District Not Recorded
The source did not name an office we could identify. These records remain unassigned rather than guessed.
Greenleaf Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Firearms Violation and Assaulting A Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
BOISE – A Greenleaf man was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison and 3 years supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm and assaulting a federal officer.
According to court records, Erik Konrad Ehrlin, 33, of Greenleaf, Idaho was investigated for vandalism on U.S. Government Property in the Mann Creak Area starting in March of 2021 by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The vandalism included markings of “SAI,” which refers to the Sovereign Alliance of Idaho. The vandalism also included threats to federal employees. The USFS identified Erik Ehrlin as a possible suspect. It was reported that Ehrlin was potentially carrying a firearm. Ehrlin was previously convicted of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree in Oregon and cannot lawfully possess firearms.
On April 30, 2021, a USFS Special Agent and a Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy contacted Ehrlin at a campsite in the Mann Creek Area. The deputy observed Ehrlin with a firearm in his possession. During the encounter, Ehrlin entered his truck, attempted to flee, and struck the USFS agent with a part of the truck. He was taken into custody shortly after. In Ehrlin’s campsite, law enforcement located a semi-automatic rifle. In Ehrlin’s truck, law enforcement located body armor, eight loaded high-capacity magazines, a 9mm handgun with four additional loaded magazines, handcuffs, a red and blue siren, and a “POLICE” patch. On Ehrlin’s person, law enforcement located a Boise Police badge. Ehrlin is not a police officer. Ehlrin also possessed ammunition with that contained writing on it, stating “DIE McLean,” “FUCK FEDS,” and “FUK BLM.”
A search of Ehrlin’s cell phone revealed text messages where Ehrlin described ways to commit mass violence against those with differing political views than him. Specifically, he described wearing body armor while using an assault rifle to shoot hundreds of protesters. These text messages occurred in the context of discussing Black Lives Matter protests in October of 2020.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained a search warrant for Ehrlin’s residence in Greenleaf. At Ehrlin’s residence, agents located a journal with references to SAI and the Sovereign Alliance of Idaho. The journal also contained a “Sovereign Citizen’s Oath.” Agents also located two additional firearms, a .22 caliber rifle and a .22 caliber revolver.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, of the District of Idaho, made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Forest Service, and Washington County Sheriff's Office, which led to charges.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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EOIR Warns of Scammers Spoofing Agency Phone NumberRead the Press Release
FALLS CHURCH, VA – The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) today announced it has recently been notified of phone calls that spoof the Arlington Immigration Court as part of a misinformation campaign. The callers will often “spoof,” or fake, the immigration court’s main line, 703-305-1300, so the calls appear to be coming from EOIR on the recipient’s caller ID.
In this scam, fraudulent callers posing as EOIR employees or officers advise individuals that their social security number has been compromised and request money from the victims. These calls are fraudulent; EOIR personnel do not call individuals regarding social security numbers or to request money. To protect yourself, be wary of answering phone calls from numbers you do not recognize. Never give out your personal information over the phone to individuals you do not know.
If you have a question about your immigration court case, please call the Automated Case Information Hotline at 1-800-898-7180, or visit the Automated Case Information System or the Immigration Court Online Resource.
California Man Sentenced to over 5 years in Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOISE B A Whittier, California man was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court records, Alejandro Velasquez, 49, was found in the back seat of a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation in Nampa, Idaho. A K-9, trained to detect odors of controlled substances, positively alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. When police searched the vehicle, they discovered approximately 100 fentanyl pills and a Ruger 9mm pistol. Velazquez was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior felony drug conviction from California. He admitted to possessing the firearm and that he intended to distribute the fentanyl pills found in his possession.
Velasquez has a criminal history spanning 29 years with prior state convictions for receiving stolen property, transporting controlled substances, possession of controlled substances, and manufacturing controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl, from the District of Wyoming, sitting by designation, also ordered Velasquez to serve 3 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Velasquez pleaded guilty to the charge on May 9, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Joshua D. Hurwit, of the District of Idaho, made the announcement and commended the investigation by the Nampa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, which led to the charges.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.
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California Businessman Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A California businessman pleaded guilty yesterday to willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes to the IRS.
According to court documents, Larry Kudsk, of Berkeley, operated two construction businesses, Kudsk Construction Inc. and M. Gutierrez Inc. The companies served as a general contractor or subcontractor on various construction projects, including some government projects. For both companies, Kudsk was responsible for filing quarterly employment tax returns and collecting and paying to the IRS payroll taxes withheld from employees’ wages. Kudsk, however, did not timely file employment tax returns or pay over withholdings to the IRS, for 2014 and the last three quarters of 2015 for M. Gutierrez Inc., and for 2016 for Kudsk Construction Inc. In all, Kudsk caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $250,000.
Kudsk is scheduled to be sentenced on November 8. He faces a maximum of five years in prison for willful failure to account for and pay over employment taxes. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Stephanie Hinds for the Northern District of California made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Charles A. O’Reilly and Julia M. Rugg of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Lloyd-Lovett of the U.S. Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the case.
Owner of Three Casa Don Juan Restaurants Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Nevada restaurant owner pleaded guilty today to tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Raul Gil, 63, owned and operated three Casa Don Juan restaurants in Las Vegas. From 2014 through 2018, Gil directed his bookkeeper to prepare false books and records for Gil’s restaurants that underreported cash sales at the restaurants by approximately $5.1 million. Gil then provided the false records to his tax return preparer, who annually prepared the Casa Don Juan corporate tax returns and Gil’s individual tax returns. As a result, the Casa Don Juan corporate tax returns were false for each of these years. Because the restaurant profits flowed through to Gil personally, his individual income tax returns for these years were false as well. Finally, because Gil directed the three restaurants to underreport their total sales, the Nevada sales tax returns for the restaurants also were false during these years.
In July 2018, the IRS initiated an audit of Gil. During the audit, Gil instructed his accountant to provide to the IRS false profit and loss statements that matched the figures reported on the tax returns. Gil also directed his bookkeeper to provide to the IRS false daily cash and sales reports purportedly printed from the restaurants’ point-of-sale systems. During interviews with the IRS, Gil falsely stated to the revenue agent conducting the audit, and later to IRS-Criminal Investigation special agents, that the falsified daily cash reports and point-of-sale records were accurate.
In total, Gil caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $1.6 million.
“Owners of restaurants that conduct a large number of cash transactions have to report all of their income, just like everyone else,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. “We will investigate and prosecute those who shortchange their honest competitors and fellow citizens by willfully evading these laws.”
“In today’s challenging economic environment, it’s more important than ever that the American people feel confident that everyone is playing by the rules and paying the taxes they owe,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress. “Those Americans who file accurate, honest and timely returns can be assured that the government will hold accountable those who don’t.”
Gil is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10 and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for tax evasion. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Thomas Flynn and Jacob Green of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Schmale of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. Former Trial Attorneys Michael Landman and Stephen Moulton of the Tax Division also provided valuable assistance.
Justice Department Sues Idaho to Protect Reproductive RightsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit to protect the rights of patients to access emergency medical care guaranteed by federal law. The suit challenges Idaho Code § 18-622 (§ 18-622), which is set to go into effect on Aug. 25 and imposes a near-total ban on abortion.
The complaint seeks a declaratory judgment that § 18-622 conflicts with, and is preempted by, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) in situations where an abortion is necessary stabilizing treatment for an emergency medical condition. The United States also seeks an order permanently enjoining the Idaho law to the extent it conflicts with EMTALA.
“On the day Roe and Casey were overturned, we promised that the Justice Department would work tirelessly to protect and advance reproductive freedom,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “That is what we are doing, and that is what we will continue to do. We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure that pregnant women get the emergency medical treatment to which they are entitled under federal law. And we will closely scrutinize state abortion laws to ensure that they comply with federal law.”
“Federal law is clear: patients have the right to stabilizing hospital emergency room care no matter where they live,” said Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Women should not have to be near death to get care. The Department of Health and Human Services will continue its work with the Department of Justice to enforce federal law protecting access to health care, including abortions.”
“One critical focus of the Reproductive Rights Task Force has been assessing the fast-changing landscape of state laws and evaluating potential legal responses to infringements on federal protections,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Today’s lawsuit against the State of Idaho for its near-absolute abortion ban is the first public example of this work in action. We know that these are frightening and uncertain times for pregnant women and their providers, and the Justice Department, through the Task Force’s work, is committed to doing everything we can to ensure continued lawful access to reproductive services.”
EMTALA requires hospitals that receive federal Medicare funds to provide necessary stabilizing treatment to patients who arrive at their emergency departments while experiencing a medical emergency. When a physician reasonably determines that the necessary stabilizing treatment is an abortion, state law cannot prohibit the provision of that care. The statute defines necessary stabilizing treatment to include all treatment needed to ensure that a patient will not have her health placed in serious jeopardy, have her bodily functions seriously impaired, or suffer serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.
As explained in the complaint, once § 18-622 enters into effect in Idaho, a prosecutor can indict, arrest and prosecute a physician merely by showing that an abortion has been performed, without regard to the circumstances. A physician who provides an abortion in Idaho can ultimately avoid criminal liability only by establishing as an affirmative defense that “the abortion was necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman” or that, before performing the abortion, the pregnant patient (or, in some circumstances, their parent or guardian) reported an “act of rape or incest” against the patient to a specified agency and provided a copy of the report to the physician. The law provides no defense for an abortion necessary to protect the health of the pregnant patient.
Idaho’s criminal prohibition of all abortions, subject only to the statute’s two limited affirmative defenses, directly conflicts with EMTALA and stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment of EMTALA’s federal objectives of providing stabilizing care and treatment to anyone who needs it.
The Justice Department is committed to protecting access to reproductive services. Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, the Justice Department established the Reproductive Rights Task Force, chaired by Associate Attorney General Gupta. The Task Force is charged with protecting access to reproductive freedom under federal law. For additional information on the work of the Task Force visit www.justice.gov/reproductive-rights.
Justice Department Seeks Seizure of Boeing 747 Cargo Plane Grounded in ArgentinaRead the Press Release
The U.S. Department of Justice transmitted a request to Argentinian authorities today to seize a Boeing 747-300M cargo plane following the unsealing of a seizure warrant in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The warrant, which was issued on July 19, 2022, alleges that the U.S.-made plane is subject to forfeiture based on violations of U.S. export control laws related to the unauthorized transfer of the plane from Mahan Air, an Iranian airline affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), a designated terrorist organization, and Empresa de Transporte Aéreocargo del Sur, S.A. (EMTRASUR), a Venezuelan cargo airline and subsidiary of Consorcio Venezolano de Industrias Aeronáuticas y Servicios Aéreos, S.A (CONVIASA), a Venezuelan state-owned company.
In 2008, the Department of Commerce issued, and has since periodically renewed, a Temporary Denial Order prohibiting Mahan Air from, among other things, engaging in any transaction involving any commodity exported from the United States that is subject to the Export Administration Regulations. As alleged in the seizure warrant, in or around October 2021, Mahan Air violated the Temporary Denial Order and U.S. export control laws when it transferred custody and control of the Boeing aircraft to EMTRASUR without U.S. Government authorization. Additional violations of U.S. export control laws subsequently occurred between February and May 2022 when EMTRASUR reexported the aircraft between Caracas, Venezuela; Tehran, Iran; and Moscow, Russia, without U.S. Government authorization.
Further, as alleged in the seizure warrant, in June 2022, Argentinian authorities detained the flight crew of the Boeing aircraft, including five Iranians. The registered captain of the aircraft was identified as an ex-commander for the IRGC and a shareholder and member of the board of Iranian airline Qeshm Fars Air. Argentinian law enforcement also searched the aircraft and found a Mahan Air flight log documenting the aircraft’s flights after the unlawful transfer to EMTRASUR, including a flight to Tehran, Iran, in April 2022. Mahan Air was designated in 2011 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) for providing material support to the IRGC-QF, and Qeshm Fars Air was designated in 2019 for being controlled by Mahan Air and for providing material support to the IRGC-QF.
In addition, CONVIASA, EMTRASUR’s parent company, was designated by OFAC in 2020, and its fleet was blocked pursuant to Executive Order in 2019. Concurrent with today’s action, the Department of Commerce issued a Temporary Denial Order denying the export privileges of EMTRASUR for 180 days with the possibility of renewal.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate transactions that violate our sanctions and export laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Working with our partners across the globe, we will give no quarter to governments and state-sponsored entities looking to evade our sanctions and export control regimes in service of their malign activities.”
“The seizure of this aircraft demonstrates our determination to hold accountable those who seek to violate U.S. sanctions and export control laws,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “We will aggressively seek to prevent sanctioned entities from gaining access to America-made items or profiting from their illegal transfer. Working with our federal and international partners, we will be unflagging in our efforts to bring to justice those who violate these sanctions and to seize assets where appropriate and lawful.”
“Today’s coordinated actions target the unlawful transfer of an Iranian cargo plane to a Venezuelan airline and the airline’s subsequent operation of that plane in violation of our rules,” said Assistant Secretary of Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. “We will continue to take significant and direct enforcement action against foreign airlines operating U.S.-origin aircraft in violation of U.S. export controls.”
“This seizure demonstrates the FBI’s persistence in using all of our tools to hold the Iranian Government and affiliated individuals and companies accountable when they violate U.S. laws,” said Acting Assistant Director of Counterterrorism Kevin Vorndran of the FBI. “The FBI, along with our international partners, will continue to seek out those individuals who contribute to the advancement of Iran’s malign activities and ensure they are brought to justice, regardless of where, or how, they attempt to hide.”
This matter is being investigated by the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security’s Miami Field Office and the FBI Miami Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rajbir Datta of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Camacho of the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Abraham of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the seizure and investigation, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in working with the Argentinian authorities.
JetPhotos A photograph of the TARGET Aircraft from Sept. 6, 2019 with the Mahan Air livery and logo. JetPhotos A photograph of the TARGET Aircraft from Jan. 23, 2022 with the EMTRASUR livery and logo.Drug Dealer Sentenced to 300 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant James Rumbaua Damaso, age 54, a Naturalized U.S. Citizen from the Republic of the Philippines, was sentenced in the United States District Court of Guam to three hundred months imprisonment with credit for time served for Possession of Fifty or More Grams of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii) and 18 U.S.C. § 2. The Court also ordered Damaso serve ten years of supervised release following imprisonment and pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
In July 2019, James Rumbaua Damaso, recruited others to receive packages containing methamphetamine hydrochloride. The methamphetamine was mailed to Guam using the U.S. Postal System. U.S. Postal Inspectors intercepted one of Damaso’s packages containing 1,783 net grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride that was analyzed with a purity of 97%. He was arrested by officers with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Damaso was found with an additional 121.4 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, $31,418.00 in U.S. Currency, a drug scale and paraphernalia. The methamphetamine in total weighed 1,904 grams, equivalent to 4.2 pounds.
On November 23, 2021, James Rumbaua Damaso was found guilty after nine days of jury trial in the U.S. District Court of Guam. Damaso had prior convictions, including a serious drug felony, subjecting him to enhanced penalties.
