Rehab Clinics Allegedly Paying Kickbacks to “Body Brokers”

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team With the rise of the nation’s opioid crises, more opportunities for corruption and fraud have developed. An industry of patient brokering or “body brokering” has been born. Body brokers are paid kickbacks by rehab clinics in exchange for their recruiting of patients. Patients with good insurance are the most appealing recruits. Kickbacks are also being paid between healthcare entities. For example, one common scheme...

Lawsuit Alleges Support Group for Victims of Sexual Abuse by Priests Took "Kickbacks" From Lawyers

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team Gretchen Hammond, the former development director at the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), has filed a retaliatory discharge suit against her former employer in Chicago, where SNAP maintains its national headquarters.  SNAP has been instrumental in exposing sexual abuse committed by Catholic priests, as well as the role played by the Church in covering up and, ultimately, perpetuating the abuse.  The...

Bay Sleep Clinic - Healthcare Fraud/Kickbacks ($2.6 million)

Constantine Cannon represented a whistleblower under the False Claims Act case alleging Bay Sleep Clinic billed Medicare for sleep studies by unlicensed technicians and paid kickbacks to doctors for patient referrals.  In December 2016, the company agreed to pay $2.6 million to settle the matter.  Our client received a whistleblower award of roughly 21% of the government’s recovery.  Read more -- SF Gate, DOJ, PR Newswire, CC.

There's No Such Thing as a Free BBQ: Kickbacks Cost Physicians Too

By Tim McCormack and Molly Knobler (published on the Huffington Post blog) On October 29th, pharma giant Warner Chilcott pled guilty to a felony healthcare fraud charge, agreeing to pay $125 million to settle allegations that it had paid illegal kickbacks to doctors and engaged in other illegal marketing behavior to sell its drugs Actonel®, Asacol®, Atelvia®, Doryx®, Enablex®, Estrace,® and Loestrin®.  Perhaps more significant than the size of the...

DOJ Settles Another Whistleblower-Originated False Claims Act Kickback Case

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team Last Wednesday (June 17), the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Arkansas-based Advanced Pathology Solutions (APS) -- and its owners Kevin Hannah, Donell Burkett, and Daniel Hunter Pledger -- agreed to pay $30 million to settle allegations they violated the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute by paying kickbacks to gastroenterology practices for pathology testing referrals.[1]  The Government further alleged APS and its owners...

Boston Heart Executives, Marketers, and Physician to Pay $2M+ to Settle Illegal Kickback Allegations

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team  On June 1, the government announced that former Boston Heart Diagnostics Corporation CEO Susan Hertzberg and VP of Sales Matthew Theiler agreed to pay $1.2 million to settle False Claims Act allegations that they paid doctors illegal kickbacks for lab referrals in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. One doctor — Frederick Brown — and six marketers agreed to pay an additional $859,055 to settle the...

Owner of Telemedicine and DME Companies Pleads Guilty for Role in $46.2 Million Fraud Scheme

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team On March 27, Christopher Harwood, the owner of telemedicine company TelevisitMD and a number of durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud for his role in a $46.2 million scheme.[1] Harwood’s Businesses Harwood was the owner and operator of TelevisitMD, a telemedicine company.[2]  Telemedicine or telehealth involves the provision of medical or health services to...

Texas Fugitive Caught and Sentenced to 12+ Years in Prison for $61M Telemarketing Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare Beneficiaries

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team  On March 25, a federal court sentenced Texas resident Robert “Bobby” Leon Smith III to 150 months in prison and two years of supervised release for allegedly orchestrating a $61.5 million healthcare fraud and wire fraud scheme. The scheme relied on deceptive telemarketing tactics that targeted thousands of Medicare beneficiaries and resulted in shipments of medically unnecessary foot baths, genetic testing, and orthotic braces.[1] Smith’s...

Three Constantine Cannon Partners Named in The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers Guide

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower and Antitrust Teams Constantine Cannon is delighted to announce that three of our firm’s partners, Jean Kim, Marlene Koury, and Taline Sahakian, were selected for The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers guide.[1] The 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers on this year’s list were chosen through submissions, editorial vetting from peers, and journalistic research.[2] According to Lawdragon: “These amazing advocates find pathways to justice for investors who have been...

Mississippi Resident to Pay $31M for Alleged Involvement in Healthcare Kickback Scheme

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team On March 19, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that the government secured a civil judgment against Mississippi resident Robert L. Crites for allegedly orchestrating a commission-based referral scheme in violation of the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute. The scheme targeted federal healthcare programs.[1] A federal judge entered judgment against Crites, the owner of Health Services Plus and TriCom, LLC, and a contractor...