1. Home
  2. Practices
  3. Whistleblower Representation
  4. Recent Government Enforcement
  5. DOJ Enforcement Actions
Have a Claim?

Click here for a confidential contact or call:

1-347-417-2192 
								
			


								
						
			


								
			

	
Whistleblower Quiz

	
Would you blow the whistle?

 Take our Quiz


									
	
						

		

			
			

				

					
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.

				

			

			
						
					
			

	
		
		

			

				
				
July 19, 2021

				 Prime Healthcare Services, one of the largest hospital systems in the nation, its founder and CEO Dr. Prem Reddy, and interventional cardiologist Dr. Siva Arunasalam have agreed to pay $37.5 million to resolve two suits filed by former executive Martin Mansukhani, and former employees Marsha Arnold and Joseph Hill.  In violation of the federal and California False Claims Acts, certain Prime hospitals had allegedly submitted inflated invoices to Medi-Cal and other government health programs, or submitted claims to Medi-Cal and Medicare under Arunasalam’s provider number for services provided by an excluded physician.  Additionally, in acquiring Arunasalam’s physician practice and surgery center, Prime allegedly paid above fair market value for referrals from Arunasalam to one of their hospitals.  For being the first to file, one of the whistleblowers, Mansukhani, will receive a relator’s share of nearly $10 million.  CA AG; USAO CDCA				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Anti-Kickback and Stark, 
													  FCA Federal, 
													  FCA State, 
													  Healthcare Fraud, 
													  Hospital Fraud, 
													  Medicaid, 
													  Medical Billing Fraud, 
													  Medicare, 
													  Other Government Health Programs, 
													  Provider Fraud, 
													  Whistleblower Case, 
													  Whistleblower Rewards, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
July 16, 2021

				 Florida Neurological Center, LLC and its owner Dr. Lance Kim have agreed to settle a whistleblower-brought suit and pay $800,000 to resolve allegations of defrauding Medicare.  The qui tam suit by Michael Singbush, Andrea Herrera, and Harvey Kessler Meyer, IV alleged that Dr. Kim prescribed medically unnecessary prescription drugs, which cost Medicare $35,000 each time it was prescribed.  For their role in the successful enforcement action, the whistleblowers will share in a $144,000 award.  USAO MDFL				 					 

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

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
July 14, 2021

				 Following a lawsuit filed by the FTC in 2018, online lender LendingClub has agreed to pay $18 million to settle claims of deceiving consumers about hidden fees, misrepresenting consumers’ approvals for loans, and withdrawing money from consumer bank accounts without authorization.  In addition to the monetary penalty, LendingClub is now required to clearly and conspicuously disclose all fees, as well as the total amount of funds being borrowed.  FTC				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Financial and Investment Fraud, 
													  Financial Institution Fraud, 
													  Misrepresentations, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
July 13, 2021

				 Joel Jerome Tucker, the principal in payday loan business eData Solutions, LLC and related entities, was ordered to pay $8.1 million in restitution to the IRS and sentenced to 12.5 years in prison following his conviction on charges related to his fraudulent sale of non-existent payday loan portfolios and the failure by him and his companies to file federal income tax returns or pay taxes.  Tucker used nominee bank accounts to conceal income and assets and owed taxes, penalties, and interest of more than $12 million.  In addition, in 2020, Tucker fraudulently obtained a $20,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan.  USAO WD MO				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  COVID-19, 
													  Criminal Proceedings, 
													  Financial and Investment Fraud, 
													  Tax Fraud, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
July 12, 2021

				 The Florida Department of Children and Families (FDCF) has agreed to pay $17.5 million and forgo payment of $14.7 million in unpaid bonuses to resolve allegations that it submitted false information to the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which was known as the Food Stamp Program until 2008.  Although the USDA reimburses states for administering SNAP, it relies on the states to determine applicant eligibility, administer benefits, and perform quality control.  FDCF allegedly failed to have proper quality control procedures in place, resulting in false information submitted to the USDA, for which they received unentitled performance bonuses from 2011 through 2014.  USAO EDWA				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Defendants, 
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Government Programs Fraud, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
July 9, 2021

