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Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Tuesday 7 April 2020
Top Federal, State Prosecutors Form Georgia COVID-19 Fraud Task ForceRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Georgia’s leading state and federal prosecutors announce a new Coronavirus (COVID-19) Fraud Task Force, aimed at better protecting the citizens of Georgia from criminal fraud arising from the pandemic.
The task force will serve to open channels of communication between partner agencies and more rapidly share information about COVID-19 fraud, while ensuring each fraud complaint is reported to the appropriate prosecuting agency. The task force member agencies include the Office of the Governor of Georgia, the Office of the Attorney General of Georgia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia. Georgia’s three U.S. Attorneys, the Attorney General of Georgia and the Executive Counsel for the Governor’s Office serve on the task force.
“To all would-be scammers: Anyone who uses this pandemic to defraud Georgians will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Charlie Peeler, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “The creation of this unified task force better prepares us to investigate and prosecute criminal acts of fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The law enforcement community is strong in our state. I want to thank our partners at the local, state and federal level dedicated to protecting our citizens from fraudsters.”
“My office is honored to work with this task force in our state’s fight against the spread of COVID-19. As a team, we are committed to putting Georgians first to ensure their safety and well-being as we address this public health state of emergency,” said Governor Brian P. Kemp.
“Our office has received hundreds of complaints regarding scams, price gouging and other issues related to the COVID19 pandemic, and we won’t tolerate those who are taking advantage of consumers and interfering with our frontline workers’ response to the crisis,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “This partnership between the State of Georgia and our U.S. Attorneys will enable us to work together to investigate and, as appropriate, prosecute those who violate our laws. We will leave no stone unturned as we protect all Georgians.”
“Opportunistic criminals are targeting the most vulnerable among us with COVID-19 scams, but our office and law enforcement and prosecutorial partners remain vigilant,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We continue to detect, investigate and prosecute criminal conduct, and reassure our law-abiding citizens that their safety and security is our primary focus.”
“Thieves never stop searching for ways to take advantage of unsuspecting people,” said Byung J. “BJay” Pak, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. “Citizens can rest assured that we will bring every asset to bear against fraudsters and those who use this crisis as an opportunity to commit fraud. Also, we encourage anyone who believes they are the victim of a scam, or may have been contacted by someone stating they represent a government agency to contact this task force immediately.”
Within each task force member agency, an appointed fraud complaint coordinator will oversee the cases and remain in regular contact with partner law enforcement agencies. The appointed coordinators are as follows: Jim Crane, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia; David Dove, Executive Counsel, Office of the Governor of Georgia; Anne Infinger, Deputy Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, Office of the Attorney General of Georgia; Russell Phillips, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia; and Patrick Schwedler, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
The public is urged to be on the lookout for any of these COVID-19 scams, which can be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address [email protected]:
- Treatment scams: Scammers are selling fake vaccines, medicines, and cures for COVID-19.
- Supply scams: Scammers are claiming they have in-demand products, like cleaning and household supplies, and medical supplies, but when an order is placed, the scammer takes the money and never delivers the order.
- Charity scams: Scammers are fraudulently soliciting donations for non-existent charities to help people affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Scammers often use names that are similar to the names of real charities.
- Phishing scams: Scammers, posing as national and global health authorities, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are sending fake emails and texts to trick the recipient into sharing personal information like account numbers, Social Security numbers, and login IDs and passwords.
- App scams: Scammers are creating COVID-19 related apps that contain malware designed to steal the user’s personal information.
- Provider scams: Scammers pretending to be doctors and hospitals demand payment for COVID-19 treatment allegedly provided to a friend or family member of the victim.
- Investment scams: To promote the sale of stock in certain companies—particularly small companies, about which there is little publicly available information—scammers are making false and misleading claims that those companies can prevent, detect or cure COVID-19.
The Consumer Protection Division (CPD) of the Office of the Attorney General of Georgia has received more than 600 complaints of price gouging or scams related to COVID-19, the majority regarding food, toilet paper, water and hand sanitizer. The public can file complaints with the CPD by calling 1-800-869-1123 (toll-free) or at consumer.ga.gov.
Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Pooler pharmacy, pharmacist to pay up to $2.2 million for dispensing illegitimate prescriptionsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah-area pharmacy and its pharmacist have agreed to settle federal claims that they unlawfully dispensed controlled substances pursuant to prescriptions by a notorious pill-mill doctor.
Under the settlement, Greeson Rx, LLC and Joshua Z. Greeson, of Brooklet, Ga., will pay up to $2.22 million in civil penalties, said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. Greeson Rx, LLC operates Pooler Pharmacy in Pooler, Ga.
“Our office continues to relentlessly pursue those who illegally and inappropriately prescribe and dispense addictive drugs in the midst of an opioid addiction and overdose crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “These actions vividly illustrate that hefty penalties are the cost for these violations in the Southern District.”
This settlement is the latest in a series of actions taken by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to combat the ongoing opioid crisis, including the prosecution of Dr. Frank Bynes, Jr., who was sentenced in February 2020 to serve 240 months in federal prison following his conviction at trial on 13 counts of Illegal Dispensation of Controlled Substances and three counts of Health Care Fraud. The United States also recently announced a judgment against Darien Pharmacy, of Darien, Ga., and settlements with Chip’s Discount Drugs, of Hazlehurst, Ga., and Gordon’s Pharmacy, of Bloomingdale, Ga., as well as with pharmacists at each of those three pharmacies.
The judgment and settlements against those pharmacies and pharmacists, together with the settlement with Greeson Rx, LLC and Joshua Z. Greeson, call for payments that could exceed a combined $7 million. The United States also previously announced the prosecutions of Ray Dixon, who was the pharmacist at Fulghum Drugs in Baxley, Ga., and Janice Colter, who was the pharmacist at Darien Pharmacy in Darien, Ga. Both Dixon and Colter have pled guilty to felony charges and await sentencing.
According to court filings involved with Darien Pharmacy and Chip’s Discount Drugs, those pharmacies were alleged to have dispensed hundreds of thousands of units of controlled substances prescribed by Bynes over the course of several years, despite obvious evidence Bynes was operating a pill mill.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), said “The mission of DEA’s Office of Diversion Control is to prevent, detect and investigate the diversion of controlled pharmaceutical and listed chemicals from legitimate sources. In this case, DEA Diversion investigators did an outstanding job of uncovering this pharmacist’s and this pharmacy’s complicit actions to improperly dispense opioids and other controlled substances, which ultimately led to this monetary settlement. DEA will continue to work hand in hand with its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to make sure healthcare providers are abiding by mandatory regulations.”
Any individuals who have information about illegal prescribing by physicians, dispensing by pharmacies, or other diversion, and any individuals who believe they were victims of Bynes, should call the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422 and ask for the Opioid Coordinator.
Dispensing drugs in violation of the Controlled Substances Act carries a civil penalty of up to $64,820 per violation. Claims resolved by civil settlements are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability. Investigations continue as to others arising out of these announced actions.
Joshua Z. Greeson and Greeson Rx, LLC were investigated by the DEA, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan A. Porter and Bradford C. Patrick represented the United States.
Pentax Medical Company Agrees to Pay $43 Million to Resolve Criminal Investigation Concerning Misbranded EndoscopesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Pentax Medical Company will pay $43 million to resolve criminal charges based on the company’s shipment of four types of endoscopes for 18 months without FDA-cleared instructions for use and the company’s failure to file timely reports of two infections associated with its endoscopes, the Department of Justice announced today.
Pentax was charged in a criminal complaint filed today in Newark federal court with distributing misbranded medical devices in interstate commerce in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). Pentax has entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) that will allow it to avoid conviction if it complies with the reform and enhanced compliance requirements outlined in the agreement. As a result of the conduct outlined in the criminal complaint, Pentax has agreed to pay a $40 million criminal fine and to forfeit $3 million.
“Pentax made a decision to ignore the cleared instructions for use of its endoscopes, believing that doing so would increase its sales putting profits over patient safety,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “In doing so, and by failing to report to the FDA certain adverse events relating to those endoscopes, it broke the law, jeopardized the health of patients, and, ultimately, cost itself $43 million on fines and forfeiture.”
“In carrying out its responsibilities to protect the health and safety of patients treated with medical devices, the FDA relies on manufacturers to provide health care professionals with the correct, approved or cleared instructions for safe use of the devices, and to report promptly to the FDA potential product safety issues,” Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division said. “Pentax’s failure to follow important safety requirements is serious and warrants the significant penalties imposed as part of this resolution.”
“Americans expect and deserve that the medical devices used on them are safe, effective, and properly labeled with accurate information. When companies subvert FDA’s standards and requirements, they place unsuspecting patients at risk,” Catherine A. Hermsen, Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, said. “FDA will continue to investigate and help bring to justice companies that jeopardize the public health by distributing misbranded products.”
The criminal complaint against Pentax, which Pentax agrees is true, charges that Pentax made a deliberate business decision not to use revised FDA-cleared instructions for cleaning its endoscopes because Pentax feared the new instructions would cause it to lose business. Endoscopes are reusable devices that must be cleaned after each use or else infectious material may remain and be transmitted to subsequent patients. In 2014, the FDA told Pentax to revise its existing cleaning instructions for four types of endoscopes and add cleaning steps. Pentax agreed, and FDA cleared, revised cleaning instructions in April 2014. Pentax was then required to include these revised cleaning instructions when it shipped those four endoscopes.
Instead, for the next 18 months, Pentax shipped the four types of endoscopes with the old instructions for use and not the newly enhanced, FDA-cleared cleaning instructions. Pentax decided not to use the enhanced cleaning instructions because they required customers to spend more time cleaning the endoscopes. One internal email warned that the increase of cleaning time from five minutes to 25 minutes would be “catastrophic,” and another predicted that customers “will be very upset and could switch away from PENTAX because of the extra time, manpower, and cost to perform the new protocol.”
Pentax continued shipping the four types of endoscopes without the FDA-cleared cleaning instructions until September 2015. At that time, Pentax started including FDA-cleared instructions for two of the endoscopes and included newly validated cleaning instructions for the other two types of endoscopes. Pentax made $18 million in gross profits from selling the four types endoscopes during this 18-month period.
Pentax was also charged with and admitted failing to file timely reports of two infection incidents associated with its endoscope. To enable FDA and others to identify and monitor adverse events, the FDCA requires medical device manufacturers to file adverse event reports – known as Medical Device Reports (MDRs) – within 30 days of becoming aware of information that reasonably suggests that the manufacturer’s device may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury.
In June 2013, Pentax learned that four patients at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Chicago were infected with drug-resistant bacteria after being treated with the same Pentax endoscope. Pentax failed to file MDRs within 30 days because its employees did not understand the reporting requirements. Pentax filed an MDR about the Advocate Lutheran infections in late September 2013.
In late June 2014, Pentax learned that four patients at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston were infected with Escherichia coli bacteria after being treated with the same Pentax endoscope. Pentax also failed to file MDRs about this incident within 30 days because its employees misunderstood the reporting requirements. Pentax filed an MDR about the infections at Massachusetts General Hospital in December 2014.
As part of the DPA, Pentax has agreed to, among other things, conduct a thorough audit of its current instructions for use for endoscopic devices and MDR procedures to determine their compliance with FDA requirements and report to the FDA in writing. It has agreed to enhance its compliance training and maintain an effective compliance program. Pentax’s president and the president of the Lifecare Division of Pentax’s parent Hoya Corporation must annually certify that Pentax took the compliance measures required by the DPA, and Hoya’s board of directors must certify annually that Pentax’s compliance program is effective.
The investigation was conducted by special agents from the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey J. Ebersole of the New York Field Office, along with special agents of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney R. David Walk Jr. of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey; and Senior Litigation Counsel Patrick Jasperse of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Senior Counsel Shannon M. Singleton of the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Pentax Medical Company Agrees to Pay $43 Million to Resolve Criminal Investigation Concerning Misbranded EndoscopesRead the Press Release
Pentax Medical Company will pay $43 million to resolve criminal charges based on the company’s shipment of four types of endoscopes for 18 months without FDA-cleared instructions for use and the company’s failure to file timely reports of two infections associated with its endoscopes, the Department of Justice announced today.
Pentax was charged in a criminal complaint filed today in Newark federal court with distributing misbranded medical devices in interstate commerce in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). Pentax has entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) that will allow it to avoid conviction if it complies with the reform and enhanced compliance requirements outlined in the agreement. As a result of the conduct outlined in the criminal complaint, Pentax has agreed to pay a $40 million criminal fine and to forfeit $3 million.
“In carrying out its responsibilities to protect the health and safety of patients treated with medical devices, the FDA relies on manufacturers to provide health care professionals with the correct, approved or cleared instructions for safe use of the devices, and to report promptly to the FDA potential product safety issues,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Pentax’s failure to follow important safety requirements is serious and warrants the significant penalties imposed as part of this resolution.”
“Pentax made a decision to ignore the cleared instructions for use of its endoscopes, believing that doing so would increase its sales, putting profits over patient safety,” said U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito for the District of New Jersey. “In doing so, and by failing to report to the FDA certain adverse events relating to those endoscopes, it broke the law, jeopardized the health of patients, and, ultimately, cost itself $43 million on fines and forfeiture.”
