February 11, 2015
Military Contractor Fraud
The False Claims Act is one of the most successful federal statutes when it comes to recouping money lost due to wasteful fraud committed against the government and, as a result, the taxpayers. When it was enacted, soldiers and other participants in the U.S. Civil War were experiencing widespread fraud […]
February 10, 2015
SEC Fraud
In a victory for the Securities and Exchange Commission, the securities ratings firm Standard & Poor’s has agreed to settle claims it fraudulently certified certain mortgage-backed securities as good investments, as well as claims the firm used a certain methodology to calculate risk with regard to commercial mortgage-based securities when, […]
February 9, 2015
Mortgage Fraud
Over the last few posts, we have engaged in an in-depth look at a relatively rare issue involving confidentiality during the investigative stage of a False Claims Act whistleblower case. The case, known as United States ex rel. Bibby v. Wells Fargo, N.A., has garnered some national attention as the […]
February 6, 2015
Mortgage Fraud
As we discussed in yesterday’s post, the Eleventh Circuit recently handed down a ruling in a case of first impression: What sort of punishment should a relator face for breaching confidentiality rules during the investigative stage of a whistleblower action? We reviewed the rules of filing under seal and why […]
February 5, 2015
Mortgage Fraud
Over the next three posts, we will explore a recent case handled by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit – a jurisdiction covering Alabama, Florida, and Georgia – involving sanctions against a courageous whistleblower with an apparent misunderstanding of the rules of confidential seals. In today’s post, […]
February 4, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
Healthcare fraud is a rampant problem in the United States. Each year, the False Claims Act proves integral in recovering billions of dollars from wayward hospitals, management corporations and physicians. Under the False Claims Act, individuals known as whistleblowers (or relators) can file their own lawsuit on behalf of the […]
February 3, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has reached a false claims settlement agreement with a popular Orlando-based dermatology clinic known as Associates in Dermatology. The lawsuit was filed by three former employees of the clinic who had firsthand knowledge of the type of fraudulent misconduct occurring […]
February 2, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
Hot on the heels of the record-breaking fiscal year 2014, the U.S. government continues to pursue and prosecute costly and wasteful healthcare fraud. In today’s case, we explore the facts of a situation occurring in the South Carolina-based Nason Medical Center. The center, located in Charleston, is alleged to have […]
January 30, 2015
Mortgage Fraud
Following the 2008 housing crisis, the federal government went to great lengths to ensure struggling homeowners were afforded every possible opportunity to keep their homes. One such effort, known as the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), was enacted in 2009 to help borrowers who were “upside down” or “underwater” on […]
January 29, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
The False Claims Act contains certain restrictions pertaining to kickbacks offered to physicians treating patients enrolled in government healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. The anti-kickback provisions prohibit any doctor from receiving – or any pharmaceutical company from offering – incentives or benefits in exchange for the provider’s agreement to […]
January 28, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
According to a recent press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, a California-area hospital has agreed to pay $2.25 million to settle claims it unlawfully submitted false claims to the government for reimbursement on behalf of Medicare patients. Like many healthcare claims, the allegations against St. Helena Hospital involve […]
January 27, 2015
Healthcare Fraud
In a somewhat harrowing set of facts, the Medical College of Wisconsin – located in Milwaukee – is alleged to have allowed medical residents the opportunity to perform neurosurgery on patients without proper supervision from teaching physicians. The case, which recently settled for $840,000, came about following the filing of […]