April 14, 2017

HSBC Bank agreed to pay roughly $2.1 million to resolve charges it violated the False Claims Act for misconduct in connection with HSBC’s participation in the Small Business Administration (SBA) Express loan program.  According to the government, HSBC sought reimbursement from the SBA without revealing facts suggesting that borrowers submitted false information to HSBC to obtain many of the loans, or the fact that HSBC had included the loans on an internal list of fraudulent or potentially fraudulent loans.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act.  The whistleblower will receive a yet-to-be-determined whistleblower award from the proceeds of the government’s recovery. DOJ (SDNY)

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Financial Institution Fraud, Set-Asides and Preferences, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,