Whistleblower News From The Inside — July 14, 2016
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
United States paid out $136.7 billion in improper payments – A Government Accountability Office report reveals that the government’s problem of making payments that should not have been made or were otherwise made in incorrect amounts appears to be growing worse. Washington Post
Ontario launches whistleblower incentive program – The Ontario Securities Commission is the first of Canada’s 13 regulators to encourage whistleblowing with financial rewards. The Economist
Washington DC swaps one alleged fraudster for another to run its public school food program – The city agreed to a $35 million, one-year deal with SodexoMagic despite allegations the company violated the False Claims Act and has served rotten or expired food; the city just ended a contract with Chartwells/Thompson Hospitality after settling False Claims Act allegations of fraud and food quality issues against that company. Washington City Paper
Evercare Hospice and Palliative Care settles False Claims Act case for $18 million – The Minnesota-based hospice care provider allegedly billed Medicare for hospice care of patients who were not terminally ill. Corporate Crime Reporter
Government watchdog criticizes Energy Department’s track record on whistleblowers – The Government Accountability Office is releasing a report today revealing that the agency rarely holds its private contractors accountable for retaliation against whistleblowers in its nuclear program. Miami Herald
Shipping company agrees to pay $98.9 million to settle price fixing charge — Norwegian-based Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics was charged with conspiring to fix prices of international ocean shipments from Baltimore and other U.S. ports. DOJ