U.S. Department of Justice
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Recent News About U.S. Department of Justice
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U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar and His Wife Charged with Bribery, Unlawful Foreign Influence, and Money Laundering Schemes
Houston, TX - An indictment unsealed in the Southern District of Texas has charged U.S. Congressman Enrique Roberto “Henry” Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, with involvement in bribery, unlawful foreign influence, and money laundering schemes. The couple, residents of Laredo, Texas, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Palermo in Houston.According to court documents, the Cuellars allegedly accepted about $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities, an oil and gas company owned by the Government of Azerbaijan and a bank in Mexico City. These funds were... -
Physician Sentenced to 7 Years for Unlawfully Distributing Opioids
An Ohio physician, Thomas Romano, 74, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for unlawfully distributing opioids from his clinic. The sentence comes after Romano was found guilty of 24 counts of unlawfully distributing controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.The court documents revealed that Romano's pain management clinic in Martin’s Ferry, Ohio, was a hub where individuals traveled long distances to obtain prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances. The prescriptions issued by Romano greatly... -
OVW Commemorates Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
OVW, the Office on Violence Against Women, recently commemorated Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, highlighting the theme of "Building Connected Communities." The agency emphasized the importance of collaboration and community support in preventing sexual assault and aiding survivors. According to OVW, creating strong, connected communities is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals.Speaking about the impact of sexual assault, OVW expressed a commitment to addressing systemic barriers and providing support to survivors. They... -
Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding COVID-19 Relief Programs and Commercial Equipment Lenders
A Maryland man, Andra Shirone Thompson, has pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act loan programs and commercial equipment financing companies. Thompson admitted to his involvement in a scheme that involved submitting fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for companies he controlled, resulting in a fraudulent gain of $716,375.Furthermore, Thompson was part of a conspiracy that defrauded equipment financing companies by submitting false... -
Hahn Air Lines Agrees to Pay $26.8M for Alleged Failure to Remit Travel Fees
Hahn Air Lines GmbH, a privately owned company based in Germany, and its Minneapolis-based subsidiary Hahn Air USA Inc. (collectively Hahn Air) have agreed to pay $26.8 million to resolve allegations that Hahn Air violated the False Claims Act by knowingly failing to remit to the United States certain travel fees that Hahn Air collected from commercial airline passengers flying into or within the United States.According to Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, "Companies that benefit from air travel... -
Sixty-Two Members of Violent Gang Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms Violations in Puerto Rico
Sixty-two alleged gang members from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, have been charged with drug trafficking and firearms violations following a federal grand jury indictment. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland expressed gratitude to various law enforcement agencies for their efforts in the operation, stating, "The residents of public housing projects deserve better than to be terrorized by violent drug trafficking gangs." ATF Director Steven Dettelbach emphasized the commitment of law enforcement to protect innocent residents from gun violence and drug dealing in public housing... -
Justice Department Supports Private Citizens’ Right to Sue Under Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Justice Department has filed a statement of interest in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, backing the right of private citizens to bring lawsuits to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke emphasized the importance of this right, stating, “The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and it is the right on which all other rights depend.” She highlighted the role of private parties in enforcing the Voting Rights Act, enabling countless Americans to vote free from discrimination.U.S.... -
Staffing Company to Pay $2.7M for Alleged Failure to Provide Adequate Cybersecurity for COVID-19 Contact Tracing Data
Insight Global LLC, headquartered in Atlanta, has agreed to pay $2.7 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to implement adequate cybersecurity measures to protect health information obtained during COVID-19 contact tracing.According to Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, "The resolution announced today reflects our continuing commitment to ensure that government contractors fulfill their cybersecurity obligations. Failure to do so can compromise sensitive... -
Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced for Possessing Deepfake Child Sexual Abuse Material
"A Pennsylvania man was sentenced yesterday to 14 years and seven months in prison for possessing deepfake child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting numerous child celebrities. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on two separate occasions, James Smelko, 57, of Pittsburgh, possessed and accessed pictures that digitally superimposed the faces of child actors onto nude bodies and bodies engaged in sex acts. Smelko possessed the pictures at his home in Pittsburgh. After law enforcement discovered the pictures during a search of Smelko’s computer, he... -
Extradited Nigerian National Convicted of Business Email Compromise Scheme
A federal jury in New Haven, Connecticut, has convicted Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji, a Nigerian national, for orchestrating a business email compromise scheme that operated across multiple countries, including the United States. The scheme, which involved targeting individuals and businesses by posing as trustworthy entities in electronic communications, resulted in losses and intended losses totaling over $6.3 million.Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division stated, "Osuji led a network of scammers in... -
California Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sex Trafficking
A California man, Michael Deon Fulcher, 54, of Gardena, has been sentenced to life in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution. Fulcher was found guilty by a jury in January.Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division emphasized the severity of Fulcher's actions, stating, “This significant sentence imposed by the court reflects the severity of the defendant’s abuse and exploitation of the victim.”U.S.... -
Justice Department, FTC, and HHS Extend Comment Period on Inquiry into Health Care Corporate Ownership
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Health and Human Services have announced an extension of the comment period for the Request for Information on Consolidation in Health Care Markets (RFI) by 30 days. The new deadline for submitting comments is now June 5.According to the announcement, the extension aims to gather more insights into how health care mergers, acquisitions, and other transactions could potentially impact competition in the industry. The agencies are particularly interested in understanding how such... -
Former Oregon State Employee Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Woman with Disabilities
A former Oregon Department of Human Services caregiver, Zakary Glover, 30, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison and five years of supervised release for sexually assaulting a woman with developmental disabilities who was under his care.Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division condemned Glover's actions, stating, “This defendant engaged in deplorable acts of sexual misconduct and targeted a victim with severe developmental disabilities who was entrusted to his care and could not defend herself."U.S. Attorney Natalie... -
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Maryland Assisted Living Facility Over Employment Discrimination
The Justice Department has reached a settlement agreement with Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc., the operator of Sunrise at Fox Hill in Bethesda, Maryland, to address allegations of employment discrimination. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke emphasized the department's commitment to upholding the law regarding discrimination based on citizenship, immigration status, or national origin, stating, "The Justice Department will continue to hold employers accountable for unlawfully discriminating against workers because of citizenship, immigration status or national... -
Beverly Hills Businessman Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion
A California businessman from Beverly Hills, Haim Jerry Kohen, has pleaded guilty to evading over $1 million in federal and state taxes. Kohen, who owned a business dealing in used clothing, admitted to underreporting or not reporting income on his tax returns for more than a decade. His evasion tactics included diverting cash payments from customers and not reporting rental income from properties he owned.According to court documents, Kohen diverted cash payments received from a significant customer, keeping the money for himself instead of depositing it into his... -
Early Bitcoin Investor Charged with Tax Fraud
An indictment was unsealed yesterday charging Roger Ver, an early investor in bitcoins, with mail fraud, tax evasion, and filing false tax returns. Ver, formerly of Santa Clara, California, owned MemoryDealers.com Inc. and Agilestar.com Inc., two companies that sold computer and networking equipment. He also avidly promoted bitcoins, earning him the moniker "Bitcoin Jesus."Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California announced the charges. The... -
Former Federal Attorney Sentenced for Sexually Exploiting Numerous Children
Former Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) attorney Mark Black, 50, of Arlington, Virginia, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his involvement in sexually exploiting numerous children. According to court documents, Black was part of online groups dedicated to persuading prepubescent girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Black and his co-conspirators recorded these acts and shared the videos among themselves. In one instance, Black induced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct on a live-streaming application while another minor was... -
Three Gang Members Convicted for Their Roles in a Murder
Three members of the Hoover Criminal Gang have been convicted for their roles in the murder of a suspected rival gang member, announced federal authorities. Markell Young, Octavius Ferguson, and Jordan Powell, all from Gibson County, Tennessee, were found guilty by a federal jury in connection to the violent crime.The murder took place on Jan. 31, 2017, in Humboldt, Tennessee, when the defendants targeted a suspected member of the rival Gangster Disciples gang. Young ordered Ferguson, Powell, and two other co-defendants to carry out the murder by indiscriminately shooting... -
Former Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Attempted Espionage
Former defense contractor John Murray Rowe Jr. has pleaded guilty to charges of attempted espionage, admitting to attempting to deliver national defense information to a foreign government. According to court documents, Rowe, who held various national security clearances and worked on sensitive defense projects, disclosed classified information to an undercover FBI agent posing as a Russian government agent.During a meeting with the undercover agent, Rowe revealed specific operating details of electronic countermeasure systems used by U.S. military fighter jets. In... -
California Man Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Violations
A California man, Shane Brightpath Mike, has pleaded guilty to failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from the wages of his company’s employees. Mike, who owned and was the president and chief operating officer of Excel Behavioral Services Inc., a business in Campbell, California, provided home care to persons with disabilities.According to court documents and statements made in court, Mike failed to pay over $1 million in withheld taxes to the IRS for the fourth quarter of 2014 through the third quarter of 2015. It was revealed that Mike also used Excel’s funds to...