				 Genetworx Laboratories, a diagnostic laboratory in Virginia, has agreed to pay $1.4 million to resolve allegations of submitting false claims to Medicare in violation of the False Claims Act.  Over the course of a year, Genetworx allegedly billed for genetic tests that were performed on groups of senior citizens in senior homes without valid physician oversight.  USAO NJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Healthcare Fraud, 
													  Laboratory and IDTF, 
													  Lack of Medical Necessity, 
													  Medical Billing Fraud, 
													  Medicare, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
July 8, 2021

				 Medical supply company Avanos Medical Inc. entered into a deferred prosecution agreement and will pay $22.2 million to resolve charges that it sold misbranded surgical gowns, labeling the MicroCool gowns as providing the highest level of fluid and virus protection under ANSI/AAMI standards, when the company knew the gowns had never met that standard.  The government also alleged that Avanos obstructed FDA inspection efforts.  ND Tex				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Criminal Proceedings, 
													  FDA Fraud, 
													  Medical Devices and DME, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
July 8, 2021

				 Alere Inc. and Alere San Diego Inc. have agreed to pay nearly $39 million to settle allegations of knowingly selling defective blood coagulation monitors, which are used to determine safe dosages of anticoagulant drugs, to Medicare beneficiaries.  Too much anticoagulant could result in massive bleeding, while too little can result in blood clots and strokes.  By 2008, Alere had allegedly become aware of the fact that the software used in its INRatio monitors contained a material defect that caused some patients to see inaccurate results.  Although the company was also aware of dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries associated with the devices, it failed to take them off the market and even continued to bill Medicare for them, in violation of the False Claims Act, until the FDA requested a Class I recall in 2016.  USAO NJ				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Defective Products, 
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Healthcare Fraud, 
													  Medical Devices and DME, 
													  Medicare, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
June 28, 2021

				 Surgical Care Affiliates, LLC and Orlando Center for Outpatient Surgery, LP have agreed to pay $3.4 million to resolve a whistleblower’s allegations that they billed Medicare and TRICARE for medically unnecessary kidney stone procedures.  The centers also engaged in an illegal kickback arrangement whereby urologist Dr. Patrick Hunter performed lithotripsy procedures in exchange for per-procedure payments from the Orlando Center.  For bringing a successful action, whistleblower Scott Thompson will receive a relator’s share of $748,000 from the settlement with SCA and the Orlando Center.  USAO MDFL				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Anti-Kickback and Stark, 
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Healthcare Fraud, 
													  Lack of Medical Necessity, 
													  Medicare, 
													  Other Government Health Programs, 
													  Provider Fraud, 
													  Whistleblower Case, 
													  Whistleblower Rewards, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			




	
		
		

			

				
				
July 6, 2021

				 Defense contractor AAR Corp. and its subsidiary, AAR Airlift Group Inc., have agreed to pay $11 million to resolve allegations of knowingly failing to maintain U.S. military aircrafts in accordance with U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) contracts.  The alleged False Claims Act violations involved nine helicopters that were deemed not airworthy and not mission capable as a result of the failures.  A former Airlift employee who filed the underlying qui tam complaint, Christopher Harvey, will receive over $2 million as part of the settlement.  USAO SDIL				 					 

						
Tagged in:
													  Contract Non-Compliance, 
													  Defense Contract Fraud, 
													  FCA Federal, 
													  Government Procurement Fraud, 
													  Whistleblower Case, 
													  Whistleblower Rewards, 
												
						

					
	
							
	
		
		
	


 			


											

						

								

									
1
…
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
…
254
								

						

					

												
		
 
	
 

 



	


	

		

			

								
							
Learn about Whistleblower Rewards Programs
			
	
		

		
	
			

									

													False Claims Act					  							State & Local False Claims Acts					  							SEC Program					  							CFTC Program					  							IRS Program					  					

								See More			
	
		

	
		

	




	


	

		

			

				

					

						
Newsletter

						
Subscribe to receive email updates from the Constantine Cannon blogs

					
	
				
	
			
	
			
	
				
Sign up for: