New York Paralegal

(ST. LOUIS, MO. – March 30, 2012) Missouri Attorney Chris Koster will file legal papers today defending the conviction of George Allen who has served 30 years for a murder that significant evidence proves he did not commit. Most of this evidence, including serology evidence and newly discovered fingerprints excluding Allen, was known to the state prior to trial but was never turned over to the defense as required.

A.G. Schneiderman Announces $4 Million Settlement With New York Foreclosure Law Firm Steven J. Baum P.C. And Pillar Processing LLC NEW YORK - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced an agreement with Steven J. Baum P.C. (“Baum Firm”), Pillar Processing, LLC (“Pillar”), Steven J. Baum, and Brian Kumiega requiring them to pay $4 million to New York State in penalties, costs and fees, which will be used in part for programs that offer assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure or victims of predatory lending practices. The agreement stems from abuses in their foreclosure-related legal work. Baum Firm founder Steven J. Baum and managing partner Brian Kumiega also agreed to not represent lenders or servicers in new foreclosure-related cases for a period of two years. Until ceasing most of its operations on or about December 31, 2011, the Baum Firm was the largest foreclosure firm in New York State.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the guilty plea of BRIAN KIM, 36, for running a Ponzi scheme that resulted in the theft of approximately $6 million from at least 45 victims, and for stealing $435,000 from the Christadora House, a condominium complex where he resided. In early 2011, on the eve of trial for the Christadora House grand larceny case, the defendant fled to Hong Kong using a fraudulently obtained United States passport. As a result, he was additionally

Insurance Company Fired Employee for Filling Out EEOC Questionnaire, Federal Agency Charged NEW YORK -- Sterling and Sterling, Inc., an insurance company on Long Island, New York, will pay $120,000 to settle a lawsuit for retaliation filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency announced today.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the indictment of MICHAEL TORRES, 29, on charges of Predatory Sexual Assault, Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, Attempted Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, Attempted Rape in the First Degree, Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, for attacking a victim on the platform at the J subway train at the Bowery Street Station.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Michigan man is in custody after arranging a sexual encounter with an undercover officer posing as the father of two underage girls. The arrest follows a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC).

WASHINGTON – BizJet International Sales and Support Inc., a provider of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services based in Tulsa, Okla., has agreed to pay an $11.8 million criminal penalty to resolve charges related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for bribing government officials in Latin America to secure contracts to perform aircraft MRO services for government agencies, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.

Class of Female Employees at Music Publisher Endured Physical and Verbal Abuse, Federal Agency Charged MINNEAPOLIS – Hal Leonard Publishing Company, a music print publishing company founded in Winona, Minn., has agreed to pay $150,000 to a class of female employees to settle a sexual harassment charge brought against the company by a former employee, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Washington, D.C., March 13, 2012 – The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged the senior-most executives at formerly one of the nation’s largest mortgage companies with hiding the company’s deteriorating financial condition at the onset of the financial crisis. The plan backfired and the company lost 90 percent of its value in two weeks.

Indictment Charges the Perez Organization Distributed Heroin Throughout Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties; Stash Houses Located in Brooklyn, Queens, and Roosevelt, New York An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Central Islip, New York, charging 20 members of the Perez Organization, an alleged district-wide drug trafficking ring, with conspiracy to distribute heroin. According to the indictment and a detention letter filed by the government, the organization’s leadership was centralized in Woodhaven, Queens, with distribution networks in Nassau and Suffolk counties and a storage facility in Brooklyn. The organization’s members were allegedly responsible for distributing over 20 kilograms of heroin, with a street value of at least $2.75 million, to drug dealers in Long Island and Queens during the past nine months.

Scam Involved Steering of Government Contracts, Payments to Former Managers at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers WASHINGTON—Harold F. Babb, 60, the former director of contracts at Eyak Technology LLC (EyakTek), pled guilty today to federal charges of bribery and unlawful kickbacks for his role in a scheme that allegedly involved more than $28 million in bribes and kickback payments and the planned steering of a government contract that potentially was worth about $1 billion.

