Seven Individuals Charged in $16 Million COVID-Relief Fraud Scheme -
In an indictment unsealed on November 17, seven individuals were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud for allegedly submitting at...more
House Committee Chairs Direct White House and Federal Agencies to Preserve Documents during Transition Period to the Biden Administration -
On November 10, 2020, Committee Chairs from the House of Representatives sent...more
Russian National Sentenced to Prison for $100 Million Cyber Fraud Conspiracy -
On October 30, 2020, a Russian national was sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in a scheme to illicitly obtain and use sensitive...more
11/6/2020
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Medicare ,
Physicians ,
Qui Tam ,
Russia ,
SCOTUS ,
Sensitive Personal Information ,
Whistleblowers
Mortgage Company to Pay $24.9 Million to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Violations -
On October 28, 2020, the Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) announced that Guild Mortgage Company (“Guild”), a California-based...more
11/2/2020
/ Anti-Bribery ,
Books & Records ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Fair Housing Act (FHA) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
HUD ,
India ,
Internal Controls ,
Maryland ,
Money Laundering ,
Russia ,
Settlement ,
Wire Fraud
Department of Justice Announces $8.3 Billion Settlement with Opioid Manufacturer Purdue Pharma and Members of the Sackler Family -
On October 21, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it reached a global resolution...more
10/26/2020
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Bankruptcy Court ,
DEA ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) ,
Fraud ,
Health Care Providers ,
Opioid ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Purdue Pharma ,
Securities Act of 1933 ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Substance Abuse
Medical Device Manufacturer Settles Improper Payment Allegations for $18 Million -
Merit Medical Systems Inc. (MMSI), a Utah-based medical device maker, will pay $18 million to settle allegations that it engaged in a...more
10/19/2020
/ Child Care ,
Corporate Integrity Agreement ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Kickbacks ,
Mail Fraud ,
Medicaid ,
Medical Devices ,
Medicare ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Subcontractors ,
TRICARE ,
Wire Fraud
DOJ Announces Charges Against 345 Defendants in Historic Nationwide Health Care Fraud and Opioid Takedown -
The DOJ announced a nationwide enforcement action charging 345 defendants across 51 federal districts with...more
10/5/2020
/ Anti-Dumping Agreement ,
Bribery ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Countervailing Duties ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Economic Injury Disaster Loans ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Kickbacks ,
Loan Applications ,
Medicare ,
Nonprofits ,
Opioid ,
Pharmacies ,
Physicians ,
SBA ,
Settlement ,
Substance Abuse ,
Telecommunications ,
Telemedicine ,
Wire Fraud
Biotechnology Company Settles False Claims Act Charges for $11.5 million -
The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced a settlement with Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. (“BRL”), a New...more
9/28/2020
/ Anti-Fraud Provisions ,
Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Biotechnology ,
Broker-Dealer ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicare ,
New Jersey ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Settlement Agreements ,
TRICARE ,
Whistleblowers
Engineering Firm Settles $37 Million False Claims Act Allegations -
As part of a settlement agreement with the Department of Justice, QuantaDyn Corporation has agreed to pay $37,757,713.91 in restitution to resolve...more
9/21/2020
/ Bribery ,
Criminal Conspiracy ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act of 2018 (EKRA) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Investment Fraud ,
Jury Trial ,
Kickbacks ,
National Institute of Health (NIH) ,
Patient Referrals ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Wire Fraud
Acute Care Hospital Agrees to Pay $50 Million to Settle Alleged Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute Violations -
On September 9, 2020, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced that Wheeling Hospital Inc. (“Wheeling...more
9/14/2020
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
California ,
Campaign Contributions ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Fair Market Value ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Qui Tam ,
Risk Assessment ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Stark Law ,
TRICARE ,
Wire Fraud
Third Circuit Holds that False Claims Act First-to-File Bar is Not Jurisdictional -
On September 1, 2020, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held that the False Claims Act (FCA) first-to-file bar, 31 U.S.C. §...more
9/8/2020
/ Anti-Bribery ,
Appeals ,
Appellate Courts ,
Burden of Proof ,
Civil Forfeiture ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Embezzlement ,
Extradition ,
Failure To State A Claim ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Financial Institutions ,
