Category: DOJ Updates
US Government ‘Strike Force’ to Block Foreign Adversaries From Obtaining Disruptive Technologies
Key takeaway The federal government sent another big signal that it’s stepping up efforts to keep cutting-edge, dual-use and military technologies out of the hands of adversarial foreign governments when it announced the launch of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force (DIS-TECH) on February 16, 2023. The strike force, led by […]
Considering Texting About Work? Beware.
As the rise in remote work has led to an increased reliance on mobile devices to stay connected – with cellphones at our fingertips virtually 24/7 – the use of third-party messaging applications to communicate about work has become commonplace. From WhatsApp to Telegram, corporate executives, financial services professionals and […]
DOJ’s Pandemic Fraud Enforcement Efforts Accelerating
On March 10, 2022, the Department of Justice announced the appointment of Associate Deputy Attorney General Kevin Chambers to serve as the DOJ’s first Director for COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement. This announcement comes two years after Congress passed the $2.2 trillion economic relief bill known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and […]
Is DOJ Looking to Bring Criminal Charges Under Sherman Act’s Section 2? ‘Yes, Absolutely’
On March 2, 2022, Richard Powers, the deputy assistant attorney general of the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice, said that the division is prepared – for the first time in decades – to bring criminal charges under Section 2 of the Sherman Act, which prohibits monopolists or […]
DOJ Previews Enforcement Policies Aimed at Clinical Trial Fraud
On December 9, 2021, one of the nation’s top healthcare prosecutors made clear that clinical trial fraud will be a major enforcement priority of President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice.
Whistleblower Complaints and Rewards Explode Worldwide
What you need to know Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of whistleblower complaints received by regulators has exploded on both sides of the Atlantic. On November 15, 2021, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reported that it paid out more in whistleblower awards in fiscal […]
Department of Justice Announces Significant Changes to Corporate Criminal Enforcement
Overview Last week, the #2 official at the Department of Justice announced significant new measures intended to strengthen the DOJ’s response to criminal corporate misconduct. In an address to the ABA’s National Institute on White Collar Crime in Miami, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced three policy changes and identified […]
DOJ Increases Efforts to Combat Cyber Breaches by Targeting Government Contractors
The US Department of Justice is increasing its arsenal to pursue cyber-related fraud by government contractors and grant recipients. The program, called the “Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative,” was announced by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco on Wednesday. The initiative – along with other recent steps taken by the federal government – […]
DOJ Announces First Civil Settlement for PPP Fraud
After bringing dozens of criminal charges against Paycheck Protection Program loan recipients in recent months, on January 12, the US Department of Justice announced its first civil settlement resolving allegations of PPP loan fraud. Pursuant to the settlement agreement, SlideBelts, an internet retail company and debtor in bankruptcy, and its […]
PPP Lenders Beginning to Receive Scrutiny Alongside Borrowers
It is no longer only borrowers who are facing potential Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan scrutiny, although, as promised, SBA has indeed begun sending inquiries to borrowers who are seeking forgiveness of loans greater than $2 million. Increasingly, however, lenders also are attracting the attention of federal regulators and investigative […]