Investigative Press Releases
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Thomas Staszak, 47, of Philadelphia, PA, a former employee of the Philadelphia Water Department (“PWD”), was sentenced to fourteen months in prison, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $153,367 restitution by United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky for stealing inventory from a City of Philadelphia storage facility.
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, has announced two new indictments resulting from the COVID-19 Relief Fraud Strike Force launched by the U.S. Attorney’s Office earlier this year. The Indictments were recently unsealed.
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
Grand Junction – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Megan Hess, age 45, of Montrose, Colorado pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and aiding and abetting.
According to the plea agreement, beginning in 2010 and continuing into 2018, Hess devised and executed a scheme to steal the bodies or body parts of hundreds of victims, and then sold those remains to victims purchasing the remains for scientific, medical, or educational purposes.
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
BANGOR, Maine: A Skowhegan man pleaded guilty today in federal court to a bank fraud scheme arising from his applications for Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
Friday, July 1, 2022
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – Today the U.S. Attorney’s Office is observing National Postal Worker Day by recognizing the men and women of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), including those with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) who investigate crimes related to the mails.
Friday, July 1, 2022
SAVANNAH, GA: A Coffee County physician and two of his employees have admitted participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed massive amounts of addictive controlled substances from a pain management clinic.
Friday, July 1, 2022
SAN FRANCISO –Lebnitz Tran pleaded guilty to criminal charges related to a scheme to submit fraudulent loan applications seeking millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) COVID-19 relief funds. The plea was accepted by the Hon. William H. Orrick, United States District Judge.
Friday, July 1, 2022
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Denia I. Avila, 39, of Columbus was sentenced to 96 months in prison for leading a failed conspiracy that attempted twice to kidnap her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend.
Friday, July 1, 2022
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On Thursday, June 30, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Emilio Rodríguez-Arroyo with deprivation of rights under color of law and obstruction of justice. Today the defendant was arrested on these charges and taken into federal custody.
Friday, July 1, 2022
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On July 1st, 2022, the United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS- OIG) announced that MCS Advantage, Inc. (MCS Advantage) has agreed to pay $4,200,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it implemented a gift card incentive program in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.