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.

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.