Investigative Press Releases
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Defendant Previously Served Prison Sentence for Different Theft Scheme
WASHINGTON – Rhayda Barnes Thomas, 52, of Washington, D.C., a former employee of the D.C. Department of Employment Services’ Project Empowerment Program, pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $350,000 from the Project Empowerment Program between May 2015 and April 2018.
Friday, May 12, 2023
WASHINGTON –Latonja Dashawn Carrera, also known as Latonja Dashawn Martin, 48, of Camp Springs, Maryland, was sentenced today to twelve months incarceration, ten months suspended, and three years of probation for a felony charge of financial exploitation of a vulnerable or elderly adult in violation of D.C. Code §§ 22-933.01(a)(3) and 22-936.01(a)(1).
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Inspector General for the District of Columbia Daniel W. Lucas.
Thursday, May 11, 2023
WASHINGTON - Melchiades Amin, 45, of Glenn Dale, Maryland, was sentenced today, May 11, 2023, to serve 36 months of incarceration, suspended, and five years of probation. Additionally, the Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld ordered Amin to pay $178,150.24 in restitution to the D.C. Medicaid program. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Thursday, May 11, 2023
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
ANCHORAGE – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment on April 21, 2023, charging a Wasilla man with serving as an airman without an airman’s certificate and displaying false or misleading marks about the registration of an aircraft.
Friday, April 21, 2023
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MATTHEW TAYLOR WITKOWSKI was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud by fraudulently trafficking in orders for durable medical equipment such as back, knee, and elbow braces. WITKOWSKI previously pled guilty to the conspiracy charge and was sentenced today before United States District Judge Denise L. Cote.
Thursday, April 20, 2023
PROVIDENCE – The United States Attorney’s Office has reached an agreement with Paul S. Koch, M.D., the former owner of a chain of Rhode Island ophthalmology practices that bear his name, to resolve civil allegations that Koch paid kickbacks to optometrists who referred patients to him and his practice for cataract surgeries, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Thursday, April 20, 2023
WASHINGTON– A local dentist and dental hygienist, at a dental clinic in the District of Columbia, are charged in an indictment with conspiracy and other charges related to health care fraud.