SFO outlines five-year strategy amid ‘increasing pace of change’
The U.K.’s Serious Fraud Office said in a five-year strategic plan it’s “struggled to keep pace with demand” as ballooning casework shows no signs of slowing down.
U.S. agencies launch portal for reporting anticompetitive healthcare practices
The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Health and Human Services partnered to create an online portal for the public to report instances of anticompetitive practices in the healthcare sector.
DOJ pilot floats NPAs for whistleblowers involved in corporate misconduct
The Department of Justice launched a new pilot program that encourages voluntary self-disclosure by corporate executives who are themselves involved in financial misconduct, with the incentive of a nonprosecution agreement for those who help an agency investigation.
DOJ lawsuit charges Regeneron with inflating Medicare costs
New York-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is being sued by the Department of Justice for allegedly flouting Medicare’s price reporting requirements.
Effective risk culture starts at the top. Everyone is required to make it successful
There is no magic wand compliance professionals can wave to promote a strong risk culture within their organizations, experts discussed at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference.
CFTC enforcement head talks steep path to self-reporting credit
Earning self-reporting credit from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is no simple task, Director of Enforcement Ian McGinley conceded.
What the DOJ’s whistleblower reward program needs to succeed
The Department of Justice is set to join a growing list of U.S. federal agencies to have a whistleblower reward program in place, but how impactful it will be at generating more white-collar investigations and prosecutions rides on its initial design, according to experts.
May 8 | Virtual Roundtable: Whistleblowing in 2024: What compliance officers need to know
Compliance Week is hosting a virtual roundtable in which we’ll explore the modern whistleblower landscape and what corporate compliance programs need to know to follow the rules while enabling a speak-up culture.
Gamma Healthcare, owners to pay $13.6M in DOJ false claims case
Missouri-based Gamma Healthcare and three of its owners agreed to pay approximately $13.6 million to settle charges levied by the Department of Justice of violating the False Claims Act by improperly billing Medicare for tests that were not ordered or medically necessary.
U.K. sets recommendations to address misogyny in finance
Sexism, sexual assault, and bullying are rife at financial services organizations, according to a recent report by the U.K. Treasury Committee. “The government and financial regulators have important roles to play in driving change,” the committee said.
NAVEX whistleblower report finds third parties lead on business integrity
A new report on corporate whistleblowing and hotline trends in 2023 found reporting volume at an all-time high, with key disparities uncovered between reports filed by third parties and those filed by employees.
CFTC awards $1.25M to compliance/audit whistleblower
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced a landmark whistleblower award of approximately $1.25 million to an individual in an internal compliance or audit function who came forward with information on misconduct occurring at his or her employer.
SFO director support for whistleblower incentives enough to drive change?
When Nick Ephgrave of the Serious Fraud Office said in his maiden speech he favored paying whistleblowers in exchange for information, he might not have been fully aware of the implications, according to legal experts.
DOJ eyeing more FCPA cases with whistleblower program
The Department of Justice anticipates its upcoming whistleblower reward program will help the agency increase its pipeline of cases involving apparent violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri.
Chemours says probe found accounting misconduct by execs
Chemours said an internal review into the actions of senior managers alleged to have engaged in accounting misconduct uncovered violations of the chemicals company’s code of ethics regarding the promotion of full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure.
DOJ on sprint toward pilot whistleblower reward program
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the Department of Justice will look to fill gaps in its whistleblower procedures with the launch of a 90-day sprint toward a DOJ-led pilot whistleblower reward program.
Chemours places senior execs on leave over accounting review
Chemours announced it placed its chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and principal accounting officer on leave pending completion of an internal review into potential material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting.
FinCEN head touts compliance through enforcement approach
Andrea Gacki, head of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, said recent enforcement actions by the agency have addressed significant gaps in the U.S. anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism regime and exposed specific risk factors, trends, and typologies.
CFTC appoints new head of whistleblower office
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission appointed Brian Young as director of its whistleblower office.
New SFO director vows quicker cases, stumps for whistleblower payouts
“Under my leadership, the SFO will be bolder, more pragmatic, more proactive,” said Nick Ephgrave in his first public speech as head of the U.K. Serious Fraud Office.
Experts: SCOTUS ruling shifts onus to employers in whistleblower cases
The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to reaffirm whistleblower protections under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in a case involving UBS has wide ramifications in many other industries beyond financial services, according to legal experts.
SCOTUS reaffirms whistleblower protections in ruling against UBS
The Supreme Court reaffirmed whistleblower protections guaranteed under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in a unanimous decision expected to set a precedent that impacts all corporate internal reporting cases.
Court bumps Gen Digital false claims judgment to $53M
An opinion in a long-running court case involving software company Gen Digital and alleged violations of the False Claims Act saw proposed costs in the matter jump from $1.3 million to approximately $53 million following successful arguments by the U.S. government.
JPMorgan to pay record $18M for violating SEC whistleblower rule
A subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase will pay an $18 million fine to the Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly violating the agency’s whistleblower protection rule in hundreds of settlement agreements with clients and customers.
SDNY launches whistleblower pilot program
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York took its efforts to encourage voluntary self-disclosure a step further with the launch of a whistleblower pilot program for individuals involved in nonviolent offenses.
Atlantic Home Health Care to pay $10M over energy program false claims
Atlantic Home Health Care LLC agreed to pay nearly $10 million as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice addressing the alleged submission of false claims to the Department of Labor’s Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program.
