What is an IG and Why do IGs Matter to Whistleblowers and in the COVID-19 Response?

As the COVID-19 crisis continues, and the government rolls out massive spending programs and regulatory changes in response, there has been significant news about inspectors general.  Inspectors General – IGs – and the teams that work for them, often referred to as the Office of the Inspector General or OIG, play a critical role in preventing mismanagement, waste, fraud, and abuse in government programs.  Iowa Senator Charles Grassley this week...

Charges Filed in Shameful COVID-19 and Genetic-Cancer-Screening Test Scam

Erik Santos of Braselton, Georgia had run a fraudulent genetic cancer-screening-test scheme for months, then spotted an opportunity capitalize on fear surrounding COVID-19.  According to the criminal complaint, Santos targeted elderly persons to determine if they met certain eligibility requirements for testing under government health-care programs.  He passed the information along to co-conspirator testing companies, who would arrange for doctors (none of whom had previously treated the patients) to write...

Whistleblower Protection Caucus Co-Chairs Urge Barr to Establish COVID-19 FCA Task Force

Efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States will require potentially trillions of taxpayer dollars.  Given the amount of money involved, and the speed at which the crisis is progressing, Whistleblower Protection Caucus Co-Chairs Congresswomen Jackie Speier (CA-14) and Kathleen M. Rice (NY-4) have sent a letter to Attorney General Barr urging him to establish a nationwide COVID-19 fraud prevention task force. The task force would rely on...

Loosening the Rules on Telehealth to Fight Coronavirus May Also Result in New Medicare Fraud Schemes

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. government is loosening rules on telehealth to make it easier—and safer—for patients to speak to their healthcare providers.  These steps are an important, and necessary, step to curtail the spread of the virus and to facilitate the treatment of infected patients.  But it may also open the door to new telehealth fraud schemes by unscrupulous individuals and businesses. Changes to Telehealth Regulations...

The COVID-19 Crisis, Whistleblowers, and the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team

As Constantine Cannon announced earlier this week, in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, we have implemented contingency plans to work remotely.  While our work locations have changed, we remain dedicated to our whistleblower clients, and our team continues to provide whistleblowers with support and legal guidance. With offices in New York, D.C., San Francisco, and London, the Constantine Cannon whistleblower team sees events unfolding up close and around the...

Financial & Investment Fraud

Learn More About Blowing the Whistle on Financial and Investment Fraud: Whistleblowers can Report and Prevent Financial and Investment Fraud Who Can Be Held Liable for Committing Financial Fraud? What Types of Financial Fraud Can Whistleblowers Report? Misrepresentations, including accounting and financial reporting fraud Regulatory Violations Fraud in Go-Public Transactions, including IPOs and SPACs Violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Fraud and Misconduct by Investment Professionals Misappropriation of Funds,...

Constantine Cannon partner Mary Inman and Nick Gallo, Co-CEO of ComplianceLine, discuss whistleblowing in the US and around the globe

On October 26, 2020, international whistleblower lawyer, Mary Inman, joined Nick Gallo, CEO of ComplianceLine, on a podcast “The Ethics Experts,” which is part of the Compliance Podcast Network. Discussions commenced with Mary explaining the various US whistleblower reward programs (CFTC, SEC, IRS, and the False Claims Act). She then described the vital role whistleblower lawyers play in guiding individuals from the beginning of the process, when they struggle whether to come forward, all the way...

Payments News Update – June 13, 2025

Legal and Regulatory Developments SPOTLIGHT: Is Cash Legislation Making a Comeback? ATM Marketplace – June 10, 2025 Cash has certainly taken multiple hits over the years, due in no small part to COVID-19 and increasing usage of other payment options. In addition, with many businesses considering going cashless, both the ATM industry and other groups have raised concerns over the years of cash users being left behind. This is by...

Top 10 Most Fascinating Whistleblower Stories and Recoveries of 2024

We’re rolling out our slew of Top-10 lists covering whistleblower cases, government enforcement actions, and recoveries from 2024. Over the past year, we engaged with a vast number of interesting topics, government updates, and fraud settlements originated by whistleblowers, several represented by Constantine Cannon. As we look back at 2024, we’ve gathered some of the most fascinating whistleblower news and settlements on which we've previously reported. Scroll through to check...

Top 10 False Claims Act Non-Healthcare Recoveries for 2024

As was evident from our recent posts on the 2024 Top 10 False Claims Act Recoveries and Top 10 False Claims Act Recoveries In Healthcare, the majority of False Claims Act recoveries routinely involve healthcare fraud.  In fact, since 1986 -- when the statute was amended to significantly increase the incentives and protections of whistleblowers -- roughly 70% of the recoveries ($54 billion out of $78 billion) of the total...