DOJ

May 29, 2009 -- Today, Attorney General Eric Holder announced a new International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2) that will marshal the resources and information of nine U.S. law enforcement agencies, as well as federal prosecutors, to collectively combat the threats posed by international criminal organizations to domestic safety and security. Attorney General Holder made the announcement today in Rome at the G8 Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial.    » read more »

May 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON—Today, Attorney General Eric Holder announced a new International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2) that will marshal the resources and information of nine U.S. law enforcement agencies, as well as federal prosecutors, to collectively combat the threats posed by international criminal organizations to domestic safety and security. Attorney General Holder made the announcement today in Rome at the G8 Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial.    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Aventis Pharmaceutical Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC, has agreed to pay the United States $95.5 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by misreporting drug prices in order to reduce its Medicaid Drug Rebate obligations, the Justice Department announced today.

The settlement resolves allegations that between 1995 and 2000, Aventis and its corporate predecessors knowingly misreported best prices for the steroid-based anti-inflammatory nasal sprays Azmacort, Nasacort and Nasacort AQ. Under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Statute, Aventis was required to report to Medicaid the lowest, or "best" price that it charged commercial customers, and pay quarterly rebates to the states based on those reported prices.    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- The United States has filed a civil complaint against PowerTrain Inc., Wood Sales Co. Inc., and Tool Mart Inc., all based in Golden, Miss., alleging that they imported and sold more than 78,000 Chinese-made engines that do not meet federal air pollution standards, the Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., is part of an ongoing effort to ensure that imported non-road engines and equipment comply with the Clean Air Act’s emissions standards. The filing marks the first federal court action enforcing the Clean Air Act’s emissions standards for portable generators, water pumps and other "non-handheld equipment."    » read more »

May 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley has sent a letter to the new Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division at the Justice Department, Christine Varney, after she reportedly made promising comments about putting more focus on competition in agriculture. Grassley's letter asks how the antitrust division will increase antitrust oversight and enforcement of mergers, acquisitions and business practices in the agriculture sector.    » read more »

May 20, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond released the following statement on today’s announcement on the creation of the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team by the departments of Health and Human Services and Justice.

“The skyrocketing costs of health care are hurting Americans’ wallets and the bedrock programs like Medicare that millions of Americans depend on. Too much of that spending is lost to health care fraud. We simply cannot afford to pay for care that is never delivered and equipment that is not needed.    » read more »

May 21, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals for key administration posts: Christopher Schroeder, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy, Department of Justice; Paul Anastas, Assistant Administrator for Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection Agency; Sherry Glied, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services; Winslow Sargeant, Chief Counsel for Advocacy, Small Business Administration; Ambassador Nancy Powell, Director General of the Foreign Service, Department of State; and Deborah Matz, Chair, National Credit Union Administration.    » read more »

May 19, 2009 -- NEW YORK -- Lev L. Dassin, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Norman Hsu was found guilty today on all four counts in the superseding indictment charging him with violating the Federal Election Campaign Act by making contributions to various political campaigns in the names of others. Hsu was found guilty following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero in Manhattan federal court.    » read more »

May 20, 2009 -- LEV L. DASSIN, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, JOSEPH M. DEMAREST, JR., the Assistant-Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"), RAYMOND W. KELLY, the Police Commissioner for the City of New York, HARRY J.    » read more »

Funds will strengthen victim services and bolster criminal justice programs across Indiana

May 19, 2009 -- Washington – Senator Evan Bayh today announced that Indiana will receive more than $2.8 million in funds to prevent violence against women under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) in Indianapolis will receive the funds from the Recovery Act STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ). According to the ICJI, the funds will allow local jurisdictions in Indiana to hire more victim advocates and to create more training opportunities for police officers, prosecutors and other victim service providers.    » read more »

May 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals for key administration posts: Robert Perciasepe, Deputy Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency; Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Education; Colin Scott Fulton, General Counsel, Environmental Protection Agency; J. Michael Gilmore, Director, Operational Test & Evaluation, Department of Defense; Bart Chilton, Commissioner, Commodity Futures Trading Commission; and Cranston Mitchell, Commissioner, U.S. Parole Commission, Department of Justice.    » read more »

Drug Company Allegedly Failed to Pay Hundreds of Millions in Rebates to Medicaid Program

May 18, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The United States and 16 states have joined in two whistleblower suits filed in the District of Massachusetts against the drug manufacturer, Wyeth, alleging that the company knowingly failed to give the government the same discounts it provided to private purchasers of its drugs, as required by laws governing the Medicaid program.

As a result, Wyeth allegedly avoided paying hundreds of millions in rebates due to state Medicaid programs for its drugs, Protonix Oral and Protonix IV. These drugs belong to a class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPI), which are used to suppress stomach acid.    » read more »

May 18, 2009 -- On May 19, 2009, the Justice Department will monitor the election in the city of Philadelphia to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws.

Justice Department staff members will monitor polling place activities in Philadelphia. A Civil Rights Division attorney will coordinate the federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials. In April 2007, the Justice Department reached a settlement agreement with Philadelphia related to allegations that the city had violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Help America Vote Act and the National Voter Registration Act.    » read more »

May 14, 2009 -- Washington D.C. -- Timothy J. Healy has been named director of the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center (TSC). FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III appointed him to this position to replace Director Leonard Boyle, who recently left the FBI for a position in the private sector. Most recently, Mr. Healy served acting director of the TSC.

“The TSC strives to ensure the proper balance between protecting our national security and the need for accurate, efficient, and streamlined watchlisting processes. Tim’s experience in the TSC from its earliest days will be an invaluable asset to his service as its director,” said Director Mueller.    » read more »

May 12, 2009 -- WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division today announced the details of its newly formed initiative aimed at preparing government officials and contractors to recognize and report efforts by parties to unlawfully profit from the stimulus projects that are being awarded as part of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Consistent with its mission to protect the welfare of the American economy by promoting open and fair competition, the Department’s Antitrust Division launched an initiative to help government agencies insulate procurement, grant and program funding processes from collusion and fraud, as well as to ensure that those who abuse those processes are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.    » read more »