OKLAHOMA CITY—James E. Finch, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Oklahoma, announced the robbery of the MidFirst Bank located at 810 S.W. 44th Street in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

At approximately 9:05 a.m. on Friday, May 25, an unknown male entered the bank and stated, “Give me the money.” The robber then jumped on top of the teller counter with a revolver in his hand and asked, “Where is the money?” He saw a teller with money in her hand, approached the teller, and took an undisclosed amount of cash from the teller drawer. The robber was last seen walking towards S.W. 45th Street. No one was injured in today’s robbery.

The robber was described as a black male, approximately 5’8” in height, and weighing approximately 150 to 160 pounds. He was wearing a black hooded jacket, a black covering over his nose and lower portion of his face, and green windbreaker-style pants. He also wore black gloves and white tennis shoes.

The robbery is being investigated by the FBI and the Oklahoma City Police Department.

Anyone with information regarding this robbery should contact the FBI at (405) 290-7770 (24-hour number). You may remain anonymous.

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TRENTON, NJ—A rabbi based in Brooklyn, New York has pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder $200,000 to $400,000 in funds that he believed were the proceeds of unlawful activities, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Lavel Schwartz, 60, pleaded guilty Thursday, May 24 before U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano in Trenton federal court to a superseding information charging him with money laundering conspiracy. Judge Pisano continued Schwartz’s release on bail pending sentencing, which is scheduled for October 22, 2012.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Schwartz admitted that beginning in May 2008, he and his brother, Rabbi Mordchai Fish, met with Solomon Dwek, an individual he now knows was a cooperating witness with the United States. For a fee of approximately 10 percent, Fish and Schwartz agreed to launder and conceal Dwek’s funds through a series of purported charities, also known as “gemachs,” which Fish controlled or to which he had access. Schwartz admitted that prior to laundering Dwek’s funds, Dwek informed him that the funds he sought to launder were the proceeds of Dwek’s purported illegal businesses, which included the trafficking in counterfeit goods.

In order to conceal and disguise the nature and source of Dwek’s funds, Rabbi Fish directed Dwek to make the checks payable to several gemachs, which were purportedly dedicated to providing charitable donations to needy individuals. These included Boyoner Gemilas Chesed, Beth Pinchas, CNE, and Levovous. Once he received the checks from Dwek, Fish provided them to one of his co-conspirators, who deposited them into bank accounts held in the names of the purported charities. Fish would then arrange to make cash available through an underground money transfer network, and other individuals, including David S. Golhirsh, Naftoly Weber, Avrohom Y. Polack, Binyamin Spira, Yoely Gertner, and others, would provide Fish and Dwek with the cash.

Rabbi Schwartz admitted that he would assist Rabbi Fish and Dwek with counting the cash that had been retrieved from a coconspirator and admitted to encouraging Dwek to engage in more transactions, believing that the proceeds stemmed from a counterfeit bag business and that Rabbi Fish was retaining a 10 percent fee.

Schwartz admitted that, despite knowing the illicit nature of the funds, he engaged in approximately 10 money laundering transactions with Dwek. As part of these transactions, Fish helped convert between $200,000 and $400,000 in checks into a similar amount of cash, minus the 10 percent fee that Rabbi Fish extracted from the transactions.

Today’s guilty plea stems from a two-track undercover FBI investigation into public corruption and international money laundering which resulted in charges against 44 individuals via criminal complaints on July 23, 2009. At that time, Schwartz was charged in three separate criminal complaints, all of which likewise charged his brother, Rabbi Mordchai Fish. Rabbi Fish pled guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering and is currently scheduled to be sentenced on June 18, 2012. Weber, Polack, and Spira each pleaded guilty in November 2010 to operating illegal money transmitting businesses, admitting that they transferred thousands of dollars in cash to Fish and Dwek. The charges against Gertner and Goldhirsh remain pending.

The charge to which Schwartz pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Schwartz also agreed to forfeit approximately $90,000 by the date of sentencing which represents the 10 percent fee which Rabbi Fish charged Dwek for conducting the money laundering transactions. Rabbis Fish and Schwartz are jointly liable for this amount.

In determining an actual sentence, Judge Pisano will consult the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which recommend sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offenses, the defendant’s criminal history, if any, and other factors. The judge, however, has discretion and is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence. Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all of that time.

Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, and Special Agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge JoAnn S. Zuniga, with the investigation leading to today’s plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark McCarren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

Brooklyn Rabbi Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

By Anthony Brino | Illinois Statehouse News

SPRINGFIELD — With the clock ticking on the legislative session, ending Thursday, Illinois lawmakers began chipping away at the state’s big financial problems this week with a Medicaid spending reduction bill.

Lawmakers also approved reducing the number of regional offices of education in the state. Meanwhile, efforts to reform the state’s draconian eavesdropping law stalled, and a culprit was found for March’s primary ballot box problems.

Medicaid cuts, but with a catch

Cook County has its own separately funded Medicaid system.

Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn said he’ll sign the legislation, although as part of a search for Medicaid funding, he wants to increase the state’s cigarette tax by a $1 a pack.

