Advocacy Group, A Just Cause, Meets With Congressmen On Capitol Hill About IRP6 Case; Shares How IRP Software Will Help Fight Terrorism and Keep America Safe


Denver, Colorado (PRWEB) July 22, 2014

Advocacy group, A Just Cause, announces today that its team has had recent successful meetings with members of Congress in Washington D.C. regarding the IRP6 case. The team shared information with Congress about the law enforcement software that IRP Solutions had developed and found that there is still a need for legislation to support equipping law enforcement agencies with innovative investigations software. A Just Cause believes that the software developed by the IRP6 is critical to the United States fight against terror.

The IRP6 case concerns an African-American company (IRP Solutions Corporation) in Colorado that developed criminal investigations software for federal, state and local law enforcement. The IRP6 were convicted in 2011 and have been incarcerated at the Federal Prison Camp in Florence, Colorado for two years while A Just Cause questions the unusual length of time for getting an appellate decision. The IRP6 and supporters continue to maintain their innocence and are seeking intervention from Congress (D. Ct. No. 1:09-CR-00266-CMA).

The advocacy organization believes that the federal government’s efforts to track terrorist organizations and collaborate with other agencies in the war on terror could be resolved with Case Investigative Lifecycle (CILC) software developed by the now-jailed CEO and former executives of IRP Solutions Corporation. “A Just Cause is pushing for the release of the IRP6 so they can get back to what they were doing… helping to make this country safe,” argues Sam Thurman, A Just Cause.

“We have found that the software developed by IRP Solutions meets or exceeds many of the requirements called out by the 9/11 Commission, as well as what is suggested as best practices by the National Institute of Justice,” says Sam Thurman, A Just Cause. “While the 9-11 Commission Report was released some time back, the issues still exist. The CILC software made such a splash in the market that it was featured in the Law Enforcement Technology Magazine (http://www.officer.com/search?q=irp+solutions), Police Magazine (http://www.policemag.com/channel/technology/articles/2004/02/software-spotlight.aspx and http://www.policemag.com/channel/technology/photogallery/2010/01/law-enforcement-software.aspx), and it was referenced in the 8th Edition of ‘Criminal Investigation,’ a textbook written by Wayne Bennett and Karen Hess (Criminal Investigation, Bennett and Hess, 2007, Thomson Wadsworth),” adds Thurman.

Efforts to track terrorist activities was brought to the forefront with the 9/11 Commission Report. The 9/11 Commission Report states, “The FBI did not have the capability to link the collective knowledge of agents in the field to national priorities.” The report further stated, “The FAA’s capabilities to take aggressive, anticipatory security measures were especially weak.” (National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, August 2004, http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/).

The 9/11 Commission analysis stated, “The FBI did not have an adequate mechanism for validating source reporting, nor did it have a system for adequately tracking and sharing source reporting, either internally or externally” (National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, August 2004, http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/).

Based on forensic evidence presented during the IRP6 trial, we believe that IRP’s CILC software is designed will fulfill the government’s requirements,” says Thurman (Califorensics Analysis, Case 1:09-cr-00266-CMA Document 298-2, 10/8/10 USDC Colorado).

“I am 100% confident that CILC can immediately help the FBI resolve the case management challenges identified by Jack Israel. CILC was designed to be able to do what no other investigative software in the world could – morph itself to work within the process of any law enforcement agency,” says Gary Walker, IRP6 (CEO, IRP Solutions Corporation).

Court records (Ct. No. 1:09-CR-00266-CMA) show that during the trial of the IRP executives, software forensics expert Don Vilfer of Califorensics analyzed the CILC software. According to the analysis conducted by Califorensics, “The software (CILC) contained many notable features, making it a functional product for the intended consumer (Califorensics Analysis, Case 1:09-cr-00266-CMA Document 298-2, 10/8/10 USDC Colorado).” Court records also show that the report stated, “No one software application would meet the needs of all agencies, but the functionality that we observed in our review of the CILC software would undoubtedly be of interest to many law enforcement agencies (Califorensics Analysis, Case 1:09-cr-00266-CMA Document 298-2, 10/8/10 USDC Colorado).”

