Whistleblower Insider Blog

Caught in the Crosshairs - Department of Veteran Affairs

Posted 11/17/23

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...

Tagged in: Other Government Health Programs,

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

Posted 11/17/23

Nurse Holding Clipboard in Front of Nursing Patient

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...

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

In Their Own Words. . . .Marie Terracol

Posted 11/8/23

"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...

Tagged in: In Their Own Words,

CFTC’s 2023 Annual Report on Whistleblower Program Highlights Program’s Success and Important Role of Whistleblowers

Posted 11/3/23

The CFTC’s 2023 Annual Report to Congress on its whistleblower program highlights the success of the program and strongly reinforces the important role whistleblowers play in rooting out commodity frauds. The CFTC’s Whistleblower Program “provides monetary incentives to individuals who report possible violations of the Commodity Exchange Act that lead to a successful enforcement action,” and provides...

Why Cybersecurity Whistleblowers Should Be Treated as Friends, Not Foes

Posted 11/1/23

A very insightful article in Security Week explains the rise of cybersecurity whistleblowers and why corporations would be wise to welcome them with open arms. It may seem counterintuitive to embrace what many so readily dismiss as rabble-rousers or disgruntled employees getting in the way of business. But the higher truth, as the most experienced compliance professionals can attest, is that whistleblowers...

Tagged in: Cybersecurity and Data Breaches, Importance of Whistleblowers, Whistleblower Eligibility,

In Their Own Words. . . .CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero

Posted 11/1/23

"Whistleblowers play a vital role in supporting CFTC investigations related to fraud and other illegality. The CFTC could not fully protect customers and markets without whistleblowers. . . . The faster we can stop fraud, the more we can protect customers from harm." From Commissioner Goldsmith Romero's Statement on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Annual Report on its Whistleblower Program, which...

Tagged in: In Their Own Words,

In Their Own Words. . . .Igor Volovich

Posted 10/31/23

"A whistleblower is a canary in the mine. . . . They are essential for the continued safe operation of the mine." Igor Volovich, VP of compliance strategy at Qmulos, in Security Week article on the rise of cybersecurity whistleblowers and why companies would be best served by treating them as friends not foes.

Catch of the Week: AECOM

Posted 10/30/23

Last week's Department of Justice (DOJ) Catch of the Week goes to Dallas-based architecture and engineering firm AECOM. Last Tuesday (October 24), the company agreed to pay $11.8 million to settle charges it violated the False Claims Act by improperly billing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster assistance funding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster...

Tagged in: Catch of the Week, FCA Federal, Flood Insurance, Government Programs Fraud, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

DOJ Issues Elder Justice Report To Congress

Posted 10/26/23

A key focus of the Justice Department is prosecuting and deterring elder fraud and abuse. In the words of Attorney General Merrick Garland, “Every year, millions of older adults experience some form of elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or fraud. … Holding to account those individuals and organizations that engage in elder fraud or abuse is the cornerstone of the Department’s elder justice...

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud,

CFTC Makes $18 Million Whistleblower Award

Posted 10/13/23

Screenshot of CFTC Whistleblower Program web page

Yesterday (October 12), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced an $18 million whistleblower award. The agency did not disclose the identity of the whistleblower or the associated enforcement action. It never does. The CFTC maintains strict confidentiality over its whistleblowers. All we know is the whistleblower "provided detailed information and assistance," that "was significant in amount...

Tagged in: CFTC Whistleblower Reward Program, Fraud in CFTC-Regulated Markets, Whistleblower Rewards,

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