USDOJ

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STEVEN F. HARVIN, 53, of New Haven, was arrested today on a criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud and theft from programs receiving federal funds.

The chairman of a real estate development company was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in a scheme to bribe United Nations ambassadors to obtain support to build a conference center in Macau that would host, among other events, the annual United Nations Global South-South Development Expo

Five real estate investors were sentenced yesterday for their role in a conspiracy to rig bids, in violation of the antitrust laws, at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California,

The Justice Department announced today that it has settled a federal civil rights lawsuit against the owners, builder, and designer of the Ashlynn Estates, a three-building dormitory-style property near Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. Keith and Tamra Riexinger own the property, and Riexinger Enterprises Inc. (also known as Crossroads Construction) designed and built it.

Thank you, Jesse for that kind introduction and thank you for your continued outstanding leadership at the Department as our Acting Associate Attorney General. I want to thank John Gore for doing a fabulous job as acting head of the Civil Rights Division.

The United States has reached agreement with Barclays Capital, Inc. and several of its affiliates (together, Barclays) to settle a civil action filed in December 2016 in which the United States sought civil penalties for alleged conduct related to Barclays’ underwriting and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) between 2005 and 2007.  Barclays will pay the United States two billion dollars ($2,000,000,000) in civil penalties in exchange for dismissal of the Amended Complaint.

The Justice Department announced today that Deloitte & Touche LLP has agreed to pay the United States $149.5 million to resolve potential False Claims Act liability arising from Deloitte’s role as the independent outside auditor of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp. (TBW), a failed originator of mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Chairman Crapo, ranking member Brown and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to discuss our nation’s anti-money laundering laws, including the Bank Secrecy Act. The Department of Justice draws upon the resources and expertise of various components to combat money laundering, including the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery

A federal jury found two Los Angeles, California-area managers of foreclosure rescue companies guilty today for their roles in a foreclosure rescue scheme. Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division

The U.S. Department of Justice today filed a lawsuit against the Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport (HACB), doing business as Park City Communities. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, alleges that HACB discriminated against persons with disabilities in violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Fair Housing Act

The U.S. Department of Justice today filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleging that Northwest Trustee Services, Inc. (Northwest) violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The complaint alleges that since 2010, Northwest completed foreclosures on at least 28 homes owned by servicemembers without obtaining the required court orders

The Justice Department today announced a new initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing. The initiative specifically seeks to increase the Department’s efforts to protect women from harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, security guards, and other employees and representatives of rental property owners.

The Justice Department today announced that Frank D. Tjoelker, an owner and manager of rental properties in and around Grand Rapids, Michigan, will pay $150,000 to resolve allegations that he sexually harassed multiple women who have lived in or inquired about his rental properties. Since January of this year, the Civil Rights Division has filed or settled five cases alleging unlawful sexual harassment of women in housing and recovered over $1 million for victims such harassment.

Tyson Poultry Inc. (“Tyson”), pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield, Missouri, to two criminal charges of violating the Clean Water Act stemming from discharges at its slaughter and processing facility in Monett, Missouri

The Justice Department announced today that SolarCity Corporation (SolarCity) has agreed to pay $29.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting inflated claims on behalf of itself and affiliated investment funds to the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) pursuant to Section 1603 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Section 1603).

Thanks for that kind introduction, Matt and thank you for your leadership at ACU— one of America’s oldest and largest conservative grassroots organization. Of course I also want to congratulate your family on Mercedes’ return to the White House. I am confident that she is going to do a great job communicating President Trump’s ambitious agenda for this country.

Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations LLC (BEE), a privately held limited liability company headquartered in Houston, Texas, was sentenced today on eight felony violations of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and one misdemeanor count of violating the Clean Water Act before the Honorable U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

A construction company was sentenced today to a fine of $1.5 million dollars and three years of probation for violating the federal Clean Air Act, announced the Justice Department. AIREKO Construction Company failed to comply with the asbestos National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants during the illegal removal of asbestos containing materials from the Minillas North Tower in May 2012, according to court documents.

PHH Corp. PHH Mortgage Corp. and PHH Home Loans (collectively, PHH) have agreed to pay the United States $74,453,802 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly originating and underwriting mortgage loans insured by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Federal Housing Administration (FHA), guaranteed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and purchased by the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) that did not meet applicable requirements, the Justice Department announced today.