Attorney General Applauds FBI’s Massive Sex Trafficking Crackdown

A man residing in Glendale, California, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to unlawfully bring in aliens and visa fraud for his role in a multi-year visa fraud scheme that brought Armenian citizens into the United States for profit.

The Department of Justice today announced the entry of a judgment of forfeiture regarding the M/V Wise Honest (the “Wise Honest”), a 17,061-ton, single-hull bulk carrier ship registered in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (“DPRK” or “North Korea”). The Wise Honest, one of North Korea’s largest bulk carriers, was used to illicitly ship coal from North Korea and to deliver heavy machinery back to the DPRK. Payments for maintenance, equipment and improvements of the Wise Honest were made in U.S. dollars through unwitting U.S. banks. This conduct violates longstanding U.S. law and United Nations Security Council resolutions.

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.

Today, the Department of Justice announced it has awarded more than $85.3 million to bolster school security — including funding to educate and train students and faculty — and support first responders who arrive on the scene of a school shooting or other violent incident.

Kenneth Taylor, a California resident, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and ordered to pay $90,000 in victim restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and $1,100,774 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for tax fraud, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter. The Honorable Jon S. Tigar, United States District Court Judge, imposed the sentence.

Thank you. It’s wonderful to be here in Tampa. I want to thank Mayor Castor, Chief Dugan and Pam Iorio for allowing me to join them today in their beautiful city. I would also like to recognize Joel McKee, one of this city’s outstanding law enforcement officers and an incredible member of the Bigs in Blue program here in Tampa.