Dec. 13, 2019

Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Retaining Classified National Defense Information Regarding U.S. Military Programs

A Sharon, Massachusetts, man pleaded guilty today to willfully retaining national defense information. Ahmedelhadi Yassin Serageldin, 66, an Egyptian-born nationalized U.S. citizen, admitted to removing classified national defense information from his workplace at a defense contractor without authorization and keeping it unsecured within his home. Serageldin was originally indicted and arrested in November 2018 on one count of misleading conduct with intent to hinder, delay, or prevent communications to a law enforcement officer relating to the commission or possible commission of a federal offense.

Dec. 12, 2019

Former Army Employee Charged with Bribery, Kickbacks in Connection with Scheme to Steer Contracts

A former civilian employee of the U.S. Army was charged in an indictment unsealed today for his role in a scheme to steer Army contracts for work to be performed at Camp Arifjan, a U.S. Army base in Kuwait. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, Special Agent Jozette Gillespie, Acting Director, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command's (CID) Major Procurement Fraud Unit and Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig Jr. of the U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service's (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement.

Dec. 12, 2019

Business manager sentenced to prison for crimes involving more than $2 million in Department of Defense contracts

A California man was sentenced here today for crimes involving more than $2 million in Department of Defense contracts. Timothy M. Kelly, 56, of Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., was sentenced to 30 months in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud and for money laundering. Kelly served as the office manager for Emerson Company, which was owned by Daniel Emerson Norton, 52, formerly of Arlington, Va. Norton was sentenced on Nov. 18 to 96 months in prison.

Dec. 10, 2019

Former Civilian Employee of the U.S. Air Force Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements

A former civilian employee of the United States Air Force (USAF) pleaded guilty today for making false statements in connection with a federal investigation into the employee’s theft of government funds. Gregory Burris, 48, of Miesau, Germany, pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen B. Molzen of the District of New Mexico. A sentencing date has not been set.

Dec. 10, 2019

Defense Contractor Admits Filing False Documents Relating to Machine Gun Contract

The former chief operating officer of a New Jersey custom manufacturing firm admitted today that he made false statements and submitted false documents to the Department of Defense in fulfillment of a machine gun bipod assembly contract, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced. Mark Colello, 54, of Hackettstown, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William Martini in Newark federal court to an information charging him with two counts of making false statements and representations.

Dec. 9, 2019

Four South Florida Residents and Jet Link, Inc. Sentenced for Roles in Aircraft Parts Fraud Scheme

On Friday, December 6, 2019, the last of four South Florida residents was sentenced to prison in connection with the operation of Jet Link, Inc., an aircraft parts broker in Margate, Florida.

Dec. 9, 2019

Former DOD Subcontractor Facing Federal Indictment for Allegedly Submitting False Claims for Hours Worked

A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Melissa Heyer, age 44, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, with submitting false claims to the United States, specifically for claiming to have worked hours on a government contract when she allegedly was not at work. The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Teresa A. Moses, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)-Office of Inspector General (OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig, Jr., of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service -Mid-Atlantic Field Office.

Dec. 4, 2019

Defense Contractor Agrees to Pay $45 Million to Resolve Criminal Obstruction Charges and Civil False Claims Act Allegations

Unitrans International Inc. (Unitrans), a privately held Virginia defense contracting company, has agreed to pay $45 million to resolve criminal obstruction charges and civil False Claims Act allegations relating to the illegal transportation of goods across Iran in connection with a contract to provide material and logistical support to U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Dec. 3, 2019

Department of Justice Announces Indictment Charging Russians, Italians and Others With Attempting to Evade Security Sanctions

A newly unsealed superseding indictment has charged Russian and Italian nationals, a U.S. citizen and various companies in a conspiracy to evade international trade sanctions. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia unsealed the superseding indictment on Dec. 2, 2019, charging two Russian nationals, two Italian nationals, a U.S. citizen, and various companies with violating and conspiring the violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA), conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Nov. 26, 2019

Laboratory to Pay $26.67 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations of Illegal Inducements to Referring Physicians

Laboratory Boston Heart Diagnostics Corporation (Boston Heart), of Framingham, Massachusetts, has agreed to pay $26.67 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations involving payments for patient referrals in violation of the AntiKickback Statute and the Stark Law, as well as claims otherwise improperly billed to federal healthcare programs for laboratory testing, the Department of Justice announced today.