Category: DOJ Updates
DOJ Fraud Division Announces New Corporate Enforcement Priorities
On October 1, 2026, Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald, head of the Department of Justice’s new National Fraud Enforcement Division, issued Directive 26-12, titled “Corporate Enforcement in the Fight Against Fraud” (memorandum). The memorandum expands on the Division’s initial set of priorities set forth in an August 13, 2026 […]
DOJ’s FARA Press Release: Reacting to Congressional Demands for FARA Enforcement?
Last week, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) released an unusual policy statement intended to “remind the public” of foreign agent laws, including the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and its sister statute, 18 USC § 951. This release may come as a surprise given the current administration’s prior actions. […]
White House Targets Trade Fraud With AI
The White House recently announced that “the age of untraceable illegal transshipment is over.” In an August 13 report titled, “The Great Transshipment Scam,” the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy issued what it called a “warning to the world” – “stop evading and avoiding the Trump tariffs […]
DOJ Trade Fraud Task Force Recoveries Top $1 Billion in Under a Year
On July 14, 2026, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that the Trade Fraud Task Force (TFTF), launched last August in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has “surpassed $1 billion in civil and criminal recoveries, penalties, forfeitures, and publicly charged losses.” The DOJ emphasized that the […]
DOJ Seeks to Accelerate Review of Benefits-Fraud False Claims Act Cases
The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced a significant procedural shift for False Claims Act (FCA) investigations involving alleged fraud against federally funded, state-administered benefits programs. On May 27, 2026, Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate issued a memorandum directing DOJ attorneys to expedite review of qui tam complaints alleging benefits […]
DOJ Targets Failure to Report Adverse Events: Lessons From the ExThera Enforcement Action
In March 2026, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced criminal charges against medical device company ExThera Medical Corporation and its former chief regulatory officer for allegedly concealing patient deaths associated with the company’s experimental blood filtration device. The case highlights a familiar, but often underappreciated, risk area for life […]
DOJ Announces First DEI False Claims Act Settlement With IBM
On April 10, 2026, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the first settlement for alleged violations of the False Claims Act (FCA) related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) employment practices. Following DOJ’s investigation, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) agreed to pay nearly $17.1 million to resolve allegations that it […]
DOJ Announces New Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy
On March 10, 2026, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a new Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (CEP) aimed at creating a unified, department-wide framework designed to incentivize companies to come forward with potential misconduct. Under the new policy, self-reporting companies can be eligible for favorable treatment, including […]
Major Shift in SDNY’s Voluntary Self-Disclosure Program
On February 24, 2026, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) announced its revised Voluntary Self-Disclosure and Cooperation Program for Financial Crimes. The updated program focuses on increasing predictability and transparency around the self-disclosure process by offering self-reporting companies a clear path to conditional and […]
How Founders and Private Companies Can Mitigate Risks of a Government Investigation
Government investigations can be costly. A simple subpoena for documents could entail collecting hundreds of thousands of documents from your email servers and personal devices, hiring attorneys to review and produce documents, and sitting for hours of interviews with government investigators. And if that investigation uncovers evidence of violations, the […]