The Department of Justice made a major announcement last week that demonstrates that it is serious about finding those who defraud various COVID-19 relief programs and holding them accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Over the course of the last three months alone, working in concert with numerous law enforcement partners, including the … Continue Reading
There has been no shortage of news this month, so it is understandable that a major presidential proposal garnered relatively little attention at the time. On March 2, the President proposed a sweeping pandemic anti-fraud initiative that is designed to give key oversight bodies additional tools to investigate and prosecute those who defraud the pandemic … Continue Reading
As 2022 comes to a close, is it possible to predict a trend for corporate and white-collar enforcement by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2023? Yes: enforcement will increase in 2023, and it will increase yet more in 2024. Understanding the Department as a dispersed, human institution that responds to incentives explains why.… Continue Reading
The Department of Justice (“DOJ”) recently announced its largest ever health care fraud and opioid enforcement action. In a coordinated effort, DOJ charged 345 defendants with more than $6 billion in fraud losses for submitting false and fraudulent claims to federal health care programs and private insurers.… Continue Reading
In remarks to the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (“ACAMS”), Kenneth A. Blanco, the Director of the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), covered a number of high-priority topics, including FinCEN’s response to the pandemic, the latest COVID-19 related fraud schemes, emerging cyber threats, virtual currency issues, and important regulatory updates. A theme … Continue Reading
On May 19, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump signed Executive Order 13924, to provide regulatory relief for entities economically impacted by the pandemic. Section 6 of the Executive Order directed agencies to revise their procedures and practices in administrative investigations and enforcement in light of certain enumerated principles of fairness. It … Continue Reading
Release of $4.9 billion in financial assistance for nursing homes, which care for high risk seniors, is not all good news. Already facing difficult times, skilled nursing facilities will receive even more scrutiny to account for the money. Read tips here from former prosecutors Marisa Darden, David Maria, and Tom Zeno.… Continue Reading
As business slowly and cautiously reopens, cybercriminals lie in wait. A case study into a massive unemployment insurance fraud shows that cybercriminals patiently hunt for lucrative opportunities to strike. For that reason, companies reopening should consider conducting a cyber-audit to identify their cyber vulnerabilities and thwart cybercriminals lying in wait.… Continue Reading
Over the past few months, numerous organizations and agencies—including the intergovernmental Financial Action Task Force, UK Financial Conduct Authority, Dubai Financial Services Authority, and U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network—have stressed the need to preserve the integrity and security of the global payments system during and after the pandemic.… Continue Reading
On May 15, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) released the long-awaited Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Application. Congress established the PPP as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), and the PPP is a key pillar in the Government’s response to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. … Continue Reading
In an earlier post, here, we scrutinized the form and content of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)’s March 6, 2020 guidance pertaining to the provision of humanitarian goods and assistance to the people of Iran consistent with U.S. sanctions. In this concluding post, we discuss the factors the … Continue Reading
On March 6, 2020 and in response to an outbreak of coronavirus in Iran, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued guidance pertaining to the manner in which humanitarian goods and assistance may be provided to the people of Iran consistent with U.S. sanctions against Iran. This two-part post … Continue Reading
On April 20, the U.S. Treasury Department said it would consider the Coronavirus pandemic’s impact of potentially reducing corporate resources as a mitigating factor in determining the appropriate response to sanctions violations. Something else was left unsaid.… Continue Reading
Although the rapid shift to telehealth is a boon to providers and patients, the federal government has issued specific guidance that providers need to follow. See tips for compliance provided by David Maria, a former federal prosecutor and member of the Department of Justice Medicare Fraud Strike Force, and Trevor Garmey, a Senior Associate with … Continue Reading
Production of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the national emergency poses legal and regulatory risk. See our discussion of available protections by Marisa Darden and Marques Richeson on our Global Supply Chain Law blog… Continue Reading
Manufacturing hand sanitizer to help meet the global demand presents a great opportunity for companies looking to find new markets. However, successful marketing requires compliance with regulatory oversight. See our discussion by Marisa Darden and Marques Richeson on our Global Supply Chain Law blog… Continue Reading
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have taken legal actions to combat fraud arising out of the COVID-19 health emergency. DOJ Restraining Order On March 23, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Western Division of Texas issued a temporary restraining order to halt a predatory wire fraud scheme … Continue Reading
With governments around the world injecting trillions of dollars into the global economy to prevent a financial catastrophe, the first priority for companies is to figure out how to take advantage of the various stimulus packages to save themselves. This is not the time to take the money and run, however.… Continue Reading
While the world and markets are reeling, dealing with and adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Securities & Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) Division of Enforcement wants companies and individuals to know that it’s business as usual at the SEC. This week, Stephanie Avakian and Steven Peikin, Co-Directors of the SEC’s Enforcement Division, issued a statement regarding … Continue Reading
