Payments News Update – January 14, 2021

Legal and Regulatory Developments SPOTLIGHT: Visa Will Not Acquire Plaid After Running Into Regulatory Wall TechCrunch – January 12, 2021 Visa and Plaid called off their agreement this afternoon, ending the consumer credit giant’s takeover of the data-focused fintech API startup. The deal, valued at $5.3 billion at the time of its announcement, first broke cover on January 13, 2020, or nearly one year ago to the day. However, the Department...

The Antitrust Week In Review

Here are some of the developments in antitrust news this past week that we found interesting and are following. N.C.A.A. President Seeks Delay on Vote to Let Students Profit From Fame.  The N.C.A.A., confronted with new scrutiny from the Justice Department, on Saturday all but abandoned plans for votes in the coming days that could have allowed student-athletes to profit off their fame, assuredly inflaming a debate that has drawn...

Vote Here Now for the 2020 Whistleblower of the Year

Thank you for voting for the 2020 Whistleblower of the Year. Polls are now closed and we are pleased to announce that Rebekah Jones is our 2020 winner! Whistleblower Insider wants to hear from you on who should be honored as our 2020 Whistleblower of the Year. As in past years, we are especially interested in those individuals who best encapsulate the qualities of the typical whistleblower — courage, strength, integrity, selflessness and...

Top Ten State Healthcare and Financial Fraud Recoveries of 2020

State and local governments are on the front lines of enforcing anti-fraud laws and play a critical role in ensuring that businesses and individuals are held accountable.  Whistleblowers with information about corporate misconduct involving healthcare, government procurement, financial regulation, and tax may find that state proceedings offer them the best option. More than 30 states have False Claims Acts that are modeled after the federal False Claims Act, and California...

2020 Whistleblower of the Year Candidate – Dr. Rick Bright

Scientists within federal agencies don’t normally have to put their jobs and reputation on the line in order to do what until recently we took for granted:  that the federal government would take action consistent with the best scientific methods and evidence when the country is faced with a grave and immediate public health threat.  But the last four years during the Trump administration have been anything but normal, with...

2020 Whistleblower of the Year Candidate – Dawn Wooten

Privately run immigration detention facilities have been a stain on our nation’s reputation for years now.  The refugees and other immigrants who are detained within their walls suffer family separation, inadequate medical care, lack of basic necessities, inedible food, psychological torture, and even death from easily treatable diseases due to flimsy infection controls.  The current pandemic crisis only amplifies these gross failures. One of the reasons these facilities have been...

2020 Whistleblower of the Year Candidate – Rebekah Jones

We know her story all too well at this point.  Rebekah Jones is the geospatial scientist who designed and managed the COVID-19 tracking dashboard for Florida’s Department of Health.  This was the database reporting on the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Florida.  It was a model for other states to follow, widely praised for its clarity and accessibility, and even championed by former White House coronavirus response coordinator...

Payments News Update – December 24, 2020

DEEPER DIVE: The DOJ Is Right in Suing to Stop Visa’s Deal for Plaid. Here’s Why: Part I and Part II In a two-part article, payments industry expert Mark Horwedel discusses the DOJ’s lawsuit concerning Visa’s acquisition of Plaid. Legal and Regulatory Developments SPOTLIGHT: Apple Pay Antitrust Pressure Grows as Service Heads Towards 10% of All Transactions 9to5Mac – December 18, 2020 Apple Pay antitrust pressure is growing as the...

Vote Soon for the 2020 Whistleblower of the Year

Whistleblower Insider wants to hear from you on who should be honored as our 2020 Whistleblower of the Year.  As in previous years, we are especially interested in those individuals who best encapsulate the qualities of the typical whistleblower — courage, strength, integrity, selflessness and a deep concern for public health and safety.  And please add in the comments section why your candidate is deserving of the honor.  Voting will begin in...

Payments News Update – December 17, 2020

Legal and Regulatory Developments SPOTLIGHT: Will a U.K. Class Action Case Influence Interchange Policy in the United States? Digital Transactions News – December 14, 2020 A class of 46 million consumers in the United Kingdom cleared a major hurdle last week when the country’s Supreme Court ruled that a class-action suit brought against Mastercard Inc. for excessive interchange fees can proceed. But they still face a major challenge proving that...