[Post updated through 2021] Employment Specialists of Maine, known locally as ESM, is a private community rehabilitation provider in Maine. It provides services for many Maine residents struggling with intellectual disabilities. The company relies heavily on funding from the federal Medicaid program as well as state tax dollars. Earlier this year ESM settled charges that […]
Generation W Whistleblowers See Themselves As Part of the Solution
Ed Note: The following article is reprinted here courtesy of whistlewatch.org. We are proud supporters of both “Generation W” whistleblowers (to quote the post) and whistlewatch.org, a 501(c)3 nonprofit whistleblower advocacy group. We are also proud of our efforts to help whistleblowers in false claims act and IRS whistleblower actions collect the maximum rewards possible. […]
Heads on Beds – Assisted Living Facility Whistleblowers Post
[Post Updated through 2019] Whistleblowers play a critical role in the fight against rising healthcare costs. The biggest area of fraud – one that costs the government billions of dollars in fraud annually – is the Medicare program. Because Medicare is subsidized with tax dollars, healthcare providers that bill for unnecessary or poor quality services […]
Defense Contractor Whistleblower Gets $1.8 Award
A former project manager for Science Applications International was awarded $1.8 million for exposing a massive overbilling scheme according to an AP story carried in the Ventura County Star. Prosecutors claimed the company over charged the government for homeland security training programs. Science Applications is a Virginia based defense contractor that employs over 40,000 people […]
Whistleblower Law Used To Prosecute Section 8 Housing Fraud
Over 3 million households rely on HUD’s Section 8 rent subsidy program. The law was designed to insure that low income families have access to safe, decent and sanitary housing. Landlords receive a subsidy from the the government and agree to charge those eligible for the program a below market rental rate. Unfortunately, some landlords […]
Feds Charge 89 With Medicare Fraud – Whistleblowers Rejoice
Earlier this month, federal officials arrested 89 people in Miami, Detroit, Tampa, Houston, New York and Los Angeles and charged them with health care fraud. The action was a coordinated effort involving the FBI, Postal Inspectors, IRS, Department of Health and Human Services and local officials. Historically, many of these cases come to light because of […]
Lance Armstrong Named In Whistleblower Suit
by Brian Mahany Almost 2 years ago, Floyd Landis filed a false claims act (whistleblower) suit against teammate Lance Armstrong. That complaint remained under seal for over two years while the government investigated. Several weeks ago, the government intervened and adopted the action against Armstrong. The government seeks return of some $17 million in sponsorship […]
Alaska Whistleblower Wins $3.5 Million In Retaliation Claim
by Brian Mahany In a perfect world, companies would reward whistleblowers. In my law firm, for example, I would want to know if someone was stealing or breaking the law. Unfortunately, in these tough economic times, some businesses intentionally cut corners and whistleblowers in those companies often face retaliation. Congress and most states have said […]
Mahany & Ertl File Amicus Brief In Important Whistleblower Protection Case
by Brian Mahany Buried in the Federal Register last week was an invitation to file amicus briefs in the current Merit Systems Protection Board case, Barbara King vs. Department of the Air Force. Partner Joe Bird and Mahany & Ertl are proud to represent Barbara in her pursuit of justice. At stake is the critical issue […]
Bad News For Fraudsters In Wisconsin – Whistleblower Post
by Brian Mahany Early this morning I wrote about the never ending battle against fraud. This afternoon, a little bit of good news. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that last year the state, several counties and a private investigative firm were able to identify over $14 million in fraud within the FoodShare and Medicaid programs. […]