Workforce Central Florida & Workforce Central Florida Foundation to Pay $3.4 Million to Settle Grant Fraud Allegations (06-586)

Workforce Central Florida and Workforce Central Florida Foundation Inc. have agreed to pay the United States $3,483,664.19 to settle claims that they defrauded the U.S. Department of Labor, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Settles Allegations of Sex Discrimination Against Minneapolis Landlords (06-585)

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with the owners and managers of several rental properties in and around Minneapolis, Minnesota to settle the federal government’s allegations of systemic discrimination against female tenants. (Read more)

Justice Department and Commonwealth of Kentucky Reach Settlement Regarding Conditions at The Communities at Oakwood Developmental Center (06-582)

The Justice Department today reached a court-enforceable settlement agreement with the Commonwealth of Kentucky regarding civil rights violations at the Communities at Oakwood (Oakwood), a center for persons with developmental disabilities, in Somerset, Ken. (Read more)

Suspended San Antonio Police Officer Convicted Of Sexual Assault (06-583)

San Antonio Police Department Officer, Dean Gutierrez, was convicted in federal court for violating the civil rights of a private citizen following a traffic stop, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Settles Voting Rights Lawsuit with Springfield, Massachusetts (06-581)

The Justice Department today reached a successful resolution of a lawsuit against the city of Springfield, Mass., regarding allegations that the city violated the rights of minority voters under two key provisions of the Voting Rights Act. (Read more)

New York Man Enters Guilty Plea For His Role In An Interstate Child Prostitution Ring (06-580)

WASHINGTON – A pimp from New York City who recruited and prostituted minor girls in several U.S. cities pleaded guilty in federal court, (Read more)

Former Gadsden, Alabama Public Official Pleads Guilty To Participating In Bribery And Wire Fraud Conspiracy (06-577)

WASHINGTON – The former director of the Gadsden Commercial Development Authority pleaded guilty to participating in a bribery and wire fraud conspiracy that operated from August 2005 through February 2006, (Read more)

Justice Department Seeks to Bar Former Jackson Hewitt Franchise Manager from Preparing Tax Returns (06-576)

The United States has asked a federal court in Fresno, Calif. to bar David Meals from preparing federal income tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales Travels to Baghdad to Visit Justice Department Personnel, U.S. Military and Iraqi Officials (06-575)

Attorney General Gonzales arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday to meet with and thank Department of Justice officials working in Iraq to rebuild the country’s legal and law enforcement infrastructure. (Read more)

Prudential Financial Subsidiary Agrees to Pay $600 Million to Settle Securities Fraud Allegations (06-574)

Prudential Equity Group LLC (PEG), a broker-dealer subsidiary of Prudential Financial Inc. (Prudential), has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement in which PEG has admitted to criminal wrongdoing in connection with deceptive market timing trading in mutual fund shares dating back to 1999 and agreed to a payment of $600 million in fines, restitution and penalties. (Read more)

Former Deputy of Harrison County Sheriff’s Department Charged in Death of Inmate (06-573)

Ryan Michael Teel, a former Deputy of the Harrison County, Miss. Sheriff’s Department, was indicted on charges relating to the circumstances surrounding the death of an inmate, Jessie Lee Williams Jr., who died as a result of injuries sustained at the Harrison County Adult Detention Center on February 4, 2006. (Read more)

Army Reserve Officer Pleads Guilty To Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving Stolen Currency And Fraud In Iraq (06-571)

WASHINGTON – Bruce D. Hopfengardner, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges in a scheme to defraud the Coalition Provisional Authority... (Read more)

Operator Of Massive For-Profit Software Piracy Website Sentenced To Six Years In Prison (06-570)

WASHINGTON— The owner of a massive for-profit software piracy website was sentenced in federal court to six years in prison, (Read more)

Michigan Couple Pleads Guilty To Obscenity Violations (06-569)

WASHINGTON – A Brutus, Mich. couple pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a business they operated for the purpose of selling obscene videos, (Read more)

U.S. Department of Justice Awards $400,000 to Kentucky to Combat Internet Crimes Against Children (06-568)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today announced an award from the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) of $400,000 to the Kentucky State Police to continue funding of the Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force. (Read more)

