Law Enforcement | WPN World People News

Contract therapy providers RehabCare Group Inc., RehabCare Group East Inc. and Rehab Systems of Missouri and management company Health Systems Inc. have agreed to pay $30 million to resolve claims that they violated the False Claims Act by engaging in a kickback scheme related to the referral of nursing home business, the Justice Department announced.

A federal judge sentenced the former executive director of the Taos County Housing Authority (TCHA) and her husband to prison terms for conspiring to steal federal funds. The couple also was ordered jointly to pay $786,014.04 in restitution. Carmella Martinez, 42, of Arroyo Seco, New Mexico, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, and her husband Paul G. Martinez, 44, was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment. Each will serve a two-year term of supervised release when released from custody.

David Haigler of Montgomery County, Ala., was sentenced to serve 37 months in federal prison for his involvement in a stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme, Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department's Tax Division, U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.

A former sergeant of the Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office (PSO) was sentenced to serve 15 months in prison for accepting bribes in exchange for favors and referrals.

Sasha Webb and Charlie Jackson have each been indicted for stolen identity refund fraud crimes, Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama announced following the unsealing of their indictments after their arrests. Webb was arrested on Dec. 20, 2013, and Jackson’s arrest took place on Jan. 15, 2014.

A former city clerk for the city of Havana, Kansas was charged Monday with embezzling funds from the city and her church, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy announced that San Diego-based Vector Planning & Services, Inc. (“Vector”) entered into an agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office in which it admits to criminally defrauding the Defense Department, and in which it agrees to pay restitution. Vector, which also has offices in Chantilly, Virginia, entered the agreement in federal court in San Diego before U.S. Magistrate Judge William McCurine, Jr.

A jury in the Middle District of Georgia convicted Kimberly Michelle Banks on Jan. 14, 2014, of conspiring to file false federal income tax returns in the names of stolen identities, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Banks was also convicted of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and theft of government money.

A vendor admitted to conspiring to pay bribes of approximately $40,000 to New Jersey Transit employees to obtain snow removal contracts, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Randolph Hurst, 50, of West Warwick Rhode Island, a former assistant district manager for the Social Security Administration in Rhode Island, was sentenced Friday to 39 months in federal prison for stealing the identity of a Coventry, Rhode Island man and using his identity to fraudulently sell more than $160,000 worth of stock certificates belonging to the victim and for failing to pay $61,999 in taxes owed the IRS.