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30 March 2020
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announces more than $163 million available to fight addiction crisisRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman of the Northern District of Ohio announced today that more than $163 million in Department of Justice grant funding is available to help communities address the addiction crisis across the nation.
“We must continue to keep up the fight against substance abuse and addiction in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Herdman. “The Department of Justice is making historic amounts of grant funding available to directly benefit those groups and organizations in our community that are on the front lines of this battle.”
The funding is available through 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.
A number of funding opportunities that address the addiction crisis are currently open:
Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17098
Total available: $1.75 million
Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/COSSAP20
Total available: $27 million
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
Family Drug Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17090
Total available: $18.2 million
Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17754
Total available: $28.1 million
Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17051
Total available: $7.2 million
Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-16930
Total available: $48 million
Opioid Affected Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17352
Total available: $9 million
Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17275
Total available: $1 million
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners
https://bja.ojp.gov/RSAT20
Total available: $4.5 million
For more information and to review the deadline for submitting grant applications, please visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities
U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town Announces More Than $163 Million Available to Fight Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town today announced that more than $163 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address America’s addiction crisis.
“The opioid addiction in our communities, both urban and rural, is profound,” Town said. “In Alabama, there is a need to fund programming and diversionary courts to address the crisis of addiction. This $163 million in grant funding opportunities demonstrates the Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to ensure our law enforcement and community partners have access to essential resources to combat this crisis.”
“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 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.
A number of funding opportunities that address the addiction crisis are currently open:
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 5/14/2020
Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/COSSAP20
Total Available $27 million Deadline 5/21/2020
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: 5/4/2020
Family Drug Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17090
Total Available $18.2 million Deadline 4/8/2020 (Extended)
Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17754
Total Available $28.1 Deadline 5/5/2020
Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17051
Total Available $7.2 million Deadline 4/13/2020 (Extended)
Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-16930
Total Available $48 million Deadline 4/13/2020
Opioid Affected Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17352
Total Available $9 million Deadline 4/20/2020
Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17275
Total Available $1 million Deadline 4/20/2020
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners
https://bja.ojp.gov/RSAT20
Total Available $4.5 million Deadline 4/6/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.
U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey Announces More Than $65 Million Available to Fight Human Trafficking and Help Trafficking VictimsRead the Press Release
Knoxville, Tenn. – U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey of the Eastern District of Tennessee today announced that more than $65 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities combat human trafficking and serve adults and children who are victimized in trafficking operations.
“Our nation is facing difficult challenges, none more pressing than the scourge of human trafficking. Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety and countering this threat remains one of 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 against this insidious crime. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”
“It is important to take the time to focus on the victim in the aftermath of a traumatic crime like human trafficking and to address their needs for safety and justice. Our office will continue its efforts to build that trust and restore the hope of those victims and their communities. We all play a role in helping victims as they rebuild their lives within our communities,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.
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 that support human trafficking task forces and services for human trafficking survivors.
A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future.
Missing and Exploited Children Training and Tecnical Assistance Program: https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17351Total Available $1.8 million Deadline 4/6/2020 (Extended)
Multidisciplinary Task Force Program to Combat Human Trafficking:
Total Available $22 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Preventing Trafficking of Girls:
Total Available $1.7 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons: https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17324
Total Available $2.5 million Deadline 4/20/2020
Services for Victims of Human Trafficking:
Total Available $16.5 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking:
Total Available $2 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Program:
Total Available $5 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking:
Total Available $6 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
Integrated Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking:
Total Available $8 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities
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U.S. Attorney Carpenito, AG Grewal, Acting Comptroller Walsh, Announce Federal-State COVID-19 Fraud Task ForceRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal, and New Jersey Acting State Comptroller Kevin D. Walsh today announced the formation of a joint federal-state task force to investigate and prosecute a wide range of misconduct arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, including the unlawful hoarding of medical supplies, price gouging, charity scams, procurement fraud, insurance fraud, phishing schemes, and false and misleading investment opportunities.
The New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Task Force will marshal the collective investigative power of federal and state law enforcement agencies by forming joint investigative and prosecution teams to quickly address fraud complaints. In addition, the Task Force will share information publicly about common frauds so individuals and businesses can better protect themselves. Residents are encouraged to report possible misconduct through a hotline established by the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721 or https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Complainants may remain anonymous.
“Attorney General Grewal and I have a well-established, close working relationship, and we both felt it was incredibly important at this time that we combine our resources and form a joint COVID-19 Task Force,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “Our two offices, working in concert with all of our law enforcement partners, will ensure that that there is a solid front protecting the public from criminals who are attempting to illegally profit from this health crisis. Whether you’re price-gouging on necessities or hawking phony cures or protections, if you’re trying to rip off the public, we will find you and come after you.”
“An unprecedented public health crisis creates an unprecedented opportunity for scammers and con artists,” Attorney General Grewal said. “Now more than ever, we need to work together to protect our community from fraud. I applaud U.S. Attorney Carpenito for his national leadership on this issue, and I thank Acting Comptroller Walsh for his work protecting New Jersey’s taxpayers from waste, fraud, and abuse.”
“The Office of the State Comptroller has a long and productive history of collaboration with both the United States Attorney’s Office and the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General,” Acting Comptroller Walsh said. “Our investigators, auditors and attorneys stand ready to combat any fraud, waste or abuse connected to our state’s battle against COVID-19. I thank U.S. Attorney Carpenito and Attorney General Grewal for their leadership of this important COVID-19 Task Force and I am ready to assist in its important mission.”
The Task Force will be led by the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, the New Jersey Attorney General, and the Acting State Comptroller, and will include the following federal agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; the U.S. Secret Service; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General.
In addition, the Task Force will include several divisions within the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, including the New Jersey State Police, the Division of Criminal Justice, the Division of Consumer Affairs, the Division of Law, the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability.
The Task Force warned New Jerseyans about the most common types of COVID-related frauds and misconduct, including:
- Unlawful hoarding: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Notice pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order 13910 and the Defense Production Act, which designated health and medical resources necessary to respond to the spread of COVID-19 that are scarce or the supply of which would be threatened by excessive accumulation. These designated materials are subject to the hoarding prevention measures authorized under the Executive Order and the Act. Individuals or businesses that violate the Act will be subject to prosecution.
- Price-gouging: Individuals and businesses may sell essential goods, like hand sanitizer, for significantly higher prices than in a non-emergency setting. New Jersey's price gouging law bans excessive price increases during a declared state of emergency and for 30 days after it ends. A price increase is considered excessive if the new price is more than 10 percent higher than the price charged during the normal course of business prior to the emergency. Price gouging violations are punishable by fines of up to $10,000 for the first violation and $20,000 for each subsequent violation.
- Treatment scams: Scammers are offering to sell fake cures, vaccines, and advice on unproven treatments for COVID-19.
- Supply scams: Scammers are creating fake shops, websites, social media accounts, and email addresses claiming to sell medical supplies currently in high demand, such as surgical masks. When consumers attempt to purchase supplies through these channels, fraudsters pocket the money and never provide the promised supplies.
- Provider scams: Scammers are also contacting people by phone and email, pretending to be doctors and hospitals that have treated a friend or relative for COVID-19, and demanding payment for that treatment.
- Charity scams: Scammers are soliciting donations for individuals, groups, and areas affected by COVID-19.
- Phishing scams: Scammers posing as national and global health authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are sending phishing emails designed to trick recipients into downloading malware or providing personal identifying and financial information.
- App scams: Scammers are also creating and manipulating mobile apps designed to track the spread of COVID-19 to insert malware that will compromise users’ devices and personal information.
- Investment scams: Scammers are offering online promotions on various platforms, including social media, claiming that the products or services of publicly traded companies can prevent, detect, or cure COVID-19, and that the stock of these companies will dramatically increase in value as a result. These promotions are often styled as “research reports,” make predictions of a specific “target price,” and relate to microcap stocks, or low-priced stocks issued by the smallest of companies with limited publicly available information.
The Task Force urged everyone to avoid these and similar scams by taking the following steps:
- Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or individual that contacts you regarding COVID-19.
- Check the websites and email addresses offering information, products, or services related to COVID-19. Be aware that scammers often employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities they are impersonating. For example, they might use “cdc.com” or “cdc.org” instead of “cdc.gov.”
- Be wary of unsolicited emails offering information, supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for medical purposes. Legitimate health authorities will not contact the general public this way.
- Do not click on links or open email attachments from unknown or unverified sources. Doing so could download a virus onto your computer or device.
- Make sure the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is operating and up to date.
- Ignore offers for a COVID-19 vaccine, cure, or treatment. Remember, if there is a medical breakthrough, you won’t hear about it for the first time through an email, online ad, or unsolicited sales pitch.
- Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products or supplies. Avoid companies whose customers have complained about not receiving items.
- Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting donations in connection with COVID- 19 before giving. Remember, an organization may not be legitimate even if it uses words like “CDC” or “government” in its name or has reputable looking seals or logos on its materials. For online resources on donating wisely, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.
- Be wary of any business, charity, or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the mail. Don’t send money through any of these channels.
- Be cautious of “investment opportunities” tied to COVID-19, especially those based on claims that a small company’s products or services can help stop the virus. If you decide to invest, carefully research the investment beforehand. For information on how to avoid investment fraud, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website.
For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) websites.
U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder Announces Efforts to Prosecute Hoarding and Price Gouging Associated with COVID-19Read the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced a new effort to investigate and punish wrongdoing related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Department of Justice, in response to a March 23, 2020 Executive Order signed by the President, has created a task force charged with addressing hoarding and price gouging associated with COVID-19.
“The Department of Justice, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska, will not tolerate those who try to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud the people of our state,” said U.S. Attorney Schroder. “The pandemic continues to cause anxiety and uncertainty across the country. At a time when our country needs to join together, it is repugnant that fraudsters will try to take advantage of our communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our law enforcement partners in Alaska and beyond, will root out these schemes and bring the criminals to justice.”
The Executive Order gave the Department means to fight misconduct pursuant to section 102 of the Defense Production Act, which prohibits hoarding of designated items. The order authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to protect scarce healthcare resources and medical items by designating particular items as protected under the statute. Once an item is designated, it becomes a crime under the statute 50 U.S.C. §§ 4512, 4513 for any person to accumulate that item either (1) in excess of his or her reasonable needs or (2) for the purpose of selling it in excess of prevailing market prices.
In response, HHS announced a list of designated health and medical resources necessary to respond to the spread of COVID-19 that are scarce and would be subject to these hoarding prevention measures:
- N-95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators;
- Other Filtering Facepiece Respirators (e.g., those designated as N99, N100, R95, R99, R100, or P95, P99, P100);
- Elastomeric, air-purifying respirators and appropriate particulate filters/cartridges;
- Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR);
- Portable Ventilators;
- Chloroquine phosphate or hydroxychloroquine HCl;
- Sterilization services for certain medical devices and certain sterilizers;
- Disinfecting devices and other sanitizing and disinfecting products suitable for use in a clinical setting;
- Medical gowns or apparel, e.g., surgical gowns or isolation gowns;
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) coveralls, e.g., Tyvek Suits;
- PPE face masks, PPE surgical masks, PPE face shields, PPE gloves or surgical gloves;
- Ventilators, anesthesia gas machines modified for use as ventilators, and positive pressure breathing devices modified for use as ventilators, ventilator tubing connectors, and ventilator accessories.
In a March 24, 2020 Memorandum to all U.S. Attorneys, Attorney General William P. Barr stated that the Department is beginning to receive reports of individuals using the crisis to hoard vital medical items and then make inappropriate, windfall profits at the expense of public safety and the health and welfare of our fellow citizens.