The criminal complaint against Pentax, which Pentax agrees is true, charges that Pentax made a deliberate business decision not to use revised FDA-cleared instructions for cleaning its endoscopes because Pentax feared the new instructions would cause it to lose business. Endoscopes are reusable devices that must be cleaned after each use or else infectious material may remain and be transmitted to subsequent patients. In 2014, the FDA told Pentax to revise its existing cleaning instructions for four types of endoscopes and add cleaning steps. Pentax agreed, and FDA cleared, revised cleaning instructions in April 2014. Pentax was then required to include these revised cleaning instructions when it shipped those four endoscopes.
Instead, for the next 18 months, Pentax shipped the four types of endoscopes with the old instructions for use – not the newly enhanced, FDA-cleared cleaning instructions. Pentax decided not to use the enhanced cleaning instructions because they required customers to spend more time cleaning the endoscopes. One internal email warned that the increase of cleaning time from five minutes to 25 minutes would be “catastrophic,” and another predicted that customers “will be very upset and could switch away from PENTAX because of the extra time, manpower, and cost to perform the new protocol.”
Pentax continued shipping the four types of endoscopes without the FDA-cleared cleaning instructions until September 2015. At that time, Pentax started including FDA-cleared instructions for two of the endoscopes and newly validated cleaning instructions for the other two types of endoscopes. Pentax made $18 million in gross profits from selling the four types endoscopes during this 18-month period.
Pentax was also charged with and admitted failing to file timely reports of two infection incidents associated with its endoscope. To enable FDA and others to identify and monitor adverse events, the FDCA requires medical device manufacturers to file adverse event reports – known as Medical Device Reports (MDRs) – within 30 days of becoming aware of information that reasonably suggests that the manufacturer’s device may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury.
In June 2013, Pentax learned that four patients at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Chicago were infected with drug-resistant bacteria after being treated with the same Pentax endoscope. Pentax failed to file MDRs within 30 days because its employees did not understand the reporting requirements. Pentax filed an MDR about the Advocate Lutheran infections in late September 2013.
In late June 2014, Pentax learned that four patients at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston were infected with Escherichia coli bacteria after being treated with the same Pentax endoscope. Pentax also failed to file MDRs about this incident within 30 days because its employees misunderstood the reporting requirements. Pentax filed an MDR about the infections at Massachusetts General Hospital in December 2014.
“Americans expect and deserve that the medical devices used on them are safe, effective, and properly labeled with accurate information. When companies subvert FDA’s standards and requirements, they place unsuspecting patients at risk,” said Catherine A. Hermsen, Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations. “FDA will continue to investigate and help bring to justice companies that jeopardize the public health by distributing misbranded products.”
As part of the DPA, Pentax has agreed to, among other actions, conduct a thorough audit of its current instructions for use for endoscopic devices and MDR procedures to determine their compliance with FDA requirements and report to the FDA in writing. It has agreed to enhance its compliance training and maintain an effective compliance program. Pentax’s president and the president of the Lifecare Division of Pentax’s parent, Hoya Corporation, must annually certify that Pentax took the compliance measures required by the DPA, and Hoya’s board of directors must certify annually that Pentax’s compliance program is effective.
The investigation was conducted by special agents from the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey J. Ebersole of the New York Field Office, along with special agents of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney R. David Walk Jr. of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and Senior Litigation Counsel Patrick Jasperse of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Senior Counsel Shannon M. Singleton of the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Man from Mexico pleads guilty to marijuana smuggling charges in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Franz Thiessen Enns, 56, of Chihuahua, Mexico, pleaded guilty on April 2 in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico to importing and possessing marijuana with intent to distribute.
According to his plea agreement and other public court documents, Enns tried to enter the United States from Mexico on January 22 with a load of marijuana hidden in his car. When questioned at the port of entry in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, Enns stated that he was traveling to El Paso, Texas, to go “shopping”. He acknowledged having two bottles of alcohol to declare, but did not mention any other property although he knew he had marijuana in his vehicle. U.S Customs and Border Protection agents later inspected his car and found approximately 57.4 kilograms of marijuana in the gas tank.
Enns is currently in custody awaiting sentencing. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison under the terms of his plea agreement.
Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clara N. Cobos is prosecuting the case.
Man and Woman Charged with Armed Robbery of Drive-Through Restaurants in Miami GardensRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Two South Florida residents appeared in federal court today on charges of using an assault firearm to rob money from drive-through cashiers at a Miami Gardens Burger King and a Miami Gardens Wendy’s.
According to the criminal complaint affidavit, on March 31, 2020, at about 10:40 am, Amos Roberts, 34, and Tyra Nance, 21, placed an order at a drive-through speaker at a Miami Gardens Burger King restaurant. The affidavit alleges that Nance drove the car while Roberts, who wore a black hoodie sweatshirt and black skull cap, sat in the backseat. Once the car was at the drive-through window and the cash register was open, Roberts allegedly pushed the cashier out of the way with a large assault-style firearm and took money from the cash tray. Roberts and Nance allegedly drove off with the money.
The criminal complaint affidavit also alleges that Roberts and Nance repeated the crime later that day, this time at a Miami Gardens Wendy’s restaurant. With Nance allegedly at the wheel, they placed an order at the drive-through speaker, then drove up to the payment window. Once the cash register was open, Roberts allegedly exited the back of the car carrying a rifle, which he pointed at the drive-through cashier. The cashier ran away from the register and Roberts allegedly grabbed money from the cash tray.
Officers investigated and located Roberts and Nance. They pulled the defendants over as they were driving a car that matched the one involved in the robberies. Officers found a black hoodie, black skull cap, and an AR15 style semi-automatic firearm inside the car. They arrested Roberts and Nance. The criminal complaint charges them with robbery and firearm offenses.
Roberts and Nance had their initial appearances and detention hearings today. They will be detained without bond pending trial.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Alfredo Ramirez III, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) made the announcement.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the FBI, MDPD, and Miami Gardens Police Department for their investigative efforts and the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office for its assistance. U.S. Attorney Cary O. Aronovitz is prosecuting this case.
During the current COVID-19 health crisis, the United States Attorney’s Office and its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners continue investigating and prosecuting all forms of crime in South Florida.
This case involved the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) initiative. Through the VRP, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal and local law enforcement allies have sought to dismantle the most violent criminal networks that plague communities throughout the Southern District of Florida.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Retaliation Claim Against Minnesota CompanyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with Taiyo International Inc. (Taiyo), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan-based Taiyo Kagaku that develops, produces, and sells various food and pharmaceutical ingredients. The settlement resolves a claim that Taiyo retaliated against an applicant in violation of the antidiscrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
“Employees and applicants must be able to raise concerns about discrimination without being subjected to retaliation that may deter them and others from asserting their rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “We appreciate Taiyo’s cooperation and are pleased that Taiyo has agreed to offer back pay to the affected U.S. citizen and take measures to ensure compliance with the law.”
Based on its investigation, the Department concluded that Taiyo rescinded a job offer it extended to a naturalized U.S. citizen in retaliation for her complaints of discrimination. The Department determined that, during the applicant’s three interviews, Taiyo employees repeatedly asked the applicant improper questions related to her national origin, citizenship status, the timing of her naturalization, and her valid work authorization documents. After Taiyo offered her the job, the applicant sent an email to the interviewers complaining that the treatment she received was discriminatory, and Taiyo immediately rescinded the job offer.
The INA’s antidiscrimination provision prohibits employers from discriminating in hiring against employees because of their national origin, citizenship status, or immigration status. The statute also prohibits employers from retaliating against workers because they opposed unlawful employer conduct or conduct that they reasonably believe was unlawful discrimination.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Taiyo will pay a civil penalty for the violation, offer back pay plus interest totaling $10,400.00 to the worker, post notices informing workers of their rights under the INA’s antidiscrimination provision, train its staff, and be subject to departmental monitoring for three years.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the antidiscrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination against individuals who are authorized to work based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation.
Employers can find information on how to avoid unlawful discrimination based on citizenship status or national origin here. Workers can find information about their rights under the antidiscrimination provision of the INA here. For more information about protections against employment discrimination under the INA, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; discrimination in the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin; or retaliation can file a charge or contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Federal, State, Local Law Enforcement Discuss Strategies to Combat Covid-19 FraudRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE –Local and state police departments from across Rhode Island and federal law enforcement agencies today participated in a teleconference hosted by the United States Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the United States Postal Inspection Service to discuss strategies to identify and combat COVID-19 fraud.
The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and other federal law enforcement agencies report a steady increase in the number and kinds of fraudulent schemes related to COVID-19 being perpetrated. As people become more isolated, particularly the elderly, they become more susceptible to falling victim to these fraudulent schemes.
The FBI reports that in recent weeks, cyber actors have engaged in phishing campaigns against first responders, deployed ransomware at medical facilities, and created fake COVID-19 websites that quietly download malware to victim devices. Based on recent trends, the FBI assesses these same groups will target businesses and individuals working from home via telework software vulnerabilities, education technology platforms, and new Business Email Compromise schemes.
“Fraud related to COVID-19 is particularly disturbing as it exploits a national crisis that threatens the health and safety of every American for personal gain,” said United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman. “Attorney General William Barr has directed all U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of crimes related to coronavirus. Working with local, state, and federal law enforcement across the state we are committed to doing just that. There will be no second chances for COVID-19 fraudsters.”
“With the outbreak of COVID-19, scammers are using people’s fears, isolation, and thirst for information to their advantage. They’re targeting anyone they deem as vulnerable to try and steal their money, their personal information, or both,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “We want you to help us stop these fraudsters by reporting suspicious activity, fraud and attempted fraud to www.ic3.gov We also want you to avoid falling prey to these scams. So please don’t click on links within emails from senders you don’t recognize, always independently verify information originates from a legitimate source, never supply your login credentials or financial data in response to an email or phone call, and visit websites by inputting their domains manually. By working together, we can help stop this type of activity.”
"The United States Postal Inspection Service wants to emphasize how important it is to stay connected with our loved ones during these trying times. The United States Postal Service continues to deliver to every door, every day. It is sometimes the only means of communication available to our many, particularly our elder population,” said Sean M. Boyce, Team Leader of the Providence U.S. Postal Inspection Service field office. “Under the right conditions, anyone could fall victim to a scam, but scammers are especially successful at targeting people with certain risk factors, like social isolation, loneliness, limited mobility, and cognitive aging. Scammers are also attracted by the pensions and life savings of retirees. But there are many ways to help older Americans protect the nest eggs they’ve worked so hard to secure – by staying connected with them and staying alert. For everything this generation has done to protect our freedoms and defend this country, we owe it to them to protect and defend them from these scams during this difficult time."
In addition to investigating and arresting fraudsters, law enforcement across Rhode Island are committed to providing important information to help keep individuals from falling victim to fraudsters and scammers. To support that effort, the United States Attorney’s Office has created a web page with information on how to avoid becoming a victim and how to report cases of suspected fraud. The information is available at www.justice.gov/ri
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Federal Inmate Sentenced to More Than Additional Year in Prison for Indecent Exposure to Prison StaffRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Carlos Deontea Brummitt, 29, of Washington D.C., has been sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison for indecent exposure, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
"Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional staff deserve the ability to perform their duties without concern of sexually offensive and criminal behavior by inmates," said U.S. Attorney Downing. "Today’s sentence demonstrates that when such conduct occurs, we will zealously prosecute inmates for this disruptive behavior."
Brummitt was indicted in July 2019 for three counts of Indecent Exposure—all occurring while he was an inmate at the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City—and alleging he lewdly exposed his genitals by masturbating in the presence of three separate FTC employees.
On January 17, 2020, pursuant to a plea agreement, Brummitt pled guilty to one count of indecent exposure. Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Brummitt to serve 12 months and one day in prison followed by one year of supervised release. This sentence is in addition to the federal sentence Brummitt was serving when he committed the indecent exposure offense.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley L. Altshuler prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for more information. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.
El Departamento de Justicia Resuelve una Demanda Relacionada con la Inmigración contra una Empresa de MinnesotaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo con Taiyo International Inc. (Taiyo), una filial íntegramente propiedad de Taiyo Kagaku, cuya sede está en Japón, que desarrolla, produce y vende distintos ingredientes farmacéuticos y de alimentos. El acuerdo resuelve una afirmación que Taiyo tomó represalias contra una aspirante, en contra de la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad («INA», por sus siglas en inglés).
«Los empleados y aspirantes deben tener la posibilidad de vocalizar sus preocupaciones acerca de la discriminación sin ser sujetos a represalias que podrían disuadirlos a ellos y a otros de hacer valer sus derechos», afirmó el Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles, Eric Dreiband. «Valoramos la cooperación de Taiyo y nos complace ver que Taiyo ha acordado ofrecer pagos retroactivos a la ciudadana estadounidense afectada y tomar medidas para asegurar el cumplimiento con la ley».
