Justice Department Sues Florida County for Engaging in Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (06-413)

The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against Sarasota County, Fla. alleging housing discrimination against individuals with disabilities. (Read more)

Boeing to Pay United States Record $615 Million to Resolve Fraud Allegations (06-412)

Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty announced today that the United States reached final agreement with The Boeing Company on a record $615 million settlement to resolve criminal and civil allegations that the company improperly used competitors’ information to procure contracts for launch services worth billions of dollars from the Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (Read more)

Transcript of Teleconference with Senior Officials Regarding Supreme Court's Ruling in the Hamdan Case (06-411)

"We're here primarily today to talk about the military and legal aspects of this decision. Clearly, there are large policy issues, some of which the President and Tony Snow addressed this morning." (Read more)

Colombian National Convicted On Cocaine Charges (06-410)

WASHINGTON—Samuel Santander Lopesierra, a former member of the Colombian Senate, was convicted for conspiring to unlawfully import cocaine into the United States, (Read more)

Former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman, Former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy Convicted of Bribery, Conspiracy and Fraud (06-409)

A jury in Montgomery, Ala. convicted former Alabama Governor Don Eugene Siegelman and former HealthSouth Chief Executive Officer Richard Scrushy of conspiracy, bribery and fraud, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher for the Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. of the Middle District of Alabama announced today. (Read more)

Tenet Healthcare Corporation to Pay U.S. more than $900 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations (06-406)

WASHINGTON – Tenet Healthcare Corporation, operator of the nation’s second largest hospital chain, has agreed to pay the United States more than $900 million for alleged unlawful billing practices, Assistant Attorney General Peter D. Keisler of the Civil Division and U.S. Attorney Debra Wong Yang of the Central District of California in Los Angeles announced today. (Read more)

U.S. Ship Manager to Plead Guilty to Deliberate Pollution (06-404)

An American-based ship operator, Pacific-Gulf Marine, Inc. (PGM), has agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges that it engaged in deliberate acts of pollution involving a fleet of four ships in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, the Justice Department announced today. As part of the plea agreement, PGM will pay a $1 million criminal fine and $500,000 for community service, if approved by the court. (Read more)

Trust Promoters Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud (06-403)

Five persons associated with Innovative Financial Consultants (IFC) were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for promoting a tax evasion scheme using so-called "pure trust organizations," the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. U.S. District Judge Mary Murguia found the tax fraud scheme caused, at a minimum, a loss to the federal Treasury of between three to seven million dollars and ordered the following sentences:  (Read more)

Four Defendants Sentenced to Prison in Federal Online Piracy Crackdown (06-405)

WASHINGTON — David Chen Pui, 27, of Fountain Valley, Calif., and David Lee Pruett, 35, of Auburn, Washington, were sentenced to prison terms of 12 and 18 months, respectively, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert of the Western District of North Carolina announced today. Pui and Pruett were sentenced for their involvement with online software piracy. (Read more)

Justice Department Settles Voting Rights Lawsuit with Brazos County, Texas (06-402)

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced today that it filed a lawsuit against Brazos County, Texas, alleging violations of the rights of minority-language voters under two key provisions of the Voting Rights Act. The Department simultaneously filed a consent decree resolving the lawsuit against the county. (Read more)

Former BP North America Trader Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Manipulate and Corner the Propane Market (06-401)

WASHINGTON – Dennis N. Abbott, a former trader at a U.S. subsidiary of British Petroleum, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to manipulate and corner the propane market in the winter of 2004, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced today. (Read more)

Orangeburg County, South Carolina Council Chairman Indicted on Public Corruption Charges (06-400)

WASHINGTON – The chairman of the Orangeburg, South Carolina, County Council has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and extortion under color of official right, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Reginald I. Lloyd of the District of South Carolina announced today. (Read more)

Antitrust Premerger Notification Unit Relocates (06-399)

Due to the closure of the Department of Justice's main building (RFK) as a result of recent flooding, the Antitrust Division's Premerger Notifcation Unit will relocate to the Bicentennial Building, 600 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20530. (Read more)

Justice Department Announces Agreement to Protect the Integrity and Accuracy of Indiana's Voter Registration List (06-398)

