Amid an ongoing federal crackdown on fraud in COVID-19 relief programs, the IRS announced that it will offer certain employers an opportunity to withdraw Employee Retention Credit (ERC) claims if they are concerned about...more
Responding to concerns about extensive fraud and scams involving the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has stopped processing new ERC claims, published updated frequently asked questions...more
“If it is a conservation easement and the people who are receiving the deduction are outside of family...the IRS assumption is that it's a tax shelter.”
A backlog of conservation easement Tax Court cases and IRS audits are...more
Employers should be careful before claiming the Employee Retention Credit (ERC).
Over the past several months, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has warned taxpayers twice about third parties who advise employers to claim...more
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a new voluntary self-disclosure policy February 22, 2023, that sets uniform criteria for how and when prosecutors should reward corporate cooperation in criminal investigations. The...more
In its first enforcement action related to COVID-19 government aid programs, the Federal Reserve Board recently announced that it has fined New York-based Popular Bank $2.3 million for processing Paycheck Protection Program...more
2/9/2023
/ Borrowers ,
CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Reserve ,
Fraud ,
Lenders ,
Loans ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, chaired by Rep. James E. Clyburn, released the final report on its investigation into the use and distribution of $5 trillion in federal pandemic-related aid,...more
Continued Internal Revenue Service processing delays are preventing businesses from receiving pandemic relief benefits, according to the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). And at the same time,...more
The Justice Department recently announced new charges, convictions and sentencings in its ongoing initiative to target pandemic-related fraud, emphasizing the government’s commitment to identify and hold accountable those who...more
The Justice Department has announced a civil settlement of the first Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud whistleblower case in which the government intervened. This milestone should remind PPP borrowers they should...more
The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) has applauded the Internal Revenue Service for granting automatic penalty relief related to select 2019 and 2020 returns, but asked for two tweaks to the process:
The group wants...more
The Justice Department has announced the first-ever False Claims Act settlement with a lender to resolve allegations related to processing a Paycheck Protection Program loan on behalf of an ineligible customer. This...more
9/21/2022
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Criminal Conspiracy ,
Cyber Crimes ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
DOJ Strike Force ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
FBI ,
Fraud ,
Lenders ,
Money Laundering ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Popular ,
SBA
The Internal Revenue Service plans to provide widespread penalty relief for the late filing of certain tax and information returns for the 2019 and 2020 tax years.
According to Notice 2022-36, this latest penalty relief...more
The Internal Revenue Service has announced the first installment of its annual “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams. Published every year, the “Dirty Dozen” comprises the twelve most prevalent tax scams that taxpayers may...more
With the arrest of the CEO of a New Jersey non-bank lender, the U.S. Department of Justice appears to have entered a new, more aggressive phase of its scrutiny of COVID-19 related aid and alleged fraud in the administration...more
With tax season upon us, taxpayers and tax professionals need to know how to avoid falling prey to fraudulent scams. In this episode of The Presumption of Innocence, Matthew Adams and Matthew Lee, Co-Chairs of Fox’s...more
The U.S. Department of Justice continues to seek long prison sentences for those convicted of COVID-19 related fraud. Recently, courts have agreed with prosecutors, and have issued increasingly lengthy prison terms to those...more
The U.S. Justice Department’s COVID-related health care fraud crackdown continues to intensify. On a single day in September 2021, the Justice Department announced criminal charges against 138 defendants in 31 federal...more
10/13/2021
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
DEA ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Diagnostic Tests ,
FBI ,
Fraud and Abuse ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Medical Equipment ,
Nurses ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Physicians ,
Provider Relief Fund ,
Telehealth ,
Telemedicine
The owner of a Florida jet company agreed August 26, 2021, to pay a large penalty for using government aid - which was directed to his business - on his own personal expenses.
The scheme came to light because of a...more
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has intensified its already aggressive crackdown on fraud related to COVID-19, recently announcing criminal charges against a telemedicine company executive, a physician, marketers and medical...more
6/8/2021
/ CARES Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
FBI ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare ,
OIG ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Personally Identifiable Information ,
Popular ,
Provider Relief Fund ,
Telemedicine ,
Virus Testing
Intensifying its crackdown on suspected fraud in pandemic relief programs, the U.S. Department of Justice has established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, sending a clear message that any individual or business that...more
6/2/2021
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Economic Injury Disaster Loans ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Agency Taskforce ,
FIRREA ,
Fraud ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
SBA ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Unemployment Insurance ,
Whistleblowers
The Justice Department continues to intensify its crackdown on COVID-19 relief program fraud, a clear indication that any individual or business that has benefited from the government aid should expect enhanced scrutiny from...more
The Justice Department has widened its crackdown on COVID-19 fraud, announcing the first criminal case alleging misuse of federal relief funds designated for medical providers. The egregious nature of the alleged fraud and...more
2/26/2021
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Embezzlement ,
FBI ,
Fraud ,
Health Care Providers ,
Home Health Care ,
Investigations ,
Misuse or Misdirection of Funds ,
OIG ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Provider Relief Fund
In recognition of the continuing economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Internal Revenue Service is easing its collection activities to avoid the seizure of bank accounts containing either Economic Impact...more
The U.S. Justice Department announced its first civil settlement with a Paycheck Protection Program borrower alleged to have committed fraud in connection with this highly popular COVID-19 relief program. A bankruptcy online...more