“Court records show that evidence of the validity of the CILC software, as well as other key testimony were not allowed during trial,” says Thurman. “There is solid proof that the executives of IRP Solutions were engaged with the Department of Homeland Security to the extent of providing a quote to deliver one module of their software to the government… a quote that exceeded $ 100 million (for the Consolidated Enforcement Environment Initiative). I must add that the federal government has already spent over $ 1 Billion on what the government has called failed efforts at this type of software (Virtual Case File and Sentinel, http://www.justice.gov/oig/reports/FBI/a0740/intro.htm),” concludes Thurman.

“This week I visited a Congressman in Washington, D.C. who conceded that federal agents still do not have the tools needed to track and fight terrorism,” says Lamont Banks, A Just Cause. “God forbid a terror attack on the scale of 9/11 strikes this nation again. Let’s imagine if the IRP6 were not incarcerated and their software was in full use throughout the country, could something like the Boston Marathon bombing have been avoided,” questions Banks. “That is a very real scenario that people need to consider while six patriots sit in prison for over two years waiting on an appeal,” adds Banks. “We are asking American citizens to take a hard look at this case and demand that the IRP6 be released. These men believe in this country, and I believe that they have developed something that is truly vital in our war on terror,” says Banks.    

A Just Cause has released information showing that court records (Ct. No. 1:09-CR-00266-CMA) confirm expert witnesses for the IRP6 were not allowed to testify during trial. Andrew Albarelle, Principal Executive Officer of Remy Corporation, a Denver-based staffing company, took the stand to testify on behalf of the defendants, but Judge Arguello dismissed Mr. Albarelle before he could testify. (Discover: Albarelle Letter, Ct. No. 1:09-CR-00266-CMA). “The anomalies in this case are egregious without question”, says Thurman. “When you consider the expert witness situation, Judge Arguello violating the men’s Fifth Amendment, and then the gross injustice of denying them over 200 pages of transcript that we believe will prove their innocence…there is no question in our minds that the IRP6 should not be in prison. There is also no question in our mind that there is enough evidence to warrant an investigation in this case,” adds Thurman.

“In addition to the unusually long lag in the appellate process, A Just Cause questions the inconsistent feedback from the various court employees,” states Ethel Lopez, A Just Cause. “The Judicial Assistant to Appellate Judge Hartz stated that they are done with the case, but the former Deputy Clerk of the Court Doug Cressler stated previously that it has not been decided, and yet another time it was stated that the case is with the ‘writing judge’. These inconsistencies raise a red flag,” argues Lopez.

The IRP6 (Kendrick Barnes, Gary L. Walker, Demetrius K. Harper, Clinton A. Stewart, David A. Zirpolo and David A. Banks) have been incarcerated for over two years (US District Court for the District of Colorado, Judge Christine M. Arguello, D. Ct. No. 1:09-CR-00266-CMA; Case Nos: NO. 11-1487, Case Nos. 11-1488, 11-1489, 11-1490, 11-1491 and 11-1492).

Appellate Court panel includes the Honorable Senior Judge Bobby R. Baldock, Honorable Judge Harris L. Hartz, and Honorable Judge Jerome A. Holmes

For more information about the story of the IRP6 or for copies of the legal filings go to http://www.freetheirp6.org.

Related press releases: http://www.a-justcause.com/#!press-releases/c21pq







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New York Using Whistleblower Law as Part of Systemwide Effort To Pursue Tax Evasion Aggressively, According to Young Law Group


Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) April 30, 2014

New York State is actively pursuing businesses that have engaged in tax evasion and wealthy taxpayers who are hiding income offshore. The New York False Claims Act permits individuals to share in the proceeds from these enforcement efforts if they bring forth evidence of tax fraud that results in successful collection efforts from a taxpayer. Unlike many states which do not provide for rewards in tax cases, the law allows accountants, financial professionals and employees of businesses, as well as others who wish to do the right thing when they discover wrongdoing, an avenue to report their information to the government and seek recovery on behalf of their fellow taxpayers.

