Fraud By The Numbers Series
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Whistleblowers Can Reverse the Decline in Defense FCA Cases
Each year in Fraud by the Numbers, we have lamented the historic decline in defense contracting False Claims Act (FCA) cases. It’s an ironic trend given the FCA’s origin as a means of fighting fraud by military contractors in the Civil War. In 2024, the federal government recovered about $93 million in Department of Defense…
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SEC Individual Charges
This installment of the Fraud by the Numbers series, we turn to the latest U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) statistics on enforcement actions against individuals. For those who are unfamiliar, the SEC provides a link specific to actions against individuals (aka SEC Action Lookup – Individuals (SALI)). Like other U.S. Government Agencies, including the U.S.…
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State-Level Crypto Fraud Enforcement
Cryptocurrency-related fraud remains big business, with the FBI reporting $9.3 billion in cryptocurrency fraud losses in 2024, a 66% increase from 2023. In addition to federal enforcement, it is important to remember that state securities regulators play an active role in protecting investors against fraud, including in the crypto space. State attorneys general have…
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Kickbacks: A New Enforcement Priority in Medicare Advantage
This post is a combination of two oft-covered topics: kickbacks and the Medicare Advantage program.Kickbacks, in all shapes and sizes, have been an enforcement priority for years. But most Medicare kickback cases have involved either the traditional Medicare program (also known as Parts A and B), or Medicare’s prescription drug program (Part D). In the…
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Busting Modern-Day Trusts with the Help of Whistleblowers
Teddy Roosevelt is known as the youngest person to be sworn in as President of the United States when he assumed office after President McKinley was assassinated. But as the 26th President of the United States Teddy Roosevelt quickly became known for his willingness to use the Sherman Antitrust Act, signed into law in 1890,…
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COVID-19 Fraud: Five Years In, Five More to Go
The CARES Act: A Lifeline—and a Loophole The CARES Act was designed to prevent economic collapse during the pandemic lockdowns. Through programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), Congress authorized over $1 trillion in loans and grants to more than 10 million small businesses between 2020 and 2022.…
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State False Claims Act
This installment of the Fraud by the Numbers series, we turn to the State False Claims Act (FCA) statutes. To recap several, but not all states and territories have FCA statutes and some are healthcare specific. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) provides a list of…
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Four State Medicaid Fraud Statutes Provide Whistleblowers with Additional Remedies and Protections
When a whistleblower uncovers Medicaid fraud, federal and state False Claims Act statutes can remedy the fraud and protect whistleblowers. But only 29 states have these statutory protections. However, four states have Medicaid-only statutes to allow whistleblowers to report fraud and receive some protections. But how effective are these Medicaid-only laws? Let’s look at the…
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Recent Ninth Circuit Decision Empowers Whistleblowers to Pursue Customs Fraud Cases in Districts with Some of the Busiest Ports
The United States is the world’s largest importer, bringing in an estimated $2.49 trillion worth of goods and services in 2024, following $3.85 trillion in 2023. Much of this trade flows through just a handful of U.S. ports, especially those on the West Coast. Against this backdrop, the Ninth Circuit’s recent decision in U.S. ex…
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DOJ Trendlines
In 2024, more whistleblowers came forward to report fraud than ever before. As we have each year on Fraud by the Numbers, we are looking at the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) annual False Claims Act (FCA) statistics for the prior year.[1] As DOJ recognized in its own press release, 2024 set a remarkable record…