In this memorandum, Attorney General Barr directed the creation of the COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force, which will address COVID-19-related market manipulation, hoarding, and price gouging. Each U.S. Attorney’s Office, including the District of Alaska, has been directed to designate an experienced attorney to serve as a member of the task force. The task force will develop effective enforcement measures, best practices, work closely with HHS as they designate particular items and equipment, and coordinate nationwide investigation and prosecution of these illicit activities.
U.S. Attorney Schroder urges Alaskans to be vigilant in reporting any COVID-19 related hoarding or fraud activities. Criminals will likely continue to use new methods to exploit COVID-19 worldwide.
If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, you can report it without leaving your home though a number of platforms:
- The Alaska Health Care Fraud Task Force seeks to identify health care fraud offenders and pursue investigations against them through partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies. Complaints, tips, and information related to health care fraud may be reported online at tips.fbi.gov or by calling the FBI Anchorage Field Office at 907-276-4441. Learn more at www.fbi.gov/AHCFTF.
- Contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via email at [email protected];
- If it's a cyber scam, submit your complaint through https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.
To find more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit: www.justic.gov/coronavirus.
U.S. Attorney Brady Announces More than $52 Million Available to Fight Human Trafficking and Help Trafficking VictimsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady today announced that more than $52.8 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address human trafficking. These funding opportunities are available for state and local government and law enforcement agencies, non-profit victim services providers, including housing stakeholders, task forces and other innovative local programs and solutions to combat human trafficking and serve adults and children who are victimized in trafficking operations.
"My office is firmly committed to preventing human trafficking, bringing traffickers to justice and assisting victims of his heinous crime," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "But we can’t do it alone. State and local law enforcement, local government agencies and community non-profits are key partners in the fight against sex trafficking. I encourage eligible entities to review and apply for these critical funding opportunities."
"Our nation is facing difficult challenges, none more pressing than the scourge of human trafficking. Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety and countering this threat remains one of 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 against this insidious crime. 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 programs that support human trafficking task forces and services for human trafficking survivors.
A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future.
Missing and Exploited Children Training and Technical Assistance Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17351
Total Available $1.8 million Deadline 4/6/2020 (Extended)
Multidisciplinary Task Force Program to Combat Human Trafficking
https://www.ovc.gov/grants/pdftxt/fy-2020-ecm-task-force-to-combat-human-trafficking.pdf
Total Available $22 million Deadline 5/18/2020
Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17324
Total Available $2.5 million Deadline 4/20/2020
Services for Victims of Human Trafficking
https://www.ovc.gov/grants/pdftxt/fy-2020-services-for-victims-of-human-trafficking.pdf
Total Available $16.5 million Deadline 5/18/2020
Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking
https://www.ovc.gov/grants/pdftxt/fy-2020-specialized-tta-on-housing-for-victims-of-human-trafficking.pdf
Total Available $2 million Deadline 5/14/2020
Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking
https://www.ovc.gov/grants/pdftxt/fy-2020-ht-improving-outcomes-for-child-and-youth.pdf
Total Available $6 million Deadline 5/18/2020
Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking
https://www.ovc.gov/grants/pdftxt/fy-2020-services-for-minor-victims-of-labor-trafficking.pdf
Total Available $2 million Deadline 5/18/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.
For resources and additional information on applying for OJP grant opportunities, please see the WDPA Grants Resource Page at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/grants.
U.S. Attorney Announces Multi-Agency Group to Investigate and Prosecute COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez today announced that, in response to the increased threat of fraud presented by the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies have joined together to form the Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force. The mission of the task force is to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud related to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. As part of the joint effort, the Department of Justice, and its various components will be coordinating information and resources with state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the Middle District of Florida.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to fulfill its critical mission to the public, and remains open for business,” stated U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “During this national crisis, we will prioritize the investigation and prosecution of crimes related to the COVID-19.”
To ensure that prompt attention is given to these crimes, U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez has designated a Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Perry, to work with law enforcement partners, thereby increasing efforts to protect the public from scammers and fraudsters attempting to prey upon the public’s fears during this national crisis. Law enforcement, public safety and health personnel, and first responders have been encouraged to report related suspicious or suspected illegal activity to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Some examples of these fraudulent schemes include:
- Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
- Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
- Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
- Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.
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. From there, complaints will be coordinated among at least 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities.
Two-Time Lubbock Bank Robber Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A Lubbock man has pleaded guilty to robbing Lubbock’s City Bank and Aim bank, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox.
Matthew C. Courtney, 48, pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery by force, violence, or intimidation before U.S. Magistrate Judge D. Gordon Bryant, Jr. on March 25.
According to plea papers, on February 21, Courtney admits that he entered City Bank in Lubbock wearing sunglasses and a black jacket with a fur-lined hood covering his head. When asked by a teller to remove the hood, Courtney refused and handed the teller a withdraw slip with the word written – “robbery.” The City Bank teller surrendered money to Courtney and he exited though the North end of the bank.
Lubbock Police were able to obtain a latent fingerprint from the blue withdraw slip which matched Courtney.
On February 24, Courtney admits he entered Aim Bank in Lubbock and approached a teller station with paperwork, cardboard, and a black bag. Courtney wrote on the cardboard “you’re getting robbed.” The Aim Bank teller put money into Courtney’s black bag which was positioned on the bank counter. As he exited, Courtney grabbed two of the teller’s business cards.
According to court documents, Lubbock Police Department determined that Courtney was located at Lubbock’s Embassy Suites hotel. Courtney admits he paid for the hotel room in cash approximately an hour after the Aim Bank robbery. When Lubbock Police searched the Embassy Suites hotel room, they recovered two black jackets matching the description of both bank robberies, cash inside a black hair dryer bag, and the Aim Bank teller’s business card floating in the toilet.
Lubbock Police Department received information that Courtney had moved to Lubbock’s Hilton Garden Inn. When officers arrived, they spotted a grey passenger car sitting near the front entrance of the hotel with its lights on. Courtney was in the front passenger seat with his head down. He had four $100 bills sitting in his lap and another $225 in cash in his wallet.
Courtney is facing up to 40 years in federal prison, $500,000 fine, and two three-year terms of supervised release. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Lubbock Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Haag is prosecuting this case.
Statement from U.S. Attorney David C. WeissRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – “In the midst of this unprecedented national pandemic, I would like to offer some measure of certainty to our community.
First, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is still open for business. Federal, state, and local law enforcement are still open for business.
Second, federal, state and local law enforcement are aggressively pursuing criminals who seek to profit from COVID-19, whether through hoarding, price gouging or any other fraudulent scheme. Fraudsters, when we find you we will shut you down and seek to lock you up.
Third, there is no good reason for you to provide personal identifying information or banking information over the phone or online. You certainly do not need to provide this information to receive an economic stimulus payment. Be on the lookout for scams and swindles. Don’t be a victim.
Together our strength is immeasurable, so please contact my office at (302) 573-6277 if you encounter any suspicious behavior or fraudulent scams.”
St. Petersburg Man Arrested for Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the filling of a criminal complaint charging Jack Bradley Rice (35, Pinellas Park) with possessing with the intent to distribute a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, Rice faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
According to the complaint, between January and March 2020, Rice, who is a convicted felon, distributed narcotics from a motel in Pinellas Park. On March 28, 2020, Rice was observed leaving the motel and placing several bags and a backpack inside his vehicle. A search of his car later revealed two firearms, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Later that night, agents executed a search warrant at Rice’s house. From inside a bedroom wall, they recovered an AR-15 rifle and a one-hundred round drum, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition. The agents also recovered a bulletproof vest, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia, including a hydraulic press.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The case is part of the Middle District of Florida’s anti-opioid strategy to combat opioid trafficking and abuse. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Purcell Man Sentenced to Serve More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Norman Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Kristopher Charles Shawn, 36, of Purcell, Oklahoma, was sentenced today to more than seven years in prison for the January 1, 2019, armed robbery of the Sooner Stop convenience store in Norman, Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing. Chief District Judge Timothy DeGiusti sentenced Shawn to 90 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Judge DeGiusti also ordered Shawn to pay full restitution to the store.
According to an indictment filed on March 19, 2019, Shawn was charged in a three-count indictment charging Hobbs Act robbery, felon in possession of a firearm, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On May 29, 2019, Shawn pleaded guilty to all three counts.
Public records indicate that on January 1, 2019, Shawn entered the Sooner Stop at 2250 W. Main St. in Norman, Oklahoma. He exited the store without making a purchase. Approximately an hour and a half later, Shawn re-entered the store, brandished a firearm, and demanded that the cashier give him all the money in the register. Following the robbery, the store owners contacted police and also shared images online of the robber. These images were obtained from the store’s surveillance system. Thereafter, the Norman Police Department and the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department located and arrested Shawn at a metro casino.
The Norman Police Department and the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department investigated the case, along with assistance from the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Harley prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to court filings for further information. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.
Monroeville Man Indicted for December Robbery of PNC Bank in White OakRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on a charge of bank robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on March 3 and unsealed today, named Chezeq Morgan, age 26, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about December 14, 2019, Morgan robbed PNC Bank at 1612 Lincoln Way, in White Oak, Pennsylvania.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 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 Attorney Robert C. Schupansky is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the White Oak Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Lehighton Man Charged with Internet ThreatsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Corbin Kauffman, age 31, of Lehighton, Pennsylvania, was charged on March 27, 2020, by a criminal information with interstate transmission of threats to injure the person of another. Kauffman was originally charged by a criminal complaint on April 1, 2019.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, The criminal information alleges that Kauffman posted a threatening image on a social media website on March 13, 2019. The image was a digitally-created image of Kauffman’s arm and hand aiming an AR-15 rifle at a congregation of praying Jewish men, gathered in what appears to be a synagogue. Kauffman used various aliases online to post hundreds of anti-Semitic, anti-black, and anti-Muslim messages, images, and videos. Several of these posts, like the one charged in the information, included threats to various religious and racial groups. Other posts expressed a desire to commit genocide and “hate crimes,” and called for or depicted images of the killing of Jewish people, black people, and Muslim people. Kauffman also created and posted videos combining footage of a mass shooting at a Christchurch, New Zealand mosque with various audio tracks to celebrate the shooting, including video game sound effects and music.
Kauffman also posted pictures of acts of vandalism he committed, including the defacement of a display case at the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center in Ocean City, Maryland with white supremacist and anti-Semitic stickers. Kauffman faces additional state charges in Pennsylvania and potentially in Maryland for those acts.
“Pennsylvanians know all too well how dangerous these kinds of white supremacist threats can be,” said U.S. Attorney Freed. “The last thing we want is to see another tragedy like we saw at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, or at Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch, or at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. We don’t know what might have happened, but we take these threats seriously, and I commend the FBI for their vigilance and quick action in this case.”
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 5 years of imprisonment for each violation, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Harlem man sentenced in strangulation assaultRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS— A Harlem man who admitted strangling his dating partner on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 23 months in prison and to two years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Allesandro Shalamar Foursouls, 27, pleaded guilty in December to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a dating partner.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents filed in the case, the prosecution said the assault occurred on April 13, 2019 at Foursouls’ grandmother’s home, where he lives. Foursouls and the victim, a dating partner, were drinking alcohol when Foursouls became angry with something she said. Foursouls told the victim, “I’ll kill you bitch,” and put his hands around her neck and squeezed until she lost consciousness. The victim was unable to escape until the next morning. She went to the Indian Health Service emergency room, where she was treated for pain and injuries to her throat. The victim told the medical staff that Foursouls had strangled her a day or two prior to her visit and that he had strangled her previously about a week earlier. The victim continued to experience pain from the assault and was treated again in May at Billings Clinic in Billings.
