Whistleblower News From The Inside -- February 27, 2018

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team

Vermont hospital settles FCA suit for $1.655M — Vermont’s Battleboro Memorial Hospital settled allegations it submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid for lab work that lacked the documentation necessary to support reimbursement. The case was brought by whistleblower Amy Beth Main, who will receive a to-be-determined portion of the settlement. USAO Vermont

Russian whistleblower’s attorney criticizes Olympic anti-doping effort — Attorney Jim Walden, who represents Russian doping whistleblower and former director of the Moscow Anti-Doping Center Grigory Rodchenkov, in remarks to the Helsinki Commission on Capitol Hill, characterized the IOC’s ban on Russian participation in the recent Pyeongchang Winter Olympics as “a PR stunt – a sham.” Walden took issue with the fact that Russia had “fielded one of its largest teams” in these Olympic games, and that the IOC permitted Russian athletes to “compete not as neutral athletes but in uniforms bearing Russia’s name.” Variety

Tank vessel operator convicted for violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships — Sea World Management & Trading was convicted under the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships for maintaining false records related to discharges of oil and garbage from one of its tankers, the Sea Faith. On five occasions during the week of March 10, 2017, Sea Faith master Edmon Fajardo ordered the crew to dump oil directly into the ocean. That same week, Fajardo ordered crew members to throw plastics, empty steel drums, oily rags, batteries, and empty paint cans directly overboard. The company will pay a $2.25M fine; Fajardo will pay a $2,000 fine and serve six months in prison. USAO Southern District of Texas