“This significant sentence is the result of productive teamwork by multiple agencies at all levels of government,” said John F. Tobon, Special Agent in Charge, HSI Honolulu. “HSI will continue to target individuals and organizations involved in transnational crime.”
"This sentence is a reminder to drug traffickers that we will not tolerate using the U.S. mail to transport controlled substances in Guam or anywhere else," said Acting Inspector in Charge Kevin Rho of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, San Francisco Division. " I would like to thank local and federal law enforcement agencies for their partnership in stopping the spread of drugs this defendant to justice."
This case was a joint investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Guam Customs and Quarantine. The case was prosecuted by Laura C. Sambataro and Rosetta L. San Nicolas, Assistant United States Attorneys in the District of Guam.
Third Defendant Pleads Guilty to Multimillion Dollar Tax Fraud Scheme Involving Professional Athletes and a PPP Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A California man pleaded guilty today to conspiring with others in schemes to defraud the IRS and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal loans initiative designed to help businesses pay their employees and meet expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Thanh Ngoc Rudin, 58, was a principal of Mana Tax Services, a tax preparation business in the Los Angeles area. Rudin engaged in a conspiracy to commit two sets of fraud schemes using Mana Tax.
First, from June of 2019 through July 2021, Thanh Rudin conspired with his brother, Quin Ngoc Rudin, as well as Seir Havana and others, to prepare and file with the IRS a series of false and fraudulent income tax returns on behalf of at least nine professional athletes. The false tax returns reported fabricated business and personal losses to generate refunds the athletes were not entitled to receive. The co-conspirators told the professional athletes that Mana Tax also could amend prior year tax returns to correct purported errors made by the athletes’ previous accountants to get additional refunds they were not entitled to receive. Mana Tax then charged the athletes a fee of 30% of the resulting refund.
Thanh Rudin and his co-conspirators also used Mana Tax to apply for PPP loans on behalf of a number of small businesses, shell entities controlled by the co-conspirators themselves with few or no employees, and business entities controlled by others. To obtain the PPP loans to which the applicants were not entitled, the co-conspirators grossly inflated the number of employees and monthly payroll costs claimed on the PPP loan applications and submitted fabricated tax returns in support of the applications. In exchange for processing the applications, Mana Tax charged a fee of 30% of the value of the loan received.
During the investigation, the government seized more than $11.8 million from bank accounts containing PPP loan fraud proceeds controlled by the conspirators. In addition, Havana surrendered cashier’s checks worth approximately $5.6 million, representing a portion of the fees charged to professional athletes for the preparation of their false tax returns, and a portion of the fees charged for obtaining fraudulent PPP loans. The two schemes resulted in total losses of more than $25 million.
Thanh Rudin is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and 20 years in prison for wire fraud. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
On May 13, Quin Rudin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 14. On July 20, Havana pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and money laundering. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 9.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation made the announcement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California provided assistance with the investigation.
Assistant Chief David Zisserson of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Shartar and Kimberly R. Pedersen are prosecuting the case.
Readout of Election Threats Task Force Briefing with Election Officials and WorkersRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. convened a virtual discussion today with a bipartisan group of approximately 750 election officials and workers to provide an update on the work of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force.
Assistant Attorney General Polite thanked the election community for continuing to prioritize this national public safety issue, for engaging directly with the task force over the past year, and stressed the importance that those lines of communication stay open ahead of election season. He also reminded the election community of the individual points of contact they have in every FBI field office in the country.
Following Assistant Attorney General Polite’s remarks, the task force shared intelligence, data, and analysis stemming from their first year of work. This included:
- The task force has reviewed over 1,000 contacts reported as hostile or harassing by the election community.
- Approximately 11% of those contacts met the threshold for a federal criminal investigation. The remaining reported contacts did not provide a predication for a federal criminal investigation. While many of the contacts were often hostile, harassing, and abusive towards election officials, they did not include a threat of unlawful violence.
- In investigations where the source of a reported contact was identified, in 50% of the matters the source contacted the victim on multiple occasions. These investigations accordingly encompassed multiple contacts. The number of individual investigations is less than 5% of the total number of reported contacts.
- The task force has charged four federal cases and joined another case that was charged prior to the establishment of the task force. There have also been multiple state prosecutions to date. The task force anticipates additional prosecutions in the near future.
- Election officials in states with close elections and postelection contests were more likely to receive threats. 58% of the total of potentially criminal threats were in states that underwent 2020 post-election lawsuits, recounts, and audits, such as Arizona, Georgia, Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Wisconsin.
The task force also briefed the election community on available funds for enhanced security for election offices, and the availability of additional resources from both academic and non-governmental organizations.
Joining Assistant Attorney General Polite in the briefing today was Principal Deputy Chief John Keller of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, FBI Assistant Director Luis Quesada, and FBI Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section Chief Joseph Rothrock
Justice Department Secures Settlement in Race Discrimination and Retaliation Suit Against SEPTARead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), a regional public transportation authority based in Philadelphia. The settlement resolves the department’s complaint alleging that three officers of the SEPTA Police Department were subjected to a hostile work environment by their supervisor and experienced retaliation when they opposed the harassment, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII). Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and religion, and prohibits retaliation against employees for opposing employment practices that are discriminatory under Title VII.
“All transit police officers deserve to go to work each day without fear of harassment and retaliation from their supervisors and colleagues,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement sends a clear message that the department stands ready to protect employees who are subject to racial harassment and a hostile work environment, particularly in law enforcement agencies dedicated to serving the public.”
The department’s complaint, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleges that SEPTA subjected the officers, who belonged to a special investigative unit, to racial and religious harassment and retaliated against them because they opposed the harassment. According to the complaint, the officers’ supervisor repeatedly harassed them with racial slurs and derogatory comments about Black people and Muslims, threatened the officers and physically assaulted them. The complaint further alleges that the Police Chief retaliated against the officers for opposing the harassment. The officers’ supervisor and the Police Chief are no longer employed by SEPTA. Under the terms of the consent decree, if approved by the court, SEPTA will implement anti-discrimination and retaliation policies and provide trainings for its employees. SEPTA will also pay the officers a total of $496,000 in compensatory damages.
The United States’ complaint is based on charges of discrimination filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Philadelphia District Office, which investigated the charges and found reasonable cause that SEPTA violated Title VII. After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred the charges to the Justice Department.
The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the jurisdiction of the Employment Litigation Section is available on its websites at www.justice.gov/crt and www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.
FCA US LLC Sentenced in Connection with Conspiracy to Cheat U.S. Emissions TestsRead the Press Release
FCA US LLC (FCA US), formerly Chrysler Group LLC, was sentenced today in federal court in Detroit and ordered to pay a fine of $96,145,784; and a forfeiture money judgment of $203,572,892. The court also imposed a three-year term of organizational probation.
The conviction results from the company’s conspiracy to defraud U.S. regulators and customers by making false and misleading representations about the design, calibration, and function of the emissions control systems on more than 100,000 Model Year 2014, 2015, and 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 diesel vehicles, and about these vehicles’ emission of pollutants, fuel efficiency, and compliance with U.S. emissions standards.
“This case demonstrates the Criminal Division’s dedication to prosecuting companies that seek to place profits above full candor, good corporate governance, and timely remediation,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence shows that companies that engage in misleading U.S. regulators, or their own customers, will be held accountable.”
“Today’s sentence is an appropriate punishment for a company that schemed to defraud regulators and consumers,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “All corporations should be transparent and honest in dealing with the federal government and the public. This prosecution reflects how seriously my office takes this principle.”
“Today’s sentencing of FCA US, which includes a $300M criminal penalty, is the result of an exhaustive three-year investigation,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. "This resolution shows that the Department of Justice is committed to holding corporate wrongdoers accountable for misleading regulators. My sincere thanks go to our investigative partners at EPA-CID and the FBI.”
“Today’s sentencing clearly demonstrates that the EPA and our federal partners will hold major corporations like FCA accountable for complying with vehicle emissions standards,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Stopping violations of environmental laws and the defrauding of consumers is paramount to the protection of clean air and human health.”
According to the company’s admissions and court documents, beginning at least as early as 2010, FCA US developed a new 3.0-liter diesel engine for use in FCA US’s Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 vehicles (the Subject Vehicles) that would be sold in the United States. FCA US designed a specific marketing campaign to market these vehicles to U.S. customers as “clean EcoDiesel” vehicles with best-in-class fuel efficiency. However, according to court documents, FCA US installed software features in the Subject Vehicles and engaged in other deceptive and fraudulent conduct intended to avoid regulatory scrutiny and to fraudulently help the Subject Vehicles meet the required emissions standards, while maintaining features that would make them more attractive to consumers, including with respect to fuel efficiency, service intervals, and performance.
Specifically, FCA US purposely calibrated the emissions control systems on the Subject Vehicles to produce less NOx emissions during the federal test procedures, or driving “cycles,” than when the Subject Vehicles were being driven by FCA US’s customers under normal driving conditions. FCA US then engaged in deceptive and fraudulent conduct to conceal the emissions impact and function of the emissions control systems from its U.S. regulators and U.S. customers by (a) submitting false and misleading applications to U.S. regulators to receive authorization to sell the vehicles, (b) making false and misleading representations to U.S. regulators both in person and in response to written requests for information, and (c) making false and misleading representations to consumers about the Subject Vehicles in advertisements and in window labels, including that the Subject Vehicles complied with U.S. emissions requirements, had best-in-class fuel efficiency as measured by EPA testing, and were equipped with “clean EcoDiesel engine[s]” that reduced emissions.
For example, FCA US referred to the manner in which it manipulated one method of emissions control as “cycle detection” and “cycle beating.” Without the “cycle beating” use of this emissions control software, the Subject Vehicles were unable to pass the emissions portions of the federal test procedures while also receiving a fuel efficiency rating that could be marketed to FCA US’s potential customers as “best-in-class,” consistent with FCA US’s 3.0-liter diesel program’s goals, timing, and marketing strategy. Because FCA US knew that the decision to calibrate the emissions control system used on the Subject Vehicles to perform differently “on cycle” versus “off cycle” would be subjected to significant scrutiny by U.S. regulators, FCA US made false and misleading representations to regulators to ensure that it obtained regulatory approval to sell the Subject Vehicles in the United States.
Under the terms of FCA’s guilty plea, which has been approved by the Court, FCA has agreed to continue to cooperate with the Department of Justice in any ongoing or future criminal investigations relating to this conduct. In addition, FCA US has also agreed to continue to implement a compliance and ethics program designed to prevent and detect fraudulent conduct throughout its operations and will report to the department regarding remediation, implementation, and testing of its compliance program and internal controls.
The government reached this agreement with FCA US based on several factors including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense conduct, the company’s failure to voluntarily and timely disclose the conduct that triggered the investigation, and its failure to conduct sufficient, timely, or appropriate remedial action. FCA US received credit for cooperation with the department’s investigation and has enhanced, and committed to further enhance, its compliance program and internal controls.
In the related criminal prosecution, three FCA employees, Emanuele Palma, Sergio Pasini, and Gianluca Sabbioni were indicted for conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act and six counts of violating the Clean Air Act. They await trial. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI and EPA’s Criminal Investigations Division are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Michael P. McCarthy and Assistant Chief Michael T. O’Neill of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; White Collar Unit Chief John K. Neal and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Wyse of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan; and Senior Trial Attorney Todd W. Gleason of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section uses the Victim Notification System (VNS) to provide victims with case information and updates related to this case. Victims with questions may contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Assistance Unit by calling the Victim Assistance phone line at 1-888-549-3945 or by emailing [email protected]. To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas. If you believe you are a victim of the conduct described in the Plea Agreement and criminal Information, please visit https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-fca.
Russian National Charged with Conspiring to Have U.S. Citizens Act as Illegal Agents of the Russian GovernmentRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in Tampa, Florida, charging a Russian national, working on behalf of the Russian government and in conjunction with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), with allegedly orchestrating a years-long foreign malign influence campaign that used various U.S. political groups to sow discord, spread pro-Russian propaganda, and interfere in elections within the United States.
As alleged in the indictment, from at least December 2014 until March 2022, Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, a resident of Moscow, together with at least three Russian officials, engaged in a years-long foreign malign influence campaign targeting the United States. Ionov is the founder and president of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia (AGMR), an organization headquartered in Moscow and funded by the Russian government. Ionov utilized AGMR to carry out Russia’s influence campaign.
“Ionov allegedly orchestrated a brazen influence campaign, turning U.S. political groups and U.S. citizens into instruments of the Russian government,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice will not allow Russia to unlawfully sow division and spread misinformation inside the United States.”
According to the indictment, Ionov — working under the supervision of the FSB and with the Russian government’s support — recruited political groups within the United States, including U.S. Political Group 1 in Florida, U.S. Political Group 2 in Georgia, and U.S. Political Group 3 in California, and exercised direction or control over them on behalf of the FSB. Specifically, Ionov provided financial support to these groups, directed them to publish pro-Russian propaganda, coordinated and funded direct action by these groups within the United States intended to further Russian interests, and coordinated coverage of this activity in Russian media outlets. Ionov also relayed detailed information about this influence campaign to three FSB officials.
“Secret foreign government efforts to influence American elections and political groups threaten our democracy by spreading misinformation and breeding distrust,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department will vigorously protect the bedrock of our democracy – free and fair elections – to ensure that our democratic processes remain free of foreign interference.”
According to the indictment, Ionov allegedly targeted U.S. Political Group 1 based in St. Petersburg, Florida. In May 2015, Ionov funded an all-expense paid trip to Russia for the leader of U.S. Political Group 1 (Unindicted Co-Conspirator-1, UIC-1) in order to “communicate on future cooperation” between U.S. Political Group 1 and AGMR. Following that trip, and for at least the next seven years, Ionov exercised direction and control over senior members of U.S. Political Group 1.
“The prosecution of this criminal conduct is essential to protecting the American public when foreign governments seek to inject themselves into the American political process,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to work with our partners at the FBI to investigate these events, and we will continue to follow the evidence to ensure justice is done.”
Early in the conspiracy, senior members of U.S. Political Group 1, UIC-1, UIC-2, and UIC-3 exchanged emails about the fact that Ionov was working on behalf of the Russian government. For example, in September 2015, Ionov paid for UIC-1 to attend an AGMR-sponsored “Dialogue of Nations” conference in Moscow. Upon his return to Florida, UIC-1 reported to the leadership of U.S. Political Group 1 that AGMR is “a solid institution of Russian politic,” and that it was “clear” that AGMR was “an instrument of [the] Russian government,” which, UIC-1 wrote, did not “disturb us.” The following week, in an email discussion, U.S. Political Group 1 leaders observed that it was “more than likely” that the Russian government was using AGMR “to utilize forces inside of the U.S. to sew [sic] division inside the United States.”
“The impact of Russian malign foreign influence cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will aggressively pursue any foreign government that attempts to divide American citizens and poison our democratic process.”
