Month: June 2023

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online. But like any other online business, it’s not without its risks. One of the biggest risks is affiliate marketing scams. Affiliate marketing scams are fraudulent […] Read More

Readout of Justice Department Convening with National Public Defense Organizations Hosted by the Office for Access to Justice

Justice Department Announces New National Security Cyber Section Within the National Security Division

Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter Delivers Keynote Address at the Brookings Institution’s Center on Regulation and Markets Event “Promoting Competition in Banking”

Merger Enforcement Sixty Years After Philadelphia National Bank

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Thank you, Aaron, for that kind introduction. And thank you to Brookings for hosting this event. Sixty years ago this week, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in United States v. Philadelphia National Bank.[1] Today, I would like to discuss the enduring impact of this landmark case.

Philadelphia National Bank is well known in banking circles for recognizing the essential role that the antitrust laws have in protecting competition in the banking sector. But the legacy of Philadelphia National Bank is much broader: it is a foundational decision that has paved the way for antitrust merger enforcement across all industries. As we revise our general Merger Guidelines, Philadelphia National Bank looms large, and its impact on antitrust merger law is enduring and undeniable for enforcement agencies and for courts.

As we reflect on the legacy of Philadelphia National Bank, I hope we can.. […] Read More

Gerard R. Vetter Appointed Acting U.S. Trustee for Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Gerard R. Vetter Appointed Acting U.S. Trustee for Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia
Gerard R. Vetter has been appointed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland as the Acting U.S. Trustee for Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia and for the District of Columbia (Region 4) effective July 1, the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees announced today. Vetter replaces John P. Fitzgerald III, who is retiring after 43 years of dedicated service to the department, including the last four years as the Acting U.S. Trustee in Region 4. Under 28 U.S.C. § 585(a), the Attorney General may fill U.S. Trustee vacancies by appointing an Acting U.S. Trustee.

Vetter joined the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) in 2010 as the Assistant U.S. Trustee in charge of the Greenbelt, Maryland, office of Region 4, where he served for four years before transferring to become the Assistant U.S. Trustee in the Balti.. […] Read More

Federal Jury Convicts Three Defendants of Interstate Stalking of Chinese Nationals in the United States and Two Defendants of Acting or Conspiring to Act on Behalf of the People’s Republic of China

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Federal Jury Convicts Three Defendants of Interstate Stalking of Chinese Nationals in the United States and Two Defendants of Acting or Conspiring to Act on Behalf of the People’s Republic of China
Retired NYPD Sergeant and Co-Conspirators are First Defendants Convicted After a U.S. Trial in Connection with PRC’s Repatriation Program “Operation Fox Hunt”
Earlier today, a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, convicted three defendants on multiple counts of a superseding indictment charging them with acting and conspiring to act in the United States as illegal agents of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), without prior notification to the Attorney General.

Michael McMahon, 55, of Mahwah, New Jersey, was convicted of acting as an illegal agent of the PRC, conspiracy to commit interstate stalking and interstate stalking; Congying Zheng, 27, of Brooklyn, was convicted of conspiracy to commit interstate stalking and interstate stalking; an.. […] Read More

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen Delivers Remarks at Hoover Institution Announcing National Security Cyber Section

I’ve been in this job a little over a year and a half. Every day I sit with the Attorney General and FBI Director for the morning threat briefing and each day I read the Presidential Daily Brief. Day-after-day, week-after-week, the intelligence reporting details the astonishing pace, scale and sophistication of cyber threats to the United States.

Hostile nations are accelerating their use of cyber-enabled means to carry out a range of threatening activity. These countries are stealing sensitive technologies, trade secrets, intellectual property and personally identifying information; exerting malign influence and exporting repression; and holding our critical infrastructure at risk to destructive or disruptive attacks.

You don’t need access to classified intelligence to understand what we are up against from countries like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.

Take just a few snippets from the Intelligence Community (IC)’s public Annual Threat Assessment for this year.

China has com.. […] Read More

Owner of Car Parts Remanufacturing Company Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Crime

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Owner of Car Parts Remanufacturing Company Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Crime
Did not pay more than $1.2M in payroll taxes
A Minnesota man who owned an automobile transmission business pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Timothy J. Lundquist owned and operated Dynotec Industries, Inc., an automobile transmission remanufacturing company based in Jordan, Minnesota. Lundquist was responsible for filing quarterly employment tax returns and collecting and paying over to the IRS payroll taxes withheld from employees’ wages. For at least the last quarter of 2013 through 2018, Lundquist did not, however, or pay withholdings to the IRS or file required employment tax returns. In total, he caused a tax loss to the IRS of over $1.2 million.