Illinois House OKs cutting the number of regional offices of education

Originally reported by Illinois Statehouse News. Read the original article here.

Week in review: Medicaid reform, eavesdropping limbo, respite for Rep. accused of bribery | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Susan J. Waddell, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General for New England; William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England; and Kimberly K. Mertz, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that Gary F. Anusavice, also known as “Gary Andrews,” “Gary Andrus” and “Gary Francis,” 59, of North Kingstown, Rhode Island; and Mehran Zamani, DDS, 47, of Pound Ridge, New York, were arrested today on federal charges related to their alleged involvement in a $20 million Medicaid fraud scheme.

“As alleged, these operators of dental practices throughout Connecticut defrauded the Medicaid program of more than $20 million over a two-year period,” said U.S. Attorney Fein. “We are committed to protecting American taxpayers from health care fraud, which can increase costs and jeopardize the integrity of our health care system. I want to commend HHS-OIG, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the FBI for their investigative efforts and thank the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office, which provided invaluable assistance during the course of this investigation.”

“Although Gary F. Anusavice was barred from Medicare, Medicaid, and other government health programs back in 1998, he allegedly continued to defraud taxpayers by using an elaborate shield of companies and individuals—including Dr. Zamani—to hide his involvement,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Waddle. “Working with federal and state partners, our investigators will penetrate such schemes and help bring suspects to justice.”

“To combat healthcare fraud, IRS Criminal Investigation provides the financial investigative expertise to follow the money trail from the crime to the culprit,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Offord. “We are proud to work with our law enforcement partners to document the financial benefits derived from these fraudulent activities.”

“The FBI views health care fraud as a serious crime problem,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Mertz. “It degrades the integrity of our health care system and legitimate patient care. Today’s arrests send a clear message to those persons who are defrauding our federal Medicare and Medicaid and private health insurance programs. The FBI remains committed to investigating health care fraud and bringing these individuals to justice. The FBI will continue to work aggressively with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who violate the public trust by stealing taxpayer money. We urge anyone with information regarding health care fraud activity to contact its nearest FBI field office.”

According to court documents, the Medicaid program is a joint federal-state program that provides funds for medical services to lower-income individuals who qualify for benefits. The program is jointly administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and supervised by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In Connecticut, the Medicaid program is administered by the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS).

As alleged in court documents, Anusavice was previously a registered dentist in several states. In July 1997, Anusavice sustained a felony conviction in Massachusetts for submitting false health care claims. Based on that conviction, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notified Anusavice in April 1998 that he was being excluded from participation in Medicare and state health care programs, including Medicaid. As part of that notice, Anusavice was informed that, as an excluded individual, he may not “submit claims or cause claims to be submitted” for payment from the federal Medicaid program. Further, Anusavice was advised that Medicaid reimbursement payments are prohibited to any entity in which he serves as an “employee, administrator, operator, or in any other capacity….”

In November 2005, Anusavice surrendered his right to practice dentistry in Rhode Island, and the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Dentistry permanently revoked Anusavice’s license to practice dentistry in Massachusetts in 2006.

The criminal complaint alleges that Anusavice established several dental practices in Connecticut, which were operated by other dentists, including Zamani. These dental practices received millions of dollars in Medicaid reimbursements from the Connecticut Medicaid program, which payments were prohibited given Anusavice’s exclusion from the Medicaid program. The dental practices operated by Anusavice and Zamani included Landmark Dental in West Haven, Dental Group of Connecticut in Trumbull, and Dental Group of Stamford. Despite his permanent exclusion, Anusavice was involved in reviewing patient charts, suggesting dental procedures to be performed, reviewing billing records, reviewing income reports, interviewing and hiring dentists, and providing overall management direction to the offices.

It is alleged that Anusavice hired Zamani at Landmark Dental in October 2008 and that Zamani soon became aware of Anusavice’s disciplinary history. In January 2009, Zamani submitted a Medicaid Provider Enrollment Application with the DSS in order to obtain a Medicaid provider number for Mehran Zamani LLC, listing his group practice name as Landmark Dental. In May 2009, Zamani submitted an application with the DSS for a Medicaid provider number for Landmark Dental. In the applications Zamani submitted, he failed to disclose that Anusavice had an ownership or control interest in Landmark Dental, even though Zamani knew that Anusavice was running the practice and profited from it. From approximately February 2009 to March 2011, Mehran Zamani LLC and Landmark Dental received more than $12.9 million in Medicaid reimbursement payments.

It is further alleged that in April 2009, Zamani and “Haven Consulting,” an entity Anusavice created, entered into a Business Consultant Contract for the Dental Group of Stamford, a practice that Zamani had operated previously. Although the contract provided that Haven Consulting was a “business consultant” to the Dental Group of Stamford, Anusavice had an ownership interest in the practice and acted in an ownership and managerial capacity. Zamani’s DSS application in May 2009 failed to disclose Anusavice’s involvement in the practice and his disciplinary history. From approximately June 2009 to March 2011, the Dental Group of Stamford received more than $4.4 million in Medicaid reimbursement payments.

