August 5, 2014
General
As we recently reported, government contractor Trinity, Inc. began its trial before a federal District Court judge earlier this month. The case involves extensive allegations of fraudulently modified designs for highway guardrail systems, as well as extensive possible liability under the False Claims Act. In a shocking turn of events, […]
August 4, 2014
General
The False Claims Act has proven to be a steadfast and consistent deterrent of fraudulent behavior by government contractors and those in direct business with government agencies and entities (e.g., healthcare providers). Under the tenets of the FCA, anyone caught submitting false claims for payments could face treble damages, as […]
August 1, 2014
General
If you are aware of ongoing fraud against the federal government, you are likely feeling uneasy and anxious about the information you are holding. Upon the occurrence of any type of government fraud, whether it is against the IRS, SEC, or any other government agency, your best first step is […]
July 31, 2014
General
The False Claims Act, which was enacted in the 1800s, has proven so wildly successful over the years that several other federal agencies and state governments opted to enact similar legislation. One such program, implemented by the IRS, is designed to help curtail the effects of tax fraud and evasion, […]
July 30, 2014
General
Earlier this month, a False Claims Act case against drug maker Calgene was unsealed, revealing allegations of off-label marketing with regard to its controversial cancer drug Thalomid. The case, in which the government opted not to intervene, has been subject to several months’ worth of procedural wrangling by both parties. […]
July 29, 2014
General
As you well know, the Department of Justice has discretion to decide whether it will intervene in a whistleblower case. While only a small fraction of False Claims Act cases receive federal government intervention, qui tam plaintiffs may opt to continue on with their case without the government if they […]
July 28, 2014
General
In an interesting False Claims Act case involving government contracts concerning biotechnology, Virginia-based American International Biotechnology reportedly defrauded the federal government by improperly billing for genetic testing. The case involves the widespread problem of fraud against Medicare and Medicaid, and reveals the true extent to which healthcare fraud is invading […]
July 25, 2014
General
In an all-too-familiar scenario, pharmaceutical company Astellas, Inc. has agreed to settle all allegations against it involving the anti-fungal medication Mycamine. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it had reached an agreement with the company wherein it would remit over $7 million to the government pursuant […]
July 24, 2014
General
In an interesting and unique False Claims Act case, a federal contractor tasked with performing construction and updates on interstate highways is being forced to defend against claims that it submitted fraudulent designs for approval and false claims to the government. The case made it all the way to trial, and […]
July 23, 2014
General
Earlier this year, Florida-based health services company Halifax Health paid $85 million to settle allegations that it was engaged in a years-long kickback scheme in violation of the federal Stark Law. The settlement was one of the largest reported in Florida history; however, it did not work to settle the […]
July 22, 2014
General
As you may recall, we reported heavily months ago on the breadth of the False Claims Act allegations facing Omnicare, Inc. Omnicare, a company reigning as one of the top providers of pharmacy services to nursing homes, has been embroiled in widespread allegations of fraud and unlawful kickbacks spanning years. […]
July 21, 2014
General
Fraud can occur in virtually any industry – and it takes courageous private citizens to come forward, ultimately exposing fraud to authorities and alerting taxpayers as the misconduct being perpetrated in even the most unlikely of sectors. In a recent settlement under the False Claims Act, Re/Max Allegiance Relocation Service […]