Ionov used his control over U.S. Political Group 1 leaders to foster discord within the United States, to spread pro-Russian propaganda under the guise of a domestic political organization, and to interfere in local elections. For example, in January 2016, Ionov guaranteed financing for — and ultimately funded — a four-city protest tour undertaken by U.S. Political Group 1 in support of a “Petition on Crime of Genocide against African People in the United States,” which it had previously submitted to the United Nations at Ionov’s direction. Later, in 2017 and 2019, Ionov monitored and supported the St. Petersburg, Florida, political campaigns of UIC-3 and UIC-4. In 2019, before the primary election, Ionov wrote to a Russian official that he had been “consulting every week” on the campaign. After UIC-4 advanced to the general election, FSB Officer 1 wrote to Ionov that “our election campaign is kind of unique,” and asked, “are we the first in history?” Ionov later sent FSB Officer 1 additional details about the election, referring to UIC-4 as the candidate “whom we supervise.”
According to the indictment, Ionov’s relationship with U.S. Political Group 1 continued until at least March 2022. Specifically, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Political Group 1 repeatedly hosted Ionov via video conference to discuss the war, during which Ionov falsely stated that anyone who supported Ukraine also supported Nazism and white supremacy. In a report to the FSB, Ionov explained that he had enlisted U.S. Political Group 1 to support Russia in the “information war unleashed” by the West.
Alongside his malign foreign influence efforts with U.S. Political Group 1, Ionov also exercised direction and control over U.S. Political Group 3, an organization based in California whose primary goal was to promote California’s secession from the United States. In January and February of 2018, Ionov supported U.S. Political Group 3’s efforts — led by the organization’s founder (UIC-6)—to orchestrate a protest demonstration at the California Capitol building in Sacramento. Ionov partially funded the efforts and attempted to direct UIC-6 to physically enter the governor’s office. Later, Ionov sent various media reports covering the demonstration and U.S. Political Group 3’s broader efforts to FSB Officer 1, writing that FSB Officer 1 had asked for “turmoil” and stating, “there you go.”
According to the indictment, Ionov also directed the efforts of U.S. Political Group 2, based in Atlanta. For example, as recently as March 2022, Ionov paid for members of U.S. Political Group 2 — including its founder (UIC-5) — to travel from Atlanta to San Francisco to protest at the headquarters of a social media company that had placed content restrictions on posts supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ionov sent UIC-5 designs for signs used at the protest and funded cross-country travel for UIC-5 and other members of U.S. Political Group 2. After the protest, Ionov sent UIC-5 a picture of a Russian news website’s social media page, which displayed a Russian-language news story about the protest.
Ionov is charged with conspiring to have U.S. citizens act as illegal agents of the Russian government. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Risha Asokan, Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Demetrius Sumner of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
The FBI Tampa Field Office is investigating the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Leading ISIS Media Figure and Foreign Fighter Sentenced to Life ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
A Saudi-born Canadian citizen was sentenced today to life imprisonment for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death.
According to court documents, Mohammed Khalifa, aka Abu Ridwan Al-Kanadi and Abu Muthanna Al-Muhajir, 39, served in prominent roles within ISIS starting in 2013 and continuing until his capture by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in January 2019, following a firefight between ISIS fighters and the SDF. In addition to serving as a fighter and personally executing two Syrian soldiers on behalf of ISIS, Khalifa served as a lead translator in ISIS’s propaganda production and the English-speaking narrator on multiple violent ISIS videos.
In the spring of 2013, Khalifa traveled to Syria with the intent of becoming a foreign fighter and ultimately joining ISIS. In or around November 2013, he joined ISIS and swore allegiance to then-ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In early 2014, he was recruited to join ISIS’s media department due, in part, to his language abilities as a fluent English and Arabic speaker. Starting in 2016, Khalifa directed various supporter networks that assisted in the translation, production and dissemination of propaganda released under various ISIS media brands in order to reach Western audiences. He worked within the ISIS media operation until late 2018.
Khalifa provided the narration and translation for approximately 15 videos created and distributed by ISIS. The productions narrated by Khalifa include two of the most influential and exceptionally violent ISIS propaganda videos: “Flames of War: Fighting Has Just Begun,” distributed on Sept. 19, 2014, and “Flames of War II: Until the Final Hour,” distributed on Nov. 29, 2017. The videos depict glamorized portrayals of ISIS and its fighters as well as scenes of violence, including depictions of unarmed prisoners being executed, footage of ISIS attacks and fighting and depictions of ISIS attacks in the United States.
The ISIS “Flames of War” videos include scenes of Khalifa executing a different Syrian soldier in each of the two videos. In the final scenes of both videos, a masked Khalifa speaks to the camera and is then seen executing a kneeling Syrian soldier while other masked ISIS members shoot the prisoners kneeling in front of each of them.
During the time Khalifa was a prominent member of ISIS, the terrorist organization was conducting a brutal hostage-taking and ransom demand campaign involving journalists and humanitarian aid workers who came to Syria from across the globe. Between August 19, 2014, and February 6, 2015, ISIS killed eight American, British and Japanese citizens in Syria as part of the hostage scheme.
In January 2019, Khalifa engaged in fighting on behalf of ISIS and attacked an SDF position in Abu Badran, Syria. Khalifa, alone and armed with three grenades and an AK-47, threw a grenade on the roof of a house where SDF soldiers were standing. The grenade detonated and Khalifa ran into the house and attempted to go to the roof, but an SDF soldier was firing from the stairs. Khalifa began firing at the SDF soldier and attempted to use all three of his grenades during the attack. Khalifa fired most of his ammunition during the assault before his AK-47 jammed. Khalifa surrendered to the SDF on or about Jan. 13, 2019. He was transferred to the custody of the FBI last year and brought to the Eastern District of Virginia, where he had his initial appearance on Oct. 4, 2021. Khalifa pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death, on Dec. 10, 2021.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis M. Fitzpatrick, John T. Gibbs and Aidan Taft Grano-Mickelson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Trial Attorney Alicia H. Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-271.
Justice Department and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Underscore Legal Obligations of Auto Finance Companies During Military Consumer MonthRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a joint letter today reminding auto lenders and leasing companies of their responsibilities to recognize important legal protections that exist for members of the military and their dependents under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Under the SCRA, servicemembers have additional rights and protections given the unique financial challenges that often emerge because of their service. July is Military Consumer Month, which is dedicated to raising awareness of consumer protections and promoting financial readiness for servicemembers, veterans and their families.
“The Civil Rights Division is entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that the rights of those serving in our nation’s armed forces are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Auto lenders and leasing companies across the nation have an obligation to ensure the fair and lawful treatment of servicemembers.”
“Auto finance companies that play by the rules should not be disadvantaged by competitors that violate the legal rights of military families,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “The CFPB is closely monitoring the auto finance industry to ensure that servicemembers and their families are being treated fairly.”
Recent CFPB research has shown that servicemembers tend to carry more auto loan debt at younger ages than their civilian counterparts, largely due to the need for transportation while living on a military base. Servicemembers are also the common target of unfair or predatory practices, including costly loans and expensive contracts, because of the financial inexperience of many entering the service as young adults, combined with their steady paychecks and ability to structure payments through the military allotment system.
The letter is designed to ensure that auto finance companies are aware of key provisions within the SCRA that protect servicemembers and their families against certain unlawful auto financing practices, including:
- Wrongful vehicle repossessions – The SCRA prohibits an auto finance company from repossessing a vehicle during the borrower’s military service without a court order, if the borrower financed or leased the vehicle prior to entering military service.
- Failure to terminate vehicle leases without penalty – The SCRA allows servicemembers to terminate motor vehicle leases early and without penalty after entering military service or receiving qualifying military orders for a permanent change of station or deployment.
- Violations of auto loan interest rate benefits – The SCRA also limits interest rates on loans incurred prior to military service to no more than 6% per year, including most fees. If servicemembers make a proper request, a creditor must forgive and not defer any interest greater than 6%.
The Justice Department’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative coordinates with federal resources and information to build a comprehensive legal support and protection network focused on serving servicemembers, veterans and their families. The initiative’s mission is to support the department in its efforts to protect those who protect us all. For more information, please visit www.justice.gov/servicemembers.
Consumers encountering problems with auto servicing can submit a complaint with the CFPB online or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372). Employees who believe their companies have violated federal consumer financial protection laws are encouraged to send information about what they know to [email protected].
Justice Department and HHS Issue Guidance on Nondiscrimination in Telehealth the Week of the 32nd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
As we commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are partnering to publish guidance on the protections in federal nondiscrimination laws, including the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, requiring that telehealth be accessible to people with disabilities and limited English proficient persons. These laws work in tandem to prohibit discrimination and protect access to health care. The guidance is available here on the Justice Department website. The guidance is also available here on the HHS website.
“Telehealth has become an evolving and common pathway for accessing healthcare, particularly as our society becomes increasingly digitized,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “It is critical to ensure that telehealth care is accessible to all, including patients with disabilities, those with limited English proficiency and people of all races and national origins. Federal civil rights laws protect patients from discrimination regardless of whether they are receiving health care online or at the doctor’s office. The Department of Justice will vigorously enforce the ADA and other civil rights laws to ensure that health care providers offering telehealth services are doing so free from discrimination.”
“We have seen important expansions in health care technologies, such as telehealth, that provide great convenience and help for people seeking care,” said Acting Director Melanie Fontes Rainer of HHS’s Office for Civil Rights. “This guidance makes clear that there is a legal obligation to ensure that all people receive full access to needed health care and can connect to telehealth services, free of discriminatory barriers. While we celebrate the progress of the ADA, we know how important it remains to uphold the rights of people with disabilities and other protected individuals to make our country accessible and inclusive for all. That work has been a priority of this Administration from day one, and President Biden’s Executive Order on advancing equity explicitly includes people with disabilities in its call for comprehensive action.”
Technological developments and the COVID-19 public health emergency have increased the importance of providing telehealth and greatly expanded its use. Telehealth can take many forms, including communication between a patient and a health care provider via video, phone or other electronic means. While telehealth has many benefits, including making health care more available and convenient, certain populations may face discrimination or other barriers in accessing care provided via telehealth. For example:
- A person who is blind or has limited vision may find that the web-based platform their doctor uses for telehealth appointments does not support screen reader software.
- A person who is deaf and communicates with a sign language interpreter may find that the video conferencing program their provider uses does not allow an interpreter to join the appointment from a separate location.
- A limited English proficient person may need instructions in a language other than English about how to set up a telehealth appointment.
The HHS Office for Civil Rights and Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division have collaborated to provide this new guidance to help health care providers better understand their nondiscrimination obligations and patients better understand their rights under federal law in this area. The guidance provides examples of actions that may be discriminatory and describes steps that providers may need to take to ensure that health care offered via telehealth is accessible. The guidance also provides a list of resources that providers and patients may wish to consult for additional information about telehealth and civil rights protections.
If you believe that you or someone else has been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex or religion in programs or activities that HHS directly operates or to which HHS provides federal financial assistance, you may file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights at: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/index.html.
If you believe that a telehealth provider has violated your or another person’s civil rights, you may file a complaint with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division at: https://civilrights.justice.gov/#report-a-violation.
Garyville Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BRYANT DAIGRE, age 33, of Garyville, Louisiana, was sentenced on July 28, 2022 to 120 months of imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846.
According to court documents, DAIGRE conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Additionally, on August 15, 2020, DAIGRE possessed over 50 grams of methamphetamine in St. John the Baptist Parish.
United States Chief District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced DAIGRE to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by 4 years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Shih.
Former Madison County Detention Center Captain Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Assaulting DetaineeRead the Press Release
Gregory Evans, 50, a former Captain with the Madison County Detention Center, in Richmond, Kentucky, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, and three years of supervised release. Evans previously pleaded guilty to using unreasonable force against a detainee, thereby violating the detainee’s civil rights.
According to court documents and statements made at the sentencing hearing, Evans was escorting the victim, E.B., down a hallway when Evans grabbed E.B. out of anger, strangled him and repeatedly punched him. Evans’s assault caused E.B. to lose consciousness and Evans then punched E.B. in the back and face while E.B. was unconscious. E.B. suffered a broken jaw as a result of the assault. Evans was aware that chokeholds were banned at Madison County Detention Center and that punching and strangling E.B. out of anger was an unreasonable use of force. Following the assault, Evans falsified an incident report and made false statements to the FBI. Specifically, Evans falsely claimed that he had ordered E.B. to turn around prior to the assault, that E.B. ignored his commands, and he deliberately omitted the fact that he had strangled E.B.
“The defendant abused his authority as a law enforcement officer and betrayed the public’s trust when he violently assaulted a detainee in his custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Law enforcement officials who abuse inmates and detainees are not above the law, and we will continue to vigorously prosecute those who deprive individuals of their Constitutional rights.”
“The defendant was supposed to be law enforcement; instead, he broke the law and violated the rights of someone in his custody,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Today, he learned the consequence of his criminal conduct. We will continue our efforts to prosecute excessive force violations, and strive to restore some of the public trust that is lost whenever these crimes occur.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Lexington resident agency, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Dembo for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Former BOP Employee Sentenced to 80 Months in Prison for Sexual Abuse of a WardRead the Press Release
A former employee of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Hosea Lee Jr., 43, was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, after pleading guilty to committing five counts of sexual abuse of a ward.
According to his plea agreement, Lee was employed as a correctional officer at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, serving as a drug treatment specialist. In that position, Lee was responsible for conducting interviews regarding treatment eligibility and progress, leading drug education classes and providing group and individual counseling to inmates with substance use disorder. Between August and December 2019, on several occasions, Lee engaged in sexual acts with four separate women. Each of these victims was a participant in his drug treatment classes. These sexual acts all occurred in secluded spaces adjacent to the classroom or a closet area in his office.
Lee pleaded guilty in April 2022.
“The defendant’s abhorrent sexual misconduct betrays the trust we place in our correctional officers to protect those in their custody and to prepare them to return to society,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “As part of our ongoing effort to root out sexual misconduct within the Bureau of Prisons, the department has prioritized prosecuting cases of criminal misconduct by Bureau employees. We will continue to hold accountable those who violate their position of trust.”
“This defendant abused his authority and the public trust by preying sexually upon women entrusted to his care,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This betrayal of trust by a federal official is intolerable and the Department of Justice hopes that this prosecution brings some much-needed closure to his victims.”
“The safety and security of federal prisons are of the utmost importance, and correctional officers who abuse their authority undermine the integrity of these institutions,” said Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz. “Inmates should never experience sexual abuse at the hands of the Bureau of Prisons employees, and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will continue to aggressively investigate allegations of abuse, including sexual abuse, across the BOP.”
“Instead of helping those in his custody and care with their substance use, the defendant preyed on particularly vulnerable individuals and betrayed an important public charge,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This despicable conduct has done enduring damage to his victims. Beyond that, when public officials act with such disregard for those in their care and protection, it erodes faith in law enforcement. We will continue our efforts to protect these individuals, and to combat abuses by those who fail to warrant the public trust.”
