Gonzales setting up special Katrina fraud task force News
Gonzales setting up special Katrina fraud task force

[JURIST] On a visit to the stricken Gulf Coast region with Vice President Dick Cheney, US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Thursday outlined priorities for a new Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force set up in the Justice Department to deter, investigate and prosecute disaster-related federal crimes like charity and insurance fraud, identity theft, and government benefit fraud. Department officials familiar with the aftermath of other large-scale disasters – for instance, Hurricane Ivan [Wikipedia backgrounder] in 2004 and the September 11 attacks – expect some people will take undue advantage of need and public generosity following Hurricane Katrina [JURIST news archive]. Fraudulent donation solicitations are already reported to be circulating on the Internet [FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert, PDF; NYT report]. The Task Force will include members of the DOJ, FBI, the Federal Trade Commission, the Post Office, and other agencies. Read the DOJ press release.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.