Law Enforcement | WPN World People News

The former Minister of Mines and Geology of the Republic of Guinea was arrested and charged on December 13 with laundering proceeds from bribes that he allegedly received from two Chinese companies that are part of a Chinese conglomerate in exchange for official actions he took to secure valuable mining rights for the conglomerate.

A former resident of Montana and Nevada pleaded on December 13 guilty to one count of corruptly interfering with the administration of the internal revenue laws, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter for the District of Montana.

A federal grand jury sitting in Washington D.C. returned an indictment on Dec. 7, which was unsealed on December 12, charging a Maryland resident with conspiracy to file false claims, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and false personation, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

A Southern California man who masterminded a $1.66 million mass-mailing scam targeting trademark applicants pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud and money laundering and his associate pleaded guilty to helping launder the scam’s proceeds, on December 12.

A Columbus, on December 8, Georgia resident was sentenced to 37 months in prison for her role in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney G.F. Peterman III for the Middle District of Georgia.

A Louisiana criminal defense attorney on December 7 pleaded guilty to tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

James C. Bedford, 50, of Dumfries, on December 7, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery of a public official.

A Broward County resident was sentenced to 24 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release for his involvement in an identity theft tax fraud scheme involving the trafficking in, use, and possession of unauthorized debit card account numbers.

A former counselor at the federal prison in Lexington has pleaded guilty to smuggling tobacco into the prison in exchange for payments from inmates.

A medical doctor and entrepreneur pleaded on December 2 guilty to inducing interstate travel to commit a fraud and failing to account for and pay over employment taxes announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente for the Eastern District of Virginia, Chief Richard Weber of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and Assistant Director in Charge Paul Abbate of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.