“Part of the FBI’s critical mission is to protect the American people. This includes those who are currently serving time in prison,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “When corrections officers who have sworn to protect inmates within their facility abuse their position of authority, the FBI will stop at nothing to hold them accountable. Because investigating civil rights violations remains a top priority for the FBI in Kentucky, if you have knowledge of similar crimes occurring within our correctional facilities, contact your local FBI field office or submit information to tips.fbi.gov.”
Under federal law, Lee must serve 85% of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Special in Agent Charge William J. Hannah of the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), Chicago Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by DOJ-OIG and FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tashena Fannin and Kate Smith.
Flo~Pro Performance Exhaust and Thunder Diesel & Performance Company to Halt Sales of Illegal Vehicle Emission Control Defeat Devices and Pay a $1.6 Million PenaltyRead the Press Release
Red Deer Exhaust Inc. (doing business as Flo~Pro Performance Exhaust) and Thunder Diesel & Performance Company have agreed to stop selling devices that bypass or disable vehicle emissions control systems, and pay a $1.6 million penalty, to resolve allegations that they violated the Clean Air Act (CAA).
The complaint, filed simultaneously with the consent decree, alleges that the parts described above are “defeat devices” prohibited by the CAA. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that prior to its 2018 investigation, Flo~Pro manufactured or sold more than 100,000 aftermarket defeat devices in the United States per year. In early 2019, Flo~Pro suspended sales of the defeat devices in the United States in an effort to resolve this matter.
“Defeat devices violate Clean Air Act emissions requirements meant to protect public health and the environment, as well as vulnerable communities that are disproportionately impacted by air pollution,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This settlement ensures that Flo~Pro will stop the sale of all defeat devices in the United States and is the latest reminder that the Department of Justice will hold the aftermarket automotive parts industry accountable for violations of federal anti-pollution laws.”
“The exhaust from diesel pickup trucks equipped to operate without essential emissions controls causes severe harm to our nation’s air quality,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This action will stop the manufacture and sale of these illegal products, preventing additional excess pollution caused by aftermarket defeat devices and keeping the air we breathe clean.”
Under the agreement, Flo~Pro, an automotive parts manufacturer based in Alberta, Canada, has agreed to stop manufacturing and selling parts for diesel pickup trucks in the United States, that bypass, defeat or render inoperative EPA-approved emission controls and harm air quality. Thunder Diesel, a distributor based in Mountain Home, Arkansas, has shut down its operations and is no longer selling auto parts. The companies will pay a $1.6 million penalty, which is a reduced amount due to verified financial information indicating the companies’ limited ability to pay. The companies will notify customers who purchased subject parts that the products violate the CAA, will no longer provide technical support or honor warranty claims for the products and will provide CAA compliance training for employees.
This settlement will improve public health and prevent substantial amounts of air pollution in the future, as the installation of defeat devices prevents emission controls from working properly. Tampering with diesel-powered vehicles by installing defeat devices causes large amounts of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions, both of which contribute to serious public health problems. These include premature death, aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, aggravation of existing asthma, acute respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis and decreased lung function. Numerous studies also link diesel exhaust to increased incidence of lung cancer. Respiratory issues disproportionately affect families, especially children, living in underserved communities overburdened by pollution. EPA estimates that the subject parts from these companies in 2016-2019 may have resulted in more than 775 million pounds of excess nitrogen oxides emissions and 6.7 million pounds of excess particulate matter over the life of the affected vehicles. Stopping the sale and use of defeat devices will help reduce harmful air pollution that exacerbates the health effects of pollutant exposures.
Stopping the manufacture, sale and installation of defeat devices on vehicles and engines used on public roads as well as on nonroad vehicles and engines is a priority for EPA. To learn more, visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/national-compliance-initiative-stopping-aftermarket-defeat-devices-vehicles-and-engines.
The consent decree for this settlement was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas and will be open for public comments for a period of 30 days.
If you suspect someone is manufacturing, selling or installing illegal defeat devices, or is tampering with emission controls, tell the EPA by writing to [email protected].
Brooklyn Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A New York man pleaded guilty yesterday to tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2009 to 2014 David Seruya was an original owner and shareholder of a New Jersey-based home warranty business. In 2014, Seruya entered into a buyout agreement whereby he agreed to sell his shares of stock back to the business and exit the company. In exchange for his stock shares, the home warranty company agreed to pay Seruya a total of more than $4.1 million, which included a lump sum payment and installment payments spread out over 24 months. Seruya underreported to his return preparer the actual amount of income he received from the sale of his stock. In addition, Seruya did not inform his return preparer about income received from canceled mortgage debt. As a result, Seruya caused his return preparer to prepare and file false income tax returns for the tax years 2014 through 2016. As part of his plea, Seruya also admitted to evading taxes for the years 2010-2013. In total, Seruya’s tax evasion caused a loss to the IRS of more than $1.1 million.
Seruya is scheduled to be sentenced on December 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each of three count of tax evasion. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Shawn Noud of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
Former Customs and Border Protection Officer Charged with Kidnapping a MinorRead the Press Release
Authorities arrested former U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Aaron Mitchell, 27, of Miami Gardens, Florida, who was charged with kidnapping a minor, announced Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona and Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod for the FBI Phoenix Field Division.
A federal grand jury in the District of Arizona returned the indictment charging Mitchell with a single count of kidnapping. According to the indictment, on April 25, in Arizona, Mitchell kidnapped and then held the victim, who was under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged offense. In the commission and in furtherance of the offense, Mitchell transported the victim in interstate and foreign commerce and the defendant traveled in interstate commerce and used a means, facility and instrumentality of interstate commerce.
If convicted, Mitchell faces a maximum of life imprisonment, a minimum of 20 years imprisonment, a minimum of five years and up to lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Sierra Vista resident agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carin Duryee for the District of Arizona and Trial Attorney Angie Cha of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
If you have information related to this matter, please call the FBI Phoenix, 623-466-1999 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Federal Indictment Charges Man with Illegally Possessing Machine Guns in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been indicted on federal firearm charges for allegedly illegally possessing machine guns in Chicago this year.
JUAN INFANTE, 28, of Chicago, is charged with illegal possession of machine guns and illegal possession of firearms as a convicted felon. Infante had previously been convicted of a felony theft offense and was prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms.
The indictment accuses Infante of illegally possessing four handguns, two of which were equipped with conversion devices known as “Glock switches.” The devices transformed the firearms into machine guns capable of automatically firing more than one shot with a single pull of the trigger. Infante earlier this year sold two of the guns to an individual who was surreptitiously cooperating with law enforcement, according to a federal criminal complaint previously filed in the case.
The indictment was returned Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. A date for arraignment has not yet been scheduled. Infante is currently detained in federal custody without bond after the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a motion for pretrial detention on the basis that Infante posed a danger to the community.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth E. Palmer.
Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is the focus of the Department of Justice’s cross-jurisdictional strike force. As part of the Chicago firearms trafficking strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with the FBI and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count in the indictment is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Justice Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Secure Agreement with Trident Mortgage Company to Resolve Lending Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
Settlement Provides Over $20 Million to Increase Credit Opportunities in Neighborhoods of Color
First Redlining Settlement Against Mortgage Company; Second Largest Redlining Settlement in Justice Department History
The Department of Justice, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the Attorneys General of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware announced today agreements to resolve allegations that Trident Mortgage Company (Trident), which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc., engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by “redlining” in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, including neighborhoods in Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington. This resolution is the first redlining settlement that the Justice Department has reached with a non-bank lender and the second largest redlining settlement in the department’s history.
“Last fall, I announced the Department’s Combatting Redlining Initiative and promised that we would mobilize resources to make fair access to credit a reality in underserved neighborhoods across our country,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As demonstrated by today’s historic announcement, we are increasing our coordination with federal financial regulatory agencies and state Attorneys General to combat the modern-day redlining that has unlawfully plagued communities of color.”
“This settlement is a stark reminder that redlining is not a problem from a bygone era. Trident’s unlawful redlining activity denied communities of color equal access to residential mortgages, stripped them of the opportunity to build wealth, and devalued properties in their neighborhoods,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement ensures that significant lending resources will be infused into neighborhoods of color in and around Philadelphia that have historically experienced racial discrimination. Along with our federal and state law enforcement partners, we are sending a powerful message to lenders that they will be held accountable when they run afoul of our fair lending laws.”
“Trident illegally redlined neighborhoods in the Philadelphia area, excluding qualified families seeking to own a home,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “With housing costs so high, it is critical that illegal discrimination does not put homeownership even further out of reach.”
“For far too many years Philadelphia’s Black, Latino, and other communities of color have lacked equal access to lending and legal deed ownership,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “These historically redlined areas of Philadelphia continue to experience disproportionate amounts of poverty, poor health outcomes, limited educational attainment, unemployment, and violent crime. I am pleased that my office could support the Attorney General’s Combatting Redlining Initiative through this resolution, and I look forward to our continued partnership with the Civil Rights Division.”
“Redlining” is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race, color, or national origin of residents of those communities. The complaint filed in federal court today alleges that from at least 2015 to 2019, Trident failed to provide mortgage lending services to neighborhoods of color in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, that its offices were concentrated in majority-white neighborhoods, and that its loan officers did not serve the credit needs of neighborhoods of color. The complaint also alleges that loan officers and other employees sent and received work e-mails containing racial slurs and referring to communities of color as “ghetto.”
Under the proposed consent order, which is subject to court approval and was filed in conjunction with a complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Trident has agreed to invest over $20 million to increase credit opportunities in neighborhoods of color in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Trident will invest at least: $18.4 million in a loan subsidy fund for residents of neighborhoods of color in the Philadelphia metropolitan area; $750,000 for development of community partnerships to provide services that increase access to residential mortgage credit; $875,000 for advertising and outreach; and $375,000 for consumer financial education. Because Trident no longer operates a lending business, it will contract with another lender to provide loan subsidies and services to the “redlined” communities. Trident will ensure that the lender employs at least four mortgage loan officers dedicated to serving neighborhoods of color in and around Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington; maintains at least four office locations in those neighborhoods; and employs a full-time manager of community lending who will oversee the continued development of lending in neighborhoods of color in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Trident will also pay a civil money penalty of $4 million.
Trident has also entered into agreements with Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Those agreements resolve allegations against both Trident and Fox & Roach LP, a real estate affiliate of Trident. In addition to the settlement terms included in the federal consent order, under the agreements with Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Trident will reimburse the states for costs incurred in conducting the investigations. Fox & Roach will also invest $150,000 in marketing to communities of color in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
The Justice Department and the CFPB jointly investigated the matter, with support from the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The investigation was coordinated closely with the attorneys general of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the states of New Jersey and Delaware.
This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Combatting Redlining Initiative, a coordinated enforcement effort to address this persistent form of discrimination against communities of color. The initiative is expanding the department’s reach by strengthening partnerships with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices around the country, regulatory partners and our partners in state attorney general offices. Additional information about the section’s fair lending enforcement can be found at www.justice.gov/fairhousing. Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online. View the Spanish translation of this press release here.
Justice Department Secures $293,000 Jury Award Against City of Springfield, Illinois, for Discriminating Against People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
On July 26, following a two-day trial, a federal jury awarded $293,000 in damages against the City of Springfield, Illinois, for attempting to close a group home for people with developmental disabilities in 2016.
In 2014, three residents with intellectual and physical disabilities moved into a single- family home on Noble Avenue in Springfield, Illinois, where they received community residential services from a state-licensed provider, Individual Advocacy Group (IAG). Such arrangements, known as Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILAs), permit residents with disabilities to live in an integrated community setting rather than an institution. Even though the home was operating in compliance with state requirements, the City attempted to shut it down in 2016. The City relied on a local spacing ordinance that prohibited two homes for individuals with disabilities from operating within 600 feet of one another.
The United States filed suit against the City of Springfield in 2017. In 2020, the Court ruled that the City had violated the Fair Housing Act by enforcing the spacing ordinance against the home, granting the United States’ and IAG’s motions for summary judgment on liability. This week’s jury trial was to determine what damages should be awarded for any harm caused by the City’s conduct. The jury determined that the City should pay a total of $293,000: $162,000 in compensatory damages to the residents of the home and their guardians and $131,000 in compensatory damages to IAG.
“The Fair Housing Act prevents cities from maintaining discriminatory zoning laws and enforcing them against their citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This verdict recognizes the significant pain and real harm that results when officials undertake discriminatory action to block group homes. We will continue to vigorously enforce the FHA to ensure that people with disabilities can live in the communities and housing of their choice, free from discrimination.”
“Persons with disabilities should have the same housing choices as all members of our community,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant for the Central District of Illinois. “The jury’s verdict shows how persons with disabilities can often face barriers that make their lives more difficult and erode their dignity. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with the Department of Justice to ensure equal access to housing and justice for the citizens of the Central District of Illinois.”
The United States is also seeking a civil penalty and an injunction requiring the City to take certain corrective and preventive actions. The United States’ request for such relief is pending with the Court.
Individual Advocacy Group and Mary B. Valencia, sister and guardian of one of the residents, are represented by Kennedy Hunt P.C., a law firm in St. Louis, Missouri.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination may submit a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov, or may contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or through its website at www.hud.gov.
Former Minneapolis Police Officers Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng Sentenced to Prison for Depriving George Floyd of His Constitutional RightsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that former Minneapolis Police Officer Tou Thao, 36, was sentenced to serve 42 months in prison, and former Minneapolis Police Officer J. Alexander Kueng, 28, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison, for depriving George Floyd Jr. of his constitutional rights.
On Feb. 24, 2022, following a trial that lasted nearly five weeks, a federal jury in St. Paul, Minnesota, found Thao and Kueng guilty of depriving Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from an officer’s unreasonable force when each willfully failed to intervene to stop former Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) Officer Derek Chauvin’s use of unreasonable force. The jury also found that Thao and Kueng deprived Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to serious medical needs when they saw Floyd restrained in police custody in clear need of medical care and willfully failed to aid him. The jury further found that both of these offenses resulted in Floyd’s bodily injury and death. Both offenses are violations of the federal criminal civil rights statute that prohibits willful violations of civil rights by a person, such as a police officer, acting in an official capacity.
The same jury also found former MPD Officer Thomas Lane guilty of depriving Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to Floyd’s serious medical needs, resulting in bodily injury to Floyd and his death. On July 21, Lane was sentenced to 30 months in prison for this offense.
Former Officer Derek Chauvin previously pleaded guilty to depriving Floyd and a then-14-year-old child of their constitutional rights in violation of the same federal statute. On July 7, Chauvin was sentenced to 252 months in prison for those crimes.
“All four officers involved in the tragic death of George Floyd have now been convicted in federal court, sentenced to prison and held accountable for their crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “George Floyd’s death could have been prevented if these defendants had carried out their affirmative duty to intervene to stop another officer’s use of deadly force. While these defendants have now been held accountable, law enforcement officers and leaders must take seriously the affirmative duty under the Constitution to intervene to stop misconduct by fellow officers and the duty to render medical aid. The federal prosecution of all officers tied to the death of George Floyd should send a clear and powerful message that the Department of Justice will never tolerate the unlawful abuse of power or victimization of Americans by anyone in law enforcement.”