“Recent enforcement actions by New York demonstrate that the state is actively pursuing collection efforts against tax evaders and would be interested in evidence about others,” according to Eric Young, Esq., Managing Partner of Young Law Group, P.C. “Individuals who have evidence of deliberate evasion or underpayment of taxes, including sales tax, should consult a whistleblower attorney about the procedure for reporting to the government and the potential for a reward based on their information.”

Prior to 2010, New York State did not pay for tax tips. In 2010, New York removed the exemption for cases of tax fraud in the False Claims Act, permitting whistleblowers with evidence of businesses avoiding payment of income taxes or the state sale tax to file a lawsuit to share in the state’s recovery. New York is beginning to see results from the change of the law.

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and New York settled a qui tam whistleblower lawsuit in March brought against Lantheus Medical Imaging Inc. by a tax service provider for alleged failure to pay New York State and City taxes in Anonymous v. Anonymous, case number 102892/2012, Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York. Lantheus agreed to pay $ 6.2 million in the settlement for engaging in business in New York without paying applicable taxes.*

New York is also pursuing a tax fraud lawsuit initially brought by a whistleblower against Sprint-Nextel Corp that claims Sprint-Nextel failed to collect state and local taxes on flat-rate access charges for wireless calling plans. It estimates that Sprint has allegedly failed to pay $ 130 million in taxes, resulting in a case for damages of nearly $ 400 million.** The lawsuit is People of the State of New York et al. v. Sprint Nextel Corp. et al., case number 103917-2011, in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York.

New York’s use of the False Claims Act appears to be part of a systemwide effort to pursue cases of tax fraud. The Department of Taxation and Finance collected 5 percent more in evaded taxes in the 2013-14 fiscal year than it did the prior year.*** The increase of approximately $ 200 million brought the total achieved through enforcement programs for the year to $ 3.9 billion. Additionally, the Department of Financial Services, led by Superintendent Benjamin M. Lawsky, is also conducting an investigation into whether Credit Suisse aided taxpayers in tax evasion. A dual purpose of the inquiry, according to the New York Times, is to recover tax revenue lost by the State of New York. ****

“The real victims of tax fraud are the taxpayers who diligently and honestly pay their taxes every year,” said James J. McEldrew, III, Esq., Of Counsel at Young Law Group, P.C. “Individuals who come forward and tip the government to fraud are performing a public service. The False Claims Act recognizes the valuable contribution they make to society.”

About Young Law Group, P.C.

Young Law Group represents whistleblowers reporting tax evasion, securities fraud and health care fraud to the U.S. Government and various state governments, including New York. For a free confidential consultation about a potential case, please call Eric L. Young, Esq., at (800) 590-4116.

Eric L. Young, Esq., Managing Partner of Young Law Group, represented the first whistleblower awarded compensation by the IRS under the mandatory reward program created following the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006. Young has also served as an expert witness in areas of U.S. whistleblower law and represented clients in some of the largest qui tam recoveries including United States ex. rel. Lucia Paccione v. Cephalon Inc., E.D.P.A., 03-CV-6268.

Additional information about Young Law Group, P.C. can be found at http://eganyoung.com

For attribution purposes: * http://www.ag.ny.gov/press-release/ag-schneiderman-announces-62-million-settlementwith-lantheus-medical-imaging-bristol

** http://www.ag.ny.gov/press-release/ag-schneiderman-wins-right-proceed-groundbreaking-tax-fraud-lawsuit-against-sprint

*** http://nypost.com/2014/04/16/ny-claws-back-3-9b-in-evaded-taxes/

**** http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/credit-suisse-is-said-to-be-facing-double-barreled-inquiries/







Rewards for Evidence of Ambulance Fraud Available to Whistleblowers Under the False Claims Act, According to Young Law Group


Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) April 28, 2014

The fraudulent billing of Medicare by ambulance companies is an area prime for whistleblowers with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimating that ambulance providers were overpaid more than $ 300 million last year.* Employees who identify that their company is charging Medicare illegally may earn a substantial reward if they report their evidence through the procedures set up by the False Claims Act and the United States recovers money from the company as a result.

