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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 28, 2015

				 Japan-based Yamada Manufacturing Co. Ltd. agreed to plead guilty and pay a $2.5 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for manual (non-electric or non-hydraulic-powered) steering columns installed in cars sold in the US and elsewhere.  DOJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Bribery and Bid-Rigging, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 27, 2015

				 The Medical Center of Central Georgia agreed to pay $20 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicare for more expensive inpatient services that should have been billed as less costly outpatient or observation services.  DOJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Hospital Fraud, 
													  Upcoding, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 23, 2015

				 Louisiana doctor Winston Murray pleaded guilty to federal health care fraud charges, admitting (i) he wrote home health care referrals for Medicare beneficiaries he knew were not confined to their homes, and (ii) his referrals were used by home health companies Interlink Health Care Services Inc. and Lakeland Health Care Services Inc., among others, to fraudulently bill Medicare for home health services not medically needed or not provided.  From 2007 through 2014, these companies and other companies involved in this scheme submitted more than $56 million in claims to Medicare, a vast majority of which were fraudulent.  DOJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Home Health and Hospice, 
													  Lack of Medical Necessity, 
													  Medical Billing Fraud, 
													  Provider Fraud, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 23, 2014

				 Wholesome Soy Products Inc. was permanently enjoined from distributing adulterated mung bean and soybean sprouts.  This follows the government’s complaint alleging the company’s food was prepared, packed and/or held under insanitary conditions.  DOJ				 			
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 22, 2015

				 ExxonMobil Pipeline Company and Mobil Pipe Line Company agreed to pay $5 million in penalties, including the funding of an environmental project, and implement corrective measures to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and state environmental laws stemming from a 2013 crude oil spill from the Pegasus Pipeline in Mayflower, Arkansas.  DOJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Environmental Fraud, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 21, 2015

				 Family Dermatology P.C., which owns and operates a dermatopathology lab in Georgia and several dermatology practices throughout the Eastern United States, agreed to pay $3,247,835 to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act and the Stark Statute by engaging in improper financial relationships with a number of its employed physicians.  According to the government, Family Dermatology routinely required its dermatologists to use Family Dermatology’s in-house pathology lab, which operated under the name Nelson Dermatopathology, for their pathology services.  The allegations first arose in three whistleblower lawsuits filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by Scott M. Ross MD, Mark F. Baucom and Harold Milstein MD.  They will collectively receive a whistleblower award of more than $584,000.  DOJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Anti-Kickback and Stark, 
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Provider Fraud, 
													  Whistleblower Case, 
													  Whistleblower Rewards, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 21, 2015

				 Texas-based Citizens Medical Center agreed to pay $21,750,000 to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act and Stark Statute by engaging in improper financial relationships with referring physicians.  According to the government, the hospital provided compensation to several cardiologists that exceeded the fair market value of their services and paid bonuses to emergency room physicians that improperly took into account the value of their cardiology referrals.  The allegations first arose in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by Dakshesh “Kumar” Parikh, Harish Chandna and Ajay Gaalla.  They will collectively receive a whistleblower award of $5,981,250.  DOJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Anti-Kickback and Stark, 
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Hospital Fraud, 
													  Whistleblower Case, 
													  Whistleblower Rewards, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 21, 2015

				 R.J. Zavoral & Sons, Inc., John Zavoral, Peter Zavoral and Craig Pietruszewski agreed to pay $1.85 million to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act by making false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the US Army Corps of Engineers relating to the Heartsville Coulee Diversion construction contract they were awarded for flood control work in and around East Grand Forks, Minnesota.  DOJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  FCA Federal, 
													  FIRREA, 
													  Government Procurement Fraud, 
													  Set-Asides and Preferences, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 16, 2015

				 Felix Gonzalez, owner of Miami home health care company AA Advanced Care Inc. was ordered to pay $21,423,160 in restitution and sentenced to 113 months in prison in connection with a $32 million Medicare fraud scheme.  Gonzalez admitted operating his company for the purpose of billing the Medicare program for expensive physical therapy and home health care services that were not medically necessary or provided at all.  He further admitted he negotiated and paid kickbacks and bribes to patient recruiters in exchange for patient referrals, as well as prescriptions, plans of care (POCs) and certifications for medically unnecessary therapy and home health services.  DOJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Anti-Kickback and Stark, 
													  Healthcare Fraud, 
													  Home Health and Hospice, 
													  Lack of Medical Necessity, 
													  Medical Billing Fraud, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
April 15, 2015

				 Joseph Furando, together with his two New Jersey companies Caravan Trading Company and CIMA Green, pleaded guilty for their parts in an Indiana-centered scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and US taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel incentives in connection with tax credits offered under the Energy Independence and Security Act designed to encourage use of renewable fuel sources.  DOJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Environmental Fraud, 
													  Tax Credit and Deduction Fraud, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			


											

						

								

									
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