Whistleblower Group
This archive page contains posts by the Whistleblower Practice Group. For all Whistleblower pages, please see:
November 6, 2014
Michigan Attorney General announced the distribution of $747,000 from the State’s Foreclosure Scam Restitution Fund to compensate 36 southeast Michigan victims of mortgage modification fraud from Nationwide Consulting, LLC. The operators of the business, Kenneth Sandoval and Zacharia Ortiz were both previously convicted for their role in the scam. MI AGCalifornia Court Follows More Expansive Take on Who Can Be an SEC Whistleblower
Posted 11/6/14
By Jason Enzler
A California federal district court ruled last week that a whistleblower is not required to report allegations of violations of the U.S. securities laws to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in order to qualify for protection under the Dodd-Frank Act. In the case of Connolly v. Wolfgang Remkes, Case No. 5:14-CV-01344 (N.D. Cal. Oct. 28, 2014), the court made that decision -- and...
Whistleblower News from the Inside - November 5, 2014
Posted 11/5/14
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
Supreme Court appears to favor whistleblower -- During oral argument yesterday, the Supreme Court appeared sympathetic to whistleblower Robert MacLean, who was fired after blowing the whistle on the federal air marshal program. ABC News
Navy SEAL who shot Bin Laden to go public -- The man who shot Bin Laden and has given anonymous details of his story will go public.
November 5, 2014
The Florida Attorney General’s Office filed a complaint against Federal Verification Co, Inc. dba GSA Applications for allegedly misleading small businesses by claiming to be the U.S. General Services Administration or implying a government affiliation to solicit small businesses and guarantee them a GSA contract for an upfront fee ranging typically from $5,000 to $8,000. FL AGMonthly Roundup -- October 2014
Posted 11/4/14
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
Here is our look-back at the key whistleblower and fraud developments we have written about over the past month:
FEATURED POSTS AND COMMENTARY
This month's featured posts and commentary included: False Claims Act Scores Continue to Pile Up (here); Third Circuit Rejects Qui Tam Lawsuit On Original Source Requirement (here); Report on UNC Scandal Finds 18 Years of Academic...
Whistleblower News from the Inside - November 4, 2014
Posted 11/4/14
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
Hyundai and Kia fined for misrepresenting fuel efficiency -- In the largest-ever penalty for a Clean Air Act violation, the Korean automakers Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors will pay the government a combined $300M as part of a settlement for overstating vehicle fuel-economy standards on 1.2 million cars. NYT
Bio-Rad Labs to pay $55M to settle FCPA charges -- The...
October 31, 2014
Oklahoma-based dental company, Ocean Dental PC, which operates 28 clinics in seven states, agreed to pay more than $5M to settle charges it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Oklahoma Medicaid program for dental work never performed or billed at a higher rate than allowed. The charges apparently stem from dental restorations by former employee Robin Lockwood who was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison in a separate case. NewsOKWhistleblower News from the Inside - October 31, 2014
Posted 10/31/14
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
Dignity Health to pay $37M to settle whistleblower claims -- The False Claims Act suit alleged that 13 of Dignity Health’s hospitals in California, Nevada and Arizona submitted false claims to Medicare and TRICARE by admitting patients who could have been treated on a less costly, outpatient basis. DOJ
49 organizations call on Congress to restore whistleblower rights for...
DOJ Catch of the Week -- Columbia University
Posted 10/31/14
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
This week's Department of Justice "catch of the week" goes to Columbia University. On Tuesday, the storied Ivy League institution agreed to pay $9 million to settle allegations it defrauded the government of grant funding for AIDS and HIV related work. The settlement was simultaneous with the government's filing of a civil fraud lawsuit in Manhattan federal court against the...