Ding-Dong, the SEC is investigating the Avon Lady
Avon Products, Inc., the legendary maker of women’s cosmetics sold door-to-door, announced that the SEC is investigating whether the company violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which prohibits companies from bribing foreign public officials.
The SEC recently charged a Denver hedge fund manager with insider trading of Mariner Energy, Inc. The complaint alleges that Mariner Energy board member H. Clayton Peterson gave his son, Drew, confidential information about an upcoming acquisition of Mariner. The complaint alleges that Drew Peterson used the information to purchase Mariner stock for himself and others and passed along the information to friends to use.
The whistleblower responsible for numerous lawsuits against custodial powerhouse BNY Mellon is Grant Wilson, a former currency trader in the bank’s Pittsburgh operation. The lawsuits stem from alleged charges that BNY Mellon provided its clients with least favorable currency rates, which allowed the bank to pocket additional exchange fees. Mr.
An article authored by Douglas K. Rosenblum, Esquire and John A. Schwab, Esquire published in the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Magazine, Fall 2011 edition.
To read the article see: https://www.falseclaimsact.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/fca_article.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana announced on October 19, 2011, that Premier Home Care, a durable medical equipment provider in Southern Indiana, had agreed to pay $600,000 to the United States and to the State of Indiana for violations of the False Claims Act. This qui tam suit was filed in 2008 by a former Premier employee who alleged that the company violated the False Claims Act by falsely certifying its compliance with state licensing requirements when it used unlicensed personnel to set up respiratory ventilation machines for patients.
On October 21, 2011, Bloomberg News reported that Abbott Laboratories, an American pharmaceutical manufacturer, would at least $1.3 billion to settle claims that the company illegally marketed its epilepsy drug, Depakote. This announcement followed one similar from Abbott on October 19, where it disclosed that it recorded a $1.5 billion charge for the third quarter to cover a potential settlement based on government investigations of allegations that it promoted its Depakote anti-seizure drug for unauthorized uses.
On October 21, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the pharmaceutical manufacturer, Pfizer Inc., agreed to pay $14.5 million to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act related to Detrol, a drug marketed for a condition called overactive bladder.
New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced last week that the state has reached a settlement with food service provider Whitsons Culinary Group for illegally overcharging school districts and other education providers.
On October 6, 2011, federal authorities announced the settlement of a health care fraud lawsuit against the trustees of Columbia University, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and Dr. Erik Goluboff for $995,000. The settlement resolves allegations that the defendants caused Medicare to be over-billed for urological procedures and billed for urological tests that were medically unnecessary.
Last week, Oracle Corp. and Oracle America, Inc. agreed to pay $199.5 million plus interest for failing to meet their contractual obligations to the General Services Administration (GSA). The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed on behalf of the U.S.
If you are aware of any person, corporation or entity that you think may be violating the Federal False Claims Act or a State False Claims Act, contact us today.