Medicare pays for transportation by ambulance when it is medically necessary. “Although there are dialysis and cancer patients who may appropriately require rides for treatment, unscrupulous service providers will offer ambulance rides to patients who they could safely transport in a wheelchair van or could drive their own vehicle. The owners implement this practice in order to line their pockets because the government will reimburse more for ambulance transportation,” commented Eric L. Young, Esq., Managing Partner of Young Law Group.

Other practices which may violate the False Claims Act include the billing for emergency services in non-emergency situations, business acquired by referral agreements prohibited under the Anti-Kickback Statute and under the table payments to patients are also prohibited.

“Employees at companies engaged in this misconduct should consult with an attorney to determine their rights,” said Young. The Young Law Group offers a free, confidential evaluation to potential whistleblowers who have evidence of fraud by ambulance providers against the U.S. government. Please call 1-800-590-4116 for additional information.

“The federal government revised the False Claims Act in 1986 to strengthen the public-private partnership in the fight against fraud,” declared James J. McEldrew, III, Esq., Of Counsel to Young Law Group. “The government can not investigate every bill submitted by Medicare service providers in order to determine whether the charge is valid. It relies, in part, on ethical individuals working for the companies and others who come across evidence of fraud to report it.”

The False Claims Act authorizes individuals to report fraudulent bills submitted to and paid by Medicare in a qui tam lawsuit. If the government or the relator, as the whistleblower filing the lawsuit is commonly known, is able to recover money paid out by the government through litigation, the relator may receive between 15 and 30 percent of the amount recovered. The law also provides whistleblowers with protection against retaliation by authorizing a federal lawsuit for damages when an employer changes the terms and conditions of their employment due to lawful whistleblowing.

Earlier this month, the payment data for $ 77 billion paid through Medicare Part B to 880,000 providers in 2012 was released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).** The $ 5 billion paid by Medicare to ambulance companies in 2012 was more than was paid to orthopedic surgeons or cancer doctors.*

The Medicare data reveals that the program pays fifty percent more per patient, on average, to providers in West Virginia, Massachusetts, South Carolina and New Jersey for transportation. This may signal fraudulent billing but insiders are needed to confirm it with actual evidence of fraud. The U.S. government has already identified Houston, Texas and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as areas where illegal billing is likely to originate. New ambulance companies are not permitted to register with Medicare and Medicaid in these two regions at present.

About Young Law Group, P.C.

Young Law Group represents whistleblowers reporting health care fraud to the U.S. Government via qui tam lawsuits permitted by the False Claims Act. Young Law Group also represents individuals reporting securities fraud to the SEC/CFTC programs and tax evasion to the IRS.

Eric L. Young, Esq., Managing Partner of Young Law Group, represented the first whistleblower awarded compensation by the IRS under the mandatory reward program created following the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006. Young has also served as an expert witness in areas of U.S. whistleblower law and represented clients in some of the largest qui tam recoveries, including United States ex. rel. Lucia Paccione v. Cephalon Inc., E.D.P.A., 03-CV-6268.

For a free, confidential case evaluation and discussion about whistleblower laws and rights, please call Eric Young, Esq., at 1-800-590-4116.

Young Law Group, P.C., is a private law office located at 123 S. Broad St., Ste 1920, Philadelphia, PA 19109 with attorneys licensed to practice in Pennsylvania. The firm will associate with local counsel in other jurisdictions when necessary. Young Law Group may not be able to represent residents of all states.

Learn more about Eric Young, Esq., and Young Law Group at http://eganyoung.com

For attribution purposes:


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-24/medicare-s-5-billion-ambulance-tab-signals-area-of-abuse.html

** http://money.cnn.com/2014/04/09/news/economy/medicare-doctors/







Integrity Consulting Group Successfully Managed the Reinvention of New York City Landmark Restaurant Tavern on the Green

New York, New York (PRWEB) April 26, 2014

Integrity Consulting Group (ICG), industry leaders in strategic real estate project management headed by Richard Jantz and Michael d’Orlando, was hired by restaurateurs Jim Caiola and David Salama, licensees of the new Tavern on the Green. ICG coordinated and organized the extensive team of builders and contractors needed to build out the interiors and exterior gardens of the landmark restaurant in New York City’s Central Park.