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department today announced that it has reached an agreement with Indiana officials that will help to ensure the accuracy and integrity of Indiana's statewide registration list in accordance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). (Read more)

AT&T Agrees to Pay the United States $2.9 Million to Settle Allegations of Contracting Fraud (06-397)

WASHINGTON -- AT&T Communications- East, Inc., a subsidiary of AT&T Corp., has agreed to pay the United States $2.9 million to settle claims that it defrauded the General Services Administration (GSA) from 1998 to 2001, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

State of Indiana & ITS Intelenet Commission Agree to Pay U.S. over $8.2 Million to Settle False Claims Involving E-Rate Program (06-396)

WASHINGTON – The state of Indiana and the Intelenet Commission, an entity controlled by the state of Indiana, have agreed to pay the United States nearly $8.3 million as a civil settlement relating to allegations of making false claims and false statements in connection with the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) E-Rate program, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Requires Divestiture in the Acquisition of Knight Ridder Inc. by the McClatchy Company (06-395)

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today that it will require The McClatchy Company and Knight Ridder Inc. to divest the St. Paul Pioneer Press in order to proceed with their proposed multi-billion dollar newspaper merger. The Department said that the transaction, as originally proposed, would have eliminated head-to-head competition between McClatchy and Knight Ridder and likely would have resulted in higher prices for advertisers and readers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. (Read more)

Nevada Man Convicted on Charges Related to the Sex Trafficking of Minors (06-394)

WASHINGTON – A Reno, Nevada man has been convicted by a federal jury in Los Angeles on multiple charges related to the sex trafficking of minors, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Deborah Wong Yang of the Central District of California and FBI Assistant Director J. Stephen Tidwell announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Reaches Settlement in Inco Limited/Falconbridge Limited Deal (06-393)

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today announced that it has reached a settlement that will require Inco Limited to sell off a nickel refinery in Norway and related assets in order to proceed with its $15 billion acquisition of Falconbridge Limited. The Department said the acquisition, as originally proposed, would have substantially lessened competition in the high-purity nickel market. (Read more)

Federal Court Bars Florida Man from Promoting Frivolous "861" Argument (06-392)

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that Judge Elizabeth Kovachevich of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida has entered an injunction order that permanently bars Douglas Rosile, a former certified public accountant, and anyone working for him, from preparing federal income tax returns for others and from promoting a frivolous tax argument based on Section 861 of the Internal Revenue Code (Read more)

Justice Department Asks Federal Court to Bar Texas Man from Preparing Tax Returns for Others (06-391)

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department announced today that it has filed suit in federal court in Houston seeking to permanently bar Jerome J. Harris from preparing federal income tax returns. (Read more)

Justice Department Asks Court to Hold American Bar Association in Civil Contempt (06-390)

WASHINGTON ¡ª The Department of Justice filed a petition today asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to hold the American Bar Association (ABA) in civil contempt for violating multiple provisions of a 1996 antitrust consent decree. (Read more)

Department of Justice Examples of Terrorism Convictions Since Sept. 11, 2001 (06-389)

Included are examples of some of the convictions obtained by the Department of Justice in terrorism cases since Sept. 11, 2001. (Read more)

Fact Sheet: Department of Justice Terrorism-Related Convictions Since Sept. 11, 2001 (06-388)

The highest priority of the Department of Justice since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 has been to protect Americans by preventing acts of terrorism. The Department’s efforts include a number of successful prosecutions of criminal cases that result from international terrorism investigations. (Read more)

Seven Florida Men Charged with Conspiring to Support al Qaeda, Attack Targets in the United States (06-386)

Seven Florida men have been arrested on charges that include conspiring to provide material support to the al Qaeda terrorist organization and conspiracy to levy war against the United States by discussing and planning attacks on targets in the United States, including the Sears Tower in Chicago and the FBI building and other federal buildings in Florida, the Department of Justice announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Requires Divestitures in $16 Billion Merger of Exelon and Public Service Enterprise Group (06-385)

The Department of Justice announced today that it will require Exelon Corporation (Exelon) and Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG) to divest six electricity generating plants—two in Pennsylvania and four in New Jersey— in order to proceed with their $16 billion merger. (Read more)