In August, law enforcement saw Foursouls and the victim together and the victim had a fresh black eye and bruising on her body. The victim told officers that Foursouls had assaulted her again a day or two prior.
Foursouls admitted to the FBI to squeezing the victim’s neck in the April assault.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Cobell prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services.
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Hamilton Woman ChargedRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Suzi Gawel, age 57, of Hamilton, Indiana, was charged by Information with health care fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
According to the Information, Gawel worked as an office manager at a Fort Wayne company that sold durable medical equipment (DME) to clients across northern Indiana. Some of the company’s clients were Medicaid beneficiaries. Through her work, Gawel had access to Medicaid patient information, including patients’ names, addresses, dates of birth, Medicaid ID numbers and treating physician information. From about January 2015 and continuing to about October 2018, Gawel devised a scheme to defraud Medicaid. During this time period, she submitted over 200 reimbursement claims to Indiana Medicaid for DME, including oximetry devices and pneumatic compressors, which were not provided to Medicaid recipients and/or for which they had no medical necessity and/or for which there was no physician order. In total, her scheme defrauded Indiana Medicaid of approximately $646,690.32.
The parties have entered into a plea agreement, which has been filed with the court, to resolve the criminal charges. If this signed plea agreement is accepted by the court, Gawel will pay restitution in the amount of $646,690.32 and will serve a prison sentence, the length of which will be determined by the court at a sentencing hearing.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Healthcare fraud will not be tolerated. My Office is aggressively working together with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute fraud schemes like this one, where criminals steal from the public. Theft from public benefit programs decrease tax dollars available to fund legitimate claims.”
“This individual’s scheme had one purpose - to line her own pockets by defrauding the system,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Middleton, FBI Indianapolis. “The investigation of health care fraud is a priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners and we will continue to identify and pursue those who perpetrate this crime.”
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an Information is merely an allegation and that all persons are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Indiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Financial Crimes Task Force and the Organized Crime and Corruption Unit of the Indiana State Police. This case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah E. Nokes.
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Georgia Man Arrested for Orchestrating Scheme to Defraud Health Care Benefit Programs Related to COVID-19 and Genetic Cancer TestingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Georgia man will appear in court today for his alleged role in a conspiracy to defraud federally funded and private health care benefit programs by submitting fraudulent testing claims for COVID-19 and genetic cancer screenings, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Erik Santos, 49, of Braselton, Georgia, is charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud. He was arrested at his home today by special agents of the FBI and is scheduled to have his initial court appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan J. Braverman in Atlanta federal court.
“The complaint in this case describes a defendant who saw the spread of COVID-19 as nothing more than an opportunity to profit personally,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “As the complaint alleges, he offered kickbacks in exchange for medically unnecessary tests – including potentially hard-to-obtain COVID-19 tests – thus preying on people’s fear in order to defraud the government and make money for himself. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are focused on protecting the public from this kind of despicable pandemic profiteering, and will act quickly to halt the fraud and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
“It is unfortunate that we have people in our country who will capitalize on others' suffering to make a buck,” Special Agent-in-Charge Gregory W. Ehrie of FBI Newark said. “But this case takes things to a new low. This defendant not only allegedly defrauded the government, he conspired to bilk his fellow citizens of a valuable resource that's in high demand. His profiteering is akin to receiving blood money. Throughout this challenging crisis, the FBI remains on duty and vigilant in our efforts to capture anyone who puts money before humanity."
“At a time when Americans are coming together in many different ways to help our fellow citizens make it through this crisis, it is unfathomable to think that some people, driven by personal greed, would try to take advantage of people who need help the most,” Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said. “Though the FBI has had to adapt to doing business in this trying time, we want to make it clear that we are continuing to protect our citizens and uphold the Constitution.”
“Individuals seeking to fraudulently profit during the COVID-19 global pandemic undermine the government's response, jeopardize medical professionals and endanger the public,” Special Agent-in-Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Northeast Field Office, said. “The DCIS is committed to working with the U.S. Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners to combat health care fraud and protect TRICARE, the DoD's health care system, and the military members and their families who depend upon it.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Santos ran a marketing company that generated leads to testing companies. From November 2019 through the present, Santos and others engaged in a large-scale scheme to defraud Medicare by soliciting and receiving kickback payments from companies involved in clinical and diagnostic testing in exchange for steering to those companies individuals eligible for testing that Medicare would reimburse. Medicare is a federally funded program to provide medical insurance benefits for individuals 65 and older and certain disabled individuals who qualify under the Social Security Act.
Santos agreed with others to be paid kickbacks on a per-test basis for submitting genetic cancer screening tests to diagnostic testing facilities, regardless of medical necessity. A genetic cancer screening is a diagnostic tool that tests for a genetic predisposition to cancer. Santos’ scheme aimed to submit more than $1.1 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare.
Starting in February 2020, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic began to be felt in the United States. The virus is considered especially dangerous to patients over 65 – the same population that is eligible for Medicare and TRICARE benefits. As cases have increased in the United States, many individuals are reporting difficulty obtaining tests to determine whether they were infected with the virus.
As the COVID-19 crisis began to escalate, Santos used the pandemic as an opportunity to expand his pre-existing kickback schemes and to capitalize on a national emergency for his own financial gain. Santos agreed with others to be paid kickbacks on a per-test basis for COVID-19 tests, provided that those tests were bundled with a much more expensive respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) test, which does not identify or treat COVID-19. Santos sought to maximize his kickback profits and to bleed federal health care resources at a time when Medicare beneficiaries across the United States were in dire need of coverage for medical treatment and services.
On March 19, 2020, Santos made the following statements in a telephone call explaining that he viewed the pandemic as a money-making opportunity:
• “[W]hile there are people going through what they are going through, you can either go bankrupt or you can prosper.”
• “[T]he good thing is we’re opening a lot of doors through this coronavirus testing.”
• Santos noted that his other work was on hold because “everybody has been chasing the Covid dollar bird.”
The count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum potential punishment of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both offenses are also punishable by a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark and Special Agent in Charge Chris Hacker in Georgia; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri with the ongoing investigation leading to today’s arrest.
To find more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit: www.justice.gov/coronavirus
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Sherman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Opioids Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ex-Blackfeet Tribal leader sentenced to prison for Head Start program fraudRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – The former chairman of the Blackfeet Tribe today was sentenced to 10 months in prison and two years of supervised release along with being ordered to pay $174,000 restitution for his role in an overtime pay scheme that stole federal funds from the tribe’s Head Start child assistance program, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Willie Andrew Sharp, 66, of Browning, pleaded guilty in November to wire fraud.
Sharp’s wife, Denise L. Sharp, and three other co-defendants also were convicted in the case. Denise Sharp, who was Head Start’s personnel manager, was sentenced earlier to nine months in prison.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
“The theft of $174,000 hurt the children enrolled in Head Start by prohibiting the purchase of books, barring the ability to obtain teaching materials and cutting food nutrition programs for those who need it most. We will continue to ensure that federal funds are used for the needs of those intended, especially children,” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
In court records filed in the case, the prosecution said Willie Sharp authorized and approved overtime at the Blackfeet Head Start Program knowing that the overtime claims were false. The falsely claimed overtime pay totaled $174,000 in federal funds for more than 5,800 hours claimed over a 15-month period.
When the fraud was uncovered, two different firms audited the Blackfeet Head Start program. Both audits questioned the overtime claims, identifying them as “beyond necessary and reasonable” and lacking any supporting documentation.
The Blackfeet Tribe did its own internal review, agreed it could not justify the overtime claims and repaid the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services $250,620.29 for disallowed costs and other expenses.
In addition to the Sharps, the investigation resulted in the indictment and conviction of Theresa Calf Boss Ribs, Patrick Calf Boss Ribs, Carol Bird and Allen Shane Gross.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
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Eastern District United States Attorney’s Office Remains Operational and Prepares Response to Emerging Trend of COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – Amid the Presidential directive to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations on social distancing and the State of Oklahoma’s similar requirements, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma remains open. As the chief federal law enforcement agency in the 26 Oklahoma counties which comprise the Eastern District, the United States Attorney’s Office continues to investigate and prosecute cases and represent the interests of the United States of America in various criminal and civil actions. Guidance from United States Attorney General William Barr has authorized a number of staff to carry on the mission via telework.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “This Office continues to work with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to serve and protect in the very difficult circumstances we are all facing. While much of our staff is teleworking, our office is open and we continue to investigate cases and will bring charges against those who threaten the safety and security of people in the Eastern District, and continue to defend the interests of the United States. The court is implementing novel methods which allow us to continue to litigate cases, including the use of video teleconferencing.”
While the number of Americans infected by the virus continues to grow, law enforcement is being confronted with the escalation of fraud schemes associated with COVID-19. To combat criminals exploiting this national crisis for personal gain, Attorney General Barr has directed all U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of crimes related to COVID-19 Fraud. “In compliance with the AG’s request, I have appointed an Assistant United States Attorney as the Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Coordinator has begun communicating with our law enforcement partners and we will be ready to take swift action against scammers attempting to prey upon those who are vulnerable because the fear caused by this pandemic,” said USA Kuester. The Department of Justice has established a hotline for individuals to report COVID-19 complaints - The National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline - 1-866-720-5721 or [email protected].
“Finally, I want to extend my gratitude and thanks for the men and women in professions that put them on the front lines of this national disaster. Without the selfless service of our law enforcement, first responders, and medical professionals, the coronavirus would have a more devastating impact on our country.”
COVID-19: Servicemembers’ Civil Rights - Message from the Assistant Attorney GeneralRead the Press Release
As the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, I am entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the civil rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and our nation’s veterans. Since COVID-19 has come to our shores, active duty servicemembers and members of the National Guard and Reserve have shouldered new burdens as they work to protect our country. We owe it to them to ensure that COVID-19 does not jeopardize their economic livelihood. That is why the Department of Justice is committed to vigorously enforcing all the civil rights laws, including those that protect the housing and civilian employment rights of servicemembers.
The Civil Rights Division enforces multiple federal laws that protect the rights of servicemembers and veterans. We protect servicemembers’ financial and housing rights by enforcing the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, or the SCRA. Since January 2017, our SCRA settlements have included over $10 million in damages and civil penalties. We protect servicemembers’ civilian employment rights by litigating claims against employers who violate the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA. And, we protect their voting rights by enforcing the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, also known as UOCAVA. The Division also safeguards the rights of servicemember spouses, dependents, and veterans eligible for certain protections under the SCRA and UOCAVA.
On March 13, 2020, the Department of Defense (DOD) issued a stop movement order on domestic travel for all military personnel and their families until at least May 11, 2020, and possibly longer. This order is necessary to prevent the spread of the virus and protect force readiness. However, this order also forced servicemembers to make abrupt changes to their housing plans and employment responsibilities.
We understand that prior to this stop movement order, many servicemembers signed leases in anticipation of movement to a new duty station under previously received orders. These servicemembers are now unable to occupy the leased property, and must maintain housing at their current location. As a result, they face the prospective burden of paying rent at two properties for an uncertain amount of time. Relatedly, there may also be servicemembers who have already terminated leases in anticipation of moving elsewhere, but now need a place to stay.
Consistent with federal and state law, we strongly encourage property managers to afford the men and women of our armed forces maximum flexibility to adjust their residential lease obligations as needed to comply with military orders during this uncertain time. Where the federal laws that protect servicemembers are broken, the Department of Justice will act swiftly to bring violators to justice.
