2025 Lawyers of the Year
During its 25th Annual Conference, The Anti-Fraud Coalition bestowed its Lawyers of the Year Award to Edward Scarvalone, Jonathan Willens, and Heidi Wendel for their extraordinary results in United States ex rel. Bellman v. Gilead Sciences, Inc.
The award recognizes a member or members of The Anti-Fraud Coalition who achieved outstanding results, overcame especially challenging circumstances, and/or brought change to an industry thought their incredible efforts in the last year.
Edward (“Ed”), Jonathan, and Heidi teamed up to represent whistleblower Dr. Paul Bellman in the monumental case U.S. ex rel. Bellman v. Gilead Sciences, Inc. The team’s nearly decade-long efforts resulted in the United States recovering $202 million to resolve allegation s that Gilead Sciences violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act. In addition to drafting three complaints, countless legal and factual memos, and interview memoranda, the team analyzed thousands of sham speaker events, kickbacks, data, and connected those kickbacks to specific providers. Ed, Jonathan, and Heidi also assisted the United States in drafting Civil Investigative Demands and worked closely with claims data experts. Gilead’s documents were more than simple cost reports. Gilead’s documents involved massive raw data spreadsheets with tens of thousands of lines of data, which Ed, Jonathan, and Heidi combined, with expert assistance, into a single master spreadsheet of events data for analysis and presentation of Gilead’s speaker program fraud. This spreadsheet was essential to understanding the depth and scope of Gilead’s fraud and was instrumental in the Government’s ability to hone its liability theory as well as its damages model.
Beyond their expertise and hard work, Ed, Jonathan, and Heidi also brought stability to this case which was litigated across three presidential administrations, numerous personnel changes, and a global pandemic. Their team drew upon their experience from years of prior government service to help keep the case on track. Ed, Jonathan, and Heidi’s unwavering efforts in this matter exemplify the public-private partnership that is core to the False Claims Act.
The recovery represents a major win in the fight against fraud, but beyond that, this team’s work transcends monetary consequences. Not only did Gilead’s conduct defraud the taxpayers, it also corrupted medical providers’ clinical judgment in the HIV/AIDS space, imperiling patient care. The case exposed that Gilead actively disrupted the HIV/AIDS treatment market with questionable drugs with proven dangerous side effects. Ed, Jonathan, and Heidi’s tireless efforts helped bring Gilead’s conduct to an end, protecting vulnerable patients victim to Gilead’s fraud.
“We were thrilled to honor Heidi, Jonathan, and Ed as Lawyers of the Year,” said Jacklyn DeMar, the President and CEO of The Anti-Fraud Coalition, “this settlement stands as a testament to the power of the False Claims Act’s public-private partnership, where deep analysis of complex data and perseverance helped the government secure a historic victory against fraud.”
Award Nomination Process
The Lawyers of the Year Award and others are nominated by the general membership of The Anti-Fraud Coalition before the organization’s annual conference.
Once submitted, The Anti-Fraud Coalition’s Conference & Member Education Committee deliberate and vote on award recipients.