“Former officers Thao and Kueng each had an individual duty and opportunity to intervene in the excessive force that resulted in the agonizing death of Mr. Floyd, but both men failed to take any action,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger for the District of Minnesota. “These sentences reaffirm that every law enforcement officer, whether rookie or senior, has an affirmative duty to protect individuals in their custody.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Bates, LeeAnn Bell, Evan Gilead, Manda Sertich and Allen Slaughter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.
El Departamento de Justicia y la Oficina para la Protección Financiera del Consumidor llegan a un acuerdo con Trident Mortgage Company para resolver acusaciones de discriminación en el ámbito crediticioRead the Press Release
El acuerdo proporciona más de $20 millones para mejorar las oportunidades crediticias en vecindarios de color
Primer acuerdo contra una compañía de hipotecas que combate la exclusión financiera; segundo acuerdo más grande contra la exclusión financiera en la historia del Departamento de Justicia
El Departamento de Justicia, la Oficina para la Protección Financiera del Consumidor (CFPB, por sus siglas en inglés) y los Fiscales de Pennsylvania, New Jersey y Delaware anunciaron hoy una serie de acuerdos para resolver alegaciones de que Trident Mortgage Company (Trident), cuyo dueño es Berkshire Hathaway Inc., incurrió en un patrón o una práctica de discriminación en el ámbito crediticio al practicar exclusión financiera en la zona metropolitana de Philadelphia, incluyendo en vecindarios de Philadelphia, Camden y Wilmington. Esta resolución representa el primer acuerdo contra la exclusión financiera que el Departamento de Justicia ha conseguido con una entidad crediticia no bancaria y el segundo acuerdo más grande contra la exclusión financiera en la historia del Departamento.
“En otoño del año pasado, anuncié la Iniciativa para Combatir la Exclusión Financiera, del Departamento de Justicia, y prometí que movilizaríamos recursos para hacer realidad el acceso crediticio justo en vecindarios marginados por todo nuestro país”, afirmó el Fiscal General Merrick B. Garland. “Tal y como se ha demostrado mediante el anuncio histórico de hoy, estamos aumentando nuestra coordinación con agencias federales de regulación financiera y Fiscalías Generales estatales con el fin de combatir la exclusión financiera moderna que ha afectado de manera ilegal las comunidades de color”.
“Este acuerdo es un recordatorio claro que la exclusión financiera no es un problema de otra época lejana. Las actividades ilícitas de exclusión financiera de Trident denegaron a comunidades de color la igualdad de acceso a hipotecas residenciales, les quitaron la oportunidad de generar riqueza y desvaloraron propiedades en sus vecindarios”, declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Este acuerdo garantiza la infusión de recursos crediticios significativos en vecindarios de color por la zona de Philadelphia que, a nivel histórico, han experimentado discriminación racial. Junto con nuestros compañeros federales y estatales de la aplicación de la ley, estamos enviando el mensaje potente a los prestamistas que se les hará rendir cuentas si vulneran nuestras leyes de préstamos justos”.
“Trident practicó la exclusión financiera por la zona de Philadelphia y excluyó a familias elegibles que querían comprar una casa”, comentó Rohit Chopra, el director de la CFPB. “Dado el alto costo de la vivienda, es fundamental que la discriminación ilegal no aleje todavía la posibilidad de ser propietario”.
“Durante demasiados años ya, las comunidades negras, latinas y otras comunidades de color no se han beneficiado de la igualdad de acceso a préstamos y titularidad legal de escrituras”, dijo Jacqueline Romero, la Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Este de Pennsylvania. “Estas áreas de Philadelphia, que han sido históricamente excluidas financieramente, siguen experimentando niveles desproporcionados de pobreza, malas situaciones sanitarias, niveles educativos más bajos, desempleo y delito violento. Me complace que mi oficina haya podido apoyar, mediante esta resolución, la Iniciativa para Combatir la Exclusión Financiera del Fiscal General y espero seguir colaborando con la División de Derechos Civiles”.
La “exclusión financiera” (conocido como “redlining”, en inglés) es una práctica ilegal en la que prestamistas evitan la prestación de servicios crediticios a individuos que viven en comunidades de color por motivos de la raza, el color de piel o el origen nacional de los residentes de tales comunidades. La demanda que se presentó ante un tribunal federal hoy alega que, desde al menos el 2015 y hasta el 2019, Trident no prestó servicios de préstamos hipotecarios a vecindarios de color por la zona metropolitana de Philadelphia, sus oficinas estaban concentradas en vecindarios de mayoría blanca y sus oficiales de crédito no atendían a las necesidades crediticias de vecindarios de color. Asimismo, la demanda alega que los oficiales de crédito enviaban y recibían correos de trabajo que contenían comentarios racistas y referencias a comunidades de color como «ghetto».
Conforme la orden de consentimiento propuesta, la cual queda sujeta a la aprobación del tribunal y fue presentada junto con una demanda hoy ante el Tribunal Federal de Distrito para el Distrito Este de Pennsylvania, Trident ha acordado invertir más de $20 millones con el fin de aumentar las oportunidades crediticias en vecindarios de color por la zona metropolitana de Philadelphia. Trident invertirá al menos: $18.4 millones en un fondo de préstamos subvencionados para residentes de vecindarios de color por la zona metropolitana de Philadelphia; $750,000 en el desarrollo de asociaciones comunitarias con el fin de prestar servicios que mejoran el acceso a los préstamos hipotecarios residenciales; $875,000 en anuncios y proyección comunitaria; y $375,000 en educación financiera para el consumidor. Puesto que Trident ya no opera un negocio de préstamos, contratará a otro prestamista para la provisión de préstamos subvencionados y servicios crediticios a las comunidades que fueron excluidas financieramente. Por otra parte, Trident asegurará que el prestamista emplee al menos a cuatro oficiales de crédito hipotecario dedicados para servir los vecindarios dentro y alrededor de las ciudades de Philadelphia, Camden y Wilmington; mantendrá al menos cuatro sucursales en esos vecindarios; y empleará a un gerente de préstamos comunitarios a tiempo completo que supervisará el desarrollo continuo del crédito en vecindarios de color por la zona metropolitana de Philadelphia. Asimismo, Trident pagará una sanción civil de $4 millones.
Trident también ha celebrado acuerdos con Pennsylvania, New Jersey y Delaware. Esos acuerdos resuelven alegaciones tanto contra Trident como contra Fox & Roach LP, una filial del mercado inmobiliario de Trident. Además de los términos del acuerdo incluidos en la orden de consentimiento federal, conforme a los acuerdos con Pennsylvania y New Jersey, Trident reembolsará a los estados por los gastos incurridos en la realización de las investigaciones. Además, Fox & Roach invertirá $150,000 en la publicidad en comunidades de color por la zona metropolitana de Philadelphia.
El Departamento de Justicia y la CFPB investigaron este asunto conjuntamente, con el apoyo de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Este de Pennsylvania. La investigación fue coordinada estrechamente con los Fiscales Generales de la Mancomunidad de Pennsylvania y los estados de New Jersey y Delaware.
El acuerdo forma parte de la Iniciativa para Combatir la Exclusión Financiera del Departamento de Justicia, un esfuerzo coordinado de aplicación de la ley cuyo objetivo es abordar esta forma persistente de discriminación contra comunidades de color. La iniciativa está expandiendo el alcance del Departamento al fortalecer las asociaciones con Fiscalías Federales por todo el país, socios regulatorios y nuestros socios en las Fiscalías Generales Estatales. Para más información sobre los esfuerzos de la Sección por hacer cumplir las leyes de préstamos justos, vaya a https://www.justice.gov/crt-espanol/hce. Los individuos pueden denunciar incidentes de discriminación en el ámbito crediticio llamando a la línea informativa del Departamento de Justicia para discriminación en la vivienda al 1-833-591-0291 o entregando un informe en línea.
Readout of Justice Department Leadership Meeting with Reproductive and Civil Rights OrganizationsRead the Press Release
Yesterday afternoon, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta met with representatives from reproductive rights, health, and justice groups and other civil rights organizations. During the meeting, Department leadership heard from the organizations about the impact of Dobbs across the country, including on communities of color and other vulnerable communities attempting to access reproductive healthcare. Associate Attorney General Gupta, who chairs the Department’s Reproductive Rights Task Force, updated participants on the Task Force’s work and discussed the Department’s ongoing efforts to protect reproductive freedom.
The Justice Department also launched a webpage today, www.justice.gov/reproductive-rights, to provide a centralized online resource of the Department’s work to protect access to comprehensive health services.
MS-13 Member Sentenced to Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy Involving MurderRead the Press Release
An MS-13 gang member was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for his murder of a 19-year-old in 2015.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the trial of three co-defendants, Juan Garcia-Gomez, aka Scooby, 26, of El Salvador, conspired to participate in the affairs of Mara Salvatrucha, a violent criminal gang also known as MS-13, founded in Los Angeles and active in numerous states across the United States, as well as in El Salvador, Central America, and Mexico. MS-13 is governed by a core set of rules, including a standing order to kill rival gang members and a strict rule against cooperating with law enforcement. MS-13 is organized into a series of sub-units, or “cliques,” that operate in specific geographic locations, and each clique is typically controlled by a single leader, sometimes known as the “First Word.” Two cliques that were active in and around Hudson County, New Jersey, were the Pinos Locos Salvatrucha clique, of which Garcia-Gomez was a member/associate, and the Hudson Locos Salvatrucha clique.
Based on court documents, Garcia-Gomez’s plea agreement, and evidence presented at the trial of three co-defendants, in July 2015, Jose Urias-Hernandez, then 19 years old, was shot and killed execution-style by Garcia-Gomez with a single shot to the back of his head as he entered his home. Garcia-Gomez participated in the murder because he was ordered by MS-13 leadership to commit the murder to achieve membership in the gang.
“Due to the dedicated efforts of the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners, Garcia-Gomez and his fellow gang members will no longer be able to victimize this community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue MS-13 gang members who take the lives of others and prey on the communities through violence and intimidation and will not stop in our pursuit of justice for the victims of this violent gang.”
“Garcia-Gomez committed a brutal and violent crime to gain membership in a criminal organization known for its brutality and violence,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “He wasn’t even out of his teens when he complied with MS-13’s orders and snuffed out another young man’s life, ruining the lives of his victim’s family and friends and ending any chance at a decent life for himself. This sentence will keep this violent criminal off of our streets.”
“Garcia-Gomez and his fellow gang members plagued their community with violence,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI, in hand with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those offenders carrying out brutal violence in our communities. This action shows the FBI’s commitment to dismantling these organized criminal enterprises and keeping the communities we serve safe.”
“Today’s sentencing puts not only a violent murderer behind bars, but a confirmed gang member, narcotics trafficker, and extortioner: a serious threat to public safety,” said Acting Deputy Director Patrick J. Lechleitner of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “We will use every tool available to investigate transnational criminals, like this defendant, whose lack of humanity is profound. Our officers and special agents will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice, while focusing on getting victims the assistance they need.”
In addition to Garcia-Gomez, nine defendants were charged in this investigation against MS-13 in New Jersey, including Jose Gimenez-Lobos, aka Infernal, aka Terrible, 31, of El Salvador, and Jose Rivera-Robles, aka Layo, 36, of El Salvador. One defendant, Christian Linares-Rodriguez, aka Donkey, 42, is a high-ranking MS-13 member who is currently incarcerated in El Salvador and is awaiting extradition to the United States. Three other defendants have been convicted at trial in November 2021, including Juan Pablo Escalante-Melgar, aka Humilde, Elmer Cruz-Diaz, aka Locote, and Oscar Sanchez-Aguilar, aka Snappy, and are awaiting sentencing. At sentencing, Esclante-Melgar, Cruz-Diaz, and Sanchez-Aguilar each face a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations the Hudson County Prosecutors Office, and the West New York Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Matthew K. Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace for the District of New Jersey prosecuted the case.
Las Vegas Real Estate Professional Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Nevada man pleaded guilty today to evading payment of taxes he owed to the IRS.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2009 through 2019 Scott Lawrence owned and operated Turn Two Inc., a Nevada real estate company. In March 2010, the IRS levied Lawrence’s personal bank account to satisfy an existing tax debt he owed to the IRS. After learning of the IRS levy, Lawrence started taking steps to thwart the IRS’s collection efforts. He began depositing a small portion of his wife’s paycheck into the levied bank account and withdrew the remaining portion in cash. Beginning in 2011, Lawrence began depositing his wife’s entire paycheck and other earnings into a corporate bank account held by Turn Two, and used that account to pay most of his family’s personal living expenses. Lawrence also directed his attorney to pay taxes owed to the IRS on an intentionally overdrawn bank account and to send a materially misleading letter to the agency. In all, as a result of his evasive conduct, Lawrence owes more than $1.9 million in restitution to the IRS for his delinquent tax debt from 2005 through 2019.
Lawrence is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 26, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Patrick Burns and Boris Bourget of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Justice Department and National Labor Relations Board Announce Partnership to Protect WorkersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) today to strengthen the partnership between the two agencies to better protect competitive labor markets and ensure that workers are able to freely exercise their rights under the labor laws. By strengthening their partnership, the agencies also achieve the objectives of the President’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy just days after the Order’s one-year anniversary.
“Protecting competition in labor markets is fundamental to the ability of workers to earn just rewards for their work, to live out the American dream, and to provide for their families,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “By cooperating more closely with our colleagues in the NLRB, we can share information on potential violations of the antitrust and labor laws, collaborate on new policies and ensure that workers are protected from collusion and unlawful employer behavior. As the department noted in the amicus brief we submitted in the NLRB’s recent Atlanta Opera matter, we support the Board’s ongoing efforts to update its guidance to ensure that workers are properly classified under the labor laws. Protecting the right of workers to earn a fair wage is core to the work of both our agencies, and it will continue to receive extraordinary vigilance from the Antitrust Division.”
“Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), workers have the right to organize to improve their pay and working conditions,” said NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo. “When businesses interfere with worker organizing, either through creating structures designed to evade labor law or through anticompetitive practices, it hinders our economy and our democracy. This MOU will strengthen the federal government’s ability to effectively stop this kind of unlawful activity and, therefore, to better protect workers’ right to freely associate with one another to improve their wages and working conditions and to collectively bargain through freely chosen representatives.”
The Department of Justice and the NLRB share an interest in promoting open and competitive labor markets, including through protecting American workers from collusive or anticompetitive employer practices and unlawful interference with employees’ right to organize. Through greater coordination in information sharing, enforcement activity and training, the two agencies will maximize the enforcement of federal laws, including the labor laws under the NLRB’s jurisdiction and the antitrust laws enforced by the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. In particular, this MOU will allow the two agencies to refer to each other, as appropriate, and to coordinate on policy, strategy and training.
Information about possible antitrust violations or potential anticompetitive activity should be reported to the Antitrust Division Citizen Complaint Center. To learn more about how to seek whistleblower protection under the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act, please go to https://www.whistleblowers.gov/complaint_page.
