Yesterday I enjoyed leading a panel discussion of the new State False Claims Acts, at the Southeastern Health Care Fraud Conference in Atlanta. Of particular interest to this audience was the new Georgia State False Medicaid Claims Act that became law in May 2007, which has qui tam whistleblower provisions…
Our potential tax whistleblower clients–who call our attorneys about participating in the new IRS Whistleblower Rewards Program–regularly ask before they proceed if the IRS will keep their identities confidential. Across the country, the IRS Special Agents we have been dealing with in representing our tax whistleblower clients (for example, in…
One of the many types of fraud and false claims that whistleblowers can report to whistleblower attorneys is unlawful “kickbacks” paid by companies that do business with the federal government. The Justice Department has announced a settlement with IBM and PriceWaterhouseCoopers for more than $5.2 million, to resolve allegations that…
The Minerals Management Service of the U. S. Department of Interior is responsible for the collection of royalties on federal and Indian leases. Companies who have such leases are required to report to the Department of Interior the value of natural gas produced (or minerals mined) from federal and Indian…
Medicaid Fraud Recovery Announced by Missouri Attorney General False and fraudulent billings were uncovered in a Missouri Medicaid fraud investigation that has produced a recovery by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Billings like this typically violate the False Claims Act or the various state False Claims…
This past week produced examples of why whistleblowers and their attorneys must continue to insist that false claims and health care fraud not be tolerated. The indictments of Texas medical equipment suppliers–who are alleged to have overbilled Medicare and Medicaid for expensive scooters and chairs while providing cheaper ones –show…
IRS Seeks Documents from Citigroup and Lehman Brothers Holdings on Derivatives Now that Congress has created a meaningful IRS Whistleblower Rewards Program, tax whistleblower attorneys took note of yesterday’s report that the IRS is looking into whether derivatives trades for hedge funds and other investors are being used to avoid…
Most Defendants in KPMG Case Escape Prosecution–At Least For Now As we have written about previously, abusive and fraudulent tax shelters promoted by accounting firms are high on the list of conduct that the IRS (and IRS tax whistleblowers) seek to stop. Today, the government’s prosecution of 13 former KPMG…
IRS Tax Whistleblowers with Knowledge of Stock Option Backdating Should Take Note Now that the IRS has an effective IRS Whistleblower Rewards Program for whistleblowers who report tax fraud, tax evasion, or other violations of the Internal Revenue laws, the IRS’ recent announcement of focusing on back-dating of stock options…
Fraud and False Claims by Government Contractor in Dallas Leads to $2.6 Million Settlement with Justice Department The statute most used by whistleblowers and whistleblower attorneys has resulted in yet another recovery of money for false claims. The Justice Department has announced that Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS) has agreed…