Federal Court Bars Arizona Tax Preparer (06-567)

A federal judge in Phoenix has permanently barred Jeffrey R. Hunn, of Snowflake, Ariz. from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Salt Lake City Man Sentenced to 60 Months Prison for Role in Tax and Investment Fraud Scheme (06-566)

Edward T. Woodger of Salt Lake City was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States and to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with the promotion of a tax fraud scheme, the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. (Read more)

Fact Sheet: Department of Justice Law Enforcement Efforts in New Orleans, Louisiana (06-564)

The Department of Justice is committed to working in partnership with state and local law enforcement and communities to combat violent crime. As part of this effort, the Department has allocated additional resources to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Both new and existing programs and resources include the following: (Read more)

Attorney General Gonzales Announces New Resources to Fight Violent Crime in New Orleans (06-563)

Today, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales visited New Orleans and announced additional federal resources to help fight violent crime that has risen in the months following Hurricane Katrina. (Read more)

Department of Justice Announces Partnership with Ad Council and NCMEC in PSA Campaign (06-562)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales announced a Department of Justice partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) and the Ad Council in a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to help raise awareness about the dangers of online child sexual exploitation. (Read more)

Beverly Enterprises Inc. to Pay $20 Million for False Claims by Former Subsidiary (06-560)

WASHINGTON – Beverly Enterprises Inc. has agreed to pay the United States and the State of California $20 million to settle allegations that its former wholly owned subsidiary, MK Medical, violated the civil False Claims Act, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Announces Settlement Agreement on Accessibility Issues with the Madonna Inn (06-557)

WASHINGTON - A settlement agreement reached with Madonna Inn Inc. under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will make the landmark roadside Inn more accessible to people with disabilities, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Statement from the Department of Justice on Last Week’s Ruling in United States v. Philip Morris (06-556)

We are pleased with the Court's finding of liability on the part of the defendants, but disappointed that the Court did not impose all of the remedies sought by the government. Nevertheless, we are hopeful that the remedies that were imposed by the Court can have a significant, positive impact on the health of the American public. We are continuing to review the Court's 1,652 page opinion. (Read more)

Louisiana Medical Center to Pay United States $3.8 Million to Settle Allegations of Fraud (06-554)

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center has agreed to pay the United States $3.8 million to settle claims that they defrauded Medicare, TRICARE and Medicaid from 1999 to 2003, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Western Louisiana announced today. (Read more)

Two City Council Members And A Political Consultant Plead Guilty To Participating In Bribery And Wire Fraud Conspiracy (06-552)

WASHINGTON – Two sitting members of the Gadsden, Alabama City Council and a political consultant pleaded guilty to participating in a bribery and wire fraud conspiracy that operated from August 2005 through February 2006, (Read more)

Statement from the Department of Justice on Yesterday's Ruling on the Terrorist Surveillance Program (06-550)

"In the ongoing conflict with al-Qaeda and its allies, the President has the primary duty under the Constitution to protect the American people. The Constitution gives the President the full authority necessary to carry out that solemn duty, and we believe the program is lawful and protects civil liberties." (Read more)

PONY Baseball Inc. Agrees to Provide Equal Opportunity to Players with Disabilities (06-549)

PONY Baseball Inc., a youth baseball and softball organization, has reached an agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that players who are disabled, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, have an equal opportunity to participate in PONY’s baseball and softball leagues, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Settles Allegations of Race Discrimination Against Minneapolis Landlord (06-548)

The Justice Department announced an agreement today with the owners and managers of two rental properties in Minneapolis, Minn., to resolve allegations of systemic discrimination against African-American tenants. (Read more)

Transcript of Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty, Admiral Thad Allen and DEA Chief Michael Braun at the Press Briefing on the Apprehension of Fransisco Javier Arellano Felix (06-547)

"We are here today to announce the apprehension of one of the world’s major drug traffickers. The Arellano Felix organization is the largest and most violent drug trafficking organization operating in the Tijuana/Baja California/Mexico area." (Read more)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales Visits Roanoke, Virginia to Highlight Project Safe Neighborhood Accomplishments (06-546)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today visited Roanoke, Va. to highlight recent Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) accomplishments in the city and met with the PSN Task Force. (Read more)

