Whistleblower News From The Inside — December 23, 2015
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
Whistleblower lawsuit alleges wrongdoing by leading hearing aid charity– A lawsuit filed Friday alleges that the Starkey foundation, the non-profit branch of a global leader in hearing aids, was grossly overstating the amount of free hearing aids donated. The suit is filed by a former employee who claims she was retaliated against for raising the issue. Minneapolis Star Tribune
Federal Government joins suit against Illinois home health care company– The false claims lawsuit against Addus Homecare alleges the company targeted dual beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid to sign patients up for services they were not qualified for. Law 360
Whistleblower-Scientist’s case against the USDA moves forward– The Merit Systems Protection Board ruled that a whistleblower’s case can move past the agency’s request to dismiss. The whistleblower, a USDA scientist, claimed supervisors deterred and impeded his research after he began to suggest pesticides are a threat to pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. Washington Post
Nation’s largest for profit hospital chain settles whistleblower suit– A whistleblower suit alleging physicians at an HCA hospital in Georgia performed unnecessary and substandard heart surgeries has settled for 2 million dollars. The whistleblower, a former physician at the hospital in question, received $560,000 as his share of the settlement. Modern Healthcare
California Sporting goods store owners arrested due to 3 million in fraud– A whistleblower’s tip led to the arrest of the couple, who are charged with 10 felony counts, for soliciting investment in the store and using the money for personal gain including mortgage payments, charitable donations, and payments to relatives. OC Weekly
Detroit Animal Control director reassigned over whistleblower’s claim– As a result of a whistleblower’s claims of animal cruelty and mistreatment Henry Ward, the director of Detroit Animal Control, has been removed from that position. He will now care for the Detroit Police Department’s two horses. Fox