Con base en su investigación, el Departamento concluyó que Taiyo había rescindido una oferta de trabajo que había extendido a una ciudadana estadounidense naturalizada como represalia por sus denuncias de discriminación. El Departamento determinó que, durante las tres entrevistas de la aspirante, los empleados de Taiyo le hicieron preguntas impropias en repetidas ocasiones acerca de su nacionalidad de origen, estatus de ciudadanía, cuándo se naturalizó y sus documentos válidos de autorización para trabajar. Después de que Taiyo le ofreció el trabajo, la aspirante envió un correo electrónico a los entrevistadores quejándose que el trato que había recibido fue discriminatorio y Taiyo inmediatamente rescindió la oferta de trabajo.
La disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA prohíbe que los empleadores discriminen a empleados durante el proceso de contratación por motivos de su nacionalidad de origen, estatus de ciudadanía o estatus migratorio. Asimismo, la ley prohíbe que los empleadores tomen represalias contra trabajadores porque estos se hayan opuesto a una conducta ilícita por parte del empleador o a cualquier otra conducta que ellos crean que constituye discriminación ilícita.
Conforme a los términos del acuerdo conciliatorio, Taiyo pagará una sanción civil por la infracción, ofrecerá pagos retroactivos más intereses que se ascienden a un total de 10.400,00 $ a la trabajadora, publicará notificación para informar a los trabajadores de sus derechos en virtud de la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA, capacitará a su personal y se someterá a la supervisión del departamento durante tres años.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés) es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe que se discrimine a individuos que cuentan con la debida autorización para trabajar con base en su estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; las prácticas documentales injustas; las represalias o la intimidación.
Los empleadores encontrarán más información sobre cómo evitar la discriminación ilícita por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen aquí. Los trabajadores encontrarán más información acerca de sus derechos en virtud de la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA aquí. Para más información sobre las protecciones que ofrece la INA contra la discriminación en el empleo, llame a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscríbase a un seminario en línea gratuito; envíe en correo electrónico [email protected]; o visite las páginas web de la IER en inglés y español. Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery.
Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido sometidos a: discriminación por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; discriminación en el proceso de la verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) con base en su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen; o represalias pueden presentar una denuncia o deben llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores para pedir ayuda.
Department of Justice Makes $850 Million Available to Help Public Safety Agencies Address COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that the Department of Justice is making $850 million available to help public safety agencies respond to the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19. The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump, will allow eligible state, local, and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. The Department is moving quickly to make awards, with the goal of having funds available for drawdown within days of the award.
“In light of this pandemic, these are especially dangerous times for our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “This funding program will allow our state and local partners access to critical funds as they continue the mission of protecting the people of South Carolina.”
The solicitation, posted by the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will remain open for at least 60 days and be extended as necessary. OJP will fund successful applicants as a top priority on a rolling basis as applications are received. Funds may be used to hire personnel, pay overtime costs, cover protective equipment and supplies, address correctional inmates’ medical needs, and defray expenses related to the distribution of resources to hard-hit areas, among other activities. Grant funds may be applied retroactively to January 20, 2020, subject to federal supplanting rules.
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for this emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations can be found at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations.
For more information about the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553. For more information about the Office of Justice Programs, please visit https://www.ojp.gov/.
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U.S. Attorney McCoy is currently discussing the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to combat Coronavirus-related frauds and schemes with media members. To schedule an interview with U.S. Attorney McCoy, please call AUSA Derek A. Shoemake at 843-813-0982 or email him at [email protected].
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Department of Justice Makes $850 Million Available to Help Public Safety Agencies Address COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
$4.4 Million Available to West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Department of Justice announced that it is making $850 million available to help public safety agencies respond to the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19. The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump, will allow eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. The department is moving quickly to make awards, with the goal of having funds available for drawdown within days of the award.
“Public safety agencies are facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “No amount of telework can protect the public and ensure safety from those that create chaos and crisis even at a time of chaos and crisis. Just like they do every day of the week and through every crisis, law enforcement selflessly continues their work on the front lines to protect the citizens of West Virginia. The funding provided through the CESF program will ensure our dedicated first responders have the critical resources needed to carry out their mission.”
“This is an unprecedented moment in our nation’s history and an especially dangerous one for our front-line law enforcement officers, corrections officials, and public safety professionals,” said Office of Justice Programs Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “We are grateful to the Congress for making these resources available and for the show of support this program represents.”
The solicitation, posted by the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will remain open for at least 60 days and be extended as necessary. OJP will fund successful applicants as a top priority on a rolling basis as applications are received. Funds may be used to hire personnel, pay overtime costs, cover protective equipment and supplies, address correctional inmates’ medical needs and defray expenses related to the distribution of resources to hard-hit areas, among other activities. Grant funds may be applied retroactively to Jan. 20, 2020, subject to federal supplanting rules.
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for this emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations can be found at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations.
For more information about the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553. For more information about the Office of Justice Programs, please visit https://www.ojp.gov/.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Dayton Jones Charged by U.S. Attorney with Production of Child PornRead the Press Release
PACUCAH, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell Coleman is today announcing the arrest of Dayton Jones, 24, of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Jones has been charged via a federal Criminal Complaint with one count of producing child sex abuse material, that is, child pornography.
“This prosecution is about one thing and one thing only, Mr. Jones’ conduct in harming someone’s child in the Western District of Kentucky in violation of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “It serves as a reminder that despite these uncertain times, Kentucky families are well-served by some inspiring federal, state, and local law enforcement professionals that put themselves at risk to protect our kids.”
“FBI Louisville stands ready, alongside our federal, state, and local partners, to find and hold accountable criminals who seek to exploit one of our most vulnerable populations, our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown, FBI Louisville Field Office. “Even in these trying times, our investigators will work tirelessly to ensure the citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky are protected from those who seek to victimize them."
Jones is charged for conduct which occurred in October 2014. He created a video depicting child pornography. He created and shared the video with others, using the social media application Snapchat. Jones previously pled guilty to state charges involving sodomy, wanton endangerment, and distribution of material depicting the sexual performance of a minor, in Christian Circuit Court Case Number 14-CR-588.
Jones faces a mandatory minimum 15-year sentence in federal prison. The maximum potential penalties are 30 years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, and Supervised Release of five years up to and including life. There is no parole in the federal system.
Today’s charging is the direct result of career prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office working side-by-side with law enforcement officials investigating the case. The case was investigated by the Christian County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Christian County Sheriff’s Office, Kentucky State Police, Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, and the United States Marshals Service, who all played critical roles in advancing the federal charges and securing Jones’ arrest.
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A Criminal Complaint is an accusation only and
the person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
Cómo Evitar Fraudes Relacionados Al CoronavirusRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – El Fiscal Federal de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito de Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow hoy les exhorta a todos los ciudadanos de Puerto Rico que estén en alerta a los criminales que se aprovechan del miedo y la incertidumbre que ocasiona la enfermedad de coronavirus (COVID-19) para robar dinero y obtener información personal.
Se incluye un boletín con la información necesaria para prevenir e identificar fraudes relacionados al coronavirus y otros tipos de fraudes que ocurren en situaciones similares. Para más información también puede acceder a https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Para más información:
- https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud
- https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
- https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
- https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Coronavirus is No Excuse for HateRead the Press Release
BOISE – On June 19, 1982, 27-year-old Vincent Chin, a Chinese-American man, was out with friends in Detroit, Michigan, when he encountered two white autoworkers. In the 1980s, the American auto industry faced growing troubles, including competition from Japanese auto manufacturers. Apparently assuming Chin was Japanese, the two autoworkers harassed him about Japan’s success in the auto industry. This led to a fight. After they were thrown out of the club, the fight continued in the parking lot. The two autoworkers then searched the neighborhood for Chin and his friends. Outside of a McDonald's, one of the autoworkers held Chin while the other repeatedly struck Chin in the head with a baseball bat. Four days later, on June 23, Chin died.
A state court plea bargain reduced the second-degree murder charges against the two killers to manslaughter. They were both sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay a $3,000 fine. Two civil rights trials and a civil suit followed, but neither killer spent a day in jail.
Some 38 years later, Vincent Chin’s senseless death serves as a grim reminder of our country’s often forgotten history of discrimination and hate crimes committed against Asians, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. As we confront the novel coronavirus, it has never been more important for us to remember this history. Unfortunately, I have received reports that hate crimes in this country against Asians, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders are on the rise. We will never tolerate this.
My office, like my Department of Justice colleagues and our federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecution partners throughout the nation, is committed to fighting hate crimes like the one that took Vincent Chin’s life. Our Constitution and our laws guarantee freedom from discrimination based on race, color, religion and national origin. I learned these values from my dear parents, trusted family and friends, church, and by experience. I hold these principles dearly. My office stands ready to guard these principles by prosecuting those who violate them.
To this end, I ask each and every one of you to help us protect the principles and values codified in our laws and our great Constitution. You can do this by reporting hate crimes to law enforcement. If we ignore hate crimes, we erode the very fabric of our country’s dearest principles and values. The novel coronavirus threat, and our fight against it, is with the disease itself, not with another nation, race, color, ethnicity, religion, or national origin.
There were many tragedies in the Vincent Chin case. But the biggest tragedy was that Chin was murdered for no reason other than how he looked. As you go about your day, please take a moment to remember this tragedy, and other hate crimes like it. Report hate crimes to law enforcement.
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Attorney General Will Chair Committee to Review Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecommunications SectorRead the Press Release
On Saturday, the President by Executive Order formally established an interagency committee to advise the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on national security and law enforcement concerns related to certain license applications by companies under foreign ownership or control. The Attorney General will chair the committee, which includes the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense.
Saturday’s Executive Order, “Establishing the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector,” formalizes a process known as Team Telecom that has existed for years, but which will benefit from a transparent and empowered structure.
“In the digital age, our telecommunications networks are more important than ever, and not just to the economy,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This is a national security and public safety issue. That’s why the federal government must be vigilant and ensure that a foreign adversary cannot undermine the networks our country depends on.”
The Justice Department’s National Security Division, through its Foreign Investment Review Section, will represent the Attorney General on the Committee. Other departments and agencies will serve as Advisors to the Committee.
“We look forward to continuing to work with our federal partners to ensure that our nation’s telecommunications networks maintain the security, integrity, and continuity that the American people expect and American security demands,” said John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “We welcome foreign participation in our communications system, but we must ensure that anyone licensed to do business here is a trusted partner. The National Security Division is ready and proud to lead this effort to increase transparency to the public, certainty and timeliness for the business community, and security for the nation.”
The Committee will review applications for telecommunications, submarine cable landing, and other FCC licenses which the FCC refers for review of national security and law enforcement concerns. Under the Executive Order, once an application is deemed complete, the Committee must complete an initial review of an application within 120 days, and if a review reveals potential risks, must complete a secondary assessment within 90 days. Even complex applications would be reviewed within about a year, substantially faster than Team Telecom has functioned historically. The EO also establishes a framework for Advisors to the Committee to contribute to the process, ensuring that the FCC receives a timely recommendation that reflects a coordinated Executive Branch view. Those recommendations will continue to be filed on the FCC’s public docket, and the FCC will continue to make the final decision on the disposition of any application.
Accountant from Silver City, New Mexico pleads guilty to federal wire fraud and identity theft chargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Thomas Laws, 62, of Silver City, New Mexico pleaded guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico to four counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in a scheme to steal more than $1.5 million from his victims.
According to his plea agreement, Laws worked as a licensed accountant and registered investment advisor in Silver City. He provided accounting, tax preparation and investment services to clients. From 2008 to 2019, Laws engaged in a scheme to obtain money by false pretenses and fraudulent misrepresentations made to clients, lenders, investors and others.
Among other things, Laws lied to two clients to convince them to invest in a real estate development project. Laws fabricated and forged mortgage documents purporting to show that $650,000 these clients invested in the project was secured by a mortgage. In reality, Laws had previously mortgaged the property to other lenders, defaulted, and a court had ordered foreclosure and judicial sale of the property. Rather than developing the real estate, Laws channeled the $650,000 to pay part of a settlement with an earlier victim of his scheme.
Laws also scammed two other investors out of $550,000 that Laws claimed would be used for a mining project. Instead, Laws used the money to pay off earlier victims of his scheme, including partial restitution to a corporation from which he, as the corporation’s chief executive officer, had embezzled more than one million dollars.
As part of his fraudulent scheme, Laws made, or caused others to make, several wire transfers of funds. Laws also used stolen money to pay personal expenses for himself and his family, including credit cards debts, travel, communication and media services, firearms and cash. His scheme caused total financial losses of more than $1.5 million to the victims.
Laws is currently out of custody awaiting sentencing. He faces up to 81 months in prison under the terms of his plea agreement, including a mandatory sentence of 24 months for aggravated identity theft.
The FBI and New Mexico Securities Division investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim S. Vasquez is prosecuting this case.
Monday 6 April 2020
Woman charged with falsely claiming officer accessed her bank account from International Space StationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A federal indictment has been unsealed against a 44-year-old woman for making false statements to federal authorities, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick.
A Houston federal grand jury returned the two-count indictment against Summer Worden, of Wichita, Kansas, Feb. 27. She is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena H. Palermo April 13.
The charges allege Worden made false statements to NASA - Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
According to the indictment, Worden maintained multiple bank accounts at USAA Federal Savings Bank. She allegedly shared access to her online accounts with a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army on detail to NASA’s Johnson Space Center who had access until at least Jan. 31, 2019.
The indictment alleges Worden filed a complaint with the FTC, alleging the officer had improperly accessed her bank account. She claimed she had opened a new account in September 2018 and reset her login credentials in order to prevent the individual from accessing her accounts, according to the charges. However, the indictment alleges she actually opened the account in April 2018 and did not change her login credentials until January 2019.
The indictment charges Worden with making false statements on two occasions. She allegedly filed the false complaint March 19, 2019, with the FTC and later made a false statement in an interview with NASA-OIG July 22, 2019.
If convicted, Worden faces up to five years in prison on each count and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
NASA-OIG and FTC conducted the investigation. Deputy Chief Ted Imperato and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Pearson are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Wisconsin Physician Agrees to Pay Financial Penalties to Resolve Allegations That He Prescribed Opioids Illegally and Violated False Claims ActRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger announced today that Dr. Mehran Heydarpour of Brookfield, Wisconsin, agreed to pay $175,000 to resolve allegations that he prescribed opioid pain medications in violation of the Controlled Substances Act and that he billed Medicare for patient visits that did not occur in violation of the False Claims Act. Dr. Heydarpour also agreed that he would never again seek to register with the Drug Enforcement Administration for authorization to prescribe controlled substances.
Until 2016, Dr. Heydarpour provided pain management services at his clinic in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Based on investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services (OIG), the government alleges that Dr. Heydarpour prescribed controlled substances, including opioid pain medications such as oxycodone, without legitimate medical purpose. Dr. Heydarpour routinely prescribed multiple opioid medications at extremely high doses to patients, often for years and without any documented evaluation of the patients or improvement in the patients’ pain or condition. In addition, the government alleges that Dr. Heydarpour billed Medicare for patient visits that never occurred, as he claimed.
“For many, the road to addiction began with opioids prescribed by their physician,” said United States Attorney Krueger. “Precisely because opioids and other controlled substances are so dangerous, physicians may only prescribe them to legitimately treat medical issues. Dr. Heydarpour abused that privilege and prescribed excessive amounts of opioids to patients without a legitimate medical purpose. This settlement imposes a significant penalty on Dr. Heydarpour and also ensures that he will never prescribe controlled substances in the future.”
“DEA will continue to pursue civil actions against any registrant that violates the Controlled Substances Act by practicing outside of professional medical practice and issuing illegitimate controlled substance prescriptions. The overprescribing of opioids has played a large role in the national opioid addiction crisis that our country currently faces on a daily basis,” said DEA Milwaukee District Office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Paul E. Maxwell, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Carter represented the government in this matter. The DEA and OIG assisted in the investigation. The settlement agreement states allegations only; Dr. Heydarpour does not admit liability for the allegations. .
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth B. Gales 414-297-1700
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United States Attorney William M. McSwain Announces Nearly $60 Million in Grants Available to Support Offenders’ Successful Reentry into Communities and to Prevent their Reversion to Criminal BehaviorRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that nearly $60 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address public safety by supporting the successful reentry back into their communities of adult and juvenile offenders who have served their prison sentences.
The funding is available through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local, and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including adult and juvenile reentry initiatives and research projects designed to improve our knowledge of what works in reentry programming.
“Providing offenders who have paid their debt to society with functional ways to reintegrate into their communities is an important piece of the Department’s strategy for promoting public safety,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “And what we have learned from our District’s reentry program – Supervision to Aid Reentry (STAR) – is that these programs work. For example, in our District, statistics show that the recidivism and revocation rates of offenders who graduate from the STAR program are significantly lower than offenders residing in our District who did not participate in the program.”
“Our District’s STAR program is a national model, and its success is directly attributable to the strong partnerships we have forged with the Federal Community Defenders’ Office, the U.S. Probation Office, and the Court,” continued U.S. Attorney McSwain. “I encourage all who are eligible to apply for these available grants to strengthen and grow reentry programs in our District and beyond.”
“Our nation is facing difficult public safety challenges that demand strong and immediate action. The high rate of recidivism poses a dire threat to community safety and is being met with a robust response by this Administration,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this persistent challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”
The following funding opportunities are currently available, with additional ones coming in the near future:
- Review and Validation of the First Step Act Risk Assessment Tool
Link: https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-fsa
Available Funds: Determined after selection
Deadline: April 10, 2020
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. With this funding opportunity, NIJ seeks to review and revalidate, on an annual basis, the risk assessment tool developed in response to the First Step Act. The risk assessment tool – the Prisoner Assessment Tool Targeting Estimated Risk and Needs (PATTERN) – will be used by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to predict the likelihood of general and violent recidivism for all BOP inmates. Governmental agencies are excluded from eligibility for this grant. NIJ expects to support multiple individual consultants with this funding, and those consultants selected will work as a team to address First Step Act mandates.
- Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment, and Recidivism Reduction Strategies Program
Link: https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17104
Available Funds: $7.2 million
Deadline: April 27, 2020
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) seeks applications to implement or expand education and employment programs that emphasize strong partnerships with corrections, parole, probation, education, workforce development, and reentry service providers. Programs funded by these grants will target prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities and should be focused on the three-year period before release, as well as upon transition and reentry into the community. The following entities are eligible to apply for and receive funding pursuant to this grant: state or local governmental agencies (or their components); federally recognized Indian tribal governments; or nonprofit organizations with a demonstrated history of providing comprehensive reentry services.
- Improving Reentry for People with Substance Use Disorders Program
Link: https://bja.ojp.gov/SCASUD20
Available Funds: $13.2 million
Deadline: April 27, 2020
BJA seeks applications for funding to establish, expand, and improve treatment for people with substance use disorders during their incarceration and reentry into the community, which in turn will help to reduce recidivism, promote public safety, and recovery. The following entities are eligible to apply for and receive funding pursuant to this grant: states, units of local government, federally recognized tribal governments, and nonprofit agencies.
- Improving Community Supervision Outcomes Through Swift, Certain, and Fair Responses
Link: https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17096
Available Funds: $3 million
Deadline: April 28, 2020
BJA seeks applications from community supervision agencies, e.g., adult probation and parole or pretrial services, to develop and test new or enhanced applications of the swift, certain, and fair (SCF) principles of intervention. The SCF principles of intervention were developed by BJA to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for people under community supervision. The following entities are eligible to apply for and receive funding pursuant to this grant: states, units of local government, and federally recognized tribal governments.
- Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program
Link: https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17350
Available Funds: $7 million
Deadline: April 28, 2020
The Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program encourages collaboration between state agencies, local government, and community and faith-based organizations to address the challenges that reentry and recidivism reduction pose for moderate to high-risk juvenile offenders returning to their communities from juvenile residential or correctional facilities. The following entities are eligible to apply for and receive funding pursuant to this grant: states (including territories), local governments, or federally recognized Indian tribal governments, in partnership with interested persons (including federal corrections and supervision agencies), service providers, and nonprofit organizations.
- Innovations in Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity and Testing Strategies to Reduce Recidivism
Link: https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17281
Available Funds: $4 million
Deadline: May 4, 2020
This program will help jurisdictions assess their reentry system, identify strengths and gaps, and then build capacity for improving the reentry system in place or expanding services it provides. The following entities are eligible to apply for and receive funding pursuant to this grant: states, units of local government, and federally recognized tribal governments.
- Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program
Link: https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17110
Total Available: $13.5 million
Deadline: May 4, 2020
BJA seeks applications to implement or expand on reentry programs that demonstrate strong partnerships with corrections, parole, probation, and other reentry service providers. These partnerships should develop comprehensive case management plans that directly address criminogenic risk and needs, as determined by validated criminogenic risk assessments, and include delivery or facilitation of services. The following entities are eligible to apply for and receive funding pursuant to this grant: nonprofit organizations and federally recognized tribal governments.
- Research and Evaluation on Promising Reentry Initiatives
Link: https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17295
Available Funds: $6 million
Deadline: May 5, 2020
With this solicitation, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) requests proposals for rigorous research to examine reentry initiatives that incorporate promising practices, strategies, or programs. NIJ is particularly interested in supporting evaluations of innovative reentry initiatives that focus on offenders with a moderate-to-high risk of reoffending. The following entities are eligible to apply for and receive funding pursuant to this grant: states; units of local government; federally recognized Indian tribal governments that perform law enforcement functions; nonprofit and for-profit organizations; and institutions of higher learning.
- Second Chance Act Evaluation Participation Support Program
Link: https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17680
Available Funds: $4 million
Deadline: May 28, 2020
BJA seeks applicants to participate in an evaluation of their Second Chance Act-funded programs. The following entities are eligible to apply for, and receive, funding pursuant to this grant: units or components of state, local, or county governments and federally recognized Indian tribal governments, provided that applicants are current, or previous, recipients of BJA Second Chance Act funds and are running reentry programs ready for a rigorous, randomized control trial evaluation.
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, please visit: https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities
U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison Announce Joint Minnesota COVID-19 Action TeamRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison today jointly announced the formation of the Minnesota COVID-19 Action Team (MCAT), a coordinated statewide effort focused on investigating and prosecuting unlawful activity associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and enforcing all state and federal laws and executive orders to put an end to it. The MCAT urges the public to report any COVID-19-related criminal behavior, scams, price-gouging, cybercrimes, hate crimes, or other unlawful activity to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. The Attorney General’s Office has established a dedicated COVID-19-specific complaint form at that is live as of today. Minnesotans with any concerns or complaints about unlawful activity related to COVID-19 may also call the Attorney General’s office (651) 296-3353 or (800) 657-3787.
“Together, we are living through an extremely challenging and unprecedented time. Unfortunately, there are bad actors who seek to exploit these challenges by preying on vulnerable individuals for a quick financial profit, launching a myriad of insidious cyber scams, or carrying out bias-motivated acts of violence. This type of criminal activity is reprehensible and will not go unpunished,” said U.S. Attorney MacDonald. “The MCAT’s number one priority is the safety and security of all Minnesotans during this extremely challenging time. We are marshalling all available resources to meet that mission.”
“Now is the time for Minnesotans to turn toward each other, not against each other. The vast majority of people and businesses are doing that: they’re doing right by each other, their customers, and communities, and we thank them. But for those that aren’t — for those who are profiteering off the pandemic or using it as a pretext to attack other people — we’re not standing for it. We’re pooling all our resources to come after them and to help all other Minnesotans afford their lives and live with dignity and respect,” Attorney General Ellison said.
“Our County Attorneys appreciate the leadership of our U.S. Attorney and our Attorney General in forming this team. It is another example of the importance of coordination and cooperation between federal, state, and local prosecutors in protecting our communities,” said Robert Small, Executive Director of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association.
The MCAT, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, and the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, unites the collective criminal and civil investigative and enforcement power of our federal, state, local and tribal law-enforcement agencies. The goal of the MCAT is to protect the citizens of Minnesota from any wrongdoing related the COVID-19 pandemic. Through outreach, investigation, enforcement, and prosecution, the MCAT will address reports of COVID-19-related unlawful activity, including fraud scams, price gouging, hoarding of essential medical supplies, schemes targeting economic impact payments (i.e., stimulus checks) and phishing emails and other cybercrimes. The MCAT will serve as a clearinghouse for any such reports or complaints that the public submits to the Attorney General’s Office or any federal, state, or local agency, provide for a swift and coordinated law enforcement response, and facilitate the sharing of information about COVID-19-related unlawful conduct occurring anywhere in Minnesota. Additionally, any instances of COVID-19-related hate crimes targeting specific communities and threats to and assaults upon law enforcement will be promptly investigated and referred for civil action or criminal prosecution, when appropriate. We urge the public to remain vigilant, report any wrongdoing, avoid falling victim to a scammer, and look out for your community and fellow Minnesotans. Complaints can also be submitted to the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at (866) 720-5721 or [email protected].
“Let us be clear: Minnesota law enforcement remains on-duty and committed to meeting the critical mission of protecting individuals, families and communities. Ignorant, hateful attacks have no place in Minnesota and will not be tolerated. And to those who seek to make a quick buck by exploiting the fears and vulnerabilities of individuals, your illegal behavior will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney MacDonald.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
U.S. Attorney Announces South Carolina COVID Strike Team to Combat Coronavirus FraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. announced today that, in coordination with the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has established the South Carolina COVID Strike Team to pursue the prosecution and investigation of Coronavirus fraud schemes, hoarding, and price gouging activities.
The South Carolina COVID Strike Team is comprised of members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, federal law enforcement officers, officers with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and members of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. The federal agencies involved include the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Defense Criminal Investigation Service (DCIS), Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). As needed, the South Carolina COVID Strike Team is also working with local law enforcement agencies throughout South Carolina.
“It is a sad truth that criminals are always willing to take advantage of every opportunity to prey on the most vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “In these unprecedented times, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal, state, and local partners remain vigilant, and we will prosecute those who take advantage of Americans during this pandemic.”
There have been numerous cases of fraud, hoarding, and price gauging across the country. The schemes range from fake COVID-19 tests, hoarding of personal protective medical equipment, and scams related to the upcoming COVID-19 economic impact payments. According to U.S. Attorney McCoy, the South Carolina COVID Strike Team began receiving, and responding to, leads related to Coronavirus activity almost immediately after standing up.
