Investigative Press Releases
Tuesday, February 9, 2021
BOSTON – A Malden woman pleaded guilty today to stealing Social Security benefits and embezzling over $27,000 from a bank.
Materesa Jose, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public funds and one count of bank embezzlement. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for June 9, 2021. Jose was indicted in August 2020.
Tuesday, February 9, 2021
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DEEPAK “JACK” JAGTIANI, age 61, a resident of Metairie, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to 63 months in prison for embezzling over $7 million from his employer and for defrauding the government of over $1 million in income taxes. JAGTIANI previously pleaded guilty to both counts of the indictment, which charged him with wire fraud and making false statements on a federal income tax return.
Monday, February 8, 2021
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that John P. Gonzales, 61 of Milford, DE, was sentenced today to 20 months in prison and one year of supervised release by United States District Court Judge R. Barclay Surrick for his involvement in a bribery scheme to provide an Amtrak official with cash and vacations in exchange for lucrative federal contracts.
Monday, February 8, 2021
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Thomas Drew Bess, 39, of Florida, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Monday, February 8, 2021
SAVANNAH, GA: A Garden City, Ga., clinic owner and CEO has been indicted for operating a clinic that provided a base from which a notorious “pill mill” doctor dispensed massive amounts of controlled substances.
Friday, February 5, 2021
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Asheville-based Southeastern Physical Therapy (SEPT) and owner Darren Cady have agreed to resolve allegations that Cady received illegal kickbacks and violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims for reimbursement for certain durable medical equipment to the Veterans Administration (VA) while participating in the VA “Choice Provider” program.
Friday, February 5, 2021
OAKLAND – Christina Burden was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging her with bank fraud in connection with a scheme to illegally obtain more than $4.5 million in pandemic relief loans, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson; Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair; and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Daniels.
Friday, February 5, 2021
LOS ANGELES – A West Los Angeles pharmacy and its owner pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges stemming from a scheme in which millions of dollars in reimbursements for compounded drugs were generated through the payment of illegal kickbacks for patient referrals and by fraudulently paying patients’ copayments.
Friday, February 5, 2021
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced yesterday to 33 months in prison for conspiring with others to defraud financial institutions of approximately $393,875.
Friday, February 5, 2021
SAN JUAN, P.R. – Doctor Americo Oms-Rivera, 67, was sentenced to five years of probation by United States District Judge Francisco A. Besosa for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Oms-Rivera plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on October 23, 2020.