President George W. Bush Granted Pardons (06-544)

President George W. Bush granted pardons to the following 17 individuals: (Read more)

Hastings Man Pleads Guilty to Cross Burning (06-542)

Neal Chapman Coombs, a 50-year-old resident of Hastings, Fla., pleaded guilty to a racially-motivated civil rights crime involving a cross burning, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Sues To Halt Alleged Business Tax Scams (06-541)

The Justice Department announced today that it has sued two Southern Californians—David Clancy Jr. of Hacienda Heights and Jovita Arcaro of Rancho Cucamonga—seeking to block them from promoting two alleged tax scams. (Read more)

Puerto Rico Attorney Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Obstruction Of Justice (06-537)

A San Juan attorney was sentenced to serve 33 months in prison for obstruction of justice in relation to federal investigations involving a kickback scheme to defraud a fast food chain operator, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

International Black Tar Heroin Trafficking Group Dismantled (06-536)

"More than 130 defendants have been indicted and hundreds of thousands of dollars seized as part of an international operation targeting the trafficking of black tar heroin in the United States, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division, Administrator Karen P. Tandy for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Stuart Nash, Director of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, announced today." (Read more)

Federal Government Reaches Settlement with Pipeline Companies Regarding Crude Oil Spills (06-534)

The federal government today reached a settlement with Mid-Valley Pipeline Company (Mid-Valley) and pipeline operator Sunoco Pipeline L.P. (SPLP), requiring the companies to pay a $2.57 million penalty relating to a January 2005 spill that dumped more than 260,000 gallons of crude oil into the Kentucky and Ohio Rivers. (Read more)

Federal Judge Stops Tax Refund Fraud by Two Florida Tax Return Preparers (06-533)

A federal judge on August 8, 2006 permanently barred Jean-Marie Boucicaut and Marie Thelemarque of Orlando, Fla., and Boucicaut’s company, Tax Review Corporation, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Attorney General Announces New Web Site for Veterans and Members of the Armed Services (06-532)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today announced the launch of a new Web site designed to safeguard the civilian employment rights, voting rights and financial security of members of the Armed Services and veterans. (Read more)

Danville, Calif. Dentist Convicted of Tax Fraud (06-530)

Roy Albert Lewis, a dentist from Danville, Calif., was convicted yesterday of conspiring to defraud the United States and evading his income taxes for 1998 through 2001, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. (Read more)

Federal Court Permanently Bars Seattle Man from Promoting Alleged Tax-Fraud Schemes (06-529)

A federal court in Seattle has permanently enjoined previously disbarred Seattle attorney Bruce Hawkins from promoting tax fraud schemes, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Obtains 200th Injunction Since 2001 Launch of Initiative to Stop Tax Fraud Promotion (06-528)

The Justice Department announced today that the preliminary injunction ordered this week by a federal judge in Michigan is the 200th injunction the Department has obtained since it launched its initiative to stop the promotion of tax fraud schemes and the preparation of false or fraudulent tax returns. (Read more)

Justice Department Obtains Lease for Additional Office Space to Consolidate Offices in Downtown Washington (06-527)

The Department of Justice announced today that it has acquired a lease for additional office space in downtown Washington as part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to consolidate its offices in the metropolitan area. (Read more)

Justice Department Settles Sexual Discrimination and Retaliation Lawsuit Against Escambia County, Ala., Board of Education (06-526)

The Department of Justice today announced that it has reached a settlement agreement resolving the Department’s lawsuit alleging sexual discrimination and retaliation in employment against the Escambia County, Ala., Board of Education. (Read more)

Federal Court Bars Michigan Tax-Return Preparers from Preparing Returns for Others (06-525)

A federal judge in Kalamazoo, Mich. has barred Joyce M. Stone and Charles J. Freed, both of Hillsdale, Michigan, from preparing income tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Will Not Oppose American Trucking Associations’ Proposal (06-524)

The Department of Justice announced today that it will not oppose a proposal by the American Trucking Associations Inc. (ATA) to develop and publicize model agreements for motor carriers and freight transportation brokers. (Read more)

Fact Sheet: Corporate Fraud Task Force (06-521)