With respect to members of our Guard and Reserve, already more than 2,000 Guardsmen have been deployed in 27 states to respond to the pandemic. This number will undoubtedly increase as the Nation’s response continues. More members of the National Guard may be deployed to transport medical supplies, help with drive-through testing, and assist local law enforcement. These servicemen and women are being asked to leave their homes, their jobs, and their families. This will put extra burdens on not just servicemembers and their families, but also on their employers, landlords, and banks.
It is at this time we also ask employers and landlords to be mindful of the responsibilities they have with respect to members of the National Guard and Reserve under USERRA, the SCRA and similar state laws. These servicemembers are being pulled from their homes and jobs and tasked with vital operations in protection of our most vulnerable citizens. When this emergency ends, USERRA and other state laws will protect servicemembers’ prompt reemployment and continued pension benefits. These laws also protect servicemembers from discrimination based on their service.
Servicemembers undertake their duties at great personal sacrifice and as the nation battles the invisible enemy of COVID-19 they are once again answering the call of duty. They should not have to bear undue financial burden as a result of their military service.
The Department of Justice, in partnership with other federal agencies, is committed to devoting time and resources to protect the rights of servicemembers, and the employees of the Department of Justice are proud to serve our nation’s men and women in uniform. The Civil Rights Division has not hesitated in recent years to enforce the SCRA against landowners — for example, in 2019 the Division obtained a $1.59 million settlement against a company that manages properties in the Virginia Beach area for obtaining unlawful default judgments against military tenants on active duty. The Civil Rights Division has also filed over 100 complaints and settled almost 200 cases under USERRA and is prepared to use its authority to fullest extent during the COVID-19 response to protect these servicemembers should their rights be violated.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their rights have been violated under any of the statutes enforced by the Civil Rights Division should contact the Department of Justice at www.servicemembers.gov or the nearest Armed Forces Assistance Program Office.
Eric S. Dreiband
Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division
Guidance documents are not binding and lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or expressly incorporated into a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement. Consistent with Executive Order 13891 and the Office of Management and Budget implementing memoranda, the Department will not cite, use, or rely on any guidance document that is not accessible through the Department’s guidance portal, or similar guidance portals for other Executive Branch departments and agencies, except to establish historical facts. To the extent any guidance document sets out voluntary standards (e.g., recommended practices), compliance with those standards is voluntary, and noncompliance will not result in enforcement action. Guidance documents may be rescinded or modified in the Department’s complete discretion, consistent with applicable laws.
Brooklyn Man Arrested for Assaulting FBI Agents and Making False Statements About His Possession and Sale of Scarce Medical EquipmentRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Brooklyn man was arrested today for allegedly coughing on FBI agents while claiming to have COVID-19, and with lying to them about his accumulation and sale of surgical masks, medical gowns, and other medical supplies, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Baruch Feldheim, 43, was arrested by special agents of the FBI today and charged by complaint with assaulting a federal officer and with making false statements to law enforcement. Feldheim is scheduled to have his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 25, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services issued an executive order designating certain scarce health and medical resources necessary to respond to the spread of the Coronavirus. Those designated materials included N95 filtering face-piece respirators, personal protection equipment (PPE) face masks, surgical masks, sterilization services, and disinfecting devices, among other things.
Feldheim allegedly sold certain designated materials, including N95 respirators, to doctors and nurses at inflated prices. In one instance, on March 18, 2020, a doctor in New Jersey contacted Feldheim via a WhatsApp chat group labeled “Virus2020!” Feldheim agreed to sell to the doctor approximately 1,000 N95 masks and other assorted materials for $12,000, an approximately 700 percent markup from the normal price charged for those materials. Feldheim directed the doctor to an auto repair shop in Irvington, New Jersey, to pick up the order. According to the doctor, the repair shop contained enough materials, including hand sanitizers, Clorox wipes, chemical cleaning supply agents, and surgical supplies, to outfit an entire hospital. Feldheim later told the doctor that he had been forced to move all of those supplies from Irvington to another location.
On March 23, 2020, Feldheim allegedly offered to sell a nurse a quantity of surgical gowns and directed the nurse to his residence in Brooklyn. Feldheim also received, on March 25, 2020, a shipment from Canada containing approximately eight pallets of medical facemasks. On March 27, 2020, FBI agents observed an empty box of N95 masks outside of Feldheim’s residence.
On March 29, 2020, FBI agents witnessed multiple instances during which individuals approached Feldheim’s residence and walked away with boxes or bags that appeared to contain medical supplies. On that date, FBI agents approached Feldheim outside of his residence. After identifying themselves as FBI agents, they told Feldheim that they wanted to stay a distance away from him given concerns over the spread of Coronavirus. When the agents were within four to five feet of him, Feldheim allegedly coughed in their direction without covering his mouth. The agents then told him that they were looking for certain PPE materials and that they had information that Feldheim was in possession of large quantities of such materials. At that point, Feldheim told the FBI agents that that he had the Coronavirus.
Feldheim then made false statements to the FBI agents regarding his possession and sale of personal protective equipment and other materials. He falsely told the agents, among other things, that he worked for a company that bought and sold personal protective equipment and other materials and that he never took physical custody of the materials. Feldheim further falsely stated that he did not possess large quantities of personal protective equipment materials and that he never sold them directly to individuals.
The assault charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. The false statements charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Please report COVID-19 fraud, hoarding, or price-gouging to the National Center for Disaster Fraud’s National Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or e-mail [email protected].
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Fayer of the Economic Crimes Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces the Appointment and Swearing in of Peter McCoy as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of South CarolinaRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, South Carolina --- Attorney General William P. Barr announced today the appointment and swearing in of Peter M. McCoy, Jr. as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546.
As Interim U.S. Attorney, McCoy is the chief federal law enforcement officer responsible for federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the District of South Carolina. He supervises an office of approximately 62 Assistant United States Attorneys, 75 support staff, and 18 contract support staff, all of whom are responsible for prosecuting federal crimes affecting the district, including narcotics and firearms cases, gang violence, human trafficking, white-collar crime, securities fraud, public corruption, terrorism and civil rights violations. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
“As a former prosecutor, I am honored to have been appointed as Interim U.S. Attorney for one of the greatest federal judicial districts in the country,” said McCoy. “I look forward to working with federal, state, and local partners to continue the important and excellent work of our office.”
Before being sworn in as Interim U.S. Attorney, McCoy was a partner at McCoy and Stokes Law Firm. McCoy also served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and focused his legislative work on protecting children and keeping neighborhoods safe.
A Charleston, S.C., resident and graduate of Hampden-Sydney College and Regent University Law School, McCoy spent more than five years as a criminal prosecutor in the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, handling thousands of crimes involving violence, guns, and drugs. As a legislator, McCoy was the lead sponsor of legislation requiring the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse as well as legislation establishing a mandatory minimum sentence for anyone who commits a crime while out on bond. He worked to pass statutes that ensure violent repeat criminal offenders do not remain out on bond if they continue to commit crimes.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc.
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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.
28 March 2020
Niagara Falls Man Who Forced the Closure of the New York State Thruway Charged with Possessing Multiple BombsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jose M. Gandia, 47, of Niagara Falls, NY, was charged by complaint with unlawful possession of a destructive device and unlawful possession of a shortened shotgun. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth T. Molisani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on March 25, 2020, the New York State Police received a report of an individual pointing a shotgun with a red laser out of a red pickup truck on the New York State Thruway. A trooper located the vehicle stopped behind the traffic cones of an active work zone near the Town of Hanover. The trooper approached the vehicle and ordered the driver, later identified at the defendant, to exit. As the trooper attempted to handcuff Gandia, he resisted and a fight ensued. As the trooper struggled with the defendant, a second trooper arrived and assisted in handcuffing Gandia. The trooper who initially responded to the call suffered a broken hand in the altercation. A knife was found in the defendant’s pocket, and a second one was located on the ground next to the red pickup.
Following Gandia’s arrest, a trooper observed a sawed-off shotgun and a rifle in the passenger seat of the red pickup, as well as a ballistic vest and another knife. Another ballistic vest and an item that appeared to be a pipe bomb were then located in the rear of the vehicle. Troopers backed away from the vehicle, secured the scene, and called explosive specialists to the scene. The incident resulted in the closure of the westbound Interstate 90 of the New York State Thruway.
A New York State Police Bomb Technician examined the device and confirmed that the device, a pipe bomb, appeared to be a functional destructive device. During the examination of the device, the bomb technician utilized a “Disruptor,” a tool used to knock off the end cap of the device in an attempt to disassemble and disable the device remotely. During this procedure the device detonated.
Following the incident on the Thruway, investigators executed a search warrant at Gandia’s Cedar Street residence in Niagara Falls. They recovered nine suspected destructive devices, all appeared to be of similar construction as the device recovered from the defendant’s vehicle. Five of the suspected devices were attached to two separate propane tanks. Two of the devices were placed near the front entrance of the residence and two additional devices were placed near the rear entrance; all four devices were rigged to detonate.
“Amidst the pandemic, the brave men and women of law enforcement continue to risk life and limb to keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “With knives, guns, and 10 bombs—one of which was detonated, and nine of which were inside a house located in a crowded residential area—the danger this individual presented cannot be overstated. As our tremendous medical professionals—and each of us—focus efforts on doing everything possible to defeat the invisible enemy, our law enforcement professionals remain vigilant to ensure that our fight may continue and that the enemies amongst us can do us no harm. All of our protectors are worthy of our praise and gratitude.”
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Buffalo Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; and the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Patrick Swanson.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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27 March 2020
West Fargo, ND, Man Charged with Making a False Statement during the Purchase of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Fargo – United States Attorney Drew H. Wrigley announced that on March 27, 2020, Robert Eugene Johnson, made his initial appearance in Federal Court. The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota unsealed a Complaint charging Johnson with False Statement during the purchase of a firearm. Specifically, the Complaint alleges that on March 23, 2020, Johnson attempted to purchase a firearm and filled out a form stating he had not been previously convicted of a felony or other offense punishable by a term of imprisonment greater than a year. However, Johnson is a convicted felon for the offense of Attempt to Evade or Defeat Tax and had been sentenced for that offense only a week earlier, March 16, 2020, in Federal Court in Fargo. Before Johnson was able to complete the purchase of the semi-automatic firearm in question, a query of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) revealed he was prohibited by law from possessing a firearm due to his recent tax evasion conviction. As a result Johnson was not allowed to complete his purchase of the firearm. A Complaint is an accusation and notice of charges, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
"Keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is a pillar of our anti-violent crime initiated," said United States Attorney Drew Wrigley, "and we look forward to presenting our evidence in court on these very serious allegations."
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant United States Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker is prosecuting the case.
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Virginia U.S. Attorneys Issue Statement on Virginia Recommendations Regarding Medical Prescriptions during COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va – On Wednesday, Virginia Health Commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver, in response to a surge in demand of potential treatments for COVID-19 for drugs commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, lupus, malaria, and bacterial infections, reminded physicians and pharmacists that these life-sustaining medications should only be dispensed under specified limited circumstances based on legitimate medical need. Dr. Oliver also warned against improper dispensing and potential hoarding of these medications.
Today, U.S. Attorneys Thomas Cullen and Zachary Terwilliger issued a statement confirming that federal prosecutors are aware of Dr. Oliver’s warnings regarding this increased demand and potentially improper behavior by physicians and other health-care providers who may be improperly prescribing these drugs to themselves, their families, and others without a legitimate medical purpose. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, as part of their joint COVID-19 Fraud Task Force, will be closely monitoring this disturbing trend and are prepared to investigate potential violations of federal and state law committed by any individuals or entities, including physicians, dentists, and other healthcare providers, related to these prescription drugs.
