Statement of Acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen on the Death of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick
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<div>Acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen issued the following statement:</div>
Acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen issued the following statement:
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Readout of Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Assistant to the President for Homeland Security Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall from the Funeral of FBI Special Agent Laura SchwartzenbergerIn Crime NewsFebruary 6, 2021Acting United States Attorney General Monty Wilkinson, FBI Director Christopher Wray and President Joe Biden’s Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall led a United States Government delegation to Fort Lauderdale, Florida today that attended the funeral service for fallen FBI Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger.[Read More…]- Former DEA Special Agent Sentenced to Prison for Money Laundering and Fraud SchemeIn Crime NewsDecember 9, 2021A former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent was sentenced today to 145 months, or more than 12 years, in prison for operating a money laundering and fraud scheme while serving as a special agent with the DEA.[Read More…]
U.S. Department of State Debars Seven Persons for Violating or Conspiring to Violate the Arms Export Control Act June 4, 2021Office of the [Read More…]
Updated – Secretary Pompeo’s Travel to India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Indonesia, and VietnamOctober 28, 2020Morgan Ortagus, [Read More…]- Founder of Russian Bank Sentenced for Felony Tax Conviction Arising from Scheme to Evade Exit Tax while Renouncing his U.S. CitizenshipIn Crime NewsOctober 29, 2021The founder of a Russian bank was sentenced today for his felony conviction for filing a false tax return. As required under his plea agreement, prior to sentencing, Oleg Tinkov, aka Oleg Tinkoff, paid $508,936,184, more than double what he had sought to escape paying to the U.S. Treasury through a scheme to renounce his U.S. citizenship and conceal from the IRS large stock gains that he knew were reportable. This includes $248,525,339 in taxes, statutory interest on that tax and a nearly $100 million fraud penalty. Tinkov was additionally fined $250,000, which is the maximum allowed by statute, and sentenced to time served and one year of supervised release.[Read More…]
Medicare: Additional Reporting on Key Staffing Information and Stronger Payment Incentives Needed for Skilled Nursing Facilities [Reissued with revisions on Aug. 10, 2021.]In U.S GAO NewsAugust 11, 2021What GAO Found Medicare covers short-term care for residents in about 15,500 skilled nursing facilities (SNF) after a hospital stay. GAO's analysis of 2019 staffing data found that almost all SNFs frequently met a federal requirement for a registered nurse (RN) on site for 8 hours per day. Fewer SNFs frequently met two other staffing measures that specify different numbers of nursing hours per resident per day. For example, about half of SNFs frequently met Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) case-mix measures—hours worked per resident that vary based on the medical needs of each SNF's residents—that CMS uses to set SNF staffing ratings. Further, about one-quarter of SNFs frequently met staffing thresholds for minimum RN and total nurse staffing that a CMS staffing study identified as needed to avoid quality problems. SNFs are not subject to these quality thresholds for ratings or as requirements, but many stakeholders have recommended that they be used as SNF staffing thresholds. Percent of Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) That Met Registered (RN) Nurse Staffing Requirement or Measures, 2019 CMS reports certain key staffing information—such as RN overall staffing hours—on its Care Compare website, but does not report other important information. For example, GAO found that average RN staffing hours decreased about 40 percent on weekends, but CMS does not directly report this information. This limits the ability of beneficiaries to make informed choices among SNFs when choosing a facility. GAO estimated that in 2018 Medicare spent over $5 billion on critical incidents that CMS defines as potentially preventable—which are mostly about 377,000 hospital readmissions occurring within 30 days of the SNF admission. Current law directs CMS to make reductions of up to 2 percent to certain SNFs' payments to incentivize them to improve care, but does not address additional reductions. Experts have noted that payment incentives under current law may not be sufficient to motivate SNFs to improve their staffing, which in turn could lead to reductions in critical incidents. Without stronger payment incentives, Medicare is unlikely to reduce the billions in spending on potentially preventable critical incidents or the patient harm that can occur from them. Why GAO Did This Study In 2019, Medicare spent nearly $28 billion on care provided to 1.5 million beneficiaries in SNFs—a type of nursing facilty that provides residents short-term rehabilitation care after a hospital stay rather than long-term nursing home care that Medicare does not cover. SNFs must meet federal standards to participate in Medicare. CMS rates SNFs on factors such as staffing and quality of care and publishes its ratings on the Care Compare website. GAO was asked to examine SNF staffing and rates of critical incidents. This report examines (among other objectives): SNF performance on staffing measures, CMS reporting of staffing information on Care Compare, and Medicare payments for critical incidents. GAO analyzed CMS staffing and critical incidents data, information on Care Compare, and Medicare claims data for 2018 and 2019. GAO also interviewed CMS officials and other stakeholders such as key researchers and beneficiary groups.[Read More…]- Statement from Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband and Michigan U.S. Attorneys on Michigan Supreme Court Ruling Striking Down Governor Whitmer’s Pandemic-Related OrdersIn Crime NewsOctober 3, 2020Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Eric Dreiband, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider for the Eastern District of Michigan, and U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge for the Western District of Michigan issued the following statements:[Read More…]
