As COVID-19 Stimulus Funds Flow, DOJ Puts Fraudsters on Notice and Calls Whistleblowers “Essential”

On March 11th, President Biden signed The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), a sweeping economic stimulus plan that will pump $1.9 trillion into the US economy. In addition to direct relief to Americans, ARPA includes record-setting government spending in numerous areas to speed recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing recession. As we have previously written, with such massive government spending,...

COVID Fraud a Year on from the Onset of the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has raged across the world over the last year, causing widespread harm both to humanity and the economy. Even in these trying times, fraudsters have not let up and have found ways to exploit the pandemic for personal gain. As we move into the one-year anniversary of the pandemic starting with the United States we look back on the ways programs intended for relief have been exploited,...

State False Claims Acts: A Key Tool in the Fight against COVID Frauds

We all remember the early days of the pandemic when coordination at the Federal level was lacking and states were left to their own devices. States reacted in a variety of ways to fight this public health catastrophe, they created subnational coalitions, struck their own deals for secret mask shipments from China, and conducted their own foreign policy to buy tests from South Korea. Things were chaotic and, and as...

How Pennsylvania Can Win the Battle Against COVID-19 Fraud

With co-author Jack Kolar of the Government Accountability Project. Legislation is now before the Pennsylvania Senate that, if signed into law, would protect COVID-19 stimulus funds, as well as other state programs, from fraud. As former federal prosecutors and current whistleblower attorneys, we strongly urge all Pennsylvanians to support enactment of the Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Act (CFPA). While the COVID-19 pandemic continues and government resources become increasingly precious, this bipartisan...

This Week in Whistleblower History: The First Whistleblower Protection Law

This week marks the eighth year in a row that Congress has designated July 30th National Whistleblower Day, honoring the occasion, on July 30, 1778, when the Continental Congress unanimously enacted the first whistleblower protection law in the United States.  The celebration this year is particularly poignant in light of the recent mistreatment of government whistleblowers, notably Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman. The Whistleblower Protection Act of 1778 The first whistleblower...

COVID Fraud of the Week: Washington State Man Charged with Attempting to Launder COVID-19 Relief Money

On July 23rd, the Department of Justice announced that Mukund Mohan, a Washington state tech company executive, was taken into custody for allegedly laundering money he fraudulently received through the COVID-19 related Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). After receiving funds through the program, Mohan allegedly transferred over $230,000 to his personal brokerage account. These charges mark another instance of the federal government pursuing individuals who attempt to profit off of the...

Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund Launches COVID-19 Anti-Fraud Task Force

Earlier this month, Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund (TAFEF)—an anti-fraud public interest organization founded in 1986—launched a task force comprised of former government officials, subject matter experts, and experienced False Claims Act attorneys to help federal and state law enforcement prevent and punish COVID-related fraud.  TAFEF, which has a network of more than 400 attorneys across the country who specialize in unmasking fraud schemes, is uniquely positioned to lend its...

A COVID-19 Pesticide, Unproven Treatments, and Splashing Out On SBA’s Dime

The US DOJ continued its efforts to combat the sale of unproven and unregistered COVID-19 treatments and preventatives and charged purported “business owners” for CARES and PPP funds fraud this week. A Georgia woman pleaded guilty to selling an unregistered pesticide, in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Rong “Vicky” Sun, 34, of Fayetteville, Georgia, will be sentenced on June 29th for the violation. She faces up...

Keeping Our Eyes Open for COVID-19 Fraud

The COVID-19 pandemic is shaping the way we live around the world and dominating headlines.  Inevitably, it will be a major focus for government enforcement agencies.  The whistleblower team at Constantine Cannon is closely tracking reports of fraud in the Coronavirus response. This week, we launched a new webpage as a hub for COVID-19 fraud news.  We encourage you to visit this page, which will be updated regularly.  With a...

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...