Members of the public can report suspected fraud schemes and price gouging related to Coronavirus by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address [email protected]. The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components, to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud schemes. The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities.
To find more Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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U.S. Attorney McCoy is currently discussing the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to combat Coronavirus-related frauds and schemes with media members. To schedule an interview with U.S. Attorney McCoy, please call AUSA Derek A. Shoemake at 843-813-0982 or email him at [email protected].
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Three Media Executives and Sports Marketing Company Indicted in FIFA CaseRead the Press Release
A 53-count third-superseding indictment (the “Indictment”) was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging sports marketing executives Hernan Lopez and Carlos Martinez, formerly of 21st Century Fox, Inc. (“Fox”); Gerard Romy, former co-CEO of Spanish media company Imagina Media Audiovisual SL (“Imagina”); and Uruguayan sports marketing company Full Play Group S.A. (“Full Play”) (collectively, the “New Defendants”) with wire fraud, money laundering and related offenses – including, as to Romy and Full Play, racketeering conspiracy – in connection with the government’s long-running investigation and prosecution of corruption in organized soccer. The Indictment, returned under seal by a federal grand jury on March 18, 2020, includes additional charges against certain defendants located overseas who were previously indicted and have yet to be extradited to the United States.
Defendants Lopez, Martinez and Full Play are scheduled to be arraigned on April 9, 2020, before United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen in Brooklyn.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office (IRS-CI), announced the charges.
“The charges unsealed today reflect this Office’s ongoing commitment to rooting out corruption at the highest levels of international soccer and at the businesses engaged in promoting and broadcasting the sport,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Companies and individuals alike should understand that, regardless of their wealth or power, they will be brought to justice if they use the U.S. financial system to further corrupt ends.” Mr. Donoghue extended his thanks to the agents and other investigative personnel at the FBI New York Eurasian Joint Organized Crime Squad, the FBI’s Integrity in Sport and Gaming Initiative and the IRS-CI Los Angeles Field Office, as well as their colleagues in the United States and abroad, for their continuing effort in this case.
“The profiteering and bribery in international soccer have been deep-seated and commonly known practices for decades. These men, along with the general public, have known the FBI New York and our many law enforcement partners are investigating the illicit handshakes and backroom deals hidden in the infrastructure of soccer events, venues and marketing contracts. The first public charges date back to 2015. This should illustrate to everyone still hoping to score millions corruptly, we're going to find you,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
“As charged in the Indictment, over a period of many years, the defendants and their co-conspirators corrupted the governance and business of international soccer with bribes and kickbacks, and engaged in criminal fraudulent schemes that caused significant harm to the sport of soccer. Their schemes included the use of shell companies, sham consulting contracts and other concealment methods to disguise the bribes and kickback payments and make them appear legitimate. IRS-CI is proud to have worked alongside our partners at the FBI to unravel this trail of deception,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Korner.
As alleged in the Indictment, FIFA and its six continental confederations – including the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (“CONCACAF”), headquartered in the United States, and the Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (“CONMEBOL”), the confederation governing soccer in South America – together with affiliated regional federations, national member associations and sports marketing companies, constitute an enterprise of legal entities associated in fact for purposes of the federal racketeering laws. The principal – and entirely legitimate – purpose of the enterprise is to regulate and promote the sport of soccer worldwide. Consistent with previous indictments returned in the case, the Indictment alleges that over a period of more than two decades, the defendants and their co-conspirators corrupted the enterprise by engaging in various criminal activities, including fraud, bribery and money laundering.
As set forth in the Indictment, the New Defendants used their positions in the world of international soccer to engage in schemes involving the solicitation, offer, acceptance, payment and receipt of bribes and kickbacks, principally to obtain lucrative broadcast rights to various international soccer tournaments and events. For example, as alleged:
- Lopez and Martinez, formerly high-ranking executives of Fox subsidiaries responsible for developing and carrying out Fox’s sports broadcasting businesses in Latin America, joined Full Play and other co-conspirators in a scheme involving the annual payment of millions of dollars in bribes to officials of CONMEBOL in exchange for the lucrative broadcasting rights to the Copa Libertadores, the region’s most popular club tournament, among other events. Lopez and Martinez also relied on loyalty secured through the payment of bribes to certain CONMEBOL officials to advance the business interests of Fox, including to obtain confidential bidding information for the rights to broadcast the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments in the United States, rights that Fox successfully obtained.
- Romy was a high-ranking executive and shareholder of Imagina, a privately held, multinational media conglomerate based in Barcelona, Spain, that owned various subsidiaries around the world, including in the United States. Romy participated in schemes to pay millions of dollars to high-ranking officials of the Caribbean Football Union (“CFU”) and of federations within the Central American Football Union (“UNCAF”), both regional soccer unions operating under the CONCACAF umbrella, to secure the media and marketing rights to FIFA World Cup qualifier matches organized by federations within the CFU and UNCAF. In connection with the CFU scheme, Romy and his co-conspirators agreed to pay Jeffrey Webb, a senior official of the CFU and the president of CONCACAF, a $3 million bribe in exchange for a share of a contract awarding the media and marketing rights to CFU members’ home World Cup qualifier matches for the 2018 and 2022 qualification cycles.
- Full Play, a sports marketing company incorporated in Uruguay, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and owned by father-and-son defendants Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis, participated in numerous schemes to pay bribes to officials of CONMEBOL and CONCACAF in exchange for media and marketing rights to various soccer events, including World Cup qualifier and friendly matches, the Copa Libertadores, and multiple editions of the Copa América, a national team tournament administered by CONMEBOL. Hugo and Mariano Jinkis, charged in the first indictment in the case unsealed on May 27, 2015, are among the defendants charged in the Indictment and remain fugitives.
In connection with the above schemes, the Indictment charges Romy and Full Play with RICO conspiracy and all four New Defendants with wire fraud and money laundering offenses. Each of the offenses carries a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment, and, if convicted, each defendant faces mandatory restitution, forfeiture and a fine.
Other schemes alleged in the Indictment relate to the payment and receipt of bribes and kickbacks in connection with, among other things, contracts for the media and marketing rights to additional soccer events and FIFA’s selection of the countries to host various editions of the World Cup, including the World Cup hosted by Russia in 2018 and the World Cup scheduled to be hosted by Qatar in 2022.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel P. Nitze, M. Kristin Mace, Keith D. Edelman, Patrick T. Hein, Kaitlin T. Farrell, David C. Pitluck and Brian D. Morris, with assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Organized Crime and Gang Section.
The New Defendants:
HERNAN LOPEZ
Age: 49
Los Angeles, CaliforniaCARLOS MARTINEZ
Age: 51
Doral, FloridaGERARD ROMY
Age: 65
Barcelona, SpainFULL PLAY GROUP S.A.
Buenos Aires, ArgentinaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-252 (S-3) (PKC)
- Lopez and Martinez, formerly high-ranking executives of Fox subsidiaries responsible for developing and carrying out Fox’s sports broadcasting businesses in Latin America, joined Full Play and other co-conspirators in a scheme involving the annual payment of millions of dollars in bribes to officials of CONMEBOL in exchange for the lucrative broadcasting rights to the Copa Libertadores, the region’s most popular club tournament, among other events. Lopez and Martinez also relied on loyalty secured through the payment of bribes to certain CONMEBOL officials to advance the business interests of Fox, including to obtain confidential bidding information for the rights to broadcast the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments in the United States, rights that Fox successfully obtained.
Supai Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Assaulting Two Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On March 9, Delton Rogers, 33, of Supai, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to two terms of 27 months in federal prison followed by 36 months of supervised release. Rogers will serve the terms concurrently. In December 2019, Rogers pleaded guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer in two different cases.
On September 27, 2018, Rogers struck a Bureau of Indian Affairs police officer who was attempting to restrain him during an altercation in Supai, Arizona. On April 21, 2019, when Hualapai Police Department officers were attempting to locate Rogers after a domestic disturbance report, he led officers on a high speed vehicle pursuit. While being taken into custody, Rogers aggressively attempted to break free from officers and repeatedly kicked an officer in the legs.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (Truxton Canyon Agency) and the Hualapai Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Covault, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-8036-PCT-SPL; CR-19-8155-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-043_Rogers# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.New Jersey Chiropractor Agrees to Pay $2 Million to Resolve Allegations of Unnecessary Knee Injections and Knee Braces and Related KickbacksRead the Press Release
David Podell, a New Jersey chiropractor, has agreed to pay the United States $2 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that he both knowingly billed Medicare for medically-unnecessary viscosupplementation injections and knee braces and that he received illegal kickbacks, the Justice Department announced today. The settlement follows the government’s earlier settlement with seven former Osteo Relief Institutes (ORIs) and their owners, who agreed to pay the United States collectively more than $7.1 million to resolve their False Claims Act liability.
“Billing for services or items that are medically unnecessary or tainted by illegal kickbacks threatens the integrity of federal healthcare programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to pursue providers who seek to improperly enrich themselves at the expense of these programs, their beneficiaries, and the taxpayers.”
Podell previously owned and managed a clinic in Edgewater, New Jersey that performed viscosupplementation, among other procedures. Along with a business partner, he also promoted a business model to other chiropractors for running and marketing a clinic that specialized in the treatment of osteoarthritis through the administration of fluoroscopic-guided viscosupplementation injections and the provision of knee braces. This led to the formation of the ORIs. Viscosupplementation is a treatment for osteoarthritis, in which a doctor injects a gel-like fluid into a patient’s knee joint to act as a lubricant and to supplement the natural properties of joint fluid. Through his association with his business partner, Podell received a percentage of the ORIs’ collections.
The government alleged that Podell caused his clinic and other ORIs to bill Medicare for viscosupplementation injections for patients who did not need them, to use multiple brands of viscosupplements successively on patients without clinical support, and to use discounted viscosupplements reimported from foreign countries. The government also alleged that Podell caused his clinic and the ORIs to provide unnecessary custom knee braces to patients. The government further alleged that Podell solicited and received kickbacks from a manufacturer of knee braces in exchange for ordering more of the manufacturer’s braces for his clinic.
“When medical professionals seek to increase their revenue by improperly exploiting public healthcare programs, beneficiaries suffer and taxpayer dollars are wasted,” said U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald for the District of Minnesota. “Today’s settlement serves as another example of our commitment to address fraud and abuse in the healthcare system.”
“Medical providers have a responsibility to ensure that the products and services that they provide are medically necessary and appropriate,” said Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Chicago Region. “Providing medically unnecessary products and services can put a patient’s health and safety at risk and waste vital taxpayer dollars. HHS-OIG will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who put their financial interests above those of Medicare beneficiaries.”
The allegations resolved by today’s settlement were identified by a government investigation that arose out of a critical analysis of Medicare claims data. The government’s settlement in this matter illustrates its emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was investigated by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The claims asserted against this defendant are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
New Jersey Chiropractor Agrees to Pay $2 Million to Resolve Allegations of Unnecessary Knee Injections and Knee Braces and Related KickbacksRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Podell, a New Jersey chiropractor, has agreed to pay the United States $2 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that he both knowingly billed Medicare for medically-unnecessary viscosupplementation injections and knee braces and that he received illegal kickbacks, the Justice Department announced today. The settlement follows the government’s earlier settlement with seven former Osteo Relief Institutes (ORIs) and their owners, who agreed to pay the United States collectively more than $7.1 million to resolve their False Claims Act liability.
“Billing for services or items that are medically unnecessary or tainted by illegal kickbacks threatens the integrity of federal healthcare programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to pursue providers who seek to improperly enrich themselves at the expense of these programs, their beneficiaries, and the taxpayers.”
Podell previously owned and managed a clinic in Edgewater, New Jersey that performed viscosupplementation, among other procedures. Along with a business partner, he also promoted a business model to other chiropractors for running and marketing a clinic that specialized in the treatment of osteoarthritis through the administration of fluoroscopic-guided viscosupplementation injections and the provision of knee braces. This led to the formation of the ORIs. Viscosupplementation is a treatment for osteoarthritis, in which a doctor injects a gel-like fluid into a patient’s knee joint to act as a lubricant and to supplement the natural properties of joint fluid. Through his association with his business partner, Podell received a percentage of the ORIs’ collections.
The government alleged that Podell caused his clinic and other ORIs to bill Medicare for viscosupplementation injections for patients who did not need them, to use multiple brands of viscosupplements successively on patients without clinical support, and to use discounted viscosupplements reimported from foreign countries. The government also alleged that Podell caused his clinic and the ORIs to provide unnecessary custom knee braces to patients. The government further alleged that Podell solicited and received kickbacks from a manufacturer of knee braces in exchange for ordering more of the manufacturer’s braces for his clinic.
“When medical professionals seek to increase their revenue by improperly exploiting public healthcare programs, beneficiaries suffer and taxpayer dollars are wasted,” said U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald for the District of Minnesota. “Today’s settlement serves as another example of our commitment to address fraud and abuse in the healthcare system.”
“Medical providers have a responsibility to ensure that the products and services that they provide are medically necessary and appropriate,” said Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Chicago Region. “Providing medically unnecessary products and services can put a patient’s health and safety at risk and waste vital taxpayer dollars. HHS-OIG will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who put their financial interests above those of Medicare beneficiaries.”
