Certifications Archives - Page 2 of 5

Catch of the Week: Archdiocese of New Orleans pays $1 million to Resolve Katrina-Related Allegations, Highlighting Importance of Enforcement in Disaster Recovery Fraud

Posted 11/19/21

We’ve covered this before: natural disasters and fraud against the government often go hand in hand. The government, through agencies and programs such the FEMA and the federally-backed flood and crop insurance programs, can distribute enormous sums of money very quickly in the wake of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and the like. Distributing lots of money quickly after natural disasters gets immediate help to...

Tagged in: Catch of the Week, Certifications, FCA Federal, Flood Insurance, Government Programs Fraud,

November 15, 2021

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans will pay $1.05 million to resolve allegations that it falsely certified damage description and repair estimates in connection with claims for federal funds for the repair of facilities damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Claims against federal contractor AECOM, which prepared the estimates, are continuing. The Archdiocese is in bankruptcy, and the settlement amount is based on an “ability to pay” determination. The action was initiated by the filing of a whistleblower complaint by AECOM employee Robert Romero, who will receive a whistleblower award of approximately $200,000. DOJ; USAO EDLA See earlier settlement

Tagged in: Certifications, FCA Federal, Government Programs Fraud, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

November 1, 2021

Geisinger Community Health Services, based in Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay over $18.5 million to resolve its liability following a self-disclosure of violations of the False Claims Act. The violations occurred between 2012 and 2017 and involved physician certifications of terminal illness, patient elections of hospice care, and physician face-to-face encounters with home health patients. USAO MDPA

Tagged in: Certifications, FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Home Health and Hospice, Medicare, Provider Fraud,

September 21, 2021

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), East Carolina University (ECU), and the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service (NCCV), have agreed to pay a combined $842,500 to resolve allegations of fraud in connection with the AmeriCorps program. An investigation by the United States had found that UNC-CH, ECU, and NCCV failed to comply with multiple grant requirements and regulations, including falsely certifying the service hours worked by AmeriCorps members, falsely certifying employee salaries required to administer the program, and failing to maintain proper internal controls. USAO EDNC

Tagged in: Certifications, FCA Federal, Grant and Research Fraud,

September 2, 2021

Jonathan Dean Davis, the owner of for-profit trade school called Retail Ready Career Center, has agreed to forfeit over $72 million after being convicted of defrauding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. According to evidence presented at trial, Davis falsely certified that he was not personally facing any criminal or civil actions, and that his school was an established, financially-secure educational institution—neither of which were true. The scheme unraveled after student veterans realized the HVAC training they received at the school was insufficient for entry-level jobs in the industry. USAO NDTX; subsequent sentencing

Tagged in: Certifications, Criminal Proceedings, Education Fraud, FCA Federal, Government Programs Fraud,

September 1, 2021

The Van Andel Research Institute has agreed to pay $1.1 million to resolve allegations of failing to disclose foreign ties in awards granted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in violation of the False Claims Act. The foreign ties included foreign-sourced research samples and funding by the Chinese government. In December 2019, the institute settled similar claims for $5.5 million. With this second settlement, specific conditions have now been imposed on the remainder of the institute’s NIH grants, including a requirement that an executive-level manager personally certify to disclosures until October 2022. USAO WDMI

Tagged in: Certifications, FCA Federal, Grant and Research Fraud,

August 3, 2021

Trucking operator Complete Logistics Company, LLC (CLC) has agreed to a $2.38 million settlement to resolve allegations of falsely certifying compliance with California’s emissions regulations in order to obtain $2.2 million in state grants under the state’s Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program, which incentivizes trucking companies to reduce emissions by offering grants for newer, cleaner trucks. The alleged misconduct occurred during a health-related absence by CLC’s owner; upon the owner’s return in 2017, immediate remedial measures were taken. CA AG

Tagged in: Certifications, Environmental Fraud, Government Programs Fraud,

April 29, 2021

California-based Tungsten Heavy Powder, Inc. (THP) has agreed to pay over $5.6 million to resolve a qui tam lawsuit by former employee Gregory Caputo and Global Tungsten & Powders Corporation. In violation of the False Claims Act, THP allegedly falsely certified that certain defense articles procured by the Israeli government and financed by U.S. grant funds were sourced from and manufactured in the United States, when instead they were sourced from China and manufactured in Mexico. For bringing the lawsuit, Caputo will receive a 17% share of the settlement proceeds. USAO SDCA

Tagged in: Certifications, Defense Contract Fraud, FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

February 25, 2021

Following a self-disclosure to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2018, Bioventus, LLC has agreed to pay more than $3.6 million to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act in connection with sales of its Exogen ultrasonic bone growth stimulator device. According to Bioventus, it discovered that its sales representatives sometimes improperly completed sections of certificates of medical necessity (CMN) that Medicare rules require be completed by treating physicians or physician offices. USAO MDNC

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

January 11, 2021

Defense contractor Raytheon Technologies Corporation and its subsidiary, Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, have agreed to pay over $515,000 to settle allegations of submitting false claims for payment. Between 2006 and 2015, Raytheon and Hamilton improperly certified that goods it sold either directly to the government or to suppliers selling to the government were of domestic origin, when in fact they were manufactured in Romania. The false certifications violated the contracts’ domestic-preference requirements, the Buy American Act of 1933, and the False Claims Act. USAO CT

Tagged in: Certifications, Defense Contract Fraud, FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud, Trade Agreements,

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