- Charleston County School District Agrees to Provide Language Access for Limited English Proficient ParentsIn Crime NewsMarch 2, 2021Today the Justice Department announced a settlement agreement with the Charleston County School District to resolve its investigation into complaints that the school district failed to communicate essential information to thousands of Spanish-speaking, limited English proficient (LEP) parents, denying their children full and equal access to the district’s education programs and services. The Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina conducted the investigation under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974.[Read More…]
Turkmenistan Travel AdvisoryIn TravelSeptember 26, 2020Do not travel to [Read More…]- Russian Man Sentenced for Providing ‘Bulletproof Hosting’ for CybercriminalsIn Crime NewsDecember 1, 2021A Russian man was sentenced today for providing “bulletproof hosting” services, which were used by cybercriminals between 2009 to 2015 to distribute malware and attack financial institutions and victims throughout the United States.[Read More…]
- Hungary National DayAugust 20, 2021Antony J. Blinken, [Read More…]
- Secretary Blinken’s Call with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Al-ThaniOctober 18, 2021Office of the [Read More…]
- Lakeway Regional Medical Center LLC And Co-Defendants Agree To Pay Over $15.3 Million To Resolve Allegations They Fraudulently Obtained Government-Insured Loan And Misused Loan FundsIn Crime NewsSeptember 28, 2020The Department of Justice announced today that Lakeway Regional Medical Center LLC (LRMC) agreed to pay $13,580,822.79, and Surgical Development Partners LLC, Surgical Development Partners of Austin Enterprises LLC, G. Edward Alexander, Frank Sossi, and John Prater collectively agreed to pay $1.8 million, to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act and other statutes in connection with the development of Lakeway Regional Medical Center, a hospital in Lakeway, Texas. LRMC was formed to develop and operate the hospital. The other settling parties assisted in the development of the hospital and the management and operations of LRMC.[Read More…]
Hurricane Ida Courthouse ClosuresIn U.S CourtsAugust 30, 2021Federal courthouses along the Gulf Coast are closed due to the effects of Hurricane Ida.[Read More…]- Department of State: Comprehensive Plan Needed to Address Persistent Foreign Language ShortfallsIn U.S GAO NewsAugust 24, 2021Proficiency in foreign languages is a key skill for U.S. diplomats to advance U.S. interests overseas. GAO has issued several reports highlighting the Department of State's (State) persistent foreign language shortages. In 2006, GAO recommended that State evaluate the effectiveness of its efforts to improve the language proficiency of its staff. State responded by providing examples of activities it believed addressed our recommendation. In this report, which updates the 2006 report, GAO (1) examined the extent to which State is meeting its foreign language requirements and the potential impact of any shortfall, (2) assessed State's efforts to meet its foreign language requirements and described the challenges it faces in doing so, and (3) assessed the extent to which State has a comprehensive strategy to determine and meet these requirements. GAO analyzed data on State's overseas language-designated positions; reviewed strategic planning and budgetary documents; interviewed State officials; and conducted fieldwork in China, Egypt, India, Tunisia, and Turkey.As of October 31, 2008, 31 percent of Foreign Service officers in overseas language-designated positions (LDP) did not meet both the foreign languages speaking and reading proficiency requirements for their positions. State continues to face foreign language shortfalls in regions of strategic interest--such as the Near East and South and Central Asia, where about 40 percent of officers in LDPs did not meet requirements. Despite efforts to recruit individuals with proficiency in critical languages, shortfalls in supercritical languages, such as Arabic and Chinese, remain at 39 percent. Past reports by GAO, State's Office of the Inspector General, and others have concluded that foreign language shortfalls could be negatively affecting U.S. activities overseas. Overseas fieldwork for this report reaffirmed this conclusion. State's approach to meeting its foreign language requirements includes an annual review of all LDPs, language training, recruitment of language-proficient staff, and pay incentives for language skills. For example, State trains staff in about 70 languages in Washington and overseas, and has reported a training success rate of 86 percent. Moreover, State offers bonus points for language-proficient applicants who have passed the Foreign Service exam and has hired 445 officers under this program since 2004. However, various challenges limit the effectiveness of these efforts. According to State, a primary challenge is overall staffing shortages, which limit the number of staff available for language training, as well as the recent increase in LDPs. State's efforts to meet its foreign language requirements have yielded some results but have not closed persistent gaps and reflect, in part, a lack of a comprehensive, strategic approach. State officials have said that the department's plan for meeting its foreign language requirements is spread throughout a number of documents that address these needs; however these documents are not linked to each other and do not contain measurable goals, objectives, or milestones for reducing the foreign language gaps. Because these gaps have persisted over several years despite staffing increases, we believe that a more comprehensive, strategic approach would help State to more effectively guide its efforts and assess its progress in meeting its foreign language requirements.[Read More…]
