Whistleblower News From The Inside - February 25, 2015

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team

Apple ordered to pay $533M for patent infringement — A federal jury in Texas found Apple’s iTunes software infringed three patents owned by patent licensing firm Smartflash LLC.  Reuters

US investigates Capital One for possible money laundering — The company disclosed in a regulatory filing that it has received subpoena and testimony requests from DOJ and the Treasury Department about possible money-laundering violations in early 2015.  Washington Business Journal

Shire questioned in marketing of binge-eating drug Vyvanse — “As Shire introduces an ambitious campaign to promote Vyvanse . . . some are saying the company is going too far to market a drug . . . classified by the federal government as having a high potential for abuse.”  NYT

Fifth Circuit rules in favor of whistleblower — The appellate court reverses and remands the district court’s dismissal based on public disclosure and directs the Chief Judge to reassign the case to a different district judge.  CA5

California oncologist to pay $550,000 to settle False Claims Act charges — According to the government, Prabhjit S. Purewal defrauded Medicare, Tricare and Medicaid by billing for chemotherapy drugs the FDA had not approved for use in the US.  CA

Louisiana cardiologist to pay $650,000 to settle whistleblower-based False Claims Act charges — According to the government, convicted doctor Mehmood Patel and his affiliated Acadiana Cardiology LLC and Acadiana Cardiovascular Center billed Medicare for unnecessary cardiology procedures.  LA

Owner of medical equipment company pleads guilty to $5M health care fraud scheme —  Angel M. Mirabal, owner of Houston-based Quick Solutions Medical Supplies Inc. admitted billing Medicare for expensive equipment not medically unnecessary or never provided.  DOJ