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Attorneys & Judges
Defense contractor pleads guilty to fraud, money laundering, and unlawful military data export
Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Money Laundering and Unlawful Export of Military Data
Attorneys & Judges
False claims act complaint filed against international student recruiting firm for federal student aid programs submissions
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act (FCA) against Study Across the Pond LLC (SATP) and its principal, John Borhaug. SATP, which is organized under the laws of Massachusetts, recruits American students to attend foreign schools in the U.K., as well as other countries. The complaint, filed in the District of Massachusetts, alleges that SATP and Borhaug knowingly caused UK schools to submit false claims to the Department of Education for federal student aid by demanding that the foreign schools enter into arrangements...
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U.S. Charges Russian National with Operating LockBit Ransomware Group
The U.S. Justice Department has charged a Russian national with creating and running the LockBit ransomware group, which has targeted over 2,000 victims and extorted more than $100 million in ransom payments. Dimitry Yuryevich Khoroshev, also known as LockBitSupp, faces a 26-count indictment in the District of New Jersey.
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Man convicted 22 years later for murder of pregnant soldier on military base in Germany
A federal jury in Pensacola, Florida, convicted a former U.S. Army soldier yesterday for the murder of a pregnant, 19-year-old fellow soldier on a U.S. Army base in Germany more than 22 years ago. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Nov. 3, 2001, Shannon L. Wilkerson, 43, beat and strangled Amanda Gonzales to death in her barracks room at Fliegerhorst Kaserne, then a U.S. Army base in Hanau, Germany. Wilkerson was a member of the U.S. Armed Forces at the time of the offense but was later discharged.
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Minnesota Man Sentenced to Over Eight Years in Prison for Tax Fraud Scheme
"A Minnesota man was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for wire fraud and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns."
Attorneys & Judges
Virginia Man Sentenced to More than Six Years in Prison for Tax Scheme
"A Virginia businessman was sentenced to 78 months in prison for evading the payment of employment taxes, filing false tax returns and obstructing the IRS."###
Attorneys & Judges
Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Honors Correctional Workers in Memorial Service
Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Marshall Miller delivered remarks at the Federal Bureau of Prisons Correctional Workers’ Memorial Service on May 7, 2024.
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Oil tanker engineers admit to concealing pollution and illegal waste discharge
Two ship engineers on the oil tanker M/T Kriti Ruby pleaded guilty today to charges related to the concealment of pollution by falsifying records, with the chief engineer also pleading guilty to charges related to the discharge of oily waste into the sea from a commercial vessel near a petroleum terminal in Sewaren, New Jersey.
Attorneys & Judges
Justice Department and Department of Health and Human Services Highlight Progress by State of Alabama to Implement Environmental Justice Reforms in Lowndes County
The Justice Department and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today progress by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) in providing access to basic sanitation services, abating exposure to raw sewage from inadequate onsite wastewater systems, and improving health outcomes for the predominantly Black communities of Lowndes County, Alabama.
Attorneys & Judges
Former Tennessee Corrections Officer Sentenced for Using Excessive Force Against Inmate and Writing False Report to Cover It Up
Former Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) tactical officer, Javian Griffin, 38, has been sentenced to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for using excessive force against an inmate and writing a false report to cover it up. Griffin pleaded guilty to the offense on Oct. 11, 2023.Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated, “The defendant pledged to protect and serve but instead he abused his authority as a corrections officer, violently punching a man in the head and breaking his jaw. The...
Attorneys & Judges
Court Permanently Bars Missouri CPA from Promoting Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust Tax Scheme
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri has issued a permanent injunction against Aric Elliot Schreiner and his company, Columbia CPA Group LLC, prohibiting them from engaging in any activities related to promoting tax schemes involving charitable remainder annuity trusts (CRATs). Additionally, Schreiner has been ordered to forfeit $400,000 in ill-gotten gains from the scheme. The court's decision comes after the United States sued Schreiner, Columbia CPA Group, and five other defendants to halt the promotion of the CRAT scheme.According to the United...