Alternatives to Radioactive Materials: A National Strategy to Support Alternative Technologies May Reduce Risks of a Dirty BombIn U.S GAO NewsOctober 22, 2021What GAO Found GAO examined six common medical and industrial applications that use high-risk radioactive materials—identified through agency and expert reports—and found that three applications already have technically viable alternative technologies in many circumstances and for which there is market acceptance. For example, x-ray provides a technically viable alternative to replace cesium-137 blood irradiators, one of the common applications. Another of the applications has a technically viable alternative, though only in certain limited circumstances, and the two remaining applications do not yet have viable alternatives. For example, alternatives to replace americium-241 used in oil and gas well logging equipment, another common application, are still under development. Irradiator with Radioactive Material (left) and Alternative Technology (right) Users of applications that employ high-risk radioactive materials identified six factors they take into account when determining whether to adopt alternative technologies: technical viability of alternatives, device cost, costs to convert (such as facility renovations), disposal of radioactive materials, regulatory requirements, and liability and other potential costs associated with possessing high-risk radioactive materials. An accident at the University of Washington in May 2019 shows that liability and other potential costs would likely range from millions to billions of dollars if radioactive materials were accidentally released or used in a dirty bomb. These largely uninsured socioeconomic costs are an implicit fiscal exposure for the federal government, which could be expected to provide financial assistance. Several federal agencies and interagency entities support research and promote adoption of alternative technologies. For example, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has removed 355 irradiators since 2004 and subsidized the replacement of some with x-ray technology. Congress also established the goal for the NNSA to eliminate the use of cesium-137 blood irradiators in the United States by 2027. At the same time, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses radioactive materials for irradiators, consistent with its mission. Currently, no strategy exists to guide federal efforts to find alternatives and reduce risk. A strategy to support alternative technologies would ensure a cohesive federal approach and potentially reduce the implicit fiscal exposure associated with addressing socioeconomic damage from a dirty bomb. Why GAO Did This Study Radioactive material, which is dangerous if mishandled, is found in many medical and industrial applications. In the hands of terrorists, it could be used to construct a radiological dispersal device, or dirty bomb, that uses conventional explosives to disperse the material. Replacing technologies that use dangerous radioactive materials with safer alternatives may help protect people and reduce potential socioeconomic costs from remediation and evacuation of affected residents. Senate Report 116-102 included a provision for GAO to review alternative technologies to applications that use radioactive materials. This report examines (1) the potential for adopting alternative technologies in the United States for the six most commonly used medical and industrial applications; (2) factors affecting adoption of alternative technologies; and (3) federal activities relating to alternative technologies in the United States. GAO reviewed relevant documents to identify potential alternative technologies, conducted interviews with users of applications that employ radioactive material to identify factors affecting adoption of alternatives, and interviewed federal officials to discuss current federal activities relating to alternative technologies.[Read More…]- Singaporean Shipping Company Fined $12 Million in a Multi-District Case for Concealing Illegal Discharges of Oily Water and Garbage and a Hazardous ConditionIn Crime NewsDecember 1, 2020Pacific Carriers Limited (PCL), a Singapore-based company that owns subsidiaries engaged in international shipping, was sentenced today in federal court before U.S. District Court Judge Louise Flanagan in New Bern, North Carolina, after pleading guilty to violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, obstruction of justice, and for a failure to notify the U.S. Coast Guard of a hazardous condition on the Motor Vessel (M/V) Pac Antares.[Read More…]
Owner of New York Tax Preparation Business Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to File False ReturnsIn Crime NewsJuly 30, 2020A Queens, New York return preparer pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the United States by filing false returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.[Read More…]
The United States and the Holy See: Promoting Religious Freedom and Defending Human DignitySeptember 30, 2020Office of the [Read More…]- Justice Department Participates in the 20th Annual International Competition Network ConferenceIn Crime NewsOctober 15, 2021The Department of Justice Antitrust Division participated in the International Competition Network’s (ICN) 20th annual conference, virtually hosted by the Hungarian Competition Authority, on Oct. 13-15. Delegates from the ICN’s member jurisdictions, included agency leadership and staff, competition experts from international organizations and the legal, business, academic and consumer communities. Acting Assistant Attorney General Richard A. Powers of the Antitrust Division led the Department of Justice’s delegation.[Read More…]