It is further alleged that Zamani’s April 2010 DSS application for a Medicaid provider number for the Dental Group of Connecticut also failed to disclose Anusavice’s involvement in the practice. From approximately August 2010 to March 2011, the Dental Group of Connecticut received more than $3.5 million in Medicaid reimbursement payments.

It is further alleged that on April 13, 2011, the DSS suspended Medicaid payments to Mehran Zamani, DDS, Landmark Dental, Dental Group of Stamford, and Dental Group of Connecticut based upon a pending investigation of a credible allegation of fraud. As a result, the last Medicaid payment to any of these entities occurred on or about March 22, 2011. By that time, it is alleged that the Anusavice-Zamani entities had collectively received nearly $21 million in Medicaid reimbursement funds. Further, according to Zamani’s accountant’s records, between February 2009 and March 2011, Anusavice-controlled entities received more than $3 million in payments from Zamani-related entities.

It is further alleged that Anusavice and another dentist are now operating a new set of dental clinics, doing business as Alpha Dental Group in Cromwell, Dental Group of New Britain, and Hartford Dental Care. Between November 2011 and March 2012, Arbor Dental has received more than $2.6 million in Medicaid funds. Anusavice also has recently reopened a dental practice at the former location of Dental Care of Connecticut in Trumbull.

Anusavice was arrested this morning at his home in North Kingstown, Rhode Island on a federal criminal complaint charging him with conspiring to commit health care fraud, committing health care fraud, and making false statements involving federal health care programs. Zamani was arrested today at his home in New York on a criminal complaint charging him with the same offenses. Both appeared this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport.

In association with today’s arrests, investigating agencies conducted court-authorized searches of Anusavice’s Rhode Island residence and dental clinics he is allegedly operating in New Britain and Trumbull.

The government also has filed a civil forfeiture complaint against the real property located at 229 Potter Road, North Kingstown, Rhode Island, an 8,145 square foot home on 9.66 acres of land, where Anusavice resides. The forfeiture complaint alleges that this property was purchased in February 2011 for $695,000 by AMZ Consulting Inc., a nominee entity controlled by Anusavice and that proceeds used to purchase the property stem from Anusavice’s alleged Medicaid fraud scheme.

U.S. Attorney Fein stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Connecticut Attorney General’s Office provided assistance and cooperation throughout the investigation.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Susan Wines and Richard Molot, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Sean Beaty. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island and Assistant United States Attorney Paul Daly have provided valuable assistance.

U.S. Attorney Fein encouraged individuals who suspect health care fraud to report it by calling the Health Care Fraud Task Force at 203-777-6311 or 1-800-HHS-TIPS.

Dental Practice Operators Charged in $20 Million Medicaid Fraud Conspiracy | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), for the Northern District of Ohio, in conjunction with Brian D. Lamkin, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announce the arrest of Brady D. Jackson, Jr., age 26.

An arrest warrant was issued for Jackson on May 1, 2012 based on allegations of Jackson causing two juveniles, aged 15 and 16, to be recruited, enticed, harbored, and transported in or effecting interstate commerce to engage in commercial sex acts in Toledo, Ohio, a violation of 18 U.S.C., 1591 (a)(i).

Information developed through the investigation indicated Jackson may be traveling in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Jackson was apprehended this morning in the Atlanta territory by the Atlanta Police Department/FBI Violent Crimes Task Force. Jackson is currently being detained in an Atlanta Detention Facility.

This case was investigated by the Northwest Ohio Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force based in Toledo, Ohio.

Jackson is facing a minimum of 10 years for the prostitution of each juvenile.

Any questions regarding this news release can be directed to SA Vicki D. Anderson at the Cleveland Office of the FBI, 216-522-1400 or Vicki.anderson@ic.fbi.gov.

Suspect Arrested in Connection with the Prostitution of Minors | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

HOUSTON—Barry Walter Bujol, Jr., a 30-year-old Hempstead, Texas resident and former student at Prairie View A&M University, has been sentenced to serve 20 years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Kenneth Magidson announced today, along with Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. Bujol was convicted November 14, 2011 of attempting to provide material support to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Just moments ago, U.S. District Judge David Hittner handed Bujol the statutory maximum sentence, ordering him to serve 180 months in prison for attempting to provide material support to AQAP and 60 months in prison for aggravated identity theft, which will be served consecutively, for a total sentence of 240 months in prison.

“We do not take matters of potential national security lightly,” said U.S. Attorney Magidson. “This case and its successful resolution represents our commitment to making our communities a safer place to live.”

Bujol requested a bench trial before Judge Hittner, which lasted nearly four days, during which he acted as his own attorney. The United States presented a total of 325 trial exhibits and 12 witnesses, which resulted in Bujol’s convictions for both attempt to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization as well as aggravated identity theft.

Evidence revealed Bujol had asked Anwar Al-Aulaqi, a now-deceased Yemeni-American AQAP associate, for advice on raising money for the “mujahideen” without attracting police attention and on his duty as a Muslim to make “violent jihad.” Al-Aulaqi replied by sending Bujol a document entitled “42 Ways of Supporting Jihad,” which asserted that “‘jihad’ is the greatest deed in Islam…[and] obligatory on every Muslim.” Court records indicated the “jihad” Al-Aulaqi advocated involved violence and killing.

