DOJ Enforcement

March 7, 2014

Ocean shipping companies Sea Star Line and Horizon Lines agreed to pay $1.9M and $1.5M, respectively, to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by fixing the price of government cargo transportation contracts between the continental US and Puerto Rico, the Department of Justice announced today.  The allegations were first raised in a qui tam lawsuit filed by former Sea Star Line executive William B. Stallings under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act.  He will receive a whistleblower award of $512,719.  DOJ

August 21, 2013

Richard S. Obedian, orthopedic surgeon, agreed to pay the government $388,000 to settle allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare for minimally invasive spine procedures. DOJ

August 19, 2013

Shands Teaching Hospital & Clinics agreed to pay $26M to settle allegations that six of its health care facilities submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care programs for inpatient procedures that should have been billed as outpatient services. The allegations were first raised in a qui tam lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. DOJ

August 6, 2013

Larry Lehmann has agreed to pay $400,000 to settle allegations that he violated the False Claims Act in connection with the Federal Communications Commission’s E-rate Program. The E-rate Program subsidizes eligible equipment and services to make Internet access and internal networking more affordable for public schools and libraries. The allegations were first raised in a qui tam lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. DOJ