Whistleblower Group

RFSUNY Paid $300K to Settle Allegations of UAlbany Scientist's Undisclosed Foreign Ties in NASA and NOAA-Funded Research

The Research Foundation of the State University of New York (RFSUNY) has agreed to pay $313,574 to settle allegations that a SUNY at Albany (UAlbany) research scientist failed to disclose affiliations with and support from a foreign government while receiving federal research grants.

The settlement addresses claims that Dr. Qilong Min withheld information about his connections and funding from the Chinese government...

In Their Own Words … U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, Zachary Cunha

“I would say 9 times out of 10 … what’s really motivating people [to blow the whistle] is the desire to do the right thing.  They see something that is wrong, and they want to step up and they want to deal with it.  …  And part of our job is to step up and support them in that effort.”

U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, Zachary Cunha, providing his views on whistleblowers during a recent 

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals to Pay $25 Million in Price-Fixing Scheme

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced on Wednesday, that Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA, has agreed to pay $25 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act (FCA) that it conspired to fix the price of the generic cholesterol-lowering drug pravastatin.  The government alleged Glenmark violated the Anti-Kickback Statute between 2013 and 2015, by paying and...

Medical Device Company to Pay $700,000 to Settle FCA Whistleblower Case

Medical device manufacturer THD America Inc., along with its parent company, THD SpA of Italy, have agreed to pay $700,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that THD caused physicians to submit improper billing codes to Medicare and Medicaid for its novel hemorrhoid removal kit (the “Kit”). According to the government, THD sells the Kit to colorectal surgeons to assist in the cauterization and removal of...

SEC Continues to Focus on “Greenwashing”

The SEC continues to go after companies that make inaccurate statements about the sustainability or environmental impact of products or practices -- so called “greenwashing.”  The most recent example is the hot water in which Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. found itself. The SEC charged Keurig with making inaccurate statements in its annual reports for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 regarding the “recyclability of its...

CFTC Makes $4 Million Whistleblower Award

Today, (August 30), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced a $4 million whistleblower award "to an insider whistleblower who provided information that led the Division of Enforcement to open an investigation into ongoing misconduct." This follows a relatively modest spate of awards this year, including awards on August 8 ($1M), June 17 ($8M), June 3 ($4.5M), March 14 ($1.25M).

Despite the small...

Navy Ship Manufacturer Pays $800k to Settle FCA Case Involving Substandard Valves

When it comes to the safety of our military, there is no room for shortcuts. Austal USA LLC, a shipbuilder out of Mobile, Alabama, crossed that line by allegedly supplying the military with “butterfly valves” that did not meet military grade standards. Butterfly valves are quarter-turn valves that rotate to control the flow of fluids in pipelines, the failure of which could lead to leaks in a ship’s hull. Austal...

Government Goes After Georgia Tech For Alleged Cybersecurity Violations

Last Thursday (August 22), the Department of Justice (DOJ) joined a whistleblower lawsuit alleging the Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia Tech Research Corp. violated the False Claims Act by failing to meet cybersecurity requirements on certain Department of Defense contracts. The whistleblowers who originated the action were members of Georgia Tech’s cybersecurity team.

The lawsuit alleges multiple...

Los Angeles to Pay $38.2M to Settle Affordable Housing Whistleblower Case

In a landmark case for affordable housing justice, the City of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $38.2 million to resolve a False Claims Act whistleblower suit alleging misuse of Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant funds. Whistleblower Mei Ling, an L.A. resident who uses a wheelchair, played a crucial role in holding the city accountable and ensuring federal funds are used to benefit all residents,...

SEC Awards $24 Million To Two Whistleblowers

After a relatively quiet year of SEC whistleblower awards, the SEC seems to be on a bit of a roll with its announcement today of a $24 million award to two whistleblowers. This follows last Friday's award (August 23) of a whopping $98 million to two whistleblowers, which followed two $37 million awards last month (on July 26 and July 17). There had been no other awards this year up to that point. Whatever may have...