Security News in Brief: Devon Energy Companies Agree to Pay $6.15 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations for Underpaying Royalties on Gas from Federal Lands

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Devon Energy Corporation, an Oklahoma-based oil and natural gas exploration and production company, and its affiliates, Devon Energy Corp. (Oklahoma) and Devon Energy Production Company LP (collectively, “Devon”), have agreed to pay $6.15 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by underpaying and underreporting royalties for natural gas from federal lands in Wyoming and New Mexico.

Security News in Brief: Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge Involving theVaccination of Minors Under 12 with the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine

Source: United States Department of Justice News

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Liz Ann Banchs, the owner and president of Farmacia Gabriela, Inc. was charged and pleaded guilty on September 24, 2021 to participating in a felony conspiracy to convert government property and to commit health care fraud in connection with the illegal vaccination of minors between the ages of 7 to 11 with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The announcement was made by W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico and Scott Lampert, Special Agent in Charge for the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), New York Regional Office.

Security News in Brief: Two Former Employees at New York Branch Of Major Bank And An Accountant Charged With Cares Act Loan Fraud

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, a criminal complaint was unsealed and two criminal informations were filed yesterday charging Anuli Okeke, Charlene Wint and Hashim Campbell, respectively, for their participation in a conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $3 million from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, both of which were created by Congress as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Security News in Brief: Justice Department Awards Nearly $187 Million to Support Community Safety

Source: United States Department of Justice News

The Department of Justice today announced that the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), a component of the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), has awarded almost $187 million to support state, local and tribal public safety and community justice activities. The awards, from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, are going to all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Security News in Brief: Ohio man admits to drug charges

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Rashaad Shadee Washington, of Pleasant City, Ohio, has admitted to drug charges, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced. Washington, 37, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine within 1000 Feet of a Protected Location” and two counts of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.”