Dec. 3, 2021

Owner of Blair Pharmacy Pleads Guilty to Providing Illegal Payments to Independent Marketers to Induce Them to Refer Business to His Pharmacy

Matthew Edward Blair, age 48, of Timonium, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to payment of illegal remunerations to encourage independent marketers to refer federal health care related business to Blair's pharmacy.

Dec. 2, 2021

Flower Mound Hospital to Pay $18.2 Million to Settle Federal and State False Claims Act Allegations Arising from Improper Inducements to Referring Physicians

Flower Mound Hospital Partners LLC (Flower Mound Hospital}, a partially physician-owned hospital in Flower Mound, Texas, has agreed to pay $18.2 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting claims to the Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE programs that resulted from violations of the Physician Self-Referral Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute.

Nov. 29, 2021

Former Air Force Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing More Than $1.1 Million in Government Funds

U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm today sentenced Eddie Ray Johnson, Jr., age 60, of Brandywine, Maryland, to 16 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, with the first 12 months to be served in home confinement, for theft of government property, in connection with a scheme to use his government-issued travel credit card to obtain more than $1.1 million in cash advances. In addition, Judge Grimm ordered Johnson to perform 500 hours of community service, pay a $15,000 fine, forfeit $4,000 seized during a search on November 6, 2019, and pay restitution of $1,157,540.69.

Nov. 22, 2021

Government Contractor Agrees to Pay Nearly $3.5 Million to Resolve Allegations it Overcharged U.S. Navy

Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. (Draper), a Cambridge-based non-profit research company and defense contractor, has agreed to pay nearly $3.5 million to resolve allegations that it improperly overcharged U.S. Navy contracts. Draper, among other things, helps develop weapons systems for the U.S. Navy.

Nov. 22, 2021

South Carolina Chiropractor Pleads Guilty and Agrees to $9 Million False Claims Act Consent Judgment

On Nov. 8, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina entered a $9 million civil consent judgment for the United States against South Carolina chiropractor Daniel McCollum under the False Claims Act. On that same day, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina filed an information and plea agreement in which Mccollum admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks and to defraud healthcare programs by billing for unnecessary medical services. The maximum criminal penalty Mccollum could face is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. A sentencing date has not been set.

Nov. 19, 2021

Two Florida Men Indicted in Multimillion-Dollar Health Care Fraud Schemes

Two Florida men have been indicted for their roles in durable medical equipment and compound medication schemes involving kickbacks and fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

Nov. 16, 2021

Owners of Imaging Product Companies Pay $220,000 to Resolve Allegations of Fraud Against Federal Government Agencies

Jimmy A. Meron, owner of WOW Imaging Products LLC (WOW) and part owner of Time Enterprises LLC (Time), has paid $100,000 to resolve allegations of knowingly overcharging federal agencies for imaging products; Michael J. Lowe, Meron’s co-owner of Time, has paid an additional $120,000, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Nov. 16, 2021

Former Freight Company Executive Admits Embezzlement Scheme

A former program manager of an international freight forwarding company today admitted his role in a scheme to embezzle over $550,000 from the company, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.

Nov. 15, 2021

Woodlands pain doctor pays half million dollars for fraudulent PPP and billing allegations

A 49-year-old local physician has agreed to pay $523,331 to settle allegations he submitted false claims for the placement of electroacupuncture devices and for making false statements when applying for a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Nov. 10, 2021

Georgia company and owner sentenced for role in scheme to evade U.S. national security trade sanctions

A Georgia company and its owner have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in an international scheme to evade United States national security laws.