Whistleblower News From The Inside — February 10, 2016

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team

Is it Time to Reconsider the CFTC Whistleblower Program? — Taxpayers Against Fraud commentary on how the CFTC whistleblower program is doing.  TAF

Monsanto pays $80M penalty for accounting violations — The St. Louis-based agribusiness agreed to make the payment to settle charges it violated accounting rules and misstated company earnings as it pertained to its flagship product Roundup.  SEC

Taming drug prices by pulling back the curtain online — “Now, a few entrepreneurs say they are aiming to fundamentally change the way people buy drugs, bringing the industry into the digital age by disclosing the lowest prices for generic prescriptions to allow comparison-shopping.”  NYT

Miami physician pleads guilty to $20M Medicare fraud scheme — Dr. Henry Lora, the medical director of the Miami-area Merfi Corporation clinic, admitted taking kickbacks to write prescriptions for home health care patients that were not medically necessary or actually provided.  DOJ

Keene Medical Products to pay $460,000 to settle Vermont False Claims Act charges — The state charged the durable medical equipment supplier with submitting improper claims to Medicaid relating oximetry equipment (measuring blood oxygen saturations) and other medical supplies.  VT

Boston fire chief convicted of fraud — “District Chief Edward A. Scigliano . . . was found guilty . . . of cheating the city out of nearly $50,000 while he ran the Boston fire training academy by having vendors write checks to his credit card companies, while he took home a flat-screen TV, gas grill, a Sam’s Club living room set and other items paid for with department funds.”  Boston Herald