News

A Van Nuys man who sold the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl to a 23-year-old man who suffered a fatal overdose has agreed to plead guilty to drug trafficking offense and serve 15 years in federal prison.

A licensed acupuncturist pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges and admitted fraudulently billing Amtrak’s health care plan for millions of dollars’ worth of acupuncture, massages and facials that either were medically unnecessary or were never provided.

A tax preparer and ex-California Franchise Tax Board employee was found guilty by a jury today of federal criminal charges accusing him of defrauding the IRS out of millions of dollars by declaring bogus withholdings used to fraudulently claim substantial tax refunds.

A Pasadena man who falsely claimed to be a licensed attorney was sentenced today to 50 months in federal prison for his conviction on charges related to his representation of “clients” in federal and state courts.

A San Bernardino County tax preparer was sentenced this morning to 26 months in federal prison for filing fraudulent tax returns with the IRS as part of a scheme that illegally generated more than $1 million in refunds.

Law enforcement has arrested six Orange County residents charged in an indictment alleging three defendants conspired to traffic more than two dozen firearms – including 12-gauge shotguns and AR-style rifles – while other defendants, including a convicted sex offender, illegally possessed firearms and ammunition.

A former Social Security Administration (SSA) employee pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for stealing more than $176,000 in Social Security benefits designated for elderly and disabled beneficiaries.

A Southern California-based ophthalmology group, its former CEO and several of its physicians have paid the United States and California $6.65 million to settle False Claims Act allegations that they defrauded public health care programs by billing for unnecessary eye exams, improperly waiving Medicare co-payments, and violating other regulations, the Justice Department announced today.

A Woodland Hills man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges in connection with a scheme where Chinese nationals fraudulently obtained student visas by hiring people with fake Chinese passports to take an English proficiency test on their behalf.

Three men were named today in a federal grand jury indictment that alleges they distributed narcotics, including counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of hip-hop artist Mac Miller.

Edward Buck was indicted this afternoon by a federal grand jury on a series of narcotics distribution offenses, including providing methamphetamine to two men who died after being injected with the drug.

Ten members and associates of the South Los Angeles-based Rollin’ 30s Harlem Crips street gang were arrested today pursuant to six federal grand jury indictments that charge a total of 21 defendants with conspiring to traffic narcotics, such as crack cocaine that allegedly was sold at a minimart and in front of a public library.