In 2009, Bujol made three attempts to depart the United States for the Middle East, but law enforcement, believing these were Bujol’s efforts to make “violent jihad,” thwarted him each time he tried to leave. Bujol eventually told a confidential source he desired to fight with the “mujahideen.” The source testified at trial, explaining that each time he told Bujol he would be joining AQAP, Bujol replied by saying, “God willing” in Arabic.

To prove his worth to the source and AQAP, Bujol performed numerous purported “training exercises,” often involving surveillance detection and covert means of communication. Moreover, Bujol repeatedly told the source that AQAP should attack the human beings essential to operate military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) instead of attacking the UAVs themselves. Bujol suggested multiple targets, including one in the Southern District of Texas.

Bujol was arrested on May 30, 2010 after boarding a ship docked at the Port of Houston. He believed the ship was bound for Algeria, where he would stay at an al Qaeda safe house before continuing on to Yemen. Bujol intended to stow away to join AQAP and to deliver items to AQAP that a confidential source had given him. The items included two public access restricted military manuals, global position system receivers, pre-paid international calling cards, SIM cards, and approximately 2,000 in Euros, among other items. Bujol secured these items in his baggage and quickly boarded the ship. Minutes after stowing away in a room on board the ship, agents took him into custody without incident.

Simultaneously, agents executed a search warrant on his apartment and his laptop computer. On the computer, agents found a home-made video montage of still photographs, including images of Osama bin Laden, Najibullah Zazi, and multiple armed “mujahideen” fighters, which Bujol narrated. On the video, which was offered into evidence at trial, he addressed his words to his wife, explaining that he had left her suddenly and without forewarning to pursue “jihad.” Bujol told her he would likely not see her until the afterlife.

The aggravated identity theft charge, of which he was also convicted, stemmed from a false transportation worker identity card (purporting to be a card issued by the Transportation Security Administration) that Bujol possessed to access the Port of Houston. Bujol supplied the confidential source with a passport photo and a false name and the source used these materials to acquire the false card for use in the sting operation. On the night of the operation, Bujol used the false card to gain access to the port.

Bujol has been in federal custody since his May 30, 2010, where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

This multi-agency investigation was conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Bryan, Texas—comprised of the Brazos County, Texas Sheriff’s Office; the Texas A&M University Police Department; the Bryan Police Department; the U.S. Secret Service;, the Waller County, Texas Sheriff’s Office; and the College, Texas Station Police Department. Other investigating agencies were the Houston FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Prairie View A&M University Department of Public Safety, the New Jersey State Police, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Houston Police Department, and the Canada Border Services Agency.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark McIntyre and Craig Feazel, as well as Garrett Heenan, Trial Attorney from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark W. White, III.

Texas Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to al Qaeda | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Release Date: May 24, 2012

For immediate release

The Federal Reserve Board on Thursday released action plans for Citigroup and HSBC Finance Corporation to correct deficiencies in residential mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure processing. It also released the engagement letter between Ally Financial Inc. and the independent consultant retained by Ally to review foreclosures that were in process in 2009 and 2010.

In addition, the Federal Reserve released a supplemental agreement with Ally to address the institution’s foreclosure review obligations following the recent action by Ally’s mortgage servicing subsidiaries to seek protection under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

The action plans are required by formal enforcement actions issued by the Federal Reserve last year. The enforcement actions require the mortgage loan servicers regulated by the Federal Reserve and the parent holding companies of mortgage servicers to submit acceptable plans to improve their procedures and controls as well as oversight of foreclosure activities.

The enforcement actions further require the mortgage servicing subsidiaries to provide appropriate remediation to borrowers who suffered financial injury as a result of errors by the servicers. The engagement letter describes the procedures that will be followed by the independent consultant in reviewing Ally’s foreclosure files to determine whether borrowers suffered financial injury as a result of servicer error.

Release of the action plans and engagement letter follows reviews conducted from November 2010 to January 2011, in which examiners found unsafe and unsound processes and practices in residential mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure processing at a number of supervised institutions.

The documents disclosed Thursday are the last to be released of those required by the formal enforcement actions issued in April 2011 against servicers regulated by the Federal Reserve and parent holding companies of mortgage loan servicers. The Federal Reserve entered into consent enforcement actions with Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., in September 2011 and Morgan Stanley in April 2012 to address deficient servicing and foreclosure practices at their residential mortgage loan servicing subsidiaries. The engagement letters and action plans required under these enforcement actions are not yet finalized and will be released after approval.

The Federal Reserve will closely follow the implementation of action plans to ensure that the financial institutions correct deficiencies and evaluate any harm that was done to homeowners in the foreclosure process in 2009 and 2010.

Ally Engagement Letter (PDF)
Ally Supplemental Agreement (PDF)
Citigroup–Section 5–Amended Supplement (PDF)
Citigroup–Section 5–Internal Audit Plan (PDF)
HSBC–Section 5–Single Point of Contact (PDF)

For media inquiries, call 202-452-2955

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May 15, 2012

University of Chicago Medical Center President Sharon O’Keefe, a nationally recognized authority on hospital operations, health care quality and patient satisfaction, and the mother of a child with epilepsy, has been named to the board of Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE).