Fact Sheet: Indictment of and Landmark Settlement with Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (06-383)

In landmark enforcement actions, the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) has agreed to pay $10 million in criminal and civil fines and committed to perform more than $1.7 billion in injunctive relief to resolve repeated environmental violations at wastewater treatment plants and drinking water treatment plants throughout the Commonwealth. (Read more)

Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority Indicted for Environmental Crimes; Will Pay $10 Million in Criminal and Civil Fines and Spend $1.7 Billion Improving Wastewater Treatment (06-382)

WASHINGTON – The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) entered into an agreement to plead guilty to an indictment charging 15 felony counts of violating the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) through the illegal discharge of pollutants from nine sanitary wastewater treatment plants and five drinking water treatment plants, the Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. (Read more)

Former GSA Chief Of Staff David Safavian Convicted Of Obstruction, Making False Statements (06-381)

WASHINGTON – A federal jury in Washington, D.C., convicted David H. Safavian, the former chief of staff for the General Services Administration (GSA), of obstructing a GSA proceeding and making false statements, (Read more)

Attorney General Highlights Department of Justice's Efforts to Enforce and Protect Intellectual Property Rights (06-380)

WASHINGTON—Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales highlighted the results of the Progress Report of the Department of Justice’s Intellectual Property Task Force at the United States Chamber of Commerce’s Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy program today. (Read more)

Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission Announce System for Electronic Submission of Premerger Notification Filings (06-379)

The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today announced the implementation of an electronic filing system that allows merging parties to submit via the Internet premerger notification filings required by the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act. Electronic filing eliminates the time and expense entailed in duplicating and delivering documents. (Read more)

Massachusetts Man And Woman Plead Guilty To Participating In One Of New England’s Largest Counterfeit Goods Conspiracies (06-378)

WASHINGTON—Two Massachusetts residents pleaded guilty today in federal court to money laundering and trafficking and conspiring to traffic in more than $1.4 million of counterfeit luxury handbags and wallets, (Read more)

Justice Department Reviews Manufacturers’ Plan to Share Information about Factory Workplace Conditions (06-377)

The Department of Justice today announced that it will not challenge a proposal by the Fair Factories Clearinghouse (FFC) to operate a database that member companies can use to collect and voluntarily share information about workplace conditions in manufacturing facilities around the globe. (Read more)

Three Former Wilson County, Tennessee Corrections Officers Sentenced for Civil Rights-Related Charges (06-375)

WASHINGTON –— The Justice Department today announced that former Wilson County, Tenn. corrections officers Gary Hale, John McKinney, and William Westmoreland were sentenced on charges relating to violations of the civil rights of inmates at the Wilson County Jail in Lebanon, Tenn. (Read more)

Justice Department Settles Voting Rights Lawsuit with Cochise County, Arizona (06-374)

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced today the filing and successful resolution of a lawsuit against Cochise County, Ariz., alleging violations of the voting rights of language minority citizens under the Voting Rights Act and violations of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). (Read more)

Operator Of Massive For-Profit Software Piracy Website Pleads Guilty (06-371)

WASHINGTON—The owner of a massive for-profit software piracy Web site pleaded guilty in federal court, (Read more)

Largest Health Care System in New Jersey to Pay U.S. $265 Million to Resolve Allegations of Defrauding Medicare (06-373)

WASHINGTON – Saint Barnabas Corporation, the largest health care system in New Jersey and second largest employer in the state, has agreed to pay the United States $265 million to settle allegations that it defrauded the federal Medicare program, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey announced today. (Read more)

Argentine Company Pleads Guilty to Illegal Dealing in Chilean Seabass (06-372)

WASHINGTON—Estremar S.A., an Argentine company formerly known as ASC South America S.A., today pleaded guilty to violating federal anti-fish and wildlife trafficking law by importing and attempting to sell Patagonian toothfish, often marketed by the trade name Chilean seabass, without the documentation required to show it was legally harvested. (Read more)

Honeywell International Inc. to Pay United States $2.6 Million for Violating the False Claims Act (06-370)

WASHINGTON - Honeywell International Inc. will pay the United States $2.6 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Former Justice Department Attorney Pleads Guilty To  Criminal conflict Of Interest Charge (06-369)

