Department of Justice

S&P Expects U.S. Lawsuit Over Its Mortgage Ratings

The U.S. government is expected to file civil charges against Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, alleging that it improperly gave high ratings to mortgage debt that later plunged in value and helped fuel the 2008 financial crisis.

BP May Face $21 Billion in Fines Over 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

The Justice Department is charging BP with gross negligence for its reckless actions related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. If the charges stick, BP could face fines up to $21 billion. Can the company survive such a financial and PR nightmare?

Court Strikes Down Graphic Warnings for Cigarettes

A U.S. appeals court on Friday struck down a law that requires tobacco companies to use graphic health warnings, such as of a man exhaling smoke through a hole in his throat. The ruling sets up the possibility the U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in on the dispute.

Does Johnson & Johnson Need a Lot More than Just a Band-Aid?

Everyone knows Johnson & Johnson, but not everyone knows how big this pharmaceutical and medical device giant really is. And they also may not realize how much it's recent series of drug recalls and management missteps have pummeled the blue chip stock.

Obama Orders For-Profit Schools to Stop Scamming Our Troops

Last week, President Obama signed an executive order to protect veterans, soldiers and their families from being swindled and hoodwinked by for-profit schools. Check out some of these shady behaviors, and you'll understand what set Obama off.

Tax Prep Nightmare: Don't Get Conned by Your Tax Pro

A series of major problems and the whiff of potential fraud at a tax-prep company called "Mo Money Taxes" are a scary reminder: Be smart about selecting the professional who helps with your tax return. Here are some tips to help you avoid the shady characters.

9/11 Survivor Finds 'Purpose' by Helping Others

In 2001, Nicole B. Simpson was just another Morgan Stanley financial planner on the 73rd floor when the 9/11 attacks struck. She survived, but the emotional trauma left her old life in the wreckage. Eventually, though, she found a new purpose in helping others through traumas of their own.

New Details in Hewlett-Packard Pretexting Case

Five years after tech giant Hewlett-Packard found itself at the center of a headline-grabbing pretexting scandal, DailyFinance has learned that federal authorities have expanded the scope of their prosecution to include other potential defendants.

Financial Meltdown Accountability: Bring On the Class Actions!

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission's report concludes that ineffective regulators and big banks were the primary causes of the financial meltdown. Next stop: Government and class action lawsuits to recoup some of what we all lost, and (please please please) criminal charges against the worst offenders too.

Merck KGaA Is Latest Pharma to Settle Justice Department Claims

German pharmaceutical and chemical company Merck KGaA will pay $280 million to settle a U.S. Department of Justice claim brought against a former subsidiary, Dey Pharma, regarding Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. This is the fourth such settlement this month alone.

Ending Silicon Valley's 'No Poaching' Deals . . . a Few Years Late

On Friday, the Justice Department announced it had settled with six tech giants that had made anticompetitive agreements not to poach top employees from each other. That may have been an issue two years ago, but not now as a major talent war rages in Silicon Valley.

Justice Department Wraps Up Tech-Recruiting Collusion Probe

Did tech giants Apple, Intel, Google, and Adobe enter into "no-poach" agreements with each other? The Department of Justice is wrapping up its year-long investigation, which centers on whether such agreements may have kept wages artificially low.

Allergan Pays $600 Million to Settle Botox Charges

Pharmaceutical firm Allergan has settled criminal and civil charges that it promoted Botox for uses the FDA hadn't approved, agreeing to pay $600 million and enter into a "corporate integrity agreement." Allergan also dropped its related First Amendment lawsuit against the FDA.

HP Bribery Probe Intensifies

The Justice Department, which has been investigating bribes Hewlett-Packard allegedly paid in Russia, has asked the company to voluntarily turn over internal records.

HP Shares Rise On News of Kickbacks Settlement Agreement

Hewlett-Packard shares rose in after-hours trading after the company agreed to settle a lawsuit from the Justice Department, which claimed the company paid kickbacks to get recommendations for government work. The settlement will cost 2 cents per share.

Legal Briefing: U.S. Targets More Rich Tax Cheats

Now that they are nearly done squeezing Swiss bank UBS for information about its wealthy tax-dodging clients, the IRS and the Justice Department are moving on to new tax fraud targets: Clients of London-based bank HSBC Holdings, mostly those with ties to India and Singapore.

Legal Briefing: DOJ May Sue to Block Ariz. Immigration Law

The Department of Justice may file suit Tuesday over Arizona's controversial immigration law, but if the lawsuit is crafted as has been rumored, it will frustrate all sides in the debate, because it avoids the merits of the law and focuses instead on Arizona's lack of authority to enact it.

Legal Briefing: Intel Offers Deal to FTC

Intel has been sued a few times for monopolistic behavior in the chip market, but the current Federal Trade Commission case is different from the others. The FTC isn't seeking monetary damages or penalties: It wants Intel to change how it does business.

Legal Briefing: FCC Won't Force Broadband Competition

In order to enforce net neutrality rules, the FCC is reclassifying Internet service providers into the same regulatory "box" as phone companies. The move gives the FCC the authority to drastically improve broadband competition -- but the FCC has decided it won't use that power.

Microsoft Publicly Takes Google to Task Over Its Practices

Microsoft criticized Google for failing to adequately respond to a recent European Commission investigation into its market share and practices. In a blog post, Microsoft's deputy general counsel wrote that Google is trying to place the blame on Microsoft, rather than take responsibility for its own actions.

Hidden Crime: Domestic Violence Against Men

Amid the media frenzy over Tiger Woods, a key aspect was overlooked: He was not alone as a male victim of domestic violence. And beyond its physical and psychological costs, domestic violence against men exacts an economic toll.

Monster Merger of Ticketmaster, Live Nation Approved

Live Nation and Ticketmaster Entertainment reportedly received approval to merge, paving the way for a titanic entertainment company handling ticketing, artist management and live music, with exclusive booking deals with over 125 venues.

Google Search Market Lead Gains over Rivals

Google continued its seemingly unstoppable climb upward in search market share in December. The Web giant's search engine accounted for 65.7% of Americans' 14.7 billion searches for the month, up from 65.6% in November. No. 2 Microsoft's share lagged far behind at 10.7%.

Johnson & Johnson Fights Charges of Recalls and Kickbacks

Johnson & Johnson shares are rebounding as the drug maker recovers from federal charges it paid kickbacks to a pharmacy company to boost sales of its drugs to nursing-home patients. Meantime, the Food and Drug Administration accused it of being too slow with its product recall during a Tylenol scare.