Whistleblower Group

September 11, 2023

Tempoe, LLC has agreed to pay $35 million to 41 states, the District of Columbia, and the CFPB, after an investigation found the Ohio-based consumer finance company misled customers who sought financing at major retailers into believing they were signing up for an installment plan, when in fact they were being locked into expensive leasing agreements with unreasonable return policies.  Tempoe ultimately caused many customers to pay double or triple the original purchase price.  In addition to the monetary penalty, the company has been ordered to release customers from existing lease agreements and be banned from engaging in future leasing activities.  CFPB; DE AG; GA AG; VA AG

September 19, 2023

Two whistleblowers who provided significant information and assistance to the CFTC has been awarded over $15 million for aiding in successful enforcement actions.  According to the agency, one whistleblower interpreted key evidence and helped identify new lines of inquiry, while the second whistleblower provided information that launched the investigation, provided a corroborating witness, and provided a declaration in support.  CFTC

September 15, 2023

Navmar Applied Sciences Corp. has agreed to pay $4.4 million to resolve allegations of double billing and improperly shifting costs between contracts, in violation of Federal Acquisition Regulations and the False Claims Act.  While under a series of Navy contracts to manufacture, design, and test emerging intelligence technologies, the company double billed for the same costs on two separate contracts, and improperly shifted costs incurred under some contracts to other contracts.  DOJ

September 14, 2023

Following a multi-year investigation by the State of California, Google has agreed to pay $93 million to resolve allegations of deceiving its users about its collection, storage, and use of their location data.  Google was found to have misled users into believing their location data would not be collected, stored, or used for location-based advertising if they turned off “Location History” in their settings.  CA AG

September 13, 2023

Texas-based Oliver Street Dermatology Management LLC, which manages dermatology practices, surgical centers, and pathology labs across the country, has agreed to pay $8.9 million to resolve self-reported violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and False Claims Act.  The company revealed in 2021 that some of its former senior managers had fraudulently increased the purchase price of 11 dermatology practices acquired between 2013 and 2018 in exchange for referrals.  Claims arising from those referrals were found to have been submitted to Medicare.  USAO NDTX

September 10, 2023

Whistleblower partner Eric Havian was quoted in a POLITICO article, What Ginni Thomas and Leonard Leo wrought: How a justice’s wife and a key activist started a movement.