Whistleblower Insider Blog

Caught in the Crosshairs - Loyal Source Government Services

As reported in the Washington Post yesterday (November 30), a long-serving Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official filed a whistleblower complaint with Congress claiming significant failures by medical service contractor Loyal Source Government Services and CBP's refusal to address them.  Even worse, when the whistleblower -- 14-year CBP veteran Troy Hendrickson -- tried to raise his concerns with his CBP...

Catch of the Week: King Kong Tools

This week's Department of Justice (DOJ) Catch of the Week goes to King Kong Tools GmbH & Co KG.  On  Wednesday (November 29), the German-based supplier of recycling, forestry, construction, and agricultural equipment, along with its American subsidiary, agreed to pay $1.9 million to settle DOJ charges of violating the False Claims Act through customs fraud.  More specifically, the government alleged King Kong...

Alabama Court Reaffirms Constitutionality of False Claims Act

The False Claims Act is the government's primary tool to go after those committing fraud against the government.  One of the key features of the statute is the qui tam provisions, which allow private parties (whistleblowers) to bring suit on the government's behalf and in return, receive a hefty share of any government recovery.  The Constitutional muster of this feature has long been settled, with the statute...

Tactical Gear Company Settles $2.1 Million False Claims Act Allegations

The U.S Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Ohio has announced that London Bridge Trading Company, Ltd. (LBT), a Virginia headquartered manufacturer of tactical gear for military, law enforcement, and other organizations, has agreed to pay nearly $2.1 million to settle False Claims Act allegations.  The case, initiated by qui tam relator Ann Keating, involves accusations that LBT failed to comply with the...

OIG Identifies Fraud as Top Challenge in 2023 HHS Annual Report - Bring on the Whistleblowers

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) just released its 2023 Annual Report on its Top Management and Performance Challenges for the past year.  Among the key challenges OIG identified is better protecting HHS programs -- Medicare and Medicaid being chief among them -- from fraud, waste, and abuse.  No big surprise as this is a perennial challenge for the federal...

Caught in the Crosshairs - Lone Star Organic Dairy

As described in a PETA press release last week (November 16), a whistleblower alerted the animal protection group to what it describes as "extreme animal suffering and mass deaths" at Texas dairy farm Lone Star Organic Dairy.  Lone Star has roughly 2,300 cows and supplies milk to Horizon Organic, the largest organic milk supplier in the country.  In response to the whistleblower's outreach, PETA sent a letter to the...

In Their Own Words. . . .Sam Lebovic

"[I]t is easier . . . to debate the character of the [whistleblower] than to try to make sense of the substantive political issues they reveal, which are by definition complex and controversial.  But when the inevitable next leaker comes along, we should not take this easy road. . . .  Rather than debating the personality of the discloser, we should debate the political significance of what was disclosed." Sam...

Caught in the Crosshairs - Department of Veteran Affairs

As reported this week in Military Times, a group of whistleblowers have complained of significant failings in the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) suicide prevention hotline.  According to the article, the Veterans Crisis Line has rapidly expanded in recent years, growing from roughly 900 employees in 2021 to more than 1,800 employees today.  At the same time, however, there has been an equally dramatic rise in...

$45.6 Million Settlement in False Claims Act Case Against Nursing Facility Defendants

The DOJ recently announced another settlement of a False Claims Act case against skilled nursing facilities (SNFs).  This time, it was a $45.6 million settlement of a False Claims Act case that the government brought against six SNFs; a management company called Paksn Inc.; and Prema Thekkek, the owner.  The six SNFs do business as (i) Bay Point Healthcare Center (Kayal Inc.); (ii) Gateway Care & Rehabilitation...

In Their Own Words. . . .Marie Terracol

"Whistleblowers regularly save lives, prevent environmental damages and help recover millions of [] much-needed public funds that would have been lost to corruption.  It is essential that policymakers safeguard and empower whistleblowers to come forward and speak up in the public interest." Marie Terracol, Whistleblower Protection Lead at Transparency International, in connection with the organization's...