LEGAL NEWSLINE

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...

"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...

NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - The Masters golf tournament faces litigation over its use of the Facebook Pixel, which sends video clip viewers' information to the social media giant.

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Red Lobster lies when it claims its biscuit mix makes 10 servings, a class action lawsuit alleges.

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...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, America First Legal (AFL) filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) concerning the concealment of federal records related to Dr. David Morens, former Senior Advisor to the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID). Dr. Morens used a personal email address for official government business, prompting AFL to take legal action.The lawsuit is based on allegations that Dr. Morens intentionally subverted federal custody by using his personal email for official purposes, as...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Shocking internal emails obtained from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lawsuit by America First Legal have brought to light concerning discussions on how to leverage federal power to circumvent state legislation banning gender affirming care for children. The revealed documents include interactions with "gender affirming care providers" in states with prohibitions on these medical practices, indicating a concerted effort by the Biden Administration to intervene in state policies.Assistant Secretary for Health, Rachel Levine,...

A Ukrainian national, Yaroslav Vasinskyi, has been sentenced to 13 years and seven months in prison and ordered to pay over $16 million in restitution for his involvement in conducting over 2,500 ransomware attacks and demanding more than $700 million in ransom payments. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the Department's commitment to holding cybercriminals accountable, stating, "As this sentencing shows, the Justice Department is working with our international partners and using all tools at our disposal to identify cybercriminals, capture their illicit...

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....

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...

Attorney General Ashley Moody has taken legal action against the National Collegiate Athletic Association for violating antitrust laws in the midst of actions against Florida universities over alleged NIL violations. Moody's lawsuit was prompted by the NCAA's sudden pursuit of both UF and FSU for purported NIL violations, following the publication of updated NIL guidance on X.Moody emphasized the urgency of the lawsuit, stating, "It appears no one could ever comply with these ever-changing and unfair regulations that limit the ability of student athletes to negotiate in...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Attorney General Ashley Moody is pushing back against the Biden administration's recent firearm regulation aimed at law-abiding citizens in Florida. The new rule, introduced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, requires individuals to register as dealers to engage in private sales of firearms, leading to increased bureaucracy and costs for citizens.In response to this, Attorney General Moody stated, “This is Biden’s latest step in trying to take guns away from law-abiding Americans. We are fighting back against this federal...

A Hopewell man, Azontay Malik Perry, 27, has been sentenced to five years and five months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The incident took place on Nov. 19, 2022, when Perry was found passed out in the driver's seat of a BMW with the engine running in Hopewell, Virginia.According to court documents, Hopewell Police officers discovered Perry in the intersection of Ashland Street and Oaklawn Boulevard. Perry ignored commands, drove into a parked police vehicle, attempted to flee at high speed, and eventually crashed into a dumpster at...

Changpeng Zhao, commonly known as CZ, the co-founder and former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, expressed regret over his failure to implement sufficient anti-money laundering controls during the early stages of Binance. He is currently facing a criminal charge for this oversight. CZ shared these sentiments in a court document filed on April 23, ahead of his sentencing scheduled for April 30.

A total of 161 individuals submitted letters of support for Changpeng Zhao, the co-founder and former CEO of Binance, in anticipation of his April 30 sentencing for violating the Bank Secrecy Act. These letters were included in an April 23 filing in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

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...

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is currently looking into an officer-involved shooting that took place in the Town of Grand Chute, Wis. on the evening of Friday, April 12, 2024.According to the report, Outagamie County Sheriff’s Sergeant Ellis Brooks discharged his firearm, striking William Jae Kil Nelson, 22, who was observed with a knife at the scene. The incident unfolded after deputies responded to a vehicle crash on W. Prospect Avenue in the Town of Grand Chute. Outagamie County Sheriff’s Deputy Noah Yeck attempted...

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...

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...

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...