHINGTON – A Fresno, Calif., man was sentenced to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a life term of supervised release, for producing and distributing child pornography. (Read more)
Former Foster Parent Sentenced For Production And Transportation Of Child Pornography
WASHINGTON – An Arkansas man was sentenced today to 70 years in prison for producing and transporting child pornography, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Matthew Friedrich and U.S. Attorney of the Western District of Arkansas Robert C. Balfe announced. (Read more)
Brazilian Man Charged In Conspiracy To Infect More Than 100,000 Computers Worldwide With Malicious Software
WASHINGTON – A Brazilian man was charged by a federal grand jury in New Orleans for his role in a conspiracy to sell a network of computers infected with malicious software. (Read more)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Two Individuals Plead Guilty To Trafficking In More Than Half A Million Tubes Of Counterfeit Toothpaste
WASHINGTON – Two individuals and two corporations pleaded guilty today in Brooklyn, N.Y., to charges of trafficking in counterfeit Colgate toothpaste. (Read more)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Puerto Rico Governor, Senior Aide And Former Campaign Director Indicted On Wire Fraud And Money Laundering Charges
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico, today returned an indictment against Puerto Rico Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, a senior aide and a former campaign director for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. (Read more)
Friday, August 15, 2008
Canadian Man Sentenced To Four Years In Prison In Sex Tourism Case
WASHINGTON – Bradley Hanaback, 34, a would-be sex tourist from Saskatchewan, Canada, was sentenced today to four years in prison, after pleading guilty to arranging a trip to Mexico for the purpose of having sex with a minor. (Read more)
Alaska Man Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison On Sex Trafficking And Drug Charges
WASHINGTON – An Alaska man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for sex trafficking of minors and adults, as well as drug trafficking offenses, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Nelson P. Cohen of the District of Alaska announced. (Read more)
Florida Man Sentenced To Prison And Ordered To Pay $415,900 In Restitution For Selling Pirated Video Game Systems
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Kifah Maswadi, 24, of Oakland, Fla., was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for selling pirated video game systems, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich and U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg of the Eastern District of Virginia announced. (Read more)Drug Dealer Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison
TAMPA FL - Gustavo Barreda, age 35, of Brandon, FL, was sentenced yesterday by the Honorable Senior Judge William J. Castagna to 189 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 120 months for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. (Read more)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Two Virgin Islands Commissioners Sentenced In $1.4 Million Bribery And Kickback Scheme
WASHINGTON – The former commissioners of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) and the Department of Property and Procurement (P&P) were sentenced to nine and seven years in prison, respectively, for their roles in a $1.4 million bribery and kickback scheme. (Read more)
Florida Man Pleads Guilty To Charge Of Traveling To Sexually Exploit A Minor
WASHINGTON – A Florida resident pleaded guilty today to one count of traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. (Read more)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
U.S. Army Major Pleads Guilty To Bribery Scheme Related To Department Of Defense Contracts In Kuwait
WASHINGTON – A U.S. Army Major pleaded guilty today to bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery arising out of his activities as a Contracting Officer in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait in 2005 and 2006. (Read more)
Texas Man Pleads Guilty In International Child Exploitation Enterprise Case
WASHINGTON and PENSACOLA, Fla. – Erik Raymond Wayerski, 46, of Leander, Texas, pleaded guilty today to charges related to his involvement in a vast global child pornography trafficking enterprise,. (Read more)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Former Alaska Businessman Pleads Guilty To Public Corruption Charges
WASHINGTON – William Weimar, 68, a former owner of an Alaska-based company, has pleaded guilty to making $20,000 in illegal payments to cover consulting and advertising expenses incurred by a candidate running for an elected position in the Alaska state legislature. (Read more)
Monday, August 11, 2008
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty To Using A Recording Device To Illegally Record Motion Pictures In A District Of Columbia Theater
WASHINGTON – Michael Dwayne Logan, 31, of Baltimore, entered a pre-indictment guilty plea today to unauthorized recording of motion pictures in a motion picture exhibition facility in 2007. (Read more)
Friday, August 08, 2008
Twenty-First Member Of Ms-13 Convicted Of Racketeering Conspiracy, Murder Conspiracy And Murder
GREENBELT, MD. – A federal jury convicted Israel Ernesto Palacios, a/k/a “Homie,” 31, of Silver Spring, Md., today of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence and murder resulting from use of a gun during a crime of violence. (Read more)
Former National Century Financial Enterprises Ceo Sentenced To Ten Years In Prison On Conspiracy, Witness Tampering And Obstruction Of Justice Charges
WASHINGTON - Lance K. Poulsen, the former chief executive officer of National Century Financial Enterprises (NCFE), was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Columbus, Ohio, today to ten years in prison for conspiring to interfere with a witness who was preparing to testify in the fraud trial against Poulsen and other NCFE executives involved in a $3 billon securities fraud scheme. (Read more)
Twelfth Member Of Casino-Cheating Criminal Enterprise Pleads Guilty To Racketeering Conspiracy Targeting Casinos Across The United States
WASHINGTON - Tien Duc Vu, 50, pleaded guilty today in San Diego to conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise, the “Tran Organization,” in a scheme to cheat casinos across the country out of millions of dollars. (Read more)
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Former National Century Financial Enterprises Executives Sentenced For Roles In $3 Billion Securities Fraud Scheme
WASHINGTON – Four former National Century Financial Enterprises (NCFE) executives have been sentenced for their roles in a scheme to deceive investors about the financial health of NCFE, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich and U.S. Attorney Gregory G. Lockhart of the Southern District of Ohio announced today. (Read more)
Pennsylvania Woman Pleads Guilty And Is Sentenced On Obscenity Charges
WASHINGTON – A Pennsylvania woman pleaded guilty today to six counts of using an interactive computer service to distribute obscene materials, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan of the Western District of Pennsylvania announced. (Read more)
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Fact Sheet: Department Of Justice Efforts To Combat Cyber Crimes
WASHINGTON – In May 2006, President Bush created an interagency Identity Theft Task Force, chaired by the Attorney General and co-chaired by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman. (Read more)
Retail Hacking Ring Charged For Stealing And Distributing Credit And Debit Card Numbers From Major U.S. Retailers
WASHINGTON –Eleven perpetrators allegedly involved in the hacking of nine major U.S. retailers and the theft and sale of more than 40 million credit and debit card numbers have been charged with numerous crimes, including conspiracy, computer intrusion, fraud and identity theft. (Read more)
Monday, August 04, 2008
Arizona Man Pleads Guilty To Distributing Child Pornography
WASHINGTON – An Arizona man pleaded guilty today to one count of distributing child pornography, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Diane J. Humetewa of the District of Arizona announced. (Read more)
Friday, August 01, 2008
Two Physicians Plead Guilty In International Internet Pharmacy Conspiracy
WASHINGTON – Two physicians have pleaded guilty to conspiracy for their participation in an Internet pharmacy business that generated more than $126 million in gross revenues from the illegal sale of prescription pharmaceuticals. (Read more)