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Local Virginia Business Settles Claim It Violated Servicemember’s Rights
on March 18, 2019 at 4:00 am
The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s office of the Eastern District of Virginia today announced a settlement with Lawn Doctor of Stafford-Culpepper (doing business as Beck I LLC). The settlement resolves claims that the business and its owners violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by suspending and terminating a U.S. Army Reserve soldier following his return from active duty military service. […]
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City of New York to Comply with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act and Prevent Contamination of the City’s Drinking Water Supply
on March 18, 2019 at 4:00 am
“Today we take the necessary steps to fix a serious public-health problem,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark for the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Congress enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act to ensure that every American has access to safe water to drink. And we vindicate that Act by ensuring in our enforcement action that the City of New York will comply this federal law by protecting against contaminants aerially deposited into the Hillview Reservoir, which millions of New Yorkers depend for their everyday drinking water needs.&rdquo […]
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Justice Department Files Statement of Interest Supporting Native American Religious Land Use Case
on March 18, 2019 at 4:00 am
The Department of Justice today filed a Statement of Interest in U.S. District Court in New Jersey supporting a lawsuit by the Ramapough Mountain Indians (Ramapough) that the Township of Mahwah (Township) violated the tribe’s rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Person’s Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) by interfering with religious assembly on property the tribe owns in the Township. […]
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Former Stockton Convicted of Human Trafficking Charges Related to Forced Labor of Foreign Nationals
on March 18, 2019 at 4:00 am
After an 11-day trial, a federal jury found Satish Kartan, 45, and his wife, Sharmistha Barai, 40, guilty on March 14 of conspiracy to obtain forced labor and two counts of obtaining forced labor. In addition, Kartan was found guilty of fraud in foreign labor contracting. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott, Matthew Perlman, Special Agent in Charge of the of the Diplomatic Security Service San Francisco Field Office, Sean Ragan, Special Agent in Charge of the Sacramento FBI Field Office, and Ryan L. Spradlin, the Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Northern California made the announcement. […]
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Las Vegas Real Estate Broker Convicted of Tax Fraud
on March 18, 2019 at 4:00 am
A real estate broker, who failed to file federal income tax returns for nearly 20 years and attempted to evade more than half a million dollars in income taxes, was convicted today by a jury in Las Vegas, Nevada, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.&nbs […]
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Justice Department Requires Divestiture of Thales’ General Purpose Hardware Security Module Business in Connection With its Acquisition of Gemalto
on February 28, 2019 at 5:00 am
“This structural solution fully preserves competition in the sale of these critical machines used by corporations and governmental agencies to protect their most sensitive data,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “As a result, American consumers and taxpayers will continue to benefit from competition in this industry.”&nbs […]
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Per Se Rule Applies in Heir Location Prosecution, Judge Grants United States’ Motion
on February 22, 2019 at 5:00 am
“The Department is pleased that the Court granted our motion today and we look forward to trying this case to protect consumers who are harmed by the conduct alleged in the indictment,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim. […]
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Nine Real Estate Investors Sentenced for Rigging Bids at Mississippi Public Foreclosure Auctions
on February 21, 2019 at 5:00 am
“Those who subvert the competitive process will be held accountable and violations of the nation’s antitrust laws will be taken seriously,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “The Division has prosecuted more than 100 individuals across the country for bid rigging at real estate foreclosure auctions, and we will continue our efforts to prosecute and deter this conduct.&rdquo […]
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Nine Real Estate Investors Sentenced for Rigging Bids at Mississippi Public Foreclosure Auctions
on February 21, 2019 at 5:00 am
WASHINGTON – Nine real estate investors have been sentenced for their role in a conspiracy to rig bids, in violation of the U.S. antitrust laws, at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Southern Mississippi, the Department of Justice announced. […]
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Justice Department Requires College Multimedia Rights Provider to Refrain from Unlawful Agreements Not to Compete
on February 14, 2019 at 5:00 am
“The illegal agreements not to compete allowed Learfield IMG College to benefit at the expense of the nation’s universities, students, and fans,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Public and private universities rely on competition among multimedia rights providers to provide critical resources to athletic programs, but these agreements lessened that competition and thereby harmed the universities and, ultimately, American students and taxpayers.&rdquo […]
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District Court Enters Permanent Injunction Against Texas Compounding Pharmacy and its Owner to Prevent Distribution of Adulterated Drugs
on March 13, 2019 at 4:00 am
“Doctors and patients must be able to rely on the safety and quality of drugs produced by compounding pharmacies,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work with FDA to enforce the provisions of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.&rdquo […]
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Five Individuals and Two Companies Plead Guilty to Felony Charges in Multimillion Dollar Scheme to Fraudulently Sell Popular Dietary Supplements
on March 13, 2019 at 4:00 am
Five individual defendants and two companies pleaded guilty in Dallas to felony charges in connection with a scheme to fraudulently sell workout supplements, the Department of Justice announced today.&nbs […]
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Six Individuals and Two Companies Charged in Illegal Dietary Supplement Scheme
on March 13, 2019 at 4:00 am
Six people and two Florida corporations were charged in an indictment for their roles in a scheme to distribute illegal dietary supplements, the Department of Justice announced today. […]
