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Catch of the Week: Vascular Surgeon Pays Over $60 Million for Defrauding Health Care Programs

Posted 05/26/23

This week's Department of Justice (DOJ) "Catch of the Week" goes to Michigan vascular surgeon Vasso Godiali. Yesterday, DOJ announced he was sentenced to 80 months in prison "for orchestrating a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud health care programs by submitting claims for the placement of vascular stents and for thrombectomies that he did not perform." In addition to the jail time, Dr. Godiali also has to...

Tagged in: Catch of the Week, FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Medical Billing Fraud, Provider Fraud, Whistleblower Case,

As States Look to Expand Health Coverage, State FCAs Become More Important than Ever

Posted 03/22/23

The increasing burden of healthcare costs has state governments looking at new programs to expand government healthcare options for their residents. Such an expansion of government spending will require a corresponding expansion of efforts to root out fraud, waste, and abuse that steals taxpayer dollars and reduces the benefits available. Existing anti-fraud measures, including state False Claims Acts, will play a...

Tagged in: FCA State, Government Programs Fraud, Healthcare Fraud, Medicaid, Medicare,

Healthcare Fraud Jury Verdict Demonstrates DOJ’s Commitment to Prosecuting Kickbacks

Posted 03/13/23

Very few cases ever filed reach jury trial. The vast majority are dismissed or settle long before that stage. This trend is particularly true for cases filed under the False Claims Act (FCA), where defendants face treble damages and penalties if they are found liable at trial. In FCA trials where the Government and/or whistleblower prevails, the judge, unbeknownst to the jury, is required to triple the amount of...

Tagged in: Anti-Kickback and Stark, FCA Federal, Government Programs Fraud, Healthcare Fraud, Medicare,

DOJ FY2022 Annual Fraud Report Shows $2.2 Billion in Total Recoveries, with $1.9 Billion Thanks to Whistleblowers - But There are Reasons for Concern

Posted 02/8/23

DOJ Headquarters building seen from low angle

The Department of Justice released its annual report of civil recoveries for fraud and false claims against the U.S., showing $2.2 billion in settlements and judgments for the fiscal year ending September 2022. The data released by DOJ show the critical role that whistleblowers play in securing these recoveries for the government: of the $2.2 billion recovered, $1.96 billion – 89% – was recovered in cases...

Tagged in: COVID-19, FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud, Healthcare Fraud, Importance of Whistleblowers, Statistics,

Top Ten SEC and CFTC Recoveries of 2022

Posted 02/1/23

In 2022, the SEC and CFTC redoubled their efforts to preserve market integrity and shut down financial frauds. Both in size and composition, the agencies’ major recoveries look quite different from a year prior. 2021 was all about crypto, with four of the top ten recoveries relating to crypto offerings or exchanges. With the recent collapse of the crypto market—exposing some of the biggest frauds since the...

Tagged in: Accounting Fraud, Cryptocurrency, Financial and Investment Fraud, Fraud in CFTC-Regulated Markets, SEC Whistleblower Reward Program, Securities Fraud, Top 10,

Top Ten Whistleblower Awards of 2022

Posted 02/1/23

2022 was a big year for whistleblowers, who once again recouped billions of government dollars and in turn received hundreds of millions in whistleblower rewards. This year’s top rewards came from various government whistleblower programs, including the qui tam provisions of the federal False Claims Act, various state False Claims Act programs, and the Dodd-Frank SEC Whistleblower Program. Below is a...

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Importance of Whistleblowers, SEC Whistleblower Reward Program, Top 10, Whistleblower Rewards,

Top Ten Non-Healthcare False Claims Act Recoveries of 2022

Posted 01/27/23

This year’s Top Ten Non-Healthcare False Claims Act Recoveries exhibit the False Claim Act’s (FCA) enduring ability to combat corporate misconduct across distinct industries. In 2022, the United States recovered hundreds of millions in taxpayer funds falsely obtained by defendants through bribery and bid-rigging schemes, mortgage underwriting fraud, fraudulent loan applications, fraud in the energy sector, and...

Tagged in: FCA Federal, FCA State, Government Procurement Fraud, Government Programs Fraud, Top 10,

Top Ten State Fraud Recoveries of 2022

Posted 01/19/23

State and local governments play a critical role in ensuring that businesses and individuals are held accountable if they commit healthcare fraud, financial fraud, government contract fraud, and more. For whistleblowers, state governments can offer additional opportunities to report wrongdoing. Where government funds are at stake – and state and local government spending reaching $3 trillion annually – more...

Tagged in: FCA State, Financial and Investment Fraud, Government Procurement Fraud, Healthcare Fraud, Housing and Mortgage Fraud, Medicaid, Money Laundering, Private Insurance Whistleblower Reward Programs, Top 10,

Top Ten FCPA Recoveries of 2022

Posted 01/13/23

In recent years, the United States government has recovered billions of dollars going after companies that bribe foreign officials in order to further their business interests, a practice that violates the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Two principal United States government agencies, the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission, investigate and prosecute FCPA violations. Whistleblowers...

Tagged in: CFTC Whistleblower Reward Program, Criminal Proceedings, FCPA, Financial and Investment Fraud, SEC Whistleblower Reward Program, Top 10,

Top Ten Healthcare Fraud Recoveries of 2022

Posted 01/6/23

Healthcare fraud image showing stethoscope with gavel

Consistent with the trend in prior years, 2022 saw government enforcement agencies taking aim at fraud and false claims in healthcare. As the cost of healthcare rises along with its share of the U.S. economy, the enforcement focus on healthcare fraud is likely to accelerate. And, as always, the role of whistleblowers will be critical, as demonstrated by the dominance of cases originated by whistleblowers under the...

Tagged in: Electronic Health Records, FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Medicaid, Medicare, Other Government Health Programs, Pharma Fraud, Private Insurance Whistleblower Reward Programs, Provider Fraud, Top 10,

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Catch of the Week: Vascular Surgeon Pays Over $60 Million for Defrauding Health Care Programs

As States Look to Expand Health Coverage, State FCAs Become More Important than Ever

Healthcare Fraud Jury Verdict Demonstrates DOJ’s Commitment to Prosecuting Kickbacks

DOJ FY2022 Annual Fraud Report Shows $2.2 Billion in Total Recoveries, with $1.9 Billion Thanks to Whistleblowers - But There are Reasons for Concern

Top Ten SEC and CFTC Recoveries of 2022

Top Ten Whistleblower Awards of 2022

Top Ten Non-Healthcare False Claims Act Recoveries of 2022

Top Ten State Fraud Recoveries of 2022

Top Ten FCPA Recoveries of 2022

Top Ten Healthcare Fraud Recoveries of 2022

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