Law Brief: CARES Act Relief for Small Businesses
Monthly Minute | Financial Relief for COVID-19
Johnson & Johnson Challenges the Constitutionality of FCA $1.6 Billion Verdict - Following a record $1.6 billion jury verdict for off-label promotion of HIV drugs Prezista and Intelence, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) subsidiary...more
Since the pandemic, COVID-19-related fraud has been a consistent target of the Department of Justice....more
On April 9, 2024, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) released a report on the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force (“Task Force”), by far DOJ’s most comprehensive review of the Task Force since its creation in...more
Cooperation Spares Former NBA Shooting Guard From Prison - Former National Basketball Association (NBA) shooting guard, Antoine Wright, was sentenced to time served after he pled guilty to conspiracy and aggravated...more
The following is a summary of selected federal Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports of fraud and abuse enforcement activity across the country. The enforcement actions reported...more
On August 23, 2023, DOJ announced that its latest coordinated, nationwide enforcement action to combat COVID-19 relief fraud has resulted in 718 enforcement actions, including federal criminal charges against 371 defendants,...more
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
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
In a press release issued on September 14, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced additional enhancements to its initiative to combat COVID-19 related fraud. Expanding on Attorney General Merrick Garland’s...more
COVID-19 Fraud Update: DOJ Prosecutes More than 150 Defendants, 95 Criminal Cases - Since the inception of the CARES Act, DOJ’s Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in over 95 criminal cases. The Fraud Section...more
Two weeks ago, President Biden signed two laws extending the statute of limitations for civil and criminal fraud actions involving the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to ten years....more
Four Indicted for $16 Million Money Laundering Scheme - On March 23, 2022, an indictment was unsealed in the Western District of Arkansas, charging four men for their involvement in wire fraud and money laundering schemes...more
On March 10, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the appointment of Associate Deputy Attorney General Kevin Chambers to serve as the Director for DOJ’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force. In remarks...more
On the eve of the pandemic’s two-year anniversary, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released updated statistics on its efforts to combat COVID-19 related fraud and announced the appointment of a director of COVID-19 Fraud...more
Takeaway: Be prepared for the continued aggressive investigation and prosecution of white-collar pandemic relief fraud to continue in 2022 as a new Director has been appointed for the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force. ...more
The U.S. Department of Justice has recently begun charging defendants with bank fraud in relation to Paycheck Protection Program loans as part of its continuing efforts to investigate and prosecute individuals for crimes...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
Fraud Scheme Results in $56 Million Seized as Largest Recovery of Cryptocurrency by US - On November 12, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California’s request was...more
Federal prosecutions continue to increase across the country against businesses and individuals accused of fraudulent conduct under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In March, the Department of...more
The U.S. Department of Justice took several victory laps this month, touting long prison sentences it has secured for COVID-19 related fraud. These prison terms send a clear message to any individual or business that...more
On May 17, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced the establishment of a COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force (“Task Force”) to ramp up enforcement efforts against COVID-19-related fraud....more
On May 28, 2021, President Biden submitted his Budget for Fiscal Year 2022 to Congress, including $35.3 billion for the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), which was an overall increase of almost $4 billion from the previous...more
In addition to the ever-growing number of fraud charges brought in connection with the SBA’s PPP program, recent indictments issued across the country in connection with Covid-19 unemployment benefits and economic injury...more
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
Takeaway: The government has increased its prosecutions of fraud related to COVID-19 funds and programs. Given the rapid development of these programs and enforcement, it is more critical than ever to ensure that the...more