“At a time when many doctors, nurses, and first responders are risking their health and personal safety to treat those affected by the coronavirus, it is incredibly disturbing that a selfish minority in that field may be undermining these valiant efforts by prescribing outside legitimate medical practice,” said U.S. Attorney Cullen. “We will work closely with our federal, state, and local partners to identify unscrupulous physicians and other health-care providers who are putting their own well-being ahead of those with a true medical need and hold them accountable under the law.”
“Our office is committed to protecting the public at this critical time, including Virginians who rely on life-sustaining prescription drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Terwilliger. “We will act swiftly in coordination with our law enforcement partners to safeguard these critical medications for those who need them against healthcare providers who improperly dispense them.”
If you believe you have been victim of fraud, or need more information about COVID-19, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva/covid-19-fraud
For more information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva
To report fraud directly to the FBI, please visit their website at https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
Virginia U.S. Attorneys Issue Statement on Virginia Recommendations Regarding Medical Prescriptions during COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
Roanoke, VIRGINIA – On Wednesday, Virginia Health Commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver, in response to a surge in demand of potential treatments for COVID-19 for drugs commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, lupus, malaria, and bacterial infections, reminded physicians and pharmacists that these life-sustaining medications should only be dispensed under specified limited circumstances based on legitimate medical need. Dr. Oliver also warned against improper dispensing and potential hoarding of these medications.
Today, U.S. Attorneys Thomas Cullen and Zach Terwilliger issued a statement confirming that federal prosecutors are aware of Dr. Oliver’s warnings regarding this increased demand and potentially improper behavior by physicians and other health-care providers who may be improperly prescribing these drugs to themselves, their families, and others without a legitimate medical purpose. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, as part of their joint COVID-19 Fraud Task Force, will be closely monitoring this disturbing trend and are prepared to investigate potential violations of federal and state law committed by any individuals or entities, including physicians, dentists, and other healthcare providers, related to these prescription drugs.
“At a time when many doctors, nurses, and first responders are risking their health and personal safety to treat those affected by the coronavirus, it is incredibly disturbing that a selfish minority in that field may be undermining these valiant efforts by prescribing outside legitimate medical practice,” said U.S. Attorney Cullen. “We will work closely with our federal, state, and local partners to identify unscrupulous physicians and other health-care providers who are putting their own well-being ahead of those with a true medical need and hold them accountable under the law.”
“Our office is committed to protecting the public at this critical time, including Virginians who rely on life-sustaining prescription drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Terwilliger. “We will act swiftly in coordination with our law enforcement partners to safeguard these critical medications for those who need them against healthcare providers who improperly dispense them.”
If you believe you have been victim of fraud, or need more information about COVID-19, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva/covid-19-fraud
For more information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva
To report fraud directly to the FBI, please visit their website at https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Timothy J. Shea's Statement Urging Vigilance regarding COVID-19 ScamsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - In times of national crisis, scammers look to pounce on unsuspecting persons to steal their personal information and money. The COVID-19 pandemic is no different. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and its law enforcement partners already have seen numerous reports from around the country of scams related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These scammers look to prey on people’s fears and insecurities regarding the pandemic, or seek to provide false cures for the virus. They also look to take people’s money through fake charities or investments related to the pandemic.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia urges everyone to be vigilant regarding these types of scams and to report any suspected fraud or scams to the COVID-19 Pandemic Fraud Hotline, 202-252-7022 and [email protected]. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to the detection, investigation, and prosecution of fraudsters who would seek to take advantage of individuals in the District of Columbia during this public health emergency.
U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain Warns about Fraud Related to the Coronavirus Crisis and Provides Tips to the PublicRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain warned the public today about the growing number and variety of fraud schemes associated with the coronavirus. He offered guidance to help prevent the public from being victimized by these frauds.
“Over the past few weeks, there has been a significant number of frauds committed across the country related to the coronavirus pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “The fact that criminals seek to exploit the pandemic by preying on the worries and fears of the public in this difficult time is despicable. My Office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to protect the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. We will leave no stone unturned to find these criminals and bring them to justice.”
Below are some of the known fraudulent schemes related to the coronavirus pandemic:
- Fake cures: Fraudsters are advertising fake cures, fake vaccines, and so-called “immunity” pills, and including wild claims about the products’ healing powers with no scientific or medical basis.
- Fake testing: Fraudsters are selling fake at-home testing kits or going door-to-door performing fraudulent tests in exchange for money.
- Health care frauds: Fraudsters are offering free (and phony) coronavirus testing to obtain Medicare or other healthcare insurance information, which they use to submit false claims for benefits.
- Fake protection and supplies: Fraudsters are advertising fake or un-tested protective equipment (including respirator masks) through websites, social media, and robocalls. The fraudsters have no real equipment to sell, or provide equipment that has not been proven to work for its advertised purpose.
- Phishing: Fraudsters are posing as representatives from well-known institutions, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in order to trick victims into downloading malware or providing personal identifying and financial information.
- Fake health care providers: Fraudsters pose as doctors or hospital employees and contact individuals via phone or email. They make false claims that they treated a relative or friend for coronavirus and demand money for the claimed treatment.
- Identity theft: Fraudsters are using social media to fraudulently seek donations or provide stimulus funds if the victim provides a bank account number or other personal identifying information. The fraudsters use the information entered by the victim to impersonate the victim and steal money from the victim’s bank account.
- Securities fraud: Fraudsters are promoting securities in publicly traded companies that they falsely claim have discovered the cure for coronavirus.
- Fake charities: Fraudsters are soliciting donations for charities to allegedly benefit people affected by the virus and pocketing the money for themselves.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office urges everyone to follow these tips to better protect themselves from these types of fraud schemes:
- Ignore unsolicited offers for coronavirus cures, vaccines, pills, or treatment. If there is a medical breakthrough, you will not hear about it first through an email, advertisement, or door-to-door sales pitch. Be aware that fraudsters often use addresses that differ only slightly from the entities that they are impersonating, such as “cdc.com” or “cdc.org” instead of “cdc.gov.”
- Do not share personal information with strangers. Be extremely cautious about unsolicited emails or ads that request your personal information for any purpose. Legitimate healthcare providers will not call or email you and demand medical information, personal identifying information, or money for treatment they have provided to a friend or relative. Report the contact to law enforcement.
- Do not open emails or links from unknown sources. In doing so, you could download malware or a virus onto your computer or device.
- Be extremely cautious when sending money in any form. If a business, charity, or individual is requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the mail, be careful. Take extra steps to verify the identity of the receiving party and the security of the transaction.
- Have up-to-date software protections on your devices. Be sure the anti-virus and anti-malware software on your computer or device is operating and up-to-date.
If you or someone you know has been the target or victim of a fraud scheme related to the coronavirus, please report the incident to the national hotline at The National Center for Disaster Fraud at 1-866-720-5721 or at [email protected].
U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph Announces Nearly $60 Million in Grants Available to Support Prisoners' Successful Re-Entry into Their CommunitiesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La. – U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph of the Western District of Louisiana 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.
“These funds are designed to assist those who have paid their debt to society successfully transition back into their communities,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph. “I encourage organizations that are active in this effort to learn more about these grants and to apply.”
“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.
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U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph Announces More Than $83 Million Available to Support School SafetyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La. – U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph of the Western District of Louisiana today announced that more than $83 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities improve school security and protect students, teachers and faculty from threats of violence.
“There is no more important cause than protecting our children from harm,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph. “These federal resources will give faculty, students, first responders and parents the tools to develop better safety measures and make Louisiana schools safer places for children to learn.”
“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. “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 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 Deadline 4/13/2020
- STOP Act School Violence Program (FY20)
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17308
Total Available $71.4 million Deadline 4/13/2020
- Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17926
Total Available $7 million Deadline 4/27/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit: https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.
# # #
U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph Announces More Than $65 Million Available to Fight Human Trafficking and Help Trafficking VictimsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La. – U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph of the Western District of Louisiana today announced that more than $65 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities combat human trafficking and serve adults and children who are victimized in trafficking operations.
“Combatting human trafficking is a top priority of my office,” U.S. Attorney Joseph said. “These federal funds will provide critical resources needed to fight human trafficking and to assist those who have been victimized by this terrible crime. I encourage state and local victim services organizations and non-profit groups to apply for these grants.”
“Our nation is facing difficult challenges, none more pressing than the scourge of human trafficking. Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety and countering this threat remains one of 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 against this insidious crime. 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 programs that support human trafficking task forces and services for human trafficking survivors.
A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future.
- Missing and Exploited Children Training and Technical Assistance Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17351
Total Available: $1.8 million Deadline: 4/6/2020 (Extended)
- Multidisciplinary Task Force Program to Combat Human Trafficking
Total Available $22 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
- Preventing Trafficking of Girls
Total Available $1.7 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
- Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17324
Total Available $2.5 million Deadline 4/20/2020
- Services for Victims of Human Trafficking
Total Available $16.5 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
- Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking
Total Available $2 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
- Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Program
Total Available $5 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
- Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking
Total Available $6 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
- Integrated Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking
Total Available $8 million Opens week of 3/16/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit: https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities
In November 2019, U.S. Attorney Joseph announced the launch of the Northwest Louisiana Human Trafficking Task Force, which is led by the United States Attorney’s Office and Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, and is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, along with local non-governmental victim services organizations, including civic, faith-based, and social services organizations.
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U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph Announces More Than $163 Million Available to Fight Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La. – U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph of the Western District of Louisiana today announced that more than $163 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address America’s addiction crisis.
“The fight against opioid abuse is among our nation’s most pressing law enforcement and public health initiatives,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph. “I encourage organizations and groups in Louisiana to explore these federal funding opportunities. We must all continue to look for new ways to fight this epidemic.”
“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 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.
A number of funding opportunities that address the addiction crisis are currently open:
- 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 5/14/2020
- Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/COSSAP20
Total Available $27 million Deadline 5/21/2020
- 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: 5/4/2020
- Family Drug Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17090
Total Available $18.2 million Deadline 4/8/2020 (Extended)
- Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17754
Total Available $28.1 Deadline 5/5/2020
- Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17051
Total Available $7.2 million Deadline 4/13/2020 (Extended)
- Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-16930
Total Available $48 million Deadline 4/13/2020
- Opioid Affected Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17352
Total Available $9 million Deadline 4/20/2020
- Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17275
Total Available $1 million Deadline 4/20/2020
- Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners
https://bja.ojp.gov/RSAT20
Total Available $4.5 million Deadline 4/6/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit: https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.
# # #
U.S. Attorney Brady Announces More than $163 Million in DOJ Grant Funding Available for Local Partners to Fight Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady today announced that more than $163 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address America’s addiction crisis. These funding opportunities are available for state and local partners, including opioid-abuse disorder treatment programs, drug and veterans courts, programs for targeting at-risk youth, including youth mentoring programs, and other innovative local programs and solutions in combating our opioid and addiction epidemic.
"No solution to the opioid epidemic is complete without the critical work performed by our partners in the medical and treatment communities," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "Through this $163 million in grant funding, DOJ demonstrates its ongoing commitment to a comprehensive solution to this crisis."
"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 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.