Workers who believe that their labor rights have been violated can call 1-844-762-6572 for assistance filing an unfair labor practice charge. Or they can contact their closest NLRB Field Office or submit a charge on the NLRB’s website.
Justice Department Commemorates the 32nd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice commemorates the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the preeminent civil rights law requiring equal opportunity for people with disabilities. Recently, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic have exacted a steep toll on many people with disabilities and shed light on the continued urgency of ADA enforcement.
“The Americans with Disabilities Act embodies a national promise to eliminate discriminatory barriers and support full participation, community integration, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will continue using this bedrock civil rights law to eliminate barriers and safeguard the rights of people with disabilities across the country.”
Promoting Web Accessibility
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown, for example, the vital importance of equal access to the web. This year, the department published guidance on the ADA requirements for website accessibility and announced it is also undertaking a rulemaking concerning standards for web accessibility for state and local government entities. The department’s enforcement efforts have removed barriers that prevented people with disabilities from booking vaccine appointments on the web and finding critical vaccine information. Since November 2021, the department has reached settlement agreements with CVS Pharmacy Inc., Hy-Vee Inc., The Kroger Co., Meijer Inc. and Rite Aid Corporation to ensure that people with disabilities can book COVID-19 vaccine appointments and obtain vaccine information online.
Warning About the Risks of Artificial Intelligence in Hiring
The department has also prioritized ensuring that state and local government employers do not use new technologies to discriminate against job applicants or employees with disabilities. In May, the department, partnering closely with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, issued guidance about disability discrimination when employers use artificial intelligence and other software tools, including algorithmic decision-making tools, to make employment decisions.
Ensuring Fair Treatment of People with Opioid Use Disorder
The department has also enforced the ADA to safeguard the rights of people with opioid use disorder (OUD) who are in treatment or recovery. In April, the department published guidance explaining how the ADA protects individuals with OUD from discrimination. The department is working to ensure that people in treatment and recovery have an equal opportunity to receive services and to participate in their communities and the workforce. For example:
- In February, the department filed a lawsuit against the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, alleging that it prohibits or otherwise limits participants in its court supervision programs from using medication for OUD. And in March, the department entered into a settlement agreement to resolve similar allegations concerning Massachusetts’ drug courts.
- The department also issued a letter finding that the Indiana State Board of Nursing violated the ADA by denying a nurse the opportunity to participate in a rehabilitation program, required to reinstate her nursing license, because she takes medication for OUD.
- The department secured a settlement agreement with a Colorado-based employment, residential and social services program resolving allegations that the program denied admission to an individual because she takes medication for OUD.
Promoting Access to Transportation including Ridesharing Services
After filing a lawsuit in November, the department entered into a multi million-dollar settlement agreement with Uber Technologies Inc. Under the agreement, Uber committed to policy changes and will offer several million dollars in compensation to more than 65,000 Uber users who were charged discriminatory fees due to disability.
Fighting Segregation and Criminalization of People with Disabilities
Finally, the department continues to prioritize enforcement of the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C., a landmark case ruling that the ADA prohibits unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities. The department’s enforcement of Olmstead has enabled thousands of people with disabilities to live in their homes and communities instead of in institutions. For example:
- In June, the department issued a letter finding that Maine unnecessarily institutionalizes children with mental health or intellectual and developmental disabilities in psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment facilities and a juvenile justice facility. In March, the department issued a letter finding that Colorado unnecessarily segregates adults with physical disabilities in nursing homes.
- The department also launched statewide Olmstead investigations in response to complaints. In May, the department opened an investigation into whether Kentucky unnecessarily segregates people with serious mental illness in the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro area in psychiatric hospitals and places them at risk of law enforcement encounters. The department is also investigating the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government and the Louisville Metro Police Department concerning their systems for responding to people experiencing behavioral health crises.
For more information about the ADA, please visit ada.gov or call the department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383). For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit justice.gov/crt.
Ex-port worker ordered to pay nearly $40,000 in restitution for phoning in workplace bomb threatRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Toombs County, Ga., man has been ordered to repay the cost for shutting down a Port of Savannah facility with a phoned-in bomb threat.
Elliott Sherman, a/k/a “Amir Turner,” 23, was ordered to pay $38,400 in restitution after pleading guilty to False Information and Hoaxes, said U.S. Attorney David H. Estes. Sherman, who has been in custody since his arrest in May 2021, also was sentenced to time served, and to serve two years of supervised release.
“With the thoughtless tap of a few keys on his phone, Elliott Sherman shut down a major port facility and initiated a significant law enforcement response,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “He also cost himself a job, his freedom, and thousands of dollars. That’s a hard price to pay for impatience and immaturity.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Sherman was assigned to the California Cartage CFS 2 building in Port Wentworth as an employee of a staffing agency. Sherman had been dismissed early on Sept. 11, 2020, and admitted calling in a bomb threat so the other workers in his carpool also would be dismissed and he wouldn’t have to wait for his ride home.
During the ensuing investigation, the company was forced to halt operations at two warehouses at a cost of $38,400.
“Hoax threats consume law enforcement resources needed for actual emergencies, disrupt commerce, and terrify potential threatened victims,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Anyone who decides to carry out a threat like this, especially one so inappropriately timed, can expect the FBI to come knocking to hold them accountable.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, Georgia Ports Authority Police, and the Vidalia Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer G. Solari and Joshua S. Bearden.
Staffing Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Payroll Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A former New York City resident pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to collect and pay over employment taxes to the IRS on behalf of the temporary employment staffing agency he owned and operated.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Steven Heppenheimer, 73, owned and operated a temporary employment business under two names, PTP Staffing Associates Inc. and PPS Associates Inc. From 2013 through 2017, Heppenheimer did not file any of the required quarterly payroll tax returns. As owner of the company, Heppenheimer was legally obligated to withhold from employee wages and pay over to the IRS payroll taxes, which included Social Security and Medicare taxes and federal income taxes. During that time, Heppenheimer withheld approximately $292,000 in payroll taxes from his employees’ wages, but he did not pay over any of these funds to the IRS.
Heppenheimer is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 25, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of five years prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Ann M. Cherry and Brittney Campbell of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Justice Department, EPA and State of Colorado Settlement with DCP Operating Company LP Resolves Clean Air Act Violations at Natural Gas Plants in ColoradoRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the State of Colorado today announced a settlement with DCP Operating Company LP and five other subsidiaries of DCP Midstream LP that will strengthen leak detection and repair practices at eight natural gas processing plants in Weld County, Colorado, located within the Denver Metro/North Front Range Ozone Nonattainment Area.
The settlement was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado along with a complaint that alleges DCP violated leak detection and repair requirements in federal and state clean air laws, resulting in excess emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and other pollutants to the atmosphere. As part of the settlement, DCP will take corrective actions and pay a $3.25 million civil penalty for the alleged violations.
“Leaks from equipment like valves, pumps, and connectors are a significant source of harmful air pollutants,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Enforcement actions like this are critical to improving air quality, particularly in places facing air quality challenges like Weld County.”
“EPA continues to deliver cleaner air through the rigorous enforcement of the Clean Air Act,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “This settlement will reduce emissions of over 288 tons of volatile organic compounds and 1,300 tons of methane from production areas near northern Colorado communities, a majority of which are disproportionately impacted by pollution.”
“The Air Pollution Control Division’s Leak Detection and Repair Program is among the most innovative programs in the nation. Because of our inspectors and enforcement action team, we are able to hold DCP accountable to reducing their emissions from potential leaks,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE). “The resources obtained from the settlement will help contribute to our Community Impact Fund, a program which supports community-led environmental justice projects.”
“The Colorado Attorney General’s Office is proud to support the Air Pollution Control Division in this important work to protect and improve Colorado’s air quality, particularly in communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution,” said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. “This settlement serves as a model for addressing complex issues through collaboration between our state agencies and federal counterparts like EPA and the Department of Justice.”
Under the settlement, DCP has agreed to strengthen its leak detection and repair practices at the Greeley, Kersey/Mewbourne, Platteville, Roggen, Spindle, O’Connor and Lucerne natural gas processing plants, as well as the to-be-constructed Bighorn natural gas processing plant. These commitments include installing equipment that leaks less pollution to the atmosphere, reviewing compliance with leak detection and repair requirements, and repairing leaking equipment faster. DCP will also improve staff training for leak detection and repair at its facilities. Additionally, DCP has agreed to use optical gas imaging technology to improve the visual detection of leaks and address them quickly.
DCP will also install additional pollution reduction measures at the Kersey/Mewbourne natural gas processing plant that are intended to mitigate the harm caused by its past emissions. Specifically, DCP will install a dry seal recompression system on two turbines at the Kersey/Mewbourne plant. This project will cost an estimated $1.15 million and is expected to reduce VOC emissions by 26 tons per year and methane emissions by 375 tons per year.
The Denver Metro/North Front Range nonattainment area, which includes Weld County, does not meet national air quality standards for ground-level ozone pollution. Equipment leaks at DCP’s plants emit VOCs, which lead to the formation of ground-level ozone. Ozone contributes to serious public health concerns, including respiratory illness, aggravation of existing heart disease and temporary breathing difficulty for people with asthma. Young children and the elderly are especially sensitive to these impacts. Leaks from equipment at DCP’s plants also emit methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.
Working with CDPHE, EPA’s enforcement program is increasing efforts in Colorado to ensure compliance and protect the health of vulnerable populations. Several of the natural gas processing plants covered under this settlement are located in disproportionately impacted communities.
The consent decree is available for public viewing in the attached. The United States will publish a notice of the Consent Decree’s lodging with the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado in the Federal Register, and will accept public comment for 30 days after the notice is published. The Federal Register notice will also include instructions for submitting public comment.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit and Proposed Consent Decrees to End Long-Running Conspiracy to Suppress Worker Pay at Poultry Processing Plants and Address Deceptive Abuses Against Poultry GrowersRead the Press Release
Decree Provisions Would Stop the Exchange of Compensation Information, Ban President of Data Consulting Firm from Industry, Subject Settling Poultry Processors to 10-Year Antitrust Compliance Monitor; Decree Would also Prohibit Deceptive Conduct Towards Chicken Growers that Lowers Their Compensation
The Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland against a data consulting firm and its president, as well as three poultry processors, to end a long-running conspiracy to exchange information about wages and benefits for poultry processing plant workers and collaborate with their competitors on compensation decisions in violation of the Sherman Act.
The lawsuit also alleges that two of the poultry processors violated the Packers and Stockyards Act by engaging in deceptive practices associated with the “tournament system,” which pits chicken growers against each other to determine their compensation. At the same time, the department filed proposed consent decrees with Defendants Webber, Meng, Sahl and Company (WMS) and its President, G. Jonathan Meng, as well as Cargill Inc., Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, Sanderson Farms Inc. and Wayne Farms LLC.
“Through a brazen scheme to exchange wage and benefit information, these poultry processors stifled competition and harmed a generation of plant workers who face demanding and sometimes dangerous conditions to earn a living,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Doha Mekki of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s action puts companies and individuals on notice: the Antitrust Division will use all of its available legal authorities to address anticompetitive conduct that harms consumers, workers, farmers and other American producers.”
“I’m so pleased to see the close partnership between the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Justice Department has led to enforcement that is good for farmers,” said Andy Green, USDA’s Senior Advisor for Fair and Competitive Markets. “This resolution yields significant reforms to the poultry tournament system, including ending one of its most troubling aspects around deceptive base prices, and enhancing transparency in contracting, earnings and inputs that will protect and benefit growers — as USDA has proposed in our Packers & Stockyard Act rulemaking.”
If approved by the court, the proposed consent decree with data consulting firm WMS would ban WMS from providing surveys or any other services that facilitate the sharing of competitively sensitive information in any industry. Jonathan Meng, WMS’s President, is also subject to the terms of the consent decree in his individual capacity.
The proposed consent decree with defendant poultry processors Cargill, Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms would prohibit them from sharing competitively sensitive information about poultry processing plant workers’ compensation. It would also:
- Impose on the poultry processors a court-appointed compliance monitor who, for the next decade, will ensure their compliance with the terms of the proposed decree;
- Grant the court-appointed monitor broad authority to ensure their compliance with all federal antitrust laws as they relate to their poultry processing facilities, workers at their poultry processing plants, chicken growers, integrated poultry feed, hatcheries, transportation of poultry and poultry products, and the sale of poultry and submit regular reports on the processors’ antitrust compliance;
- Permit the Antitrust Division to inspect the processors’ facilities and interview their employees to ensure compliance with the consent decree; and
- Require the companies to commit to pay $84.8 million, collectively, in restitution for poultry processing plant workers who were harmed by the information exchange conspiracy.
These terms would expire 10 years after the consent decree is approved by the court.
Additionally, the proposed consent decree with Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms would resolve alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act, which prohibits, among other things, deceptive practices in poultry markets. As alleged in the complaint, poultry processors use a “tournament system” to adjust a chicken grower’s “base payment” based on how well the grower performs relative to other growers. The poultry processors, however, control nearly all the key inputs, including the chicks delivered to the growers and their poultry feed, that often determine a grower’s success. In allocating this financial risk to their chicken growers, Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms failed to provide information that would have allowed their growers to evaluate and manage their financial risk. The proposed consent decree would:
- Prevent Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms from penalizing chicken growers by reducing their base payments as a result of relative performance, while still allowing for incentive, bonus and other types of payments to growers;
- Require expanded information disclosures in grower contracts, consistent with proposed transparency rules set out by the USDA; and
- Prohibit retaliation against growers who raise antitrust concerns with the court-appointed compliance monitor or the government.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed consent decrees, along with the competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed consent decrees during a 60-day comment period to Lee F. Berger, Chief, Civil Conduct Task Force, Antitrust Division, Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 8600, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
Today’s lawsuit is part of a broader investigation into anticompetitive labor market abuses in the poultry processing industry. Anyone with information about poultry industry collusion, competitors sharing non-public compensation information, anticompetitive conduct violations against workers or any other violations of the antitrust laws is encouraged to contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or [email protected]. The division will forward complaints about the settling processor defendants to the court-appointed antitrust monitor where appropriate. Information about anticompetitive practices in livestock and poultry markets can also be submitted to the USDA and Justice Department Agricultural Markets Enforcement Partnership at www.farmerfairness.gov.
The claims resolved by the resolutions announced today are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
CEO of Titanium Blockchain Pleads Guilty in $21 Million Cryptocurrency Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The CEO of Titanium Blockchain Infrastructure Services Inc. (TBIS) pleaded guilty Friday in the Central District of California for his role in a cryptocurrency fraud scheme involving TBIS’s initial coin offering (ICO) that raised approximately $21 million from investors in the United States and overseas.
According to court documents, Michael Alan Stollery, 54, of Reseda, California, was the CEO and founder of TBIS, a purported cryptocurrency investment platform, and touted TBIS as a cryptocurrency investment opportunity, luring investors to purchase “BARs,” the cryptocurrency token or coin offered by TBIS’s ICO, through a series of false and misleading statements. Although he was required to do so, Stollery did not register the ICO regarding TBIS’s cryptocurrency investment offering with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), nor did he have a valid exemption from the SEC’s registration requirements.