Lundquist faces a statutory maximum of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervi.. […] Read More

Credit Card

ATM Skimming On 2023: What It Is, Types And Tips To Avoid

ATM skimming is a type of credit card fraud in which criminals install a device on an ATM that captures the cardholder’s personal information, including their name, account number, and PIN. This information can then […] Read More

Online Extortion Scams in 2023: Types, Tips to Prevent, and Report

Online extortion scams are on the rise in 2023. These scams involve criminals threatening to release sensitive information about their victims unless they pay a ransom. The information that criminals may threaten to release can […] Read More

Fake Influencer Scams: How to Protect Yourself in 2023

Influencer marketing is a booming industry, with brands spending billions of dollars each year to reach consumers through social media influencers. However, this popularity has also made it a target for scammers. Fake influencer scams […] Read More

Free Trial Scams: Types, Tips for Prevention, and Reporting

Free trial scams have become increasingly prevalent as more people are using the internet to purchase products and access services. These scams involve the promise of a free trial period for a product or service, […] Read More

Justice Department Finds Civil Rights Violations by the Minneapolis Police Department and the City of Minneapolis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 16, 2023
Justice Department Finds Civil Rights Violations by the Minneapolis Police Department and the City of Minneapolis
Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department announced today that the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and the City of Minneapolis (City) engage in a pattern or practice of conduct in violation of the U.S. Constitution and federal law. The Department also announced that the city and MPD have agreed in principle to resolve the Department’s findings through a court enforceable consent decree with an independent monitor, rather than through contested litigation.

Specifically, the Justice Department finds that the MPD:

Uses excessive force, including unjustified deadly force and unreasonable use of tasers;
Unlawfully discriminates against Black people and Native American people in its enforcement activities, including the use of force following stops;
Violates the rights of people engaged in protected sp.. […] Read More

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks on Justice Department Findings of Civil Rights Violations by the Minneapolis Police Department and the City of Minneapolis

Remarks as Delivered

Good morning, everyone.

Here with me today are Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke, and First Assistant United States Attorney Ann Bildtsen.

I also want to acknowledge Mayor Jacob Frey, Council President Andrea Jenkins, Community Safety Commissioner Cedric Alexander, and Police Chief Brian O’Hara. Thank you all for joining us today.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed at the hands of a law enforcement officer who was sworn to protect him. As Mr. Floyd died, other officers failed to intervene.

The Justice Department has since convicted four former Minneapolis police officers for their roles in the death of George Floyd.

As I told George Floyd’s family this morning, his death has had an irrevocable impact on the Minneapolis community, on our country, and on the world. His loss is still felt deeply by those who loved and knew him, and by many who did not. George Floyd should be alive today.

Sh.. […] Read More

Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta Delivers Remarks on Justice Department Findings of Civil Rights Violations by the Minneapolis Police Department and the City of Minneapolis

Remarks as Delivered

Thank you, Attorney General Garland. I want to thank the city and MPD for their cooperation with our investigation. And I want to express my sincere gratitude to the many, many community members who shared their experiences with us during the investigation.

We opened this investigation following the tragic murder of George Floyd three years ago. And what we found is a pattern or practice of unlawful conduct that has compromised MPD’s ability to serve and protect the people of Minneapolis. The findings laid out in today’s report are troubling.

I know this community is still hurting, and in today’s announcement may also open up old wounds. There is nothing that I can say today that will undo the wrongs of the past. But I can tell you the Justice Department is committed to working with Minneapolis on a path forward to constitutional policing and stronger police-community trust.

I want to acknowledge that the city and MPD have made some important changes already. T.. […] Read More

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke Delivers Remarks on Justice Department Findings of Civil Rights Violations by the Minneapolis Police Department and the City of Minneapolis

Remarks as Delivered

Good morning. My name is Kristen Clarke. I’m the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. At the heart of many of the protests that unfolded in this city, and across the nation, was a call for constitutional, fair and non-discriminatory policing and respect for people’s civil rights.

Today we are here to take an important step toward answering that call and committing to the task of building out a core feature of American democracy – an effective, accountable police department that ensures respect for constitutional rights, garners public trust and keeps people safe.

I want to provide further details about the findings of our civil rights investigation that the Attorney General just announced.

First, we found that the Minneapolis Police Department uses excessive force – both deadly and less lethal.

We reviewed MPD’s 19 police shootings and one in-custody death from January 1, 2016, to August 16, 2022. Many of .. […] Read More

Lab Billing Company Settles False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Unnecessary Respiratory Panels Run on Seniors Receiving COVID-19 Tests