The allegations resolved by today’s settlement were identified by a government investigation that arose out of a critical analysis of Medicare claims data. The government’s settlement in this matter illustrates its emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was investigated by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The claims asserted against this defendant are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
MiMedx Group, Inc. Agrees to Pay $6.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations for False Commercial Pricing DisclosuresRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – MiMedx Group Inc. (MiMedx), a biopharmaceutical company based in Marietta, Georgia that manufactures and sells human tissue grafts, will pay $6.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false commercial pricing disclosures to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Justice Department announced today.
“Today’s settlement demonstrates our continuing vigilance to ensure that those doing business with the government charge a fair price for their goods,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Government contractors will not be permitted to profit improperly at the expense of taxpayers.”
This settlement resolves allegations that MiMedx knowingly submitted false statements and disclosures to the VA regarding MiMedx’s commercial pricing practices, enabling MiMedx to charge the VA inflated prices for its human tissue graft products. Prior to the United States’ disclosure to MiMedx of its investigation, MiMedx made a disclosure to the VA Office of Inspector General regarding its commercial sales practices. In the settlement, the United States acknowledged MiMedx’s cooperation.
“Charging inflated prices for medical products is unlawful and unethical,” said U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald for the District of Minnesota. “This settlement underscores the obligation of government contractors to be fair and truthful in their dealings with the United States and to prevent wasted taxpayer dollars.”
“Our nation’s veterans deserve the best healthcare products and services available and the American taxpayers deserve fair and honest pricing from government contractors,” said Michael J. Missal, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “This settlement underscores VA OIG’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the VA’s healthcare system and procurement processes.”
The allegations resolved by the settlement were first brought in a lawsuit filed by former MiMedx sales representatives under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to receive a share of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States of America ex rel. Jess Kruchoski and Luke Tornquist v. MiMedx Group, Inc., 17-cv-00187 (D. Minn.). As part of this settlement, they will receive $1,625,000 as their share of the government’s recovery.
This matter was investigated by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, and the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Additional news available on our website.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
MiMedx Group Inc. Agrees to Pay $6.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of False Commercial Pricing DisclosuresRead the Press Release
MiMedx Group Inc. (MiMedx), a biopharmaceutical company based in Marietta, Georgia that manufactures and sells human tissue grafts, will pay $6.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false commercial pricing disclosures to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Justice Department announced today.
“Today’s settlement demonstrates our continuing vigilance to ensure that those doing business with the government charge a fair price for their goods,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Government contractors will not be permitted to profit improperly at the expense of taxpayers.”
This settlement resolves allegations that MiMedx knowingly submitted false statements and disclosures to the VA regarding MiMedx’s commercial pricing practices, enabling MiMedx to charge the VA inflated prices for its human tissue graft products. Prior to the United States’ disclosure to MiMedx of its investigation, MiMedx made a disclosure to the VA Office of Inspector General regarding its commercial sales practices. In the settlement, the United States acknowledged MiMedx’s cooperation.
“Charging inflated prices for medical products is unlawful and unethical,” said U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald for the District of Minnesota. “This settlement underscores the obligation of government contractors to be fair and truthful in their dealings with the United States and to prevent wasted taxpayer dollars.”
“Our nation’s veterans deserve the best healthcare products and services available and the American taxpayers deserve fair and honest pricing from government contractors,” said Michael J. Missal, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “This settlement underscores VA OIG’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the VA’s healthcare system and procurement processes.”
The allegations resolved by the settlement were first brought in a lawsuit filed by former MiMedx sales representatives under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to receive a share of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States of America ex rel. Jess Kruchoski and Luke Tornquist v. MiMedx Group, Inc., 17-cv-00187 (D. Minn.). As part of this settlement, they will receive $1,625,000 as their share of the government’s recovery.
This matter was investigated by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, and the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Illegal possession of firearm sends Billings man to prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Billings man who admitted he illegally had a firearm after being found passed out in a vehicle was sentenced today to two and one half years in prison and three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Matthew Robert-Jefferson Miller, 32, pleaded guilty in October to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The prosecution said in court documents that in 2009, Matthew Robert-Jefferson Miller was convicted of felony drug charges. On March 8, 2019, a Rosebud County Sheriff’s sergeant received a call for service regarding a vehicle off the road and stuck in the snow near the Rosebud Creek turn off on Highway 10. The officer found the vehicle with Miller passed out behind the wheel. During a pat down search of Miller, the officer found a loaded firearm in his waistband. The officer conducted a DUI investigation and arrested Miller. During an interview, Miller advised he had the firearm for protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Guardian, a Department of Justice initiative launched in the fall of 2019 to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Through Project Guardian, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Montana is working to enhance coordination of its federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement partners in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. In addition, Project Guardian supports information sharing and taking action when individuals are denied a firearm purchase by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for mental health reasons or because they are a prohibited person.
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Georgia Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Hahira, Georgia, man was charged in federal district court with Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, and Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor.
Franklin Love McDaniel, age 33, was charged on January 15, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on March 25, 2020, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 15 years up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of 5 years up to lifetime supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges relate to McDaniel sexually exploiting underage females between April 2017 and June 2019 in Rapid City via the internet. The charges are merely an accusation and McDaniel is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
McDaniel was released on conditions pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Federal Defendant Charged with Gun Law Violation Ordered Detained Pending TrialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been ordered detained pending trial, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Earlier today, Cheron Shelton, 33, proceeded to a detention hearing before federal Magistrate Judge Lisa Pupo Lenihan of the Western District of Pennsylvania. At the close of the hearing, Judge Lenihan determined that no condition or combination of conditions of release could adequately assure the safety of the community and the appearance of the defendant for future court proceedings, and ordered the defendant detained pending trial.
Shelton is charged in a one-count Indictment with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to the Indictment, on March 12, 2016, Shelton possessed a firearm and ammunition, namely a Colt Model M4, .22 caliber rifle, knowing that he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term exceeding one year. Federal law prohibits any person who has been convicted of a felony from owning a firearm.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and Brendan T. Conway are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Allegheny County Police Department and the Wilkinsburg Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is 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.
Dominican National Sentenced for False Identity CrimeRead the Press Release
Boston – A Dominican national formerly residing in Methuen was sentenced today for falsely representing a Social Security number as his own.
Francisco Antonio Sanchez Bernabe, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (approximately one year), one year of supervised release and ordered removed to the Dominican Republic. In December 2019, Sanchez Bernabe pleaded guilty to false representation of a Social Security number. He has been in federal custody since his arrest on the charges on April 18, 2019.
On Oct. 25, 2018, Sanchez Bernabe falsely represented that a Social Security number was his in an application for a driver’s license at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. In connection with the application, Sanchez Bernabe provided various documents, including a birth certificate and Social Security card, in order to obtain the license.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra S. Bower of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Department of Justice Makes $850 Million Available to Help Public Safety Agencies Address Covid-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington announced that the Department of Justice is making $850 million available to help public safety agencies respond to the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19. The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump, will allow eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. The department is moving quickly to make awards, with the goal of having funds available for drawdown within days of the award.
U.S. Attorney Hyslop stated, “Our state, local and tribal law enforcement partners are dedicated to keeping our communities safe by making arrests and investigating cases on a daily basis. These public safety funds will enhance their ability during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue performing their important work. I encourage our law enforcement partners to apply for this emergency funding.”
“This is an unprecedented moment in our nation’s history and an especially dangerous one for our front-line law enforcement officers, corrections officials, and public safety professionals,” said Office of Justice Programs Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “We are grateful to the Congress for making these resources available and for the show of support this program represents.”
The solicitation, posted by the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will remain open for at least 60 days and be extended as necessary. OJP will fund successful applicants as a top priority on a rolling basis as applications are received. Funds may be used to hire personnel, pay overtime costs, cover protective equipment and supplies, address correctional inmates’ medical needs and defray expenses related to the distribution of resources to hard-hit areas, among other activities. Grant funds may be applied retroactively to Jan. 20, 2020, subject to federal supplanting rules.
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for this emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations can be found at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations.
For more information about the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553. For more information about the Office of Justice Programs, please visit https://www.ojp.gov/.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Box Elder Man Charged with Attempting to Entice a Minor Using the InternetRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Box Elder, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
Adam Swift, age 30, was charged on March 25, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on March 25, 2020, and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of 5 years up to lifetime supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The charge relates to Swift communicating with the parent of 5-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, with the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with the minor female. The charges are merely an accusation and Swift is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Swift was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Sunday 5 April 2020
U.S. Attorney Keefe Announces Nearly $60 Million in Grants Available to Support Prisoners' Successful Reentry into Their CommunitiesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSE, FLORIDA – Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida,
today announced that communities across northern Florida are eligible to apply for a portion of
nearly $60 million in Department of Justice grants nationwide that is available to help communities
address public safety by supporting successful reentry of adult and juvenile offenders into their
communities.“Our nation is facing difficult public safety challenges that demand strong and immediate action.
The high rate of recidivism poses a dire threat to community safety and is being met with a robust
response by this Administration,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney
General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). “The Department of Justice is front and center in
the fight to meet this persistent challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding
available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”“Our law enforcement efforts do our communities little good if the offenders we send away come back
only to resume their criminal activities,” added U.S. Attorney Keefe. “We must support programs
that help released offenders find a positive way to live within our communities, and this grant
program is an important tool to help produce that good result.”The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety
funding and crime victim assistance in state, local, and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs
support a wide array of activities and services, including adult and juvenile reentry initiatives
and research projects designed to improve our knowledge of what works in reentry programming.A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future.
Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment, and Recidivism Reduction Strategies Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17104
Total Available $7.2 million Deadline 4/27/2020Improving Community Supervision Outcomes through Swift, Certain, and Fair Responses
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17096
Total Available $3 million Deadline 4/28/2020Improving Reentry for People with Substance Use Disorders Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/SCASUD20
Total Available $13.2 million Deadline 4/27/2020Innovations in Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity & Testing Strategies to Reduce
Recidivism
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17281
Total Available $4 million Deadline 5/4/2020Research and Evaluation on Promising Reentry Initiatives
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17295
Total Available $6 million Deadline 5/5/2020Review and Validation of the First Step Act Risk Assessment Tool
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-fsa
Total Available: Determined after selection Deadline 4/10/2020Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17110
Total Available $13.5 million Deadline 5/4/2020Second Chance Act Evaluation Participation Support
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17680
Total Available $4 million Deadline 4/28/2020Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh176/files/media/document/ojjdp-2020-17350.pdf
Total Available $7 million Deadline 4/28/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit
https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that
serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access
available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office,
Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Saturday 4 April 2020
United States Attorney's Office Opposes Release of Violent OffendersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia filed a response in opposition to a motion by the Public Defender Service seeking the wholesale and indiscriminate release of all misdemeanor defendants currently serving sentences after being convicted of their crimes in a court of law.
“These misdemeanor defendants include violent criminals convicted of offenses involving vicious and armed assaults, assault on police officer and other first responders, bomb threats, voyeurism, stalking, indecent exposure to minors, and domestic violence,” said United States Attorney Timothy J. Shea. “This pandemic should not be used as a basis to release violent criminals onto the streets of Washington. “Now more than ever, as law enforcement authorities are being stretched thin due to the impact of COVID-19, the rule of law must be maintained.”
In its filing, the United States Attorney’s Office wrote that each defendant’s “sentence was imposed by an impartial judge after consideration of the crime of conviction, the impact on the victim, the criminal history of the offender, and other relevant statutory and prudential factors. Wholesale relief without regard to these factors would neither do justice nor serve public safety.”
The filing also expressed concern about the release of individuals convicted of domestic violence offenses. According to the supplemental response filed on April 3, 2020, “categorically releasing all domestic violence offenders at this point is likely to create an even greater increased risk of violence in the community.” The filing went on to express the concern that granting “early release to all of those offenders, at the same time, with little notice to victims, into a community facing severe public health restrictions[, would] uniquely put those members of the community in increased danger.”
Releasing all inmates who have committed the aforementioned crimes, without taking into account the victims impacted by their conduct, without concrete evidence that their release would benefit the health of people both inside and outside the jail, and without a case-by-case assessment of whether a defendant poses an ongoing danger to the community, would offend sensible notions of justice and public safety. Consistent with the March 26, 2020, directive of the U.S. Attorney General, however, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is undertaking a careful, case-by-case review – taking into consideration, among other things, the nature of the defendant’s conviction, the potential risk posed by the defendant to the community, and the possibility of release conditions that will assure the safety of the community – in order to facilitate the release of some vulnerable, non-violent inmates who are not likely to pose a risk to public safety.
Puerto Rico U.S. Attorney’s Office and IRS Criminal Investigation Warn Taxpayers to be Alert for Scams Related to Covid-19 Economic Impact PaymentsRead the Press Release
San Juan, Puerto Rico – Puerto Rico U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow and Special Agent in Charge Michael J. De Palma of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) today warned taxpayers to be alert about possible scams relating to COVID-19, especially in connection with economic impact payments. The announcement is an effort to prevent taxpayers in need from being victimized by criminals using the recently approved payments as an opportunity to commit a crime.
U.S. Attorney Muldrow stated, "Our office and our law enforcement partners are committed to bringing to justice fraudsters who are preying on vulnerable citizens during this unprecedented public health crisis. We will also continue our outreach efforts to make the public aware of scams and frauds. I urge citizens to remain vigilant and to be skeptical of any telephone calls, e-mails, or websites that request personal information or banking information, while promising money or services that seem too good to be true."
Michael J. De Palma Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Miami Field Office warned, "Even as our Nation is enduring a State of Emergency, criminals will continue to engage in heinous acts to further enrich themselves demonstrating no sympathy by exploiting you during your most difficult circumstance."
In a matter of weeks, COVID-19 economic impact payments will be on their way. For most Americans, this will be a direct deposit into your bank account. For the unbanked individuals who have traditionally received tax refunds via paper check, they will receive their economic impact payment through the mail. The Treasury Department from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico will also be providing assistance to individuals and small businesses via checks and direct deposits.
Scammers may try to get you to sign over your check to them or get you to "verify" your filing information in order to steal your money. Your personal information could then be used to file false tax returns in an identity theft scheme. Because of this, everyone receiving a COVID-19 economic impact payments is at risk.
U.S. Attorney Muldrow offers the following information and tips to spot a scam and understand how the COVID-19 related economic impact payments will be issued.
- The IRS or Puerto Rico Treasury Department will deposit your payment into the direct deposit account you previously provided on your tax return (or, in the alternative, send you a paper check).
- The IRS or the Puerto Rico Treasury Department will NOT call and ask you to verify your payment details. Do NOT give your bank account number, debit account number, or PayPal account information to anyone—even if someone claims it is necessary to get your check. This is a scam.
- If you receive a call, do NOT engage with scammers, even if you want to tell them that you know it is a scam. Just hang up.
- If you receive texts or e-mails claiming that you can get your money faster by sending personal identifying information or clicking on links, delete these texts and e-mails. Do NOT click on any links in those texts or e-mails.
- There are many reports about fake checks. If you receive a "check" in the mail now, it is a scam. It will take the U.S. Treasury Department a few more weeks to mail out the COVID-19 economic impact payments. If you receive a "check" for an odd amount (especially one with cents), or a check that requires you to verify the check online or by calling a number, it is a scam.
In these uncertain and trying times, we need to remain vigilant. Please help law enforcement protect your community by telling family, friends, and elderly neighbors to be on the lookout for these potential scams. You work hard for your money, do NOT become a victim of these scams. If something sounds too good to be true, it is probably fraudulent.
For more information, visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov/coronavirus or DOJ’s website at https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
- https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud
- https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
- https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Dominican National Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for False Identity CrimeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court yesterday for fraudulent use of a Social Security number.
Jairo Samuel Andujar Ruiz, 27, formerly of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number. After accepting Andujar Ruiz’s guilty plea, U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani sentenced him to time served, approximately 7 ½ months, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Andujar Ruiz is also subject to deportation proceedings.
On Oct. 30, 2018, Andujar Ruiz used the Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to fraudulently obtain a valid Massachusetts state identification card under the victim’s name. In order to obtain a Massachusetts ID card, Andujar Ruiz fraudulently provided various documents to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in Haverhill including a Social Security card, bearing the victim’s name. In addition, Andujar Ruiz obtained a Massachusetts driver’s license in the victim’s name.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
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Department of Justice Issues Business Review Letter to Medical Supplies Distributors Supporting Project Airbridge Under Expedited Procedure for COVID-19 Pandemic ResponseRead the Press Release
The U.S. Department of Justice announced today that it will not challenge collaborative efforts of McKesson Corporation, Owens & Minor Inc., Cardinal Health Inc., Medline Industries Inc., and Henry Schein Inc. (together, Medical Supplies Distributors) to expedite and increase manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution of personal-protective equipment (PPE) and coronavirus-treatment-related medication. These collaborative efforts are part of an emergency response developed and led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address supply needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These Medical Supplies Distributors should be applauded for their efforts to both assist the United States in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and stay within the bounds of antitrust law,” says Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim. “I also applaud the attorneys and economists of the Antitrust Division, who worked expeditiously to finish in days a review process that ordinarily takes many months.”
Under the collaboration, the Medical Supplies Distributors work at the direction of the United States government to help resolve supply challenges presented by the pandemic. One such initiative, Project Airbridge, was developed by the United States as a partnership between the Medical Supplies Distributors, among others, in addition to logistics companies, under the direction of FEMA and HHS. Project Airbridge’s purpose is to quickly source and airlift PPE, including masks, gowns, gloves, and other equipment designed to protect against infection, as well as to distribute coronavirus-treatment-related medication to areas of greatest need across the country.
The Medical Supplies Distributors submitted their business review request pursuant to the expedited, temporary review procedure, detailed in the Joint Antitrust Statement Regarding COVID-19 (the "joint statement") and issued on March 24 by both the department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In the Joint Statement, the department announced its aim to resolve COVID-19-related business review requests within seven calendar days of receiving all necessary information.
Copies of the business review request and the department’s response are available on the Antitrust Division’s website at https://www.justice.gov/atr/business-review-letters-and-request-letters, as well as in a file maintained by the Antitrust Documents Group of the Antitrust Division. After a 30-day waiting period, any documents supporting the business review will be added to the file, unless a basis for their exclusion for reasons of confidentiality has been established under the business review procedure. Supporting documents in the file will be maintained for a period of one year, and copies will be available upon request to the FOIA/Privacy Act Unit, Antitrust Documents Group at [email protected].
Friday 3 April 2020
Waynesboro Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison Under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Iva Lacey, 44, of Waynesboro, was sentenced Wednesday by Senior U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a $5,000 fine, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Lacey was previously convicted on multiple instances of felonious possession of controlled substances. On January 24, 2019, while executing a search warrant at Lacey’s house, law enforcement found a firearm stored in a secret compartment hidden in his bathroom. Lacey subsequently admitted to possession of the firearm on a recorded jail phone call.
Lacey was indicted on September 25, 2019. He pled guilty before Judge Starrett on November 26, 2019.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, and the Waynesboro Police Department investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Utah Man Sentenced to Prison for Domestic Assault on Navajo NationRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On February 24, Gregg Larry Holiday, 47, of Goulding, Utah, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 30 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Holiday previously pleaded guilty to assault of an intimate partner or dating partner resulting in substantial bodily injury.
Holiday committed the assault on his partner in 2016. During the assault, Holiday strangled the victim. The assault occurred at a residence on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, in Arizona. Both Holiday and the victim are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Alexander W. Samuels, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-08096-PCT-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-042_Holiday# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Urbana University High School Teacher, Girls' Cross Country Coach Arrested on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Savoy, Ill., man, Douglas O. Mynatt, 56, made his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon via video-conference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, after Mynatt was arrested today on child pornography charges. Mynatt, of the 100 Block of Dropseed Ave., Savoy, Ill., is employed as a physical education teacher at Urbana’s University High School and serves as coach of the girls’ cross country program.
Mynatt waived preliminary and detention hearings and was ordered to remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint alleges that on numerous dates in January 2020, Mynatt distributed, received and possessed images of child pornography including minor girls as young as six to nine years old. According to the affidavit, Mynatt allegedly used Application A, an instant messaging application known for its feature that preserves users’ anonymity but logs IP addresses, to upload and share 15 digital files containing child pornography on five occasions in January 2020.
According to the affidavit, on March 20, 2020, the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office received a CyberTip referral that was made by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) division of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Application A self-reported to NCMEC that one of its online social media users possessed content believed to be images and movies of child pornography. Application A reported several IP addresses for logins by the user, identified as Mynatt, including from his home address in Savoy and at the University of Illinois in Champaign / Urbana.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson is representing the government in the prosecution. U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, and the Urbana Police Department are conducting the investigation. This is an ongoing investigation; anyone with information is encouraged to call the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office at 217-384-1213.
If convicted, Mynatt faces penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division=s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), to marshal federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
United States Attorney’s Office Supports Advocacy Day for Access and Independence and Accessible Polling PlacesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that in its continued efforts to support the commitments in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the U.S. Attorney’s Office participated in Advocacy Day for Access and Independence.
This annual event was led by Able SC, which is a Center for Independent Living organization, a consumer-controlled, community-based, cross-disability nonprofit that provides an array of independent living services to people of all ages with all types of disabilities. Its mission includes empowering people with disabilities to live active and self-determined lives. Traditionally held on the South Carolina State House grounds, this year Able SC Executive Director Kimberly Tissot, Director of Advocacy Robbie Kopp, and the Able SC staff conducted the event virtually through Facebook and YouTube. State legislators, officials, and activists from the disability community spoke about the barriers that South Carolinians with disabilities regularly face and the ways they can be remedied.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Sneed spoke on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. AUSA Sneed’s remarks focused on the Department of Justice’s unflagging support for and enforcement of the ADA. Sneed highlighted how 2020 marks the 30th Anniversary of the ADA. He also discussed the ADA Voting Initiative, which was launched in 2015 by the DOJ Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The initiative’s goal is to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in the voting process. DOJ and other U.S. Attorney Offices have opened several investigations across the country to survey whether barriers to access exist. In South Carolina in recent years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office surveyed polling places in Richland and Anderson Counties and has ADA Polling Place Agreements in place with these entities.
“People with disabilities who live in South Carolina deserve equal access to polling places, and we are committed to making sure that they have it,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy.
The year 2020 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. The Justice Department will continue to use its enforcement and technical assistance tools to eliminate unlawful discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
United States Attorney William M. McSwain Announces More Than $159 Million Available to Fight Drug Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that more than $159 million in Department of Justice grants are available to help communities address America’s drug addiction crisis.
“Our Office participates in numerous outreach programs that focus on addiction awareness, prevention, and recovery,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “These grants are one aspect of that effort: through these grants, we are providing those affected by addiction with a path forward to long-term recovery. This is an important initiative that helps those directly and indirectly affected by addiction, while making our communities safer at the same time.”
“Our nation is facing the difficult challenge of curbing substance addiction, which threatens public safety and is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”
The funding is available through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local, and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs designed to prevent overdose deaths and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
The following funding opportunities are currently available, with additional ones coming in the near future:
- Family Drug Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17090
Total Available: $18.2 million
Deadline: April 8, 2020
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Family Drug Court Program seeks to build the capacity of state and local courts, units of local government, and federally recognized tribal governments to enhance existing family drug courts or to implement statewide or countywide family drug court practices that increase collaboration with substance abuse treatment and child welfare systems. The following entities are available to apply for this grant: states and territories; state and local courts; units of local government; and federally recognized Indian tribal governments acting on behalf of a single jurisdiction drug court.
- Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-16930
Total Available: $48 million
Deadline: April 13, 2020
This program supports the implementation and delivery of mentoring services to youth populations that are at risk for juvenile delinquency, victimization, and juvenile justice system involvement. Mentoring services can be one-on-one, group, peer, or a combination of these types. This solicitation offers five program categories, each with different eligibility criteria outlined in the link provided above. Applicants in all categories must initiate mentoring services to youth who are 17 years old or younger at the time of admission to the program. Funding can be used to support new mentoring matches or continue existing mentoring matches at the time of application.
- Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17051
Total Available: $7.2 million
Deadline: April 13, 2020
This program provides resources to state, local, and tribal governments to create and enhance juvenile drug treatment court programs for youth in the justice system who have substance abuse problems specifically related to opioid abuse. This solicitation is composed of two grant categories, and information regarding the specific eligibility requirements for each category is provided in the link above. Applicants must clearly designate the category for which they are applying.
- Opioid Affected Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17352
Total Available: $9 million
Deadline: April 20, 2020
This program will support the efforts of states, communities, tribal jurisdictions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations and institutions of higher education to implement programs and strategies that identify, respond to, treat, and support children, youth, and families impacted by the opioid epidemic. The following entities are eligible to apply for and receive funding pursuant to this solicitation: states and territories; units of local government; federally recognized Indian tribal governments; nonprofit organizations and for-profit organizations; and institutions of higher education.
- Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17275
Total Available: $1 million
Deadline: April 20, 2020
The National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ) Drugs and Crime Research Program supports rigorous applied research on evidence-based tools, protocols, and policies for state, tribal, and local law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies that address drug trafficking, drug markets, and drug-related violence. The focus of this research solicitation is narcotics-related criminal investigation, prosecution, intelligence, and community surveillance relevant to law enforcement and death investigation activities. The FY2020 solicitation’s drug priorities are methamphetamine and other stimulants, including diverted pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, and their analogues. The following entities are eligible to apply for and receive funding pursuant to this solicitation: states and territories; units of local government; federally recognized Indian tribal governments that perform law enforcement functions; nonprofit organizations and for-profit organizations; and institutions of higher education.