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Justice Department Plans Environmental Justice Strategic Plan Listening Sessions in May 2024
The Justice Department today marked the second anniversary of its Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy (CEJES) and Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ). The Justice Department will be incorporating those efforts into developing an Environmental Justice Strategic Plan, as directed by the President’s Executive Order “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.” The new strategic plan will further address environmental justice and help develop and capture the Justice Department's vision, goals, priority actions, and metrics to...
Attorneys & Judges
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Honors Deputy U.S. Marshal Tommy Weeks Jr. at Memorial Service
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland delivered heartfelt remarks at the memorial service of Deputy U.S. Marshal Tommy Weeks Jr., paying tribute to his life and legacy. Garland expressed his admiration for Mrs. Weeks' strength and resilience, highlighting her unwavering support for the U.S. Marshals Service and the Justice Department in the face of tragedy.Garland acknowledged the profound impact of Weeks' dedication to his family and his colleagues, describing him as a dependable, passionate, and humorous individual. He shared anecdotes that showcased Weeks' commitment to...
Attorneys & Judges
Five Federal Departments Reaffirm Commitment to Civil Rights Laws and Environmental Justice
Five federal departments have come together to reaffirm their shared commitment to uphold civil rights laws and advance environmental justice in communities across the United States. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, along with officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Housing and Urban Development, jointly expressed their dedication to this important cause.Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s...
Attorneys & Judges
Florida Hospital System Agrees to Pay $1.5 Million to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Violations
Baptist Health System Inc. (Baptist Health) in Florida has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle allegations of violating the False Claims Act by offering improper discounts to patients. The United States alleged that Baptist Health subsidiaries provided discounts without regard to financial need, potentially in exchange for referrals or purchases of services.In response to the settlement, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton stated, "The department will continue to rely on the False Claims Act to address the use of prohibited remuneration to induce...
Attorneys & Judges
Attorney General Garland recognizes Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has acknowledged Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day by emphasizing the importance of addressing the crisis affecting American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Garland announced intensified efforts aimed at tackling the issues of missing or murdered Indigenous persons (MMIP), human trafficking, and other significant public safety challenges.Garland highlighted the disproportionate impact of the fentanyl crisis on Native Americans, exacerbating levels of violence and addiction within already vulnerable communities....
Attorneys & Judges
West Virginia Ambulance Services Business Owner Convicted of Tax Crimes
A federal jury in Beckley, West Virginia, convicted Christopher Jason Smyth for failing to pay taxes withheld from employees' wages at his ambulance service and for obstructing the IRS.According to evidence presented at trial, Smyth operated Stat EMS LLC in Pineville, West Virginia, from 2012 through part of 2017. Smyth caused Stat EMS to be founded in the name of a nominee owner but continued to operate the business in the same manner as before.Smyth was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees' wages and paying them to the...
Attorneys & Judges
Justice Department Strengthens Efforts, Builds Partnerships to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the importance of addressing the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) by stating, “There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured.”FBI Director Christopher Wray affirmed the FBI's commitment to addressing the violence affecting Tribal communities, stating, “We will continue to prioritize our support of victims and will steadfastly pursue investigations into the...
Attorneys & Judges
Justice Department Sues Texas Department of Criminal Justice for Religious Discrimination
The Justice Department has taken legal action against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) for religious discrimination. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, accuses TDCJ of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by denying an employee's religious accommodation request.Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division emphasized, "Employers cannot require employees to forfeit their religious beliefs or improperly question the sincerity of those beliefs." She...
Attorneys & Judges
Opioid Manufacturer Endo Health Solutions Inc. Ordered to Pay $1.536B In Criminal Fines and Forfeiture for Distributing Misbranded Opioid Medication
Endo Health Solutions Inc. (EHSI) faced a significant legal outcome today as they were ordered to pay $1.536 billion in criminal fines and forfeiture for their involvement in distributing misbranded opioid medication. This marks the second-largest set of criminal financial penalties ever imposed on a pharmaceutical company for violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.EHSI pleaded guilty to introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, acknowledging their deceptive marketing tactics related to the opioid medication Opana ER. The company marketed the...