Justice News

Pharmacists Convicted of $13M Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Insurer Fraud Scheme

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A federal jury convicted four pharmacy owners yesterday for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.

Indiana Man Sentenced for Sexually Exploiting Children

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

An Indiana man was sentenced today to 17 and a half years in prison for possessing and creating images of child sexual abuse.

Nevada Man Convicted of $11.2M COVID-19 Fraud

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A federal jury convicted a Nevada man today for defrauding three banks of more than $11.2 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds intended to help small businesses impacted by the pandemic.

Leader of Sophisticated Stolen Identity Tax Refund Scheme Sentenced

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Abraham Yusuff, of Round Rock, Texas — the leader of a scheme to defraud the IRS of over $110 million — was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison. Meghan Inyang, of San Antonio, and Christopher Eduardo, of Round Rock, two of Yusuff’s co-defendants, were also sentenced to over three years and over two years in prison, respectively. In total, seven individuals have now been sentenced to prison for their involvement in the scheme.

Pakistani National Charged for Plotting Terrorist Attack in New York City in Support of ISIS

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was arrested on Sept. 4 in Canada in connection with a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York. Khan was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO), the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).

Pakistani National Charged for Plotting Terrorist Attack in New York City in Support of ISIS

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Medical Device Company to Pay $700,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Concerning Inflated Reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Medical device manufacturer THD America Inc., located in Natick, Massachusetts, and its corporate parent, THD SpA of Italy (collectively, THD), have agreed to pay $700,000 to resolve allegations that THD violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing physicians to use incorrect codes to obtain inflated reimbursement from Medicare and State Medicaid programs for the use of THD’s hemorrhoid removal system called the Slide One Kit (the Kit).

Justice Department to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in Rhode Island

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in the City of Pawtucket (in Providence County), Rhode Island, for the Sept. 10 primary election.

Pennsylvania Business Owner Sentenced for Tax Evasion

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for evading his personal and employment taxes.

Georgia Man Arrested on Federal Dog Fighting, Firearms and Drug Trafficking Charges

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A federal grand jury indicted Dun Terrius Bradford, 53, of Sale City, Georgia, on charges of illegally possessing 67 dogs for fighting purposes, manufacturing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base and possessing five firearms in furtherance of those offenses. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia unsealed the indictment in conjunction with Bradford’s arrest today.

Nigerian Brothers Sentenced in Sextortion Scheme that Resulted in Death of Teen

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Justice Department today announced that Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, both of Lagos, Nigeria, were each sentenced to 210 months in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to sexually exploit minors. On March 25, 2022, 17-year-old high school student, Jordan DeMay, of Marquette, Michigan, died as a result of this sextortion scheme, which targeted over 100 other victims.

Five Russian GRU Officers and One Civilian Charged for Conspiring to Hack Ukrainian Government

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In an indictment unsealed today, a grand jury in Maryland charged six computer hackers, all of whom were residents and nationals of the Russian Federation (Russia), with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and wire fraud conspiracy. Five of the defendants were officers in Unit 29155 of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), a military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The sixth individual was a civilian already under indictment for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and is now also charged with wire fraud conspiracy.

TV Presenter Who Worked for Channel One Russia Charged with Violating U.S. Sanctions Imposed on Russia

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Department of Justice today unsealed two indictments charging Dimitri Simes, 76, and Anastasia Simes, 55, both of Huntly, Virginia, and Russia with two separate schemes to violate U.S. sanctions.

Motocross Coach Sentenced for Child Exploitation Crimes

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A motocross instructor who mentored children was sentenced today to 40 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, and ordered to pay at least $193,500 in restitution for sexually exploiting numerous children.

Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Hate Crime Against Asian American Man

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A Massachusetts man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for a federal hate crime.

Former New Mexico Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sentenced for Civil Rights Offense for Sexually Assaulting Arrestee and Obstruction of Justice

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A former New Mexico sheriff’s deputy was sentenced today to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and required to register as a sex offender under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act for violating the civil rights of a female arrestee and for obstruction of justice.

Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Investigation into Correctional Staff Sexual Abuse at Two California Prisons

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Justice Department announced today that it has opened an investigation into the conditions of two prison facilities operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR): Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino.

Pharmaceutical Company Pays $25M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Liability for Price-Fixing of Generic Drug

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A generic pharmaceutical manufacturer, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc. USA (Glenmark), located in Mahwah, New Jersey, has agreed to pay $25 million, based on its ability to pay, to resolve its alleged liability under the False Claims Act for conspiring to fix the price of a generic drug.

Two RT Employees Indicted for Covertly Funding and Directing U.S. Company that Published Thousands of Videos in Furtherance of Russian Interests

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

An indictment charging Russian nationals Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, 31, also known as Kostya, and Elena Afanasyeva, 27, also known as Lena, with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and conspiracy to commit money laundering was unsealed today in the Southern District of New York. Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva are at large.

$2.95M Penalty and Permanent Injunction Resolves Lawsuit Against Verkada Inc. for Alleged Unlawful Commercial Emails, Data Security Failures and Deceptive Practices

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced today that Verkada Inc. (Verkada), a cloud-based security company headquartered in San Mateo, California, has agreed to a settlement requiring it to pay a $2.95 million civil penalty and implement extensive data security measures. This settlement resolves allegations that Verkada violated the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act and engaged in unfair and deceptive practices in violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act.

Justice Department Disrupts Covert Russian Government-Sponsored Foreign Malign Influence Operation Targeting Audiences in the United States and Elsewhere

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Justice Department today announced the ongoing seizure of 32 internet domains used in Russian government-directed foreign malign influence campaigns colloquially referred to as “Doppelganger,” in violation of U.S. money laundering and criminal trademark laws. As alleged in an unsealed affidavit, the Russian companies Social Design Agency (SDA), Structura National Technology (Structura), and ANO Dialog, operating under the direction and control of the Russian Presidential Administration, and in particular First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko, used these domains, among others, to covertly spread Russian government propaganda with the aim of reducing international support for Ukraine, bolstering pro-Russian policies and interests, and influencing voters in U.S. and foreign elections, including the U.S. 2024 Presidential Election.

Dual U.S. and Iranian Citizen Arrested for Unlawfully Exporting U.S. Technology to Iran

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Gholam Reza Goodarzi, also known as Ron Goodarzi, 76, a dual U.S. and Iranian citizen who resides in Porter, Texas, made his initial appearance today in the Southern District of Texas following his arrest at the George Bush International Airport on Aug. 30. Goodarzi is charged by criminal complaint with smuggling parts and components used in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as other manned aircraft, from the United States to Iran.

Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Victimizing U.S. Companies Through Business Email Compromise Scheme

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A Nigerian national was sentenced today in the Eastern District of Virginia to five years and three months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution for participating in a computer hacking and business email compromise scheme that caused over $5 million in losses to multiple victims in the United States and elsewhere. Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Okwonna, 34, pleaded guilty on May 20 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his role in the scheme.

Former Arkansas Judge Convicted of Making False Statements to Law Enforcement

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A former Arkansas local district court judge was convicted of making false statements to the FBI on Friday.

Former High-Ranking New York State Government Employee Charged with Acting as an Undisclosed Agent of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Today, an indictment was unsealed charging Linda Sun, 41, with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, bringing in aliens and money laundering conspiracy. Sun is alleged to have acted on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Sun’s husband and co-defendant, Chris Hu, 40, was also charged with money laundering conspiracy, as well as conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of means of identification. Sun and Hu were arrested earlier this morning and are scheduled to be arraigned later today in federal court in Brooklyn.