NYC Department of Design and Construction and the NYC Parks Department performed the significant structural and exterior work, allowing Integrity Consulting Group the opportunity to focus on building out the interior and kitchen to meet their clients’ specifications as well as the naturalistic park setting exterior design.

Integrity Consulting Group’s role expanded to be the conduit between the City’s team and the needs of the restaurant. ICG immediately began overlaying the developing design of the interior infrastructure and spaces to the established design of the core and shell to avoid rebuilding any items that could be in conflict with the restaurant. In addition to these tasks, ICG was tapped to coordinate the approvals of the Public Design Commission and the Landmarks Commission in close coordination with the Parks Department.

ICG managed every aspect of the project from coordination of the implementation of the work to providing strategic advisory to Caiola and Salama to managing the procurement of the custom furniture and light fixtures that highlight the space.

Tavern on the Green at 67th Street and Central Park West reopened today, Thursday, 24 April with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony overseen by NYC Parks First Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh, with both ICG’s principles Richard Jantz and Michael d’Orlando on hand to proudly reveal the new incarnation of the beloved New York City icon.

About Integrity Consulting Group

Since 1996, Integrity Consulting Group’s (ICG) partners have been industry leaders in the field of Strategic Real Estate Project Management providing invaluable service to our clients (property owners and developers) for projects totaling over 25 million square feet of space. ICG offers comprehensive services for businesses at every point in the Real Estate project lifecycle including: Due Diligence, Real Estate Market and Needs Analysis, Project Analysis, Project Planning (Scheduling and Budgeting), Design Management, Contracting, Implementation Management, Project Close-Out, Expert Witness Service.







Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuit News: Federal Bard Trial Scheduled to be Retried July 29, Rottenstein Law Group LLP Reports


(PRWEB) July 29, 2013

The first federal bellwether trial for a Bard transvaginal mesh lawsuit was scheduled to start over today in Charleston, W.V., according to court documents. The Rottenstein Law Group LLP, a law firm that represents hundreds of transvaginal mesh plaintiffs, notes that the initial trial was declared a mistrial two weeks ago because of improper testimony from an expert witness.

Plaintiffs Dan and Donna Cisson allege that device manufacturer C.R. Bards Avaulta transvaginal mesh implant was designed defectively and caused Donna to suffer serious injury, according to court documents in Cisson v. C. R. Bard, Inc. (MDL-2187; 2:11-cv-00195; U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia).

We are pleased that the plaintiff has another opportunity for a trial, said Rochelle Rottenstein, principal of the Rottenstein Law Group LLP.

Women who have filed vaginal mesh lawsuits allege that the devices have caused them to suffer several serious adverse side effects since implantation, including vaginal erosion. The mesh is used to treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. Recent vaginal mesh awards included a 2012 verdict in California against Bard which resulted in a $ 5.5 million damages award* to the plaintiff and a 2013 verdict against Ethicon that resulted in an $ 11 million award** to a woman who alleged serious injury from her implant.

The Rottenstein Law Group LLP encourages those who believe they have suffered from the alleged side effects of their vaginal mesh implants to download a free informational brochure from its website. Those who believe their mesh has injured them will find instructions and procedures for filing a vaginal mesh lawsuit, in addition to more information about side effects.

*bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-24/bard-must-pay-5-5-million-over-vaginal-mesh-implants.html (July 24, 2012)

**bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-28/j-j-owes-7-76-million-in-punitives-in-vaginal-mesh-case.html (Feb. 28, 2013)

About THE ROTTENSTEIN LAW GROUP LLP

The Rottenstein Law Group LLP is a New York-based firm that represents clients nationwide in mass tort actions. The firm was founded by Rochelle Rottenstein, who has more than two decades of experience as a lawyer, to represent clients hurt by defective medical devices and medications. (Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.)

Contact:

The Rottenstein Law Group LLP

Rochelle Rottenstein, Esq.

