June 26, 2023

Former Department of Energy Employee Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes from Long Island Businessman in Exchange for Nearly $1 Million in Federal Contracts

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Jami Anthony, the former Small Business Program Liaison and Procurement Officer for a Department of Energy (DOE) laboratory based in Virginia, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging her with receiving bribes as a federal official in connection with a scheme to pay her more than $18,000 in exchange for more than $900,000 in DOE contracts. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Anne Y. Shields. When sentenced, Anthony faces up to 15 years in prison. As part of her guilty plea, Anthony agreed to forfeit approximately $18,800.

June 16, 2023

Raleigh ENT Doctor Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Adulterating Surgical Devices, for Defrauding Medicare, and for Stealing Patient Identities

Anita Louise Jackson, 62, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for adulterating surgical devices used in more than 1400 nasal surgeries performed on Medicare patients between 2011 and 2018. Jackson was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit 4.7 million dollars. In January of this year, Jackson was found guilty. by a federal jury on 20 criminal counts, including device adulteration, fraud, conspiracy and identity theft.

June 16, 2023

Man Convicted of $54M Bribery and Kickback Scheme Involving Fraudulent Prescriptions

A federal jury convicted a Florida man for his role in a $54 million bribery and kickback scheme involving TRICARE, a federal program that provides health insurance benefits to active duty and retired service members and their families. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, David Byron Copeland, 55, of Tallahassee, was a part-owner and senior sales manager at Florida Pharmacy Solutions (FPS), a Florida-based pharmacy that specialized in compounded prescription drugs. Copeland, along with his accomplices, engaged in a practice known as "test billing" to develop the most expensive combination of compounded drugs to maximize reimbursement from TRI CARE.

June 15, 2023

Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 18 Months Imprisonment for Health Care Fraud Scheme

CHRISTOPHER BLACKSTONE has been sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment to be followed by a 2-year term of supervised release after pleading guilty in federal court relating to his role in a health care fraud conspiracy. BLACKSTONE, age 46, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on February 24, 2021 before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to Count One of a bill of information charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1347 and 1349.

June 15, 2023

Air National Guardsman Indicted for Unlawful Disclosure of Classified National Defense Information

A member of the United States Air National Guard (USANG) stationed in Massachusetts has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly retaining and transmitting classified National Defense Information on a social media platform beginning in or around 2022 and continuing until his arrest in April 2023.

June 15, 2023

Two Jacksonville Compounding Pharmacies and Their Owner Agree to Pay at Least $7 .4 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

The Justice Department announced today that Smart Pharmacy, Inc., SP2, LLC, and owner Gregory Balotin have agreed to pay at least $7.4 million to resolve lawsuits filed in Jacksonville, Florida, alleging they violated the False Claims Act by adding the antipsychotic drug aripiprazole to topical compounded pain creams to boost reimbursement and by routinely waiving patient copayment obligations. The settlement amount is based on the defendants' ability to pay.

June 14, 2023

Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 26 Months Imprisonment for Health Care Fraud Scheme

DONALD PETER AUZINE was sentenced on June 13, 2023 to 26 months of imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release after pleading guilty in federal court relating to his role in a health care fraud conspiracy. AUZINE, age 51, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on September 23, 2021 before U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan to Count One of an indictment that charged him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1347 and 1349.

June 13, 2023

Haitian-Chilean Citizen Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with Plot to Kill Haitian President

Rodolphe Jaar, 49, was sentenced to life in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez for his participation in the events leading to the July 7, 2021, assassination of President Jovenel Mo'i'se of Haiti, after pleading guilty on March 24. From at least February to July 2021, South Florida served as a central location for planning and financing the plot to oust President Morse from power and replace him with someone who would serve the coconspirators' political goals and financial interests. Jaar helped secure weapons and provided other support.

June 8, 2023

Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding California Car Dealership

Michael Uziewe, 63, of Grayson, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud related to an online scheme that defrauded a business owner in California and a second business owner in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Phillip A.Talbert announced.

June 6, 2023

CEO of Dozens of Companies and Entities in Florida and New Jersey Admits Role in Massive Scheme to Traffic in Fraudulent and Counterfeit Cisco Networking Equipment

A Florida resident and dual citizen of the United States and Turkey pleaded guilty to running and extensive operation over many years to traffic in Fraudulent and counterfeit Cisco networking equipment, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna, District of New Jersey, and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. announced today.