U.S. and Plaintiff States v. Nexstar Media Group et al., No. 19-02295 (D.D.C. 08/01/19)
Nexstar agreed to acquire Tribune Media Company for approximately $6.4 billion. USDOJ and plaintiff states sued, alleging that the merger would likely substantially lessen competition in thirteen Designated Market Areas (DMAs). MVPDs, such as Comcast, DirecTV, and Charter, typically pay the owner of local broadcast stations in a given DMA a per-subscriber fee for the…
Settlement Agreement Between Plaintiff States and Citibank (June 2018)
Forty-two plaintiff states reached a $100 million settlement with Citibank for fraudulent conduct involving interest rate manipulation that had a significant impact on consumers and financial markets around the world. UBS’ fraudulent conduct involved the manipulation of LIBOR (the London Interbank Offered Rate). LIBOR is a benchmark interest rate that affects financial instruments worth trillions…
Commonwealth v. Czop
Defendant engaged in criminal conduct in obtaining and executing several consultant inspection contracts with District 6 of the Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation.Testimony before the grand jury showed Czop took steps to cultivate a relationship with District 6’s Assistant District Engineer (ADE). The evidence showed that Czop entered into an agreement with a close personal friend of the ADE, which was purportedly a consulting contract. In reality, however, the agreement was simply a method to secure contracts from the ADE, the grand jury presentment alleged. All told, CZOP Specter, Inc. and a related minority business sent more than $130,000 to the ADE’s friend, which, in turn, resulted in Czop being awarded at least four separate PennDOT consultant contracts, the grand jury presentment alleged. The grand jury presentment also details how Czop eventually developed his relationship with the ADE to the point where Czop was purportedly assisting in drafting a potential bridge cleaning inspection contract. Testimony before the grand jury alleged that it was known CZOP Specter, Inc. would be awarded this contract several months prior to it even being advertised. Czop was in fact awarded the contract in the summer of 2011.
Commonwealth v. Suzenski, Crim. Complaint No. 36-595
The Pennsylvania Attorney General charged 8 men with a “pay to play” scheme involving contracts with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Authority. Defendant Suzenski is the owner of Commonwealth Consulting Services, Inc. and a partial owner of Twin County Construction. Commonwealth Consulting Services represents long-term vendors with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Suzenski lavishly entertained Hatalowich, Rubin, and others at the expense of his
clients in an effort to influence the awarding of
Turnpike work to both entities, as well as to directly benefit himself. The grand jury found that the eight individuals committed and attempted to commit illegal bid-rigging, commercial bribery, conflict of interest, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, criminal conspiracy and acting as a corrupt organization engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity.
Commonwealth v. Miller, Crim. Comp. No. 36-595
The Pennsylvania Attorney General charged 8 men with a “pay to play” scheme involving contracts with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Authority. Miller is VP of State and Local Government and Education for Ciber, a contractor with the Pennsylvania Turnpick Authority. He allegedlly used his relationshipi with the Turnpike’s CIO to improperly influence the contracting process and duplicated and created unnecessary work billed to the Turnpike. The grand jury found that the eight individuals committed and attempted to commit illegal bid-rigging, commercial bribery, conflict of interest, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, criminal conspiracy and acting as a corrupt organization engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity.
Commonwealth v. Hatalowich, Crim. Indictment No. 36-595 (Mar. 13, 2013)
The Pennsylvania Attorney General charged 8 men with a “pay to play” scheme involving contracts with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Authority. George Hatalowich is the former Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) and former Contracts Administrator of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Hatalowich took direction from Turnpike Chairman Rubin and Turnpike CEO Brimmeier, and exerted tremendous influence over the internal processes at the Turnpike, resulting in the award of Turnpike contracts to those vendors favored by certain Senate officials. The grand jury found that the eight individuals committed and attempted to commit illegal bid-rigging, commercial bribery, conflict of interest, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, criminal conspiracy and acting as a corrupt organization engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity.
Commonwealth v. Brimmeier, Crim. Indictment No. 36-595 (Mar. 13, 2013)
The Pennsylvania Attorney General charged 8 men with a “pay to play” scheme involving contracts with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Authority. Defendant Joseph Brimmeier is the former Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Brimmeier was involved in all major decisions at the Turnpike. In addition, Brimmeier took orders directly from Senator Mellow, or his Chief of Staff, concerning the awarding of Turnpike contracts to particular vendors, and political fundraising efforts required of Turnpike personnel and Turnpike vendors. The grand jury found that the eight individuals committed and attempted to commit illegal bid-rigging, commercial bribery, conflict of interest, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, criminal conspiracy and acting as a corrupt organization engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity.
Commonwealth v. Rubin, Crim. Comp. No. 36-595 (Mar. 13, 2013)
The Pennsylvania Attorney General charged 8 men with a “pay to play” scheme involving contracts with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Authority. Defendant Rubin was the head of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Authority. The Grand Jury report alleged that Rubin influenced contracting decisions made by executive staff at the Turnpike and regularly
advocated that campaign contributions be made by Turnpike vendors to a certain state senator and other state officials. In addition, Rubin personally benefitted financially from Turnpike work he
steered to City Line Abstract Company. The grand juryy found that the eight individuals committed and ateempted to commit illegal bid-rigging, commercial bribery, conflict of interest, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, criminal conspiracy and acting as a corrupt organization engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity.
Commonwealth v. Mellow, Complaint No. 36-595 (Mar. 13, 2013)
The Pennsylvania Attorney General charged 8 men with a “pay to play” scheme involving contracts with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Authority. Defendant Mellow was the Democratic leader of the state Senate. The Grand Jury report alleged that he was actively involved in steering Turnpike contracts to particular vendors, imposting fundarising participation on Turnpike executive staff and Turnpike vendors, and personally benefiting from sports entertainment paid for by a significant vendor with the Turnpike.
New York et al. v. Deutsche Telekom AG et al., No. 1:19-cv-5434 (S.D.N.Y.)
States challenged merger of T-Mobile and Sprint, the third and fourth-largest mobile telecommunications providers in the U.S., alleging that shrinking the national wireless carrier pool down from four to three providers would decrease competition and create higher prices for consumers. The US Department of Justice and seven states entered into a settlement with the parties…