Stollery admitted that, to entice investors, he falsified aspects of TBIS’s white papers, which purportedly offered investors and prospective investors an explanation of the cryptocurrency investment offering, including the purpose and technology behind the offering, how the offering was different from other cryptocurrency opportunities, and the prospects for the offering’s profitability. Stollery also planted fake client testimonials on TBIS’s website and falsely claimed that he had business relationships with the Federal Reserve and dozens of prominent companies to create the false appearance of legitimacy. Stollery further admitted that he did not use the invested money as promised but instead commingled the ICO investors’ funds with his personal funds, using at least a portion of the offering proceeds for expenses unrelated to TBIS, such as credit card payments and the payment of bills for Stollery’s Hawaii condominium.
Stollery pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Cory Nootnagel of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, Western Region, made the announcement.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office and the Federal Reserve Board’s Federal Reserve Board’s OIG Western Region San Francisco Office are investigating the case.
Fraud Section Trial Attorneys Kevin Lowell, Tian Huang, and Andrew Tyler are prosecuting the case.
司法部對德克薩斯州休斯頓市展開環境正義調查Read the Press Release
Download Traditional Chinese Press Release Translation
華盛頓——司法部 (Department of Justice, DOJ) 今天宣佈已開始對休斯頓市有關非法傾倒 的運營、政策和做法展開一次環境正義調查。 這項調查將由 Civil Rights Division（民權 司）帶頭審查該市在響應市政服務要求時（包括在響應非法傾倒時）是否違反了聯邦民權 法律，對休斯頓的黑人和拉丁裔居民進行了歧視。
「非法垃圾場不僅吸引齧齒動物、蚊蟲和其他害蟲，造成健康風險，還可能污染地表水， 影響正常排水，使該地區更易發生洪災，」司法部 Civil Rights Division 助理檢察長克裡 斯汀·克拉克 (Kristen Clarke) 表示。「在美國，不應有人因無效的固體廢物管理或不完善 的執法計畫而面臨生病和遭到其他嚴重傷害的風險。我們將對這些環境正義問題及其對休 斯頓市的黑人和拉丁裔社區的影響展開公平和徹底的調查。」
「非法垃圾場會引起人們對公共健康和安全、物業價值和生活品質的重大擔憂，」德克薩 斯州南部地區的美國檢察官珍妮佛 B. 勞維裡 (Jennifer B. Lowery) 表示。「我們期待著與 Civil Rights Division 展開合作，確保休斯頓市履行其聯邦民權義務。」
本次調查將審查該市針對非法傾倒的執法和固體廢物管理的運營、政策和做法是否導致對 黑人和拉丁裔居民的歧視，進而違反了 1964 年《民權法案》第 VI 章 (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI)。Title VI 禁止聯邦財政援助的接受者基於種族、膚色或原籍 進行歧視。
Civil Rights Division 的聯邦協調與合規科 (Federal Coordination and Compliance Section) 正 在德克薩斯州南部地區美國檢察官辦公室的支援下進行這項調查。在宣佈之前，司法部已 向休斯頓市的市長辦公室和法律部門通報了調查啟動的情況。
透過執行國家民權法律來應對歧視性的環境和健康影響是司法部的一項首要任務。2022 年 5 月，司法部長梅裡克·加蘭德 (Merrick Garland) 宣佈設立有史以來第一個環境正義辦 公室 (Office of Environmental Justice)。 他還宣佈發佈了司法部的綜合環境正義執法戰略 (Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy)，這為使用司法部的民事和刑 事執法權力和工具（包括民權權力）以實現環境正義提供了一套路線圖。2022 年 7 月， 司法部還發佈了 2022-26 年戰略規劃 (2022-26 Strategic Plan)，將保護民權和推進環境正義 確立為一個焦點領域。2021 年 11 月， Civil Rights Division 宣佈了其對 DOJ 接受者， 即：阿拉巴馬州公共衛生局 (Alabama Department of Public Health) 和朗茲縣衛生局 (Lowndes County Health Department)，進行首次 Title VI 環境正義調查。
「司法部最近設立的 Office of Environmental Justice 和綜合環境正義執法戰略確認了我們 對追求法律之下的平等正義所做出的堅定承諾，」司法部環境與自然資源司 (Environment and Natural Resources Division) 助理檢察長陶德·金 (Todd Kim) 表示。 「這項調查體現了 司法部對緩和有色人種社區、低收入社區和部落社區經常承受的不成比例的環境負擔所做 的承諾。」
我們鼓勵有相關資訊的個人透過電子郵件 [email protected] 或致電 1-888-TITLE06 (1-888-848-5306) 的形式與 Federal Coordination and Compliance Section 取得聯繫。 如 需有關 Civil Rights Division 的其他資訊，請查看其網站 www.justice.gov/crt。如需有關 Environment and Natural Resources Division 的其他資訊，請查看其網站 www.justice.gov/enrd。請在此處查看本新聞稿的西班牙語版。
司法部对德克萨斯州休斯顿市展开环境正义调查Read the Press Release
Download Simplified Chinese Press Release Translation
华盛顿——司法部 (Department of Justice, DOJ) 今天宣布已开始对休斯顿市有关非法倾倒 的运营、政策和做法展开一次环境正义调查。这项调查将由 Civil Rights Division（民权 司）带头审查该市在响应市政服务要求时（包括在响应非法倾倒时）是否违反了联邦民权 法律，对休斯顿的黑人和拉丁裔居民进行了歧视。
“非法垃圾场不仅吸引啮齿动物、蚊虫和其他害虫，造成健康风险，还可能污染地表水， 影响正常排水，使该地区更易发生洪灾，”司法部 Civil Rights Division 助理检察长克里 斯汀·克拉克 (Kristen Clarke) 表示。“在美国，不应有人因无效的固体废物管理或不完 善的执法计划而面临生病和遭到其他严重伤害的风险。我们将对这些环境正义问题及其对 休斯顿市的黑人和拉丁裔社区的影响展开公平和彻底的调查。”
“非法垃圾场会引起人们对公共健康和安全、物业价值和生活质量的重大担忧，”德克萨 斯州南部地区的美国检察官珍妮弗 B. 劳维里 (Jennifer B. Lowery) 表示。“我们期待着与 Civil Rights Division 展开合作，确保休斯顿市履行其联邦民权义务。”
本次调查将审查该市针对非法倾倒的执法和固体废物管理的运营、政策和做法是否导致对 黑人和拉丁裔居民的歧视，进而违反了 1964 年《民权法案》第 VI 章 (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI)。Title VI 禁止联邦财政援助的接受者基于种族、肤色或原籍 进行歧视。
Civil Rights Division 的联邦协调与合规科 (Federal Coordination and Compliance Section) 正 在德克萨斯州南部地区美国检察官办公室的支持下进行这项调查。在宣布之前，司法部已 向休斯顿市的市长办公室和法律部门通报了调查启动的情况。
通过执行国家民权法律来应对歧视性的环境和健康影响是司法部的一项首要任务。2022 年 5 月，司法部长梅里克·加兰德 (Merrick Garland) 宣布设立有史以来第一个环境正义办 公室 (Office of Environmental Justice)。 他还宣布发布了司法部的综合环境正义执法战略 (Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy)，这为使用司法部的民事和刑 事执法权力和工具（包括民权权力）以实现环境正义提供了一套路线图。2022 年 7 月， 司法部还发布了 2022-26 年战略规划 (2022-26 Strategic Plan)，将保护民权和推进环境正义 确立为一个焦点领域。2021 年 11 月， Civil Rights Division 宣布了其对 DOJ 接受者， 即：阿拉巴马州公共卫生局 (Alabama Department of Public Health) 和朗兹县卫生局 (Lowndes County Health Department)，进行首次 Title VI 环境正义调查。
“司法部最近设立的 Office of Environmental Justice 和综合环境正义执法战略确认了我们 对追求法律之下的平
等正义所做出的坚定承诺，”司法部环境与自然资源司 (Environment and Natural Resources Division) 助理检察长托德·金 (Todd Kim) 表示。 “这项调查体现 了司法部对缓和有色人种社区、低收入社区和部落社区经常承受的不成比例的环境负担所 做的承诺。”
我们鼓励有相关信息的个人通过电子邮件 [email protected] 或致电 1-888-TITLE06 (1-888-848-5306) 的形式与 Federal Coordination and Compliance Section 取得联系。 如 需有关 Civil Rights Division 的其他信息，请查看其网站 www.justice.gov/crt。如需有关 Environment and Natural Resources Division 的其他信息，请查看其网站 www.justice.gov/enrd。请在此处查看本新闻稿的西班牙语版。
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Calls Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon to Discuss the Extradition of Rafael Caro-QuinteroRead the Press Release
This afternoon, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland spoke by phone with Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon. The two leaders previously met in Mexico City during the first U.S.-Mexico High-Level Security Dialogue (HLSD). During today’s call, Attorney General Garland expressed his gratitude to Secretary Ebrard and the Government of Mexico for successfully arresting Rafael Caro-Quintero. The Attorney General also offered his condolences to the families and loved ones of the Mexican servicemembers who gave their lives in service to their country last week. The two leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to working expeditiously on the extradition of Caro-Quintero, who is wanted in the United States on a number of criminal charges, including his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985.
Readout of Reproductive Rights Task Force Meeting with Offices of State Attorneys GeneralRead the Press Release
This afternoon, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta and members of the Reproductive Rights Task Force met with senior staff from offices of state attorneys general to discuss the Task Force and the work state attorneys general are doing in their communities to respond to the Dobbs decision. The Associate and Task Force members updated participants on the Task Force’s work. The state attorneys general’s offices provided information about developments in their states, including what they are seeing and hearing from women and providers. This information will help inform the Task Force’s work going forward.
The Task Force will continue meeting with stakeholders and coordinating with government partners in the coming weeks.
Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco’s Trip to ColoradoRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General (Deputy AG) Lisa O. Monaco traveled to Colorado this week to highlight the Justice Department’s mission to protect and defend the rule of law.
On Wednesday, the Deputy AG was in Aspen, Colorado, to speak at the Aspen Security Forum. Alongside Treasury Deputy Secretary Walley Adeyemo, she discussed the wide-ranging response by the Justice and Treasury Departments as part of the U.S. government’s ongoing efforts to impose consequences on the Russian regime for its unprovoked aggression in Ukraine.
In particular, the Deputy AG highlighted the success of the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, and its work with partners across the U.S. government and around the world to enforce the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed on Russia. She also described the department’s resolve to expose the corruption that has benefited the Russian regime, saying:
“It is important, I think, to expose the corruption; to do everything we can to go after these ill-gotten gains — whether they’re in bank accounts here, whether they’re in the form of planes or yachts, you name it — and to expose this corruption to say that there’s no place that you can hide these ill-gotten gains — we’ll go to Fiji if we have to, to get [them] back.”
A video recording of the discussion, titled “Freezing, Seizing, and More: Behind the Sanctions on Russia,” is available here.
On Thursday, the Deputy AG was in Denver to visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. There she met with U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan and his leadership team, and received a series of briefings on cases from across the district. She also had an opportunity to hear from and talk with the men and women of the U.S Attorney’s Office during an all-hands meeting. Finally, the Deputy AG convened a roundtable with state, local, federal and Tribal law enforcement leaders to discuss public safety issues — including violent crime and the ongoing threat posed by fentanyl. Deputy AG Monaco thanked the assembled leaders for their partnership.
Deputy AG Monaco and Treasury Deputy Secretary Adeyemo at the Aspen Security Forum
Deputy AG Monaco meets with US Attorney Finegan, state, local, federal and Tribal law enforcement partners in DenverJustice Department Launches Environmental Justice Investigation into the City of Houston, TexasRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has opened an environmental justice investigation into the City of Houston’s operations, policies and practices related to illegal dumping. The investigation, which will be led by the Civil Rights Division, will examine whether the City responds to requests for municipal services, including in response to illegal dumping, in a manner that discriminates against Black and Latino Houston residents in violation of federal civil rights laws.
“Illegal dumpsites not only attract rodents, mosquitos and other vermin that pose health risks, but they can also contaminate surface water and impact proper drainage, making areas more susceptible to flooding,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one in the United States should be exposed to risk of illness and other serious harm because of ineffective solid waste management or inadequate enforcement programs. We will conduct a fair and thorough investigation of these environmental justice concerns and their impact on Black and Latino communities in the City of Houston.”
“Illegal dumpsites can raise significant concerns regarding public health and safety, property values, and quality of life,” said U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery for the Southern District of Texas. “We look forward to working with the Civil Rights Division to ensure the City of Houston is in compliance with its federal civil rights obligations.”
The investigation will examine whether the City’s enforcement and solid waste management operations, policies and practices in response to illegal dumping have resulted in discrimination against Black and Latino residents in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI). Title VI prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin.
The Civil Rights Division’s Federal Coordination and Compliance Section is conducting this investigation with the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. Prior to the announcement, the department informed the City of Houston’s mayor’s office and legal department of the investigation’s initiation.
Addressing discriminatory environmental and health impacts through enforcement of the nation’s civil rights laws is a top priority of the Department of Justice. In May 2022, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the creation of the first-ever Office of Environmental Justice. He also announced the issuance of the Justice Department’s Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy, which provides a roadmap for using the department’s civil and criminal enforcement authorities and tools, including civil rights authorities, to achieve environmental justice. In July 2022, the department released its 2022-26 Strategic Plan, which includes protecting civil rights and advancing environmental justice as an area of focus. In November 2021, the Civil Rights Division announced its first Title VI environmental justice investigation of Justice Department recipients, the Alabama Department of Public Health and Lowndes County Health Department.
“The Justice Department’s recent creation of the Office of Environmental Justice and a Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy affirm our deep commitment to pursuing equal justice under law,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This investigation exemplifies the department’s commitment to alleviating disproportionate environmental burdens borne all too often by communities of color, low-income communities and tribal communities.”
Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Federal Coordination and Compliance Section by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-888-TITLE-06 (1-888-848-5306). Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Additional information about the Environment and Natural Resources Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/enrd. View the Spanish translation of this press release here.
Former Kentucky Department of Corrections Probation and Parole Officer Indicted for Civil Rights Violations and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, charging a Kentucky man with using his former position as a probation officer to engage in unwanted sexual contact with individuals under his supervision.
According to court documents, Ronald R. Tyler, 55, of Shepherdsville, Kentucky, has been charged with engaging in unwanted sexual contact with four individuals who were under his supervision and with making false statements during an interview with the Kentucky State Police for the purpose of obstructing an investigation into allegations he had sexually assaulted females under his supervision.
