False Claims Act Update & Alert
Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund | Washington, D.C. | WWW.TAF.ORG November 30, 2004
		Sign Up for this FREE Newsletter n Web Site n About TAF-EF n The False Claims Act n Previous newsletters n Email editor Please take a moment to forward this FREE electronic newsletter to others that might be interested!	Death, Terror and Filth Two companies and four individuals who managed a now-closed Chicago nursing home for the mentally-ill have agreed to pay more than $1.6 million to settle a federal and state False Claims Act lawsuit alleging they billed federal and state governments for grossly inadequate and inappropriate care. After the whistleblower lawsuit was filed, a federal investigation found that Maxwell Manor patients were routinely abused, neglected, mistreated, sexually assaulted, medicated as a form of punishment, unsupervised and otherwise untreated for their mental health, physical disability and substance abuse problems. >> To read more
			Pfizer Sales Under Investigation Pfizer is under investigation by New York and Connecticut in connection with possible illegal off-label marketing of several drugs, including Zoloft. This is the second time Pfizer has come under investigation for off-label marketing. In May, Pfizer agreed to pay $430 million to resolve criminal charges and civil liabilities stemming from the illegal promotion of the epilepsy drug Neurontin. >> To read more
			Doctor Plead Guilty in TAP Cases Plymouth urologist Dr. John Romano has pled guilty to selling free samples of cancer drug Lupron to patients and then billing Medicare. Romano could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Earlier this month, G. Craig Kiser, M.D., a McMinnville, Oregon urology also pled guilty for billing Medicare for free sample of Lupron supplied by the TAP pharmaceutical company. Dr. Kiser agreed to enter into a compliance program and will pay restitution, fines and penalties of $213,000. The TAP pharmaceutical case remains the largest False Claims Act drug recovery to date, with $875 million paid to resolve criminal and civil liabilities. >> To read more
			Gold Banc to Pay $16 M Gold Banc Corp. has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a False Claims Act lawsuit which alleged that the bank had charged excessive interest rates and fees on federally guaranteed agricultural loans. Gold Banc's legal problems were one reason Silver Acquisition Corp. withdrew its initial offer to purchase the bank, tendering a lower offer that was ultimately rejected. >> To read more