Leon Brown Also Accused of Raping and Assaulting Victim Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the indictment of LEON BROWN, a/k/a SEAN BROWN, 39, for forcing a victim to work as a prostituted woman, and for raping and assaulting her. BROWN is charged with three counts of Sex Trafficking, one count of Rape in the First Degree, two counts of Promoting Prostitution in the Third Degree, and one count of Assault in the Second Degree.[1]

Home Depot Agrees To Pay $100,000 As Part Of Settlement Agreement SYRACUSE — As part of National Consumer Week, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced a settlement with Home Depot USA, Inc. for selling trailers that did not comply with NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law. Specifically in 2011, Home Depot sold overweight 6' x 12' trailers without any brakes, in violation of New York State Law. The law requires trailers that weigh more than 1,000 pounds be sold with an adequate braking system. Home Depot sold trailers that weighed more than 1,000 pounds without any brakes, while misrepresenting to the public that the trailers only weighed 995 pounds. As part of the settlement, Home Depot agreed to pay $100,000 in penalties, fees and costs.

Painter Lost Job Due to Complaints About Racism, Federal Agency Charged DETROIT – Atsalis Brothers Painting Company, a Warren, Mich.-based painting company which does business in several states, will pay $65,000 to settle a retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The EEOC had charged that Atsalis unlawfully retaliated against an employee for objecting to race discrimination.

The Amityville Police Department received information that a subject would be returning his two children, ages four and five, to the vicinity of Ketcham Avenue and Orchard Street. Amityville police were also told that he might be intoxicated. On March 7, 2012, at approximately 8:25 p.m., an Amityville police officer stopped David Hager, Jr., 26, as he was operating a 2005 Dodge Caravan. Inside the vehicle were his 4-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son. Upon interviewing Hager, police determined that he was intoxicated and placed him under arrest.

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that SAMUEL J. FANELLI was sentenced to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel in White Plains federal court on charges of possessing, receiving, and distributing child pornography. FANELLI, 23, was arrested on January 28, 2011 by FBI agents and pleaded guilty on July 5, 2011.

LOS ANGELES—The last of nine defendants facing trial next week on federal fraud charges stemming from boiler room operations that solicited investments in independent movies pleaded guilty in federal district court yesterday afternoon, admitting that he participated in a conspiracy to defraud investors that included false promises of up to 1,000 percent returns and misrepresentations as to how investor funds would be used.

Washington, D.C., March 8, 2012 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a former executive at a Coca-Cola bottling company with insider trading based on confidential information he learned on the job about potential upcoming business with The Coca-Cola Company.

Michael Carsey Convicted at Trial of Perjury For Lying Under Oath Co-Defendant William Eiseman Previously Convicted of Perjury and Official Misconduct Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the conviction of MICHAEL CARSEY, 31, an NYPD officer, by a jury in New York State Supreme Court on two counts of Perjury in the First Degree and one count of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. CARSEY is the second NYPD officer convicted in this investigation. On June 27, 2011, WILLIAM EISEMAN, 39, a former NYPD sergeant, pleaded guilty to the top charge in his indictment, Perjury in the First Degree, as well as three counts of Official Misconduct, for lying under oath, conducting unlawful searches and seizures in Northern Manhattan, and directing subordinates to falsify paperwork in order to make the arrests appears to be legitimate.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A south Texas man pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

EEOC Prevails in Case on Behalf of Bookkeeper Fired After Having a Child MILWAUKEE – A federal judge has ordered a Milwaukee medical staffing company to pay $148,000 to settle a pregnancy discrimination case filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Defendant Katie Gaton Posed as Hilton Employee, Stole Money from Victims Seeking Jobs Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., announced the indictment of KATIA GATON, 41, for defrauding individuals by telling them that she worked at the Hilton New York and could secure for them jobs at the hotel for a fee. The defendant stole more than $13,600 from at least five victims. GATON is charged in a five-count indictment with Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, and Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree.[1]