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After a five-day trial in Minneapolis, a federal jury convicted two Brooklyn Center-based tax return preparers of conspiracy to defraud the United States, tax crimes and aggravated identity theft, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

KMART Corp. (Kmart), a discount department store chain that operates approximately 780 in-store pharmacies throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, has paid the United States $1.4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by using drug manufacturer coupons and gasoline discounts as improper Medicare beneficiary inducements, the Justice Department announced on Sep. 1.

A Phenix City, Alabama, woman was sentenced to prison Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama for her involvement in a stolen identity tax fraud scheme, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. of the Middle District of Alabama announced on Sep. 1.

A Russian official residing in Maryland pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with his role in arranging over $2 million in corrupt payments to influence the awarding of contracts with the Russian state-owned nuclear energy corporation.

A former U.S. Secret Service special agent pleaded guilty Monday to money laundering and obstruction of justice in connection with his theft of digital currency during the federal investigation of Silk Road, an online marketplace used to facilitate the purchase and sale of illegal drugs and other contraband.

The United States filed a complaint seeking to permanently bar a Durant, Mississippi, woman and the tax preparation business she operates from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced on August 31.

EDF Resource Capital Inc. and its CEO, Frank Dinsmore, have agreed to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act and otherwise failed to remit payments owed to the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the 504 loan program, the Department of Justice announced on August 28. Under the settlement agreement, EDF and Dinsmore have agreed to make payments and turn over certain assets to the United States for a total settlement of approximately $6 million.

An Alabama resident and U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was arrested on Friday after being indicted by a grand jury sitting in Montgomery, Alabama, on one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, 14 counts of mail fraud, 14 counts of aggravated identity theft and 14 counts of embezzling mail, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. of the Middle District of Alabama.

Brent Douglas Cole, 61, was sentenced to 29 years and seven months in prison on August 28 for an assault on law enforcement officers by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr., announced U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner for the Eastern District of California.

Ali Shukri Amin, 17, of Manassas, Virginia, was sentenced to 136 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release and monitoring of his Internet activities, for conspiring to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization on Aug. 28.