WASHINGTON – Former Justice Department senior trial attorney Ryan H. Rainey, 48, has pleaded guilty to violating the federal criminal conflict of interest statute while employed in the Civil Rights Division, (Read more)

California Executive Agrees to Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging on Contracts with the US Navy and Others (06-368)

The president of a California marine products company was charged today with conspiring to rig bids and allocate customers with respect to the sale of foam-filled marine fenders and buoys purchased by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other public and private entities. The executive has agreed to plead guilty to the charge and serve an eight-month sentence, including four months in jail and four months in home detention, and to pay a criminal fine of $50,000. (Read more)

Court Bars Southern California Men from Promoting Tax Scheme and Acting as Income-Tax Preparers (06-367)

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department announced today that a federal court has permanently barred Jack R. Gosney of Riverside, Calif. and Hal J. Clark of Baja California, Mexico from promoting a tax scheme that involved creating phony tax deductions and acting as federal income tax return preparers. (Read more)

Former Nightclub Owner Admits Forcing Young Korean Women to Work Against Their Will (06-366)

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced that Sung Bum Chang, the former owner of a Dallas nightclub known as “Club Wa,” pleaded guilty to forced labor charges. Chang’s wife, Hyang Kyung Chang, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the employment of unlawful aliens. (Read more)

Mcwane, Inc. Executive Sentenced for Committing Environmental Crimes (06-364)

WASHINGTON—Charles Matlock, an executive with Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company, was sentenced in federal court today to 12 months and one day in prison and a $20,000 fine for violating the federal Clean Air Act, the Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency announced. (Read more)

Justice Department to Monitor Election in Massachusetts (06-363)

The Justice Department today announced that on June 13, 2006, it will monitor a special municipal general election in Boston to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act. (Read more)

General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin Awarded Phase Two Contracts for Integrated Wireless Network (IWN) (06-361)

The Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and the Treasury announced today the award of second-phase system integration contracts for the Integrated Wireless Network (IWN) to General Dynamics C4 Systems of Scottsdale, Ariz. and Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems and Solutions of Gaithersburg, Md. (Read more)

U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Civilian Employee Indicted For Soliciting Bribes While Working At Camp Arifjan In Kuwait (06-355)

WASHINGTON—A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia on honest services fraud charges (Read more)

Nevada Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Tax and Investment Fraud Scheme (06-360)

“People who promote tax fraud are cheating all law-abiding taxpayers,” said Eileen J. O’Connor, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Tax Division. “The Department of Justice is determined to root out tax fraud schemes and prosecute those who promote and use them.” (Read more)

Former Chemical Company Sales Executive Charged with Filing False Tax Returns (06-359)

A federal grand jury in Portland, Ore. returned an indictment late yesterday against a former Raisio Chemicals Northwest Inc. sales executive charging him with two counts of filing false federal income tax returns, the Department of Justice announced. (Read more)

United States and Louisiana Announce $15 Million Agreement with Marine Shale, Recycling Park, and Southern Wood Piedmont Resolving Hazardous Waste and Other Violations (06-358)

The Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) today announced two settlements that will lead to substantial cleanup of hazardous substances at facilities owned by Marine Shale Processors Inc. and Recycling Park Inc. in Amelia, La. (Read more)

Carcinogen Cut in Texas, Kentucky, New Jersey by an Estimated Total of 40,000 Pounds per Year (06-357)

The United States government, the Louisville Metropolitan Air Pollution Control District (LMAPCD), and the state of New Jersey announced a settlement today with Oxy Vinyls, LP (Oxy Vinyls) under which citizens in areas of Texas, Kentucky and New Jersey will experience reduced exposure to the known human carcinogen vinyl chloride. (Read more)

Wayne County Airport Authority Pleads Guilty to Violation of Clean Water Act (06-356)

Wayne County Airport Authority (Airport Authority), which operates Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport, pleaded guilty today to a misdemeanor violation of the Clean Water Act, the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency announced. (Read more)

Justice Department Announces Resolutions to Protect Rights of Military and Overseas Citizens to Vote in Federal Primary Elections in Alabama and South Carolina (06-354)

