Jan. 31, 2024

Twenty-Year Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Export Defense Articles to Iran

En-Wei Eric Chang, age 48, a citizen of the United States and the Republic of Taiwan, residing in Taiwan, pleaded guilty today to a federal conspiracy charge, related to the export of defense materials to Iran. Such materials were embargoed under the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).

Jan. 30, 2024

Government Contractors Agree to Pay $3.9 Million to Resolve Claims of Misrepresenting Women-Owned Small Business Status

QuarterLine Consulting Services, LLC, and its parent company, Planned Systems International, Inc. (PSI), both located in Arlington, agreed to pay $3.9 million to resolve allegations that QuarterLine made false statements about its women-owned small business (WOSB) status to obtain a Defense Health Agency (DHA) task order that was set aside for WOSBs to provide physicians to an Air Force military treatment facility. “This settlement demonstrates my office’s commitment to ensuring a fair and honest playing field for companies who are called on to support the Department of Defense, and in this case, provide medical care to those serving our country,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Jan. 30, 2024

Project Manager Pleads Guilty to Kickback Scheme to Defraud a U.S. Army Facility

A former project manager for a government contractor pleaded guilty today for his role in a conspiracy to inflate project costs by over $200,000 and receive kickbacks related to contracts for commercial flooring services at a U.S. Army facility in Fairbanks, Alaska. Kevin Mahler pleaded guilty to a six-count felony information filed on Jan. 29, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. According to the plea, from March 2016 to March 2021, Mahler conspired to receive kickbacks from Benjamin McCulloch, the owner of a commercial flooring services company, related to construction contracts administered by the U.S. Army at Fort Wainwright.

Jan. 29, 2024

Four Plead Guilty to Healthcare Offenses, Including Doctor and Lab Owners

Four defendants in separate, but related, cases pleaded guilty for their roles in a scheme to pay and receive kickbacks in relation to toxicology tests, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Mark Rubin, 58, Renee Field, 44, Kelly Nelson, 52, and Carlos Hornedo, 61, were all charged via felony informations in December 2023. Mr. Rubin, on January 17th, and Mr. Hornedo, on January 10th, both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to solicit and receive illegal kickbacks. On December 13th, Ms. Field and Ms. Nelson both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks. The defendants each face a maximum penalty of not more than five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and may be ordered to pay restitution.

Jan. 29, 2024

Former Lawton Hotel Manager Sentenced to Serve 18 Months in Federal Prison for $103,000 Bribery Scheme with Former Army Training Center Manager

This month, ALFRED PALMA, 65, of Duncan, and CANDY HANZA, 51, of Medicine Park, were each sentenced to serve time in federal prison for bribery, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On May 3, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a twelve-count Indictment against Palma and Hanza. According to the Indictment, Palma, a United States Army employee and public official, was the manager of the Institutional Training Directed Lodging and Meals (ITDLM) program at Fort Sill, through which he booked hotel rooms for soldiers who attended off-post trainings. Hanza worked as the general manager of a local hotel in Lawton. The Indictment alleges that Hanza paid Palma bribes to direct soldiers to Hanza’s hotel.

Jan. 26, 2024

United States and State of Washington File False Claims Act Complaint Against MultiCare for Knowingly Endangering Patients and Fraudulently Billing for Spinal Surgery Procedures

Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that the United States and State of Washington filed a Complaint in federal district court against MultiCare Health System, a Tacoma-based hospital and healthcare system that owns and operates MultiCare Deaconess Hospital (Deaconess) and MultiCare Rockwood Clinic in Spokane, alleging that MultiCare knowingly endangered patient safety and falsely and fraudulently billed Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health care programs for spinal surgery procedures performed at Deaconess between 2019 and 2021 by Jason Dreyer, a former neurosurgeon.

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.