Tyler made an initial appearance on the indictment today. He is charged with four counts for allegedly violating the civil rights of probationers by subjecting them to unwanted sexual conduct, and one count for the allegedly false statement to investigators. One of the civil rights counts alleges that the offense involved aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted, Tyler faces a maximum of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky; and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit jointly investigated the case through the Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory of the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
El Departamento de Justicia lanza una investigación de justicia medioambiental en la Ciudad de Houston, TexasRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha iniciado una investigación de justicia medioambiental de las operaciones, políticas y prácticas de la Ciudad de Houston en lo que se refiere al vertido ilegal. La investigación, que será dirigida por la División de Derechos Civiles, examinará si la Ciudad responde a solicitudes de servicios municipales, incluyendo en respuesta al vertido ilegal, de una manera que discrimina a residentes negros y latinos, en contra de las leyes federales de derechos civiles.
“Los vertederos ilícitos no solo atraen a roedores, mosquitos y otros parásitos que representan un riesgo a la salud, sino que también contaminan el agua de superficie y afectan el drenaje adecuado, lo que hace que ciertas zonas sean más susceptibles a la inundación”, afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Nadie en los Estados Unidos debe ser expuesto al riesgo de la enfermedad u otro tipo de daño grave a causa de una gestión ineficaz de los residuos sólidos o de programas inadecuados de aplicación de la ley. Nosotros realizaremos una investigación justa y completa de estas preocupaciones de justicia medioambiental y su impacto en las comunidades negras y latinas de la Ciudad de Houston”.
“Los vertederos ilegales pueden generar un nivel de inquietud significativo en cuanto a la salud y seguridad públicas, los valores de las propiedades y la calidad de vida”, declaró Jennifer B. Lowery, la Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Sur de Texas. “Estamos deseando colaborar con la División de Derechos Civiles para garantizar que la Ciudad de Houston cumpla con sus obligaciones federales en lo que se refiere a los derechos civiles”.
La investigación examinará si la aplicación de la ley de la Ciudad, así como sus operaciones, políticas y prácticas de gestión de los residuos sólidos en respuesta al vertido ilícito, han resultado en la discriminación de residentes negros y latinos, en contra del Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (Título VI). El Título VI prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel y origen nacional por parte de beneficiarios de fondos federales.
La Sección Federal de Coordinación y Cumplimiento de la División de Derechos Civiles está dirigiendo esta investigación, con el apoyo de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Sur de Texas. Antes de la declaración, el Departamento informó a la Alcaldía de la Ciudad de Houston y su departamento legal del lanzamiento de la investigación.
Una de las prioridades principales de la División de Derechos Civiles es abordar los impactos discriminatorios en el medioambiente y la salud mediante la aplicación de las leyes nacionales de derechos civiles. En mayo del 2022, el Fiscal General Merrick Garland anunció (solo en inglés) la creación de la primera Oficina para la Justicia Medioambiental. También anunció la emisión por parte del Departamento de Justicia de la Estrategia Integral de Aplicación de la Justicia Medioambiental (solo en inglés), la cual ofrece una hoja de ruta para el uso de las herramientas y autoridades de cumplimiento de las leyes civiles y penales del Departamento, incluyendo las autoridades de derechos civiles, para lograr la justicia medioambiental. En julio del 2022, el Departamento emitió su Plan Estratégico 2022-26 (solo en inglés), que incluye la protección de los derechos civiles y la promoción de la justicia medioambiental como áreas de enfoque. En noviembre del 2021, la División de Derechos Civiles anunció su primera investigación de justicia medioambiental bajo el Título VI de beneficiarios del Departamento de Justicia, el Departamento de Salud Pública de Alabama y el Departamento de Salud del Condado de Lowndes.“La creación reciente por parte del Departamento de Justicia de la Oficina para la Justicia Medioambiental y una Estrategia Integral de Aplicación de la Justicia Mediomabiental afirma nuestro compromiso sólido a perseguir la justicia equitativa frente a la ley”, comentó el Fiscal General Auxiliar Todd Kim, de la División del Medioambiente y Recursos Naturales del Departamento de Justicia. “Esta investigación ejemplifica el compromiso del Departamento a aliviar las cargas medioambientales desproporcionadas que en demasiados casos caen sobre las comunidades de color, las comunidades de bajos ingresos y las comunidades indígenas”.
Se le pide a cualquier persona con información relevante que se comunique con la Sección Federal de Coordinación y Cumplimiento por correo electrónico a [email protected] por teléfono al 1-888-TITLE-06 (1-888-848-5306). Para más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles, visite su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt-espanol. Para más información sobre la División del Medioambiente y Recursos Naturales, visite su sitio web en www.justice.gov/enrd (solo en inglés). Haga clic aquí para ver este comunicado de prensa en inglés.
Bộ Tư Pháp Mở Cuộc Điều Tra Công Lý Môi Trường Đối Với Thành Phố Houston, TexasRead the Press Release
Download Vietnamese Press Release Translation
Hôm nay, Bộ Tư Pháp (Department of Justice, DOJ) ra thông báo mở cuộc điều tra công lý môi trường đối với các hoạt động, chính sách và phương thức của Thành Phố Houston liên quan đến hành vi xả rác bất hợp pháp. Cuộc điều tra này - do Civil Rights Division (Ban Dân Quyền) tiến hành - sẽ kiểm tra xem liệu Thành Phố có phản hồi các yêu cầu thị chính (bao gồm biện pháp ứng phó với hành vi xả rác bất hợp pháp) theo cách phân biệt đối xử với cư dân Houston là người Da Đen và người Latinh vi phạm luật dân quyền liên bang hay không.
“Không chỉ thu hút các loài gặm nhấm, muỗi cũng như những loài côn trùng khác gây nguy hiểm cho sức khỏe, các bãi rác bất hợp pháp còn làm ô nhiễm nước mặt và ảnh hưởng đến hệ thống thoát nước thích hợp, khiến cho các khu vực dễ bị ngập lụt hơn.” - Kristen Clarke, Trợ Lý Bộ Trưởng Tư Pháp thuộc Civil Rights Division của DOJ cho biết. “Không ai ở Hoa Kỳ đáng phải chịu rủi ro bệnh tật và các tổn hại nghiêm trọng khác vì hoạt động quản lý chất thải rắn không hiệu quả hoặc các chương trình thực thi không đầy đủ. Chúng tôi sẽ tiến hành một cuộc điều tra công bằng và kỹ lưỡng về những mối lo ngại liên quan đến công lý môi trường này, cũng như tác động của các vấn đề nói trên đến cộng đồng người Da Đen và người Latinh ở Thành phố Houston.”
“Các bãi rác bất hợp pháp có thể làm dấy lên những lo ngại đáng kể về sức khỏe, an toàn cộng đồng, giá trị tài sản và chất lượng cuộc sống.” - Luật Sư Hoa Kỳ Jennifer B. Lowery thuộc Quận Phía Nam của Texas chia sẻ. “Chúng tôi mong muốn được hợp tác với Civil Rights Division để đảm bảo Thành Phố Houston tuân thủ các nghĩa vụ dân quyền liên bang của mình.”
Cuộc điều tra này sẽ kiểm tra xem liệu các hoạt động thực thi, vận hành quản lý chất thải rắn, những chính sách cũng như phương thức ứng phó của Thành Phố với hành vi xả rác bất hợp pháp có dẫn đến sự phân biệt đối xử với cư dân là người Da Đen và người Latinh vi phạm Mục VI của Đạo Luật Quyền Công Dân năm 1964 (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI) hay không. Title VI cấm các bên nhận hỗ trợ tài chính liên bang phân biệt đối xử dựa trên chủng tộc, màu da hoặc nguồn gốc quốc gia.
Bộ Phận Tuân Thủ và Điều Phối Liên Bang (Federal Coordination and Compliance Section) của Civil Rights Division sẽ tiến hành cuộc điều tra này với sự hỗ trợ của Văn Phòng Luật Sư Hoa Kỳ thuộc Quận Phía Nam của Texas. Trước khi công bố, bộ đã thông báo cho văn phòng thị trưởng của Thành Phố Houston và bộ phận pháp lý về việc bắt đầu cuộc điều tra.
Ưu tiên hàng đầu của DOJ là giải quyết các tác động của hành vi phân biệt đối xử về môi trường và sức khỏe thông qua quá trình thực thi luật dân quyền của quốc gia. Vào tháng 5 năm 2022, Bộ Trưởng Tư Pháp Merrick Garland đã thông báo về việc thành lập Văn Phòng Công Lý Môi Trường (Office of Environmental Justice) đầu tiên. Ông cũng thông báo về việc ban hành Chiến Lược Thực Thi Công Lý Môi Trường Toàn Diện (Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy) của DOJ , qua đó đưa ra lộ trình vận dụng các công cụ cũng như cơ quan thực thi dân sự và hình sự của bộ (bao gồm các cơ quan dân quyền) nhằm đạt được công lý môi trường. Vào tháng 7 năm 2022, bộ đã phát hành Kế Hoạch Chiến Lược Năm 2022-26 (2022-26 Strategic Plan) ,bao gồm lĩnh vực trọng tâm là bảo vệ các quyền công dân và thúc đẩy công lý môi trường. Vào tháng 11/2021, Civil Rights Division đã công bố cuộc điều tra đầu tiên về công lý môi trường Tiêu Đề VI đối với những bên nhận của DOJ, Sở Y Tế Công Cộng Alabama và Sở Y Tế Quận Lowndes.
“Việc DOJ gần đây thành lập Office of Environmental Justice và Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy đã khẳng định cam kết sâu sắc của chúng tôi trong quá trình theo đuổi công lý bình đẳng theo luật pháp.” - Trợ Lý Bộ Trưởng Tư Pháp Todd Kim thuộc Ban Tài Nguyên và Môi Trường (Environment and Natural Resources Division) của DOJ cho biết “Cuộc điều tra này thể hiện cam kết của bộ trong việc giảm bớt gánh nặng không cân xứng về môi trường mà các cộng đồng da màu, cộng đồng có thu nhập thấp và cộng đồng bộ tộc phải chịu đựng thường xuyên.”
Các cá nhân có thông tin phù hợp nên liên hệ với Federal Coordination and Compliance Section qua email tại [email protected] hoặc qua điện thoại theo số 1-888-TITLE-06 (1-888- 848-5306). Thông tin thêm về Civil Rights Division có trên trang web của họ tại www.justice.gov/crt. Thông tin thêm về Environment and Natural Resources Division có trên trang web của họ tại www.justice.gov/enrd. Xem bản dịch tiếng Tây Ban Nha của thông cáo báo chí này tại đây.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Calls Mexico’s Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero to Discuss the Extradition of Rafael Caro-QuinteroRead the Press Release
This afternoon, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland spoke by phone with Mexico’s Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero. Attorney General Garland called to express his gratitude to Attorney General Gertz and the Government of Mexico for successfully arresting Rafael Caro-Quintero, who is wanted in the United States on a number of criminal charges, including his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985. Attorney General Garland offered his condolences to the families and loved ones of the Mexican servicemembers who gave their lives in service to their country last week. The two leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to continue working in lockstep on the extradition of Caro-Quintero and pledged to continue building upon successful collaboration in criminal investigations and prosecutions of cross-border crime.
Real Estate Consultant Sentenced for Tax Crimes in Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
A Michigan real estate consultant and accountant was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for filing false tax returns with the IRS that omitted more than $800,000 in income, most of which he earned from a kickback scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Steven A. Mills, currently of Harbor Springs and formerly of East Lansing, operated Mills Real Estate Consulting LLC. Through his consulting business, Mills was retained by a corporation to supervise several outside real estate agents hired by the corporation and paid substantial commissions. From 2012 to 2015, Mills demanded and received approximately $577,000 in kickbacks from one of these agents, which he did not report as income on his tax returns. Mills also did not report all of the income he received from the corporation, nor did he report $100,000 in compensation he received from a real estate developer for the years 2013 to 2015.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney ordered Mills to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $297,858 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Mark A. Totten for the Western District of Michigan made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Kenneth Vert and Jeffrey McLellan of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Stella of the Western District of Michigan prosecuted the case.
Readout of ATF Officials Briefing to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and ATF Director Steven M. Dettelbach on Efforts to Stem Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
One year after the announcement of cross-jurisdictional strike forces, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and ATF Director Steven M. Dettelbach were briefed by senior ATF officials on ongoing efforts to help reduce gun violence through the disruption of illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country.
Yesterday, ATF senior officials from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. joined the ATF Director at a briefing with Attorney General Garland held at Justice Department headquarters.
In July 2021, the Department announced the formation of cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country.
ATF Special Agents in Charge described the strike forces’ work on several high impact investigations that identified and prosecuted individuals who illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into major urban areas where they were often discovered at crime scenes or in the possession of violent actors. They noted that these strike forces have fostered cross-jurisdictional partnerships, cooperation and intelligence sharing among federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement, and led to the ultimate disruption of trafficking corridors.
In addition, the strike forces have encouraged partners’ participation in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), as the ATF has continued to expand NIBIN’s presence and availability. The ATF conducted over 600,000 traces, and over 8,500 urgent traces from July 2021 to July 2022. ATF field offices in strike force areas seized over 7,700 firearms in the same period.
The strike forces represent one important, concrete step in implementing the Department’s Comprehensive Violent Crime Reduction Strategy, which was announced on May 26, 2021. The comprehensive strategy supports local communities in preventing, investigating, and prosecuting gun violence and other violent crime — and requires U.S. Attorneys’ offices to work with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, as well as the communities they serve, to address the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. In guidance to federal agents and prosecutors as part of that comprehensive strategy, the Deputy Attorney General made clear that firearms traffickers providing weapons to violent offenders are an enforcement priority across the country.
My Big Coin Founder Convicted of Cryptocurrency Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a New York man today in connection with a scheme to defraud investors by marketing and selling fraudulent virtual currency.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Randall Crater, 51, of East Hampton, founded My Big Coin Pay Inc. (My Big Coin), a purported cryptocurrency and virtual payment services company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, and offered virtual payment services through a fraudulent digital currency, “My Big Coins,” which he marketed to investors between 2014 and 2017 using misrepresentations about the nature and value of Coins. Crater and his associates falsely claimed that Coins was a fully functioning cryptocurrency backed by $300 million in gold, oil and other valuable assets. Crater also falsely told investors that My Big Coin had a partnership with MasterCard and that Coins could readily be exchanged for government-backed paper currency or other virtual currencies. Crater promulgated these misrepresentations through social media, the internet, email and text messages.
In reality, Coins were not backed by gold or other valuable assets, did not have a partnership with MasterCard and were not readily transferable. Over the course of the scheme, Crater misappropriated over $6 million of investor funds for his own personal gain, including spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on antiques, artwork and jewelry.
In January 2018, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced commodity fraud charges against Crater and My Big Coin Pay Inc. The CFTC also filed civil charges against the Chief Executive Officer of My Big Coin, John Roche, and two of Crater’s associates Mark Gillespie and Michael Kruger.
Crater was convicted of four counts of wire fraud, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison for each count, and three counts of money laundering, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison for each count. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 27. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins for the District of Massachusetts, Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta of the FBI’s Boston Field Office and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) made the announcement.
The FBI, USPIS, and CFTC investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Babasijibomi Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.