321 W. 44th Street

# 804

New York NY 10036

(212) 933-9500 (office phone)

(212) 933-9980 (facsimile)

rochelle (at) rotlaw (dot) com

###







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Sustainable Builders Working Group Hosts Jason LaFleur and Michael Hobbs

Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) May 29, 2013

No matter where people live or where people work, people are impacted by buildings. Buildings exist all around. Whether it is the office building that people work in, the commercial building that people shop at, or the residential building that people live, buildings exist all around.

One lesser known fact is that buildings not only impact the environment, they also impact people’s health. Think about it. On any given day, how many hours are is the average person inside of a building? The average person is inside of a building for approximately 12 to as a many as 18 or more hours a day. That is a significant amount of time to be inside and likely most people do not even know if the building is healthy or not. Specifically, Chicago metro area has one the highest asthma rates in the country. Granted, there are other causes of asthma than buildings, but buildings are a significant contributor. A recent statistic from the Chicago Conservation Corp indicated that if just 1 in 10 homes used Energy Star appliances, the benefit would be the same as planting 1.7 million trees. Clearly, energy consumption matters.

As the awareness of the impact of buildings on people’s health and the health of the planet grow, the importance of understanding the impact of building design, construction and operation increases. In the past decade, it has regularly been cited that buildings account for 72% of all electric use in the United States. Furthermore, early research results point to the positive improvements that result in employee health, workplace satisfaction and even creativity from working in a high-performance or green building. Obviously there is still a lot more research to be undertaken to fully comprehend the impact, but early indications are healthier is better.

On Wednesday, May 29, 2013, Jason LaFleur, LEED AP, and Michael Hobbs, SRA, RAA, LEED GA, are speaking at the Sustainable Builders Working Group hosted by the Chicago Community Loan Funds Building for Sustainability program. The Sustainable Builders Working Group is meeting at 4pm, 29 E Madison Street, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60602.

Enterprising investors, developer, builders and home owners are actively creating green & high-performance buildings, designing green & high-performance buildings, living in green & high-performance buildings and working to create the possibility that all new buildings will be high-performance. As these enterprising individuals design a new future unlike the past, they are creating whole new industries of products, processes and perspectives on building construction.

Understanding the impact and benefit of green and high performance buildings is a point of beginning. Come learn how practitioners and appraisers address, assess and evaluate green & high-performance buildings and energy efficient improvements. “As adoption of green and high-performance buildings increases, there will be a large demand for those skilled in this specialty, said Michael Hobbs.

The mission of the Chicago Community Loan Fund is to provide flexible, affordable and responsible financing and technical assistance for community stabilization and development efforts that benefit low- to moderate-income neighborhoods, families and individuals throughout Chicago. CCLF was founded in 1991 by a group of visionary social-investment advocates and continues to provide a forum for community partners, developers, architects and urban planning professionals to address the needs of the community.

Jason LaFleur is the Chair of the Residential Green Building Committee for the USGBC Illinois Chapter, the Regional Director for the Alliance for Environmental Sustainability, as well as the Director of Curriculum and President of Eco Achievers. Jason graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has been working in education and curriculum development for over a decade in Chicago. His passion is to see the market transformation for green and high-performance buildings by achieving sustainability through program and organizational development. Jason regularly works with clients on determining and developing their plans and proposals for LEED-compliant projects.

Michael Hobbs, SRA, RAA, LEED GA, is the President of PahRoo Appraisal & Consultancy, located in Chicago, Illinois. He is a professional speaker and state-certified real estate appraiser in Illinois who regularly provides expert testimony as an expert witness in local, state and federal courts. Michael received the SRA designation from the Appraisal Institute and he holds the RAA designation from the National Association of Realtors. Additionally, he has achieved LEED GA, an accreditation of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). He is a regularly published author and speaker on the topics of real estate, appraisal and valuation, and entrepreneurship. Currently, he serves on the board of The Entrepreneur Organization (EO) Chicago Chapter, a global network of more than 9,000 business owners and entrepreneurs in 40 countries. Presently, Michael is one of only 3 designated real estate appraisers operating in the Chicagoland market who is also LEED accredited in the United States.







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