Whistleblower Insider Blog

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,

Genetic Testing Scheme Leads to Another Fraud Conviction

Posted 10/11/23

The DOJ recently announced another fraud conviction in connection with genetic testing. This conviction from a federal jury in Florida is the latest word in a string of fraud actions against companies and individuals offering to provide genetic testing services. According to the DOJ, Jose Goyos and others managed the “‘doctor chase’ division” of a call center, which “contacted the primary care physicians...

Tagged in: Healthcare Fraud, Laboratory and IDTF, Lack of Medical Necessity, Medicare, Provider Fraud,

Scoundrel Spotlight - COVID-19 Fraudster Lourdes Navarro

Posted 10/9/23

This week's Scoundrel in the Spotlight is Lourdes Navarro and her husband Imran Shams. The married pair ran the LA County medical lab Clinical Laboratory Inc. (also called Health Care Providers Laboratory). Their lab performed COVID-19 screening tests primarily for nursing homes and other facilities catering to the elderly population. Last Thursday (October 5), Navarro pleaded guilty to fraudulently billing the...

Tagged in: COVID-19, Healthcare Fraud, Lack of Medical Necessity, Medical Billing Fraud, Medicare, Risk Adjustment Fraud,

SEC Charges yet Another Company for Violating Whistleblower Protection Rule

Posted 10/6/23

On September 29, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that New York-based investment adviser D. E. Shaw & Co. agreed to pay $10 million to settle charges of violating the SEC's Whistleblower Protection Rule. It is the third SEC settlement in September for violating the rule, which prohibits a company from taking any steps to interfere with a whistleblower's efforts or incentives to report potential...

Tagged in: Securities Fraud, Whistleblower Protection Laws,

Scoundrel Spotlight - Medicare Fraudster Jesus Virlar-Cadena

Posted 10/2/23

This week’s Scoundrel in the Spotlight is Jesus Virlar-Cadena, a former medical director of a Texas-based healthcare provider called Merida Group, who was recently sentenced to over four years in prison in connection with a fraudulent scheme involving over $150 million in false Medicare claims, according to a DOJ press release. The Merida Group marketed hospice services to patients with long-term incurable...

Tagged in: Criminal Proceedings, Healthcare Fraud, Home Health and Hospice, Lack of Medical Necessity, Medicare, Provider Fraud,

Catch of the Week: The Boeing Company

Posted 10/2/23

This week's Department of Justice (DOJ) Catch of the Week goes to the Boeing Company. Yesterday (September 28), DOJ announced the Virginia-based aircraft maker agreed to pay $8.1 million to settle charges it violated the False Claims Act in connection with its Navy contracts to manufacture the V-22 Osprey military aircraft. According to the government, for more than ten years Boeing violated contractual...

Tagged in: Catch of the Week, Contract Non-Compliance, FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

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