CURE was founded by parents of children with epilepsy who joined forces to spearhead the search for a cure by raising funds for research and increasing awareness of the disorder. The nonprofit organization has worked to establish epilepsy as a disease that merits crucial federal research funding. Since its inception in 1998, CURE has raised more than $18 million. CURE funds seed grants to explore new areas and collect the data necessary to apply for further funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). To date, CURE has supported 126 cutting-edge projects across the globe.

“Sharon O’Keefe has the professional skills, profound energy and personal commitment to bring a wealth of resources to our organization,” said Susan Axelrod, chair and founding member of CURE and a past member of the NIH’s National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council. “She is a recognized leader in the hospital industry and works closely with the University of Chicago Medicine’s nationally recognized programs in pediatric and adult epilepsy.”

In people with epilepsy, the brain produces sudden bursts of electrical energy that can produce seizures that interfere with consciousness, movements or sensations. An estimated 2.2 million Americans have epilepsy, with approximately 150,000 new cases diagnosed in the United States each year, according to a recent report from the National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine. That equals nearly 500 new cases every day. Approximately one in 26 people will develop epilepsy at some point in their lives, according to the report. The onset of epilepsy is highest in children and older adults.

“I have seen how epilepsy can disrupt the life and plans of patients and their families. Our daughter, now 17, was diagnosed at the age of 5,” O’Keefe said. “I also have seen remarkable progress toward understanding this disease through innovative research. I am honored to have been selected to serve on the CURE board and look forward to this new role in helping speed up the pace of progress in understanding, treating and, we hope, curing this disorder.”

A Chicago native, O’Keefe, 60, began her health care career as a nurse at Loyola University Medical Center, then moved into hospital administration, first at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, then at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx in New York. From 1987 to 1989, she served as senior manager for health care at the accounting firm Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young), where she developed a consulting practice focused on organizational design, operations improvement and large-scale change management.

She returned to hospital administration in 1989 and spent 10 years as senior vice president for operations at the University of Maryland Medical System in Baltimore, where she focused on clinical program development and customer satisfaction. Her efforts helped the medical system become the first health care organization to receive the U.S. Senate Productivity Award in 1997.

In 1999 she moved to Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. As executive vice president and chief operating officer, O’Keefe developed and implemented a financial recovery plan for the recently merged but financially challenged hospitals. In 2002, she became chief operating officer at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, consistently ranked as one of the top 10 hospitals in the United States. In April 2009, she became president of Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill., where she served until her appointment at the University of Chicago Medicine in February 2011.

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President of University of Chicago Medical Center joins CURE board | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

May 23, 2012

Donations from Jim and Karen Frank and others will endow the Janet Davison Rowley, MD, Professorship in Cancer Research at the University of Chicago Medicine. This new named professorship will honor one of the University’s most distinguished scientists and alumni, Janet D. Rowley, MD’48, the Blum-Riese Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine, Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, and Human Genetics.

Rowley, 87, a pioneer in understanding the connections between genetics and cancer, remains an active member of the faculty. She rides her bicycle to work every day.

In the early 1970s, Rowley made the first of a series of fundamental discoveries demonstrating that specific chromosomal changes caused certain types of leukemia. She then struggled for years to convince fellow researchers that cancer was essentially a genetic disease.

Her discoveries eventually gained acceptance. They brought her widespread recognition, including the Lasker Award, the National Medal of Science and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In the last six months, she received the Ernest Beutler Prize and the Japan Prize for Healthcare and Medical Technology.

“Dr. Rowley, a graduate of the University’s Laboratory Schools, the College and the Medical School, has long been a shining example of the power of a University of Chicago education,” said medical center trustee Jim Frank, of Winnetka. “She is also a model of what that kind of training, combined with enormous talent and dedication, can do. Karen and I are proud to help celebrate her accomplishments and support the outstanding researchers who will be honored to hold this endowed chair.”

“All of us in the Cancer Center are excited to see Janet’s remarkable career recognized in this enduring way,” said colleague Michelle Le Beau, PhD, director of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, who trained under Rowley. “She has received just about every imaginable honor. Now someone with extraordinary promise will benefit from this support, from the history of Janet’s discoveries and the immediate recognition that comes with selection as the Rowley Professor.”

Rowley was born Apr. 5, 1925, in New York City. At age 15, she won a scholarship to enroll in the University of Chicago’s Hutchins College, which combined the last two years of high school with the first two years of college. “The U of C,” Rowley later recalled, “taught me to stick to my convictions — if I really thought that I was correct — even when others disagree.”

She completed a bachelor of philosophy degree in 1944 and graduated from medical school in 1948. The next day, she married fellow medical student Donald Rowley, MD, now a professor emeritus of pathology at the University. She spent the next 20 years raising their four boys while working three days a week at various sites, including a Chicago clinic for children with Down syndrome, a genetic condition caused by an extra chromosome.