A number of funding opportunities that address the addiction crisis are currently open:
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 5/14/2020
Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/COSSAP20
Total Available $27 million Deadline 5/21/2020
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: 5/4/2020
Family Drug Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17090
Total Available $18.2 million Deadline 4/8/2020 (Extended)
Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17754
Total Available $28.1 Deadline 5/5/2020
Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17051
Total Available $7.2 million Deadline 4/13/2020 (Extended)
Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-16930
Total Available $48 million Deadline 4/13/2020
Opioid Affected Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17352
Total Available $9 million Deadline 4/20/2020
Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17275
Total Available $1 million Deadline 4/20/2020
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners
https://bja.ojp.gov/RSAT20
Total Available $4.5 million Deadline 4/6/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.
For resources and additional information on applying for OJP grant opportunities, please see the WDPA Grants Resource Page at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/grants.
U.S. Attorney Appoints Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator for RegionRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler for the Middle District of Georgia is urging the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) and has appointed a federal prosecutor to investigate and prosecute these cases. In coordination with the Department of Justice, Attorney General William Barr directed U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of Coronavirus fraud schemes. The public can report fraud schemes to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address [email protected]. The NCDF Hotline 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. Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen also directed each U.S. Attorney to appoint a Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator to serve as the legal counsel for the federal judicial district on matters relating to the Coronavirus, direct the prosecution of Coronavirus-related crimes, and to conduct outreach and awareness activities. The District of Middle Georgia’s Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator is Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Crane.
“Like the rest of the country, COVID-19 has impacted the lives of citizens throughout the Middle District of Georgia, yet there are fraudsters out there trying to exploit this situation for their own financial benefit. Our office and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners stand ready to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud scams in every community we serve,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “We are asking the public to remain alert to potential schemes. And, to all scam artists attempting to defraud the public during this difficult time: We will prosecute you to the fullest extent allowed by law. Count on it.”
Some examples of these schemes include:
- Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
- Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
- Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
- Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.
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.
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.
U.S. Attorney Announces Nearly $60 Million in Grants Available to Support Prisoners’ Successful Reentry into Their CommunitiesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito 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.
“The vast majority of inmates will be eventually returning to society after having completed their sentences,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “We want to make sure that when they do, they have the best possible chance at successfully reintegrating. The programs supported by these grants will help support those who are developing the strategies that will make that possible.”
“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,” Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs said. “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
Tampa Woman Charged for Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl, Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of a criminal complaint and arrest charging Kimberly Fleer (26, Tampa) with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing heroin and fentanyl. If convicted, Fleer faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
According to the
criminal complaint , on November 2, 2019, Fleer sold a victim a controlled substance that contained fentanyl. The victim injected the substance, and died. The victim’s daughter found the victim unresponsive in their residence. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the victim’s cause of death was fentanyl, heroin and oxycodone intoxication.Between November 6, and November 8, 2019, after learning of the victim’s death, Fleer continued to distribute heroin, and fentanyl throughout the Middle District of Florida.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The case is part of the Middle District of Florida’s anti-opioid strategy to combat opioid trafficking and abuse. It was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Statement of U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Denver Regarding 2019 Colorado Springs Officer Involved ShootingRead the Press Release
DENVER -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation is charged with reviewing shootings by police officers to determine if there is evidence of federal criminal civil rights violations in connection with such shootings. Officer-involved shootings constitute federal criminal civil rights violations only when officers willfully deprive people of their constitutional rights to be free from unreasonable seizures or the application of unreasonable force. Consistent with its charge, the FBI’s Denver Field Office reviewed the facts and circumstances surrounding the shooting of Devon Bailey on August 3, 2019. Following the FBI’s review, the U.S. Attorney’s Office also reviewed those facts and circumstances to make a prosecution determination. Both offices concluded that the fatal shooting of Mr. Bailey, although undoubtedly devastating to his family, friends, and community, did not result from any willful violation of Mr. Bailey’s constitutional rights. Therefore, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will not pursue criminal charges. The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have notified Mr. Bailey’s family of their conclusion and are arranging a private meeting with them.Roanoke Man Charged in Federal Criminal ComplaintRead the Press Release
Roanoke, VIRGINIA – Michael Jerome Patterson, 37, of Roanoke Va., was charged in a federal criminal complaint filed with the court yesterday with a series of charges related to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as being a previously convicted felon illegally in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges were announced today by United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen.
The criminal complaint charges Patterson, who is currently on federal supervised release for a previous conviction, with one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of being a previously convicted felon illegally in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“Despite the unprecedented and challenging circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic, we are totally committed to protecting the public and enforcing federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Cullen. “I am particularly grateful for the dedication and bravery of our agents and local police officers who continue to do this critical work while risking their own health and well-being.”
According to court documents, the alleged criminal activity occurred on or about November 8, 2019 in Salem, Virginia.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, and the City of Roanoke Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Jones is prosecuting the case for the United States.
A criminal complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Reservation Man Indicted on Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Mark A. Klaassen announced today that Renfred Earl Aoah, age 29, a resident of Fort Washakie, was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 18, 2020, for three counts of assaulting an intimate partner by both strangling and suffocating her.
The Indictment alleges that on three separate occasions in 2019, the defendant knowingly and unlawfully either strangled or suffocated his intimate partner during the course of a domestic altercation.
“My office continues to prioritize the prosecution of violent crime, which can have such dramatic negative effects on our communities,” said United States Attorney Mark Klaassen. “We appreciate the efforts of the FBI to investigate these matters.”
The maximum penalty upon conviction for each count of assault by strangulation and/or suffocation is up to ten (10) years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution for the victim’s injuries and loss may also be ordered.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation took Aoah into custody on March 25, 2020, in a continued commitment to safety in the Wind River Reservation community.
Aoah had his initial appearance before Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on March 27, 2020. Judge Skavdahl remanded the defendant to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending a detention and arraignment hearing scheduled for April 1, 2020. A trial date has not yet been set.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Wind River Police Department.
Readout of the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice Teleconferences Related to Social Problems Impacting Public SafetyRead the Press Release
This week, the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice held hearings on social problems impacting public safety, specifically mental illness. The hearings were held over three days via teleconference. Each teleconference featured a panel of expert witnesses who provided testimony and, subsequently, answered questions from the Commissioners. Next week, the Commission will continue its analysis of social problems impacting public safety, hearing testimony from experts on homelessness and substance abuse.
On Tuesday, March 24, the Commission received testimony from San Bernardino (Calif.) Sheriff John McMahon; John Snook, CEO of the Treatment Advocacy Center, and; Sergeant Sarah Shimko from the City of Madison (Wisc.) Police Department Mental Health Unit.
Testimony and discussions focused on the current interactions that arise between individuals suffering from untreated mental illnesses and law enforcement. Sheriff McMahon and Sergeant Shimko spoke of the importance of mandatory mental illness course training for all law enforcement officers, not just because of the scope of the mental health crisis across the country, but also because law enforcement will always play a role in responding to people with mental health issues, and, therefore, adequate training is essential. Speaking about the connections between mental health and law enforcement, CEO John Snook recommended, “This Commission must resist the urge to force greater responsibilities on law enforcement.”
On Wednesday, March 25, the Commission heard testimony from Orange County (Calif.) Sheriff Donald Barnes; Dr. Shannon Robinson, Principal, Health Management Associates (formerly the Chief Psychiatrist for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation), and; Maricopa County (Ariz.) Sheriff Paul Penzone.
Testimony and discussions focused on the intersection of mental health and substance abuse disorders and law enforcement. Sheriff Barnes called for a national naloxone program in jails to keep victims of opioid overdoses alive. He also called attention to the ever-growing quantities of pure fentanyl being seized in his county and the impact that pure fentanyl has on the general public. Dr. Robinson’s testimony shed light on the multi-generational effects, as well as the resource requirement, that mental health and substance abuse issues have on society at large. And Sheriff Penzone called attention to the public’s instinct to call 911 based on the expectation that law enforcement officers will handle any problem, regardless of whether or not it is within the scope of law enforcement’s traditional role.
On Thursday, March 26, Dr. Keith Humphreys, Professor and Section Director for Mental Health Policy in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, addressed the Commission.
Dr. Humphrey’s testimony focused on the intersection of alcohol and law enforcement, calling attention to the number of calls law enforcement receive daily that are linked to an incident involving alcohol abuse. He pointed to statistics that show that those who receive treatment for alcoholism are less likely to re-offend, and called for treatment to be part of probation or parole options.
For more information on the Commission, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/ag/presidential-commission-law-enforcement-and-administration-justice
Audio recordings and transcripts of the hearings will be posted online once available.
Please note, these hearings were originally to take place in person in Orange County, Calif., but were changed to teleconference format in response to CDC recommendations regarding COVID-19.
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.
Progressions Behavioral Health Services, Inc. and One of its Former Mental Health Therapists Agree to Pay $27,500 to Resolve Potential False Claims Act LiabilityRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Progressions Behavioral Health Services, Inc. (“Progressions”) and Sharmon James, a mental health therapist formerly employed by Progressions, have agreed to pay $27,500 to resolve claims under the False Claims Act set forth in a qui tam complaint filed against them in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The Complaint alleges that James fabricated mental health treatment records for over 59 outpatient sessions with a minor during the period of May 3, 2017 through October 19, 2018. None of these sessions ever occurred. James allegedly falsified records, forged the signature of the minor’s parent on patient encounter forms, and caused Progressions to submit claims for payment to Medicaid based upon these false records. Pursuant to the agreement, Progressions will pay $17,500 and James will pay $10,000 to the United States.
The settlement resolves allegations in a whistleblower complaint filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. These provisions allow private citizens to bring civil actions on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery. The whistleblower in this matter was the minor’s parent, who will receive approximately $6,700 of the recovery.
“Behavioral health service entities must have strong mechanisms in place – including appropriate supervision and oversight – to avoid fraud and abuse, or else they will face the consequences,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “We thank the whistleblower for bringing this qui tam complaint, as well as our law enforcement partners for helping us to pursue this important civil action.”
“Civil enforcement is an important tool in our ongoing battle against health care fraud,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue to work closely with the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure the integrity of taxpayer funds and protect beneficiaries of federal healthcare programs.”
The government’s resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s 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).
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The case is assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Viveca D. Parker and Judith A. Amorosa of the Civil Division, and health care fraud auditor Dawn Wiggins.
The qui tam is captioned U.S. ex. rel. Smith v. Progressions Behavioral Health Services, Inc., No. 18-cv-4814 (E.D. Pa.). The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Peach Springs Man Sentenced to Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On March 2, 2020, Louis Screaming Eagle Walema, 24, of Peach Springs, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 46 months in prison, followed by a three year term of supervised release. Walema previously pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
On March 27, 2019, after forcing his way into the victim’s home, Walema punched and kicked the victim multiple times, causing the victim to sustain permanent injuries. The assault happened on the Hualapai Indian Reservation, and both Walema and the victim are members of the Hualapai Indian Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hualapai Nation Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-08099-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-035_Walema# # #
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.Manhattan U.S. Attorney Files Civil Fraud Suit Against Anthem, Inc., for Falsely Certifying the Accuracy of Its Diagnosis DataRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that the United States filed a civil fraud lawsuit today against ANTHEM, INC. (“ANTHEM”), alleging that ANTHEM falsely certified the accuracy of the diagnosis data it submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) for risk-adjustment purposes under Medicare Part C and knowingly failed to delete inaccurate diagnosis codes. As a result of these acts, ANTHEM caused CMS to calculate the risk-adjustment payments to ANTHEM based on inaccurate, and inflated, diagnosis information, which enabled ANTHEM to obtain millions of dollars in Medicare funds to which it was not entitled.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “The integrity of Medicare’s payment system is critical to our healthcare. This Office is dedicated to vigorously using all of the legal tools available, including the False Claims Act, to ensure the integrity of Medicare payments. The case against Anthem today is an illustration of that commitment.”
