DOJ orders Admera Health to pay $5.5M to settle kickback allegations
Admera Health agreed to pay more than $5.5 million to resolve allegations first brought by two whistleblowers that it paid kickbacks to third-party contractors, the Department of Justice said.
CFPB warns against censoring whistleblowers via broad NDAs
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is warning companies against intimidating potential whistleblowers by forcing them to sign broad nondisclosure agreements to deter misconduct from coming to light.
Survey tackles aligning cross-generational views of ethics in the workplace
Companies may need to examine employees by age group to find out how likely some workers might be to ditch compliance to complete tasks.
DOJ orders DaVita to pay $34M over alleged dialysis center kickback scheme
DaVita, a multi-state dialysis provider, agreed to pay more than $34 million to resolve allegations it engaged in numerous kickback schemes to doctors who referred Medicare patients to its dialysis centers, the Department of Justice announced.
SEC whistleblower to receive $37M award
A whistleblower will be paid $37 million by the Securities and Exchange Commission for providing original, credible information that led to a successful enforcement action.
Kindred hospice agrees to pay $19M in multi-state DOJ false claims case
A multi-state hospice home health provider agreed to pay $19.4 million to settle allegations that it paid kickbacks and knowingly billed federal health programs to treat non-terminally ill patients.
Employees accuse OpenAI of illegal NDAs blocking whistleblower rights
Anonymous employees of OpenAI accused the company of requiring employees to sign nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) that “prohibited and discouraged” them from reporting securities law violations to federal regulators.
Rite Aid reaches $410M settlement with DOJ in opioid false claims case
Rite Aid agreed to pay $7.5 million and allow the Department of Justice to access nearly $402 million from the company’s forthcoming bankruptcy case to settle allegations it helped fuel the nation’s opioid epidemic.
Q&A: Seaco general counsel, compliance head on environmental regulations
Dominic Buckwell, general counsel and compliance head at global marine container leasing company Seaco, discussed key themes including anti-money laundering, sanctions, and why the industry needs common environmental reporting standards.
Tareen Dermatology agrees to pay $1.6M over false claims to Medicare
A Minnesota dermatology practice, its owner, and chief executive agreed to pay $1.6 million to settle allegations, first brought by two whistleblowers, that the company violated the Anti-Kickback Statue by making false claims to Medicare.
DOJ orders Houston medical centers to pay $15M over concurrent billing false claims
Houston-based medical center institutions agreed to jointly pay $15 million to settle allegations for improperly billing Medicare for concurrent surgeries in violation of teaching physician and informed consent regulations.
Averhealth to pay $1.3M in DOJ drug test false claims case
National drug testing firm Averhealth agreed to pay $1.3 million to settle allegations, first brought by a whistleblower, that it knowingly submitted false claims to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice announced.
DOJ orders Lockheed Martin units to pay $70M for improper subcontracting
Two subsidiaries of aerospace giant Lockheed Martin agreed to pay $70 million to settle allegations levied by the Department of Justice of overcharging the Navy for aircraft parts.
CFTC awards whistleblower $8M despite involvement in misconduct
A whistleblower received an $8 million award from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for uncovering fraud—even though the agency deemed the whistleblower was culpable in the misconduct.
DOJ orders consultants to pay $11.3M total for cyber rule violations
Guidehouse and Nan McKay and Associates will pay a total of $11.3 million to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to settle allegations that cybersecurity failures led to the theft of client personal information during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CFTC orders Trafigura to pay $55M over fraud, impeding whistleblowers
Singapore-based commodity trading company Trafigura will pay $55 million to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to settle charges related to fraud, manipulation, and impeding whistleblower communications with the agency.
CPE Webcast: Compliance programs under scrutiny
Explore government expectations for compliance programs and how companies facing regulatory scrutiny design and implement programs to position themselves for the best possible outcome.
CityMD to pay $12M over Covid-19 false claims
CityMD, the largest provider of urgent care practices across New York and New Jersey, agreed to pay approximately $12 million as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice addressing the alleged submission of false claims for payment for Covid-19 testing.
Bluestone Physician Services to pay $14.9M in false claims case
Bluestone Physician Services agreed to pay approximately $14.9 million and abide by a corporate integrity agreement to settle allegations that it filed false claims to federal and state health programs for chronic pain care to people in assisted living facilities.
What to watch for as DOJ whistleblower program sprint ends
The Department of Justice’s 90-day sprint to developing and implementing a pilot whistleblower rewards program ended Wednesday, and many questions remain about what the program will entail.
Experts express skepticism toward ‘challenging’ SFO strategy
The U.K. Serious Fraud Office last month published its five-year strategic plan outlining how it intends to improve information gathering and international cooperation, as well as its enforcement record.
Innovasis, execs settle false claims case for $12M
Medical device manufacturer Innovasis and two of its top executives agreed to pay a total of $12 million to settle allegations originally brought by a whistleblower that they paid kickbacks to physicians.
Creative engagement approach drives Compliance Innovators Johnson, Sudo
Through clever rhymes and real-life examples, Sharon Johnson and Heather Sudo of MODE Global have made it their mission to think outside the box when it comes to compliance awareness. Their approach earned them Compliance Innovator(s) of the Year at the 2024 Excellence in Compliance Awards.
Debate: Experts discuss pros, cons of whistleblower process
Compliance Week Advisory Board members Eric Young and Ellen Hunt participate in a debate-style discussion regarding whistleblower-related topics including culture of compliance, monetary incentives, retaliation, and more.
Book review: How compliance can help build organizational trust at speed
Anne Morriss, co-author of “Move Fast and Fix Things,” advises compliance officers to tap into curiosity, communicativeness, and comfort with discomfort to build organizational trust, fast.
FDIC chair to resign following report on toxic workplace culture
Martin Gruenberg announced he will step down as chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation following the release of an independent review that criticized the agency’s lack of response to employee claims of sexual harassment and discrimination.
DOJ orders Cape Cod Hospital to pay $24.4M over false claims
The Department of Justice ordered Cape Cod Hospital to pay nearly $24.4 million to settle alleged False Claims Act violations that it knowingly submitted claims to the government for procedures that failed to comply with Medicare rules.
Lawsuit: Ex-Panoramic Health assistant GC alleges retaliation linked to CCO supervisor
The former assistant general counsel at Panoramic Health is suing her former employer alleging wrongful termination after flagging safe harbor violations of the Anti-Kickback Statue.
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.
DOJ orders Hahn Air to pay $27M over travel fee false claims
Hahn Air Lines and its U.S. subsidiary agreed to pay $26.8 million to settle alleged violations of the False Claims Act over knowingly failing to provide remittance for travel fees it collected from commercial airline passengers flying into or within the United States.
Insight Global to pay $2.7M over lax security on contact tracing data
Atlanta-based staffing agency Insight Global agreed to pay $2.7 million to settle alleged False Claims Act violations for failing to provide adequate cybersecurity on Covid-19 contract tracing data.
Wirecard whistleblower laments EU speak-up protection inconsistencies
The European Union’s strong stance on whistleblower protection has been undermined by member states’ wildly different approaches to punishing organizations that fail to safeguard people who raise concerns, says Wirecard whistleblower Pav Gill.
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.
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.