Her interest in chromosomes and cancer gained focus in 1962, after a year at Oxford University, where she learned newly developed techniques of chromosome analysis. Back in Chicago, Leon Jacobson, MD, a colleague and mentor, suggested she apply those techniques to the study of chromosomes from patients with leukemia.

She made her first big discovery in 1972. Rowley found that the chromosomes of a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) appeared to have made a trade: part of chromosome 21 had broken off and moved to chromosome 8, and part of 8 had moved to chromosome 21 — an exchange now known as a “translocation.” When she looked at more patients with this same kind of leukemia, she saw the same process.

She later found that patients with a different disease, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), had a different translocation. One end of chromosome 22 was exchanged for a piece of chromosome 9. Because of this transfer, important genes that regulated cell growth and division were no longer located in their normal position. The result was the uncontrolled cell growth of cancer.

The two consistent translocations — one in AML and one in CML — argued that such translocations were tied to specific types of leukemia. In 1977, Rowley and colleagues identified a third example, the 15;17 translocation that causes acute promyelocytic leukemia, a rare disease but one where every patient had the same genetic flaw. “That made me a believer,” she would later recall. “That was the frosting on the cake.”

Understanding the 9;22 translocation eventually led to the development of the drug imatinib (Gleevec), one of the most successful targeted cancer therapies to date. Gleevec blocks an abnormal growth-regulating protein produced by the 9;22 translocation.

Picking up on her lead that specific translocations defined specific forms of cancer, scientists around the world joined the search for chromosomes that either exchanged genetic material or lost it altogether. Others used the translocations as road maps to find specific genes disrupted by chromosome damage, thus opening up the current era of cancer genetics.

“Establishing the Rowley Professorship is one more way to celebrate Janet’s remarkable series of discoveries, a process that is still under way,” said Kenneth Polonsky, MD, Dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago. “Any future professor to hold this chair will find that the honor comes with high expectations.”

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Named professorship to honor cancer researcher Janet Rowley, MD | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Release Date: May 22, 2012

For immediate release

The Federal Reserve Board on Tuesday announced the termination of the enforcement action listed below: 

Guaranty Bancorp and Guaranty Bank and Trust Company, both of Denver, Colorado
Written Agreement dated January 22, 2010
Terminated May 16, 2012

Search of Federal Reserve enforcement actions.

For media inquiries, call 202-452-2955.

Federal Reserve Board announces termination of enforcement action with Guaranty Bancorp and Guaranty Bank and Trust Company | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

FRESNO—Antonio Hernandez Sanchez, 27, of Stockton, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii to one year and six months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement and traffic in counterfeit labels and counterfeit documentation and packaging, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today.

According to court documents, between June 2011 and July 25, 2011, Sanchez sold counterfeit music CDs at the Modesto 7th Street flea market. The counterfeit music CDs were supplied to him through a warehouse in Modesto. On July 25, 2011, law enforcement officers seized approximately 6,512 music CDs from Sanchez. Sanchez pleaded guilty to the charges on March 12, 2012.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, with assistance from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Henry Z. Carbajal, III prosecuted the case.

Stockton Man Sentenced to Prison for Counterfeit Media Conspiracy | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Recent analysis from the FBI and other government agencies demonstrates that malicious actors are targeting travelers abroad through pop-up windows while they are establishing an Internet connection in their hotel rooms.

Recently, there have been instances of travelers’ laptops being infected with malicious software while using hotel Internet connections. In these instances, the traveler was attempting to set up the hotel room Internet connection and was presented with a pop-up window notifying the user to update a widely used software product. If the user clicked to accept and install the update, malicious software was installed on the laptop. The pop-up window appeared to be offering a routine update to a legitimate software product for which updates are frequently available.

The FBI recommends that all government, private industry, and academic personnel who travel abroad take extra caution before updating software products through their hotel Internet connection. Checking the author or digital certificate of any prompted update to see if it corresponds to the software vendor may reveal an attempted attack. The FBI also recommends that travelers perform software updates on laptops immediately before traveling and that they download software updates directly from the software vendor’s website if updates are necessary while abroad.

Anyone who believes he or she has been a target of this type of attack should immediately contact a local FBI office and promptly report it to the IC3’s website at www.ic3.gov. The IC3’s complaint database links complaints together to refer them to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration. The complaint information is also used to identify emerging trends and patterns.

Malware Installed on Travelers’ Laptops Through Software Updates on Hotel Internet Connections | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending May 18, 2012 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

A long-time Seattle financial advisor was indicted today by a federal grand jury with 23 criminal counts, including wire fraud, money laundering and investment advisor fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. Mark F. Spangler, 57, of Seattle is accused of diverting investor money from accounts he managed to risky start up ventures in which he or his investment firm had an ownership interest. Spangler allegedly diverted more than $46 million to two companies, one of which is now shut down after failing to generate any positive revenue. Those who invested in the funds managed by Spangler, as part of The Spangler Group Inc.(TSG), were not told that their money was being invested in risky start-up companies. Spangler and several of his companies went into receivership last year. Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil suit against Spangler as well. Spangler is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Seattle on May 18, 2012 at 2:30.

