Law Enforcement | WPN World People News

Transport Logistics International Inc. (TLI), a Maryland-based company that provides services for the transportation of nuclear materials to customers in the United States and abroad, agreed to resolve criminal charges in connection with a scheme that involved the bribery of an official at a subsidiary of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation and to pay a $2 million criminal penalty. Three individuals have been charged for their alleged roles in the bribery scheme.

A Killeen, Texas, resident pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return and aggravated identity theft, on March 13, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

A Durham, North Carolina, tax return preparer was sentenced to 20 months in prison for aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, on March 13, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin for the Middle District of North Carolina.

A Phenix City, Alabama, resident was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in masterminding multiple stolen identity refund fraud (SIRF) schemes, on March 8, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. of the Middle District of Alabama.

A former employee of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) based in Afghanistan was sentenced to 100 months in prison, on March 8, for soliciting approximately $320,000 in bribes from Afghan contractors in return for his assistance in U.S. government contracts.

UPMC Hamot (Hamot), a hospital based in Erie, Pennsylvania – and now affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) – and Medicor Associates Inc. (Medicor), a regional physician cardiology practice, have agreed to pay the government $20,750,000 to settle a False Claims Act lawsuit alleging that they knowingly submitted claims to the Medicare and Medicaid programs that violated the Anti‑Kickback Statute and the Physician Self‑Referral Law, the Justice Department announced on March 7. Hamot became affiliated with UPMC after the conduct resolved by the settlement occurred.

The former employee of a New Orleans law firm pleaded guilty to tax evasion, on March 7, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Interim U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

A paralegal specialist for the San Diego Division of the FBI pleaded guilty to embezzling nearly $160,000 in government funds, on March 7, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge James K. Cheng of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General’s Los Angeles Field Division.

A former employee of a U.S. government contractor in Afghanistan pleaded guilty to accepting illegal kickbacks from an Afghan subcontractor in return for his assistance in obtaining subcontracts on U.S. government contracts, on March 5th.

Two former Memphis staffing company owners were sentenced to prison for payroll tax fraud, on March 1, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee.