Tagged: U.S. Attorney's Office

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten says a former manager of a Whitney Bank branch in Metairie has admitted stealing more than $56,000 from the bank.

He says 50-year-old Karen Sork pleaded guilty Wednesday to bank theft, and could get up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, and restitution.

Federal prosecutors say a 75-year-old woman has admitted collecting her mother's Social Security payments for 13½ years after her mother died.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten says Shirley A. Bunda of Gretna got more than $173,000 to which she wasn't entitled, and pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of theft of government funds.

A news release says Bunda and her mother shared a joint checking account, and her mother's Social Security payments came by direct deposit.

Leaders in public health, law enforcement and community organizations have unveiled a report they say is a battle plan against drug use. The focus is on prevention and treatment.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a 41-year-old businessman who moved to New Orleans from Georgia after the catastrophic BP oil spill in 2010 has been charged with defrauding a compensation fund set up for victims.

The Justice Department says Dwayne Smith was charged last week on one count of mail fraud.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten alleges Smith moved to New Orleans four months after the Deepwater Horizon explosion and set up a business called D&D Designs.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in New Orleans says a LaPlace man has been sentenced to 37 months in prison after being convicted on charges including tax evasion and obstruction of justice.

Prosecutors said 60-year-old James W. Nelson was in the business of preparing and filing tax returns. His business had multiple offices in the New Orleans area. However, they said Nelson, or his employees, prepared and filed false income tax returns for his customers. The U.S. Attorney's news release Friday said Nelson also failed to pay taxes on some of his own income.