Attorney General Jeff Sessions Delivers Remarks at the Alliance Defending Freedom’s Summit on Religious Liberty

Federal prosecutors today filed a criminal case charging Imaad Shah Zuberi, a Southern California campaign fundraiser, with falsifying records to conceal his work as a foreign agent while lobbying high-level U.S. government officials. The criminal charges allege that Zuberi engaged in lobbying efforts that earned him millions of dollars, most of which was pilfered from his clients, and Zuberi has agreed to plead guilty to those charges at a later date, pursuant to a plea agreement.

A Bloomfield, Michigan, biodiesel fuel dealer pleaded guilty today to filing a false income tax return, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider of the Eastern District of Michigan.

A Virginia political consultant who served as the treasurer of multiple Political Action Committees (PACs) pleaded guilty today to lying to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) about more than $32,000 in payments of PAC money that he directed to himself and a close friend.

Good morning, Chairman Nadler, Ranking Member Collins, and distinguished Members of the Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of the Department of Justice concerning our efforts to ensure the safety and security of our nation’s elections and to combat malign foreign influence.
Protecting our Nation’s democratic processes, including our elections, is among the Department’s top priorities, and malign foreign influence operations targeting those processes are among the most pressing threats our Nation faces. The Department appreciates the Committee’s interest in making sure that we have the tools we need to target those who may seek to do us harm by interfering in our elections.

A federal judge in the Eastern District of New York has ordered 15 individuals and companies to permanently cease their involvement with fraudulent mailings. According to a complaint filed by the United States in November 2018, the defendants mailed, or assisted the mailing of, thousands of solicitations stylized as individualized notices, which falsely stated recipients had won large sums of money or valuable prizes, but needed to pay a fee to claim the winnings.

Two West Virginian business owners pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States regarding their employment taxes and individual income taxes, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Michael B. Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia.

An Atlanta, Georgia, woman was sentenced today to 56 months in prison for her role in a scheme to file false federal tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and United States Attorney Byung J. Pak for the Northern District of Georgia.

Thank you. It’s wonderful to be here in Tampa. I want to thank Superintendent Eakins, Principal Brady and one of your amazing students, Anthony Allen, for allowing me to join them today at this beautiful school. I would also like to thank Chief Dugan for being with us this afternoon, and for the exceptional job he and his officers do to protect the people of this great city.