“The Department of Justice is making the prosecution of financial fraud a top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Durkan. “These investors lost millions to a man they trusted to safeguard their resources. We are working closely with the SEC to ensure Mr. Spangler is held accountable for his fraud.”

The six investors described in the indictment were told their funds were conservatively invested in publicly traded companies and in bonds. Spangler allegedly provided them misleading statements over time, falsely describing the value of their accounts and how the money was invested. When investors sought to liquidate their holdings, Spangler was unable to provide them any funds, because the money had been funneled to the high risk start-up ventures that were not profitable.

According to the indictment, Spangler established a variety of funds as early as 1998 to pool investor money to buy publicly traded stocks and bonds. Spangler co-founded the two startup companies in the early 2000s—Tamarac Inc. in 2000 and TeraHop Networks Inc. in 2002. Tamarac Inc. is headquartered in Seattle and provides software to financial planners. TeraHop Networks Inc. is headquartered in Georgia and manufactured wireless devices used to monitor the location and activity of people and physical assets such as construction equipment. TeraHop has ceased operation. Spangler not only failed to disclose to his investors that he was diverting significant amounts of their funds to TeraHop and Tamarac, but he also failed to disclose that he was involved in the management of these companies, had an ownership interest in Tamarac, and was receiving payments from both companies. The indictment contains an order of forfeiture, which will be used to try to recover assets for the investors.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Lang and Carl Blackstone.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@USDOJ.Gov.

Seattle Financial Advisor Indicted in $46 Million Investment Fraud Scheme | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON—The co-owner of a Detroit-area physical therapy company was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for her leading role in a more than $1.9 million Medicare fraud scheme, announced the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Fatima Hassan, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn in the Eastern District of Michigan. In addition to her prison term, Hassan was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $855,484 in restitution.

Hassan pleaded guilty on September 15, 2011 to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. According to the plea documents, in 2005, Hassan incorporated a company known as Jos Campau Physical Therapy, which she owned with a co-defendant. Jos Campau Physical Therapy did not have a Medicare provider number and was not entitled to bill Medicare for therapy services.

According to court documents, Hassan paid kickbacks to recruiters who obtained Medicare beneficiary information and signatures needed to create fictitious physical and occupational therapy files. The Medicare beneficiaries pre-signed forms and visit sheets that were later falsified to indicate that they received therapy services that were never provided.

Hassan and the co-owner of Jos Campau Physical Therapy hired and paid an occupational therapist and an uncertified occupational therapy assistant to falsify medical files. The occupational therapist created patient evaluation forms for beneficiaries whom she had never met, seen, or evaluated. The uncertified therapy assistant fabricated and signed patient notes for occupational therapy visits. The uncertified therapy assistant did not provide the services reflected in the fictitious patient notes. Additionally, Hassan’s co-owner, a physical therapist, falsified patient evaluation forms and fictitious patient notes for physical therapy services that were never rendered.

Hassan and the co-owner of Jos Campau Physical Therapy sold the fictitious physical and occupational therapy files to multiple fraudulent therapy companies that had obtained Medicare provider numbers. Those companies billed the fictitious files created by Jos Campau Physical Therapy to Medicare and paid kickbacks to Jos Campau Physical Therapy based on these billings. Hassan and her co-owner split the profits from the sale of the falsified files.

Hassan admitted that, between approximately June 2005 and May 2007, she and her co-conspirators at Jos Campau Physical Therapy submitted or caused the submission of approximately $1.9 million in fraudulent claims to the Medicare program for physical and occupational therapy services that were never rendered.

Hassan’s co-owner, Victor Jayasundera, pleaded guilty on January 18, 2012 for his role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 31, 2012.

Tariq Mahmud, the owner of a Medicare provider company that bought and billed Jos Campau Physical Therapy’s fake files, was convicted at trial on February 2, 2012 for his role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2012.

Today’s sentence was announced by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barbara L. McQuade; Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh, III of the HHS Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) Chicago Regional Office.

This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Catherine K. Dick and Assistant Chief Benjamin D. Singer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, with assistance from Trial Attorney Niall M. O’Donnell. It was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Since their inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in nine districts have charged more than 1,330 individuals who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than $4 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, is taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.

To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.

Co-Owner of Detroit-Area Physical Therapy Company Sentenced to 48 Months for Medicare Fraud Scheme | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

ROANOKE, VA—A Federal grand jury sitting in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke has indicted three men on a variety of conspiracy and fraud charges related to their alleged scheme to profit from fraudulent United States Treasury checks and checks for Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs).

In an indictment returned underseal on May 10, 2012 and unsealed this week following the arrests of the defendants, the grand jury has charged Osama Mahmud Mustafa, a.k.a. “Sam Mustafa,” age 49, of Tampa, Florida; Khaldoun Khalil Khawaja, a.k.a. “Tony Khawaja,” age 48, of Tampa, Florida; and Muawia Khalil Adbeljalil, of Roanoke, Virginia.

Each defendant was charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States for the purpose of impairing the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service, to receive fraudulent Treasury checks, to commit wire fraud and to structure currency transactions, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

In addition, Abdeljalil was charged with nine counts of bank fraud, five counts of making a false statements for the purpose of influencing a financial institution, and 19 counts of structuring financial transactions to avoid currency reporting requirements.

