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The False Claims Act applies to individuals and businesses, regardless of how small or large. This past week the Minnesota Commerce Department filed a lawsuit against BP – one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies – alleging that it fraudulently double-dipped, by collecting more than $25 million from a state fund for cleaning up leaking underground petroleum tanks while, at the same time, collecting insurance reimbursements for performing the same work.
At the other end of the spectrum, the government recently settled allegations against Foley Family Property Management, Inc., a company formerly doing business as Alpha Property Management Inc. that operates apartment complexes in Kansas City, Kansas. Pursuant to the settlement, Foley agreed to pay $640,000 to settle allegations that it had submitted false claims to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 multi-family housing program for tenants at one of its apartment complexes from November 2005 through January 2011.
The government also recently settled claims against SelfRefind, a chain of addiction treatment clinics, and its owners, based on allegations that the clinic had submitted claims to Medicare and Kentucky’s Medicaid program for tests that were medically unnecessary, more expensive than those performed, or billed in violation of the Stark Law. SelfRefind and other defendants agreed to pay $15.75 million to resolve the government’s claims.
Under the False Claims Act, whistleblowers who file lawsuits on behalf of the government are able to share in the ultimate recovery obtained by the government, regardless of who the defendant is and regardless of the amount of the recovery.
The whistleblower attorneys at Goldberg Kohn are committed to fighting fraud against the government and protecting the rights of whistleblowers. Please contact us at (312) 863-7222 if you would like to learn more about any of the aforementioned whistleblower cases or would like to schedule a free, confidential appointment with one of our nationally recognized whistleblower attorneys.