First-to-File ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Lobbying ,
Settlement Agreements
Defense Contractor Pays $1.1 Million to Resolve Civil Fraud Claims -
Islands Mechanical Contractor, Inc. (IMC), a construction contractor, has agreed to pay $1.1 million to settle civil fraud claims relating to improperly...more
Florida Doctor Charged in $681 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Substance Abuse Treatment -
On July 30, 2020, a criminal complaint was unsealed charging Michael J. Ligotti, D.O., with conspiracy to commit health care fraud...more
8/10/2020
/ Drug Treatment ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicare ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Substance Abuse ,
Whistleblowers ,
Wire Fraud
Drug Testing Lab Pays Nearly $12 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations -
On July 20, 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a civil settlement with Sterling Healthcare Opco, LLC d/b/a Cordant Health...more
7/27/2020
/ Anti-Fraud Provisions ,
Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Corporate Integrity Agreement ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Drug Testing ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Inspector General ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicare ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
TRICARE
COVID Relief Program Fraud Charges -
DOJ continues to announce charges against defendants accused of fraud in connection with allegedly false loan applications submitted under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)...more
7/20/2020
/ Bank Fraud ,
CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
False Statements ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Kickbacks ,
Loan Applications ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
SBA ,
Skilled Nursing Facility ,
Tax Returns ,
TRICARE ,
Wire Fraud
DOJ Announces $72.3 Million False Claims Act Settlement -
Oklahoma Center for Orthopaedic and Multi-Specialty Surgery, its part-owner and management company, a physician group, and other affiliated entities and individuals...more
Business Owner Charged with Fraud Connected to the Paycheck Protection Program -
On June 15, 2020, the owner of several information technology companies was charged in a criminal complaint with bank fraud and for making...more
6/22/2020
/ Business Ownership ,
CARES Act ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare ,
IRS ,
Kickbacks ,
Loan Applications ,
Medicare ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
SBA ,
TRICARE
Medical Technology Company President Charged in $69 Million COVID-19 Testing Fraud Scheme -
A complaint in the Northern District of California was unsealed on June 9, 2020, charging the president of Arrayit Corporation, a...more
6/15/2020
/ Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
General Services Administration (GSA) ,
Kickbacks ,
Medicare ,
Pharmacies ,
Probation ,
Securities Fraud ,
South Korea ,
TRICARE ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Virus Testing ,
Wire Fraud
Contractors to Pay Over $2.8 Million to Settle Small Business Contract Fraud Allegations -
On June 2, 2020, the Department of Justice announced that Ross Group Construction Corporation and its affiliates agreed to pay...more
6/5/2020
/ Blockchain ,
California ,
Compliance ,
Contractors ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
SBA ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Settlement ,
Small Business ,
USDA
Foreign National Charged With Fraudulently Applying for $20 Million in COVID-19 Loans -
On May 21, 2020, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced the arrest of a foreign national for...more
DOJ Obtains Restraining Order to Stop Oklahoma Company From Selling Purported COVID-19 Treatment -
An Oklahoma federal court issued a temporary restraining order against Xephyr LLC d/b/a N-Ergetics and its owners ordering...more
SEC Adopts Aggressive Approach to COVID-19 Fraud -
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has already initiated multiple investigations into companies seeking to illegally profit from the global coronavirus pandemic...more
5/4/2020
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Fraud ,
Inspector General ,
Medicare ,
Pandemic ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Trading Suspension ,
TRICARE ,
Whistleblowers
Nonprofit Hospital System and Physician Practice Reach $10 Million Settlement for False Claims Act Allegations -
Centra Health Inc., a nonprofit hospital system, and Blue Ridge Ear, Nose, Throat and Plastic Surgery, Inc.,...more
4/27/2020
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Kickbacks ,
Maryland ,
Medicaid ,
New York ,
Patient Referrals ,
Qui Tam ,
Relators ,
Stark Law ,
State and Local Government ,
Tax Fraud ,
Whistleblower Awards ,
Whistleblowers
Supreme Court Declines to Resolve Circuit Split Over Deference Owed to Department of Justice Decisions to Dismiss Whistleblower Suits Brought Under the False Claims Act -
On April 6, 2020, the US Supreme Court denied a...more
SDNY Files Civil Fraud Lawsuit Against Anthem -
On March 27, 2020, the Manhattan U.S Attorney announced the filing of a civil fraud lawsuit against Anthem Inc. for allegedly falsely certifying the accuracy of diagnosis...more