Jan. 26, 2024

Former Soldier Receives 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking Ketamine and Laundering More than $700,000

Gordon Ray Custis 26, of Fayetteville, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute ketamine, conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute ketamine; and money laundering. He pled guilty to the charges on September 14, 2023. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects. Common street names for ketamine include Cat Tranquilizer, Cat Valium, Jet K, Kit Kat, Purple, Special K, Special La Coke, Super Acid, Super K, and Vitamin K.

Jan. 25, 2024

Husband and Wife Sentenced for $65 Million TRICARE Fraud

Jimmy and Ashley Collins, a married couple living in Birchwood, Tennessee, were sentenced in federal court today for orchestrating a health care fraud scheme that bilked TRICARE – the health care program that covers United States service members – out of more than $65 million.

Jan. 18, 2024

Former Pharmacy President Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for $32 Million Health Care Kickback Scheme

A former president of a pharmacy business was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for his role in a health care kickback conspiracy involving prescriptions for Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced today. Elan Yaish, 54, of Israel, previously pleaded guilty on Aug. 16, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to an information charging him with conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute. Judge Salas imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

Jan. 17, 2024

Castro Valley Resident Pleads Guilty To Illegally Exporting American Aviation Technology To Beijing University

Jonathan Yet Wing Soong pleaded guilty today to violating export control laws in connection with a scheme to secretly funnel sensitive aeronautics software to a Beijing university, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds; Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement (BIS), Special Agent in Charge John D. Masters; Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Special Agent in Charge Bryan D. Denny. The plea was accepted by the Hon. Susan Illston, United States District Judge.

Jan. 4, 2024

Fugitive Leonard Francis Back in San Diego; Appears in Federal Court

Leonard Glenn Francis, the infamous fugitive who presided over a massive decade-long conspiracy involving scores of U.S. Navy officials, tens of millions of dollars in fraud and millions of dollars in bribes and gifts, appeared in federal court today for the first time since he cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet and absconded from house arrest in San Diego in September 2022.

Dec. 22, 2023

Phillips Respironics Pays $2.4 Million for Allegedly Giving Kickbacks

Phillips Respironics, a manufacturer of durable medical equipment based in Pennsylvania, has paid $2,471,359.25 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by giving kickbacks to sleep laboratories. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits paying money or giving goods to induce referrals for medical services or items covered by a federal health care program, such as Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE. Claims submitted to these programs in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute give rise to liability under the False Claims Act.

Dec. 21, 2023

Owner of Marketing Companies Admits Role in $24 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme

An Ohio man and owner of several marketing companies today admitted his role in conspiracies to commit health care fraud and to pay and receive illegal kickbacks, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.

Dec. 21, 2023

United States Reaches $9.1 Million Civil Settlement with Total Access Urgent Care Over False Claims Allegations

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri announced today that Total Access Urgent Care (TAUC) has agreed to pay $9,150,794 to settle allegations that TAUC submitted false claims for medical services, including COVID-19 testing.

Dec. 20, 2023

United Memorial Medical Center to Pay $2 Million Plus Additional Contingent Payments for Allegedly Causing False Claims Related to Excessive Cost Outlier Payments and Double Billing for Covid-19 Tests

Doctor’s Hospital 1997 L.P., doing business as United Memorial Medical Center LLC (UMMC), an entity that formerly operated hospitals in the Houston, Texas area, has agreed to pay $2 million, and to make additional contingent payments, to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations for claiming excessive cost outlier payments from government health care programs and for double billing the government for COVID-19 tests that were also billed either to the State of Texas or the City of Houston.

Dec. 19, 2023

DOJ Unseals Charges Against Iranian and Chinese Nationals for Procurement Fraud Involving the Acquisition of Components for Drones on Behalf of the Iranian Government

The Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging two men - Iranian National Hossein Hatefi Ardakani (“Ardakani”) and Chinese National Gary Lam - with crimes related to the procurement of U.S.-manufactured dual-use microelectronics for Iran. Concurrent with this unsealing, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) designated Ardakani and Lam, also identified by OFAC as Lin Jinghe, as well as two other individuals and 10 entities involved in the procurement network used by Ardakani in support of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force Self Sufficiency Jihad Organization’s one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV” or drone) program.