Whistleblower Rewards

February 28, 2024

The owner and operator of a clinical laboratory in Georgia has pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $14.3 million to resolve charges of paying illegal kickbacks and causing false claims to be submitted to Georgia’s Medicaid program.  According to Capstone Diagnostics’ former laboratory manager, Andrew Maloney directed Capstone to pay volume-based commissions to independent sales representatives in exchange for them arranging medically unnecessary urine drug tests and respiratory pathogen panels to come their way.  The laboratory ultimately submitted over $1 million in tainted claims to Georgia Medicaid.  For bringing a successful case under the False Claims Act, whistleblower Jesse Allen will receive almost $3 million.  DOJ

December 22, 2023

Seven whistleblowers will receive over $28 million combined for providing information that significantly contributed to an SEC investigation. The group, comprised of a single claimant and two sets of joint claimants, provided significant and detailed information at crucial points in the investigation, saving the SEC staff considerable time and resources. SEC

October 24, 2023

AECOM, an architecture and engineering firm in Texas, has agreed to pay $11.8 million to resolve allegations of defrauding FEMA and violating the False Claims Act in connection with efforts to rebuild educational facilities damaged by Hurricane Katrina.  While serving as a technical assistance contractor for FEMA, AECOM allegedly helped applicants submit fraudulent requests for disaster assistance funds, resulting in some applicants receiving funds in excess of what was permitted.  The misconduct was revealed by whistleblower Robert Romero, who will receive a relator’s share of $2.4 million as part of the settlement.  DOJ

October 11, 2023

Automotive management company Victory Automotive Group Inc. (VAG) has agreed to pay $9 million for allegedly providing false information on a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application.  In order to be eligible for a PPP loan under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, VAG allegedly falsely certified that it was a small business with fewer than 500 employees, when in fact it and its affiliates cumulatively had over 3,000 employees across the country.  The misconduct was reported by a whistleblower in a qui tam suit; the whistleblower will receive a relator’s share of about $1.63 million.  DOJ