DOJ Enforcement

April 15, 2015

Mehran Zamani pleaded guilty to a multimillion Medicaid fraud scheme relating to his work for Landmark Dental, Dental Group of Stamford and Dental Group of Connecticut where he served as the front for Gary Anusavice, the real owner of the businesses, who was a convicted felon, former dentist, and excluded Medicaid provider.  FBI

April 9, 2015

Sprint Communications, Inc. (formerly Sprint Nextel Corporation) agreed to pay $15.5 million to resolve allegations it defrauded federal law enforcement agencies when recovering its costs of carrying out court-ordered wiretaps, pen registers, and trap devices.  DOJ

April 9, 2015

Virginia-based cardiovascular testing disease laboratory Health Diagnostics Laboratory Inc. agreed to pay $47 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to physicians in exchange for patient referrals and billing federal health care programs for medically unnecessary testing.  A second cardio testing lab, California-based Singulex Inc., agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle similar charges.  The allegations first arose in a whistleblower lawsuit filed by Dr. Michael Mayes, Scarlett Lutz, Kayla Webster and Chris Reidel under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act.  The whistleblower award they will receive has yet to be determined.  Whistleblower Insider

April 8, 2015

Orlando-based Air Ideal Inc. and its majority owner, Kim Amkraut, agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve allegations they made false statements to the Small Business Administration to improperly obtain certification as a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) company.  They must also pay five percent of Air Ideal’s gross revenues over the next five years.  Specifically, the government alleged Air Ideal used its fraudulently-procured HUBZone certification to obtain contracts from the US Coast Guard, US Army, US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Department of the Interior.  The allegations first arose in a whistleblower complaint filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by Patricia Hopson.  She will receive a whistleblower award of $42,500.  DOJ

April 3, 2015

Massachusetts-based dairy farm Michael P. Ferry Inc. and its owner Michael P. Ferry agreed to enter into a consent decree to settle charges of violating the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) in connection with their alleged unlawful use of new animal drugs in cows slaughtered for food.  DOJ

March 31, 2015

Germany-based Robert Bosch GmbH, the world’s largest independent auto parts supplier, agreed to plead guilty and pay a $57.8 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for spark plugs, oxygen sensors and starter motors sold to automobile and internal combustion engine manufacturers in the US and elsewhere.  DOJ

March 31, 2015

Ohio-based Robinson Health System Inc. agreed to pay $10 million to settle claims it violated the False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Statute by engaging in improper financial relationships with referring physicians.  DOJ

March 26, 2015

Ebrahim Shabudin, former Chief Operating Officer and Chief Credit Officer of United Commercial Bank, was convicted of securities fraud and other corporate fraud offenses stemming from the failure of the bank.  DOJ

March 25, 2015

Thomas E. Jackson and Preston J. Harrison, operators of Ohio-based Imperial Integrated Health Research and Development LLC, were convicted of defrauding their company’s investors and diverting investors’ funds for their own personal use in connection with their sale of the sports energy drink OXYwater.  DOJ

March 25, 2015

Schlumberger Oilfield Holdings Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schlumberger Ltd., agreed to enter a guilty plea and pay a $232,708,356 penalty for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by willfully facilitating illegal transactions and engaging in trade with Iran and Sudan.  Whistleblower Insider