Whistleblower Insider Blog

Private Equity Firms Buying Healthcare Companies May Increase Risks to Patients and Lead to More Whistleblower Actions

Posted 01/8/24

Businessman Under Dark Shadow Pointing Finger

Private equity (PE) firms are in the hot seat, particularly when it comes to acquiring and investing in healthcare companies. According to a recent CNN article, a research study published in JAMA found that “[h]ealth care became more hazardous for patients at hospitals purchased by private equity firms.” This not only should concern patients and Government enforcers. It also could be a harbinger of more...

Tagged in: Healthcare Antitrust, Healthcare Fraud, Whistleblower Eligibility,

Catch of the Week: Moffitt Cancer Center

Posted 01/5/24

This week's Department of Justice (DOJ) Catch of the Week goes to Tampa-based H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute Hospital. Yesterday (January 4), the non-profit cancer treatment and research center agreed to pay roughly $19.6 million to settle DOJ charges of violating the False Claims Act by billing Medicare for patient care services provided during research studies not eligible for...

Tagged in: Catch of the Week, FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Improper Medical Facility, Medical Billing Fraud, Medicare,

Constantine Cannon Partner Gordon Schnell Published in Fortune on Why You Might Be the Next Big Whistleblower

Posted 01/3/24

Person Standing and their Shadow Displayed as Superhero

Constantine Cannon partner Gordon Schnell was published yesterday (January 2) in Fortune on why you might become the next big whistleblower. He co-authored the piece with Amber Scorah, founder of Parallel Story, a nonprofit helping whistleblowers tell their stories. Schnell and Scorah have worked for years helping whistleblowers bring forward information about fraud and misconduct. But not necessarily the kind...

Tagged in: CC Lawyers, Importance of Whistleblowers, Whistleblower Answers,

DOT Imposes Record Fine Against Southwest Airlines for Christmas Meltdown

Posted 12/28/23

Last week (December 18), the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a landmark $140 million penalty against Southwest Airlines for operational failures that stranded more than two million passengers over last year's Christmas holiday season. DOT trumpeted it as 30 times larger than any previous DOT penalty for consumer protection violations. And it is on top of another $600 million in refunds and rewards the...

Tagged in: Damages and Penalties,

In Their Own Words. . . .Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)

Posted 12/22/23

"The False Claims Act is our nation’s primary weapon against fraud, and it has been amended by Congress and reaffirmed by the courts throughout our history. The qui tam provision has been particularly essential in our fight against fraudsters by leveraging whistleblowers’ knowledge of schemes that the government likely wouldn’t uncover on its own. These brave and patriotic whistleblowers play a critical...

Tagged in: In Their Own Words,

Community Health Network Pays $345 Million to Settle Stark Law Case

Posted 12/21/23

Handshake in room with dark window blinds

Community Health Network Inc., based in Indianapolis, recently settled with the U.S. government for $345 million, addressing allegations under the False Claims Act related to the Stark Law. This landmark case emphasizes the importance of whistleblowers to combat Medicare fraud. The Stark Law prevents hospitals from billing Medicare for services referred by physicians who have a financial relationship with the...

Tagged in: Anti-Kickback and Stark, FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Medicare, Whistleblower Case,

How to Catch a Liar

Posted 12/20/23

We are in the business of catching liars. Or at least, helping the government catch them. It is a tricky business for sure. Liars have a way of improving with age and practice. It is even more difficult with corporate fraud, as many perpetrators do not believe they are doing anything wrong. Living by an ends-justifies-the-means mentality. Or merely following the lead or direction of their highly-respected...

Tagged in: Whistleblower Answers,

Catch of the Week: Freepoint Commodities

Posted 12/18/23

This week's Department of Justice (DOJ) Catch of the Week goes to Freepoint Commodities. Last Thursday (December 14), the Connecticut-based commodities trading company agreed to pay roughly $98 million to settle government charges it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by paying bribes to Brazilian government officials. The company also agreed to disgorge roughly $7.6 million to the Commodity Futures...

Tagged in: Ballsy Bribes, Bribery and Bid-Rigging, Catch of the Week, FCPA, Fraud in CFTC-Regulated Markets,

Whistleblower Spotlight: Jailed Iranian Activist Narges Mohammadi

Posted 12/14/23

Whistleblowers come in all shapes and sizes. Some they write movies about, gaining fame (and sometimes fortune) in the process. Others go in the opposite direction, victimized for their temerity; for daring to sound the alarm when something rubs against their moral compass. Still others speak their truth quietly, just getting the job done without fanfare or rebuke so they can sleep better at night. Regardless...

Tagged in: Human Rights, Whistleblower Spotlight and Interviews,

Better Markets Heralds SEC Whistleblower Program as a Model To Follow

Posted 12/14/23

Better Markets -- a nonpartisan nonprofit promoting the public interest in financial reform and the economy -- just released (on December 7) a report on the SEC Whistleblower Program, touting it as a $6 billion success story. In announcing its findings, Better Markets did not spare its high praise for the whistleblower program, highlighting "just how critical [it] has been as a law enforcement tool, allowing the SEC...

Tagged in: Financial and Investment Fraud, Importance of Whistleblowers, SEC Whistleblower Reward Program,

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