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Five arrested for $15M Medicare fraud involving sham hospices
Five individuals were arrested yesterday in Los Angeles on criminal charges related to their roles in a years-long scheme to defraud Medicare of more than $15 million through sham hospice companies and then to launder the fraud proceeds.
Government receives record-breaking number of FOIA requests in fiscal year 2023
The Office of Information Policy (OIP) has released its Summary of Annual FOIA Reports for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. This summary provides an overview of FOIA activities across the government during the previous fiscal year, examining key statistics in FOIA administration and identifying trends in FOIA processing. Each summary serves as a resource for both agencies and the public to gain an understanding of overall FOIA administration.
Justice Department reviews progress on protecting reproductive rights
On Thursday, June 6, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer convened the Justice Department’s Reproductive Rights Task Force (RRTF) to discuss ongoing efforts to protect reproductive freedoms under federal law. The RRTF, chaired by Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer, was established in July 2022 following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
Lauderdale County man convicted on multiple counts of child pornography possession
Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the conviction of a Lauderdale County man on multiple counts of possession of child pornography. Kevin Prather, 52, of Rogersville, pleaded guilty yesterday in Lauderdale County Circuit Court to five counts of possession of obscene material depicting a person under the age of 17.
Caregiver convicted in freezing death of elderly woman
LANSING – Colleen Kelly O’Connor, 58, of East Lansing, was convicted by a Clinton County jury today of Vulnerable Adult Abuse—Second Degree related to the death by exposure of an 82-year-old woman on December 23, 2022, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. The charge is a four-year felony.
Justice Department launches initiative to improve accessibility
The Justice Department has announced the launch of Access DOJ, a new initiative led by the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ). This initiative aims to enhance access to Justice Department programs and services through human-centered design.
CityMD settles over $12M for alleged false COVID-19 claims
City Medical of the Upper East Side, PLLC, Summit Medical Group, P.A., Summit Health Management, LLC, and Village Practice Management Company, LLC, collectively known as CityMD, have agreed to pay $12,037,109 to settle allegations of violating the False Claims Act. The accusations involve submitting false claims for COVID-19 testing payments to a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) program intended for uninsured patients.
Court restricts Monument Inc.'s handling of consumer health data
The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced today that a federal court in Washington, D.C., has entered a settlement prohibiting alcohol addiction treatment company Monument Inc. from misrepresenting its data privacy practices and disclosing its customers’ health information to third parties for advertising purposes. The settlement also mandates the company to implement measures to safeguard its customers’ personal information. Additionally, the court imposed a $2.5 million civil penalty judgment against Monument, which is suspended due to the...
Attorney General Mayes addresses investigation into Apache County Attorney
Earlier today, Attorney General Mayes sent a letter to the Apache County Board of Supervisors concerning an ongoing investigation into alleged conduct by Apache County Attorney Michael Whiting. The warrant issued earlier this week remains sealed by the court, and the Attorney General’s Office has no additional comments to make at this time.
Wis. cop blamed for fatal shooting of suicidal man
GREEN BAY, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - The fatal shooting of a 33-year-old Army veteran who had a gun to his head was not justified, a lawsuit against Appleton, Wis., says.
Adult children can sue for loss of parents - who are still alive
HONOLULU (Legal Newsline) - Adding a new path for collecting damages in personal injury lawsuits, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled children, including adult children, can sue for the loss of consortium of a parent who is severely injured but still alive.
Former California police officer charged with sexual assault while on duty
A federal grand jury in Fresno, California, has returned a superseding indictment charging former Sanger Police Department officer DeShawn Torrence with deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law for sexually assaulting four women during his duties. Torrence was previously indicted in July 2022 on charges of engaging in various forms of nonconsensual sexual conduct while serving as a police officer. The new indictment adds a charge involving an additional victim, whom Torrence allegedly assaulted after locking her in his patrol vehicle and driving her to an...
New York AG sues crypto firms for alleged $1 billion investor fraud
New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against cryptocurrency trading company NovaTechFx (NovaTech), its founders Cynthia and Eddy Petion, and cryptocurrency mining company AWS Mining Pty Ltd. (AWS Mining). The lawsuit accuses these entities of operating illegal pyramid schemes that defrauded hundreds of thousands of investors, including over 11,000 New Yorkers, out of more than one billion dollars in cryptocurrency.
Conviction review unit recommends vacating Brian Pippitt's first-degree murder conviction
The Conviction Review Unit (CRU) of the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office has recommended vacating the 2001 first-degree murder conviction of Brian Pippitt in Aitkin County. This recommendation follows an extensive independent investigation conducted by the CRU, which resulted in a comprehensive 181-page report containing 987 footnotes and citing approximately 250 source documents. The investigation took over 1,100 hours to complete.
Lawrence man faces multiple charges including drug trafficking and gun possession
The Office of Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced charges today against Jose Manuel Ortiz Lopez, 38, of Lawrence. The charges include trafficking fentanyl (200 grams or more), trafficking cocaine (200 grams or more), possession of a firearm without a Firearm Identification (FID) Card, possession of ammunition without an FID Card, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Lopez is scheduled to be arraigned on June 25 in Essex Superior Court.
Florida launches Revive Awareness Day highlighting dangers of opioids
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody joined state and local health officials at an event in Seminole County to recognize Florida’s first Revive Awareness Day. The day aims to highlight the dangers of opioid misuse and the life-saving potential of naloxone. During the event, Attorney General Moody announced increased participation in Helping Heroes, a program she initiated to provide free naloxone to first responders statewide.
Commission nominates finalist for Clark County judicial position
The Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection held an emergency meeting on May 17, 2024, to discuss the sole applicant for the vacancy in Department 14 of the 8th Judicial District Court.
New York AG warns residents about rising online romance scams
New York Attorney General Letitia James has issued a consumer alert warning New Yorkers about the rise of online romance scams. These schemes, often referred to as "pig butchering," involve fraudsters using dating apps, social media, and unsolicited text messages to befriend victims and then convince them to make fraudulent investments.
California man convicted for threatening emails referencing 'Unabomber
A federal jury has convicted a California man for sending threatening emails to the FBI, including threats to bomb its Los Angeles Field Office and references to the notorious "Unabomber." Mark William Anten, 52, of Sun Valley, was found guilty of two counts of threats by interstate communication. He has been in federal custody since December 2023.
Attorney general contests consumers energy's proposed $303M annual electric rate increase
LANSING – Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a notice of intervention this week in Consumers Energy Company’s latest electric rate case (U-21585) before the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), filed on May 31, 2024. Consumers Energy seeks a rate hike of approximately $303 million annually which, if approved, would take effect in March 2025. Only three months ago, the MPSC approved a $92 million electric rate hike for Consumers, which took effect this March.