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Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice Delivers Keynote Remarks During the National Association of Public Defense Women’s Conference
Remarks as Preapred for Delivery Thank you, Lori, for that kind introduction. Thank you, Geoff, and the rest of the National Association for Public Defense (NAPD) board for your incredible work and commitment to justice. It’s an honor to join the NAPD’s Virtual Women’s Conference this year. I am joining you all today from Riga, […]
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Petrochemical Producer Altivia Agrees to Comprehensive Program to Reduce Harmful Air Pollution from Leaking Equipment to Resolve Clean Air Act Violations in Ohio
ALTIVIA Petrochemicals LLC has agreed to a consent decree that would require it to pay a $1,112,500 civil penalty and improve leak detection and repair work practices to settle alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) at a petrochemical manufacturing facility in Haverhill, Ohio. Emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), such as phenol, from […]
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South Carolina Man Convicted of COVID-19 Relief Fraud
A federal jury in Atlanta convicted a South Carolina man today of fraudulently obtaining a $300,000 forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Travis Crosby, 32, of Wellford, conspired to […]
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Former Teacher Sentenced for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material
A Kansas man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for impersonating a minor female on social media and enticing dozens of minors in the Topeka area to record and send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. According to court documents, Jeffrey D. Pierce, 42, of Topeka, was a former teacher and […]
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Chappaqua Man Sentenced To 21 Years For Participating In A Gunpoint Robbery Of 176 Kilograms Of Cocaine And Smuggling A Firearm Into A Federal Prison
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DEEJAY WHITE was sentenced today to 21 years in prison for his participation in a May 29, 2019, gunpoint robbery in the Bronx targeting more than 150 kilograms of cocaine; his participation in a conspiracy to smuggle contraband, including narcotics […]
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Two Leaders And Member Of Rollin’ 30s Crips Gang Sentenced
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that defendants RANDY TORRES, a/k/a “Rico,” was sentenced to 39 and 1/2 years in prison and WALSTON OWEN, a/k/a “Purpose,” was sentenced to 39 and 1/2 years in prison today for their roles as leaders of the violent Rollin’ 30s Crips […]
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Keke operators protest enforcement of monthly payment of N15,000 tax by Anambra govt
Operators of commercial tricycles (Keke) in Awka the Anambra State capital have protested the enforcement of a monthly N15,000 tax by the state government. The Paradise News gathered that the operators complained over the constant hounding of their members by Policemen, personnels of OCHA Brigade, a civil security outfit in the state, and operatives of […]
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Former Executive Director of Mississippi Department of Human Services Pleads Guilty for Conspiring to Defraud the State of Mississippi
A former Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) official pleaded guilty today for conspiring to defraud the State of Mississippi of millions of dollars in federal funds. According to court documents, John Davis, 54, of Jackson, Mississippi, and his co-conspirators fraudulently obtained and misused federal funds – including funds from two programs, Temporary Assistance for […]
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Idaho White Supremacist Who Assaulted a Black Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime and False Statement Charge
An Idaho man pleaded guilty today to hate crime and false statement charges in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Jason Stanley, 46, pleaded guilty to committing a hate crime for his participation in the assault of T.S., a Black man, which occurred because of the man’s actual and perceived race […]
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Four Former Georgia Correctional Officers Sentenced for Assaults on Inmate and Cover-Up
Four former supervisory and deputy correctional officers at the Valdosta State Prison in Valdosta, Georgia, were sentenced today in federal court in the Middle District of Georgia for their roles in orchestrating, administering and then seeking to conceal the beating of a handcuffed inmate in their custody. Lieutenant Geary Staten, 31, Sergeant Patrick Sharpe, 30, […]
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West Virginia Ambulance Services Business Owner Indicted for Tax Crimes
A federal grand jury in Charleston, West Virginia returned an indictment today charging a Pineville man with willful failure to pay over employment taxes and obstructing the IRS’s collection efforts. According to the indictment, Christopher J. Smyth operated Wyoming County’s Best Ambulance Service Inc., Stat Ambulance Service Inc., and Stat EMS LLC, all of which […]
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Justice Department Announces More Than $246 Million in Grants for Tribal Nations
The Justice Department announced today that it will award more than $246 million in grants to American Indian and Alaska Native communities to improve public safety and serve crime victims. The announcement coincides with the 17th Annual Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation, which is being held from Sept. 21st to 23rd in Anchorage, Alaska. “Each […]
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Doctor and Office Manager Convicted for Health Care Kickback Conspiracy
A federal jury convicted a Pennsylvania man and woman today for a scheme to pay and receive kickbacks in exchange for the referral of prescription medications. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Steven J. Valentino, 65, of Haverford, and Michele Miller, 53, of Swarthmore, a doctor and his office manager, respectively, participated […]
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Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for His Role in Identity Theft Conspiracy
A Georgia man was sentenced in Nevada yesterday to 18 months in prison for participating in an identity theft conspiracy. Melvin Orellana of Rome, Georgia, was a computer support employee for a company that provided tax software to return preparation businesses throughout the United States. King Isaac Umoren operated Universal Tax Services (UTS), a Las […]
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Justice Department Secures Settlements with CarMax, Axis Analytics, Capital One Bank and Walmart for Posting Discriminatory Job Advertisements on College Recruiting Platforms
The Department of Justice today announced that it entered into another four settlements to resolve claims that companies discriminated against non-U.S. citizens by posting job opportunities with unlawful citizenship status restrictions on college job recruiting platforms. These four agreements add to the department’s recent settlements with 16 other companies to resolve similar claims in June […]
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President Of Queens-Based Construction Company Charged With Fraud In Connection With Homeless Shelter Contracts Worth $12 Million
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Region of the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”), and Jocelyn Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“NYC-DOI”), announced today the arrest of LIAQUAT CHEEMA […]
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How Aliero and Allies looted Nigeria
By Umar Ibrahim Fresh facts emerging from intensive investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reveal the elaborate mechanisms through which Senator Adamu Aliero, former two-term governor of Kebbi State is looting humongous amounts from the Federal Government of Nigeria. According to thenewsfactual.wordpress.com, one of Aliero’s key fronts is Alhaji Kabiru Kamba from […]
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Florida Man Convicted In Business Email Compromise And Money Laundering Scheme Targeting Hedge Fund
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict against MUSTAPHA RAJI for his participation in a $1.7 million business email compromise and money-laundering scheme that targeted a Manhattan hedge fund. RAJI was convicted on four counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, […]
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Manhattan Real Estate Fund Manager Sentenced To Prison For Securities Fraud
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOSHUA BURRELL was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for committing securities fraud in connection with the operation of a New York-based investment firm, Activated Capital, LLC (“Activated Capital”). BURRELL previously pled guilty for raising millions of dollars for […]
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Former Disaster Relief Consultant And Retired NYPD Inspector Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Commit Federal Program Fraud In Connection With New York City’s Hurricane Sandy Recovery Efforts
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Jocelyn Strauber, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced that WALTER MELNICK, a retired Inspector of the New York City Police Department and a disaster relief consultant, pled guilty to conspiring to commit federal program fraud in […]