The defendants are charged with purchasing fraudulent income tax return checks and checks issued for Refund Anticipation Loans and then presenting those fraudulent checks for payment at financial institutions in the Western District of Virginia, the Middle District of Florida, and elsewhere.

In all, the defendants are accused of fraudulently depositing more than $17.5 million as a result of the scheme.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the United States Marshals Service Asset Forfeiture Program, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Mott of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will prosecute the case for the United States.

A grand jury indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Three Indicted on Fraud Charges | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON—Istvan Laszlo Csurgo, 31, of Budapest, Hungary, pled guilty today to federal charges stemming from an international Internet-based fraud scheme that obtained more than $1 million from people who thought they were buying cars, trucks, and boats.

The guilty plea, which took place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; John W. Schilling, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service; and David Beach, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the United States Secret Service.

Csurgo was arrested at the Charlotte, North Carolina International Airport on February 10, 2012 and has been in custody ever since. He pled guilty this morning to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of use of a false passport. The Honorable Richard W. Roberts scheduled sentencing for August 17, 2012. The charges carry a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years. The charges also carry potential fines and an order of restitution. Csurgo also has agreed to forfeit $756,511, representing proceeds he obtained through the scheme.

According to a statement of offense signed by the defendant, Csurgo and others conspired to carry out the scheme from on or about June 1, 2011 through on or about August, 31, 2011. Csurgo and his co-conspirators falsely advertised and purported to sell motor vehicles and boats on websites, targeting buyers located mainly in the United States.

With assistance from his co-conspirators, Csurgo used false passports and false driver’s licenses to open about 45 bank accounts at financial institutions in the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. During the course of the scheme, Csurgo came to understand that buyers were being induced to wire money and funds into these accounts for the intended purpose of purchasing the vehicles and boats. He and others fraudulently withdrew funds from the accounts before the buyers, financial institutions, and law enforcement detected the scheme.

As part of his plea agreement, Csurgo admitted that he obtained and attempted to obtain approximately $756,511 from various financial institutions during the scheme. As charged in the original indictment, the co-conspirators allegedly received, collectively, over $1 million from the scheme. Also as part of his plea agreement, Csurgo has agreed to cooperate in the government’s ongoing criminal investigation.

In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge McJunkin, Special Agent in Charge Schilling, and Special Agent in Charge Beach praised those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and the United States Secret Service’s Washington Field Office. They also commended the efforts of Paralegal Specialists Lenisse Edloe, Tasha Harris, and C. Rosalind Pressley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael K. Atkinson and Diane Lucas, who prosecuted the case.

Hungarian Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud for His Role in International Internet-Based Scheme | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls on May 15, 2012 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong, Adrian Frank Nault, a 29-year-old resident of Box Elder, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. Sentencing has been set for August 20, 2012. He is currently detained.

In an offer of proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A Betley, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On April 6, 2010, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Nault with the assistance of a confidential source (CS). The CS traveled to Nault’s home on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation and purchased approximately one gram of methamphetamine from Nault.

Law enforcement agents and the CS made another controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Nault again later that day at Nault’s home. The CS purchased approximately .3 grams of methamphetamine from Nault that night.

Several witnesses would have testified that they had purchased methamphetamine from Nault for at least a year and some for as long as five years.

The government would have proven that at least 350 grams of methamphetamine fell within the scope of Nault’s participation in this conspiracy.

Nault faces possible penalties of a mandatory minimum of five years and could be sentenced to 40 years, a $4,000,000 fine, and four years’ supervised release.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tri-Agency Task Force.

Adrian Frank Nault Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Release Date: May 16, 2012

For immediate release

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on Wednesday announced a revised tentative meeting schedule for 2012 and a tentative meeting schedule for 2013. In order to provide ample time for the Committee’s usual discussions, these meetings have been scheduled to take place over two days. In addition, the FOMC announced that, going forward, the presentation of the Summary of Economic Projections and the Chairman’s press conference will occur in conjunction with the meetings scheduled for the third month of each quarter (March, June, September, and December).

Revised tentative meeting schedule for 2012:

June 19-20 (Tuesday-Wednesday)*

July 31-August 1 (Tuesday-Wednesday)

September 12-13 (Wednesday-Thursday)*

October 23-24 (Tuesday-Wednesday)

December 11-12 (Tuesday-Wednesday)*

Tentative meeting schedule for 2013:

January 29-30 (Tuesday-Wednesday)

March 19-20 (Tuesday-Wednesday)*

April 30-May 1 (Tuesday-Wednesday)

June 18-19 (Tuesday-Wednesday)*

July 30-31 (Tuesday-Wednesday)

September 17-18 (Tuesday-Wednesday)*

October 29-30 (Tuesday-Wednesday)

December 17-18 (Tuesday-Wednesday)*

January 28-29, 2014 (Tuesday-Wednesday)

* Meeting associated with a Summary of Economic Projections and a press conference by the Chairman.

For media inquiries, call 202-452-2955.

FOMC announces revised tentative 2012 meeting schedule and tentative 2013 meeting schedule | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.