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The response to scandals has been to gut auditing power -- when we most need transparency from banks and government

When financial crimes go unpunished, the root problem of fraud never gets fixed -- and these are the consequences

It's well known that the two men aren't buddies, but the Texas congressman is taking their rivalry to a new level

Two conflicting new reports show our confused priorities

The attorney general says both the feds and other states are taking a wait-and-see approach to legalizing marijuana

Did the Justice Department have other fish to fry -- or did it avoid a showdown for fear of backlash?

After the two bickered during a hearing, the attorney general was still thinking about his congressional nemesis

Turns out the states are only sovereign when they're denying equal rights to their citizens -- not for pain relief

The attorney general spars once again with Tea Party hero Louie Gohmert

In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, the Senate majority leader warns that the CIA may "run amok"

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Eric Holder - Salon.com

By Ben Geier May 13, 2014: 11:13 AM ET

By Ben Geier, reporter

FORTUNE -- The Obama administration may have more than two years left in office, but U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is making his last push to take action against Wall Street firms, theWall Street Journalreported Monday evening.

In the next few days, the Justice Department is expected to look for a guilty plea from Credit Suisse Group (CS), according to the Journal. Following that, the department expects tofinalize deals with Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (C), and BNP Paribas (BNPQY).

MORE: Big banks' annual meetings could be especially stormy

The settlements relate to various infractions committed by the banks; for instance, Bank of America's case relates to how it dealt with mortgage-backed securities going all the way back to the lead-up to the 2008 credit crisis.

Citi's situation also deals with mortgage-backed securities, while BNP Paribas is suspected of ignoring U.S. sanctions on other countries, including Iran.

"I am impatient," Mr. Holder told the Journal. "We're talking about conduct that contributed to the greatest financial disaster since the Great Depression. Not the sole cause, but contributed to it, so this is a priority, and that's why I'm dedicating so much time to it."

The story notes that Holder -- a frequent target of criticism from the right who has served in his role since the beginning of the Obama administration -- is expected to remain at his post through at least November's midterm elections.

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U.S. Attorney General closes in on multiple banks

WASHINGTON - Federal authorities announced a proposed $60 million settlement Tuesday in a lawsuit alleging that thousands of military servicemembers were charged excessive interest rates for student loans.

The legal action, the first of its kind filed against student loan owners and processors for alleged violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, involves about 60,000 servicemembers who were charged rates in excess of the maximum 6%.

Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the settlement involving Sallie Mae, now known as Navient, awaits approval by a federal judge in Delaware.

Holder said the lenders engaged in "a nationwide practice'' for nearly a decade that failed to provide military members the 6% rate.

"This alleged overcharging appears to have been the rule, rather than the exception,'' Holder said. "According to an audit, excessive rates were charged to 93% of active-duty servicemembers who had loans owned or serviced by Sallie Mae.''

If approved, proceeds of the settlement would be distributed among the 60,000 members.

The government alleged that the lenders improperly obtained default judgments against servicemembers who were protected under the Civil Relief Act.

As a result, the terms of the proposed deal require lenders to request that credit agencies delete any negative entries based on the interest overcharges and default judgments.

"This type of conduct is more than just inappropriate,'' Holder said. "It is inexcusable. And it will not be tolerated.''

Holder said lenders cooperated with the inquiry and endorsed the settlement proposal.

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Service members cheated on student loans

by KHOU.com staff

khou.com

Posted on May 13, 2014 at 7:12 PM

Attorney General Eric Holder and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Tuesday that a nationwide takedown by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in six cities has resulted in charges against 90 individuals, including 27 doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $260 million in false billings.

Medicare is a sacred compact with our nations seniors, and to protect it, we must remain aggressive in combating fraud, said Attorney General Holder. This nationwide Medicare Strike Force takedown represents another important step forward in our ongoing fight to safeguard taxpayer resources and to ensure the integrity of essential health care programs. Department of Justice will not tolerate these activities."

According to court documents, the defendants allegedly participated in schemes to submit claims to Medicare for treatments that were medically unnecessary and often never provided. In many cases, court documents allege that patient recruiters, Medicare beneficiaries and other co-conspirators were paid cash kickbacks in return for supplying beneficiary information to providers, so that the providers could then submit fraudulent bills to Medicare for services that were medically unnecessary or never performed.

Collectively, the doctors, nurses, licensed medical professionals, health care company owners and others charged are accused of conspiring to submit approximately $260 million in fraudulent billings.

Eleven individuals were charged by the Houston Medicare Strike Force. Five Houston-area physicians were charged with conspiring to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary home health services. According to court documents, the defendant doctors were paid by two co-conspirators to sign off on home health care services that were not necessary and often never provided.

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Medical Fraud Strike Force charges 5 Houston-area physicians for false billing

Boston: Medicare Fraud Summit Closing Remarks (Levinson)
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder host the fourth in a series of Health Care Fraud Prevention Summits in Boston, MA, on December, 16, 2010. More info at:...

By: Meleedy Caldwell

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Boston: Medicare Fraud Summit Closing Remarks (Levinson) - Video