As set forth in the Complaint, Medicare Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage, provides health insurance coverage for tens of millions of Americans who opt out of traditional Medicare. Under Medicare Part C, Medicare Advantage Organizations (“MAOs”), typically private insurers like ANTHEM, provide coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. In return, MAOs receive capitated payments from CMS based on the patients’ medical conditions and demographic factors. More specifically, MAOs like ANTHEM submit diagnosis data, typically passed along from beneficiaries’ healthcare providers, to CMS. CMS then uses that diagnosis data, in conjunction with demographic factors, to calculate a “risk score” for each beneficiary and, in turn, the amount of the capitated payment that the MAO will receive for covering that beneficiary.
The Complaint alleges that ANTHEM, as one of the nation’s largest MAOs, operated dozens of Medicare Part C plans, including the Empire MediBlue plan in New York. To supplement its collection of diagnosis codes besides what it received from healthcare providers, ANTHEM implemented a “retrospective chart review” program using a vendor called Medi-Connect. Specifically, ANTHEM paid Medi-Connect to collect medical records from healthcare providers corresponding to services they rendered to ANTHEM’s Part C beneficiaries and then review those records to identify all diagnosis codes supported by the medical records. ANTHEM then submitted to CMS any diagnosis codes identified by Medi-Connect that ANTHEM had not already submitted to CMS based on what providers initially reported.
The Complaint further alleges that when ANTHEM asked healthcare providers to provide records to Medi-Connect, ANTHEM characterized its chart review program as an “oversight activity” that would “help ensure that the [diagnosis] codes have been reported accurately.” In fact, however, ANTHEM did not use the information it received from Medi-Connect to check the accuracy of diagnosis codes it had submitted to CMS. Specifically, when Medi-Connect’s review did not validate diagnosis codes that ANTHEM previously submitted to CMS, ANTHEM did not make any effort to verify or delete those codes.
According to the Complaint, ANTHEM did not do so because deleting invalid diagnosis codes would have substantially reduced the additional revenue the chart review program generated for ANTHEM, which frequently exceeded $100 million per year. Instead, ANTHEM treated its chart review program solely as a tool for revenue enhancement and viewed it as ANTHEM’s “cash cow.”
As alleged in the Complaint, ANTHEM not only knowingly failed to delete diagnosis codes shown by its chart review program to be unsupported by the medical records, but also repeatedly made false statements to CMS. Specifically, ANTHEM made false annual attestations to CMS certifying that its risk-adjustment data submissions were “accurate” according to its “best knowledge, information and belief.” ANTHEM also falsely told CMS that it would “research and correct” risk adjustment data discrepancies. As result of its false statements and its failure to delete inaccurate diagnosis codes, ANTHEM improperly obtained or retained millions of dollars in payments from CMS to which it was not entitled, in violation of the False Claims Act.
Mr. Berman thanked the Office of Counsel to the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services and the Commercial Litigation Branch at the Civil Division of the Department of Justice for their extensive assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Li Yu, Peter Aronoff, and Rachael Doud are in charge of this case.
Manager of a Decade Long Marijuana Trafficking Operation Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
The manager of a large-scale marijuana trafficking operation who brought marijuana into Iowa for resale for a decade was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison.
Andrew Shaw, age 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and being a drug user in possession of firearms.
Information at sentencing showed that Shaw started trafficking marijuana in 2010. In 2017, Shaw started focusing his marijuana trafficking business on making and selling marijuana edibles and THC cartridges. In March 2019, multiple law enforcement agencies searched various properties Shaw owned in Cedar Rapids. In a commercial building on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids, law enforcement found large amounts of materials used to make marijuana gummies, a form of marijuana edible. They also found large amounts of THC cartridges, which contain an oil made from marijuana that can be used in vape pens. During a search of Shaw’s house, officers two firearms in close proximity to drug paraphernalia. Shaw was also a drug user and admitted he unlawfully possessed these guns. The court sentenced Shaw for distributing over 100 kilograms of marijuana. The court also described Shaw as a manager or supervisor in a drug trafficking operation that involved five or more people.
At sentencing, Shaw was also held responsible for making a credible threat of violence as part of his drug trafficking. Shaw made threats against a man who was interfering with his drug trafficking operation. Shaw told other people that he wanted this man “beat up,” “tuned up,” or assaulted. Two other men who previously sold marijuana they purchased from Shaw eventually confronted this man. During the confrontation, the man was stabbed multiple times and died from his wounds.
Shaw was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Shaw was sentenced to 94 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Shaw is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-cr-46.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Las Vegas Man Charged with Threatening to Assault and Murder Nevada U.S. RepresentativeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Louis Damato, 47, of Las Vegas, made his initial appearance today in connection with federal charges for allegedly making threats to assault and murder a Nevada U.S. Representative, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI.
As alleged in the complaint, on March 16, 2020, the office of U.S. Representative Dina Titus in Washington, D.C., received a threatening voicemail stating in pertinent part: “… I bought a f*cking gun ok I’m coming to DC to blow your f*cking head off!” Later that day, U.S. Capitol Police determined that the phone that left the threatening voicemail belonged to Damato. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department located Damato at a hotel casino, where he was arrested and read his Miranda rights. Damato allegedly admitted that he had been calling Representative Titus’ office for several days, and that he left the threatening message on the morning of March 16, 2020.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts on April 17, 2020.
If convicted, Damato faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the threatening to assault and murder a public official charge and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the interstate threats charge.
The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only. If convicted of the offense, the sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct for purposes of establishing probable cause, not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Capitol Police, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Dickinson is prosecuting the case.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto on a criminal complaint on March 23 was:
Riccardo Ramos Medina, 33, of Mexico, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Medina faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Medina was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Montana Highway Patrol, U.S. Postal Service and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-3.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on March 24 was:
Arnold Scott Devous, 67, of Billings, on charges of federal medical officer with conflict of interest. If convicted of the most serious crime, Devous faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Devous was released pending further proceedings. The Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-18.
Appearing on March 26 was:
James Kenneth Ward, 57, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ward faces a maximum 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Ward was detained pending further proceedings. The Environmental Protection Agency investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 17-6.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on March 24 was:
Stacey Renee Walker, 37, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Walker faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Walker was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-21.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illegal possession of gun sends Lolo man to prisonRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A Lolo man who admitted illegally having a gun and ammunition was sentenced today to three years in prison and three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Francis Carlton Crowley, 34, pleaded guilty in December to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The prosecution said in court documents filed in the case that in May 2018, soon after moving to Montana from Oregon, Crowley’s sister bought a shotgun from a Missoula pawn shop. On July 7, 2018, Crowley showed up at Lolo Hot Springs, where his sister worked, and began threatening people. He said he had a gun and kept reaching into his pockets. Crowley also said he had crashed his car and his baby son, later determined to be his nephew, was in the woods. Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies searched the Lolo National Forest for Crowley and the baby. On July 8, 2018, while searching, officers located Crowley’s campsite and saw spent and live shotgun shells and the shotgun his sister had purchased. The investigation also found photographs showing Crowley in possession of the shotgun.
Crowley had prior felony convictions in Oregon and Washington and was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
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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Illegal Alien Who Used Another Person’s Social Security Number Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who used another person’s Social Security number to get a job and for tax purposes was sentenced today to almost three months in federal prison.
Martin Ordonez-Ortiz, age 48, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 4, 2020, guilty plea to one count of misuse of a social security number.
In a plea agreement, Ordonez-Ortiz admitted that on June 14, 2019, he used someone else’s social security number on employment forms and state and federal tax forms when applying for work in Dubuque, Iowa. Ordonez-Ortiz worked using that person’s social security until he was arrested by immigration officials on January 6, 2020, at his place of employment. Ordonez-Ortiz also admitted to being in the United States illegally and to using a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green” card, to illegally obtain employment.
Ordonez-Ortiz was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Ordonez-Ortiz was sentenced to 82 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ordonez-Ortiz is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-1049. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Former Co-Owner and COO of Pharmacy Pleads Guilty in Prescription Drug Billing SchemeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Today an additional defendant pled guilty in a long-running investigation into a prescription drug-billing scheme involving a Haleyville, Ala.-based pharmacy, Northside Pharmacy doing business as Global Compounding Pharmacy. U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr., U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson, Defense Criminal Investigative Service Special Agent in Charge Cynthia Bruce, United States Postal Inspector in Charge, Houston Division Adrian Gonzalez, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Thornton announced the charges.
Jeffrey Black, 55, of Destin, Florida, entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud, eight counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiring to pay kickbacks to a prescriber, and one count of spending the proceeds of health care fraud. Black is the former co-owner, vice president and chief operating officer of Northside Pharmacy doing business as Global Compounding Pharmacy.
“Health care fraud is estimated to be in the hundreds of billions each year. We are seeing just how intolerable and critical the effects of frauds related to health care can be,” U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town said. “This plea—and the 21 before it just in this investigation—should send a message to would-be fraudsters that those who choose to steal from our health insurance plans will be held accountable.”
“Black conspired with others and compromised his integrity to line his pockets with the proceeds of false claims,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr. said. “I commend the outstanding work conducted by my agents and our great partners to hold Black and others accountable who work to defraud American taxpayers through health care fraud schemes.”
"The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is committed to pursue unscrupulous individuals like Jeffrey Black intent on defrauding and cheating TRICARE, the healthcare system serving our military and veterans. DCIS appreciates the efforts of the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Alabama requiring restitution to TRICARE for prescriptions that were not medically necessary or even utilized by many of the beneficiaries," stated Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce, DCIS, Southeast Field Office."
“Today’s guilty plea is the result of a significant team effort to safeguard a multitude of federally funded healthcare programs,” Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General in Atlanta Derrick L. Jackson said. “The OIG is committed to dismantling elaborate fraud schemes such as this one.”
“With our nation focused on public health and safety, Jeffrey Black’s guilty plea is a reminder that Americans are cheated out of more than eighty billion dollars a year in higher premiums and out-of-pocket expenses through health care fraud,” Adrian Gonzalez, Postal Inspector in Charge, Houston Division said. “The United States Postal Inspection Service is committed to investigations with our law enforcement partners whenever health care fraudsters try to involve the U.S. Mail in their nefarious schemes, as in this case against Northside Pharmacy of Haleyville, Alabama, doing business as Global Compounding Pharmacy.”
“Today’s plea should serve as a warning to any medical professional considering exploiting their patients for profit: you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, and you will pay a steep price for your actions,” Acting Special Agent in Charge IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office Andrew Thornton, Jr. said. “IRS-CI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring those seeking to enrich themselves at the expense of the government and their patients, to justice."
“As detailed in the plea agreement, Black’s actions and role in the fraud scheme took advantage of veterans for personal financial gain,” David Spilker, Special Agent in Charge, VA Office of Inspector General stated. “VA OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those who commit healthcare fraud against VA programs.”
Mr. Black’s guilty plea brings the total number of defendants who have pled guilty in the larger investigation to 23. Those who have previously pled guilty include two nurse practitioners, a vice president of sales, an operations manager, a district manager, and multiple sales representatives.
According to the plea agreement, Mr. Black was participating in a multi-faceted scheme to cause the pharmacy he co-owned to bill for medically unnecessary prescription drugs. Aspects of the scheme included paying prescribers to issue prescriptions; directing employees to get medically unnecessary drugs for themselves, family members, and friends, to be filled and billed by Global and other related pharmacies; altering prescriptions to add non-prescribed drugs; automatically refilling prescriptions regardless of patient need; routinely waiving and discounting co-pays to induce patients to obtain and retain medically unnecessary drugs; and billing for drugs without patients’ knowledge. According to the plea agreement, when prescription drug administrators attempted to police this conduct, the defendants evaded and obstructed those efforts, including by providing false information in response to audits and diverting their billing through affiliated pharmacies.