Ex-ChristianaCare CCO wins $12M in False Claims Act settlement
The former chief compliance officer of ChristianaCare Health System will receive more than $12 million as part of a settlement addressing his allegations of kickbacks and other False Claims Act violations at the Delaware-based hospital network.
Philips unit settles DOJ false claims case for $14.7M
Wireless medical technology company BioTelemetry and its subsidiary LifeWatch Services agreed to pay more than $14.7 million as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice regarding alleged false claims submitted to federal healthcare programs.
Community Health Network to pay $345M in historic Stark Law case
Indiana-based Community Health Network agreed to pay $345 million as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice resolving allegations it overcompensated physicians it employed at a rate that violated the Stark Law.
Five compliance triumphs from 2023
A financial services giant’s compliance mea culpa that could serve to benefit the rest of the profession, a chemical company’s praised FCPA settlement, and an example of the value of whistleblowers highlight CW’s annual list of laudable ethics and compliance moments.
One company’s voluntary self-disclosure, two companies’ FCPA settlements
Nicole Argentieri, acting head of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, explained how the actions of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group Holdings coming forward helped bring about the agency’s recent FCPA enforcements against Tysers Insurance Brokers and H.W. Wood.
Digital Transformation of Compliance podcast: GWU Professor Kyle Welch
In this episode of the Digital Transformation of Compliance podcast series, Kyle Welch, a George Washington University associate professor of accountancy, discusses findings from his research on internal whistleblowing and compliance dashboards built by publicly traded U.S. companies to leverage hotline data.
SEC lauds cooperators, whistleblowers in FY23 enforcement results
A big year for disgorgement helped the Securities and Exchange Commission to its second highest total of financial remedies ordered in a single year in fiscal year 2023.
Companies must set clear tone under EU whistleblower rules
With a moving target for compliance under the EU’s Whistleblower Directive, the opportunity exists for companies to set their own standards on whistleblowing and engender greater trust among employees, according to a panel at Compliance Week’s Europe conference in London.
CFTC: ‘Majority’ of FY23 whistleblower cases related to crypto fraud
Most of the whistleblower tips received by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in fiscal year 2023 related to fraud and misappropriation of crypto/digital assets.
SEC crackdown on whistleblower violations a warning on employment contracts
Recent enforcement cases brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding apparent violations of its whistleblower protection rule are proof the agency is taking compliance with the rule “very seriously,” said Enforcement Director Gurbir Grewal.
Wirecard what happens when ‘those that are meant to check compliance don’t’
The Wirecard fraud highlights the result of regulators and auditors failing to act properly and underlines the importance of encouraging and protecting whistleblowers, said the reporter who exposed the firm in speaking at Compliance Week’s Europe conference in London.
OECD group questions Brazil’s momentum on anti-bribery
Brazil has made strides in its anti-bribery enforcement efforts, but a working group at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is concerned the country doesn’t have the controls in place to sustain its progress.
Digital Transformation of Compliance podcast: Stellantis CCO Darren Bradshaw
In this episode of the Digital Transformation of Compliance podcast series, Darren Bradshaw, chief audit and compliance officer at Stellantis, shares how the automaker has digitized and automated parts of its compliance function.
Cardiac Imaging, CEO to pay $85M in DOJ false claims case
Cardiac Imaging and its chief executive agreed to pay a total of more than $85 million to settle charges levied by the Department of Justice addressing alleged violations of the False Claims Act regarding unlawful kickbacks.
FinCEN crafting rule proposal for AML and sanctions whistleblower program
Andrea Gacki, the new director at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, said the agency is working to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the establishment of an anti-money laundering and sanctions whistleblower program.
DOJ orders Cigna to pay $172M over false claims to Medicare
Multinational health insurance company Cigna agreed to pay more than $172 million as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice addressing allegations it submitted and failed to withdraw false claims to Medicare.
D. E. Shaw fined $10M for impeding potential whistleblowers
New York-based investment adviser D. E. Shaw & Co. will pay a $10 million penalty to settle charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission that the company raised impediments to whistleblowing by employees.
Boeing to pay $8.1M over Navy contract false claims
Aerospace giant Boeing agreed to pay $8.1 million as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice addressing allegations it submitted false claims regarding military aircraft contracts it had with the Navy.
Lawsuit: Ex-Payqwick CCO fired, retaliated against for raising alarm
The ex-chief compliance officer at Payqwick, a California-based money transmitter that serviced the cannabis industry, is suing her former employer alleging wrongful termination and whistleblower retaliation over lax disclosures related to an acquisition.
CBRE unit fined $375K over violating whistleblower protections
Commercial real estate services and investment firm CBRE agreed to pay $375,000 to settle allegations by the Securities and Exchange Commission that its separation agreements violated whistleblower protections.
SEC fines Monolith $225K over violating whistleblower protections
Monolith Resources, a privately held energy and tech company, agreed to pay $225,000 to settle charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission it used employee separation agreements that violated whistleblower protection rules.
Lincare to pay $29M over false claims for improperly billing Medicare
Lincare Holdings, a provider of oxygen equipment and subsidiary of Linde, agreed to pay $29 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently overbilling Medicare.
Lawsuit: Pfizer fired, retaliated against whistleblower who raised FCPA concerns
An ex-Pfizer compliance officer is suing his former employer claiming wrongful termination and whistleblower retaliation after discovering the company allegedly paid $168 million to potentially influential government officials in China.
Whistleblower goes above, beyond in Construction Specialties OFAC case
The impact of “see something, say something” was on display as part of Construction Specialties’ settlement with the Office of Foreign Assets Control for apparent Iran sanctions violations.