Since its creation by Executive Order in July 2002, the Corporate Fraud Task Force (CFTF) has spearheaded the Administration’s effort to prosecute corporate malfeasance, protect the jobs of hard-working Americans, and restore confidence to the marketplace. (Read more)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales Outlines Reforms for Immigration Courts and Board of Immigration Appeals (06-520)

The Department of Justice will implement new measures to enhance the performance of the Immigration Courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales announced today in remarks at the Immigration Judges’ Training Conference. (Read more)

Citgo Petroleum and Environmental Manager Indicted for Environmental Crimes (06-519)

A federal grand jury in Corpus Christi, Texas, returned a 10-count indictment today, charging Citgo Petroleum Corporation, its subsidiary, Citgo Refining and Chemicals Co., and the environmental manager at its Corpus Christi East Plant Refinery with criminal violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), the Justice Department announced. (Read more)

Government Settlements Ensure Cleanup of Contaminated Sites in New Jersey (06-518)

The Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that they have reached separate agreements with NCH Corporation (NCH) and FMC Corporation (FMC) to resolve claims against them relating to the costs of cleanup at the Higgins Farm and Higgins Disposal Superfund sites in Somerset County, N.J. (Read more)

Former Executives of Comverse Technology Inc. Charged with Backdating Millions of Stock Options and Creating a Secret Stock Options Slush Fund (06-517)

Three former executives of Comverse Technology Inc. (“Comverse”), a publicly-held computer software company, were charged today for their roles in orchestrating a long-running scheme to manipulate the grant of millions of Comverse stock options to themselves and to employees, the Department of Justice announced today. (Read more)

Former Hagerstown Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Charges (06-514)

The charges stem from threats Shifler made against African American students at two Hagerstown high schools and against an African American Hagerstown City Council member. (Read more)

Florida Charter Boat Captain Pleads Guilty to Shooting at Dolphins (06-513)

Christopher Kevin Weaver, a charter boat captain from Panama City, Fla. pleaded guilty today to one misdemeanor count of violating the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Justice Department announced. (Read more)

Justice Department Will Not Oppose Proposal to Form Textile Rental and Laundry Services Joint Venture (06-512)

The Department of Justice today announced it will not oppose a proposal which would allow 10 textile maintenance companies to bid jointly to provide textile rental and laundry services to national healthcare outpatient centers. (Read more)

Justice Department Sues Calvert Properties Inc. and its President for Sexual Harassment in Missouri (06-511)

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against Calvert Properties Inc. and company president, Harold W. Calvert, alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment of female tenants. (Read more)

Twenty-Three New Federal Prosecutors to be Added to the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (06-510)

The United States Department of Justice announced today the addition of 23 new federal prosecutors to the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program. (Read more)

Justice Department Issues Guide to Help Local Governments Meet Accessibility Needs During Natural and Civil Emergencies (06-509)

The Justice Department announced today that it has issued a newly revised and expanded publication to assist local government planners, first responders, and emergency staff prepare for and meet the unique needs of people with disabilities during natural and civil emergencies. (Read more)

Justice Department to Monitor Election in Georgia (06-504)

The Justice Department today announced that on August 8, 2006, the federal government will monitor the primary runoff election in Sumter County, Ga., to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act. (Read more)

Justice Department Sues Los Angeles Landlord for Engaging in Discrimination on the Basis of Race, National Origin, and Familial Status (06-503)

The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against Donald T. Sterling, Rochelle Sterling, the Sterling Family Trust, and the Korean Land Company L.L.C. (the Sterling Defendants) alleging housing discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, and family status. (Read more)

Statement of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales on the Resignation of ATF Director Carl J. Truscott (06-502)

"I appreciate all of Carl's hard work and wish him the very best in his future endeavors." (Read more)

Former Broker to the Archdiocese of New York Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Tax and Obstruction of Justice Charges (06-501)

A former consultant for the central purchasing agent of the Archdiocese of New York pleaded guilty today to eight fraud, tax and obstruction of justice charges, the Department of Justice announced. (Read more)

U.S. Civilian Translator Pleads Guilty to Offering Bribe to Iraqi Police Official (06-500)

Faheem Mousa Salam, a former employee of a government contractor working in Iraq, has pleaded guilty to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by offering to bribe an Iraqi police official, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Wainstein of the District of Columbia announced today. (Read more)