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Covidien to Pay Over $17 Million to The United States for Allegedly Providing Illegal Remuneration in the Form of Practice and Market Development Support to Physicians
on March 11, 2019 at 4:00 am
“Today’s settlement serves as an important reminder to those in the health care community that unlawful kickbacks come in many forms and are not limited to monetary payments to providers,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt for the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Providing free or discounted services to health care providers to induce the use of certain items or services can lead to excessive and unnecessary treatments, and drive up health care costs for everyone.&rdquo […]
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Justice Department Coordinates Largest-Ever Nationwide Elder Fraud Sweep
on March 7, 2019 at 5:00 am
Attorney General William P. Barr and multiple law enforcement partners today announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history, surpassing last year’s nationwide sweep. The cases during this sweep involved more than 260 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than two million Americans, most of them elderly. The Department took action in every federal district across the country, through the filing of criminal or civil cases or through consumer education efforts. In each case, offenders allegedly engaged in financial schemes that targeted or largely affected seniors. In total, the charged elder fraud schemes caused alleged losses of millions of more dollars than last year, putting the total alleged losses at this year’s sweep at over three fourths of one billion dollars. […]
DOJ Civil Rights News
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Local Virginia Business Settles Claim It Violated Servicemember’s Rights
on March 18, 2019 at 4:00 am
The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s office of the Eastern District of Virginia today announced a settlement with Lawn Doctor of Stafford-Culpepper (doing business as Beck I LLC). The settlement resolves claims that the business and its owners violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by suspending and terminating a U.S. Army Reserve soldier following his return from active duty military service. […]
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Justice Department Obtains Its Largest Ever Settlement Against Property Management Company for Alleged Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
on March 15, 2019 at 4:00 am
The Justice Department today announced that PRG Real Estate Management and several related entities have agreed to pay up to $1,590,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by obtaining unlawful court judgments against military tenants and by charging improper lease termination fees. This settlement is the largest ever obtained by the Department against a landlord or property management company for violations of the SCRA. […]
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Justice Department Obtains $80,000 Settlement Against Subprime Auto Lender in Orange County, California, for Illegally Repossessing Servicemembers’ Cars
on March 6, 2019 at 5:00 am
The Justice Department today announced that California Auto Finance, a subprime auto lending company based in Orange County, California, has agreed to enter into a court-enforceable consent order to resolve allegations that it illegally repossessed two servicemembers’ cars without court orders while they were on active duty. The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against California Auto Finance and a related entity called 3rd Generation Inc., on March 28, 2018, alleging that their repossession practices violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Under the proposed consent order, which is still subject to approval by the United States District Court for the Central District of California, California Auto Finance must adopt new repossession policies, pay one servicemember $30,000, which is the highest amount ever recovered by the Department for a single servicemember in an automobile repossession case, and pay a $50,000 civil penalty to the United States. […]
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Justice Department Obtains $750,000 From PHH Mortgage Corp. for Unlawfully Foreclosing on Servicemembers’ Homes
on February 6, 2019 at 5:00 am
The Justice Department today announced that PHH Mortgage Corporation (PHH) has agreed to pay $750,000 to six servicemembers to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by unlawfully foreclosing on their homes without obtaining the required court orders. […]
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New Jersey Residential Loan Company Agrees To Settle Claim It Unlawfully Foreclosed Upon Servicemembers’ Homes Without Obtaining Required Court Orders
on February 6, 2019 at 5:00 am
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DOJ Criminal Division News
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Two Members of Violent West Baltimore Gang Sentenced to up to Life in Prison for Federal Racketeering and Drug Conspiracies
on March 15, 2019 at 4:00 am
Two Baltimore, Maryland men were sentenced today to life and 30 years, respectively, in prison for conspiring to participate in a drug distribution conspiracy and a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG). The racketeering conspiracy included eight murders, as well as drug trafficking and witness intimidation. […]
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Creator of Fraudulent Chicago-Area Pharmacy Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for $1.6 Million Fraud Scheme
on March 13, 2019 at 4:00 am
The creator of a fraudulent Chicago-area pharmacy has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for his role in a $1.6 million health care fraud scheme. […]
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Owner of Washington, D.C.-Based Durable Medical Equipment Company Sentenced to Prison for Role in $9.8 Million Medicaid Fraud Scheme
on March 13, 2019 at 4:00 am
The owner of a Washington, D.C.-based durable medical equipment company was sentenced to 42 months in prison today for her role in a scheme to submit $9.8 million in fraudulent claims to Medicaid. […]
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Philadelphia-Area Doctor Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Distributing Oxycodone
on March 13, 2019 at 4:00 am
A Philadelphia-area doctor pleaded guilty today to illegal distribution of oxycodone. […]
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Lumber Liquidators Enters into Corporate Resolution for Securities Fraud and Agrees to Pay $33 Million Penalty
on March 12, 2019 at 4:00 am
Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc. (Lumber Liquidators) has agreed to pay a total penalty of $33 million for filing a materially false and misleading statement to investors regarding the sale of its laminate flooring from China to its customers in the United States. […]