- Enhancing Community Responses to America's Addiction Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims
https://www.ovc.gov/grants/pdftxt/fy-2020-enhancing-community-responses-to-drug-crisis.pdf
Total Available: $19 million
Deadline: May 4, 2020
The U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is seeking applications to support direct services for children and youth who are crime victims as a result of the current addiction crisis; and to provide training and technical assistance to the direct services grantees. This program furthers the Department’s mission by enhancing the field’s response to young victims of the addiction crisis. The following entities are eligible to apply for and receive funding pursuant to this solicitation: states and territories; units of local government; federally recognized Indian tribal governments; nonprofit, non-governmental victim and social service organizations with the capacity to serve young crime victims affected by the addiction crisis; for-profit organizations with the capacity to serve young crime victims affected by the addiction crisis; and institutions of higher education.
- Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17754
Total Available: $28.1 million
Deadline: May 5, 2020
The Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) enhances the capacity of regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health officials to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data and other scheduled chemical products through a centralized database administered by an authorized agency. PDMPs help state and local governments to detect and prevent the diversion and abuse of pharmaceutically controlled substances such as opioids and other prescription drugs. Eligibility criteria is outlined in the link provided above.
- Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17098
Total Available: $1.75 million
Deadline: May 14, 2020
This program provides financial and technical assistance to states, state courts, local courts, units of local government, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments to enhance the operations of drug courts or to implement new veterans’ treatment courts. These courts effectively integrate evidence-based substance abuse treatment, random drug testing, equitable sanctions and incentives, and transitional services in judicially-supervised court settings with jurisdiction over offenders to reduce recidivism, substance abuse, and prevent overdoses. Eligibility criteria is outlined in the link provided above.
- Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17023
Total Available: $27 million
Deadline: May 21, 2020
The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) was developed as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) legislation. COSSAP’s purpose is to provide financial and technical assistance to states, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to develop, implement, or expand comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support those impacted by illicit opioids, stimulants, and other drugs of abuse. Eligibility criteria is outlined in the link provided above.
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, please visit: https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities
Union County Man Charged in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man has been arrested for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy in which he allegedly set up a drug mill in his apartment, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Brad Toby, 35, of Linden, New Jersey, was arrested April 2, 2020, and charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to possess heroin and cocaine with intent to distribute. He made his initial appearance via videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer and was released on $200,000 secured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Law enforcement officers have been investigating a drug trafficking organization operating in New Jersey and New York and learned that Toby is a member of that organization. During a lawful search of Toby’s residence, law enforcement officers recovered: five kilograms of heroin; four kilograms of cocaine; $100,000 in currency; drug packaging; drug paraphernalia, including scales and kilogram presses; a handgun; and ammunition.
The conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million.
This case is being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited the special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark, and the members of the City of Linden Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Hart, with the investigation leading to today’s charges and arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney George Brandley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation Warn of Potential Fraud Scams Surrounding COVID-19 Economic Impact PaymentsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - The United States Attorney’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) warned western Pennsylvania taxpayers today to be alert about possible scams relating to COVID-19 Economic Impact Payments.
U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady and Michael Montanez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI Philadelphia Field Office, offer the advice today in an effort to prevent taxpayers from being victimized by criminals using the recently approved federal payments as an opportunity to commit a crime.
Taxpayers should be extra vigilant for unsolicited phone calls or emails concerning their economic impact payments. The IRS will not call or email you about your payment.
"With the COVID-19 Economic Impact Payments due to be sent out soon, we want all Americans to be on high alert for fraudsters," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "These charlatans will try every trick in the book to try to steal your money. If you sense you are being deceived, hang up, exit the email, slam your door and contact us right away!"
Citizens who suspect fraud can reach the U.S. Attorney’s Office at:
• Western Pennsylvania COVID-19 Fraud Task Force’s Toll Free Hotline:
1-888-C19-WDPA or 1-888-219-9372
• Western Pennsylvania COVID-19 Fraud Task Force’s email address:
"Unfortunately there are fraudsters out there who will attempt to victimize vulnerable people during these trying times", said IRS-CI Acting SAC Montanez. "Everyone should be wary of swindlers trying to steal their COVID-19 Economic Impact Payment, as well as crooked individuals trying to take advantage of the crisis by tricking people into unnecessarily turning over their personal, sensitive information. All Americans should be cautious in this regard and it is asked that everyone also be on the lookout for the interests of the elderly and other susceptible family members and friends."
Anyone with information about fraud in this area or any other tax related fraud is asked to please contact IRS-CI at [email protected].
The Treasury Department and the IRS announced that distribution of Economic Impact Payments will begin in the next three weeks and will be distributed automatically. Most individuals do not need to take any action. The IRS will calculate and automatically send payment to those eligible. For most Americans, this will be a direct deposit into your bank account. For those without a bank account, the elderly or other groups that have traditionally received tax refunds via paper check, they will continue to receive payments in that manner.
U.S. Attorney Brady and SAC Montanez offer the following information and tips to spot a scam and understand how the COVID-19 related Economic Impact Payments will be issued:
First, every American should know that the IRS will NOT contact you to request your banking information, will NOT ask you to confirm personal information to send or expedite your Economic Impact Payment, and will NOT require you to pay a fee.
Most IRS impersonation scams try to trick taxpayers into thinking these are official communications from the IRS, tax industry professionals or tax software companies. We expect to see a surge of these scams when fraudsters find a new opportunity— like the stimulus checks being sent.
Here are things to watch out for and tips to protect yourself and your loved ones from these scams:
• The IRS will deposit your economic impact payment into the direct deposit account your previously provide on your tax return (or, in the alternative, send you a paper check). The IRS will NOT call and ask you to verify your payment details. Do not give out your bank account, debit account, or PayPal account information – even if someone claims it is necessary to get your economic impact payment. If you receive a call, do not engage with scammers or thieves. Just hang up!
• Scam emails ask taxpayers about a wide range of topics – related to refunds, filing status, ordering transcripts, and verifying PIN information – in order to steal your personal information or file tax returns. When people click on links from these emails, their computers are infected with malware designed to steal their files or record their keystrokes. Don’t get scammed. These emails are not from the IRS!
• We are starting to see reports of bogus stimulus checks. If you receive a "check" in the mail now, it’s fraud – it will take the Treasury Department a few weeks to distribute the payments. If you receive a "check" for an odd amount (especially one with cents), or a check that requires that you verify the check online or by calling a number, it’s fraud.
• The IRS will NOT ask you to send money before it will issue your Economic Impact Payment. If someone asks you to send money to get your payment, do not send money. If you receive texts or emails claiming that you can get your money faster by sending personal information or clicking on links, don’t respond or click the links! Report them right away.
Don’t be a victim! Education is the best way to avoid being defrauded by scammers. For more information, visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov/coronavirus.
U.S. Attorney urges public to report potential hoarding of supplies needed to fight COVID-19Read the Press Release
BILLINGS—U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme today urged the public to report potential stockpiling or price gouging of medical supplies needed to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Department of Justice is getting reports of persons using the coronavirus crisis to stockpile urgently needed medical supplies to make windfall profits at the expense of public health and safety. Hoarding these items makes it difficult for healthcare providers and first responders to resist the spread of COVID-19.
“Hoarding critically needed medical supplies to get rich quick during a pandemic is not only morally reprehensible, it’s illegal. Stockpiling supplies and price gouging puts the health and safety of individuals at risk and hampers efforts to stop the spread of this deadly virus. It cannot and won’t be tolerated.” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
A recent Executive Order authorized a Defense Production Act provision that prohibits hoarding of designated items. The Justice Department’s COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force is working with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which designates items, and with the Federal Emergency Management Service, to seize stockpiles of healthcare and medical items where appropriate. Designated supplies include items like masks, ventilators and disinfectants.
This stockpiling prohibition does not apply to regular Americans who are stocking up on daily necessities, businesses needing supplies or manufacturers.
The goal is to locate potential stockpiles of designated materials, quickly confiscate the items and redistribute the supplies where they are needed. Persons caught stockpiling supplies could face prosecution.
Please report COVID-19 hoarding, price gouging and fraud scams to the Department of Justice’s fraud hotline at 866-720-5721 or email [email protected].
“I want to assure Montanans that my office and our law enforcement partners are fully engaged and ready to investigate and prosecute these cases.” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
For more information on the coronavirus, visit Justice.gov/coronavirus.
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U.S. Attorney and IRS Advise Caution Regarding IRS Economic Impact PaymentsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, TX – The Internal Revenue Service will begin making COVID-19 economic impact payments in a matter of weeks. For most Americans, this will be a direct deposit into your bank account. For the unbanked, elderly or other groups who have traditionally received tax refunds via paper check, they will receive their check in this same manner.
United States Attorney Joseph D. Brown and IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Tamera Cantu want to warn local Texans that criminals are well-aware of these payments and will be actively attempting to steal these funds when they are most needed. Unsolicited phone calls, emails, text messages or other communications pretending to be from the IRS are likely a scam.
“We want the public to be very careful as these checks and payments go out,” said United States Attorney Joe Brown. “We want these funds to be used for the right purposes. People need to use healthy skepticism about any contact they receive that deals with the payments they will soon be receiving.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Tamera Cantu of the Dallas Field Office offers the following information and tips to spot a scam and how citizens can report fraudulent activities:
- The IRS will NOT call and ask you to verify your payment details. Do NOT give your bank account, debit account, or PayPal account information to anyone - even if someone claims it's necessary to get your check. It's a scam.
- If you receive a call, do NOT engage with scammers, even if you want to tell them that you know it's a scam. Just hang up.
- If you receive texts or emails claiming that you can get your money faster by sending personal identifying information or clicking on links, delete these texts and emails. Do NOT click on any links in those texts or emails.
- If you receive a “check” for an odd amount (especially one with cents), or a check that requires you to verify the check online or by calling a number, it’s a scam.
- Remember, scammers change tactics. Callers can be aggressive and threatening. Do not be bullied into disclosing information or in making any payment.
- You can get the most up-to-date information directly from the IRS at irs.gov/coronavirus.
- Residents of Eastern Texas can contact the local IRS-CI field office with violations and suspected fraud at [email protected].
Special Agent in Charge Cantu warns the public, “As the agency responsible for issuing economic impact payments, the IRS unfortunately expects some bad actors to execute fraud schemes in an attempt to take advantage of the situation. IRS-CI will work diligently with the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Texas, and all of our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle any fraud schemes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the time for every American to be vigilant in this fight against criminals and safeguard your personal and other privileged information.”
To report suspected fraud, please contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud by calling 866-720-5721 or sending an email to [email protected].
U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey Announces Nearly $60 Million in Grants Available to Support Prisoners’ Successful Reentry into Their CommunitiesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey today announced that nearly $60 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address public safety by supporting successful reentry of adult and juvenile offenders into their communities.
“Our nation is facing difficult public safety challenges that demand strong and immediate action. The high rate of recidivism poses a dire threat to community safety and is being met with a robust response by this Administration,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this persistent challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”
The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including adult and juvenile reentry initiatives and research projects designed to improve our knowledge of what works in reentry programming.
A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future.
- Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment, and Recidivism Reduction Strategies Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17104
Total Available $7.2 million. Deadline 4/27/2020.
- Improving Community Supervision Outcomes Through Swift, Certain, and Fair Responses
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17096
Total Available $3 million. Deadline 4/28/2020.
- Improving Reentry for People with Substance Use Disorders Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/SCASUD20
Total Available $13.2 million. Deadline 4/27/2020.
- Innovations in Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity & Testing Strategies to Reduce Recidivism
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17281
Total Available $4 million. Deadline 5/4/2020.
- Research and Evaluation on Promising Reentry Initiatives
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17295
Total Available $6 million. Deadline 5/5/2020.
- Review and Validation of the First Step Act Risk Assessment Tool https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-fsa
Total Available: Determined after selection. Deadline 4/10/2020.
- Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17110
Total Available $13.5 million. Deadline 5/4/2020.
- Second Chance Act Evaluation Participation Support
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17680
Total Available $4 million. Deadline 4/28/2020.
- Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh176/files/media/document/ojjdp-2020-17350.pdf
Total Available $7 million. Deadline 4/28/2020.
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-041_Reentry Grants
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.- Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment, and Recidivism Reduction Strategies Program
U.S. Attorney Keefe Announces More Than $83 Million Available to Support School SafetyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSE, FLORIDA – Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida,
today announced that communities across northern Florida are eligible to apply for a portion of
more than $83 million in Department of Justice grants nationwide to help communities, including
those across northern Florida, improve school security and protect students, teachers, and faculty
from threats of violence.“School violence is no longer an abstract threat but has become a tragic reality in too many of
America’s communities. Moving to meet this challenge is among the Administration’s top domestic
priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office
of Justice Programs (OJP). “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this
challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities
have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”“Even here in Northern Florida, our children are not free from the threat of school violence. By
seeking funding from this grant program, our communities can take bold steps forward to keep safe
our children and the teachers and others who work every day to educate them in a safe, nourishing
environment,” added U.S. Attorney Keefe.The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety
funding and crime victim assistance in state, local, and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs
support a wide array of activities and services, including programs designed to tighten school
security and improve the reporting of threats.A number of funding opportunities for school safety are currently open, with another opening in the
near future:
Research and Evaluation on School Safety
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17308
Total Available $5 million Deaddline 4/13/2020STOP Act School Violence Program (FY20)
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17308
Total Available $71.4 million Deadline 4/13/2020Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17926
Total Available $7 million Deadline 4/27/2020For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit
https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that
serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access
available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office,
Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.