Statement of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales on the Passage of the Cybercrime Convention (06-499)

"The Cybercrime Convention - the first of its kind - will be a key tool for the United States in fighting global, information-age crime." (Read more)

Justice Department Seeks to Block Alleged Tax Scam Involving Native American Casino Distributions (06-497)

The Justice Department announced today that it has sued two certified public accountants in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, seeking to bar them from operating an alleged tax scam involving tribe members’ income from the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif. (Read more)

Age Refining to Pay United States $9 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations (06-496)

Age Refining Inc., the company’s former affiliate, Age Transportation, and Albert Gonzalez, the founder and chairman emeritus of Age Refining have agreed to pay the United States $9 million and reform its business practices as part of a settlement to resolve allegations of false certification in connection with government contracts. (Read more)

Chief Engineer and Second Engineer of Ship Indicted for Covering Up Pollution (06-494)

A grand jury in Newark, N.J. returned a three-count indictment today charging the Chief Engineer and the Second Engineer of a bulk carrier vessel called the M/V Sun New with conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and a violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships in connection with the use of two bypass hoses used to discharge sludge and oil contaminated bilge waste overboard into the ocean. (Read more)

Justice Department Announces Settlement with Colorado College to Increase Access to People with Disabilities (06-492)

The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Colorado College under which the college will make its campus and services more accessible to individuals with disabilities. (Read more)

Justice Department Files Voting Rights Lawsuit Against Springfield, Massachusetts (06-491)

The Justice Department announced today that it filed a lawsuit against the city of Springfield, Mass., alleging violations of the rights of Hispanic and Spanish-speaking voters under two key provisions of the Voting Rights Act. (Read more)

Prepared Remarks of Rachel Brand, Assistant Attorney General for Legal Policy, at the Dedication of the Tucson, Arizona, Memorial Plaza Dedication and Peace Officers Memorial Service (06-490)

"The Attorney General, the entire Department of Justice, and I are deeply grateful that men such as these – like many of you – have answered the call to public service and are willing to do their jobs every day at great risk." (Read more)

Justice Department Agreement will Help Protect Rights of Military and Overseas Citizens to Vote in 2006 Federal Primary Elections in Connecticut (06-489)

The Justice Department today announced that it has reached an agreement with Connecticut officials to help ensure that military and overseas voters have an opportunity to participate fully in the state’s Aug. 8, 2006, federal primary election. (Read more)

Justice Department to Monitor Elections in Tennessee (06-488)

The Justice Department announced that it will monitor the federal and state primary and local general elections for Shelby County (Memphis), Tennessee, on August 3, 2006. (Read more)

Prepared Statement of Steven G. Bradbury, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel, before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary (06-487)

The United States has never before applied Common Article 3 in the context of an armed conflict with international terrorists, yet because of the Court’s decision in Hamdan, we are now faced with the task of determining the best way to do just that. (Read more)

Houston-based Egl Inc. Pays United States $4 Million; Allegedly Inflated Costs for Iraq Military Cargo Shipments (06-485)

EGL, Inc. has paid the United States $4 million to settle potential civil claims under the False Claims Act based on the company’s alleged inflation of invoices for military cargo shipments to Iraq, the Justice Department and Matthew D. Orwig, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, announced today. (Read more)

Two Defendants Convicted for Conspiracy and Bribery Involving Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program (06-484)

A jury in the District of Columbia convicted an employee and a volunteer of Washington, D.C., Veterans Affairs Medical Center (DCVAMC) on charges of conspiring to commit mail fraud and bribery and committing bribery, Attorney General Alice S. Fisher for the Criminal Division announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Requires Divestiture in Mittal Steel’s Acquisition of Arcelor (06-483)

The Department of Justice said today that it will require Mittal Steel Company N.V. to divest one of three North American tin mills it will own after its $33 billion acquisition of Arcelor S.A. in order to proceed with the deal. (Read more)

Gang Members Convicted of Federal Hate Crimes for Murder and Assaults of African-Americans (06-481)

The Department of Justice today announced the conviction of four gang members in connection with a six-year conspiracy to assault and murder African-Americans in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles. (Read more)