Category: DOJ Updates
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 […]
Department of Justice Updates Guidance on Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs
On June 1, the DOJ updated its guidance for evaluating a company’s compliance program when resolving corporate investigations. The updated guidance makes clear that prosecutors should consider a company’s particular circumstances when evaluating its compliance program. The updated guidance also emphasizes that a company must be proactive and continually assess […]
House Select Subcommittee Announces First Public Investigations Involving CARES Act
As anticipated, the hundreds of billions of dollars allocated under the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program have become the focus of scrutiny from investigators. On May 8, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis launched its first public broadsides at five companies that received PPP loans.