Justice News

Justice Department Secures Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Springfield Missouri Landlord

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Justice Department announced today that the owners of residential rental properties in and around Springfield, Missouri have agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that the properties’ former owner and manager sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Florida Return Preparers

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Justice Department has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida seeking to enjoin Florida-based return preparers Cedric Reid, Juan Santana, and Reid’s business, Advance Tax Group Inc. (Defendants) from preparing federal income tax returns for others. Defendants’ offices are located in Daytona Beach and Ocala, Florida, the complaint says.

Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests; Alleged Managers and Recruiters Charged in San Diego

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Unprecedented cooperation between the FBI, Dubai Police Department, and Chinese Ministry of Public Security has resulted in the arrest of at least 276 individuals and the dismantlement of at least nine scam centers used for cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes.

Acting Attorney General Blanche Announces Federal Grand Jury Indicts Former FBI Director James Comey for Threats to Harm President Trump

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Opioid Manufacturer Purdue Pharma Sentenced for Fraud and Kickback Conspiracies

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma LP (Purdue) was sentenced today in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, and ordered to pay criminal penalties of over $5 billion for its role in fueling the opioid epidemic.

Federal Grand Jury Indicts Former FBI Director James Comey for Threats to Harm President Trump

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina today returned an indictment charging former FBI director James Comey with making threats to harm President Donald J. Trump.

New FOIA Hiring Toolkit from Chief FOIA Officers Council Committee on Cross-Agency Collaboration and Innovation Available on FOIA.gov

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

New hiring kit provides a compilation of resources to help federal FOIA professionals in the hiring process.

New Jersey Company Sentenced for Failing to Report Dangerously Defective Air Conditioners to the Consumer Product Safety Commission

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Royal Sovereign International Inc., a New Jersey corporation that sold office and home appliances, was sentenced today to pay $395,786 in restitution to victims and a criminal fine of $8 million for failing to report to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) dangerously defective air conditioners allegedly linked to more than 40 fires and one death.

Civil Rights Division Sues Cloudera for Excluding U.S. Workers from Applying to High-Paying Technology Jobs

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Cloudera Inc. (Cloudera), a Santa Clara, California-based technology company for violating the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by intentionally discriminating against U.S. workers in favor of hiring workers with temporary visas. The complaint was filed with the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, which has jurisdiction over cases arising under the INA.

Former Senior NIAID Official Indicted for Concealing Federal Records During COVID-19 Pandemic

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

A former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) employee is facing indictment for his role in a scheme to evade Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in connection with COVID-19 research grants.

Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Corporation to Perform at Least $12 Million in Corrective Measures to Address Contamination at Middletown Works in Ohio

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Department of Justice announced a proposed settlement with Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Corporation (Cliffs) requiring it to address releases of hazardous waste at its Middletown Works facility.

Suspect in White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting Charged with Attempt to Assassinate the President

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was arraigned today in U.S. District Court on charges stemming from the April 25, 2026, shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, announced the Department of Justice.

Acting Attorney General Blanche, FBI Director Patel, U.S. Attorney Pirro Announce Federal Charges Against WHCD Dinner Gunman

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Justice Department Secures $510,000 Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Kentucky Landlord

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Justice Department announced today that Joseph E. Johnson, the owner and manager of residential rental properties in Lexington, Kentucky, agreed to pay $510,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that he sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

Prolific Chinese State-Sponsored Contract Hacker Extradited from Italy

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Xu Zewei (徐泽伟), 34, of the People’s Republic of China was extradited to the United States this weekend and appeared today in U.S. District Court in Houston on a nine-count indictment related to his involvement in computer intrusions between February 2020 and June 2021. Certain of those computer intrusions allegedly are part of the HAFNIUM computer intrusion campaign that compromised thousands of computers worldwide, including in the United States. Other intrusions targeted U.S. COVID-19 research during the height of the pandemic. Xu is charged along with Zhang Yu (张宇), 44, who is also a PRC national.

Boise Cascade Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Violating the Lacey Act for Its Role in a Timber Trafficking Scheme

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Boise Cascade Company (Boise Cascade) pleaded guilty and was sentenced today for a felony violation of the Lacey Act for its role in a timber trafficking scheme to evade countervailing and anti-dumping duties. Boise Cascade was sentenced to pay a fine of $6,382,000, representing twice the gross profits it derived from the illegal wood at issue in this case, and implement a compliance plan. Boise Cascade is the third federal criminal enforcement action to come out of this large-scale duty evasion scheme.

In One Week, DOJ’s New Fraud Division Secures $300M in Funding for Prosecutorial Support While Announcing More Indictments, Convictions, and Sentences Representing Millions In Taxpayer Fraud