The Justice Department today announced the successful resolution of its lawsuit against the state of Alabama to enforce the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). (Read more)

Law School Prep Course Provider Agrees to Services for Students with Disabilities (06-353)

“We commend TestMasters for taking steps to ensure that people who are deaf or hard of hearing have the same opportunity as others to gain admission to colleges and graduate schools,” said Wan J. Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. (Read more)

Justice Department Sues Arizona Tax Preparer (06-352)

“People who prepare fraudulent tax returns expose themselves and their customers to the risk of civil penalties and criminal prosecution,” said Eileen J. O’Connor, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Tax Division. (Read more)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales Announces Nearly $15 Million in Funding to Promote Gang Prevention Nationwide (06-351)

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today announced that the Justice Department is distributing nearly $15 million in grant funds to support school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum through the Gang Resistance Education And Training Program (G.R.E.A.T.). (Read more)

Change in Bilateral Settlement Agreement Creates Opportunity for Americans to File Claims Against Albania (06-350)

WASHINGTON –The Albanian government accepted a proposal made by the United States government to amend the 1995 claims settlement agreement between the two countries, Chairman Mauricio Tamargo announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department to Monitor Elections in Alabama, California, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota (06-347)

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department today announced that on June 6, 2006, the federal government will monitor primary elections in Hale County, Ala.; Alameda, Orange, San Benito, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Ventura Counties, Calif.; Bergen and Essex Counties, N.J.; Cibola and Sandoval Counties, N.M.; and Bennett, Dewey, Mellette, Shannon, Todd and Ziebach Counties, S.D., to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act. (Read more)

Department of Justice/Federal Trade Commission Hearings on Single-Firm Conduct to Begin June 20 (06-346)

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today announced that the first in a series of planned joint public hearings designed to examine the antitrust implications of single-firm conduct under the antitrust laws will take place on June 20 and June 22 in Washington, D.C. (Read more)

Federal Court Halts Tax Evasion Scheme (06-345)

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department announced today that a federal court has permanently barred San Diego resident Christopher M. Hansen from promoting a tax evasion scheme. Hansen promotes a number of tax-fraud schemes using the business names of the Family Guardian and the Sovereignty Education and Defense Ministry. (Read more)

Federal Court Bars Internet Tax-Fraud Scheme (06-344)

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department announced today that a federal court in Cincinnati has permanently barred Batavia, Ohio resident Richard Standring from selling a “FOIA Generator” and “IMF decoding service.” (Read more)

Federal Grand Jury Charges Arizona And California Companies And Their Owners With Obscenity Violations (06-343)

WASHINGTON – A Chatsworth, California film production company and a Tempe, Arizona video distributor and retailer, along with three owners of the businesses, have been charged by a federal grand jury in Phoenix, Arizona with operating an obscenity distribution business and related offenses, (Read more)

Justice Department Awards Legal Case Management Contract (06-342)

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today that after a comprehensive evaluation process, southern California-based CSC has been awarded the contract for the Department’s new case management system. The new case management system will allow the Department’s litigating divisions to more effectively share data while at the same time satisfy each component’s specific needs. (Read more)

Fact Sheet: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Reopener Provision (06-341)

The United States and the State of Alaska today submitted to ExxonMobil Corporation a detailed plan for a proposed restoration project intended to restore habitat in the area affected by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. (Read more)

United States and the State of Alaska Seeking Additional Funds from ExxonMobil for Continuing Natural Resource Damages Caused by 1989 Oil Spill (06-340)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In accordance with the “Reopener” provision of the 1991 civil settlement with the Exxon Corporation, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Alaska Department of Law today presented the company with a proposed plan to restore shorelines in Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska that still contain oil from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The State of Alaska and three federal agencies whose trust resources were injured by the spill—the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and the Interior—have estimated the project to cost approximately $92 million over the course of several years. The additional funding is being sought under the “Reopener for Unknown Injury” provision of the 1991 civil settlement which required Exxon to pay $900 million in damages at the time. (Read more)

U.S. Releases First-ever Synthetic Drug Control Strategy (06-335)

WASHINGTON - Today the Nation’s first Synthetic Drug Control Strategy was released... (Read more)