OIG in the News

Wendy Askins, 55, of Red Boiling Springs, Tenn., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger, to two counts of theft from a federally-funded entity, announced David Rivera, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Raushi J. Conrad, 42, of Bristow, was arrested today on charges of conspiracy to pay and receive bribes, and acceptance of bribes by a public official.

A federal jury sitting in Philadelphia found Congressman Chaka Fattah Sr., 59, guilty of all charges against him. Fattah and three of his four associates were found guilty of taking part in a racketeering conspiracy involving several schemes that were intended to further their political and financial interests by misappropriating federal, charitable and campaign funds, among other schemes.

A federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio returned two indictments charging Japanese automotive parts companies, their U.S. subsidiaries, and a total of five executives for their alleged participation in international conspiracies to eliminate competition in the sale of automotive parts sold in the US and elsewhere, the Justice Department announced.

United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Charleston, South Carolina, returned Indictment(s) against the following: …

The Department of Justice announced today that three importers and their owners – Ameri-Source International Inc., Ameri-Source Specialty Products Inc., Ameri-Source Holdings Inc., Ajay Goel and Thomas Diener – and a related importer, SMC Machining LLC, incorporated at Goel's direction and formerly owned by his wife, have agreed to pay $3 million to resolve …

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced former National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) police officer Christopher Bartley, age 41, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, late yesterday to 41 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for attempting to manufacture methamphetamine in a laboratory room on the NIST campus …

Columbia, South Carolina – United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Gail Shurling (62) was sentenced in federal court in Columbia, South Carolina, for wire fraud, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis of Columbia sentenced her to 27 months, 3 years supervised release and over $335,000 of restitution.

Larry Gene Webb, 65, of Smithville, Tennessee, former Deputy Director of the Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD), and former Director of the Cumberland Regional Development Corporation (CRDC), pleaded guilty yesterday, before U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger, to one count of bank fraud, announced David Rivera, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.

PHILADELPHIA – A Member of Congress and four of his associates were indicted today for their roles in a racketeering conspiracy involving several schemes that were intended to further the political and financial interests of the defendants and others by, among other tactics, misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dollars of federal, charitable and campaign funds.