The scheme targeted multiple health insurance plans, including the pharmacy’s Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama plan, as well as plans providing health insurance to the elderly, disabled, members of the military, and veterans—Medicare, TRICARE, and CHAMPVA, among others. In addition, the scheme targeted the health insurance plan of Medtronic, a medical device company, where Black previously worked. Black would hire individuals known to be on Medtronic’s health insurance plans, and direct them to get prescriptions for medically unnecessary drugs for themselves, family members, and friends, and then pay them a commission for these prescriptions. Black and a family member personally got a number of these medically unnecessary prescriptions for scar and wound creams, including several for over $20,000 per tube.
The maximum penalty for health care and mail fraud conspiracy is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for health care fraud is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for kickback conspiracy is 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for spending proceeds of healthcare fraud is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, DCIS, USPIS, IRS-CI, and a United States Attorney’s Office investigator investigated the cases, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chinelo Dike-Minor and Don Long are prosecuting. The Veteran Affairs Office of Inspector General Criminal Investigations Division provided assistance in the investigation.
Ex-Los Angeles City Councilman Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Charge Related to Obstructing Public Corruption InvestigationRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Los Angeles city councilman has agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal charge stemming from his obstruction of a public corruption investigation related to his acceptance of gifts – including cash, hotel rooms and expensive meals – from a businessman during trips to Las Vegas and Palm Springs in 2017.
In a plea agreement filed this morning in federal court, Mitchell Englander, 49, of Santa Monica, agreed to plead guilty to one count of scheming to falsify material facts.
Englander represented Los Angeles Council District 12 in the San Fernando Valley from July 2011 until he resigned on December 31, 2018, when he had almost two years left on his term. Among his other duties, Englander served as the Council President Pro-Tempore and was on the Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee, which oversees many of the most significant commercial and residential development projects in the City of Los Angeles.
According to his plea agreement, Englander schemed to cover up cash payments, expensive meals, escort services and other gifts offered to him from a businessman – identified in court documents as Businessperson A – who operated companies in Los Angeles relating to major development projects and sought to increase his business opportunities in the city. Two months after the Las Vegas trip, Businessperson A began cooperating with the FBI in a public corruption investigation focused on suspected “pay-to-play” schemes involving Los Angeles public officials, including by making covert recordings of Englander’s interactions with him.
From August 2017 until December 2018, Englander knowingly and willfully falsified and concealed material facts pertaining to this federal public corruption investigation, the plea agreement states. Specifically, Englander admitted he covered up facts that he had accepted items of value during June 2017 trips to Las Vegas and Palm Springs.
On that trip, when he was accompanied by two city staffers, a lobbyist and a real estate developer, Englander accepted from Businessperson A an envelope with $10,000 in cash, hotel rooms, $1,000 in casino gambling chips, $34,000 in bottle service at a nightclub, and a $2,481 dinner. Businessperson A also paid for two female escorts to arrive at their hotel and later instructed one of the escorts to go to Englander’s room, according to the plea agreement.
At a golf tournament in Palm Springs on June 12, 2017, Englander accepted an envelope containing $5,000 in cash from Businessperson A, according to the plea agreement. Shortly after the trips, Englander arranged for Businessperson A to pitch his business to a friend of Englander’s who was a developer.
In August 2017, after he learned about the FBI’s public corruption investigation, Englander sent an encrypted message to Businessperson A, via the online messaging service Confide, indicating that he wanted to reimburse him for portions of the June 2017 Las Vegas trip.
On at least three occasions, Englander attempted to coordinate statements he made to the FBI and federal prosecutors with Businessperson A, and Englander counseled Businessperson A how to lie to and mislead the FBI agents and federal prosecutors conducting the public corruption investigation, the plea agreement states. Englander admitted that on February 6, 2018, he told Businessperson A how to answer certain questions from the FBI and to withhold material information from the FBI, including questions about escort services provided by Businessperson A and Englander’s purported attempts to reimburse Businessperson A. On February 12, 2018, Englander met Businessperson A in Englander’s car and, after Englander turned up the car stereo, Englander again repeatedly told Businessperson A how to respond to FBI questions while driving in a circle around the block.
Englander also admitted to making false statements to the FBI and federal prosecutors on three separate occasions in 2017 and 2018. For example, on February 7, 2018, Englander falsely stated that he and Businessperson A had not discussed the FBI or its investigation, and that he did not tell anyone what to say to the FBI. On December 31, 2018, the day he resigned from the Los Angeles City Council, Englander again met with the FBI and federal prosecutors, and made additional false statements about receiving personal benefits from Businessperson A, and also falsely stated that he encouraged Businessperson A to “be transparent, and share everything” with the FBI.
The court has not scheduled a date for Englander to enter his guilty plea. Once he does formally enter the guilty plea, he will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The case against Englander is part of an ongoing public corruption investigation being conducted by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Englander is the second person to agree to plead guilty to a federal felony related to this ongoing investigation. Justin Kim has agreed to plead guilty to a bribery offense for facilitating a cash payment of hundreds of thousands of dollars intended for a different Los Angles City Councilmember.
Any member of the public who has information related to this or any other public corruption matter in the City of Los Angeles is encouraged to send information to the FBI’s tip line at tips.fbi.gov or to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mack E. Jenkins, Chief of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Assistant United States Attorneys Veronica Dragalin and Melissa E. Mills of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.
District Court Orders Injunctions against Two Telecom Carriers Who Facilitated Hundreds of Millions of Fraudulent Robocalls to Consumers in the United StatesRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered orders in two separate civil actions, barring eight individuals and entities from continuing to facilitate the transmission of massive volumes of fraudulent robocalls to consumers in the United States, the Department of Justice announced today.
In one of the matters, United States v. Nicholas Palumbo, et al., the District Court entered a preliminary injunction that bars two individuals and two entities from operating as intermediate voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) carriers during the pendency of the civil action. In the other matter, United States v. John Kahen, et al., the District Court entered consent decrees that permanently bar an individual and three entities from operating as intermediate VoIP carriers conveying any telephone calls into the U.S. telephone system.
“These massive robocall fraud schemes target telephones of residents across our country, many of whom are elderly or are otherwise potentially vulnerable to such schemes,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to stopping this unlawful conduct and pursuing those who knowingly facilitate these schemes for their own financial gain.”
“This office will take all appropriate measures to stop fraudulent robocalling schemes responsible for causing catastrophic losses to victims, including seeking to permanently shut down the U.S.-based enablers of such schemes,” said United States Attorney Richad P. Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York. “Protecting elderly and vulnerable individuals from being conned by foreign call center scammers remains a priority of this office and the Department of Justice.”
As alleged in the complaints, the defendants in both cases operated as VoIP carriers, receiving internet-based calls from other entities, often located abroad, and transmitting those calls first to other carriers within the United States and, ultimately, to the phones of individuals. Numerous foreign-based call centers are alleged to have used the defendants’ VoIP carrier services to pass fraudulent government- and business-imposter robocalls to victims in the United States. The defendants also sold U.S. phone numbers to foreign entities, which were used as victim call-back numbers as part of massive robocalling fraud schemes.
As also alleged, the defendants were warned numerous times that they were carrying fraudulent robocalls — including calls impersonating government agencies, such as the Social Security Administration, the IRS, and legitimate businesses, such as Microsoft — and yet continued to carry those calls and facilitate fraud schemes targeting individuals in the United States. Many of the robocalls were made by foreign fraudsters impersonating government investigators and conveying alarming messages, such as: the recipient’s social security number or other personal information has been compromised or otherwise connected to criminal activity; the recipient faces imminent arrest; the recipient’s assets are being frozen; the recipient’s bank and credit accounts have suspect activity; the recipient’s benefits are being stopped; the recipient faces imminent deportation; or combinations of these threats. Each of these claims was a lie, designed to scare the call recipient into paying large sums of money. These calls led to massive financial losses to elderly and other vulnerable victims throughout the United States.
“The court’s decision sends a clear message to gateway carriers who knowingly do business with scammers targeting Americans from overseas,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “We will continue to pursue those who facilitate these scam calls by allowing them into the U.S. telephone network. I want to thank the Department of Justice for its support throughout this investigation and its commitment to protecting Americans from this insidious form of fraud and theft.”
United States v. Nicholas Palumbo, et al.
In the first case, the District Court issued a preliminary injunction against spouses Nicholas and Natasha Palumbo of Scottsdale, Arizona, and the Arizona companies they own and operate, Ecommerce National LLC d/b/a TollFreeDeals.com and SIP Retail d/b/a sipretail.com. The District Court held, in a written opinion, that the evidence presented by the United States demonstrated probable cause to conclude that the defendants were engaged in “widespread patterns of telecommunications fraud, intended to deprive call recipients in the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere of money and property.”
The preliminary injunction issued by the court bars those defendants from carrying any VoIP calls destined for phones in the United States and providing any U.S. telephone numbers (often used as call-back numbers in the fraudulent robocalling schemes) to any individuals or entities during the pendency of this litigation. The court noted that though defendants had been warned more than 100 times of specific instances of fraudulent calls being transmitted through their network, they never severed their business relationship with any entity they learned was associated with fraudulent call traffic, prior to the United States’ filing of its lawsuit. The court further noted that “the telecommunications ‘intermediary’ industry is set up perfectly to allow fraudulent operators to rotate telephone numbers endlessly and blame other parties for the fraudulent call traffic they carry,” that the United States “demonstrat[ed] probable cause to conclude that defendants’ business is permeated with fraud,” that “multiple individual victims in the United States suffered significant fraud losses,” and that “[e]very day that the defendants’ actions in this vein continue, the public is at risk of harm in the form of additional high-dollar fraud losses.”
The claims in the United States v. Nicholas Palumbo, et al. matter are allegations only, and there has not been any final determination of liability or wrongdoing.
United States v. John Kahen, et al.
In the second case, the District Court entered consent decrees permanently resolving the matter against five individuals and entities who were also operating intermediary VoIP carriers. The court entered a consent decree on March 2, 2020 against Jon Kahen, a/k/a Jon Kaen of New York, and New York corporations Global Voicecom Inc. and Global Telecommunication Services Inc., permanently barring those defendants from, among other things, using the U.S. telephone system to: deliver prerecorded messages through automatic means, carry calls to the United States from foreign locations, and provide calling and toll-free services for calls originating in the United States. In addition, the defendants are permanently barred from serving as employees, agents, or consultants to any person or entity engaged in these activities. In a second consent decree, entered on March 24, 2020, the District Court barred KAT Telecom Inc., a New York corporation, from conveying or causing any other person or entity from conveying fraudulent telephone calls, fraudulent recordings, and unauthorized “spoofed” telephone calls. In the event that KAT Telecom, Inc. resumes operations, it must also implement strong anti-fraud measures, including anti-fraud monitoring, mitigation, and know-your-customer measures.
The claims resolved by the settlement in the United States v. Jon Kahen, et al. matter are allegations only, and there has not been any final determination of liability or wrongdoing.
These cases are being handled by Trial Attorneys Ann F. Entwistle and Charles B. Dunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bonni Perlin, Dara Olds, and Evan Lestelle of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, in coordination with the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Investigative support was also provided by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigation’s El Dorado Task Force and U.S. Secret Service. The Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission also provided pertinent data.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny.
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.