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DOJ Enforcement Actions

					
The Department of Justice is the principal federal agency authorized to enforce the laws and defend the interests of the United States. As such, it oversees the enforcement of the False Claims Act, the foundation of the American whistleblower system, as well as numerous other laws.


The agency traces its origins to the Judiciary Act of 1789 which created the Office of the Attorney General, and the 1870 Act to Establish the Department of Justice, which established the agency as “an executive department of the government of the United States” with the Attorney General as its head.


The agency is comprised of numerous divisions with the Civil Division and in some instances, the Criminal Division, overseeing investigations and prosecutions under the False Claims Act. The U.S. Attorneys Office of the federal district where the False Claims Act case is filed also plays a key role in False Claims Act enforcement.


Below are summaries of recent DOJ settlements or successful resolutions under the False Claims Act as well as other successful prosecutions for fraud and misconduct. If you believe you have information about fraud which could give  rise to a claim for a whistleblower reward, please contact us to speak with one of our experienced whistleblower attorneys.

				

			

			
						
					
			

	
		
		

			

				
				
April 20, 2017

				 Illinois-based drugstore giant Walgreen Co. agreed to pay $9.86 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims for reimbursement to California’s Medi-Cal program that were not supported by applicable diagnosis and documentation requirements. The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by a former Walgreens pharmacist and a former pharmacy technician. They will receive a whistleblower award of roughly $2.3 million from the proceeds of the government's recovery. DOJ (EDCA)				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Medical Billing Fraud, 
													  Pharma Fraud, 
													  Whistleblower Case, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 20, 2017

				 Dr. Norman A. Brooks, a dermatologist and surgeon and owner of Skin Cancer Medical Center in Encino, agreed to pay roughly $2.7 million to resolve allegations he submitted bills to Medicare for Mohs micrographic surgeries for skin cancers that were medically unnecessary. The government alleged that Brooks falsely diagnosed skin cancer in some of his patients so that he could perform, and bill for, Mohs surgeries. The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit by former employee Janet Burke. She will receive a whistleblower award of roughly $483,000 from the proceeds of the government's recovery. DOJ (CDCA)				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Healthcare Fraud, 
													  Lack of Medical Necessity, 
													  Provider Fraud, 
													  Whistleblower Case, 
													  Whistleblower Rewards, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 19, 2017

				 Princess Cruise Lines Ltd. was sentenced to pay a $40 million penalty related to illegal dumping of oil contaminated waste and falsification of official logs in order to conceal the discharges.  It was the largest-ever penalty for crimes involving deliberate vessel pollution.  The court also ordered that a $1 million whistleblower reward be awarded to the British engineer who first reported the illegal discharges to the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which in turn provided the evidence to the U.S. Coast Guard. DOJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Environmental Fraud, 
													  Ocean Dumping, 
													  Whistleblower Case, 
													  Whistleblower Rewards, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 18, 2017

				 International Tutoring Services, LLC (d/b/a Hospice Plus; Goodwin Hospice, LLC; Phoenix Hospice, LP; Hospice Plus, L.P.; and Curo Health Services, LLC) agreed to pay $12.21 million to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks in exchange for patient referrals. The alleged kickbacks took the form of cash, gift cards, sham loans, a free equity interest in another entity, stock dividends, and free rental space. The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. The whistleblowers will receive a whistleblower award from the proceeds of the government's recovery. DOJ (NDTX)				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Anti-Kickback and Stark, 
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Home Health and Hospice, 
													  Whistleblower Case, 
													  Whistleblower Rewards, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 14, 2017

				 HSBC Bank agreed to pay roughly $2.1 million to resolve charges it violated the False Claims Act for misconduct in connection with HSBC’s participation in the Small Business Administration (SBA) Express loan program.  According to the government, HSBC sought reimbursement from the SBA without revealing facts suggesting that borrowers submitted false information to HSBC to obtain many of the loans, or the fact that HSBC had included the loans on an internal list of fraudulent or potentially fraudulent loans.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act.  The whistleblower will receive a yet-to-be-determined whistleblower award from the proceeds of the government's recovery. DOJ (SDNY)				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Financial Institution Fraud, 
													  Set-Asides and Preferences, 
													  Whistleblower Case, 
													  Whistleblower Rewards, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 12, 2017

				 The Wisconsin Department of Health Services agreed to pay roughly $7 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act in its administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). DOJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Defendants, 
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Grant and Research Fraud, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 12, 2017

				 Peter Novajosky and Kathy Novajosky, doing business as P&K Realty, agreed to pay roughly $35,000 to settle charges of violating the False Claims Act by making false statements to obtain federal funds through the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing assistance program.  According to the government, the Novajoskys applied for HUD funding without disclosing the tenant to which the requested funding related was their daughter. DOJ (MDPA)				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Financial and Investment Fraud, 
													  Housing and Mortgage Fraud, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 11, 2017

				 Argentine information technology and consulting firm Sistemas Globales S.A. agreed to pay $1 million to settle charges that it and its corporate affiliates, including U.S. affiliate Globant LLC, violated the False Claims Act and the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act relating to Globant’s use of B-1 visas for certain of its foreign national employees. DOJ (NDTX)				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Visa Fraud, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 11, 2017

				 Norman Regional Hospital Authority (d/b/a Norman Regional Health System) and certain employees and physicians of Norman Regional agreed to pay roughly $1.6 million to settle charges of violating the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare for radiological services performed without the proper supervision by a physician.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by former Norman Regional radiologist Dr. Lance Garber.  He will receive a yet-to-be-identified whistleblower award from the proceeds of the government's recovery. DOJ (WDOK)				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Hospital Fraud, 
													  Improper Medical Personnel, 
													  Whistleblower Case, 
													  Whistleblower Rewards, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 10, 2017

				 Kentucky based nursing home operator Prestige Healthcare agreed to pay $995,500 to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act with regard to its role in an alleged scheme to falsely bill Medicare for unnecessary genetic testing.  According to the government, Prestige provided genetic testing company Genomix LLC with information on and access to Prestige nursing home patients without ensuring physician orders were obtained for the testing and where Prestige physicians were not aware of and did not agree with the medical necessity of the testing. DOJ (WDWI)				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Laboratory and IDTF, 
													  Lack of Medical Necessity, 
													  SNF, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			


											

						

								

									
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